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: “City on Fire”
It’s odd that Ringo Lam’s 1987 crime thriller “City on Fire” has become so widely associated with Quentin Tarantino’s “Reservoir Dogs” because although Tarantino was clearly inspired by Lam’s film (particularly the final 10 minutes), they’re otherwise very different movies. Released at the height of Chow-Yun Fat’s popularity, “City on Fire” may not be as action-packed as some of the actor’s more iconic films from that period, but it’s a more nuanced, character-driven movie that steadily builds toward its bloody climax. Though the film is incredibly dated by its hairstyles, wardrobe and jazzy score, it’s still an incredibly effective genre flick that looks better than ever thanks to the new 4K restoration from Shout! Factory. It may have taken “Reservoir Dogs” for “City on Fire” to get the recognition it deserved, but it was a blessing in disguise because this ‘80s Hong Kong classic shouldn’t be missed.
Extras include an audio commentary by film historians Frank Djeng and F.J. DeSanto, as well as new interviews with screenwriter Tommy Sham, author Grady Hendrix, and film historians Ric Meyers and Kim Newman. FINAL VERDICT: RENT
Also Out This Week:
“Karate Kid: Legends” — “Cobra Kai” was such a streaming sensation during its six-season run on Netflix that it’s somewhat surprising Sony would want to risk muddying the waters with a brand-new “Karate Kid” film that brings over Ralph Macchio’s Daniel LaRusso character and nothing else. Though the decision to push the movie’s release date until after the “Cobra Kai” finale certainly helped avoid some confusion, it’s nonetheless strange that “Karate Kid: Legends” feels so disconnected from the franchise that “Cobra Kai” helped revitalize. With that said, “Legends” is a mostly enjoyable addition to the “Karate Kid” universe that finds good fun in teaming Macchio’s LaRusso with Jackie Chan’s Han character from the 2010 version, balancing nostalgia with a fresh perspective on a familiar story. Extras include a behind-the-scenes look at making the film, deleted scenes, a gag reel and a featurette on the enduring legacy of Mr. Miyagi. FINAL VERDICT: RENT
“Lilo & Stitch” — I’ve never understood the adoration that the original “Lilo & Stitch” receives. It’s a perfectly fine animated film, and Stitch as a character is marketing gold dust, but it’s far from one of Disney’s best movies. However, when it was announced that director Dean Fleisher Camp (“Marcel the Shell With Shoes On”) would be helming the live-action adaptation, my interest was piqued. Disney doesn’t have the best track record when it comes to their live-action adaptations, so expectations weren’t exactly high, but as far as Disney remakes go, it’s better than most. Though it doesn’t really improve upon its predecessor in any way — it has the same flaws and issues as the animated version — “Lilo & Stitch” is a mostly solid reimagining that embraces what fans love about the original. Extras include a making-of featurette, deleted scenes, a blooper reel and more. FINAL VERDICT: RENT
“Saving Face” — One of my favorite things about Criterion (and other boutique labels, for that matter) is their passion for showcasing films that have been overlooked, forgotten or lost to time. Case in point: Alice Wu’s 2004 romantic dramedy about a mother and daughter who are both hiding secrets that go against the strict cultural and familial expectations of their traditional Chinese upbringing. The mother subplot is arguably the more entertaining of the two stories, largely due to Joan Chen’s performance, but they both work in service of each other, especially in exploring the generational differences that divide them. Though “Saving Face” is pretty standard indie fare from a filmmaking standpoint, the story is told from such a unique perspective that it’s able to deliver a fresh take on the rom-com formula. Extras include an audio commentary by writer/director Alice Wu, brand-new interviews with Wu and Chen, deleted scenes, a behind-the-scenes featurette and an essay by film critic Phoebe Chen. FINAL VERDICT: RENT
“The Unholy Trinity” — Director Richard Gray’s “The Unholy Trinity” has all the makings of a direct-to-video production, including the requisite veteran actor — or in this case, actors — who look like they’re just there for the paycheck. To be fair, that could describe a good amount of Pierce Brosnan and Samuel L. Jackson’s more recent film roles, but they seem especially unmoved by this generic revenge Western. It’s hard to blame them, either, because the material isn’t very compelling, so even doing the bare minimum is probably more than the movie deserves. Still, while “The Unholy Trinity” is by no means a great film, it rises above the usual Saban Films rubbish thanks to some exciting shootouts and the screen presence of its veteran co-stars. FINAL VERDICT: RENT
Disclosure: Bullz-Eye was provided a copy of the above titles for review purposes.
