October DVD Round-Up [DVD reviews]

The October DVD Round-Up begins!

Princess Emmy

Princess Emmy is a film about Emmy learning how to be a proper young princess. Before the Woke folk arrive, I wanted to say while charming for little kids…it also feels dated. On the other hand, overindulging in empowerment themes can be trite too. So, what do you do? The 5 year old next to me said to add more horses and spend less time on the parents. The DVD comes with no special features.

Cinderella and the Secret Prince

Cinderella and the Secret Police almost sounds like a joke title. But, I assure you…it’s real. Oh wait, it’s Secret Prince! Well, Cinderella and the Secret Prince is an indie animated tale about Cinderella attending a Royal Ball with a Secret Prince and Mouse people. At 90 minutes, my kid was bored to tears by the finale. Luckily, no special features.

The Quiet One

The Quiet One is a look at Bill Wyman and his role in the Rolling Stones. Long known by most kids as the other quiet white guy in the Stones, he’s famous for being relatively normal. Opening up his archives to make the documentary, Wyman is reserved about his life. Still, it’s quite charming to see someone appreciate their success without being gross about it. The special features are non-existent, but the film works.

Ulysses & Mona

Ulysses & Mona feels like an Alexander Payne movie in French. I don’t totally understand it, but somehow it feels 9 hours longer than most films. The film is about a famous artist meeting an art student. They don’t enjoy each other at first, but eventually learn something about the creative process. The DVD also comes with a Finnish short film that is better than the main feature. Weird how that works out.

GG Allin: All in the Family

GG Allin: All in the Family is a look at Allin’s aging relatives trying to celebrate his life. Little brother Merle wants to keep Allin’s myth and name alive. Meanwhile, mother Arleta just wants fans to quit defacing her son’s grave. Through the documentary, we watch as both sides come together to find a way to honor GG’s memory. Quite moving and well worth a viewing.

Mystery Science Theater 3000: Volume XII

Mystery Science Theater 3000: Volume XII is an old kick in the pants. You get The Rebel Set, The Clonus Horror and two other films. While I admit that my mileage with MST3K can run thin at points, it’s still pretty tidy. The DVD comes loaded with trailers, video interviews and a ton more. If you missed the original airings, this will do it for you.

Anna and the Apocalypse

Anna and the Apocalypse has already been discussed by Mike Flynn on the site. However, I watched this movie in 4K on iTunes forever ago. I dig Cinedigm, but what is the sense in releasing a movie like this on standard-def DVD so long after the fact. The movie is a terrific horror musical romp. However, it feels like everyone that wanted to see it has seen it by now.

The Ice King

John Curry is not an athelete that I know. However, The Ice King goes out of its way to make him familiar. In 1976, he was the first openly gay Olympian. Unapologetic in an era where that wasn’t done, he dominated the European celebrity scene. The special features on the DVD help frame Curry’s ascent. Still, the material is pretty dense for Americans.

Family

Family is a dysfunctional family story about a slightly abused woman learning that everyone is trash. Over the next two hours, I expected to learn something different. Hell, I was hoping that there was a way to turn everything around. Nope. This is a dark movie about how nothing is ever going to come together. The DVD comes with no special features.

Danger God

Danger God is a documentary that I had several people tell me to check out this summer. Gary Kent is the King of B-movies. Tarantino called him one of the inspirations for Brad Pitt’s character in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. Hell, Kent even had a dust-up with the Manson Family. Kent is full of stories and there is no shortage of celebs that will take the time to talk about his work. The DVD comes with a few trailers.

A Christmas Carol (1951)

The classic Alastair Sim Scrooge has returned in yet another release. This is public domain, right? The DVD is loaded with special features and commentary that help enhanced the experience. Plus, you get the 1935 version of the film. If you’re an older person looking for a Christmas movie, this might do it for you.

Sesame Street: 50 Years and Counting

Shout Factory has been releasing some killer Sesame Street DVDs today. The two disc release is a greatest hits compilation of the show’s biggest moments. You get a ton of celebrities and they even show Snuffy becoming real. I enjoyed watching this with the kiddo, but Mr. Hooper’s death no longer has the weight it once had on young viewers. The DVD is highly recommended.