Coming Soon: ‘Rio 2,’ ‘Transcendence’ and ‘Sabotage’
Rio 2: Due July 15
“Rio 2” finds Jewel (Anne Hathaway), Blu (Jesse Eisenberg) and their three kids leaving their domesticated life in that magical city for a journey to the Amazon. There they encounter a menagerie of characters who are born to be wild and Blu goes beak-to-beak with the villainous Nigel and meets the most fearsome adversary of all: his father-in-law. Extras: “Rio Refresher,” “Birds and Beats: The Singing Talents of Rio 2,” “Nigel the Shakespearean Cockatoo and Friends,” “What is Love?” music video by Janelle Monae, “I Will Survive” multi-language sequence, still gallery, theatrical trailers. Blu-ray adds deleted scene; ” Boom, Shake, Snap: The Local Sounds of Brazil” (“The Bodybeats of the Barbatuques,” “How to Play the Barbatuques!” “Rhythmic Rio” and “The Upbeat Uakti Jam Behind the Scenes”); “Music and Dance Sing-Along Machine” with 10 songs from the film; “You Be the Judge” Tapir, Monkey and Turtle auditions; two downloadable bonus songs: “I Will Survive” and “Poisonous Love,” both performed by Gabi (Kristin Chenoweth) and Nigel (Jemaine Clement); 15 exclusive levels for Angry Birds Rio. Vitals: Director: Carlos Saldanha. Stars: Voices of Anne Hathaway, Jesse Eisenberg, Jemaine Clement, Tracy Morgan, George Lopez, Leslie Mann, Rodrigo Santoro, Jake T. Austin, Jamie Foxx, Kristin Chenoweth, Rita Moreno. 2014, CC, MPAA rating: G, 101 min., Animated, Box office gross: $124.250 million, Fox.
Transcendence: Due July 22
Dr. Will Caster (Johnny Depp) is the foremost researcher in the field of artificial intelligence, working to create a sentient machine that combines the collective intelligence of everything ever known with the full range of human emotions. His highly controversial experiments have made him famous, but they have also made him the prime target of anti-technology extremists who will do whatever it takes to stop him. However, in their attempt to destroy Will — they shoot him with a radioactive bullet and he is given only a month to live — they inadvertently become the catalyst for him to become a participant in his own transcendence. Will’s scientist wife Evelyn (Rebecca Hall) and best friend Max Waters (Paul Bettany) upload Will’s consciousness into the supercomputer that the project has developed and his consciousness remains alive after his body’s death. Soon, Will’s virtual form is connected to the Internet, and he grows in knowledge and capability as he merges with other computers around the world. But the worst fears of Evelyn and Max are realized as Will’s thirst for knowledge evolves into a seemingly omnipresent quest for power, to what end is unknown. The only thing that is becoming terrifyingly clear is there may be no way to stop him. Extras: “What Is Transcendence?” “Wally Pfister: A Singular Vision.” Blu-ray adds “Guarding the Threat,” “The Promise of A.I.,” “It’s Me” “Singularity,” “R.I.F.T.” Vitals: Director: Wally Pfister. Stars: Johnny Depp, Paul Bettany, Rebecca Hall, Kate Mara, Cillian Murphy, Clifton Collins Jr., Morgan Freeman. 2014, CC, MPAA rating: PG-13, 119 min., Science Fiction, Box office gross: $22.209 million, Warner.
Sabotage: Due July 22
When DEA task force leader Breacher Wharton (Arnold Schwarzenegger) storms a heavily armed cartel safe house, rogue members of his team use it as a cover to steal $10 million in cash. But just when they think their secret is safe, agents are killed off one-by-one, and everyone is a suspect, including the squad itself. Extras: “Making Sabotage” featurette. Blu-ray adds alternate endings. Vitals: Director: David Ayer. Stars: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sam Worthington, Olivia Williams, Terrence Howard, Joe Manganiello, Josh Holloway, Mireille Enos. 2014, CC, MPAA rating: R, 109 min., Action, Box office gross: $10.499 million, Universal.
