New to Rent By Mail for February 26 2025

FAREWELL MY CONCUBINE (1993) (Criterion Collection)

A breathtakingly intimate romance unfolds against a sweeping backdrop of social upheaval in renowned director Chen Kaige's sumptuous saga of passion, fate, and the transcendent possibilities of art. Spanning fifty years of twentieth-century Chinese history, Farewell My Concubine follows aspiring actors Dieyi (a heartbreaking Leslie Cheung) and Xiaolou (Zhang Fengyi) as they emerge from a childhood of brutal training to become Beijing-opera stars, with life mirroring art as Dieyi's unrequited love for Xiaolou and the country's changing political tides engulf them in their own personal tragedies of jealousy and betrayal. The first Chinese film to win the Palme d'Or is epic filmmaking of the highest order—visually and emotionally ravishing from frame to exquisite frame. (BLU-RAY + 4K)

BLESS THEIR LITTLE HEARTS (1983)

A key masterpiece of the L.A. Rebellion, Bless Their Little Hearts distills the social concerns and aesthetics of that trailblazing movement in African American cinema. Searching for steady work, Charlie Banks (Nate Hardman) views his chronic unemployment as a kind of spiritual trial. But selling a few catfish can’t sustain a family of five while his wife, Andais (Kaycee Moore), works to support them with dignity. Unable to face his own failures, Charlie finds solace in an affair that threatens his marriage, children, and everything he holds dear. Bless Their Little Hearts showcases director Billy Woodberry’s attentive eye and sensitivity to real-life issues, making for an agonizingly beautiful film that ranks as “one of the great domestic cataclysms of modern movies” (Richard Brody, The New Yorker). (BLU-RAY)

REPTILICUS (1961)

A group of mining engineers prospecting for copper in the mountains of Lapland make an incredible discovery when their drilling unearths the remains of a giant, prehistoric amphibious reptile. A section of the creature's tail is exhumed from beneath the frozen tundra and transported to the National Aquarium in Copenhagen, where it's placed in a cold room to be studied by Professor Otto Martens and his research team. But when the door to the room is accidentally left ajar, the tail segment begins to thaw, quickly regenerating itself into a gigantic beast! Now loose and embarking on a cross-country rampage, the military are forced to employ all means necessary to rout the creature - now dubbed "Reptilicus" - before it launches a full-scale attack on the capital. (BLU-RAY + 4K)

SHIN ULTRAMAN (2022)

There's never a dull day on Japan's newly established SSSP Kaiju defense taskforce, led by Kimio Tamura, played by DRIVE MY CAR's Hidetoshi Nishijima. After a particularly challenging encounter, a silver giant descends from the sky to rescue the planet. Dubbed Ultraman, this giant's identity and purpose are a mystery. SHIN ULTRAMAN is a delightful reimagining of one of Japan's classic superheroes, full of cosmic twists, charismatic villains, and giant Kaiju. (DVD)

WAY BAD STONE (1991)

Shot for $2000 on video in the enchanted forests of Florida, WAY BAD STONE is the unofficial Dungeons & Dragons adaptation that you've been waiting for. The story follows Aladar, a wizard seeking revenge against a gang barbarians—and one demon—who stole a magic stone. Directed by Archie Waugh and co-produced/written by Jan and Janne Skipper, this bewitching passion project features raucous Ren Faire dialogue, splattery violence, and a powerful dungeon synth soundtrack. It's the perfect complement to your next regularly scheduled LARP campaign. (BLU-RAY)