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August 2

Apples

(2020 -- Greece) Sofia Georgovasili, Aris Servetalis. Amidst a worldwide pandemic that causes sudden amnesia, middle-aged Aris (Servetalis) finds himself enrolled in a recovery program designed to help unclaimed patients build new identities. Prescribed daily tasks on cassette tapes so he can create new memories and document them on camera, Aris slides back into ordinary life, meeting Anna (Georgovasili), a woman who is also in recovery. Through images deadpan, strange and surreal, Greek writer-director Christos Nikou posits a beguiling reflection on memory, identity, and loss, exploring how a society might handle an irreversible epidemic through one man’s story of self-discovery. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray. (Cohen Media Group).

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Flatliners

(1990) Known for his impressively eclectic filmography and for helping to launch the careers of several young Hollywood stars of the 80s and 90s, Joel Schumacher ("The Lost Boys," "St. Elmo's Fire") tackles the existential question that, at one time or another, haunts us all: what awaits us after we die? At the University Hospital School of Medicine, five ambitious students subject themselves to a daring experiment: to temporarily induce their own deaths, hoping to glimpse the afterlife before being brought back to life. But as competition within the group intensifies and their visions of the world beyond increasingly bleed into their waking lives, they're about to learn that the greatest threat comes not from the spirit world but from the long-suppressed secrets of their own pasts. Stylishly photographed by Jan de Bont ("Basic Instinct") and featuring a cast of Hollywood's hottest talent - including Kiefer Sutherland , Julia Roberts, Kevin Bacon, William Baldwin and Oliver Platt -- "Flatliners" is the ultimate life-and-death thrill ride. Brand new 4K restoration from the original negative, approved by director of photography Jan de Bont. Lossless DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and 2.0 surround soundtracks. Formats: Blu-ray, 4K Ultra HD. Extras: Brand new audio commentary by critics Bryan Reesman and Max Evry; "The Conquest of Our Generation," a brand new video interview with screenwriter Peter Filardi; "Visions of Light," a brand new video interview with director of photography Jan de Bont and chief lighting technician Edward Ayer; "Hereafter," a brand new video interview with first assistant director John Kretchmer; "Restoration," a brand new video interview with production designer Eugenio Zanetti and art director Larry Lundy; "Atonement," a brand new video interview with composer James Newton Howard and orchestrator Chris Boardman; "Dressing for Character," a brand new interview with costume designer Susan Becker; theatrical trailer; image gallery; reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Gary Pullin; FIRST PRESSING ONLY: Illustrated collector's booklet featuring new writing on the film by Amanda Reyes and Peter Tonguette. (Arrow Video/MVD Entertainment). Read more here.

The Good Neighbor

(2022) Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Luke Kleintank, Bruce Davison, Eloise Smyth, Ieva Florence. A nightmarish evening unfolds when neighbors David (Luke Kleintank) and Robert (Jonathan Rhys Meyers) hit a woman on her bike and flee. When her sister arrives seeking answers, Robert will do unspeakable things to protect their secret. Formats: DVD. (Screen Media Films).

Shalom Taiwan

(2020 -- Argentina) Fabián Rosenthal, Mercedes Funes, Santiago Korovsky, Brad Krupsaw. The heartwarming, joyous, and uplifting dramady follows the misadventures of a Rabbi who travels the world in search of donations to save his synagogue. Formats: DVD, VOD, Digital. (Outsider Pictures). Read more here

Waiting - The Van Duren Story

(2018) Award-winning documentary on the lost Memphis power pop artist, Van Duren. From the ashes of Big Star in Memphis, Duren played in bands with Jody Stephens and Chris Bell, before being led to New Haven by manager Andrew Loog Oldham of the Rolling Stones. Forty years later, two Australians discover his music and, on a drunken promise, embark on an amazing journey to make a film about the artist touted as "the next Paul McCartney." There's only one catch - the two have never made a movie before, so it's learn as they go. Their quest leads them to con men, rock stars and Scientologists, as they uncover the dark secrets that kept Duren's second album from ever being released. Despite one setback after another, they soldier on, until they realize he doesn't own the rights to his music. Without the music, how will they complete the film? After meeting Van Duren at Ardent Studios in Memphis, they find that they are now part of the story, and must help Duren get his music rights back. Formats: DVD. Extras: Extended interviews. (MVD Visual). Due August 5.

White Elephant

(2022) Michael Rooker, Bruce Willis, Olga Kurylenko, Vadhir Derbez, John Malkovich. When an assassination attempt is witnessed by two cops, Gabriel Tancredi, an ex-marine turned mob enforcer (Rooker), is ordered by his ruthless mob boss (Willis) to eliminate any and all threats. With an eager underling out to prove himself, rival gangs making moves and a rising body count, every step Tancredi makes threatens lives ... including his own. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray. (RLJE Films).

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August 9

Battle of the Worlds

(1961 -- Italy) Claude Rains, Bill Carter, Umberto Orsini, Maya Brent, Jaqueline Derval, Renzo Palmer. A runaway asteroid dubbed “The Outsider” mysteriously begins orbiting the Earth and threatens it with lethal flying saucers. Filmed in Italy at the height of the country’s sci-fi craze. 4k scan of an original 35mm archival print. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray. Extras: Original essay by author Don Stradley, "Margheriti’s World"; commentary track by film historian Justin Humphreys; all-new original production, "A Cinematic Outsider: The Fantastical Worlds of Antonio Margheriti" by Ballyhoo Motion Pictures; insert with a special surprise for The Film Detective fans. (The Film Detective/Cinedigm).

Cocoon

(2020 -- Germany) Lena Urzendowsky, Jella Haase, Lena Klenke. The coming-of-age transformation of Nora, a 14-year-old from Berlin, over the course of one blisteringly hot summer. A shy girl with a troubled mother and loving but boy-crazy older sister, Nora must contend with the many tribulations of early teenage years largely by herself. She gets her period for the first time, falls in love with another girl, has her heart broken, and, inevitably, learns to stand up for herself and what she wants. Shot with a deep understanding of teenage-girl desires, "Cocoon" is a sun-soaked tale of one girl's self-discovery on the cusp of young adulthood. Formats: DVD, Digital. (Film Movement).

Crimes of the Future

(2021) As the human species adapts to a synthetic environment, the body undergoes new transformations and mutations. With his partner Caprice (Léa Seydoux), Saul Tenser (Viggo Mortensen), celebrity performance artist, publicly showcases the metamorphosis of his organs in avant-garde performances. Timlin (Kristen Stewart), an investigator from the National Organ Registry, obsessively tracks their movements, which is when a mysterious group is revealed… Their mission – to use Saul's notoriety to shed light on the next phase of human evolution. Vitals: Director: David Cronenberg. Stars: Viggo Mortensen, Léa Seydoux, Kristen Stewart, Scott Speedman, Welket Bungué, Don McKellar. 2022, CC, MPAA rating: R, 107 min., Drama, North American box office gross: $2.452 million, worldwide $3.294 million, Neon. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray, VOD, Digital. Extras: Making-of featurette.

Drive

(1997 -- China) This fast and furious action flick combines the superhero film with the cop buddy movie in a high-octane chase feature populated with explosive Shaw Brothers style martial arts set pieces in a bombastically entertaining slice of nineties fun. When special agent Toby Wong (Marc Dacascos) is fitted with an advanced bio device giving him super-human powers he fears that he and the new technology will be exploited for ill gain when the Chinese government takes back control of Hong Kong. Fleeing to San Francisco he plans to sell the device to a company in Los Angeles but when he teams up with down on his luck singer Malik (Kadeem Hardison) he finds himself being pursued by ruthless assassin Madison and his band of mercenaries. Like a sort of mash-up of "Robocop," "Iron Man" and "Lethal Weapon" with added Kung Fu along with an all-star supporting cast that includes Brittany Murphy, Sanaa Lathan, Tracey Walter and Ron Yuan. Two-disc set with director's cut and original cut. Formats: 4K Ultra HD. Extras: Audio commentary on with director Steve Wang, fight choreographer Koichi Sakamoto and stars Mark Dacascos and Kadeem Harrison; new "Highway to Nowhere - Jason Tobin & Drive" featurette; "Drive: The Force Behind the Storm" documentary; deleted scenes; interview gallery with cast, director and crew; original trailer; reversible artwork. (88 Films/MVD Entertainment).

Dr. Lamb

(1992 -- Hong Kong) Danny Lee, Simon Yam. A mentally disturbed taxi driver lusts for blood every rainy night, and several young women are brutally murdered. He likes to take photos of the victims' dismembered bodies as his special mementos after sex with their corpses and stores their severed breasts in pickle jars. Inspector Lee and his team are called onto the case in this bizarre, nasty, and notorious Hong Kong Category III film (not suitable for anyone under 18). New 2K scan of uncut version. Formats: Blu-ray. Extras: Atomic TV interview with Simon Yam; commentary from Art Ettinger (Ultra Violent) and Bruce Holecheck (Cinema Arcana); "Lamb to the Slaughter" interview with filmmaker Gilbert Po, who initiated the "Dr. Lamb" film project; "Cut and Run" film academic Sean Tierney Aka The Silver Spleen remembers "Dr Lamb"; "Three Times The Fear: film critic James Mudge on the Golden Era of Category III; collectors booklet; trailers. (Unearthed Films).

The Enormity of Life

(2021) Breckin Meyer, Emily Kinney, Giselle Eisenberg, Rick Montgomery Jr., Debra Herzog, Bryant Carroll. After his life hits rock bottom, emotionally despondent Casey (Meyer) decides to end it all. But when a timely phone call with some unexpected news about a substantial inheritance forestalls his suicide, it sets off a chain of events that just may save his life, including meeting a quirky single mother (Kinney) and her precocious, yet troubled, young daughter (Eisenberg), who happens to have an unhealthy obsession with mass shootings. When his bipolar mother goes missing, Casey enlists their help, along with his selfish, estranged sister, Missy (Herzog). And together, through numerous jarring twists and emotional turns, they embark on a journey of hope and healing. Formats: Blu-ray, VOD, Digital. (Bayview Entertainment).

Fanny: The Right to Rock

(2021) Sometime in the 1960s, in sunny Sacramento, two Filipina-American sisters got together with other teenage girls to play music. Little did they know their garage band would evolve into the legendary rock group Fanny, the first all-women band to issue an LP with a major record label (Warner/Reprise, 1970). Despite releasing five critically-acclaimed albums over five years, touring with famed bands from Slade to Chicago and amassing a dedicated fan base of music legends including David Bowie, Fanny's groundbreaking impact in music was written out of history... until bandmates reunite 50 years later with a new rock record deal. With incredible archival footage of the band's rocking past intercut with its next chapter releasing a new LP today, the film includes interviews with a large cadre of music icons, including Def Leppard's Joe Elliott, Bonnie Raitt, The Go-Go's Kathy Valentine, Todd Rundgren, The Runaways' Cherie Currie, Lovin' Spoonful's John Sebastian, The B52's Kate Pierson, Charles Neville, and David Bowie guitarist and bassist Earl Slick and Gail Ann Dorsey. Fighting early barriers of race, gender and sexuality in the music industry, and now ageism, the incredible women of Fanny are ready to claim their hallowed place in the halls of rock 'n' roll fame. Formats: DVD, Digital. Extras: Five featurettes with additional footage. (Film Movement).

Flying Guillotine 2

(1978 -- Hong Kong) Follow up to "Master of the Flying Guillotine," cited as one of Quentin Tarantino's favorite movies, "Flying Guillotine 2" (aka "Palace Carnage") continues in the same vein as the original with its visceral mix of martial arts expertise and weapons-grade violence. To fight against the evil emperor's reign of terror outlaw rebel Ma Teng joins a group of female freedom fighters; however, she soon finds herself embroiled not just in a battle with enemy forces but also in with group leader's torn family loyalties. Brutal, fast and furious "Flying Guillotine 2" is an even more off-kilter Shaw Brothers entry than usual, containing familiar tropes as well as unique element. Formats: Blu-ray. Extras: Limited Edition collectors double sided poster; limited edition booklet "Watch Out for the Flying Guillotines" by Barry Forshaw; audio commentary with Asian cinema experts Mike Leeder and Arne Venema; Hong Kong trailer; reversible sleeve. (88 Films/MVD Entertainment).

Hot Seat

(2022) Kevin Dillon, Mel Gibson, Shannen Doherty, Sam Asghari. The action begins as IT expert Friar (Dillon) finds a hair-trigger bomb strapped to his desk chair. An unseen hacker orders him to steal digital funds online -- or have his daughter abducted. As a fearless bomb expert (Gibson) arrives on the scene, the hacker frames Friar as the bomber. The tension mounts as Friar races to clear his name and expose the real terrorist -- without getting himself blown to smithereens. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray, VOD, Digital. (Lionsgate).

Jazz Fest: A New Orleans Story

(2022) This soulful and heartfelt celebration of 50 years of the funky and fabulous New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival invites viewers to bliss out on New Orleans’ unique culture, featuring Jimmy Buffett, Bruce Springsteen, Katy Perry, Pitbull, Al Green, Herbie Hancock, Aaron Neville, Earth, Wind & Fire, and many others. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray, VOD, Digital. (Sony). Read more here

L.A. Aids Jabber

(1994) One of the rarest and most sought-after bad taste movies of the SOV era. Jeff, a mentally unstable young man, is diagnosed with AIDS and takes his anger out on the world by filling a syringe with his own tainted blood and trolling the seedy streets of Los Angeles looking for victims in an acid-washed and venomous delirium. Police slowly piece together his crimes in an attempt to stop this ticking virus time bomb from jabbing again. This is the first wide release of the movie since it was self-distributed by director Drew Godderis himself, and the Blu-ray is packed with newly produced bonus features and commentary from the original creators. Formats: Blu-ray. Extras: Director’s introduction (2021); commentary track with director Drew Godderis; "Lethal Injection: The Making of L.A. Aids Jabber with director Drew Godderis"; "Bleeding the Pack: An Interview With Lead Actor Jason Majik": "L.A. Aids Jabber 2021 Locations Visit"; interview with "Blood Diner" director Jackie Kong; "Growing Up On Set: Justin Godderis"; actress Joy Yurada interview; cinematographer Rick Bradach interview; interview with actor Gene Webber; liner notes by Tony Strauss of Weng's Chop Magazine; photo gallery; trailer (2021); limited edition slipcase -- FIRST PRINTING ONLY; Collectible folded mini-poster; "Stick Your Own" VHS stickers' reversible sleeve featuring original VHS art. (Visual Vengeance).

Little Man, What Now

(1934) Director: Frank Borzage; Stars: Margaret Sullavan, Douglass Montgomery, Alan Hale, Catherine Doucet, DeWitt Jennings. Margaret Sullavan stars in this deeply moving romantic drama by the great Frank Borzage. Fired for marrying his sweetheart Emma (Sullavan) instead of his boss’s daughter, Hans (Montgomery) moves his pregnant wife to Berlin where he gets a job as a salesman. Dismissed for insulting a customer, Hans has only Emma’s love to sustain him as he seeks opportunity in a country where work is scarce and the Nazis are rising to power. Blending themes of politics and social crisis with love and compassion, this Pre-Code classic showcases one of cinema’s most impactful auteurs, Borzage, and a wonderful cast that includes Alan Hale, Fred Kohler, Mae Marsh, Hedda Hopper and Paul Fix. Brand new 2K master. Formats: Blu-ray. (Kino Lorber Studio Classics).

Men

(2022) In visionary filmmaker Alex Garland’s ("Ex Machina," "Annihilation") feverish, shape-shifting new horror film, after seeing her ex-husband fall to his death from an apartment building, a woman goes on a solo vacation to the English countryside. However, the countryside doesn't turn out to be the getaway where she could escape the tragic memory of her ex-husband's death. She starts to experience hauntings. On top of that, everyone around her acts strange and makes her fear for her safety. The countryside and its people are stranger than she could have imagined. Vitals: Director: Alex Garland. Stars: Jessie Buckley, Rory Kinnear, Paapa Essiedu, Gayle Rankin, Sarah Twomey, Zak Rothera-Oxley. 2021, CC, MPAA rating: R, 100 min., Horror, North American box office gross: $7.587 million, worldwide $10.061 million, Lionsgate. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray/DVD Combo + Digital Code, VOD, Digital. Extras: "The Making of Men." Read more here

The Old Man -- The Movie

(2019 -- Estonia) In a remote Estonian village, three children from the city are forced to spend the summer on their grandfather's farm. When the trio accidentally set loose the old man's prized but thoroughly abused cow, they learn that they have only 24 hours to milk the rogue bovine before it's exponentially expanding udders explode and unleash a milk-pocalypse. To complicate this crisis, a decrepit and disgraced farmer with a body literally infused with milk and a prejudice for cattle is also determined to catch the animal, but with murderous intent. Based on a popular Estonian web series created by Peeter Ritso and Mikk Mägi. Formats: Blu-ray. (Unearthed Films).

Pam & Tommy

(2022) Lily James, Sebastian Stan, Seth Rogen, Nick Offerman, Taylor Schilling. Set in the Wild West early days of the Internet, this Hulu series is based on the incredible true story of the Pamela Anderson (James) and Tommy Lee (Stan) sex tape. Stolen from the couple’s home by a disgruntled contractor (Rogen), the video went from underground bootleg-VHS curiosity to full-blown cultural obsession when it hit the Web in 1997. A love story, crime caper, and cautionary tale rolled into one, the eight-part original limited series explores the intersection of privacy, technology, and celebrity, tracing the origins of our current reality-TV era to a stolen tape seen by millions but meant to have an audience of just two. Formats: DVD. (Lionsgate).

Sonic the Hedgehog 2

(2022) After settling in Green Hills, Sonic (Ben Schwartz) is eager to prove he has what it takes to be a true hero. His test comes when Dr. Robotnik (Jim Carrey) returns, this time with a new partner, Knuckles (Idris Elba), in search of an emerald that has the power to destroy civilizations. Sonic teams up with his own sidekick, Tails (Colleen O’Shaughnessey), and together they embark on a globe-trotting journey to find the emerald before it falls into the wrong hands. Vitals: Director: Jeff Fowler. Stars: James Marsden, Ben Schwartz, Tika Sumpter, Natasha Rothwell, Adam Pally, Shemar Moore, Colleen O’Shaughnessey, Lee Majdoub, Idris Elba, Jim Carrey. 2021, CC, MPAA rating: PG, 122 min., Family Comedy, US box office gross: $181.153 million, worldwide $375.153 million, Paramount. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray + Digital Code, 4K Ultra HD + Digital Code, VOD, Digital. Extras: New animated short entitled “Sonic Drone Home” featuring Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles. Read more here

Vivo

(2022) An animated musical adventure featuring all-new songs from Lin-Manuel Miranda. Vivo, a one-of-a kind kinkajou, spends his days playing music with his beloved owner Andrés. But when tragedy strikes, it’s up to Vivo to deliver a message that Andrés never could: A love letter to his old partner, the famous Marta Sandoval, in the form of a song. Yet in order to get to Marta, who lives a world apart, Vivo will need the help of Gabi – an energetic tween who bounces to the beat of her own offbeat drum – to fulfill his owner’s wishes. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray/DVD Combo + Digital, VOD, Digital. (Sony).

YellowBrickRoad: Updated Special Edition

(2010) Cassidy Freeman, Anessa Ramsey, Lee Wilkof, Clark Freeman, Laura Heisler, Alex Draper. In this indie horror offering from writer-directors Jesse Holland and Andy Mitton, a small team of explorers heads into the New Hampshire wilderness to investigate an unexplained disappearance that happened some 70 years earlier. No one knows why the residents of Friar made a collective decision to leave their homes -- without their money, their clothes or a word about where they'd gone --after a viewing of "The Wizard of Oz.". But the truth could be stranger than fiction. 2K remaster. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray, Digital. Extras: New behind-the-scenes featurettes: "Practical Blood FX on an Indie Budget," "Walking the YellowBrickRoad"; new cast and crew interviews: director/writers Andy Mitton & Jesse Holland, actors/executive producers Clark and Cassidy Freeman, producer Eric Hungerford; original directors' commentary with Andy Mitton & Jesse Holland. (Lightyear Entertainment).

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August 16

Are You Proud?

(2019) A vivid and engaged docu-celebration of the LGBT rights movement from the partial victory of the 1967 Sexual Offences Act to Stonewall, the Gay Liberation Front, the AIDS crisis, Legal Marriage and finally the 2016 Pulse night club shooting. The film gives an extensive history of the course of LGBT rights campaigning, but, more importantly, also shows how much more work there is to be done. From legal victories to corporate rainbow colors, Ashley Joiner’s documentary tracks half a century of campaigning against prejudice and the battles we still need to fight. Formats: DVD, VOD, Digital. (Indican Pictures).

Baby Assassins

(2021 -- Japan) Saori Izawa, Akari Takaishi, Masanori Mimoto, Atom Mizuishi. Upon high school graduation, two highly trained teenage assassins receive orders from upper management to get "real" jobs as cover, become roommates and blend into normal society. Though they don’t like each other, after an unfortunate run-in with the violent Yakuza, they quickly learn they must band together to survive an epic fight for their lives. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray, VOD, Digital.(Well Go USA).

The Black Phone

(2022) Finney (Mason Thames), a shy but clever 13-year-old boy, is abducted by a sadistic killer (Ethan Hawke) and trapped in a soundproof basement where screaming is of little use. When a disconnected phone on the wall begins to ring, Finney discovers that he can hear the voices of the killer’s previous victims. And they are dead set on making sure that what happened to them doesn’t happen to Finney. Vitals: Director: Scott Derrickson. Stars: Mason Thames, Madeleine McGraw, Jeremy Davies, James Ransone, Ethan Hawke. 2022, CC, MPAA rating: R, 103 min., Thriller, North American box office gross: $85.898 million, worldwide $148.424 million, Universal. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray/DVD Combo + Digital Code, VOD, Digital. Extras: Deleted scenes; "Ethan Hawke's Evil Turn" featurette; "Answering the Call: Behind the Scenes of The Black Phone"; Devil in the Design" featurette; Super 8 Set" featurette on shooting the dream sequences on Super 8 film; "Shadowprowler" short film by Scott Derrickson; feature commentary by producer/co-writer/director Scott Derrickson. Read more here

Daddy Longlegs

(2009) Mining the emotional sense memories of their own fractured childhoods, Josh and Benny Safdie craft a by turns empathetic and disquieting portrait of parental dysfunction poised between fierce love and terrifying irresponsibility. Manic Manhattan movie theater projectionist Lenny (co-writer and longtime Safdie collaborator Ronald Bronstein) is perhaps the last person who should be raising kids, yet here he is, trying (and failing) to keep it together as his life unravels over the two whirlwind weeks that he has custody of his young boys (real-life brothers Sage and Frey Ranaldo), with an impromptu road trip, a sleeping-pill mishap, and a night in jail all part of the chaos. Vérité New York naturalism gives way to flights of surreal lyricism in "Daddy Longlegs," a blearily impressionistic anti-fairy tale that finds unexpected humanity in the seemingly most irredeemable of fathers. Formats: Blu-ray, with new 4K digital transfer, approved by directors Josh and Benny Safdie, with uncompressed stereo soundtrack. Extras: Read more here. (The Criterion Collection).

Electra Glide in Blue

(1973) Robert Blake, Mitchell Ryan, Billy Green Bush, Jeannine Riley, Elisha Cook Jr. With its mesmerizing visuals, "Easy Rider"-style social commentary and electrifying rock soundtrack, "Electra Glide in Blue" is the quintessential ’70s cult classic. Robert Blake creates a vivid character of almost mythic proportions as a small motorcycle cop in Arizona who’s promoted for exposing a murder. Eventually his basic virility runs him afoul of the sheriff and he’s busted back down to his bike, the Harley-Davidson Electra Glide. With classic irony, he finally comes into deadly conflict with a group of hippies ... the very people who most nearly reflect his own values. The brilliant cinematography of Conrad Hall and an uncompromising screenplay by Robert Boris ("Steele Justice") highlight this stunning film debut for producer/director/composer James William Guerico. New 4K transfer. Formats: Blu-ray. (Kino Lorber Studio Classics).

Frownland

(2007) A nightmare transmission from the grungiest depths of the New York indie underground, the visceral, darkly funny, and totally sui generis debut feature from Ronald Bronstein is a dread-inducing vision of misfit alienation at its unhinged extreme. In a maniacal performance of almost frightening commitment, Dore Mann plays Keith, a disturbingly maladjusted social outcast and self-described "troll" whose neuroses plunge him into an unstoppable spiral of self-obliteration as his crummy coupon-selling job, pitiful living situation (featuring the roommate from hipster Brooklyn hell), and last remaining human relationships disintegrate around him. As captured in the grimy expressionist grain of Sean Price Williams's claustrophobic camera work, "Frownland" is DIY cinema at its most fearless, uncompromising, and unforgettable. Formats: Blu-ray, with new 2K digital transfer, supervised by director Ronald Bronstein, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack. Extras: Read more here. (The Criterion Collection).

Hex Moved to November 1 (2022) Kayla Adams, Matthew Holcomb, Bryan David Roberts. Six extreme thrill-seekers get more excitement than they can handle in this intense, pulse-pounding action-horror tale. Loner Sarah joins a team of skydivers to help them execute a dangerous formation jump called “The Hex,” ignoring warnings that the act may be cursed. While successfully performing the stunt, one of the jumpers vanishes into thin air. Later, as the survivors search for him, surreal and deadly events afflict each of them in turn – but will Sarah likewise succumb to the wrath of The Hex? Formats: DVD, VOD, Digital, VOD. (Lionsgate).

Jurassic World Dominion

(2022) Two worlds collide as the epic saga that began with "Jurassic Park" comes to a grand conclusion. This sequel takes place four years after Isla Nublar’s destruction when dinosaurs roam the Earth again. Facing the cataclysmic consequences of a planet once again dominated by prehistoric predators, two generations of Jurassic heroes unite as doctors Ellie Sattler (Laura Dern), Ian Malcolm (Jeff Goldblum) and Alan Grant (Sam Neill) return to join Owen Grady (Chris Pratt) and Claire Dearing (Bryce Dallas Howard) for an incredible adventure that will determine the destiny of humans and dinosaurs once and for all. Vitals: Director: Colin Trevorrow. Stars: Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum, Sam Neill, DeWanda Wise, Mamoudou Athie, BD Wong, Omar Sy. 2022, CC, MPAA rating: PG-13, 146 min., Action Adventure, North American box office gross: $372.018, million, worldwide $960.464 million, Universal. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray/DVD Combo + Digital Code, 4K Ultra HD/Blu-ray Combo + Digital Code, VOD, Digital. Extras: "Extended Version" of the film with 14 minutes of additional footage featuring more dinosaurs, action, iconic character moments and an alternate opening; "Battle At Big Rock" short film directed by Colin Trevorrow takes place one year after the events of "Dinosaurs Among Us: Inside Jurassic World Dominion" 10 featurettes; final night of filming with the cast and crew. Read more here

NCIS: The Nineteenth Season

(2021-22) Five-disc set with all 21 episodes. People's Choice Award winner Mark Harmon retires his lead role as Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs after 18 years. The 19th season kicks off with a search for Gibbs (Harmon) after wreckage from his boat is discovered and he is nowhere to be found. After finding out about Gibb's secret mission to track down a dangerous serial killer, Agent Jessica Knight (Kartina Law) steps in to help locate him. From murder and espionage to terrorism and stolen submarines, these special agents investigate all crimes with Navy or Marine Corps ties. Formats: DVD. Extras: Six behind-the-scenes featurettes.(CBS/Paramount).

Sniper: Rogue Mission

(2022) Chad Michael Collins, Ryan Robbins, Sayaka Akimoto, Brendan Sexton III, Josh Brener, Dennis Haysbert. When a crooked federal agent is involved in a human sex trafficking ring, Sniper and CIA Rookie Brandon Beckett (Collins) goes rogue, teaming up with his former allies Homeland Security Agent Zero (Robbins) and assassin Lady Death (Akimoto) to uncover the corrupt agent and take down the criminal organization. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray, VOD, Digital. (Sony).

South Park: The Complete Twenty-Fourth Season

(2020-21) Includes the "Pandemic" episode, which was the highest rated and most-watched cable comedy telecast of 2020, followed by the "Vaccination" episode, which was the highest rated original cable comedy telecast of 2021. In the latest must-own season, Randy comes to terms with his role in the COVID-19 outbreak as the on-going pandemic presents continued challenges to the citizens of South Park. The kids happily head back to school, but nothing resembles the normal that they once knew; not their teachers, not their homeroom, not even Eric Cartman. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray. (Comedy Central/Paramount).

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T-Shirts for Adults and Kids (Totes, Cups Too)

August 23

Buck and the Preacher BLU-RAY DEBUT

(1972) With his rousingly entertaining directorial debut, Sidney Poitier helped rewrite the history of the western, bringing Black heroes to a genre in which they had always been sorely underrepresented. Combining boisterous buddy comedy with blistering, Black Power-era political fury, Poitier and a marvelously mischievous Harry Belafonte star as a tough and taciturn wagon master and an unscrupulous, pistol-packing "preacher," who join forces in order to take on the white bounty hunters threatening a westward-bound caravan of recently freed enslaved people. A superbly crafted revisionist landmark, "Buck and the Preacher" subverts Hollywood conventions at every turn and reclaims the western genre in the name of Black liberation. Formats: Blu-ray, with new 4K digital restoration, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack. Extras: Read more here. (The Criterion Collection).

The Burned Barns

(1973 -- France) Alain Delon, Simone Signoret, Miou-Miou. Two titans of French Cinema are brought together for this crime drama set in the snow-covered French countryside on the border with Switzerland. The body of a young woman is found savagely murdered near the isolated Burned Barns farm run by Rose (Signoret) and her family. The police work begins and the investigating judge, Pierre Larcher (Delon), soon comes to suspect that Rose’s family, and in particular her sons, may have played a role. Signoret and Delon are outstanding as two forces playing a game of wits with profound consequences. Featuring a stunning soundtrack by electronic music pioneer Jean-Michel Jarre. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray. (Cohen Film Collection).

The Criminal Life of Archibaldo de la Cruz

(1955 -- Mexico) Possibly the great Luis Bunuel's most underrated film, this is executed in traditional Bunuel fashion, where macabre meets comedy. The story begins when an overindulged young boy of "privilege" is shown a music box, which is a family heirloom, alleged to cause the death of an enemy when played. The boy decides to test it out, setting his sights on his nanny, who'd recently offended him, wishing for her death. When moments later, a stray bullet from a revolutionary's gun sails though the window killing her, the twisted boy is convinced this was no accident and finds that he likes his newfound "power." Taking on the mind of a serial killer, he carries this mindset into adulthood, plotting, planning, fanaticizing, and "wishing," with women as his victims. The irony of it all is, his efforts to carry out these crimes are always thwarted by outside forces, be it "twist of fate" or "providence," making him a serial killer in "mind" only. Formats: Blu-ray. (VCI Entertainment).

Ferngully: The Last Rainforest (30th Anniversary Edition)

(2021) Voices of Robin Williams, Christian Slater, Samantha Mathis, Jonathan Ward, Tim Curry, Cheech Marin, Tommy Chong, and Tone Loc. Deep in the heart of the forest awaits a paradise filled with tiny sprites, winged fairies, tree spirits, and all kinds of animals who live together in joyful harmony. But when their home is threatened by humans, one courageous sprite must give her all to save it. Crysta (Mathis) is a fairy who lives in FernGully, a rainforest in Australia, and has never seen a human before. In fact, she is told they are extinct. But when a logging company comes near the rainforest, she sees that they do exist, and even accidentally shrinks one of them: a boy named Zak (Ward). Now her size, Zak sees the damage that the company does and helps Crysta to stop not only them, but an evil entity named Hexxus (Curry), who feeds off pollution. Restoration from a brand-new 4K scan of the original film elements. Formats: Blu-ray/DVD Combo. Extras: New introduction with director Bill Kroyer; never-before-seen pencil, character and animation tests; audio commentary with Kroyer, art director Ralph Eggleston and coordinating art director Susan Kroyer; “Seed of the Story” script-to-screen comparison with optional commentary by screenwriter Jim Cox; “From Paper to Tree” making-of featurette; “Behind The Voice: Toxic Love” multi-angle scene study; original featurette; “If I’m Gonna Eat Somebody (It Might As Well Be You)” music video; theatrical trailers and TV spots. (Shout! Kids).

Hôtel du Nord

(1938 - France) Anguished young lovers, fallen women, wanted criminals, and all manner of social castoffs: these are the disreputable denizens of the Hôtel du Nord, an atmospherically seedy boardinghouse on the bustling banks of the Canal Saint-Martin in Paris, whose lives collide in Marcel Carné's bittersweet rhapsody of romance, betrayal, revelry, and violence. Featuring evocative production design by the famed Alexandre Trauner and a colorful ensemble cast of some of classical French cinema's most illustrious stars -- including Annabella, Louis Jouvet, and a divinely dissolute Arletty in one of her most iconic roles -- poetic-realist jewel "Hôtel du Nord" is a sublime exemplar of Carné's celebrated poetic realism, imbuing working-class lives and dramas with a touching nobility. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray, with new 2K digital restoration, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray. Extras: Read more here. (The Criterion Collection).

Murder at Yellowstone City

(2022) Gabriel Byrne, Thomas Jane, Isaiah Mustafa, Anna Camp, Aimee Garcia, Emma Kenney, Zach McGowan, Nat Wolff, Richard Dreyfuss. The once peaceful and booming Yellowstone City has fallen on hard times, but when a local prospector strikes gold, things seem to be turning around. Any hope is soon shattered when the prospector is found dead and the Sheriff quickly arrests a mysterious newcomer. But nothing is so simple in this sleepy western town, and more than a few of the locals have secrets to keep and reasons to kill. As the brutal murders continue, pitting neighbor against neighbor, Yellowstone City goes down a bloody path to a final showdown that not all will survive. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray. Extras: "The making of Murder at Yellowstone City," audio commentary with the filmmakers, deleted scenes. (RLJE Films).

Naomi: The Complete Series

(2022) Three-disc set with all 13 episodes. Based on the critically acclaimed DC comic series, "Naomi" follows a teen girl’s journey from her small northwestern town to the heights of the DC Multiverse. When a supernatural event shakes her hometown to the core, Naomi sets out to uncover its origins, and what she discovers will challenge everything we believe about our heroes. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray, Digital. Extras: "Naomi: From Page to Screen," "A Hero Will Rise: Kaci Walfall," "The Adaptation of a Hero." (Warner).

NCIS: Los Angeles: The Thirteenth Season

(2021-22) Five-disc set with all 21 episodes of the drama about the high-stakes world of a division of NCIS that is charged with apprehending dangerous and elusive criminals, who pose a threat to the nation’s security. By assuming false identities and utilizing the most advanced technology, this team of highly trained agents goes deep undercover, putting their lives on the line in the field to bring down their targets. Stars Chris O’Donnell and LL Cool J. Formats: DVD. (CBS/Paramount).

The Tarzan Vault Collection

Includes "Tarzan of the Apes" (1918), "The Adventures of Tarzan" (1921) and "The New Adventures of Tarzan II" (the complete version of the 1935 film serial). Edgar Rice Burroughs' hero has thrilled movie audiences since the days of the silent screen. "Tarzan of the Apes," with the brawny Elmo Lincoln in the leading role, introduced the character to movie audiences and told the traditional tale of how the orphaned heir to the Greystoke fortune became lord of the jungle. Lincoln was so impressive in the role that he returned three years later in "The Adventures of Tarzan," this time to rescue his beloved Jane from the clutches of the evil Queen La. By 1935, the public was still fascinated by the nobleman whom apes had raised, now played by Herman Brix (aka Bruce Bennet) in "The New Adventures of Tarzan." Brix, a star shot putter at the 1928 Olympics, needed all of his muscle to portray Tarzan in this tale of missing jewels and explosives powerful enough to destroy the world. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray. Extras: Full-color booklet insert includes three original essays by authors Don Stradley and Jennifer Churchill; original featurette, "Drawn to the Jungle: The Early History of Tarzan in Comics," by Ballyhoo Motion Pictures; full-length commentary track for "The Adventures of Tarzan" and "The New Adventures of Tarzan II" by award-winning journalist/historian, Ed Hulse; original feature production, "Swinging into Action: The Early Adventures of Tarzan on Film" by Ballyhoo Motion Pictures; "Law of the Jungle: The Cinematic Adventures of Herman Brix," a preserved interview with the film star, aka Bruce Bennett. (The Film Detective/Cinedigm).

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August 30

American Carnage

(2022) Jorge Lenderborg Jr., Jenna Ortega, Allen Maldonado, Brett Cullen, Eric Dane. After a governor issues an executive order to arrest the children of undocumented immigrants, the newly detained youth are offered an opportunity to have their charges dropped by volunteering to provide care to the elderly. Once inside the eldercare facility, the volunteers discover the governor and the facility’s supervisor have cooked up a horrifyingly depraved conspiracy that endangers the young and the old in this twisted thriller-comedy. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray, VOD, Digital. Extras: Audio commentary by writer-director Diego Hallivis, writer-producer Julio Hallivis, and producer Andrés Rosende; "Behind the Scenes of American Carnage"; deleted scenes. (Lionsgate). Read more here

Blue Bloods: The Twelfth Season

(2021-22) Five-disc set with all 20 episodes of the police procedural drama about a multi-generational family of cops dedicated to New York City law enforcement. Stars Tom Selleck and Donnie Wahlberg. This season Danny (Wahlberg) seeks the help of Maggie Gibson (Callie Thorne), a psychic medium, during his investigation into the tragic murder of a two-year-old boy, while Frank (Selleck) finds himself at odds with the mayor over how best to protect the city after a recent uptick in city crime. Also, Jamie (Will Estes) and Eddie (Vanessa Ray) defend Officer Witten (Lauren Patten) when she receives departmental and public backlash for pulling her gun on an unarmed man during an arrest at a local deli; and Erin investigates a murder case from 1993, in which the sole witness was her boss, DA Kimberley Crawford (Roslyn Ruff), who was 13-years-old at the time of the crime. Extras: "My Best Friend" featurette; "Directed by Bridget Moynahan" featurette; "The Story of the Reagans: Season 12"; deleted scenes; gag reel.Formats: DVD. (CBS/Paramount).

Faya dayi

(2021 -- Ethiopia/US/Qatar) A sublime work of personal vision, the debut feature by the Mexican Ethiopian filmmaker Jessica Beshir is a hypnotic documentary immersion in the world of Ethiopia's Oromo community, a place where one commodity -- khat, a euphoria-inducing plant once prized for its supposedly mystical properties -- holds sway over the rituals and rhythms of everyday life. As if under the influence of the drug itself, "Faya dayi" unfurls as intoxicating, trance state cinema, capturing intimate moments in the existence of everyone from the harvesters of the crop to people lost in its narcotic haze to a desperate but determined younger generation searching for an escape from the region's political strife. The director's exquisite monochrome cinematography -- each frame a masterpiece sculpted from light and shadow -- and the film's time-bending, elliptical editing create a ravishing sensory experience that hovers between consciousness and dreaming. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray, with new 4K digital master, approved by director Jessica Beshir, with 5.1 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack on the Blu-ray. Extras: Read more here. (The Criterion Collection).

Giallo Essentials: Black Edition [Limited Edition]

While the release of Dario Argento's "The Bird With the Crystal Plumage" gave rise to a glut of imitators, there was more to the giallo than just shameless copycats setting out to ape a rigid formula. This volume of Giallo Essentials celebrates the range and breadth of the genre with three lesser-seen films from its early 1970s heyday. In Silvio Amadio's "Smile Before Death," familicide with a sprinkling of Oedipal love is the order of the day when teenager Nancy returns home to discover the apparent suicide of her mother, and quickly comes to suspect that her stepfather and his mistress are to blame. Next, horny priests and self-flagellating nuns abound in Francesco Mazzei's "The Weapon, the Hour, the Motive," as police commissioner Franco Boito investigates the brutal murder of a young clergyman, only to enter into an affair with the dead man's lover. Finally, in Giuseppe Bennati's "The Killer Reserved Nine Seats," an assortment of wealthy degenerates -- including Italian cult mainstays Andrea Scotti and Howard Ross -- answer the summons of an eccentric nobleman and assemble in the theatre attached to his ancestral home, only to find themselves trapped in the decaying building while a savage killer picks them off Agatha Christie-style! With gory murders, wanton debauchery and left-field plot twists a-plenty, all three of these oft-overlooked gialli are restored in 2K from their original camera negatives --including brand-new, Arrow-exclusive restorations of "Smile Before Death" and "The Weapon, the Hour, the Motive" -- alongside a range of in-depth bonus features. Formats: Three Blu-rays in rigid box packaging with original artwork in a windowed Giallo Essentials Collection slipcover, reversible sleeves for each film featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Adam Rabalais, Peter Strain and Haunt Love. (Arrow Video/MVD Entertainment). Read more here.

The Gravedigger

(2022) Paul Homza, Gisbert Heuer, Tyler Charles Kane, Arlette Del Toro. Set in 1700s Bavaria, the film follows Kurt Volkera, a lonely gravedigger whose life is forever changed when he stumbles upon a scared, violent man hiding in the graveyard. After taking him in, Volkera’s past comes back to haunt him after learning that the man is actually the creation of a young Victor Frankenstein for whom he had been collecting body parts a year earlier. Formats: DVD, VOD, Digital. (Indican Films). Read more here

The Phantom of the Open

(2022) Mark Rylance, Sally Hawkins, Rhys Ifans, Jake Davies, Christian Lees, Jonah Lees. The heartwarming true story of Maurice Flitcroft (Rylance), a dreamer and unrelenting optimist. This humble crane operator from Barrow-in-Furness managed to gain entry to The British Open Golf Championship qualifying in 1976, despite never playing a round of golf before. He shot the worst round in Open history and drew the ire of the golfing elite, but became a folk hero in the process and, more importantly, showed his family the importance of pursuing your dreams. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray, VOD, Digital. Extras: “Finding Flitcroft” featurette. (Sony). Read more here

Running Out of Time Collection

(1999 -- China) Acclaimed director Johnnie To is in top form with the slam bang action-thriller "Running Out of Time" and its equally electrifying sequel. Expert hostage negotiator Ho Sheung-sang (Lau Ching-wan) is drawn into a psychological game of cat-and-mouse when a criminal mastermind with weeks to live (Andy Lau) decides to take on the entire Hong Kong Police Force. There's more to his plan than meets the eye, but can Inspector Ho figure it out and catch him in time? He's got 72 hours to try. A huge box office hit, "Running Out of Time" swept the 19th Hong Kong Film Awards and spawned a popular sequel in "Running Out of Time 2," in which Lau Ching-wan returns as Inspector Ho - this time in pursuit of a sophisticated art thief with a taste for drama and theatrical flair. Formats: Blu-ray. Extras: Commentaries; interviews; trailers; image gallery; featurettes; reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Lucas Peverill; FIRST PRESSING ONLY: Illustrated collectors' booklet featuring new writing on the films by David West. (Arrow Video/MVD Entertainment). Read more here.

Symphony for a Massacre

(1963 -- France) Jean Rochefort, Michel Auclair, Charles Vanel, Jose Giovanni, Claude Dauphin, Michele Mercier, Daniela Rocca. In this stylish heist noir from director Jacques Deray, master director of the French crime film, five men tied to businesses with varying degrees of legality pool their money to go in on one huge narcotics deal that can set them up for life - and test their loyalties. Restored in 2K from a 4K scan of the surviving 35mm interpositive (the negative is lost), the film boasts stunning black and white photography, supported by a lush and memorable score. This rediscovered crime thriller is sure to please fans of classic film noir. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray. (Cohen Film Collection).

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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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August 20, 2022
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