‘Eagles of Death Metal’ doc highlights music’s healing powers
Directed by Colin Hanks, “Eagles of Death Metal: Nos Amis” (2017, Shout Factory, unrated, $22) is a heartfelt documentary which centers on the members of the rock group as they try to put their lives back together again after the 2015 Bataclan terrorist attack which left 89 of their fans dead and countless more wounded.
The film begins by focusing on band members Josh Homme and Jesse Hughes and then widens to include interviews with several Bataclan survivors as well as footage from the group’s return to Paris in 2016. At the heart of the film is a rock-solid belief that music can heal many wounds. Extras: none.
Also New to DVD
Rememory (2017, Lionsgate, PG-13, $20): “Game of Thrones” scene-stealer Peter Dinklage is front and center for this moody thriller about a man who sets out to the solve the murder of a software pioneer (Martin Donovan) responsible for a machine that records, extracts and plays a person’s memories. Dinklage winds up stealing the protoype of the contraption to aid his investigation and in hopes of coming to terms with his own past. Dinklage’s personal journey doesn’t dovetail with the murder mystery until the end so, occasionally, “Rememory” feels disjointed. But the movie deserves credit for an original premise and for actors who bring an enormous amount of conviction to their roles. Extras: commentaries and featurette. My Journey Through French Cinema (2017, Cohen, unrated, $30): Inspired by Martin Scorsese’s mammoth documentary about American movies, director Bertrand Tavernier (“Coup de Torchon”) takes a look at the films which inspired him. It might sound dry and scholarly but instead Tavernier has concocted a breathtaking and surprisingly emotional smorgasbord of stunning images. Even though the doc runs three hours-plus, you won’t be bored as Tavernier unveils clips from masterworks by Jean Renoir, Jacques Becker, Jean-Pierre Melville, Marcel Carné and Julien Duvivier. Best of all, “My Journey” whets your appetite for just about every movie that’s sampled. Delightful. Extras: featurette. The Villainess (2017, Well Go, unrated, $20): If John Woo had directed “Kill Bill,” the result might look something like this blast opera about an assassin named Sook-hee (Kim Ok-vin) who, following a murder spree, is spared jail time, given plastic surgery and urged to become a killing machine for the government. Cue a series of take downs that really push the envelope on carnage and mayhem. Fans of Hong Kong actioners won’t be disappointed by the eye-popping chases and gun battles. Extras: featurettes. Eight Films By Jean Rouch (1956-2017, Icarus, unrated, $45): Dubbed the father of cinema verite, Rouch (“The Chronicle Of A Summer”) was a huge influence on the French New Wave filmmakers thanks to compact masterworks like “The Mad Masters,” “Jaguar” and, particularly, “Moi, Un Noir,” the saga of a Nigerian migrant worker. These three movies plus five more are included in this essential set . Also on tap is a fantastic 2017 feature length doc about Rouch. Extras: none. Lawman (1970, Twilight Time, R, $30): In this intriguing, revisionist western, an uncompromising sheriff (Burt Lancaster) arrives in town, looking to arrest a handful of cowpokes (Robert Duvall, Lee J. Cobb) who accidentally killed a man. Not only is the outpost’s own sheriff (Robert Ryan) a complicated figure but the situation itself is rich in ambiguity. Lancaster is presented as part hero and part martinet while the villains are a collection of both cowardly back-shooters and good men trying to hang onto their small farms. All this and a fascinating romantic triangle between Lancaster, a former prostitute (Sheree North), and one of the bad guys too. Extras: none. The Voice Of The Moon (1990, Arrow, unrated, $30): Federico Fellini’s last movie, now on Blu-ray, is filled with stunning images that could only flow from the camera of the Italian master but, sadly, the pretty pictures don’t add up to much. Roberto Benigni stars as a sensitive soul who stumbles through one surreal adventure after another, some of which involve ghosts of his grandmother and former neighbors. Fellini obsessives will be fascinated by this finale, which occasionally feels like a summing-up of the filmmaker’s favorite themes but all others can take a pass. Extras: featurettes. Big Business Girl (1931, Warner Archive, unrated, $20): In this provocative – and still timely — pre-Code drama, a cash-strapped coed (Loretta Young) heads to New York where she lands a dream job at an advertising firm only to face constant sexual advances from her boss (Richard Cortez). While the direction by William A. Seiter is static, Young is a delight in the title role. Best of all, it’s refreshing to see a movie from the early 1930s celebrate Young’s ambitions to balance a marriage with a successful career. Extras: none. The Gilmore Girls - A Year In The Life (2017, Warner, unrated, $30): Set eight years after the end of the series, these four 90-minute films, each set during a different season, revisit everyone’s favorite java-loving mother and daughter duo, Lorelei (Lauren Graham ) and Rory Gilmore (Alexis Bledel). Nearly everyone from Stars Hollow is back for this sequel, including Luke (Haddonfield-reared Scott Patterson) and Sookie (Melissa McCarthy). It’s Emily (Kelly Bishop) though, who steals the show, thanks to a meaty subplot involving her attempts to come to terms with the death of her husband (Edward Herrmann). Extras: none. The Defiant Ones (2017, HBO, unrated, $35): Directed by Allen Hughes, this fascinating fourpart documentary series delves deep into the remarkable story of rapper Dr. Dre and producer Jimmy Iovine. Hughes traces the men’s separate careers and also pays tribute to their “improbable partnership” at Interscope Records and Beats. Shot over three years, “The Defiant Ones” doesn’t skimp on celebrity firepower. Eminem, Ice Cube and Snoop Dog sing Dre’s praises while Bruce Springsteen, Patti Smith and Stevie Nicks candidly discuss their collaborations with Iovine. Extras: none.