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: “The Prosecutor”
Donnie Yen has directed a few films in the past, but lately, it seems like the martial arts legend has made a greater effort to expand (and extend) his moviemaking career by spending more time behind the camera. His latest movie finds him pulling double duty as director and star, which is certainly fitting since the film itself is also juggling multiple jobs. Part courtroom procedural, part action-thriller, “The Prosecutor” follows a Hong Kong cop who trades his badge for a powdered wig to fight crime from the other side of the law. As expected, the action sequences are the highlight, but they feel a bit out of place in what is largely a subdued drama about the inadequacies of the legal system. It also doesn’t help that the central case isn’t very interesting, and though Yen does a good job of making the courtroom scenes as engaging as possible, the movie drags on for just a little too long. FINAL VERDICT: RENT
Also Out This Week:
“The Alto Knights” — Barry Levinson’s “The Alto Knights” feels like a remnant of a different time. It’s yet another Robert De Niro-led gangster movie written by Nicholas Pileggi (“Goodfellas,” “Casino”) that fails to bring anything new to the table. Of course, Levinson is no Martin Scorsese, and that’s definitely felt in the stale direction and questionable decision-making. The entire movie is littered with strange storytelling choices, from the use of talking-head interviews with De Niro’s protagonist in place of simple narration to the decision to have De Niro play both lead roles, even though the characters aren’t related. The actor does just enough to differentiate the two characters (thanks to some assistance from the makeup and costume departments), but there doesn’t appear to be any sensible reason for having him play both roles other than good old-fashioned vanity. Though De Niro fits so well into these gangster stories that it’s difficult to be upset with him for wanting to jump back in, when you’ve already made some of the finest films within the genre, it’s probably best left alone. Extras include a behind-the-scenes featurette. FINAL VERDICT: SKIP
“Queer” — Luca Guadagnino’s films have always felt at odds with my own tastes, but “Queer” is probably the first one that I have flat-out disliked. Though it’s beautifully shot by cinematographer (and frequent Guadagnino collaborator) Sayombhu Mukdeeprom, it’s difficult to connect with the story, as none of the characters are very well developed. The audience is never given any insight into why Daniel Craig and Drew Starkey’s characters behave the way they do, which makes their pseudo-romance fall flat. Guadagnino’s use of modern music against the film’s 1950s setting also doesn’t seem to serve any real purpose, making “Queer” feel more like an abstract art piece that you either vibe with or don’t. Extras include an audio commentary by Guadagnino, writer Justin Kuritzkes, costume designer Jonathan W. Anderson, editor Marco Costa and production designer Stefano Baisi, as well as a making-of featurette, a VFX breakdown and more. FINAL VERDICT: SKIP
“The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie” — It’s hard to believe that it took nearly a century for the Looney Tunes franchise to receive its first feature-length movie, but as “The Day the Earth Blew Up” quickly proves, it’s because the characters work much better in a shortened format. A buddy comedy starring Looney Tunes favorites Daffy Duck and Porky Pig, “The Day the Earth Blew Up” is packed with all the slapstick and physical humor that the series is known for, but the story simply isn’t strong enough to justify its 90-minute runtime. It’s also a bit weird that none of the other Looney Tunes characters make an appearance, especially considering the momentous occasion, while the ending feels awfully rushed. “The Day the Earth Blew Up” certainly nails the old-school silliness that made Looney Tunes such a staple of my childhood, but it’s perhaps a little too comfortable for its own good. FINAL VERDICT: RENT
Disclosure: Bullz-Eye was provided a copy of the above titles for review purposes.
