Streaming might be the future, but physical media is still the present. It’s also awesome, depending on the title, the label, and the release, so each week we take a look at the new Blu-rays and DVDs making their way into the world. Welcome to this week in Home Video for October 10th! This week’s home video selection includes The Dead Mother, The Boogeyman, and more. Check out our picks below.
Pick of the Week
The Boogeyman
What is it? An evil presence terrorizes two girls and their widowed father.
Why see it? The Stephen King adaptation train continues, and the latest is a surprisingly good studio effort. The big boys don’t tend to make very many scary, creepy movies, but 20th Century Fox/Studios does right by King’ short story and delivers some wonderfully unsettling beats and sequences. Director Rob Savage — great name for a horror filmmaker — finds scares in the darkness, and while he delivers some jumps he also builds strong suspense and tension with the numerous set-pieces. It’s a fun, thrilling watch and one of the year’s best horror movies.
[Extras: Featurette, outtakes]
The Best
The Dead Mother [Radiance]
What is it? A bad man kidnaps a good woman from his past.
Why see it? This early 90s drama from Spain has threads of both the thriller and horror genres, but its dedication to character over thrills makes it far more of a drama. That’s not a knock as it’s an effective and dark drama detailing the interaction of two unlikely people with only one worthy of surviving. It’s clear that the kidnapper is a bad man, but the film affords shades of gray to his intentions making for a complex character portrait about obsession and dependency.
[Extras: New 4K restoration, commentary, documentary, short film]
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs [4K UHD]
What is it? A Walt Disney classic.
Why see it? The modern slate of Walt Disney animated films deliver a winner every now and then, but they’ve yet to recapture the magic of their slate that ran from the late 30s through the 90s. Just banger after banger. 1937’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs remains a classic of lush animation, memorable music, and a fantastical tale. Sure, it’s not a great look with the female lead pining so hard — and needing — the love of a good man, but the fantasy and romance works to create a lush atmosphere. The animation and colors pop, and it remains a beautiful watch.
[Extras: Featurettes]
The Rest
Strays
What is it? Far from home, but with naughty language.
Why see it? Talking animal movies are nothing new, but almost all of them aim to the children as their audience. They’re cute, fluffy, tear-jerking watches that leave everyone happy. This comedy takes an alternate route as Will Ferrell and Jamie Foxx give voice to a pair of mutts without owners in the big city. The big sell is the raunchy language, but while Good Boys delivers big laughs with the same shtick, Strays finds far fewer. It’s a fun enough diversion.
[Extras: Featurettes]
Transformers: Rise of the Beasts [4K UHD]
What is it? A new Transformers film.
Why see it? Like far too many big blockbuster franchises, each new entry in the Transformers series is a bit of the same, and you either like it or you don’t. Michael Bay’s several entries are a mixed bag, some highs, many lows, Travis Knight’s Bumblebee is a legit good time, and this beast-heavy sequel from a filmmaker you’ve never heard of is a mild okay. The CG is solid enough, and the robots are still more engaging than the human characters. It’s fine.
[Extras: Featurettes, deleted scenes]
Also out this week:
Hard Boiled II: the Last Blood, Kill Bill Vol. 1 [4K UHD], Kill Bill Vol. 2 [4K UHD], Rosemary’s Baby [4K UHD], Sanctified, Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey, Yellowjackets – Season 2
Related Topics: Home Video, Stephen King
