THE EPITAPH VOL. 47
SNOWPIERCER: THE COMPLETE SECOND SEASON (2021) - REMINISCENCE (2021) - COMING HOME IN THE DARK (2021) - DARK SHADOWS AND BEYOND: THE JONATHAN FRID STORY (2021) - ALL OR NOTHING (2002)
SNOWPIERCER: THE COMPLETE SECOND SEASON (2021)
Label: WBHERegion Code: A
Rating: Unrated
Duration: 458 Minutes
Audio: English DTS-HD MA 5.1 with Optional English Subtitles
Video: 1080p HD Widescreen (1.78:1)
Director:
Cast: Daveed Diggs, Sean Bean, Jennifer Connelly, Rowan Blanchard, Alison Wright, Mickey Sumner, Iddo Goldberg, Katie McGuinness, Lena Hall, Annalise Basso, Sam Otto, Roberto Urbina, Sheila Vand, Steven Ogg
The second season of the series based on the graphic novel series and the film from Bong Joon Ho (Parasite), Snowpiercer, picks up strong with Layton (Daveed Diggs, Hamilton) competing for train-wide merged classes loyalty with the unexpectedly returned Mr. Wilford (Sean Bean, The Fellowship of the Ring), who is fantastic in a deliciously pulpy evil turn. We also see Melanie (Jennifer Connelly, Phenomena) struggling to connect with her daughter Alexandra (Rowan Blanchard, A Wrinkle In Time), who she thought had died, is alive and Wilford’s teen protegee. Season two packs in plenty of class warfare and deceitful power struggles, and in a new twist Melanie sets out on her own to save humanity from there sub-zero fate. This is a show that did not excite me when it was announced, I was quite happy with the Bong Joon Ho but two seasons I have been gripped by the icy apocalyptic thriller-series, and this set from WBHE is handsomely produced and looks and sounds great with some nice extras.
Special Features:
- The Great Engineer: Bringing the Mysterious Mr. Wilford Aboard – Go behind-the-scenes with the cast for an in-depth exploration of the god-like Mr. Wilford as brought to life by Sean Bean.
- Season 2 Overview – An exciting and exclusive look at the second season with the cast.
- Behind The Character: Mr. Wilford – The cast discusses the mythical character of Mr. Wilford played by Sean Bean.
- Season 2 Roundtable – Take a seat with the cast and crew as they have a round table discussion about the show’s characters and story.
- Daveed Diggs Season 1 Recap – The exciting first season of Snowpiercer is recapped through the POV of its main character Layton (Daveed Diggs).
REMINISCENCE (2021)
Label: WBHS
Region Code: A
Rating: PG-13
Duration: 116 Minutes
Audio: English Dolby Atmos, DTS-HD MA 5.1 with Optional English Subtitles
Video: 1080p HD Widescreen
Director: Lisa Joy
Cast: Hugh Jackman, Rebecca Ferguson, Thandiwe Newton, Cliff Curtis, Marina de Tavira, Daniel Wu, Mojean Aria, Brett Cullen, Natalie Martinez, Angela Sarafyan, Nico Parker
Reminiscence (2021) is a dystopian future noir starring Nick Bannister (Hugh Jackman, X-Men), a detective of sorts who navigates the mind of clients allowing them access to their lost memories. Set in a near future world where climate change has sunken the Miami coast and people are now nocturnal as to avoid the prohibitive heats of daylight. In noir detective fashion Bannister's life is forever changed when a stunning nightclub crooner Mae (Rebecca Ferguson, Dune) seeks out his memory retrieval services, igniting a passionate and mystery filled romance that comes to an end when Mae disappears without saying goodbye. Bannister sets about trying to find her, uncovering a labyrinth of deceit, betrayal and loose ends that paint her in a different light. Bannister begins to lose himself by immersing himself into his own memories of her, much to the dismay of his close friend and assistant Watts (Thandiwe Newton, HBO's Westworld). I gorgeous film but a bit slow-paced and it feels a bit familiar with visuals and themes pulled from stuff like Blade Runner, Minority Report and other dystopian sci-fi tinged flicks, but I loved the look of the sunken coast and futuristic noir, and the main cast are fantastic, even if the movie is a bit derivative. The Blu-ray looks fanytastic and we get an Atmos audio mix so that's very cool, plus we get a nice assortment of featurettes, and a redemption code for an HD digital copy of the film (and extras), plus a note tucked away inside from the director.
Special Features:
- You’re Going on a Journey (4 min)
- The Sunken Coast (7 min)
- Crafting a Memory (8 min)
- Reminiscence: A Family Reunion (8 min)
- Lonr and Amber Mark "Save My Love" Music Video (5 min)
COMING HOME IN THE DARK (2021)
Label: Dark Sky Films
Region Code: A
Rating: Unrated
Duration: 92 Minutes
Audio: English DTS-HD MA 51 and LPCM 2.0 with Optional English Subtitles
Video: 1080p HD Widescreen (2.39:1)
Director: James Ashcroft
Cast: Daniel Gillies, Erik Thomson, Miriama McDowell, Matthias Luafutu
When a family weekend outing to the coast is interupted by a pair of violent criminal it descends into gut-punching nightmare for school teacher Alan Hoaganraad (Erik Thomson, Xena: Warrior Princes), his wife Jill (Miriama McDowell) and stepsons Maika and Jordon. This sort of thing has been my night.are ever since I started a family, that someone would intrude and I would be helpless to save my family, ugh, as a father its just the worst thing imaginable, and this brutal flick exploits that scenario to the nth degree. Of note is the enigmatic and quite charismatic antagonist of the film, the charming Mandrake (Daniel Gillies, Spider-Man 2) and his mostly-silent accomplice Tubs, both of whom pounce on the unsuspecting family and mead out terror from start to finish, with an interesting dynamic in that this encounter is not as random as it might seem at first blush.
Special Features:
Behind the Scenes (13 min)
- Trailer (2 min)
DARK SHADOWS AND BEYOND:
THE JONATHAN FRID STORY (2021)
Label: MPI Media Group
Region Code: Region-Free
Rating: Unrated
Duration: 102 Minutes
Audio: English LPCM 2.O with Optional English Subtitles
Video: 1080p HD Widescreen (1.78:1)
Director: Mary O'Leary
I also checked out the new documentary about actor Jonathan Frid who hit the big-time with the Gothic daytime soap opera Dark Shadows in the late 60's as the 150 year-old Barnabas Collins. The actor gained a devout following during the initial run from '66-'71, and this doc is a chronicling of the life of the Canadian-born Shakespearean actor through interviews with Frid’s family, friends and colleagues, including classmate Dick Cavett, actresses Marion Ross (Arsenic & Old Lace) and Christina Pickles (Oliver Stone’s Seizure), San Diego National Shakespeare Festival associate Anthony Zerbe, and Dark Shadows co-stars David Selby, Lara Parker, Nancy Barrett, Marie Wallace, Kathryn Leigh Scott and James Storm. Now I have never seen even a single full episode Dark Shadows, so it was kind of weird watching the doc about a guy who became popular on a show I've never cared to watch, but I have to give the flick credit, I was actually quite enamored with its depiction of the star and his post Dark Shadows struggles. Its a handsome and well produced doc, the extras are entirely, but with that said I still have zero interest in watching the series. However, I enjoyed the doc and if you're a fan of the series and of Frid in particular I can only imagine you will love it. If you're a fan of the series and Frid I would also suggest the 2019 doc Master of Dark Shadows which focuses on series creator Dan Curtis.
Special features:
- The Play of the Week: Henry IV Part 1 (22 min)
- Dark Shadows Festival & PBS TV Promo (5 min)
- Dark Shadows PBS Special with Jonathan Frid (8 min)
- A Dark Shadows Letter (1 min)
- Vintage Dark Shadows TV Promo
- Frid reading an excerpt of Washington Irving’s classic tale The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and the compilation video (3 min)
- The Best of Barnabas (28 min)
- Jonathan Frid Photo Gallery (5 mi )
2012.
- Dark Shadows and Beyond Trailer (2 min)
- Master of Dark Shadows Trailer (2 min)
Label: Severin Films
Region Code: A
Rating: R
Duration: 128 Minutes
Audio: English DTS-HD MA 2.0 and 5.1 with Optional English Subtitles
Video: 1080p HD Widescreen (1.85:1)
Director: Mike Leigh
Cast: Timothy Spall, Lesley Manville, Sally Hawkins, Ruth Sheen, Daniel Mays, James Corden
Mike Leigh's All Or Nothing (2002) explores the lives of three families in a low-income London housing project, it's a sad bit of misery porn as we see how dissociated from their loved ones they and the myriad sad ways their lives intersect with each other. At its core is Timothy Spall (Secrets & Lies) as Phil, a depressive taxi driver lost in a fog of depression, his not-unrightfully nagging wife Penny (Lesley Manville, Phantom Thread) is also quite unhappy, and their kids Rachel and the overweight and obnoxious Rory seem touched by mom and dad's deep-seated unhappiness as well. Severin are a boutique label known for their deep dives into cult, horror and exploitation, so maybe that they're debuting a Mike Leigh film, who has several Criterion editions under his belt, on US Blu-ray might seem an odd fit. Not so, occasionally Severin dip their scuzzy big toe into unfamiliar territories, such as with the bizarre kid-friendly Peanut Butter Solution and the 80's rom-com Overboard, and I love that about them - you never know what they'll surprise you with. Leigh's film is a spiraling dervish of depression, every character is a hot mess on the verge of tragedy, and eventually tragedy unfolds, which surprisingly proves to be the catalyst for change, bringing the family and their neighbors together with a glint of sunlight on the horizon, but make no mistake, its seems to me that these characters are in for plenty more dark days. A definite highlight for me is the appearance of Sally Hawkins (The Shape of Water) in a very early role as a flirtatious teen experimenting with her sexuality only to be horrified by the control she has over one young man in particular. The Blu-ray from Severin features a 4K scan and it looks superb, plus we get over 40-minutes of interviews with the cast and the director himself.
Special Features:
- Writer/Director Mike Leigh On ALL OR NOTHING (27 min)
- Cinematographer Dick Pope On ALL OR NOTHING (17 min)
- Love Thy Neighbour — Interviews With Actors Marion Bailey, James Corden, Lesley Manville, Daniel Mays And Ruth Sheen
