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THE SHAPE OF WATER: CRITERION COLLECTION [4K UHD] (2017): "Well-crafted and generally compelling, The Shape of Water offers a mostly involving drama but not a great one. It simply lacks the originality and real spark to make it better than 'pretty good'." Starring Sally Hawkins, Michael Shannon. Criterion, $49.95, 11/26/2024.

JOURNEY INTO FEAR [BLU-RAY] (1943): "With ample talent involved, I hoped Journey Into Fear would deliver a minor classic. Instead, I found a watchable thriller but not one that became particularly memorable." Starring Joseph Cotten, Dolores Del Rio. Warner, $21.99, 10/1/2024.

A SIMPLE PLAN: COLLECTOR'S EDITION [4K UHD] (1998): "Sam Raimi’s first attempt at a sober ‘serious film’, A Simple Plan manages to become a generally positive mix of thriller and morality tale. That said, it doesn’t quite connect as well as I feel it should, so it delivers a good but unmemorable affair." Starring Billy Bob Thornton, Bill Paxton. Arrow, $49.95, 11/19/2024.

SCARFACE: CRITERION COLLECTION [BLU-RAY] (1932): "With a better performance from its lead actor, I’d find myself more fond of 1932’s Scarface. However, Paul Muni damages an otherwise pretty solid gangster flick." Starring Paul Muni, Ann Dvorak. Criterion, $39.95, 11/12/2024.

THE INVASION: COLLECTOR'S EDITION [4K UHD] (2007): "At no point does The Invasion become a terrible flick, but I also can’t call it an especially interesting effort. Though it seems just good enough to maintain our interest for 99 minutes, it falls far short of the heights achieved by its more successful predecessors." Starring Nicole Kidman, Daniel Craig. Arrow, $49.95, 11/12/2024.

THE GRIFTERS [BLU-RAY] (1990): "On the surface, The Grifters feels like it should opt for Ocean’s 11 style antics, but instead, it prefers semi-Oedipal melodrama. These choices don’t work especially well and they make the movie drag." Starring Anjelica Huston, John Cusack. Lionsgate, $9.99, 3/3/2015.

Colin Jacobson (Publisher, Webmaster and Reviewer): colinjacobson@dvdmg.com