Blu Tuesday is a weekly column where we review the newest Blu-ray and 4K releases, along with a brief rundown of the included bonus material, to determine whether they’re worth buying, renting or skipping.
Pick of the Week: “Speed”
Jan de Bont’s 1994 directorial debut may be best summed up as “‘Die Hard’ on a bus,” but that would do a major disservice to what is otherwise a really great film. Lest you forget, this is a movie that was nominated among such esteemed company as “Pulp Fiction,” “The Shawshank Redemption” and “Forrest Gump” at the 1995 Academy Awards, even going on to win in both sound categories. Perhaps more importantly, however, is that “Speed” continues to entertain more than 25 years after its release. The film has aged remarkably well, thanks in large part to its propulsive, non-stop action — bouncing from one crazy set piece to the next with little room to breathe in between — as well as an excellent cast that includes Keanu Reeves, Dennis Hopper and Sandra Bullock in a star-making turn. Though the movie is completely ridiculous at times, de Bont manages to make it all work in spite of that, resulting in what is arguably one of the best action thrillers around.
Extras include a pair of audio commentaries (one by director Jan de Bont, and the other by writer Graham Yost and producer Mark Gordon), as well as a behind-the-scenes look at making the film and more. FINAL VERDICT: BUY
Also Out This Week:
“Judas and the Black Messiah” — The critical praise heaped upon director Shaka King’s “Judas and the Black Messiah” took me somewhat by surprise because while it features a pair of great performances from stars Daniel Kaluuya and Lakeith Stanfield, the movie itself is just okay. Though the story of civil rights activist Fred Hampton (and his deadly betrayal by FBI informant William O’Neal) is one that deserved to be told — especially as the Black Lives Matter movement rages on — it’s handled so generically that it sort of just washes over you with little emotional impact. The story is certainly interesting from a historical standpoint, but the characters aren’t defined strongly enough — despite the standout performances — to make much of a lasting impression. Extras include a pair of featurettes discussing the real-life people at the center of the story. FINAL VERDICT: RENT
“The Little Things” — John Lee Hancock’s “The Little Things” was originally written back in 1993, and it certainly feels like it, as it plays like an amalgamation of some of the best crime thrillers of that era. But what felt fresh back then feels incredibly stale and familiar today, resulting in a dull genre exercise that isn’t particularly enjoyable to watch. Denzel Washington looks bored as the veteran policeman with a checkered past, while Rami Malek is totally miscast as the by-the-books detective who teams up with him to investigate a series of murders. Jared Leto is the only one who seems like he’s actually trying, delivering a creepy and committed performance as the film’s key suspect. He’s electric whenever he’s on screen, but he doesn’t show up until nearly the halfway mark, at which point most of the audience has already checked out. “The Little Things” is worth seeing for Leto alone, but considering the talent involved, it should have been better. Extras include a behind-the-scenes featurette and a look at Washington’s career playing law enforcement characters. FINAL VERDICT: RENT
“Big Fish” — It’s hard to watch Tim Burton’s “Big Fish” and not immediately think of “Forrest Gump”; the two movies are so much alike. They’re both about one man’s incredible life story told through a series of vignettes, though instead of tying them to famous historical events like “Forrest Gump,” the tall tales in “Big Fish” have more of an oddball, fairy tale quality to them. That’s what makes Burton such an ideal filmmaker to tackle the material, even if it’s not quite as weird and macabre as his usual work. Though the movie feels a bit directionless at times due to the episodic nature of its narrative, “Big Fish” succeeds thanks to its touching father-son story and a pair of great performances from Ewan McGregor and Albert Finney. Extras include an audio commentary by Burton, a behind-the-scenes look at making the film, cast interviews and more. FINAL VERDICT: RENT
Disclosure: Bullz-Eye was provided a copy of the above titles for review purposes.
