Carol Lombard Collection II (Kino Lorber Blu-ray)
Screwball comedy was a Hollywood genre that flourished during the Great Depression. The pace was fast, sometimes breakneck, as characters hurled snappy dialogue back and forth. Carol Lombard was one of the queens of screwball comedy. The new Blu-ray set features three of her lesser known but none-the-less funny movies from the period—Hands Across the Table (1935), Love Before Breakfast (1936) and The Princess Come Across (1936)—two of them costarring Fred MacMurray. One theory behind the screwball genre is that it resulted from the 1934 imposition of a strict Hollywood censorship code that banished sex from the screen. The manic frenzy of those films may have signaled frustrated desire alongside the more apparent themes of romance across class lines. (David Luhrssen)
The Interrogation (Corinth Films DVD)
Drawn from facts, The Interrogation is a grave look into one of the Holocaust’s perpetrators. In 1946, a solemn Polish judge was handed the task of obtaining a confession from Rudolf Höss, commandant of Auschwitz. At first uncooperative, Höss is gradually drawn out as he recalls his life and tries to explain himself. Höss was reared in an atmosphere of obedience and caught up in enthusiasm for the New Order and Hitler’s war. He refused to disobey any order, despite cracks where a dim light of conscience shown through. Israeli director Erez Pery’s powerful film is dubbed in English. (David Luhrssen)
Godzilla vs. Kong (Streaming Friday, March 26 on HBO Max)
China’s Legendary and Warner Bros partnered on this $200 million production putting Kong and Godzilla onscreen together for the first time since 1962. When our weapons can’t stop Godzilla’s attacks on our ships and cities, scientist Nathan Lind (Alexander Skarsgard) goes to Skull Island where he kidnaps Kong in hopes the ape can save us. Standing 336-feet tall compared to his 400-foot fire-breathing opponent, Kong wields superior agility and intelligence—but are these sufficient to defeat the heavily armored, speed-swimmer? Fans will cheer the pair’s prolonged land and ocean-going clashes. Predicting the film will make the bulk of its payday overseas, this one gets released everywhere a week before the U.S. finally gets its turn. (Lisa Miller)
The Projectionist (Kino Lorber Blu-ray)
You can think of it as an immigrant story and a cinema story. Abel Ferrara’s documentary follows Nick Nicolaou, a Greek Cypriot who moved to New York with his family in 1970. His first jobs were sweeping floors and selling popcorn at movie theaters. Now, he owns several of them. Nicolaou comes across as thoughtful and endearing, street smart and business savvy, channeling money from his adult theaters to support his art houses. He’s dedicated to the importance of neighborhood movie theaters. The bonus on this Blu-ray is Matt Barry’s short documentary on another lover of movie theaters, “Cinevangelist.” (David Luhrssen)
A Week Away (Streaming Friday, March 26 on Netflix)
Having committed a petty crime, orphaned teen Will Hawkins (Kevin Quinn) skips juvenile detention in exchange for attending a Christian summer camp. Will, troubled since the loss of his parents, discovers friendship and attraction to campmate Avery (Bailee Madison). He also becomes the camp director’s (David Koechner) pet—oh so convenient since the man is Avery’s dad. Failing to share his past with Avery, Will’s inner struggle results in problems all around. This connect-the-dots effort incorporates faith and redemption with teen love, family values and musical set-pieces. (Lisa Miller)
