{"id":20629,"date":"2023-08-29T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-08-29T16:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/crookedmarquee.com\/stage8\/?p=20629"},"modified":"2024-03-02T21:16:11","modified_gmt":"2024-03-03T05:16:11","slug":"the-best-movies-to-buy-or-stream-this-week-you-hurt-my-feelings-the-nightmare-before-christmas-showgirls-and-more","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/crookedmarquee.com\/stage8\/the-best-movies-to-buy-or-stream-this-week-you-hurt-my-feelings-the-nightmare-before-christmas-showgirls-and-more\/","title":{"rendered":"The Best Movies to Buy or Stream This Week: <i>You Hurt My Feelings<\/i>, <i>The Nightmare Before Christmas<\/i>, <i>Showgirls<\/i>, and More"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><em>Every Tuesday, discriminating viewers are confronted with a flurry of choices: new releases on disc and on demand, vintage and original movies on any number of streaming platforms, catalogue titles making a splash on Blu-ray or 4K. This twice-monthly column sifts through all of those choices to pluck out the movies most worth your time, no matter how you\u2019re watching.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"The Story of Film: An Odyssey Trailer\" width=\"760\" height=\"428\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/IWz4Q3xOeqM?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>PICK OF THE WEEK:&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3svHExU\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong><em>The Complete Story of Film<\/em><\/strong><\/a><strong><em>: <\/em><\/strong>When <em>The Story of Film: An Odyssey<\/em>, the first iteration this UK docu-miniseries quietly popped up on Netflix a few years back (after runs at the Toronto International Film Festival and the Museum of Modern Art), it quickly became a must-see for movie buffs; sure, we\u2019d seen plenty of comprehensive film documentaries before, but nothing with the scope, worldwide breadth, and insight on display here. Music Box Films\u2019 essential new Blu-ray set adds on the two-part follow-up series <em>The Story of Film: A New Generation<\/em>, and it\u2019s a high compliment to say it\u2019s more of the same, as director\/narrator Mark Cousins makes unexpected connections and thrilling discoveries while surveying world cinema from its origins up to the present day, with an academic\u2019s intelligence and a fan\u2019s enthusiasm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>ON HULU:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hulu.com\/movie\/amsterdam-67bb5c02-3bf1-4fbe-b18d-c33ab7041f6c\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong><em>Amsterdam<\/em><\/strong><\/a>: David O. Russell\u2019s first feature in seven years landed with a rather loud belly-flop last fall, but it\u2019s considerably better than its reputation or receipts \u2013 particularly once one tunes in to its rather peculiar wavelength. Christian Bale (doing his best Al Pacino), Margot Robbie, and John David Washington gets a real <em>Bande&nbsp;\u00e0&nbsp;part<\/em> thing going as a motley trio of old pals who get mixed up in a messy mystery concerning murder, fascists, and a quiet coup. It takes a while to find its footing, and Russell\u2019s unsteady pacing (particularly in the screwball sections) does it no favors. But the narrative is surprisingly timely (and historically accurate), Robbie is dynamite, and there\u2019s something genuinely entertaining about its parade-of-stars casting. It\u2019s not Russell\u2019s best effort, to be sure, but it\u2019s certainly not his worst.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>ON BLU-RAY \/ DVD \/ VOD:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3PfBlHu\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong><em>You Hurt My Feelings<\/em><\/strong><\/a><strong>: <\/strong>A decade after their career-highlight collaboration with <em>Enough Said<\/em>, writer\/director Nicole Holofcener and producer\/star Julia Louis-Dreyfus reteam for another story of a somewhat neurotic woman struggling with information she wishes she didn\u2019t have. This time around, JLD is a writer who accidentally overhears her seemingly supportive spouse (Tobias Menzes) trashing her latest book, and subsequently finds herself questioning everything about her marriage\u2014and her life. That\u2019s heady subject matter, but Holofcener exhibits the right, light touch to the material, speaking to universal truths in a manner both wildly funny and undeniably identifiable. (Includes audio commentary and featurette.)&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Weird Science Official Trailer #1 - Robert Downey Jr. Movie (1985) HD\" width=\"760\" height=\"570\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/9qd04u2Yj44?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>ON 4K:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3OVYD3J\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong><em>Weird Science<\/em><\/strong><\/a><strong>: <\/strong>John Hughes\u2019s 1985 sci-fi comedy gets the 4K treatment from Arrow Video, and deserves it; this is one of the filmmaker\u2019s trickiest balancing acts, taking what could\u2019ve been a <em>very<\/em> typical drooly \u201880s sex comedy premise (two computer nerds use their skills to literally create a woman who\u2019ll love them), but moving past the leering, easy jokes and into something altogether smarter, wiser, and funnier. Anthony Michael-Hall and Ilan Mitchell-Smith are spot-on as the nerds in question, but the picture\u2019s strength is in its support: Kelly LeBrock is slyly funny as \u201cLisa,\u201d their creation, while Bill Paxton creates one of the most memorable (and identifiable) villains of the era as the big, dumb, bullying \u201cChet.\u201d (Includes extended and TV versions, additional scenes, new and archival featurettes, interviews, trailers, and TV and radio spots.)&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3PfjC31\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong><em>The Nightmare Before Christmas<\/em><\/strong><\/a><strong><em>:<\/em><\/strong> Disney\u2019s 1993 stop-motion comedy\/musical (out on 4K for the first time) is still often referred to as <em>Tim Burton\u2019s The Nightmare Before Christmas<\/em>, which is both inaccurate and misleading; it makes people think Burton directed (he wrote the story and co-produced), minimizing the considerable achievements of the film\u2019s <em>actual<\/em> director, the great Henry Selick (<em>Coraline<\/em>). Whatever the case, <em>Nightmare<\/em> remains a delight, and not just for \u201890s goth kids; the animation is inventive, the songs (by Burton\u2019s frequent partner Danny Elfman) are memorable, the characters are fully realized, and the sensibility is delightfully dark\u2014particularly when arriving at the climax, and its rich comic buffet of a Christmas nearly ruined by creepy creatures. (Includes audio commentary, deleted scenes, featurettes, and sing-along version.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/vinegarsyndrome.com\/products\/showgirls?_pos=1&amp;_psq=showgirls&amp;_ss=e&amp;_v=1.0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong><em>Showgirls<\/em><\/strong><\/a>: I\u2019ll admit, the Nomi Hive has not turned me yet\u2014I saw Paul Verhoeven\u2019s Vegas sex epic opening weekend and simply cannot go along with the revisionist view that a script this obviously, comically terrible is somehow \u201cin on the joke,\u201d and while I <em>want<\/em> to believe that Verhoeven <em>is<\/em>, the evidence onscreen is mighty thin. What is worth embracing, with the film itself this far in the rearview, is the notion that we truly lost something worth having when this kind of unapologetic sleaze disappeared from the slates of major studios; Vinegar Syndrome\u2019s 4K restoration and presentation (<a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3EfQNx7\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">newly available on Amazon<\/a>) underscores the sheer filmmaking <em>craft<\/em> on display here, and say what you will about the picture\u2019s flaws, it\u2019s never, <em>ever<\/em> dull. (Includes audio commentary, interviews, featurettes, and trailer.)&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/vinegarsyndrome.com\/products\/gorgo?_pos=1&amp;_sid=57b1cb38a&amp;_ss=r\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong><em>Gorgo<\/em><\/strong><\/a>: VS\u2019s 4K presentation of this 1961 monster movie is an absolute blast, on its surface a UK-US-Irish <em>Godzilla<\/em> ripoff, but infused with the conventions of the respectable international adventure film its pedigree suggests. In other words, there are lots of men making slightly tense announcements like \u201cThe creature\u2019s got through!\u201d in clipped British accents, as a pair of treasure hunters discover and capture the title monster and attempt to put him on public display in London (so they are, shall we say, paying homage to <em>King Kong<\/em> as well). The 4K scan really brings out the phoniness of the effects, but who cares; it\u2019s an under-80 minute movie where you get to watch a giant reptile monster stomp through Piccadilly Circus and take down Big Ben. That\u2019s cinema, baby! (Includes audio commentary, isolated music and effects track, featurettes, interviews, trailers, and video comic book.)&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/vinegarsyndrome.com\/products\/undefeatable?_pos=1&amp;_sid=0c48e9da9&amp;_ss=r\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong><em>Undefeatable<\/em><\/strong><\/a>: This 1993 mash-up of street fighting flick and serial killer thriller features Cynthia Rothrock as a waitress who fights for cash to make ends meet, and uses her access to that world to help a police detective (John Miller) track down the underground fighter who killed her sister. Rothrock is absolute fire, thrilling in her fight scenes and charismatic elsewhere, though the rest of the acting is, to be charitable, not up to her level; Miller is a bit of a charisma void, while Don Niam is ridiculous as the mulleted villain. But Rothrock\u2019s personality and brawling acumen hold it together, and the final kill is an A+. (Includes audio commentary, interviews, featurettes, and alternate <em>Bloody Mary Killer<\/em> cut with additional audio commentary.)&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/vinegarsyndrome.com\/products\/the-boogeyman?_pos=1&amp;_psq=The+Boogeyman&amp;_ss=e&amp;_v=1.0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong><em>The Boogeyman<\/em><\/strong><\/a>: In its opening scenes, Uli Lommel\u2019s 1980 slasher flick seems pretty bare-naked in its debt to <em>Halloween<\/em>, from the suburban setting to the first-person camera to the <em>very<\/em> young killer. (Lommel ladles in a few generous spoonfuls of <em>The Exorcist<\/em> later on, for good measure.) But Lommel is no rip-off artist; he\u2019s got a real eye for crafting a dread-filled mood, upsetting imagery, and clever kills. And the acting is strong across the board, particularly from star Suzanna Love, who conveys her character\u2019s considerable PTSD without veering into cartoon territory. (Includes audio commentaries, new and archival interviews, trailer, and TV spots.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/vinegarsyndrome.com\/products\/night-screams?_pos=1&amp;_psq=Night+Screams&amp;_ss=e&amp;_v=1.0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong><em>Night Screams<\/em><\/strong><\/a>: Real talk \/ full disclosure: this low-budget 1987 slasher was shot in my own hometown of Wichita, Kansas, so I\u2019m inherently fascinated by the places and people I recognize from back home. Your own mileage may vary; the dialogue scenes are pretty weak, and the running-time-padding slice-ins (from the early-\u201880s horror flick <em>Final Exam<\/em> and a forgotten softcore effort) grow increasingly bizarre. But the suspense beats work\u2014director Allen Plone knows his stuff\u2014and no one takes themselves too seriously. Plus, there\u2019s an appearance by \u201cthe nationally famous Sweetheart Dancers\u201d! (Includes audio commentary, feature-length making of documentary, original trailer, and pre-release cut.)&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"DRYLONGSO (Cauleen Smith, 1998) - Janus Films Theatrical Trailer\" width=\"760\" height=\"428\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Ugnx1nrGOPA?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>ON BLU-RAY:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/45RwpON\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong><em>Drylongso<\/em><\/strong><\/a>: In spite of what I\u2019d always considered an exhaustive knowledge of the \u201890s indie scene, I\u2019d never heard of Cauleen Smith\u2019s 1998 slice-of-life drama\u2014shot on 16mm with a shoestring budget in Oakland, California\u2014before its addition to the Criterion Collection was announced a few months back. But this is the kind of discovery and showcase that labels with their cachet must do, because <em>Drylongso <\/em>is a real gem. Toby Smith is charismatic as a photography student struggling to figure out the particulars of her work, and her life; April Barnett is appropriately enigmatic as a passing stranger who becomes a confidante. The script (by Smith and Salim Akil) is fairly formulaic, but the modest performances and lived-in style make even the standard story points feel earned. (Includes Smith\u2019s short films, new interview, and trailer.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/47JdKGq\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong><em>New Fist of Fury<\/em><\/strong><\/a>: Four years after directing Bruce Lee\u2019s second starring vehicle, <em>Fist of Fury<\/em> (and three years after Lee\u2019s death), Lo Wei directed this follow-up film as the first major release for his new star, Jackie Chan, whom he was trying to mold into the new Bruce Lee. The futility of the mission is clear right away; their personas are basically polar opposites, Lee a serious badass, Chan a slapstick clown. But that incongruity is mostly papered over by the tip-top supporting cast and Wei\u2019s excellent fight scenes\u2014as in his Lee films, and his later, looser Chan efforts, he varies the tempo, finds crisp compositions, and keeps the action wide enough for the viewer to properly appreciate the athleticism of his performers. (Includes audio commentary, featurette, and trailers.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"New Fist of Fury Official Trailer\" width=\"760\" height=\"428\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/FKlKNpuwruY?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Our bi-weekly look at the best new titles on Blu-ray, 4K, and your subscription streaming services. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":531,"featured_media":20630,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1616,340],"tags":[1617,1436],"class_list":["post-20629","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-disc-streaming-guides","category-movie-reviews","tag-disc-streaming-guide","tag-reviews"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/crookedmarquee.com\/stage8\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20629","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/crookedmarquee.com\/stage8\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/crookedmarquee.com\/stage8\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/crookedmarquee.com\/stage8\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/531"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/crookedmarquee.com\/stage8\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=20629"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/crookedmarquee.com\/stage8\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20629\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":22504,"href":"https:\/\/crookedmarquee.com\/stage8\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20629\/revisions\/22504"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/crookedmarquee.com\/stage8\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/20630"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/crookedmarquee.com\/stage8\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=20629"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/crookedmarquee.com\/stage8\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=20629"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/crookedmarquee.com\/stage8\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=20629"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}