Movies
New On Blu-ray: ‘Rogue One’, ‘Paterson’, ‘Don’t Kill It’
The first Star Wars spin-off, Rouge One: A Star Wars Story, makes its arrival to Blu-ray, while Kylo Ren goes from a galaxy far, far away to Paterson, New Jersey. Plus, Dolph Lundgren stars in the cult classic in the making Don’t Kill It.
ROGUE ONE: A STAR WARS STORY
The force was definitely strong when Rogue One: A Star Wars Story made its arrival in theaters last December. As the first cinematic spin-off of the celebrated holy trilogy (the originals, not the prequels – a term I despise by the way), fans of the Star Wars universe didn’t know what to expect. Disney, who acquired Lucasfilm several years ago, has a grand scheme to complete the nine-part original series (Episode VIII: The Last Jedi arrives in Dec. 2017) and deliver some side adventures that go further (or backwards, in the case of a young, scruffy-looking nerfhurder) into the universe George Lucas created forty years ago.
Rogue One is the first sci-fi side offering and takes place between Episode III and Episode IV and presents a tale of how the Rebel Alliance acquired the plans to the Empire’s planet destroyer, the Death Star. Felicity Jones plays Jyn Erso, daughter of Imperial engineer Galen Erso (Mads Mikkelsen), who is reluctant in finishing his development of the Death Star. Separated from her parents Jyn is raised by Saw Gerrera (Forest Whitaker), a hardened rebel veteran, and is later recruited to undertake a mission to infiltrate an imperial base, steal the Death Star plans and transmit them to the alliance. Jyn has help in her quest with a supporting cast consisting of Diego Luna, Riz Ahmed, and Alan Tudyk as the voice of a reprogrammed imperial droid.
Rogue One is popcorn entertainment heightened with tabasco, giving the cartoonish aspects some much needed grit and flavor. Jyn and her cohorts do the alliance’s dirty work, out on the fringe, and as a result expands on the universe with a dark undercurrent that won’t manifest itself to a large scale until a certain character makes his presence known.
With the Blu-ray release, fans and collectors will have to make several stops if they want all variants. I know Best Buy has special Steelbook packaging, Target has interchangeable character cards and a bonus disc with DigiPack packaging. And Walmart also has collectible packaging with two “galactic connexions” discs. But for the purpose of this column, I’ll be looking at the traditional combo pack release that comes with a Blu-ray, DVD, and digital HD.
Disney is one of the studio standard bearers when it comes to its releases having impeccable audio and video, and Rogue One is no different. The lack of a Dolby Atmos track is disappointing (who wouldn’t want to hear rebel fighters fly overhead like a sonic boom?) but the DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 lossless soundtrack is nothing to scoff at.
For extras, fans are treated to a total of 11 featurettes that go further into the characters and the production design of Rogue One. However, the best may be about characters Baze & Chirrut (they need their own spin-off!) and how they digitally recreated two integral characters.
If you are a Star Wars fan, this is a must buy. But even if you don’t live or breath the force, I still say this is the best SW since Empire.
PATERSON
Now for something down to earth is the release of Paterson. This Jim Jarmusch film stars Adam Driver (Kylo Ren from Star Wars: The Force Awakens). His name is Paterson and he’s a bus driver in the city of Paterson, New Jersey. He lives a fairly mundane life with a simple routine. He drives his daily route, he writes poetry into a notebook; he stops in a bar and drinks a single beer; he goes home to his wife, Laura. Now his wife (played by the wonderful Golshifteh Farahani) changes hobbies, interests, careers the way a person changes socks. The difference in personalities should push them away and yet they have a happy marriage.
Just like his past works Jim Jarmusch films are about the journey and where it takes the characters. The interludes of Paterson writing poetry in his notebook are little hallmarks to his seemingly average day. Paterson is a small film deserving of a bigger audience. As an Amazon Studios title, it will definitely get more views than it did when it played on no more than 70 screens during its fourteen-week engagement. Sadly, there are no extras to be found on the Blu-ray.
DON’T KILL IT (05/23/17)
Some might recall a low budget flick from 2013 titled Big Ass Spider. Its director, Mike Mendez, is back and this time the spider has been replaced with an ancient demon. The only one who can stop it is Dolph Lundgren: Demon Hunter. Don’t Kill It has cult classic status written all over it and it all boils down to its campiness and Dolph.
When an ancient demon is unleashed in the Mississippi town of Chickory Creek, it’s up to grizzled demon hunter Jebediah Woodley (Lundgren) and his reluctant partner, FBI agent Evelyn Pierce (Kristina Klebe). Basically, take the concept of Dark Angel (aka I Come in Peace) – also starring Dolph – but pitting him against a demon instead of an alien. For those who remember that movie pretty much know what you’re getting yourself into with Don’t Kill It. See it, don’t miss it!
ALSO NEW THIS WEEK
In addition to Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Paterson and Don’t Kill It, other new releases for the week of April 4th include:
Office Christmas Party (Paramount)
Ride the High Country (Warner Bros. Archive Collection)
Invasion of the Bee Girls (Shout! Factory)
Three (Well Go USA)
Punchline (Mills Creek)
Little Nikita (Mills Creek)