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: “Obsession”
“Obsession” is without a doubt the biggest success story of the year, raking in over $425 million on a reported budget of only $750,000. But while the box office performance is quite an achievement on its own, it’s even more impressive considering it’s the directorial debut of Curry Barker, best known as the co-creator of the sketch comedy channel That’s a Bad Idea. Though the movie’s basic premise doesn’t exactly break new ground, as the wish-gone-wrong story is as old as time, Barker’s film presents a unique twist on the possession genre by exploring themes of entitlement, forced consent and toxic codependency. On the surface, it’s also just a really great horror flick thanks to its moody, unsettling atmosphere and an incredible, go-for-broke turn from newcomer Inde Navarrette that instantly ranks among the best horror performances in recent memory. Granted, it runs a bit long for what it is, but minor flaws aside, “Obsession” is an immensely enjoyable feature debut from Barker that cements him as a talent to watch.
Extras include an audio commentary by writer/director Curry Barker and a making-of featurette. FINAL VERDICT: RENT
Also Out This Week:
“Michael” — Anyone who was alive in the ‘90s will probably remember the TV miniseries “The Jacksons: An American Dream,” which chronicled the Jackson family’s rise to superstardom, so it feels a bit like déjà vu sitting through Antoine Fuqua’s Michael Jackson biopic, as it covers many of the same events over the course of a similar time span. Though the story is told more from Michael’s perspective, it doesn’t really cover any new ground, focusing mainly on the pop star’s relationship with his domineering father and avoiding any of the controversies that plagued his later years. Like a lot of musical biopics, it’s basically just a highlight reel of Michael’s greatest hits, and while there’s some enjoyment to be had from watching reenactments of his most famous performances, it feels like you’re watching from a distance. “Michael” had the chance to dive deeper into the psyche of one of the world’s most enigmatic figures, but instead, it settled for a sanitized, surface-level biopic that plays things far too safe for someone who was anything but. Extras include a behind-the-scenes look at making the film. FINAL VERDICT: RENT
“Normal” — The latest entry in Bob Odenkirk’s unlikely-action hero phase would probably be more enjoyable if the “Nobody” series (also written by Derek Kolstad) didn’t already exist, as the novelty of his against-type casting has kind of run its course. “Normal” is perfectly fine for what it is, but it doesn’t do enough to stand out, either. The film’s twist is telegraphed from the start, which takes some of the fun out of its premise, while none of the characters are particularly well developed, including Odenkirk’s small-town sheriff. Though it contains some solid action beats and darkly comic moments in the latter half of the movie, “Normal” is a noticeable step down from both Kolstad and director Ben Wheatley’s previous work in the genre. Extras include a collection of behind-the-scenes featurettes. FINAL VERDICT: RENT
“Lee Cronin’s The Mummy” — After the failed launch of the Dark Cinematic Universe, Universal pivoted from its original plans to revive the Classic Monsters franchise by partnering with Blumhouse to produce a series of low-budget, character-driven horror films starring its stable of iconic movie monsters. But while 2020’s “The Invisible Man” proved what was possible with the IP, the subsequent films have been nothing but disastrous, from the incredibly dull “Wolf Man” to “Lee Cronin’s The Mummy” (supposedly named to avoid confusion with the Brendan Fraser films), which delivers plenty of gore but not much else. In fact, it’s not really a mummy movie at all, but rather a possession film that plays like “The Exorcist” meets “The Evil Dead.” That wouldn’t be so terrible if it were an original film, but by trying to shoehorn in the mummy angle, it loses all credibility. It’s lazy, if nothing else, and proves why tradition is just as important as innovation when dealing with beloved characters such as these. Extras include an audio commentary by Cronin, a trio of behind-the-scenes featurettes and some deleted scenes. FINAL VERDICT: SKIP
“The Office: The Complete Series – Superfan Extended Episodes” — When NBC’s American remake of “The Office” was first announced, the general consensus was that it was destined to fail, but the show proved its doubters wrong by creating one of the funniest and most successful sitcoms in broadcast TV history. It’s also one of the most rewatchable shows ever made, which has only added to its enduring legacy. Recently, creator Greg Daniels gave audiences another reason to revisit the show with new superfan cuts of all 194 episodes, which have been completely reconstructed with over 25 hours of unaired footage to create a brand-new experience. Available for the first time on home video, these extended episodes are geared more toward the diehard fan, as they offer a richer, deeper look into the Dunder Mifflin universe, often at the expense of the snappier pacing and overall rhythm of the original broadcast versions. It ultimately comes down to preference, and although the original cuts are still my favorite, the superfan episodes aren’t without merit. FINAL VERDICT: SKIP
Disclosure: Bullz-Eye was provided a copy of the above titles for review purposes.
