By Harley Lond - 01/30/23 at 09:38 PM CT
There are very few DVD and Blu-ray releases this week (and next), thanks to the NFL Playoffs. Next week we can look forward to "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" and then "The Fabelmans" the week after that -- but release schedules probably won't begin picking up until March.
THIS WEEK'S BEST BETS:
Ever since his debut was heralded as "a young master's first masterpiece" by none other than Ingmar Bergman, director Lukas Moodysson has been hailed internationally as one of Sweden's greatest filmmaking talents, delighting and confounding audiences in equal measure. Available together for the first time in "The Lukas Moodysson Collection (Limited Edition)", Moodysson's eclectic filmography can now be appreciated as the work of a singular filmmaking voice, as avowedly uncompromising and unabashedly political as it is keenly observed, deeply felt and frequently hilarious. Moodysson's first film, "Fucking Åmål" (1997) (released overseas as "Show Me Love"), was quickly heralded as a new queer cinema touchstone and one of the most authentic portrayals of youthful relationships on film. He
swiftly followed this with the bittersweet, satirical 1970s-set "Together" (2000), in which the inhabitants of a commune try to reconcile their ideals with their hearts' desires. Having made a name for himself as the new master of tragicomic, feelgood humanism, Moodysson suddenly frustrated expectations with a trio of startlingly confrontational works: the hauntingly bleak "Lilya 4-ever" (2002), the abrasive and semi-improvised "A Hole in My Heart" (2004) and the avant-garde "Container" (2006), narrated in its English version by Jena Malone ("Donnie Darko"). After making his mainstream English-language debut with the expansive "Mammoth" (2009), starring Gael Garcia Bernal and Michelle Williams, Moodysson returned to his roots with "We Are The Best!" (2012) (based on a graphic novel by his wife and "consigliere" Coco), the charming and funny tale of three schoolgirls starting a punk band in early-1980s Stockholm. On Blu-ray with a 200-page hardback book featuring new writing by Peter Walsh, excerpts from the original press kits for each film and essays on his films from a 2014 special issue of the Nordic culture journal Scandinavica, more, from Arrow Video/MVD Entertainment. Read more here.BUZZIN' THE 'B's:
When a research scientist (Karen Gillan) makes national news proving she can track people into the afterlife - Rose (Katie Parker) sees a way out and Teddy (Rahul Kohli) sees his chance to finally make it in "Next Exit" (2022). These two strangers, both harboring dark secrets, race to join the doctor's contentious study and leave this life behind. While Rose is haunted by
a ghostly presence that she can't outrun, Teddy is forced to confront his past. As these two misfits humorously quarrel their way across the country, they meet people along the way who force them to reckon with what is really driving them. From Magnolia Pictures /Magnet Label ... In "Heretic" (2021), starring Marlene McCohen, Ginny You, Brenton Jones and Harmony Smith, Hannah Blair (McCohen) tells people stories, predicts their future and even dabbles in communicating with the dead. One stormy night that all changes when she meets Rachel (Ginny You), who is actually a dead, lost spirit. Emboldened by this event, she is determined to find out the truth about what happened to her parents years before. Hannah embarks on a journey into the netherworld where she comes face to face with the Entity ... an evil who has haunted mankind since the dawn of time and who now wants Hannah. From Indican Pictures. Read more here.FOREIGN FILMS:
In "Bergman Island" (2021 - France), writer-director Mia Hansen-Løve embarks on a luminous summertime odyssey to the home of Ingmar Bergman for her seventh feature, a graceful,
shape-shifting tale about the interplay of life and art and the ways in which stories are born. In search of inspiration for their current filmmaking projects, Chris (Vicky Krieps) and her partner (Tim Roth) travel to the remote island of Fårö, Sweden, where Bergman lived and worked for decades. There, the spirit of the cinema master looms as Chris confronts her complicated relationships to work, men, motherhood, and her artistic influences. Also featuring radiant performances from Mia Wasikowska and Anders Danielsen Lie, "Bergman Island" is a rich deconstruction of the mysteries of the creative process and the journey that every film takes from thought to page to screen. On DVD, Blu-ray, in a 2K digital master, approved by director Mia Hansen-Løve, with 5.1 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack on the Blu-ray. From The Criterion Collection. Read more here ... In 
"The Grandmaster of Kung Fu" (2019 - China), starring Du Yu Hang (aka Dennis To), Gao Xue-mei, Yang Yong-feng, Li Ruo Xi and Zhuang Han, near the end of the Qing Dynasty, a renowned Chinese martial artist engages in a life-or-death battle with a feared Japanese military commander in order to prevent Japan's ultimate goal of seizing martial arts stronghold Tianjin. In an attempt to invade China, the Japanese try to destroy the Tianjin Martial Arts Association and open their own military academy. Grandmaster Huo Yuan Jia, a martial arts expert, must stop them from taking over the city. On DVD, Blu-ray, from Well Go USA.FOR THE FAMILY:
In "Sesame Street - Elmo & Tango: Furry Friends Forever" (2022), everyone’s favorite furry red monster gets more lovable as Elmo and his newly adopted pet, Tango embark on hours of furry fun. Gives children a look at meeting a new animal, taking care of a pet and having fun with your new best friend through music, laughter and fun. The adorable friends are joined by special celebrity guests Keke Palmer, Kacey Musgraves and John Batiste. From Sesame Workshop/Shout! Kids.
Check out other new DVD/Blu-ray releases, streaming films, and information and reviews at OnVideo.
