Review: This week’s releases protect its loved ones
This week’s releases include a romantic story for the ages; an alien adventure; a stunning tale of family; a kung-fu comedy; zombies with a sense of humour; and a disappointing reboot.
A Shaun The Sheep Movie: Farmageddon! (Blu-ray & DVD)
When a mischievous alien crash-lands near Mossy Bottom Farm, Shaun sets off on a thrilling rescue mission to help her return home, while a secret government UFO organization is hot on their trail. Can Shaun and the flock avert Farmageddon before it’s too late?
These stop-motion animated stories are so amusing, no matter your age. The young alien is new to our world, but quickly adapts. It has a child’s curiosity — and sense of self-preservation — which causes a lot of undue trouble. Consequently, Shaun spends a lot of his time trying to clean up the alien’s messes so they don’t get caught — not a role he’s accustomed to performing at home where the dog keeps watch and the sheep’s mischief off the farmer’s radar. It’s funny, cute and heartfelt, which are all the things one hopes for and expects from an Aardman production.
Special features include: making-of featurette; “Lu-La Slime Time”; “25 Years of Shaun The Sheep”; “Get Crafty With Shaun And Lu-La”; “The Woolmark Company Presents: Super Natural Wool”; “How To Draw Shaun”; and “How To Draw Lu-La.” (Shout Factory)
The Deer King (Blu-ray & DVD)
Following a brutal war, former soldier Van toils in a mine controlled by the ruling empire. One day, his solitary existence is upended when a pack of wild dogs carrying a deadly and incurable disease attack, leaving only Van and a young girl named Yuna as survivors. Finally free, the pair seek out a simple existence in the countryside, but are pursued by nefarious forces. Intent on protecting Yuna at all costs, Van must uncover the true cause of the plague ravaging the kingdom — and its possible cure.
This is a stunning animation with a heartfelt message about loving the family you have. Van is devastated by the loss of his family, but Yuna’s helplessness and innocence bring out his fatherly instincts. He becomes her protector, guarding her against the natural and supernatural forces that would harm her. The tale of the disease carrying wolves is more complex and involves an even more convoluted power play. The striking animation captures audiences as much as the story, contrasting hard and soft lines, warm and cold colours to express the mood of the character and/or the scene. It’s a captivating fairy tale with monsters and heroes, but no clear path to a happily ever after.
Special features include: “Bringing the English Dub to Life”; “Interview with Director Masashi Ando”; “Introduction from Masashi Ando”; design gallery; and trailers. (GKIDS & Shout Factory)
The Munsters (Blu-ray)
Lily (Sheri Moon Zombie) is just your typical 150-year-old, lovelorn vampire looking for the man of her nightmares . . . that is until she lays eyes on Herman (Jeff Daniel Phillips), a seven-foot-tall, green experiment with a heart of gold. It’s love at first shock as these two ghouls fall fangs over feet in this crazy Transylvanian romance. Unfortunately, it’s not all smooth sailing in the cemetery as Lily’s father, The Count (Daniel Roebuck), has other plans for his beloved daughter’s future, and they don’t involve her bumbling beau, Herman.
The Munsters are a beloved TV sitcom that endeared audiences with its amusing take on a family comprised of archetypal monsters. They share a deep familial love and often find themselves in hilarious predicaments as they try to blend into their very human neighbourhood. Unfortunately, Rob Zombie twists the tale into one of his own design and it’s very disappointing. Applying his previous approach to an existing property, Zombie attempts to create an origin story for Lily and Herman’s love affair, and it’s awkward and boring. The opening scenes set the tone for the rest of the picture, which does not bode well for viewers.
Special features include: “The Munsters: Return to Mockingbird Lane.” (Universal Pictures Home Entertainment)
Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank (Blu-ray & Digital copy)
A hard-on-his-luck hound named Hank (Michael Cera) finds himself in a town full of cats who need a hero to defend them from a ruthless villain’s (Ricky Gervais) evil plot to wipe their village off the map. With help from a reluctant teacher (Samuel L. Jackson) to train him, our underdog must assume the role of town samurai and team up with the villagers to save the day. The only problem… cats hate dogs!
This is a cute, Kung Fu Panda-esque story in which an unlikely hero must train with a reluctant master in order to save a town that doesn’t really believe in him. The voice cast is excellent and so well-suited to their animated personalities. Gervais is a bizarre despot, while Jackson delivers an expected level of sarcasm and insults. Hank’s request for a training montage after which he’s simply a good samurai is a great, subtle pressing of the fourth wall. There are a lot of silly elements, in particular the giant jade toilet, a.k.a. “The Super Bowl,” that keep the amusement alive every few beats and the audience engaged for yet another animated offering.
Special features include: “Cool Cats and One Hot Dog!”; “In the Drawing Room with Director Rob Minkoff”; and “Giving Voice to Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank.” (Paramount Home Entertainment)
The Return of the Living Dead (4K Ultra HD & Blu-ray)
On his first day on the job at a medical supply warehouse, poor Freddy (Thom Mathews) unwittingly releases toxic gas from a secret U.S. military canister, unleashing an unbelievable terror. The gas reanimates an army of corpses, who arise from their graves with a ravenous hunger for human brains. And luckily for those carnivorous cadavers, there is a group of partying teens nearby, just waiting to be eaten.
In an instance of horror meets comedy, writer/director Dan O’Bannon introduced audiences to the brain-eating zombie, forever immortalizing the catchphrase, “Brains!” The total antithesis to George Romero’s living dead movies, O’Bannon’s monsters are fast, strong, somewhat intelligent and able to speak. Moreover the classic headshot is ineffective as every body part is capable of movement, even when severed from the rest of the body. Some of the cast is recognizable from other genre pictures as they all come together to make this silly movie a passably good time. Between the punk kids partying in the woods, the warehouse staff with an inkling of what’s happening and the nearby cemetery full of corpses waiting to be animated, this movie has no shortage humorous possibilities. Moreover, the extended featurette in which cast and crew discuss the production is a candid tell-all with some interesting titbits.
Special features include: zombie subtitles for the film; commentary with Gary Smart (co-author of The Complete History of The Return of the Living Dead) and Chris Griffiths; commentary by actors Thom Mathews, John Philbin And make-up effects artist Tony Gardner; commentary by director Dan O’Bannon and production designer William Stout; commentary by the cast and crew featuring production designer William Stout and actors Don Calfa, Linnea Quigley, Brian Peck, Beverly Randolph and Allan Trautman; “The Decade Of Darkness”; “In Their Own Words — The Zombies Speak”; “The FX of the Living Dead”; “Party Time: The Music of The Return Of The Living Dead”; “Horror’s Hallowed Grounds”; The Return of the Living Dead workprint; “More Brains: A Return To The Living Dead”; “A Conversation with Dan O’Bannon”; “The Origins Of The Living Dead”; “The Return Of The Living Dead — The Dead Have Risen”; “Designing The Dead”; still galleries; TV spots; and theatrical trailers. (Scream Factory)
The Time Travelers Wife: The Complete Series (DVD)
The series follows the intricate and magical love story between Clare (Rose Leslie) and Henry (Theo James), and a marriage with a problem… time travel.
At its heart, the series — much like its big screen counterpart — is a tale of romance. A man and woman meet over various timelines, him usually older and her at varying stages of life from child to teen and beyond, yet there’s something about the unusual nature of their relationship that keeps his friendship with a young girl from being creepy. At the same time, for the voyeurs in the audience, James is naked a lot since clothes do not time travel. To say he’s confident about his sculpted physique would be an understatement, though he’s obviously put in the work for that on-screen nonchalance. The show only lasted two seasons, hinting at their ultimate future but never really building to it.
Special features include: “Chapters of a Relationship”; “Anatomy of a Scene”; and “Time Traveler’s Wife: A Love for All Time.” (Warner Bros. Home Entertainment)
