Anna Lucasta (Kino Lorber Blu-ray)
Director Arnold Laven roots in film noir are evident in the opening scenes of this 1958 film. Anna (Eartha Kitt) is seen walking alone down dark waterfront streets lit only by flashing neon. But this remake of an earlier movie (adapted from a play) fits comfortably in no genre. Kitt heads the all-Black cast as a “lost and disreputable” woman, the black sheep of her aspiring lower-middle class family, who becomes engaged to a young, rising professional. Anna Lucasta is a biting comedy, a sad drama, a whirlwind romance and a social satire. It was also Sammy Davis Jr.’s first major film role. (David Luhrssen)
Fatale (Lions Gate Blu-ray/DVD, out March 2)
“I was always the smart one, the one who planned to win,” says Derrick in the noirish voiceover that opens Fatale. “… and then I took my eye off the ball.” One of the movie’s strengths is Michael Ealy’s low-key performance as Derrick; he expresses a great deal with his eyes and subtle expressions. He plays opposite the strangely sensuous (and always interesting to watch, even in her worst films) Hilary Swank as Val. Derrick is a successful entertainment manager who, suspecting his wife of infidelity, falls into a Vegas one-nighter with Val—only to find himself drawn into a police investigation (and a web of deceit). The affluent Black entrepreneurial setting is a sign of changing times. (David Luhrssen)
Peggy Lee, Things are Swingin’: Her Greatest Songs (MPI Media DVD)
The packaging provides little information and no context, but the contents of this DVD was apparently pulled from network television broadcasts. Judging by the color, costumes and hair, I’d venture circa 1966 through 1969. Peggy Lee was a poised performer, sensuous but usually unthreatening, her swinging pop jazz somehow linked to Kennedy-era optimism. In one segment she gives a lighthearted tour through musical history (even singing “Greensleaves” accompanied by a harpist). In another, she duets with solemn, craggy-faced Johnny Cash on “Swing Low Sweet Chariot.” (David Luhrssen)
Tom and Jerry (In Theaters and Streaming February 26, on HBO Max)
Cartoon frenemies Tom and Jerry leap to the screen in this film inserting their animated forms atop live action. At a luxury NYC hotel, small-time thief Kayla (Chloe Grace Moretz) cons her way into a customer service job. Because Jerry has taken up residence, Kayla hires Tom to get rid of the mouse before the hotel hosts a billionaire couple’s spectacular Indian wedding. With the jobs of Kayla and supervisor Terrence (Michael Pena) on the line, Tom and Jerry’s antics soon lay waste to the hotel’s perfectly manicured decor. Released simultaneously to both theaters and streaming, in 2021 Warner Bros. will use this strategy to introduce a new film each month. (Lisa Miller)
The United States vs. Billie Holiday (Streaming February 26, on Hulu)
Andra Day’s Billie Holiday is both captivating and heartbreaking. The singer’s story is set against the racial bias plaguing her short 44 years. Holiday’s fame grows despite her tragic childhood and exploitation by those she trusts. FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover seizes upon Holiday’s heroin addiction to imprison the defiant, successful songstress. Released a year later, Holiday fails to stay clean, and sadly, the writing is on the wall. (Lisa Miller)
