Image © Universal Pictures
Despicable Me 4
Despicable Me 4
Cemetery Man
(Severin UHD/Blu-ray)
Rupert Everett plays a cemetery watchman with a problem. The dead return at night (some of them resemble Motley Crue) and he must calmly dispatch them with a gunshot or—if small arms aren’t handy—hack them back to death. He’s cynical (“Frankly, I can’t see why they’re so anxious to return”) and incurious about the world. Are the zombies only rising from his cemetery? “Who knows? Who cares? In the end, I’m just doing my job,” he says. But things grow more complicated when he falls in lust with the beautiful widow of a recently deceased old man… Italian director Michele Soavi’s 1994 comedy is a spoof of horror conventions carried on the strength of Everett’s performance. The new two-disc 4K Ultra HD set includes audio commentary, mini documentaries, trailers and move. (David Luhrssen)
Despicable Me 4
(In Theaters Wednesday, July 3)
Seeming more like a series of comedic sketches than a film, this fourth “Despicable Me” features explosive gags and overflows with eye candy. When Gru (voice of Steve Carell) and his growing family are threatened by Maxime Le Mal (voice of Will Ferrell), the family is obliged to go into the Witness Protection Program. This leaves a hoard of Minions under the supervision of Anti-Villain League boss Silas Ramsbottom (Steve Coogan). The gibberish mumbling ding-a-lings (all voiced by Pierre Coffin), laugh their way through ruining the offices at Anti-Villain League headquarters, all while continuing to charm us. The script feels cobbled together to get from one Minion-made, PG-rated disaster to the next. Directed by Chris Renaud, the film’s highly inventive action and scenery shoehorns in a half dozen new characters. It's a chaotic, somewhat entertaining experience. (Lisa Miller)
Sound of Hope: The Story of Possum Trot
(In Theaters Thurs, July 4)
Angel Studios explores the circumstances that land children in foster care. Based on a true story from 1996, we meet Rev. WC (Demetrius Grosse). He oversees a rural church in Possum Trot. He and his wife Donna (Nika King) have two kids, but Donna longs to help children in need. WC is initially reluctant, but as the pair work with an empathetic Family and Protective Services officer (Elizabeth Mitchell), and begin to take in traumatized kids, the rewards are great. In spite of new pressures placed on Donna and WC’s relationship, they strongly believe in their mission. This prompts the couple to reach out to their community to follow their lead, and the residents of tiny Possum Trot respond in big way. Directed by Joshua Weigel, who co-wrote the screenplay with his wife, the film attempts to realistically depict the neglect and abuse suffered by many children caught in “the system.” It’s no surprise that loads of patience, along with hard work, are required to help them recover. (Lisa Miller)
