The best movie of the year is our selection of home videos of the week

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Challengers

What is it? A film about tennis and other games related to love.

Why watch it? As I have said before with My reviewby Luca Guadagnino Challengers It’s an incredible experience and the best movie of the year (so far). On the surface, it’s a movie about three tennis players struggling to become pros, but it’s really the story of two friends who don’t yet know they want to be something more. Zendaya shows up and woos them both, but she knows what’s up. It’s pretty simple, but Guadagnino delivers an electrifying film that will have you clapping, laughing, sweating, and feeling absolutely ecstatic. From its thrilling beginning to the perfect final shot, everyone in front of and behind the camera is on fire and giving their best. I wish there were more extras, but honestly, the movie alone is worth the price of admission.

[Extras: Featurette]

The best

Civil war

What is it? A look at a possible American future.

Why watch it? Alex Garland’s latest film gives viewers a glimpse of a slightly alternate America, one where Texas and California have broken away, tenuously joined forces, and gone to war. We follow journalists as they navigate a country in disarray and watch as human truths come into play. It feels like a very clear homage to journalists, while also acknowledging their uselessness in a world as apathetic and distracted as our own. The sound design is incredible, the cast is solid across the board, including a terrifying Jesse Plemons, and the big DC siege scene is a great adaptation of the popular TV series. Home Front It’s not meant to be a snapshot of current events as far as narrative details are concerned, but its observations about our relationship with the press are as spot on as anything else you’ll see. But here we have the added benefit of action, emotion and strong performances.

[Extras: Featurette]

Twister [4K UHD]

What is it? Storm chasers find what they are looking for.

Why watch it? Jan De Bont caused a sensation as a director with Speed (1994), but avoided a second slump with this fantastical disaster movie that manages to have more fun than the subgenre usually offers. Bill Paxton and Helen Hunt lead the cast, and the supporting cast is equally solid with Philip Seymour Hoffman, Cary Elwes, Jami Gertz, Alan Ruck, Todd Field, and more. It’s a legitimately thrill ride with big set pieces, effective computer graphics, exciting stunts, and a fantastic cast that makes their adventures memorable and fun. This new 4K is a delight that makes the ’90s film look brand new with detail and clarity amidst the chaos.

[Extras: Featurettes, commentary]

The rest

Abigail

What is it? A new work from Radio Silencio!

Why watch it? Although they have not yet reached the highest point of Ready for not (2019), Radio Silence’s latest horror comedy, is a fun movie about a home invasion and a gang of thieves and a hungry little girl. Melissa Barrera, Dan Stevens, Kathryn Newton, and Kevin Durand star, and it’s clear that everyone here is having fun playing “bad guys” who face a threat bigger than any they’ve faced before. It’s fun without being entirely funny (if that makes sense?), but throw in a little bloodshed and you’ll smile anyway.

[Extras: Deleted scenes, gag reel, featurettes, commentary]

The child kills the world

What is it? A young man seeks revenge.

Why watch it? The setup is familiar enough, but there are always ways to make the expected sing. However, that’s not what happens here, as instead we get a silent Bill Skarsgard voiced by an overused H. Jon Benjamin. It’s supposed to be funny, but it almost immediately comes off as annoying and kills anything resembling excitement, drama, or suspense. The action moments are fine, but while they’re frequent, they never really feel great. So, mediocre all around, and that’s before we even get to the big “reveal” that really shouldn’t surprise any of you.

[Extras: ?]

The country girl [KL Studio Classics]

What is it? A woman fights for the alcoholic man she loves.

Why watch it? This 1954 drama was a big winner at the Academy Awards against other heavyweights, but, at least through today’s eyes, it’s hard to see how it rose above the competition. Bing Crosby stars as a musician who’s past his prime, due mostly to his addiction to alcohol, and Grace Kelly is the woman struggling to help him. They play a married couple, and while the strains of their situation drive them apart, it’s their love that can make all the difference. It’s a familiar story, fairly well told, but it’s the performances that stand out in an otherwise traditional setting.

[Extras: New 4K scan, commentary]

Crocodile [Synapse]

What is it? The title says it all.

Why watch it? Jaws The knockoffs came fast and furious in the years following the release of Steven Spielberg’s summer blockbuster, and this Thai production was one of them. The nearly two-hour film was trimmed down and had new inserts added for its U.S. release, and that’s the version that gets a slick new restoration from Synapse. The film is obviously a low-budget production with dull parts and some unfortunate animal violence, but when the crocodile carnage does appear it’s a lot of fun. The miniatures play a big part and are endlessly entertaining against a backdrop of raging storms, destruction, and baby crocodiles. The film follows its inspiration in many ways, though it keeps finding darker undercurrents. It may not be a classic, but it works, and it’s never looked better.

[Extras: New restoration, commentary, interview, deleted scenes]

Fata Morgana [Mondo Macabro]

What is it? A Spanish city becomes a mystery.

Why watch it? The premise behind this mid-60s Vicente Aranda exercise in genre and imagination is an intriguing one. A model wanders through an abandoned Barcelona while a metal truck drives through the streets telling everyone to evacuate; it stops only to whistle at the model as it passes. A man talks about serial killers as if they are a predictable science and he knows who the next killer and victim will be. It’s a strange setup for an even stranger film, but while the ideas intrigue, the execution seems a little unfocused to the point where little seems to matter. However, there’s still enough here to pique interest and once again, you can’t help but appreciate Mondo Macabro for bringing another little-seen oddity home.

[Extras: New 2K scan, interviews, commentary]

The rose tattoo [KL Studio Classics]

What is it? A woman mourns the death of her husband by finding a new lover.

Why watch it? Tennessee Williams’ plays are beloved, as are many of his film adaptations, but some have fallen by the wayside over time. This mid-’50s drama took home a Best Actress Oscar thanks to Anna Magnani’s poignant portrayal of a widow dealing with grief in lustful ways. Burt Lancaster is the man who comes to town who looks a bit like her late husband, and they soon get down to business. While Magnani shines and wins that Academy Award, the film itself fails to find the same passion. It’s all competent enough, but whether the problem is Williams’ play or the filmmakers, it just doesn’t matter much.

[Extras: Newer 4K scan, commentary]

Sexual apocalypse [Mondo Macabro]

What is it? A woman is kidnapped, groped and welcomed into a very horny group.

Why watch it? The perverted minds of Spain ran riot in the late 70s after the more liberal minds took power, and one of the films that came out of it is this screwball comedy. The plot is minimal at best, and really just serves as a set-up for sex and violence. Some have compared the film to the work of Jess Franco, but I would argue that it is better directed than most of Franco’s output. However, the raw tone of the entire film finds a similar vein, as we witness acts of cruelty and nudity with no real purpose beyond shock and titillation. It looks pretty good, given the circumstances and Mondo Macabro’s new image, but that doesn’t mean it’s a must-see.

[Extras: New 2K scan, interviews, commentary]

Turbulence [4K UHD, KL Studio Classics]

What is it? A madman and a flight attendant face off at 35,000 feet.

Why watch it? In the world of airplane thrillers, this mid-90s film is the least well-known. Lauren Holly plays the attendant, but it’s Ray Liotta who captivates from the start. Obviously. He’s a lunatic, and it’s a pleasure to watch him act calmly before unleashing the madman inside him. The supporting cast is equally fun with familiar faces like Brendan Gleeson, Jeffrey DeMunn, Hector Elizondo, and more, but as entertaining as they all are, the script is so poorly done that the character choices are baffling. Not to the point of being hilarious, but certainly to the point of being a little unfortunate. But hey, it’s an action comedy with a madman in the cockpit, so no complaints here.