Welcome back to the latest episode of Slipped Discs, where I give you a head’s up on what nerdy stuff is available to come home with you, because I still believe in physical media!
Once more, all this information comes from Blu-Ray.com, but they list everything that will be in the stores, whereas I shall provide you with what I feel is the interesting genre fare.
We have another pretty thin week this week, but it is February, so I supposed it’s to be expected. So let’s hop right into it!
A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood The gist: “The story of Fred Rogers, the honored host and creator of the popular children’s television program, Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” Not so much a bio-pic of Mr. Rogers (That would be “Won’t You Be My Neighbor”), this movie is more about the effect Mr. Rogers had on people, by way of his relationship with a reporter assigned to do a puff piece on the beloved figure. Inspired by a true story (“Can You Say…Hero” By Tom Junod), powered by a spectacular performance by Tom Hanks, this movie warmed even my black, cynical heart. Just as Mr. Rogers would have wanted. Don’t watch without tissues handy.
And if you don’t think this belongs in a list of genre movies, then you’ve obviously never visited the Land of Make-Believe.
Tex Avery Screwball Classics: Volume 1 The gist: “There were several masters of animation during Hollywood’s golden era. Of the top two geniuses, one created elaborate fairy tales and ornate feature-length fantasias — the other guy was Tex Avery. He just wanted to make you laugh. After helping develop Porky Pig, Daffy Duck and Bugs Bunny for Warner Bros., Avery moved to MGM in 1941 to create a set of comedy masterpieces that defined a new slapstick style for animation.” Tex Avery is a legit legend of animation and comedy. Droopy Dog alone would cement his legacy. He had a distinctive style, a sense of the absurd, and was a pioneer of how far you can push a story and the medium in animation. I will absolutely be picking this up, and so should you.
21 Bridges The gist: “A disgraced detective in the NYPD is given a shot at redemption.” Once more, I gotta wonder who’s writing these blurbs for the website, because this is not a correct gist. Chadwick Boseman is a respected cop who’s pulled in to investigate a police shooting where more is going on than it seems. It has quite a few connections to the MCU, in front of and behind the camera, and it’s a good action/thriller.
Star Blazers 2199: Space Battleship Yamato – The Complete Series (2012) The gist: “No synopsis for Star Blazers 2199: Space Battleship Yamato – The Complete Series.” I swear, I should see if they’re hiring for a blurb writer. It’s the remake series of Star Blazers, aka Space Battleship Yamato depending on which side of the Pacific you live on. I haven’t seen this version, but as a kid I lived for the adventures of Wildstar and the crew of the Argo in their quest to defeat Deslok’s plan to destroy the Earth, so I will probably be checking this out.
The Twilight Zone: Season 1 (2019) The gist: “An updated version of the classic TV series featuring various tales of science fiction, horror and mystery.” One of the non-Star Trek reasons to get CBS All Access, this new series was overseen by Jordan Peele and has mixed reviews. I watched the first episode, and thought it was decent, but also that it was a 30 minute story stretched to 60 minutes. I keep meaning to go back and check out the rest of the season, but life keeps throwing other things in my queue. One day…
Jojo Rabbit The gist: “A young boy in Hitler’s army finds out his mother is hiding a Jewish girl in their home.” Again, this gist does not capture the spirit of the movie. Jojo Rabbit is funny, smart, touching, heartbreaking, uplifting, and simply one of the best movies I’ve ever seen. It covers growing up, family, war, hate, love, hope and so much more. And, again, it’s funny without being silly, serious and poignant when called for, has masterful performances by an amazing cast, got Taika Waititi a well-earned Oscar, and as I said before, it’s my pick for the best movie of 2019. A must-buy. If you haven’t seen it, fix that ASAP.
Other titles of note: Rasputin: The Mad Monk, X The Unknown, The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: The Complete Series, Avatar – The Last Airbender: The Complete Series, Mandy (Steelbook release on 2/19)
Again, not a whole lot, but what is there is really damn good! Let me know which of these are a must-buy for you, a pass, or which ones I missed!