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: “A Better Tomorrow Trilogy”
1986’s “A Better Tomorrow” is one of the most important films in the history of Hong Kong cinema. In addition to helping pioneer the heroic bloodshed genre, it launched the careers of director John Woo and star Chow Yun-Fat, who would go on to further define the genre and Hong Kong action in general. Its distinctive style was imitated around the world for years to come, and though it led to much better collaborations between its director and star (“Hard Boiled,” “The Killer”), none of those would exist without “A Better Tomorrow.” 1987’s “A Better Tomorrow II” and 1989’s “A Better Tomorrow III: Love and Death in Saigon” don’t hold quite the same significance, but they’re nonetheless solid additions to the franchise, especially the Woo-directed sequel, which really ups the ante in the action department. Until now, it’s been near-impossible to find a quality copy of these movies in the U.S., so this seven-disc box set from Shout! Factory — featuring incredible new 4K transfers of each film — is a godsend for Hong Kong cinema fans that will go down as one of the year’s biggest and best releases.
Extras include new audio commentaries for all three movies (featuring film critic James Mudge on the first two films and author David West on the third film), as well as interviews with the cast and crew, the long-lost “A Better Tomorrow II” workprint featuring over 30 minutes of never-before-seen footage, the Taiwanese Cut of “A Better Tomorrow III” and more. FINAL VERDICT: BUY
Also Out This Week:
“Splitsville” — It’s hard to imagine Michael Angelo Covino’s “Splitsville” being quite as entertaining without him or co-writer Kyle Marvin in the lead roles because it clearly feeds off the energy of their real-life friendship. Though it feels a bit like a vanity project at times, especially when their characters are romantically paired with Dakota Johnson and Adria Arjona — the perks of being the boss, I suppose — Covino and Marvin manage to hold their own thanks to their natural chemistry and willingness to do whatever the script requires. Their scenes together are also some of the funniest in the film, especially an over-the-top physical confrontation that ranks among the best movie fights in recent memory. The film as a whole is pretty hit and miss, but there’s enough to like about this new-age relationship dramedy to warrant a watch. Extras include a making-of featurette. FINAL VERDICT: RENT
Disclosure: Bullz-Eye was provided a copy of the above titles for review purposes.
