A Fish in the Bathtub Blu-ray Review

 

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• Director ‏ : ‎ Joan Micklin Silver
• Actors ‏ : ‎ Jerry Stiller, Anne Meara, Mark Ruffalo, Jane Adams, Missy Yager
• Studio ‏ : ‎ Cohen Media Group
• MPAA rating ‏ : ‎ PG-13 (Parents Strongly Cautioned)
• Country of Origin ‏ : ‎ USA
• Number of discs ‏ : ‎ 1
• Media Format ‏ : ‎ Anamorphic
• Run time ‏ : ‎ 1 hour and 38 minutes
• Release date ‏ : ‎ December 13, 2022

 

         Along with belonging in a group of 1990s independent comedies that feel like mild imitations of Woody Allen, often set in New York and involving partner-swapping without veering into melodrama, A Fish in the Bathtub also has the feeling of a sitcom. This is not just because the cast is made up of several actors who have played parents in memorable half-hour comedies, but also because the narrative is highly episodic and has a resolution which restores everything back to the way it began, much like the formula of nearly every sitcom. It can make A Fish in the Bathtub feel slight and irreverent, but that may be the point of enjoyment for some.

 

The Ballad of the Sad Café Blu-ray Review

 

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• Director ‏ : ‎ Simon Callow
• Actors ‏ : ‎ Vanessa Redgrave, Keith Carradine, Rod Steiger
• Studio ‏ : ‎ Cohen Film
• MPAA rating ‏ : ‎ PG-13 (Parents Strongly Cautioned)
• Number of discs ‏ : ‎ 1
• Media Format ‏ : ‎ Anamorphic, Blu-ray
• Run time ‏ : ‎ 1 hour and 41 minutes
• Release date ‏ : ‎ December 6, 2022

 

         Not every story works in all formats. While I am certain there is something about Carson McCullers novella that worked, possibly even adapted well to the stage play written by Edward Albee, I found it difficult to ever get on board with the film adaptation, The Ballad of the Sad Café. While the novella must have had the benefit of the author’s narration and the play must have had dialogue to tell the story, the film directed by Simon Callow relies almost entirely upon imagery, but this often leaves the audience with little insight into the internal world of the characters.

 

The Loneliest Boy in the World Blu-ray Review

 

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• Director ‏ : ‎ Martin Owen
• Actors ‏ : ‎ Max Harwood, Hero Fiennes Tiffin, Evan Ross, Ben Miller, Ashley Benson
• Studio ‏ : ‎ Well Go Usa
• MPAA rating ‏ : ‎ R (Restricted)
• Number of discs ‏ : ‎ 1
• Media Format ‏ : ‎ Subtitled, Widescreen
• Run time ‏ : ‎ 1 hour and 31 minutes
• Release date ‏ : ‎ December 20, 2022
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         Even though the inspirations behind The Loneliest Boy in the World are fairly obvious, it is a film with an identity crisis. The tone oscillates between gruesomely disgusting and sickly sweet, with both often actively working against each other. Even more confused is the sense of space, with a setting that is intended to be America despite being shot in a gloomy UK city. Having the story set during the 1980s for no discernible reason just adds to the confusion of the overall experience.

 

The Roundup Blu-ray Review

 

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• Director ‏ : ‎ Sang-yong Lee
• Actors ‏ : ‎ Don Lee, Sukku Son, Gwi-hwa Choi
• Dubbed: ‏ : ‎ English
• Studio ‏ : ‎ Mpi Home Video
• MPAA rating ‏ : ‎ NR (Not Rated)
• Country of Origin ‏ : ‎ USA
• Number of discs ‏ : ‎ 1
• Media Format ‏ : ‎ NTSC, Subtitled
• Run time ‏ : ‎ 1 hour and 46 minutes
• Release date ‏ : ‎ December 13, 2022

 

         While Hollywood has been preoccupied with an endless stream of superhero films, South Korea has found its most successful blockbuster since the beginning of the Covid pandemic in a franchise-making sequel to The Outlaws. The Roundup, like the film before it, is a crime action-comedy that feels like something Hollywood would have made in the 1980s or ‘90s. And I mean that as the highest compliment. The emphasis is on a solid story bolstered by engaging characters and grounded (for the most part) action. There is no need for heavy CGI or a world-ending final battle. It is enough to let South Korean movie star Ma Dong-seok (or Don Lee, as he’s billed in the US) swing his mighty fists at a ruthlessly vicious villain.