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: “Paddington in Peru”
When director Paul King turned down the chance to return for a third “Paddington” movie to go off and make “Wonka” instead, there wasn’t much optimism surrounding the future of the series. In truth, “Paddington in Peru” is still better than most of the drivel being passed off as family entertainment these days — it’s just not as good as King’s 2014 original or 2017 sequel. Ben Whishaw delivers yet another lovely performance as the voice of the title character, and screen veterans Olivia Colman and Antonio Banderas are clearly having fun in their supporting roles, but the movie lacks King’s wit and charm. While the decision to thrust Paddington into an adventure through the Amazon jungle may have seemed like a good way to shake up the existing formula, removing him from the London setting (and the amusing interactions that come with it) robs the audience of everything that’s so great about the character.
Extras include a making-of featurette and set tours of the Browns’ house and the Home for Retired Bears. FINAL VERDICT: RENT
Also Out This Week:
“Last Breath” — Based on the true story of a 2012 deep sea diving accident in the North Sea, which spawned a 2019 documentary by directors Alex Parkinson and Richard da Costa, “Last Breath” (also directed by Parkinson) is a rather tame adaptation that lacks the edge-of-your-seat thrills that you’d expect from such a harrowing tale. Woody Harrelson, Simu Liu and Finn Cole do the best they can with the limited material they’re provided, but none of it really connects on an emotional level. The technical aspects of the story are far more interesting than the human drama, and while that helps make “Last Breath” at least somewhat engaging, it’s still a largely forgettable experience. Extras include an audio commentary by director/co-writer Parkinson and producer/co-writer David Brooks, as well as a making-of featurette and a gag reel. FINAL VERDICT: RENT
“Dirty Harry” (4K) — It’s hard to believe that there are five movies in the “Dirty Harry” film series because not even the 1971 original is all that good. Though the new 4K remaster looks great for the movie’s age, it doesn’t change the fact that it’s a pretty dull crime thriller that doesn’t live up to its reputation. The film is poorly paced and lacks any real suspense, while the villain is a total cartoon that is impossible to take seriously. Clint Eastwood is fine as the title character, and the only one who doesn’t feel like a cardboard cutout, but his loner, tough-guy shtick works much better in Westerns. Though there are some memorable sequences peppered throughout, including the infamous “make my day” scene, there’s not enough here to justify its cult status. Extras include an audio commentary by film historian Richard Schickel, a new featurette honoring cinematographer Bruce Surtees, a Clint Eastwood career retrospective, interviews with the cast and crew, and more. FINAL VERDICT: RENT
“Pale Rider” (4K) — Clint Eastwood and Westerns go together like peanut butter and jelly. Although 1985’s “Pale Rider” (which he also directed) isn’t as popular as some of his other films in the genre, it’s yet another solid entry that succeeds largely due to Eastwood’s performance as a mysterious drifter who helps a small mining community fight back against an evil landowner. The movie’s age definitely shows — there’s a subplot about a teenage girl falling in love with Eastwood’s character that feels a bit icky — but it’s a largely entertaining Western film that gets the job done without being overly showy about it. Beautifully shot by frequent Eastwood collaborator Bruce Surtees, this new 4K release delivers the visual upgrade that “Pale Rider” deserves. Extras include a pair of new featurettes (one about actress Sydney Penny’s on-set experience, and the other about the film’s cinematography), as well as three legacy featurettes focused on Eastwood. FINAL VERDICT: RENT
Disclosure: Bullz-Eye was provided a copy of the above titles for review purposes.
