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February 2

Breach

(2019) Cody Kearsley, Bruce Willis, Rachel Nichols, Thomas Jane. Bruce Willis stars as Clay, a hardened mechanic selected to maintain an interstellar ark, leaving Earth from a catastrophic plague. Bound for a new planet, Clay and his small crew are responsible for the safety of the last surviving humans. But when a teammate is brutally murdered, the crew discovers a terrifying new threat: a vicious, shape-shifting alien creature whose goal is to wipe out the human race before they reach their new home. Hunted by their invisible enemy, Clay must find a way to fight what they cannot even see and protect mankind from total extinction. Formats: DVD, VOD, Digital. (Paramount).

Horror Noire: A History of Black Horror

(2019) Delving into a century of genre films that by turns utilized, caricatured, exploited, sidelined, and finally embraced them, "Horror Noire" traces the untold history of Black Americans in Hollywood through their connection to the horror genre. Adapting Robin Means Coleman’s seminal book "Horror Noire: Blacks in American Horror Films from the 1890s to Present," the documentary presents the living and the dead, using new and archival interviews from scholars and creators, from the voices who survived the genre’s past trends to those shaping its future. Features Tony Todd ("Candyman"), Rachel True ("The Craft"), Ernest Dickerson ("Tales from the Crypt: Demon Knight," “The Walking Dead”), Rusty Cundieff ("Tales from the Hood," “Chappelle’s Show”), Tina Mabry ("Mississippi Damned," “Queen of the South”), Paula Jai Parker ("Hustle & Flow") and Tananarive Due (“The Twilight Zone”) Formats: DVD, Blu-ray. (RLJE Films).

Host

(2020) Haley Bishop, Radina Drandova, Jemma Moore, Caroline Ward, Emma Louise Webb, Edward Linard. The film was shot remotely during quarantine and features groundbreaking scares, stunts, and surprises, all filmed by the actors in their own homes. Six friends hire a medium to conduct a séance during lockdown for their weekly Zoom call. Jemma decides to pull a prank and makes up a story about a boy she knew in high school who hanged himself. By doing this, Jemma inadvertently invites a demonic presence to cross over. Soon the friends begin noticing strange occurrences in their homes as the evil spirit begins to make itself known, and they all realize this night may be their last. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray. Extras: "Behind-the-Scenes of Host," "Bloody Disgusting Presents The Boo Crew Podcast: Host Episode,” "Séance with the Cast and Crew of Host." Read more here. (RLJE Films).

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I'll See You Around

(2019) Lucas Monroe, Roger Guenveur Smith, Maria Wilson, Darlene Monroe, Lazifa Gurbanova, Zanura Monroe, Kenji Monroe. Explores a day in Lucas's life, a 30-year-old African-American man living in Ithaca, New York, who is trying to finish his degree at community college. After discovering that his older brother, Kenji, who has just been released from jail, may be responsible for stealing his laptop to buy drugs, Lucas embarks on an emotional journey to learn how to cope with betrayal and dangerous blood ties. Lucas navigates his relationships with his mother, child’s mother, and Ivy League girlfriend while most importantly striving to be a good father to his daughter. Will he be able to reconcile with those he loves, or will his troubled past destroy his chances? Formats: DVD, VOD, Digital. Read more here. (Breaking Glass Pictures).

Let Him Go

(2020) After their life is set off course following the tragic loss of their son, retired sheriff George Blackledge (Kevin Costner) and his wife Margaret (Diane Lane) leave their Montana ranch on a mission through the North Dakota desert to rescue their young grandson from a dangerous family living off the grid. Navigating tragedy and tumult, the couple soon discover that the Weboy family, a deep-rooted local clan led by ruthless matriarch Blanche (Lesley Manville) has no intention of letting the child go, forcing George and Margaret to ask how far they will go to fight for their family. Explores the strengths of family ties, the bittersweet and brutal cost of vengeance and the true stakes of heroism set against an iconic American backdrop. Read more here. Vitals: Director: Thomas Bezucha. Stars: Diane Lane, Kevin Costner, Lesley Manville, Jeffrey Donovan, Connor Mackay. CC, MPAA rating: R, 113 min., Action Thriller, Box office gross: $9.358 million, Universal. Formats: DVD, DVD/Blu-ray combo with digital code, VOD, Digital.

Love, Weddings & Other Disasters

(2020) Diane Keaton, Jeremy Irons, Maggie Grace, Andrew Bachelor, Diego Boneta. With a couple’s impending wedding as the backdrop, this disaster of a film weaves multiple storylines as it follows the search for love by a colorful group of characters including: an inexperienced wedding planner (Grace) nicknamed “The Wedding Trasher”; a fussy celebrity caterer (Irons); his blind date (Keaton); and a tour-bus guide (Bachelor) looking for his Cinderella. Their lives and loves intersect in this universally panned(with a 4 rating at Rotten Tomatoes) celluloid misadventure. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray, VOD, Digital. Extras: Audio commentary with co-screenwriter-director Dennis Dugan, "A Celebration: Making Love, Weddings, and Other Disasters" featurette. (Lionsgate).

100 Days to Live

(2020) Colin Eggesfield, Gideon Emery, Heidi Johanningmeier, Yancey Arias, Chris Johnson. Thriller follows a woman who grapples with her inner demons by running a suicide support group in Chicago. But when her fiancé is kidnapped by a known murderer, she must race against the clock to discover the identity of the killer, and more importantly - his motive. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray, VOD, Digital. Read more here. (Cinedigm).

Peggy Lee: Things Are Swingin’

(2020) Peggy Lee was a performer without peer —- a singer, songwriter, actress and artist who spanned genres and generations with music that remains vital and captivating. Sultry and swinging, Peggy’s biggest hits are featured here: "Fever," "I’m A Woman," "Alright, Okay You Win," "Lover," "Big Spender," "It’s A Good Day" and the Grammy Award-winning "Is That All There Is." This special collection of Peggy’s television appearances also offers an enticing variety of more favorites as well as duets with Johnny Cash, Petula Clark, Steve Lawrence & Eydie Gorme, a featurette with Michael Feinstein and a salute from Paul McCartney. Formats: DVD. Read more here. (MPI Media).

Tesla

(2020) Ethan Hawke, Eve Hewson, Eli A. Smith, Josh Hamilton, Lucy Walters, Luna Jokic, Kyle MacLachlan. A freewheeling take on visionary inventor Nikola Tesla, his interactions with Thomas Edison and J.P. Morgan's daughter Anne, and his breakthroughs in transmitting electrical power and light. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray, VOD, Digital. (IFC Films).

Wild Mountain Thyme

(2020) The headstrong farmer Rosemary Muldoon (Emily Blunt) has her heart set on winning her neighbor Anthony Reilly’s love. The problem is Anthony (Jamie Dornan) seems to have inherited a family curse, and remains oblivious to his beautiful admirer. Stung by his father Tony Reilly’s (Christopher Walken) plans to sell the family farm to his American nephew (Jon Hamm), Anthony is jolted into pursuing his dreams in this comedic, romantic tale. From John Patrick Shanley, who created the classic "Moonstruck." Vitals: Director:. Stars: Emily Blunt, Jamie Dornan, Jon Hamm, Dearbhla Malloy, Christopher Walken. 2020, CC, MPAA rating: PG-13, 102 min., Roamnace, Box office gross: $.213 million, Universal. Formats: DVD, VOD, Digital. Read more here.

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February 9

Billie

(2020) Billie Holiday had one of the greatest voices of all time. She was a woman of breathtaking talent and global popularity who was unafraid of stirring controversy. She started a notable rebellion singing “Strange Fruit,” which exposed the realities of Black life in America and earned her powerful enemies. Raw, emotional and brutally honest, "Billie" is filled with incredible unheard testimonies from musical greats like Charles Mingus, Tony Bennett, Sylvia Syms and Count Basie. "Billie" showcases an American legend, capturing her depth and complexity through the voices of those who knew her best. It is an arresting and powerful tale of one of the greatest singers who ever lived. Formats: Blu-ray. (Greenwich Entertainment).

Deep in Vogue

(2019 -- UK) This documentary celebrates the colorful, queer, emotional and political stories of Northern Vogue and its people. Synonymous with the black, gay ballrooms of 1980s New York this documentary asks why there's Vogue in Manchester, England. Over the course of a year, filmmakers Dennis Keighron-Foster and Amy Watson charted the build up to the Manchester ICONS Vogue Ball. Exploring themes from the internal politics of Vogue to its external politics like disenfranchisement of black youth, LGBT issues, a shrinking welfare state, a dearth of art spaces and modes of expression, a reductive and commercialized gay scene and a lack of safe spaces for the truly different. The film explores the history of vogue and ballroom, in which Black and Latinx gay men and trans people sought an aspirational artistic outlet in the 1980s, in much the same way that gay, queer, trans and QTIPOC people seek a safe space today.Formats: DVD. Extras: Director’s commentary, additional scenes. (Filmrise).

The El Duce Tapes

(2019) In the early 90s, aspiring filmmaker (and "General Hospital" co-star) Ryan Sexton lugged a giant camcorder into some of the seediest clubs and the filthiest apartments in Hollywood. There he filmed hour upon hour of VHS footage of the jaw-droppingly offensive Shock Rock band The Mentors, focusing on their infamous lead singer, “El Duce.” 30 years later, the team behind "The Nightmare" and "Room 237" and the editor of "Leap of Faith: William Friedkin on The Exorcist" uncover this dusty stockpile of long forgotten – and unseen – footage. They begin to piece together a picture of the man under the black executioner’s hood and what his willfully offensive act and controversial views might tell us about 21st century America. An incendiary, tragicomic documentary (midway between "The Decline of Western Civilization" and "Crumb"), "The El Duce Tapes" will chew you up, spit you out, and leave you floored. Formats: Blu-ray. Extras: New audio commentary with "The El Duce Tapes" crew; "The Ryan Sexton Tapes" 34-minute illustrated audio conversation between Ryan Sexton and producer Tim Kirk about the shooting of the original VHS footage; "The Nilbog Tapes," video of the band recording the original score for the film; "More El Duce Tapes," a free-standing alternate assembly of unused material, sort of a sideways sequel; "Tape 2: Hollywood Reservoir," a piece of raw tape providing a peek behind the scenes of the process of shooting the footage and a candid document of El Duce and Ryan’s rapport; "El Duce Stories," a humorous cut-up of a few of El Duce’s famously long aimless stories into one completely incomprehensible and endless word salad; "Return to Rape Rock Mountain," a brand new interview with Steve Broy, aka Dr. Heathen Scum of The Mentors; Reality Check presents the all-female El Duce tribute band The Womentors; reversible sleeve featuring newly commissioned artwork by John Pearson and reverse art by Benjamin Marra; FIRST PRESSING ONLY: Illustrated collectors’ booklet featuring new writing by Manish Agarwal. (Arrow Video/MVD Entertainment).

Elizabethtown BLU-RAY DEBUT

(2005) Orlando Bloom, Kirsten Dunst, Susan Sarandon, Alec Baldwin, Judy Greer, Jessica Biel. The limited-edition Paramount Presents Blu-ray Disc includes the film newly remastered from a 4K transfer supervised by Cameron Crowe. The disc is presented in collectible packaging that includes a foldout image of the film’s theatrical poster, and an interior spread with key movie moments. A heartfelt romance set against a fantastic rock ‘n’ roll soundtrack. Hot-shot designer Drew Baylor’s (Bloom) life becomes completely unraveled when he loses his father and his job on one fateful day. En route to Elizabethtown to visit his family, Drew meets Claire (Dunst). She’s beautiful, unstoppably positive, and just the gal to guide Drew on his journey back home and to teach him what it means to live and love along the way. Extras: New "Filmmaker Focus" with Crowe, never-before-seen deleted scenes, an alternate ending with an introduction by Crowe, deleted and extended scenes with an introduction by Crowe, “On the Road to Elizabethtown,” “The Music of Elizabethtown,” “Meet the Crew” featurette, “Training Wheels” featurette, photo gallery, more. (Paramount Presents).

Freaky

(2020) Seventeen-year-old Millie Kessler (Kathryn Newton) is just trying to survive the bloodthirsty halls of Blissfield High and the cruelty of the popular crowd. But when she becomes the newest target of The Butcher (Vince Vaughn), her town's infamous serial killer, her senior year becomes the least of her worries. When The Butcher's mystical ancient dagger causes him and Millie to wake up in each other's bodies, Millie learns that she has just 24 hours to get her body back before the switch becomes permanent and she's trapped in the form of a middle-aged maniac forever. The only problem is she now looks like a towering psychopath who's the target of a city-wide manhunt while The Butcher looks like her and has brought his appetite for carnage to Homecoming. With some help from her friends -- ultra-woke Nyla (Celeste O'Connor), ultra-fabulous Joshua (Misha Osherovich) and her crush Booker (Uriah Shelton) -- Millie races against the clock to reverse the curse while The Butcher discovers that having a female teen body is the perfect cover for a little Homecoming killing spree. Vitals: Director: Christopher Landon. Stars: Vince Vaughn, Kathryn Newton, Katie Finneran, Celeste O’Connor, Misha Osherovich, Alan Ruck. 2019, CC, MPAA rating: R, 102 min., Comedy Horror, Box office gross: $8.903 million, Universal. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray/DVD Combo with digital code, VOD, Digital. Extras: Deleted scenes, "Split Personalities: Millie vs. The Butcher' featurette, "Crafting the Kills" featurette, "Christopher Landon's Brand of Horror" featurette, "Final Girl Reframed" featurette, commentary with co-writer/director Christopher Landon. Read more here.

Greenland

(2020) Gerard Butler, Morena Baccarin, Scott Glenn, Roger Dale Floyd. A family fights for survival as a planet-killing comet races to Earth. John Garrity (Butler), his estranged wife Allison (Baccarin), and young son Nathan make a perilous journey to their only hope for sanctuary. Amid terrifying news accounts of cities around the world being leveled by the comet's fragments, the Garritys experience the best and worst in humanity while they battle the increasing panic and lawlessness surrounding them. As the countdown to global apocalypse approaches zero, their incredible trek culminates in a desperate and last-minute flight to a possible safe haven. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray, VOD, Digital. (Universal).

Happy Times

(2019 -- Israel) Shani Atias, Michael Aloni, Iris Bahr. Over the course of a Shabbat dinner at a fancy Hollywood Hills mansion, a toxic mix of alcohol, egos, cultural differences, lust and greed derails the evening rather quickly and things spin out of control. Secrets are revealed, relationships are tested and getting out in one piece will be the ultimate challenge. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray. (Artsploitation Films).

Jazz on a Summer’s Day

(1959) Filmed at the 1958 Newport Jazz Festival in Rhode Island and directed by world-renowned photographer Bert Stern, "Jazz on a Summer’s Day" features intimate performances by an all-star line-up of musical legends including Louis Armstrong, Thelonious Monk, Gerry Mulligan, Anita O’Day, Chuck Berry, Dinah Washington, and closes with a beautiful rendition of The Lord’s Prayer by Mahalia Jackson at midnight to usher in Sunday morning. Presented in a stunning 4K restoration by IndieCollect. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray. Extras: "Bert Stern: Original Madman" (2011 documentary by Shannah Laumeister Stern); Bern Stern photo galleries; archival interviews with director Bert Stern; audio commentary by music journalist Natalie Weiner; trailer. (Kino Lorber).

Jiang Ziya (aka Legend of Deification)

(2020 -- China) Follow-up to the international blockbuster "Ne Zha" (2019) and the second chapter in the magical Fengshen Cinematic Universe, is a fate-defying, action-packed legendary tale retold through vibrant Chinese animation. To earn his place amongst the gods, celestial army commander Jiang Ziya must vanquish a terrifying fox demon threatening the very existence of the mortal realm. After learning the creature’s fate is tied to that of a young girl, Jiang Ziya disobeys Heaven’s edict and spares the demon, resulting in his banishment to the mortal realm. Ten years later, he is given one more chance to complete the task, and Jiang Ziya must decide: is joining the ranks of the heavens worth the price of one innocent life? Formats: DVD, Blu-ray, Digital. (Well Go USA).

The Little Prince

(2015) A critically acclaimed, re-imagined, animated take on Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s classic story. At its heart is “The Little Girl” (Mackenzie Foy), prepared by her mother (Rachel McAdams) for the very grown-up real-world. After her eccentric, kind-hearted neighbor, “The Aviator” (Jeff Bridges) introduces her to an extraordinary world where anything is possible, she learns of “The Little Prince" (Riley Osborne). And so begins the magical and emotional journey where one learns, amongst other things, it’s the human connections that matter most. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray with digital copy. Extras: Making-of featurette, music video for the song “Turnaround” by Camille. (Paramount).

Mary Millington Movie Collection (Limited Edition Blu-ray Box Set)

This collector's edition five-disc set is a must for any fan of the English model and sexploitation star Mary Millington. Filled with scintillating new extras, packaged in a collectable case (displaying brand new artwork throughout) and including a huge 80-page book, written by biographer Simon Sheridan (author of "Keeping the British End Up: Four Decades of Saucy Cinema") and with an introduction by producer David Sullivan. Released to commemorate the 40th anniversary of Mary Millington's death, this special edition Blu-ray box set (limited to 3,000 copies) features Millington's most glamorous film roles, digitally remastered in high definition, including: "Come Play with Me" (1977), "The Playbirds" (1978), "Confessions From the David Galaxy Affair" (1979), "Queen of the Blues" (1979), "Mary Millington's True Blue Confessions" (1980), "Mary Millington's World Striptease Extravaganza" (1981) plus "Respectable: The Mary Millington Story" (2015), an in-depth documentary chronicling her extraordinary life. Formats: Blu-ray. Extras: Interviews, shorts, trailers, commentaries, much, much more. Read more here. (MVD Visual).

The Parallax View

(1974) Perhaps no director tapped into the pervasive sense of dread and mistrust that defined the 1970s more effectively than Alan J. Pakula, who, in the second installment of his celebrated Paranoia Trilogy (after "Klute," 1971 and before "All the President's Men, 1976), offers a chilling vision of America in the wake of the assassinations of the Kennedys and Martin Luther King Jr. and about to be shocked by Watergate. Three years after witnessing the murder of a leading senator atop Seattle’s Space Needle, reporter Joseph Frady (Warren Beatty) begins digging into the mysterious circumstances surrounding the killing — and stumbles into a labyrinthine conspiracy far more sinister than he could have imagined. "The Parallax View’s" coolly stylized, shadow-etched compositions by acclaimed cinematographer Gordon Willis give visual expression to a mood that begins as an anxious whisper and ends as a scream into the void. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray, with new, restored 4K digital transfer, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray. Extras: New introduction by filmmaker Alex Cox; interviews with director Alan J. Pakula from 1974 and 1995; new program on cinematographer Gordon Willis featuring an interview with Willis from 2004; new interview with Jon Boorstin, assistant to Pakula on "The Parallax View"; an essay by critic Nathan Heller and a 1974 interview with Pakula. (The Criterion Collection).

The Right One

(2021 -- Canada) Nick Thune, Cleopatra Coleman, Iliza Shlesinger, David Koechner. In this heartfelt rom-com, Sara, a novelist struggling with writer's block, needs inspiration — and finds it when she serendipitously meets Godfrey, a down-on-his-luck oddball who constantly changes personas and alter egos in order to cope with his past and avoid reality. Just as Godfrey begins to open up to Sara, he discovers that she’s been using him as inspiration for her next novel, and he vanishes from her life. Did Sara just lose the man of her dreams, or will she be able to find him and make things right? Formats: DVD, Blu-ray, VOD, Digital. (Lionsgate).

So Evil My Love

(1948) From Lewis Allen, the acclaimed director of "The Uninvited," "The Unseen," "Desert Fury" and "A Bullet for Joey," comes this classic film noir starring screen great Ray Milland. An innocent woman falls under a villain’s spell in this captivating thriller of obsession and deceit. In the late 19th century, English widow Olivia Harwood (Ann Todd) meets Mark Bellis (Milland), a charming-but-dangerous criminal who’s renting a room in her boarding house. Hopelessly in love with a man who is playing her for a fool, Olivia soon descends into a life of crime as Mark persuades her to steal from her friend Susan Courtney (Geraldine Fitzgerald), the wife of a wealthy peer. Discovering a packet of scandalous letters that could ruin the Courtneys socially, Olivia blindly follows the scoundrel’s biddings, leading down a path of blackmail and murder. Co-starring Leo G. Carroll and Hugh Griffith. New 2K master. Formats: Blu-ray. Extras: New audio commentary by film historian Imogen Sara Smith, theatrical trailer. (Kino Lorber).

Sputnik

(2020 -- Russia) Oksana Akinshina, Pyotr Fedorov, Anton Vasiliev, Aleksey Demidov, Anna Nazarova. At the height of the Cold War, a Soviet spacecraft crash lands after a mission gone awry, leaving the commander as its only survivor. After a renowned Russian psychologist is brought in to evaluate the commander's mental state, it becomes clear that something dangerous may have come back to Earth -- inside him. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray. (Universal).

The Suspect

(1944) From Robert Siodmak, the legendary director of "The Spiral Staircase," "The Killers," "Cry of the City," "Criss Cross" and "The Crimson Pirate," comes this classic film noir starring acting great Charles Laughton. Philip Marshall (Laughton) is a kind, henpecked accountant who strikes up a friendship with Mary Gray (Ella Raines), a young unemployed stenographer who had approached him for work. He gradually finds himself falling in love with her, but keeps the relationship platonic. With his wife suspecting him of having an affair, Philip asks her for a divorce, but she refuses and threatens him with exposure and scandal. When his wife is found dead of an apparent accident, Inspector Huxley (Stanley Ridges) of Scotland Yard suspects Marshall of murder, but is unable to prove it or establish a motive. New 2K master. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray. Extras: New audio commentary by film historian Troy Howarth, trailers. (Kino Lorber).

Wander Darkly

(2020) Sienna Miller, Diego Luna. A traumatic accident leaves a couple, Adrienne (Miller) and Matteo (Luna), in a surreal state of being that takes them on a disorienting journey through the duality of their shared moments. By reliving fond recollections from the beginning of their romance while also navigating the overwhelming truths of their present, they must discover what truly binds them together. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray, VOD, Digital. (Lionsgate).

X

(2019) Hope Raymond, Eliza Boivin, Brian Smick, Zachary Cowan, Valerie Façhman. Armed only with masquerade masks and invitations, guests arrive at a seaside estate for a charity ball hosted by a mysterious foundation. With identities hidden from their fellow party goers, they partake in the sinfully seductive surroundings with their charming host Christian (Raymond), known as X. The monthly masked debauchery is all fun and games until the arrival of an unexpected guest from Christian's past, who threatens to bring to light her darkest secret. And when a voyeuristic video reveals a violent crime, Christian must decide if the truth is worth exposing the world she has created. It's an indie Hitchcockian mix of melodrama, thriller and camp. Formats: DVD, VOD, Digital. (Cinedigm).

You Go to My Head

(2017 -- France) Thriller begins in a desolate stretch of the Sahara, where a mysterious car accident leaves a young woman lost and alone. Jake, a reclusive architect, finds her unconscious, suffering from post-traumatic amnesia. Intoxicated by the woman's beauty, Jake claims to be her husband. He names her Kitty and takes her to his remote desert home to recuperate. As Kitty struggles to come to grips with who she is, Jake invents an elaborate life they can share -- the life he has always yearned for. But when shreds of her past begin to surface, Jake takes steps to ensure he will not lose the love of his life. Formats: DVD, VOD, Digital. (First Run Features).

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February 16

AK47: Kalashnikov

(2020 -- Russia) Yuriy Borisov, Artur Smolyaninov, Maksim Bityukov, Valery Barinov, Vitaliy Khaev, Aleksey Vertkov. The Eastern Front, 1941: young tank commander Mikhail Kalashnikov is seriously wounded in battle. Unable to work and with no prospect of returning to the front, yet eager to continue to help his country, he begins developing designs for a more robust, effective and reliable assault rifle. With the help of a few train welders, Kalashnikov’s first prototype catches the interest of a high-ranking military official. This opens the first of many doors for Kalashnikov for the world's most advanced and reliable weapon - the AK-47. Formats: DVD, Digital. (Capelight Pictures).

Archenemy

(2020) Joe Manganiello, Skylan Brooks, Zolee Griggs, Paul Scheer, Amy Seimetz, Glenn Howerton. Max Fist (Manganiello) is a local drunk who claims to be a superhero from the planet Chromium. He tells anyone who will listen that he was pulled into a wormhole, falling through time and space, and dropped to earth without any of his powers. No one pays any attention to Max except a teenager named Hamster (Brooks) who can't get enough of Max's stories. When Hamster and his sister (Griggs) get in trouble with a vicious drug syndicate led by The Manager (Howerton), Max takes to the streets as a brutal vigilante hellbent on proving himself as the hero no one believes him to be. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray. Extras: " The Making of Archenemy." (RLJE Films).

Bordertown Season 2

(2018 -- Finland) In Season 2 of the Finnish Nordic Noir hit, chief investigator Kari Sorjonen of the Serious Crimes Unit deals with a variety of harrowing homicides on the border between Finland and Russia. Each of these murder cases takes the viewer on a journey into humanity’s dark underbelly, in which no one will be able to escape their past. Formats: Blu-ray. (Kino Lorber).

Breaking Surface

(2019 -- Sweden-Belgium-Norway) Moa Gammel, Madeleine Martin. A few days after Christmas, half-sisters Ida and Tuva set out on a winter dive in a remote part of the Norwegian coastline. Towards the end of the dive, a rockslide traps Tuva under water. As Ida surfaces to call for help, she discovers that the rockslide has struck above water as well, burying their equipment, phones and car keys -- they are completely cut off from any chance of rescue. As the frantic race for survival unfolds, Ida is put to the ultimate test of character and forcefulness. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray, VOD, Digital. Extras: Behind-the-scenes featurette, interviews with cast and crew, more. Read more here. (Doppelganger Releasing).

Butchers

(2021 -- Canada) Simon Phillips, Michael Swatton, Julie Mainville, Anne-Carolyne Binette. A family of sadistic butchers has dug into the back country and, from the deep freeze of winter to the dog days of summer, anyone who crosses their path is dead meat. A group of stranded friends must fight to survive the attacks of the brutal brothers. Formats: DVD. (Breaking Glass Pictures).

A Call to Spy

(2019) Sarah Megan Thomas, Stana Katic, Radhika Apte. In the beginning of WWII, with Britain becoming desperate, Churchill orders his new spy agency - SOE - to recruit and train women as spies. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray. (Universal).

Faceless

(2021) Brendan Sexton III, Alex Essoe, Terry Serpico, Richard Haylor. After waking up disoriented and frightened in a hospital room, George (Sexton) discovers that he has received a full face transplant. Following the initial shock of an unfamiliar face, George becomes plagued by vivid, unexplainable flashbacks. Shortly thereafter, he is released from the hospital and expected to fend for himself without any recollection of his previous life. With no end in sight and nobody to turn to but a mysterious woman named Sophie, George must overcome his flashbacks, unexplained daily occurrences and a persistent, masked stalker to put the pieces together before it’s too late. Formats: DVD, Digital. (Indican Pictures).

Filmworker

(2017) Leon Vitali was a rising British television actor when Stanley Kubrick picked him for the role of Lord Bullingdon in "Barry Lyndon." That first encounter with the famed auteur proved decisive -- he swiftly resolved to devote the rest of his life working for the director, this time behind the scenes, and took on just about every job available: casting director, acting coach, location scouter, sound engineer, color corrector, A.D., promoter, and eventually restorer of Kubrick’s films. Tony Zierra’s affecting documentary profiles the devoted “filmworker” -- Vitali’s preferred job title -- as he enthusiastically recounts his days with the notoriously meticulous, volatile and obsessive director. The experiences brought both tremendous sacrifice and glowing pride. "Filmworker" celebrates the invisible hands that shape masterpieces, reminding us that behind every great director, there is a Leon Vitali. Formats: Blu-ray. Extras: Q&A with Leon Vitali and director Tony Zierra, theatrical trailer. (Kino Lorber).

Horizon Line

(2020) Alexander Dreymon, Allison Williams, Keith David, Pearl Mackie, Jumayn Hunter, Lamin Tamba. Former couple Sara and Jackson board a single-engine plane for a routine and casual flight to their friend's tropical island wedding. However, within minutes of takeoff, their pilot suffers a fatal heart attack, leaving them with no idea where they are, and no clue how to land the plane. With nothing but miles of ocean and sky in every direction, and a terrifying storm that's about to envelop them, Sara and Jackson have only one shot -- and there's no going back. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray with digital code, VOD, Digital. Extras: Deleted scenes. (Universal).

The Informer

(2019 -- UK) Joel Kinnaman, Ana de Armas, Rosamund Pike, Clive Owen, Sam Spruell, Martin McCann, Jenna Willis. An ex-convict working undercover intentionally gets himself incarcerated again in order to infiltrate the mob at a maximum security prison. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray. (Lionsgate).

Lovecraft Country: The Complete First Season

(2020) Three-disc set with all 10 episodes of the HBO series. Based on the 2016 novel by Matt Ruff, "Lovecraft Country" follows Atticus Freeman (Jonathan Majors) as he joins up with his childhood friend Leti Lewis (Jurnee Smollett) and his Uncle George (Courtney B. Vance) to embark on a road trip from Chicago across 1950s Jim Crow America in search of his missing father, Montrose Freeman (Michael K. Williams). Their search-and-rescue turns into a struggle to survive and overcome both the racist terrors of white America and monstrous creatures that could be ripped from an H.P. Lovecraft paperback. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray, Digital. Extras: "Compendium of Horrors," "Orithyia Blue and the Imagination of Diana Freeman," "Crafting Lovecraft Country," "Exploring Lovecraft Country," "Lovecraft Country The Craft." (Warner).

Mandabi

(1968) This second feature by Ousmane Sembène was the first movie ever made in the Wolof language — a major step toward the realization of the trailblazing Senegalese filmmaker’s dream of creating a cinema by, about, and for Africans. After jobless Ibrahima Dieng receives a money order for 25,000 francs from a nephew who works in Paris, news of his windfall quickly spreads among his neighbors, who flock to him for loans even as he finds his attempts to cash the order stymied in a maze of bureaucracy, and new troubles rain down on his head. One of Sembène’s most coruscatingly funny and indignant films, "Mandabi" — an adaptation of a novella by the director himself — is a bitterly ironic depiction of a society scarred by colonialism and plagued by corruption, greed, and poverty. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray, with new 4K restoration, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray. Extras: Introduction by film scholar Aboubakar Sanogo; conversation from 2020 with author and screenwriter Boubacar Boris Diop and sociologist and feminist activist Marie Angélique Savané; "Praise Song," a new program about director Ousmane Sembène featuring outtakes from the 2015 documentary "Sembène!" of interviews with author and activist Angela Davis, musician Youssou N’Dour, filmmaker and scholar Manthia Diawara, and many others; "Tauw," a 1970 short film by Sembène; Sembène biographer Samba Gadjigo; an essay by critic and scholar Tiana Reid and excerpts from a 1969 interview with Sembène. (The Criterion Collection).

Man With a Movie Camera

(1929) One of the most innovative and influential films of the silent era, Dziga Vertov’s "Man With a Movie Camera" utilizes rapid editing and innumerable other cinematic effects to create a work of amazing modernity and power. This dawn-to-dusk view of urban Soviet life shows people at work, at play, and at the machines that endlessly whirl to keep the metropolis alive. It was Vertov’s first full-length film, and it employs all the cinematic techniques at the director’s disposal -- dissolves, split-screens, slow-motion, and freeze-frames -- to produce a work that is as exhilarating as it is intellectually brilliant. Restored by the British Film Institute, this edition features an orchestral score composed and conducted by Michael Nyman ("The Piano"), first performed on May 17, 2002 at London’s Royal Festival Hall. Formats: Blu-ray. Extras: Audio commentary by film historian Adrian Martin; "The Life and Times of Dziga Vertov: An Interview with Ian Christie"; "Dziga Vertov: Non-Fiction Film Thing," a video essay by David Cairns. (Kino Lorber).

Random Acts of Violence

(2021) Jesse Williams, Jordana Brewster, Niamh Wilson, Jay Baruchel. Comic book creator Todd Walkley, his wife, assistant and best friend, are heading to NYC Comic Con when bad things start to happen—people start getting killed. It soon becomes clear that a crazed fan is using his “SLASHERMAN” comic as inspiration for the killings. And as the bodies pile up, and Todd’s friends become victims themselves, he is forced to face the killer and put an end to his notorious comic once and for all. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray, VOD, Digital. Extras: Interview with director-star Jay Baruchel, "More Than Just a Scary Movie," "Inside the Making of an Action Scene." Read more here. (RLJE Films).

The Swordsman

(2020 -- South Korea) Jang Hyuk, Kim Hyeon-soo, Joe Taslim, Jeong Man-sik. Hybrid of mainstream historical drama and traditional martial arts action. After failing to protect and prevent the downfall of the King, the best swordsman in Joseon leaves and lives in seclusion with his daughter in the mountains. As his eyesight begins to fail due to an old injury, his daughter seeks to find a treatment for him. When she is captured and taken away by a slave trader, the swordsman is forced to raise his sword again in order to save her. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray, Digital. (Well Go USA).

Things Don't Stay Fixed

(2021) William Gregory Lee, Melissa Saint-Amand, Tara Ochs, Brenda Bynuma. Worldly photojournalist Sam Grace (Lee) returns home to the Deep South in an attempt to stop his daughter, Nina, from marrying and destroying her future. Sam’s return home becomes more telling as he discovers that he’s the one that has been stuck in the past all along. Formats: DVD, Digital. (Indican Pictures).

Tomato Red: Blood Money

(2021) Julia Garner, Jake Weary, Nick Roux, Anna Friel. When small town drifter Sammy Barlach (Jake Weary) drives into town on the search for his next cold beer, he gets a lot more than he originally bargained for. Thanks to redheaded Jamalee (Garner) and her brother, Jason (Roux), who dream of hitting the big time, Sammy receives food, lodging and the possibility of a better future -- but it’s not long before he realizes that breaks don’t come easily in a small town like Venus Holler. Soon, the trio finds themselves powerless against the forces of corruption and prejudice, and Sammy must begin the fight of his life. Formats: DVD, VOD, Digital. Read more here. (Indican Pictures).

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February 23

Alone With Her Dreams

(2020 -- Italy) Marta Castiglia, Tania Bambaci, Nicoletta Cifariello. Filmed on the rugged and stunningly beautiful Sicilian coast and set in the late 1960's, the film explores the issues of immigration, community values and family devotion through the eyes of a young girl, Lucia who is left behind with her grandmother, Maria, while her parents emigrate to France to find work. Lucia pains to be with her family as she struggles to learn her role in the tiny, traditional village under the watchful guidance of her stern grandmother. As Lucia enters womanhood, her childhood innocence is lost to a hideous family secret and her world of childhood fragility and heartbreaking nostalgia melts into adulthood's poignant understanding. Winner of Best First Feature and Best Original Score at the 2020 Italian Golden Globe Awards. Formats: DVD, Digital. (Corinth Films).

The Attic Expeditions

(2001) Andras Jones, Seth Green, Jeffrey Combs, Ted Raimi, Wendy Robie, Alice Cooper. Blu-ray premiere of the hallucinatory debut by director Jeremy Kasten ("The Dead Ones," "The Theatre Bizarre," "The Wizard of Gore" remake) about a young man -- who may have or may have not brutally murdered his girlfriend -- committed to an asylum where madness, mayhem, and murder may rip apart his mind forever. Scanned in 2k from the original negative. Formats: Blu-ray. Extras: Cast & crew 20-year pandemic reunion & story of making "The Attic Expeditions," Alice Cooper & Jeffrey Combs internet reunion, horror scholar Adam Rockoff contextualizes "The Attic Expeditions." (Severin Films).

The Belles of St. Trinian's

(1954) Alastair Sim, Joyce Grenfell, George Cole, Hermione Baddeley, Betty Ann Davies, Renee Houston, Beryl Reid, Irene Handl, Mary Merrall. Directed by Frank Launder (scriptwriter for "The Lady Vanishes" and "Night Train to Munich"), this classic British comedy -- which spawned several sequels -- features one of Alastair Sim's most unforgettable performances. In an all-girls school, where the unruly students are more interested in men and mischief than homework and hockey, the arrival of Princess Fatima of Makyad and the return of recently expelled Arabella Fritton -- who has a kidnapping scheme on her mind -- inspire even more chaos than usual. Featuring an all-star line-up, the cast includes Sim playing dual roles as both headmistress Miss Millicent Fritton and her twin brother, Clarence. Based on the cartoons of Ronald Searle. In a new digital remaster. Formats: Blu-ray. Extras: "The Girls of St. Trinian's" featurette; interview with film historian Geoff Brown; interview with Dr. Melanie Williams, Senior Lecturer in Film Studies, UEA; interview with Alastair Sim's daughter, Merlith McKendrick; interview with Steve Chibnall, Professor of British Cinema, De Montfort University. (Film Movement Classics).

Betty White's Pet Set: The Complete Series

The long-unseen series created by and starring the sitcom legend will make its debut on digital platforms and DVD. In an unparalleled television career spanning over 70 years, Betty White has brought laughter and joy to millions of fans of all ages via such hit series as "The Golden Girls," "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" and "Hot in Cleveland," as well as countless game show appearances. In 1971, just prior to Betty's sitcom superstardom, she created and hosted a weekly program celebrating her lifelong love of animals. Produced with her husband Allen Ludden ("Password"), Betty White's Pet Set featured Betty welcoming celebrity friends with their dogs, cats and horses -- in addition to a wide range of wild animals including tigers, bears, elephants, lions, wolves, gorillas, chimps, cougars, cheetahs, seals, kangaroos, zebras, eagles, snakes and penguins -- both in the studio and on location. The 39 episodes feature such entertainment greats as Carol Burnett, Doris Day, Jimmy Stewart, Mary Tyler Moore, Burt Reynolds, Shirley Jones, Michael Landon, Barbara Eden, James Brolin, Della Reese, Vincent Price, Rod Serling and many more. Formats: DVD, Digital. Extras: Behind-the-scenes featurette, original promotional spots, "Betty White: Game Show Goddess" featurette, "Daytime Hostess: The Betty White Show" featurette, Betty's photo album, her public service ads. (MPI Media Group).

Castle of the Creeping Flesh

(1968 -- Germany) Janine Reynaud, Howard Vernon, Elvira Berndorff. From writer-director Adrian Hoven -- creator of the infamous "Mark of the Devil" -- comes this rarely-seen EuroSleaze masterpiece packed with krimi depravity, mondo-style shocks, and graphic gothic insanity. When a group of bourgeois swingers stumbles upon the creepy castle of the cursed Earl of Saxon, they'll discover an unholy nightmare of sexual violence, bombastic philosophy, deranged performances, grisly medical experiments, inappropriate music cues, and one very pissed off bear. Formats: Blu-ray. Extras: "Adrian in the Castle of Bloody Lust" archival interview with Joyce Hoven and Percy Hoven; "Mark of the Devil" Q&A with The Hoven Family at Austrian Pulp Film Fest; locations featurette; trailers, English and German - of the film with its alternate title, "Appointment With Lust"; textless opening credit sequence; German opening credit sequence. (Severin Films).

Centigrade

(2019) Genesis Rodriguez, Vincent Piazza, Mavis Simpson-Erns. In 2002, a young American couple, Matthew and Naomi, travel to the arctic mountains of Norway. After pulling over during a snowstorm, they wake up trapped in their SUV, buried underneath layers of snow and Ice. As if the stakes aren’t high enough, Naomi is eight months pregnant in their frozen prison. With few resources, a dwindling food supply, and nothing but time, tension, blame, and personal secrets bubble to the surface. Matthew and Naomi realize they must work together to survive in a crippling battle against the elements, hypothermia, disturbing hallucinations, and plunging temperatures reaching as low as -30C. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray, VOD, Digital. (Universal).

Chop Shop

(2007) For his acclaimed follow-up to "Man Push Cart," Ramin Bahrani once again turned his camera on a slice of New York City rarely seen on-screen: Willets Point, Queens, an industrial sliver of automotive-repair shops that remains perpetually at risk of being redeveloped off the map. It’s within this precarious ecosystem that 12-year-old Ale (Alejandro Polanco) must grow up fast, hustling in the neighborhood chop shops to build a more stable life for himself and his sister (Isamar Gonzales) even as their tenuous circumstances force each to compete with other struggling people and make desperate decisions. A deeply human story of a fierce but fragile sibling bond being tested by hardscrabble reality, "Chop Shop" tempers its sobering authenticity with flights of lyricism and hope. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray, with high-definition digital master, supervised and approved by director Ramin Bahrani, with 5.1 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack on the Blu-ray. Extras: Audio commentary from 2006 featuring Bahrani, director of photography Michael Simmonds, and actor Alejandro Polanco; new program featuring a conversation among Bahrani, Polanco, actor Ahmad Razvi, and assistant director Nicholas Elliott about the making of the film; new conversation between Bahrani and writer and scholar Suketu Mehta on the immigrant experience in New York City and on film; rehearsal footage from 2006 featuring Polanco and actors Isamar Gonzales and Carlos Zapata; trailer; an essay by novelist Viet Thanh Nguyen. (The Criterion Collection).

Collective

(2019 -- Romania) After an explosive fire claimed the lives of 27 people at Colectiv Nightclub in Bucharest, Romania, officials reassure the public that surviving victims will receive care in facilities that are better than Germany's state-of-the-art trauma centers. As the casualty count rises weeks later, intrepid reporters at the Sports Gazette begin to investigate the reason behind the increased number of deaths. As a crucial tip exposes Hexi Pharma, a pharmaceutical company at the heart of the scandal, the company's owner dies under mysterious circumstances, leading the health minister to quietly resign amid the uproar -- opening the first chapter in a thrilling, ever-twisting exposé. Closely tracking the efforts of the Gazette team as they methodically discover layer upon layer of fraud and criminal malfeasance, director Alexander Nanau's documentary is a fast-paced, real-time detective story about truth, accountability and the value of an independent press in partisan times. Formats: DVD, VOD, Digital. (Magnolia Home Entertainment).

The Croods: A New Age

(2020) The first prehistoric family is ready for another rocking adventure: The Croods have survived fanged beasts, natural disasters, and even young love, but now they must face their biggest challenge yet: another family. In search of a new home, the Croods discover a walled-in paradise created by the sophisticated Betterman family (emphasis on the “better”). As they try to coexist, the differences between the two families escalate into a full-blown feud, but when a new threat forces both families to embark on an epic adventure, they must all learn to work together ... or they’ll all go extinct. Vitals: Director: Joel Crawford. Stars: Voices of Ryan Reynolds, Emma Stone, Nicolas Cage, Peter Dinklag, Kelly Marie Tran, Leslie Mann. 2020, CC, MPAA rating: PG, 95 min., Animated Family Adventure, US box office gross: 43.924 million; worldwide: $144.4 million, Universal. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray/DVD Combo with digital code, 4K Ultra HD/Blu-ray Combo, VOD, Digital. Extras: "Dear Diary: World’s First Pranks" original short film; "Family Movie Night: Little Red Bronana Bread" original short; gag reel; "To: Gerard" original DreamWorks animated short; deleted scenes; "The Croods’ Family Album" featurette on the Croods and their cast members; "The Evolution Of ..." the Croods franchise; "How to Draw: Caveman Style"; "Famileaf Album" fun video showing you how to make your own family album using real leaves or green construction paper for pages and string (or even dental floss) to hold it all together; "Stone Age Attack" three-part featurette highlighting fun, easy to make recipes that kids and parents can make together; feature commentary with director Joel Crawford, producer Mark Swift, head of story Januel Mercado and editor Jim Ryan. Read more here.

Inside Amy Schumer: The Complete Series

(2013-16) Seven-disc set with all four seasons that provide an intimate look into the mind of comedian Amy Schumer, who, through a series of scripted vignettes, stand-up comedy, and man-on-the-street interviews, explores topics revolving around sex, relationships, and the general c1usterfck that is life. Guest stars include Tina Fey, Zach Braff, Steve Buscemi, Lena Dunham, Paul Giamatti, Ilana Glazer, Abbi Jacobson, Selena Gomez, Jake Gyllenhaal, Bill Hader, Nick Kroll, Liam Neeson and more. Formats: DVD. Extras: Unaired sketches and interviews, behind-the-scenes featurettes, outtakes, more. (Comedy Central/Paramount).

Lady Sings the Blues BLU-RAY DEBUT

(1972) Diana Ross gives a tour-de-force debut performance as legendary singer Billie Holiday in this musical bio-pio. Nominated for five Academy Awards, including Best Actress in a Leading Role for Ross, the film brilliantly captures the essence of Billie Holiday, one of America’s most loved and memorable blues singers. Filled with the greatest songs of the incomparable "Lady Day," the film won Image Awards for Best Motion Picture, Best Actress (Ross) and Best Actor (Billy Dee Williams), as well as a Golden Globe for Ross as the year’s Most Promising Newcomer – Female. Richard Pryor also stars as the unforgettable “Piano Man.” Formats: Blu-ray. Extras: Commentary by executive producer and Motown founder Berry Gordy, director Sidney Furie and artist manager Shelly Berger; a making-of featurette “Behind the Blues: Lady Sings the Blues,” seven deleted scenes. (Paramount).

The Last Vermeer

(2020) While Joseph Piller (Bang), a Dutch Jew, was fighting in the Resistance during the Second World War, the witty, debonair aesthete, Han van Meegeren (Pearce) was hosting hedonistic soires and selling Dutch art treasures to Hermann Goring and other top Nazis. Following the war, Piller becomes an investigator assigned the task of identifying and redistributing stolen art, resulting in the flamboyant van Meegeren being accused of collaboration — a crime punishable by death. But, despite mounting evidence, Piller, with the aid of his assistant (Krieps), becomes increasingly convinced of Han's innocence and finds himself in the unlikely position of fighting to save his life. Read more here. Vitals: Director: Dan Friedkin. Stars: Guy Pearce, Claes Bang, Vicky Krieps, Roland Moller, August Diehl, Olivia Grant. 2020, CC, MPAA rating: R, 118 min., Drama, Box office gross: $.685 million, Sony. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray, Digital.

Man Push Cart

(2005) A modest miracle of 21st-century neorealism, the acclaimed debut feature by Ramin Bahrani speaks quietly but profoundly to the experiences of those living on the margins of the American dream. Back in his home country of Pakistan, Ahmad (Ahmad Razvi, elements of whose own life story were woven into the script) was a famous rock star. Now a widower separated from his son and adrift in New York, he works long hours selling coffee and bagels from a midtown Manhattan food cart, engaged in a Sisyphean search for human connection and a sense of purpose that seems perpetually just out of reach. A rare immigrant’s-eye view of a post-9/11 city suffused with subtle paranoia and xenophobia, "Man Push Cart" gives at once empathetic and clear-eyed expression to the everyday drama of human endurance. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray, with high-definition digital master, supervised and approved by director Ramin Bahrani, with uncompressed stereo soundtrack on the Blu-ray. Extras: Audio commentary from 2005 featuring Bahrani, director of photography Michael Simmonds, assistant director Nicholas Elliott, and actor Ahmad Razvi; new conversation among Bahrani, Elliott, and Razvi on the making of the film; new conversation between Bahrani and scholar Hamid Dabashi on the origins of the film and Bahrani’s cinematic influences; "Backgammon," a 1998 short film by Bahrani; trailer; an essay by critic Bilge Ebiri. (The Criterion Collection).

Plague Town

(2008) Josslyn DeCrosta, Erica Rhodes, David Lombard, Lindsay Goranson. A tourist family lost in the Irish countryside ... a remote village that hides a hideous secret ... this is "Plague Town," a taboo-bashing indie horror milestone that has been called “maniacally twisted,” “chilling and disturbing” and “an experience that goes where most mainstream horror fears to tread.” It's a hybrid of grisly 70s shockers and graphic 21st-century folk-horror. From co-writer-director David Gregory ("Blood & Flesh: The Reel Life & Ghastly Death of Al Adamson") and the producers of "Stakeland," now featuring an uncensored HD master. Formats: Blu-ray. Extras: 2009 audio commentary with director David Gregory and producer Derek Curl; "White Lace & Button Eyes - The Making of Plague Town" by documentary filmmaker Howard S. Berger; "A Visit to Plague Town" behind the scenes featurette; "The Sounds of Plague Town"; trailer; short films: "Scathed," "Til Death." (Severin Films).

Redemption Day

(2021) Having just returned home, decorated U.S. Marine Captain Brad Paxton's (Gary Dourdan) wife, Kate, is kidnapped by a terrorist group while working in Morocco. He is forced back into action for a daring and deadly operation to save the woman he loves. Read more here. Vitals: Director: Hicham Hajji. Stars: Gary Dourdan, Serinda Swan, Martin Donovan, Ernie Hudson, Samy Naceri, Andy Garcia. CC, MPAA rating: R, 100 min., Action, Paramount. Formats: DVD, VOD, Digital.

Scooby-Doo The Sword and the Scoob

(2021) The Scooby-Doo gang is transported to the mythical castled city of Camelot in this brand-new, full-length animated family film. Our favorite teen sleuths take a trip to England to trace Shaggy's family roots, where they suddenly find themselves in the Middle Ages and meet the legendary King Arthur and his noble knights. An evil sorceress tries to seize power in Camelot, so King Arthur needs the help of the Mystery, Inc. super sleuths to save his throne. But will their valiant efforts only make things royally worse? Formats: DVD, Digital. (Warner).

Shogun's Joy of Torture

(1968 -- Japan) From the outrageous imagination of cult director Teruo Ishii ("Orgies of Edo," "Horrors of Malformed Men") comes this infamous omnibus of three shocking tales of crime and punishment based on true-life documented cases set during the reign of the Tokugawa shogunate. The first tale sees the beautiful Mitsu (Masumi Tachibana) going to horrifying lengths to tend to her older brother Shinzo (Teruo Yoshida), a carpenter injured in a work accident, but the law catches up on them and metes out a terrifying retribution after they violate the ultimate taboo. In the second, unfettered passions in a Buddhist nunnery are not allowed to go unpunished after abbess Reiho (Yukie Kagawa) and her attendant Rintoku (Naomi Shiraishi) encounter a virile young monk from a neighboring temple. In the closing segment, a sadistic torturer (Fumio Watanabe) attempts to show a tattoo artist (Asao Koike) how to depict convincing expressions of faces of pain in his work by allowing him to sketch a selection of Europeans as they are tortured for entering Japan with the aim of spreading Christianity. Ishii’s notorious portmanteau of Edo-era excess signalled a change in direction for a director until then regarded for his crime and yakuza films, setting the ball rolling on the run of grotesque historical anthologies for which he is now best remembered. Vehemently denounced by the critics of the day, "Shogun’s Joy of Torture" set a new benchmark for the depiction of sex, sadism and depravity in Japanese exploitation, with Ishii staging his elaborate torture methods with an unmatched verve and inventiveness. Formats: Blu-ray. Extras: Audio commentary by Japanese cinema expert Tom Mes; "Teruo Ishii: Erotic-Grotesque Maestro," an exclusively newly filmed interview with the author Patrick Macias; "Bind, Torture, Thrill," author and critic Jasper Sharp discusses the history of torture in Japanese exploitation cinema; original trailer; image gallery; reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Jacob Phillips; FIRST PRESSING ONLY: Illustrated collectors’ booklet featuring new writing on the film by Mark Schilling. (Arrow Video/MVD Entertainment).

Silk Road

(2021) Jason Clarke, Nick Robinson, Katie Aselton, Jimmi Simpson. Crime thriller follows the rise and fall of Silk Road, the infamous darknet site that sent a seismic shock through the World Wide Web. Young, idealistic, and driven to succeed, Ross Ulbricht (Robinson) creates the internet's first unregulated marketplace: Silk Road. But when it becomes a multimillion-dollar pipeline for illicit drugs, Ross is set on a collision course with Rick Bowden (Clarke), a disreputable and dangerously unpredictable DEA agent, who will use any means necessary to take him down. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray. (Lionsgate).

Smooth Talk

(1985) Suspended between carefree youth and the harsh realities of the adult world, a teenage girl experiences an unsettling awakening in this haunting vision of innocence lost. Based on the celebrated short story “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” by Joyce Carol Oates, the narrative debut from Joyce Chopra features a revelatory breakout performance by Laura Dern as Connie, the 15-year-old black sheep of her family whose summertime idyll of beach trips, mall hangouts, and innocent flirtations is shattered by an encounter with a mysterious stranger (a memorably menacing Treat Williams). Winner of the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance,"Smooth Talk" captures the thrill and terror of adolescent sexual exploration as it transforms the conventions of a coming-of-age story into something altogether more troubling and profound. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray, with new, restored 4K digital transfer, supervised by director Joyce Chopra, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray. Extras: Conversation among Chopra, author Joyce Carol Oates, and actor Laura Dern from the 2020 New York Film Festival, moderated by TCM host Alicia Malone; new interview with Chopra; new interview with production designer David Wasco; KPFK Pacifica Radio interview with Chopra from 1985; "Joyce at 34" (1972), "Girls at 12" (1975), and "Clorae and Albie" (1976), three short films by Chopra; audio reading of the 1966 Life magazine article “The Pied Piper of Tucson,” which inspired the short story by Oates; trailers; an essay by poet Honor Moore, a 1986 New York Times article by Oates about the adaptation, and Oates’s 1966 short story “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” (The Criterion Collection).

Wrong Turn

(2021) Matthew Modine, Emma Dumont, Charlotte Vega. Reboot of the franchise that began in 2003. Backwoods terror and never-jangling suspense meet when Jen (Vega) and a group of friends set out to hike the Appalachian Trail. Despite warnings to stick to the trail, the hikers stray off course —- and cross into land inhabited by The Foundation, a hidden community of mountain dwellers who use deadly means to protect their way of life. Suddenly under siege, Jen and her friends seem headed to the point of no return —- unless Jen’s father (Modine) can reach them in time. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray with digital code. Extras: Deleted and extended scenes, “Monsters Among Us: Making Wrong Turn” featurette, promotional trailer, audio commentary with director Mike P. Nelson. (Lionsgate).

You Never Had It: An Evening with Bukowski

(2020) Captures a raucous night of drinking and talking about sex, literature, childhood and humanity with the cult writer Charles Bukowski in 1981. This documentary is based on a video interview conducted by producer and journalist Silvia Bizio with Bukowski and his soon-to-be wife Linda Lee Beighle at their home in San Pedro, California. The interview was shot on U-matic tapes which have been digitized and edited along with new shots in Super 8 of scenes of Los Angeles today and poems read by Bukowski. Formats: Blu-ray. (Kino Lorber).

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All listings are based on information from the home video studios. Some release dates may change and titles may come out after a specified date (with no announcement from the studio). Additionally, some titles may be released with little or no advance announcement. And since all DVDs are priced at sell-through and are available for substantial discounts at both online and brick-and-mortar stores, we only list suggested retail prices for some special editions, box sets and collections.

All DVDs are screened on a reference system consisting of a Oppo BDP-83 Blu-ray Disc Player w/SACD & DVD-Audio, a Rotel RSX-972 Surround Sound Receiver, and Phase Technology 1.1 (front), 33.1 (center), and 50 (rear) speakers and Power 10 subwoofer.

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February 3, 2021
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