By Harley Lond - 06/15/20 at 07:21 PM CT
THIS WEEK'S BEST BETS:
Buster Keaton is at the peak of his slapstick powers in "The Cameraman" (1928), the first film that the silent-screen legend made after signing with MGM, and his last great masterpiece. The final work over which he maintained creative control, this clever farce is the culmination of an extraordinary, decade-long run that produced some of the most innovative and enduring comedies of all time. Keaton plays a hapless newsreel cameraman desperate to impress both his new employer and his winsome office crush as he zigzags up and down Manhattan hustling for a scoop. Along the way, he goes for a swim (and winds up 
soaked), becomes embroiled in a Chinatown Tong War, and teams up with a memorable monkey sidekick (the famous Josephine). The marvelously inventive film-within-a-film setup allows Keaton’s imagination to run wild, yielding both sly insights into the travails of moviemaking and an emotional payoff of disarming poignancy. The Cameraman
The "Universal Horror Collection: Volume 5
The comedy films of Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy have been beloved around the world since they were first released between 1927 and 1940. Unfortunately, many of the available copies are blurred dupes printed from worn-out negatives. Now, the best of their short comedies and two of their finest features have been fully restored in "Laurel & Hardy: The Definitive Restorations
Tagged by Roger Ebert as the most influential film critic of the late 20th century, "What She Said: The Art of Pauline Kael
BUZZIN' THE 'B'S:
"Burden
" (2020), starring Garrett Hedlund, Andrea Riseborough, Forest Whitaker, Tom Wilkinson, Tess Harper, Austin Hebert and Usher Raymond, tells the incredible true story of Michael "Mike" Burden (Hedlund), an ardent young member of the South Carolina Ku Klux Klan who rose to the rank of Grand Dragon -- and walked away from all of it with the help of a new love and an unlikely ally, the African American religious leader and social activist Reverend David Kennedy (Whitaker). Set in a small South Carolina town scarred from deep-rooted racism in the mid-nineties, an unlikely friendship forms when Kennedy shelters Mike Burden, along with his girlfriend Judy, a single mother. Through his faith and love, Reverend Kennedy helps Mike leave his violent past in the Klan, ultimately helping to heal the community. From Universal ... 
"Impractical Jokers: The Movie
" (2020), starring Brian Quinn, Joe Gatto, James Murray, Sal Vulcano and Paula Abdul, tells the story of a humiliating high school mishap from 1992 that sends the Impractical Jokers on the road competing in hidden-camera challenges for the chance to turn back the clock and redeem three of the four Jokers. On DVD, Blu-ray, from Warner ... Years after a bacterium killed 31 million people, David Oscar must come out of hiding and face his past in "Kill Mode
" (2020), starring Dave Mantel, Julia Batelaan, Cyriel Guds and Yasmin Blake. David is tracked down by the remaining members of his former rebel group, who persuade him to take part in an important mission which they believe will lead to a cure for the infected and will destroy the pharmaceutical company they believe to be responsible for the sickness. As they break into a secure facility expecting to find the cure, they discover a young girl who has been held captive and subjected to experiments for years. As David and his companions help her escape the company facility, the mutation inside her body manifests itself and the rebels discover why she has been kept under lock and key all this time. On DVD, Blu-ray, from RLJE Films ... From the novel by Damon Galgut comes the thriller "The Quarry
" (2020), starring Shea Whigham, Michael Shannon, Catalina Sandino Moreno in a tale of sin and redemption set in the wilds of Texas. After murdering a traveling preacher, a fugitive drifter (Whigham) travels to a small town and poses as the man he killed. Though the congregation loves the drifter’s sermons of forgiveness, the local police chief (Shannon) is suspicious of the man. Soon a gruesome discovery at a local quarry forces the killer to fight for his freedom. On DVD, Blu-ray, from Lionsgate ... 
In "Sniper: Assassin's End
" (2019), starring Chad Michael Collins, Sayaka Akimoto and Tom Berenger, Special Ops sniper Brandon Beckett (Collins) is set up as the primary suspect for the murder of a foreign dignitary on the eve of signing a high-profile trade agreement with the United States. Narrowly escaping death, Beckett realizes that there may be a dark operative working within the government, and partners with the only person whom he can trust: his father, legendary sniper Sgt. Thomas Beckett (Berenger). Both Becketts are on the run from the CIA, Russian mercenaries and Lady Death, a Yakuza-trained assassin (Japanese actress and singer Sayaka Akimoto in her Hollywood film debut) with sniper skills that rival both legendary sharpshooters. On DVD, Blu-ray, from Sony ... After his impressions of a comedian named Marques (Katt Williams) make him an online sensation, Deandre (Jay Pharoah) goes to L.A. with dreams of stand-up stardom in "2 Minutes of Fame
" (2020). But his girlfriend (Keke Palmer) needs him to be a stand-up guy and help raise their young son. Marques, the reigning king of comedy, isn’t about to give up his throne, and plots a rude awakening for Deandre. Co-stars RonReaco Lee, Deon Cole and Keke Palmer. From Lionsgate ... 
Produced in 1960 as "Body in the Web," "Horrors of Spider Island
" (1960 -- Germany), starring Harald Maresch, Helga Franck and Alexander D'Arcy, became a notorious Adults Only feature throughout Europe (though banned in the UK). Three years later and sheared of its nudity, it was repackaged for American audiences as a brain-melting monster movie filled with stripper-cat-fights, skimpy lingerie, and radioactive arachnids. The completely uncensored version, scanned from the Düsseldorf dupe negative, as well as the alternate U.S. release, scanned from a pristine low con print, are now together for the first time. On DVD, Blu-ray, from Severin Films ... In "Driven
" (2019), starring Casey Dillard, Richard Speight Jr., Jessica Harthcock, Nicholas Roylance, Andy Field, Bill Luckett and Leah Hudspeth, Emerson Graham's nights as a cab driver are filled with annoyances and inconveniences, but until tonight, never attacks and disappearances. After picking up a mysterious passenger her evening goes from working a job to performing a quest as they must race against the clock to stop demons from invading the world. From Uncork’d Entertainment ... 
With "Satan's Slave
" (1982 -- Indonesia), starring Ruth Pelupessi, W.D. Mochtar and Fachrul Rozy, Indonesian exploitation studio Rapi Films and writer-director Sisworo Gautama Putra unleashed a chiller that rocked the Muslim nation, transformed the country’s genre film industry, and remains one of the most influential shockers in Asian horror history. While mourning the death of his mother, a troubled teen discovers a nightmare world of restless spirits, supernatural vengeance and occult terror. Scanned from the original negative. A 2017 remake became an international festival favorite and one of Indonesia’s biggest hits ever. On DVD, Blu-ray from Severin Films ... When a group of young microbiologists head deep into the Australian wilderness to test water samples, they inadvertently enter the domain of a mysterious local in "The Marshes
" (2018 -- Australia), starring Dafna Kronental, Mathew Cooper, Sam Delich and Eddie Baroo. As they travel through the marshes, he stalks their every move, determined to kill anyone who enters his land. On DVD, Blu-ray,from RLJE Films ... 
In "A Soldier's Revenge
" (2020), starring Neal Bledsoe, Rob Mayes, AnnaLynne McCord, Val Kilmer and Jake Busey. Civil War soldier-turned-bounty-hunter Frank Connor (Bledsoe), haunted by wartime horrors, spends his time post-war polishing off two things: whiskey and fugitives. When two desperate children arrive on his doorstep and enlist his help to find their missing mother (McCord), Frank must face his past in order to take down the notorious Major Briggs (Mayes), with whom he has a score all his own to settle. On DVD, Blu-ray, from Well Go USA ... In "The Luring
" (2019), starring Rick Irwin, Dan Berkey, Molly Fahey, Henry Gagliardi and Michaela Sprague, a man tries to recover a lost memory by returning to his family's Vermont vacation home where an unspeakable act took place leaving him institutionalized as a child. From Wild Eye Releasing ... In "Wrestlemassacre
" (2018), starring Richie Acevedo, Tony Atlas and Julio Bana Fernandez, Randy is an awkward groundskeeper who is obsessed with professional wrestling. Longing for a sense of belonging with grandiose dreams of becoming a wrestling superstar, he is only met with abject humiliation. A brutal shaming at a local wrestling school pushes Randy over the edge and he sets out on a blood soaked rampage to punish those who wronged him. From Wild Eye Releasing.ON THE INDIE FRONT:
In "The Etruscan Smile
" (2018), starring Brian Cox, Rosanna Arquette, JJ Feild, Thora Birch, Tim Matheson, Peter Coyote and Treat Williams, Cox stars as Rory MacNeil, a rugged Scotsman who is forced to leave behind his beloved home and seek medical treatment in San Francisco. Moving in with his estranged son, Rory's life will be transformed, when he least expects it, through the redemptive power of love. On DVD, Blu-ray, from Lightyear Entertainment ... In "Saint Frances
" (2019), starring Kelly O'Sullivan, Ramona Edith-Williams, Jim True-Frost, Francis Guinan, Lily Mojekwu, Mary Beth Fisher and Charin Alvarez, flailing 34-year-old Bridget (O'Sullivan) finally catches a break when she meets a nice guy and lands a much-needed job nannying 6-year-old Frances (played by a scene-stealing Edith-Williams). But an unwanted pregnancy introduces an unexpected complication. To make matters worse, she clashes with the obstinate Frances and struggles to navigate a growing tension between Frances' moms. Amidst her tempestuous personal relationships, a reluctant friendship with Frances emerges, and Bridget contends with the inevitable joys and shit-shows of becoming a part of someone else's family. On DVD, Blu-ray, from Oscilloscope Laboratories.FOREIGN:
Film Movement has three Romy Schneider films debuting on Blu-ray this week. "Claude Sautet & Romy Schneider Duo (César et Rosalie / Les Choses de la Vie)
" Best known for her turns as the youthful Empress Elisabeth of Austria (Sissi) -- whose 19th-century reign spawned a trilogy of popular German films in the late 1950s -- and for French films of the late '60s and '70s, Romy Schneider wooed international audiences with a mix of aristocratic poise and sex appeal. 
In "Les choses de la vie" (1970), Pierre (Michel Piccoli), a middle-aged engineer, has his life flash before his eyes after being involved in a horrific car accident. While falling in and out of consciousness, he reflects on the recent events that have transpired between him and estranged wife, Catherine (Lea Massari), and his young lover, Hélène (Romy Schneider). Based on the acclaimed Paul Guimard novel "Intersection." In "César et Rosalie" (1972), sometimes two and two make three. Rosalie and David ... Rosalie and César ... César and David .... After her marriage ends in divorce, the beautiful Rosalie (Schneider) begins dating César (Yves Montand), a wealthy playboy and businessman. But when her old flame, David (Sami Frey), unexpectedly re-enters her life, the two men simultaneously vie for her affections. Both films are digitally restored in HD from original elements. Also released this week is "L'important c'est d'aimer" (1975), in which Schneider delivers a César Award-winning performance as a down-on-her-luck actress. Forced to earn a living by accepting demeaning roles negotiated by her erratic husband, Nadine Chevalier (Schneider) encounters tabloid photographer Servais (Fabio Testi) on the set of her latest film. Desperate to win her affections, Servais secretly uses money borrowed from a shady associate to bankroll her next project, a production of "Richard III" with Nadine starring opposite the maniacal German thespian Karl-Heinz Zimmer (Klaus Kinski). Digitally restored in HD from original elements.Check out other new DVD/Blu-ray releases, streaming films, and information and reviews at OnVideo.
