BluTuesday - October 3, 2017
What’s going on, ProFans? I’m taking a break from performing to bring you the latest releases to home media for October 3, 2017. In this week’s episode, we discuss an arthouse horror film, a return to the pirate life, an arthouse thriller, and a boatload of TV. Let’s get to it.
A Ghost Story (R)
Rotten Tomatoes rating: 91%
Metascore: 84
When a recently deceased man (Casey Affleck) returns to his home as a white-sheeted ghost, he observes his bereft wife (Rooney Mara) begin to slip away. He then goes on a journey through all of space and time in order to comprehend the enormity of existence. This film, which also stars Will Oldham, Kenneisha Johnson, and Rob Zabrecky, is available in a single disc Blu-ray + Digital HD version and a single disc DVD version. This…this movie is pretentious. It’s trying to be deep and existential, but it’s just a beautifully shot bad movie. Just let this pass on by and don’t even look twice at it.
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales (PG-13)
Rotten Tomatoes rating: 29%
Metascore: 39
Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) returns in his fifth outing in this franchise. This time, he’s on the run from the spectral Captain Salazar (Javier Bardem), a ghost with vengeance on his mind. In order to save his own life and the lives of pirates everywhere, he has to team up with Carina Smyth (Kaya Scoledario), a brilliant astronomer, and Henry (Brenton Thwaites), a member of the Royal Navy, to find the Trident of Poseidon. This film, which also stars David Wenham, Kevin McNally, and Orland Bloom, is available in a two disc 4K UltraHD/Blu-ray + Digital HD version, a two disc Blu-ray/DVD + Digital HD version, and a single disc DVD version. After the lackluster film that wasted Penelope Cruz and Geoffrey Rush, I was in no hurry to throw my money away on this one. If you’re indeed all in on these films, then there’s nothing I can do to convince you otherwise. I wish you nothing but the best on that one.
The Book of Henry (R)
Rotten Tomatoes rating: 22%
Metascore: 31
Susan Carpenter (Naomi Watts) is a single mother who works in a diner with her friend Sheila (Sarah Silverman) in order to raise her two children; her playful younger child Peter (Jacob Tremblay) and her older child, a genius named Henry (Jaeden Leiberher). When tragedy strikes, Susan is called to action to take some very dangerous steps to follow Henry’s plans to the letter. This film, which also stars Maddie Ziegler, Bobby Moynahan, and Lee Pace, is available in a two disc Blu-ray/DVD + Digital HD version and a single disc DVD version. Here is yet another movie that is too smart for its own good. If you want to surround yourself in a robe of pretentiousness, watch this movie along with A Ghost Story back-to-back; if this is your thing, you’ll love it.
The Wizard of Lies (NR)
Rotten Tomatoes rating: 72%
Metascore: 67
Robert DeNiro and Michelle Pfeiffer star as Bernie and Ruth Madoff in this HBO adaptation of the Diana B. Henriques book. The film takes a look at Madoff’s fall from grace as he orchestrated a multi-billion dollar Ponzi scheme that ruined the lives of his investors and is on record as the largest Ponzi scheme in history. This film, which also stars Alessandro Nivola, Hank Azaria, and Kristen Connolly, is available in a single disc Blu-ray + Digital HD version. Bernie Madoff was not a good person, and this film does its best to paint him in the light he deserves: a villainous and disgusting one. The portrayals are spot-on, but the subject matter is a depressing one. I still say check it out, though.
On the television front, there are a lot of shows to choose from, and here are the ones that I think will be the most intriguing:
American Horror Story: Roanoke
House of Cards: The Complete Fifth Season
iZombie: The Complete Third Season
Vikings: Season Four Volume 2
That’s all I’ve got for this week. Got any questions or comments? Did I miss something you wanted to discuss? Feel free to hit me up in the comments section below.
Until next time…
