New to Home Video 8/15/23

Check out our reviews of what’s new to home video 8/15/23.

“No hay banda!” the master of ceremonies memorably declares in David Lynch’s Mulholland Dr. “There is no band!” What he is referring to directly, and Lynch somewhat more obliquely, is that everything we are seeing is an illusion. The concert hall Betty and Rita are attending is run on a tape recorder with performers mimicking the actions that might produce the sounds. Nevertheless, a powerful Spanish-language rendition of Roy Orbison’s “Crying” causes the two women – and, in my experience, many in the audience watching it – to do just that. The knowledge of the artifice hardly matters… Review

Cary Solomon and Chuck Konzelman’s Nefarious purports to be a horror movie about spiritual warfare, perhaps trying to evoke The Exorcist and The Omen. Unlike those movies, however, this film is so devoid of frights, one wonders exactly how hard the directors tried to make an effective genre piece. Instead, the film feels more like a dramatic two-hander than anything remotely resembling a scary movie. Sadly, the film fails even at that, not only proving to be a horror movie without scares, but also a drama without feeling… Review

Also new to home video 8/15/23: The Wrath of Becky, The Machine, Holy Spider, De Humani Corporis Fabrica

Battleship Pretension is a movie discussion podcast started in 2007 by Tyler Smith and David Bax. Since then, we’ve done live comedy shows, written reviews, commentaries and more.

Battleship Pretension is a film discussion show and a film review website founded by Tyler Smith and David Bax. Beginning in March 2007, Battleship Pretension the show (known to fans simply as “BP”) embodies the type of laidback, free-flowing conversations had by lovers of film around the world. Battleship Pretension the website is dedicated to being a destination for those seeking worthwhile opinions on current releases, be they foreign, independent, studio pictures, theatrical, home video releases, etc. From its meager beginnings in Los Angeles, Battleship Pretension has amassed a worldwide audience and readership. From Germany to Korea to Australia, people have tuned in to share in Tyler and David’s love of film. As Battleship Pretension’s following continues to grow, the purpose remains the same: Reach out to the international cinephile community, invite them to join in the discussion and perhaps even start one of their own.