New on Blu-ray: ‘Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker’, ‘1917’, ‘Come to Daddy’, ‘The Grudge’, ‘A Hidden Life’

New on Blu-ray: ‘Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker’, ‘1917’, ‘Come to Daddy’, ‘The Grudge’, ‘A Hidden Life’

31 Mar 2020 (PT)

STAR WARS: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER THE RISE OF SKYWALKER RISE OF SKYWALKER NEW ON BLU-RAY A HIDDEN LIFE COME TO DADDY HIDDEN LIFE THE GRUDGE SKYWALKER STAR WARS 1917

Welcome to another week in quarantine! As we continue to find ourselves sequestered in our domiciles, there’s never been a better time to block out the horrors of the real world and kick back with some movies. And while streaming is great – and convenient – you just can’t beat the quality of physical media, folks. So, without further adieu, these are the new Blu-ray releases you should check out this week.

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker is a huge step down from The Last Jedi, and an unsatisfying conclusion to what was on its way to being a strong trilogy. Still, it’s not a complete wash. The actors are all giving it their best – Daisy Ridley remains a wonderful actress who can convey so much emotion just with her eyes, and Adam Driver keeps Kylo Ren compelling, even as the script does not. And there are plenty of great action beats. But every time The Rise of Skywalker starts to seem like it’s finding its footing, it ends up stumbling again. The story is nonsensical, the return of the Emperor makes absolutely no sense, and despite clocking in at 2 hours and 22 minutes, the proceedings seem rushed. Still, it brings the saga to a close, and that counts for something.

Why It’s Worth Owning on Blu-ray:

Look, I’m a completist. I own the first two films in this trilogy, so of course, I’m going to own the third, even though I don’t like it. That said, there are things to enjoy about this release. Specifically the feature-length documentary The Skywalker Legacy. This making-of feature is quite wonderful, and doesn’t totally shy away from the behind-the-scenes issues that plagued the film. In the end, this is a better conclusion to the saga than the movie itself.

Special Features Include:

The Skywalker Legacy – The story lives forever in this feature-length documentary that charts the making of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. Pasaana Pursuit: Creating the Speeder Chase – Dive into the making of the movie’s epic landspeeder chase and discover how this spectacular sequence was brought to the screen. Aliens in the Desert – See what it took to create the Pasaana desert scenes, from the sheer scale and complexity of the shoot to its colorful details. D-O: Key to the Past – Explore the ship that connects Rey to the mystery of her missing parents and get to know the galaxy’s newest, irresistible droid. Warwick & Son – Warwick Davis, who played Wicket in Star Wars: Return of the Jedi, dons the Ewok costume once more; this time joined by his son Harrison. Cast of Creatures – The team behind the film’s memorable creatures reveal the puppetry, makeup, prosthetics and digital magic that bring them to life!

1917

1917 got a lot of press for being a “one-take” movie – which, in turn, lead many to assume the World War I film had nothing to offer beyond a gimmick. But there’s so much more to Sam Mendes‘ saga than it’s one-shot format. Yes, things have been designed to resemble one long, continuous take. But that scenario effectively pulls you into this world, and keeps you moving along with it – 1917 never lets up. The story is simple – two soldiers have to stop an attack they know is doomed. Yet Mendes packs a ton of emotional punch into this story, focusing on the horrors of war, and the way it chews young men up and spits them out bloody and broken – or worse. All of it is captured by Roger Deakins‘ stunning cinematography.

Why It’s Worth Owning on Blu-ray:

1917 is a great addition to any Blu-ray library, especially if you’re a fan of war movies in general – or just some damn fine cinematography. The disc comes loaded with multiple featurettes about the making of the movie, with a heavy emphasis on how Mendes and Deakins pulled off the one-shot trick. Mendes and Deakins also both get their own commentary tracks, both of which provide plenty of keen insight into the production.

Special Features Include:

The Weight of the World: Sam Mendes – Academy Award® winner Sam Mendes discusses his personal connection to World War 1. Allied Forces: Making 1917 – Learn how the one shot, 360-degree format was executed and the pivotal role Academy Award® winner Roger Deakins served in bringing Sam Mendes’ vision to life. The Music of 1917 – Composer Thomas Newman and filmmakers discuss the important role of the Academy Award®-nominated score. In The Trenches – Go behind the scenes with the cast of 1917. Recreating History – Filmmakers offer a detailed look at the production design challenges of recreating the First World War. Feature Commentary with Director/Co-Writer Sam Mendes. Feature Commentary with Director of Photography Roger Deakins.

Come to Daddy

What a god damn rush this movie is. Ant Timpson‘s Come to Daddy caught me completely by surprise – I went into the pic knowing as little as possible, and was rewarded immensely. Here’s what you need to know: Elijah Wood is Norval Greenwood, a timid guy who hasn’t seen his father since he was a very small child. So it’s a big surprise when dear old dad summons him out to his secluded house. Norval heads out for the visit, and finds his father Stephen McHattie to be not at all what he expected.

And that’s all I’m going to tell you. From there, Come to Daddy journeys down dark and twisty roads, dropping one shocking moment from the next. It’s nearly impossible to predict where this story is headed, and that makes it all the more enjoyable. Timpson is able to wring bleak humor from the proceedings, creating a strange, unique film that will leave you reeling.

Why It’s Worth Owning on Blu-ray:

Disappointingly, there are no special features included. But that doesn’t make Come to Daddy any less special. I urge you to pick this up and support weird, unique indie cinema.

The Grudge

Nicolas Pesce‘s The Eyes of My Mother is one of the best horror movies of the 21st century, so handing him a new The Grudge isn’t the worst idea in the world. Alas, Pesce’s take on the J-horror phenomenon leaves a lot to be desired. To be fair, it’s pretty clear that studio interference played a part here – I’ve heard from reliable sources about several scenes that didn’t make it into the film, and aren’t included in the deleted scenes on the disc. Still, you can get a sense of what Pesce was going for here, and his filmmaking skills help elevate the entire affair. The Grudge certainly looks good, full of dark, ominous scenes in beautiful widescreen. And the set-up – about a cop Andrea Riseborough looking into the Grudge curse – is sound. It’s just a pity the producers didn’t trust Pesce’s vision enough in the end.

Why It’s Worth Owning on Blu-ray:

There are several extended and deleted scenes included on the disc that hint at something better – and more disturbing – here, and those are worth checking this out on their own. That might not be enough for you to want to purchase the disc outright, but you should definitely give The Grudge at least a one-time watch to see how it plays for you.

Special Features Include:

“The Cast of the Cursed” featurette: Take an inside look at the evil that lurks behind the doors at 44 Reyburn Dr., as key creatives and cast members explore The Grudge characters and discuss their experience working with Writer/Director Nicolas Pesce. “Designing Death” featurette: From a slightly paler version of themselves to being completely mangled and rotted, to the incredible death scenes; like Faith Matheson’s Lin Shaye epic leap off of the staircase, explore the character make-up design process and the film’s visual look involved in creating the myriad of ghosts caught in the grips of the Grudge! “Easter Egg Haunt” featurette: Join Writer/Director Nicolas Pesce as he brings to light the plethora of hidden Easter Eggs throughout the film which are homages to the previous works in the Ju-On franchise. Extended Scenes & Alternative Ending Experience the scenes too disturbing for theaters, like Peter Spencer’s terrifying encounter in the attic of 44 Reyburn Dr., or the uncovering of the gruesome truth behind the Landers’ family deaths.

A Hidden Life

A Hidden Life is the best movie Terrence Malick has made in years for one simple reason: it’s has a plot. After Tree of Life, Malick more or less abandoned plotting ogether, and instead created dreamy sagas where characters drift aimlessly from one moment to the next. To be clear: none of these movies are bad. They’re just not up to snuff with his earlier work. But A Hidden Life is.

Based on the true story Franz Jägerstätter, this eerily timely tale follows an Austrian farmer who refuses to fight for the Germans and pledge allegiance to Adolf Hitler during World War II – a decision that could lead to his death. Malick blends his beautiful landscapes with Jägerstätter, and the results are transcendent. This is one of Malick’s most spiritual films, one that transports you wholly to its world.

Why It’s Worth Owning on Blu-ray:

There are zero special features on this release, which is a bummer. But A Hidden Life is such a magnificent film that it’s still worth picking up. A 4K release would’ve been ideal, but the visuals look gorgeous here none the less. This is a powerful, important film, and more people should give it their full attention. We need more films like this, especially from Malick.

Source: Slashfilm.com

STAR WARS: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER THE RISE OF SKYWALKER RISE OF SKYWALKER NEW ON BLU-RAY A HIDDEN LIFE COME TO DADDY HIDDEN LIFE THE GRUDGE SKYWALKER STAR WARS 1917

‘Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker’ Visual Effects Supervisor Roger Guyett on Marrying the Practical and the...

There’s one particularly telling and effective moment in The Skywalker Legacy, the feature-lenght documentary that’s included on the Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker home release that sums up much of the ambivalence and consternation that some had with J.J. Abrams’ return to the Star Wars universe. After showing the intricate construction of a giant, practical snake monster, the doc cuts back to footage of Jabba The Hutt, that old analogue beast that slithered its way into our hearts. The sentiment is clear – we’re making movies like we used to! A celebration of practical effects, the dripping of k-y jelly to give viscosity just like the old costume days, it’s all there. There’s excitement on set, everyone talking about how amazing it looks, how lifelike, how this is how you’re supposed to do movies like this.

Cut to Visual Effects Supervisor Roger Guyett who shatters the myth, letting us know the creature was replaced by a CGI version in post.

Guyett’s resume is mighty. Having made his bones on groundbreaking films like Twister and Casper, he helped Spielberg bring the events of D-Day to screen in Saving Private Ryan, helped bring to life the best looking film in the Harry Potter series, Alfonso Cuarón’s Prisoner of Azkaban, and even made the theatrical version of Rent feel more than a stage production. Guyett has had many collaborations with Abrams – from the Star Trek Reboots through The Force Awakens and The Rise of Skywalker he was even second unit director on the former, as well as working with George Lucas on Episode III to round off the prequels. He’s in a unique position to speak to these changing landscapes of epic filmmaking.

We spoke at length about the apparent contradictions and indulgences in making a Star Wars film, and he made the case for why nothing was wasted and all contributed to the final presentation. He was erudite and open to the discussion, making for a dream conversation with a man who quite literally has helped shape what amazes us on screen for decades.

The following has been edited for clarity and concision.

We see practical effects being championed as almost a marketing ploy with the “postquels” as a mix of nostalgia and an attempt to delineate from Lucas’ second trilogy. In some ways the love of the practically-realized snake undercuts the extraordinary CGI you and your team accomplished, and raises questions about why the need to fetishize the on-set inclusions when they’re replaced anyway. Could you talk about that ethos, that somehow doing stuff on a computer is a “cheat” while doing an effect practically is not?

I think at the end of the day we’re all trying to do the best that we can, trying to make the best, most dramatic or emotional movie we can visually. I’m coming from figuring out how do you get the most...

‘1917’ Editor Lee Smith on Being the Film’s Invisible Secret Weapon [Interview]

The “hidden man” is how editor Lee Smith sees himself in 1917. Not for a second did Smith want audiences paying attention to his cuts or tricks, but to instead immerse themselves in director Sam Mendes‘ World War I story, which is constructed to take place in one seemingly unbroken take. Despite the obvious technical wizardry and razzle-dazzle, they pulled it off. Audiences were caught up in the feeling and exhilaration of 1917, not the craft of 1917.

The war pic isn’t the first time Smith and Mendes collaborated. The two worked together on Spectre, which involved a long take that gave the editor and filmmaker some ideas of how to accomplish 1917. Outside of Smith’s collaborations with Mendes, he’s edited several Christopher Nolan films, Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World, and an underrated gem from the early 2000s, Buffalo Soldiers.

Recently, Smith spoke to us about his intense work on 1917, a few of the movie’s standout sequences, and doing what hasn’t been done before.

Congratulations on the movie. I think it’s an incredible accomplishment.

Thank you. I was definitely the hidden man on that one if I did my job correctly.

That’s what you always want anyway, right?

Yeah, exactly.

It’s impressive how you can admire the craft while watching it, but not in a way that makes the movie feel artificial.

That was the thing we always spoke about. The film itself had to be front and center. We never really wanted anyone thinking about how it was made while watching it because our leading thought was just making a great story with great performances. That’s what we were aiming for. As we started to test screen the movie, we realized we achieved that. A lot of people around us were talking about the technique before we started screening, so I’d go, “We gotta stop banging on about technique and make sure the movie works.” As soon as we started screening it, we realized everything is working and all the audience can do is talk about the film. That’s exactly what we wanted to do.

You were editing as they were filming and on the set often. Usually, you have so much time to decide on a take, so how intense was moving at that speed?

Yeah, you could say you’re flying by the seat of your pants. Every day I would watch the shoot the day before the shoot, which could run for two hours worth of material and 39 takes for big sequences. I’d have to talk to Sam in the morning. He’d tell me what he likes, I’d tell him what I like, and we’d ask each other why we liked certain takes. It was a fun conversation, but we had to make up our minds because they were setting up for the next shot.

Generally speaking, you want the shot you’re...