While summer movies may be clogging the multiplexes, there are lots of new releases on the home video front as well. Here is an overview of some of the highlights coming to DVD and Blu-ray this month.
This remake of the 1981 comedy starring Dudley Moore and Liza Minnelli about a childlike heir who must learn responsibility or lose his inheritance is a mixed bag of laughs. It's worth watching, however, for the comic chemistry between Russell Brand and Helen Mirren, who plays Arthur's faithful nanny. It loses its way a bit when it tries to go for more dramatic territory near the end, but Brand and Mirren are a delight nonetheless. On DVD and Blu-ray Friday.
Fans of Disney's musical version of this classic fairy tale may find Jean Cocteau's 1946 film adaptation a bit unusual, but it's also one of the greatest children's films of all time. Criterion's new blu-ray release has made Cocteau's fantastic vision more breathtaking than ever. From the striking sparkles of Belle's horse, Magnificent's, mane, to the intricate details of the Beast's costume and still impressive makeup effects, "Beauty and the Beast" remains a landmark in fantasy filmmaking. Special features include some vintage interviews and making-of specials, as well as a behind the scenes look at the film's restoration. Viewers can also opt to view the film with Philip Glass' opera, although I recommend going with its original score as Cocteau intended. On Blu-ray Tuesday.
• "Buster Keaton: The Shorts Collection" (1920-1923, 4 stars)
My Blu-ray pick of the month is this stellar collection of Buster Keaton's 19 solo shorts from Kino International. Made after his partnership with Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle, but before his transition into feature films, these short films are not only a showcase of the legendary comic genius' work, but are a fascinating window into the evolution of an artist. These shorts became a sort of proving ground for gags and set pieces that would later be expanded upon in Keaton's more well-known works like "The General" and "Sherlock, Jr." Kino's presentation is impeccable, with several of the films receiving impressive digital upgrades, and loads of comprehensive visual essays that offer an engaging look at the history behind one of comedy's greatest legends.
An imaginatively shot thriller about a washed up writer who takes a drug allowing him to access all of his brain, and finds his mental capacity exponentially increased, only to become embroiled in a dangerous conflict. Bradley Cooper is an appealing star, and director Neil Burger ("The Illusionist") has a refreshingly original style, especially in his visual rendering of his protagonist's newfound mental prowess. It doesn't always work, but it's a surprising adept and entertaining ride. On DVD and Blu-ray Tuesday.
Anyone who has ever loved a dog will appreciate this animated adaptation of J.R. Ackerley's famous memoir of his beloved dog, Tulip. Avoids the usual dog movie clichés, instead aiming to be a loving appreciation of a dear friend, and it's hard not to fall under its simple spell. Features the voice talents of Christopher Plummer, Lynn Redgrave and Isabella Rossellini.
One of the year's finest films, "Of Gods and Men" is the compelling true story of a group of monks whose peaceful coexistence with their Muslim neighbors is disrupted by the arrival of a group of dangerous jihadists. Quiet, austere, and completely enrapturing, "Of Gods and Men" also features one of the most haunting endings of recent years.
Catherine Deneuve is a complete delight in this delectable comedy from director Francois Ozon, following the adventures of a French trophy wife who, after an intense labor dispute, takes over her husband's lucrative umbrella company and finds herself newly empowered. A charming throwback with a 1970's flair, "Potiche" is an irresistible and buoyant confection.
The final masterpiece of renowned Russian master Andrei Tarkovsky, made as he was dying of cancer, "The Sacrifice" is a film that only a dying man could make. A haunting and cathartic portrait of a family in the midst of a nuclear holocaust, whose patriarch makes a deal with God in order to return the world to its former state. The film plays out as if Tarkovsky himself is coming to terms with his own mortality. Kino International's Blu-ray presentation may be relatively bare-bones when it comes to extras, but their digital transfer is downright breathtaking.
Duncan Jones ("Moon") directs this clever sci-fi thriller about a new military program that allows investigators to travel back in time to the last eight minutes before a disaster in order to find the perpetrator of a terrorist bombing before he strikes again in real time. Requires a certain suspension of disbelief, but for those who are able to give themselves over to it, you will find it a rewarding, and surprisingly moving experience. On DVD and Blu-ray July 26.
"Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives" (2011, 4 stars)
Apichatpong Weerasethakul's seemingly languid style may not be for everyone, but for adventurous cinema goers, this auteur from Thailand has made some of the most intriguing and intoxicating films of the last decade. His latest, "Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives" is an enthralling meditation on reincarnation and spirituality, as an old man lying on his death bed is visited by the ghost of his wife, and the spirit of his long lost son, now in the form of a monkey. It sounds strange, but Weerasethakul makes it all work in this strangely beautiful and utterly entrancing film, the 2010 winner of the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival.
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