Join the
Sixties generation

August 1

About My Father

(2023) Generations collide in this comedy. Sebastian (Sebastian Maniscalco) is encouraged by his fiancée (Leslie Bibb) to bring his Italian hairdresser father Salvo (Robert De Niro) to a weekend get-together to meet her wealthy and eccentric family (Anders Holm, David Rasche, Brett Dier, and Kim Cattrall). As the weekend turns into an outrageous clash of cultures, Sebastian and Salvo discover that the great thing about family is everything about family. Vitals: Director: Laura Terruso. Stars: Sebastian Maniscalco, Robert De Niro, Leslie Bibb, Anders Holm, Davis Rasche, Kim Cattrall. CC, MPAA rating: PG-13, 90 min., Comedy, North American box office gross: $11.681 million, worldwide $14.152 million, Lionsgate. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray/DVD Combo + Digital Code, VOD, Digital. Extras: "One Big Happy Family: Making About My Father"; "Sebastian: The Big Stage to the Big Screen"; "About My Look: From Frugal to Fancy"; trailer. Read more here

Advertisement

Assault on Hill 400

(2023) William Baldwin, Michael Madsen, Eric Roberts, Collin Arend. On November 14, 1944, the 2nd Ranger Battalion is tasked with laying siege to the German town of Bergstein, and its highly prized strategic position — Hill 400. Providing the Third Reich with high ground for its punishing artillery units, the Hill must be taken ... at all costs. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray. (The Asylum/Shout! Studios).

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3

(2023) The galaxy’s favorite band of misfits are back for one final adventure, and it may be their most dangerous yet. Raising the stakes to new levels, the team must protect one of their own from a mysterious new villain. The Guardians are looking a bit different these days. Peter Quill (Chris Pratt), still reeling from the terrible loss of Gamora, must rally his team and embark on a dicey, action-packed mission to defend the universe and protect Rocket. Vitals: Director: James Gunn. Stars: Chris Pratt, Zoë Saldaña, Dave Bautista, Karen Gillan, Pom Klementieff, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper, Sean Gunn, Chukwudi Iwuji, Will Poulter, Maria Bakalova, Linda Cardellini, Nathan Fillion, Sylvester Stallone. CC, MPAA rating: PG-13, 150 min., SciFi, North American box office gross: $348.579 million, worldwide $825.371 million, Disney. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray + Digital Code, 4K Ultra HD/Blu-ray Combo + Digital Code, VOD, Digital. Extras: "The Imperfect, Perfect Family" featurette; "Creating Rocket Raccoon" featurette; deleted scenes; gag reel; commentary by director James Gunn. Read more here

I Am Rage

(2023 -- UK) Hannaj Bang Bendz, Marta Svetek, Antonia Whillans. Erin's idyllic countryside trip turns to terror when a sinister blood cult abducts her. But they made a grave mistake; her abductors soon learn the painful consequences of crossing someone with severe anger issues. Formats: DVD, VOD, Digital. (Uncork’d Entertainment). Read more here

Invaluable: The True Story of an Epic Artist

(2023) Sam Raimi's 1981 film "The Evil Dead" is a horror masterpiece that has terrified audiences for over 40 years and spawned sequels, a remake, video games, toys and even a television series. The original film's iconic special effects and make-up were created by Tom Sullivan, a Michigan artist and sculptor who became friends with Sam Raimi, star Bruce Campbell and producer Rob Tapert when they were in college. Ryan Meade's This feature-length documentary is about the life and art of Tom Sullivan and his involvement with the "Evil Dead" film series. Assembled with amazing archival Super 8mm film footage, Hi8, VHS, and vintage audio tapes and photographs, it's a unique and sentimental portrait of a man who helped make one of the greatest horror franchises of all time. Also contains amazing behind-the-scenes footage, original location visits, all-new interviews with Bruce Campbell, Ted Raimi, Josh Becker, Danny Hicks, Hal Delrich, Ellen Sandweiss, Betsy Baker, Theresa Tilly and more. Formats: Blu-ray. Extras: "Other Men’s Careers" bonus documentary about the life of filmmaker Josh Becker; vintage Tom Sullivan “In the Spotlight” interview (1989); unedited interview with Tim Philo, cinematographer of "The Evil Dead"; extended interview segments with Josh Becker; promotional trailers; Ryan Meade short films: "Bong Fly" & "Cosmos Locos"; photo gallery. (Synapse Films).

Back to top

August 8

Akira Kurosawa’s Dreams

(1990 -- Japan) Unfolding in a series of eight mythic vignettes, this late work by Akira Kurosawa was inspired by the beloved director’s own nighttime visions, along with stories from Japanese folklore. In a visually sumptuous journey through the master’s imagination, tales of childlike wonder give way to apocalyptic apparitions: a young boy stumbles on a fox wedding in a forest; a soldier confronts the ghosts of the war dead; a power-plant meltdown smothers a seaside landscape in radioactive fumes. Interspersed with reflections on the redemptive power of creation, including a richly textured tribute to Vincent van Gogh (who is played by Martin Scorsese), "Akira Kurosawa’s Dreams" is both a showcase for its maker’s artistry at its most unbridled and a deeply personal lament for a world at the mercy of human ignorance. Formats: 4K UHD, with 4K digital restoration, supervised by cinematographer Shoji Ueda, with 2.0 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack. One 4K UHD disc of the film presented in HDR and one Blu-ray with the film and special features. Extras: Read more here. (The Criterion Collection).

The Broken Mirror / Unquiet Death

(1975 -- France) Max von Sydow, Laure Dechasnel, Micheline Presle, François Arnal, Monique Fluzin, Claire Wauthion. Two movies on one disk. In "The Broken Mirror (Trompe l’oeli)," Anne lives with her husband in Belgium where she works as a restorer of paintings. When she becomes pregnant, she finds herself remembering a picture she did some time ago and of which she has no memory, no recollection of what happened to it. It becomes her goal to discover and clarify the mystery behind this painting, at the same time she notices that a strange man is following all of her moves. In "Unquiet Death (La mort trouble)," three sisters visit their uncle in his island home. He dies suddenly and they find themselves alone with their late uncle's manservant. Their relations reveal a dark side in all of them, and gender, racial, and class tensions lead to situations of humiliation, domination, sex, and death. A radical and challenging film, full of the revolutionary spirit of 1968. Formats: Blu-ray. (Mondo Macabro).

Chameleon Street

(1989) Timothy Alvaro, Renauld Bailleux, William Ballenger. Winner of the Grand Jury Prize at the 1990 Sundance Film Festival -- yet criminally underseen for over three decades -- "Chameleon Street" recounts the improbable but true story of Michigan con man Douglas Street, the titular “chameleon” who successfully impersonated his way up the socioeconomic ladder by posing as a magazine reporter, an Ivy League student, a respected surgeon, and a corporate lawyer. Elevated by a dexterous performance and daring direction from multi-hyphenate actor-writer-director Wendell B. Harris Jr., the film pins a lens on race, class and performance in American identity, which has lost none of its relevance. At once piercingly funny and aesthetically mischievous, "Chameleon Street" is a “lost masterpiece of Black American cinema” (BFI) long overdue to take its rightful place in the independent film canon. Newly restored in 4K from the original camera negative under the supervision of Wendell B. Harris Jr. Formats: Blu-ray. (Arbelos Films).

Fast X

(2023) The tenth film in the Fast & Furious Saga launches the final chapter of one of cinema's most storied and popular global franchises, now in its third decade and still going strong with the same core cast and characters as when it began. Over many missions and against impossible odds, Dom Toretto (Vin Diesel) and his family have outsmarted, out-nerved and outdriven every foe in their path. Now, they confront the most lethal opponent they've ever faced: A terrifying threat emerging from the shadows of the past who's fueled by blood revenge, and who is determined to shatter this family and destroy everything—and everyone—that Dom loves, forever. In 2011's "Fast Five," Dom and his crew took out nefarious Brazilian drug kingpin Hernan Reyes and decapitated his empire on a bridge in Rio De Janeiro. What they didn't know was that Reyes' son, Dante (Jason Momoa), witnessed it all and has spent the last 12 years masterminding a plan to make Dom pay the ultimate price. Dante's plot will scatter Dom's family from Los Angeles to the catacombs of Rome, from Brazil to London and from Portugal to Antarctica. New allies will be forged and old enemies will resurface. But everything changes when Dom discovers that his own 8-year-old son (Leo Abelo Perry) is the ultimate target of Dante's vengeance. Vitals: Director: Louis Leterrier. Stars: Vin Diesel, Jason Momoa, Leo Abelo Perry, Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Chris "Ludacris" Bridges, Nathalie Emmanuel, Jordana Brewster, Sung Kang, Jason Statham, John Cena, Scott Eastwood, Helen Mirren, Charlize Theron, Brie Larson, Alan Richtson, Daniela Melchior, Rita Moreno. CC, MPAA rating: PG-13, 141 min., Action, North American box office gross: $145.9 million, worldwide $704.7 million, Universal. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray/DVD Combo + Digital Code, 4K Ultra HD/Blu-ray Combo + Digital Code, VOD, Digital. Extras: Gag reel, scene breakdowns, more. Read more here

The Fear

(1966 -- Greece) Elena Nathanail, Anestis Vlahos, Elli Fotiou, Mairi Hronopoulou. Anna, a young female student living in Athens, returns to her family’s large farm in the remote Greek countryside. She starts to feel the tensions that lie, repressed, under the apparently tranquil rural setting. Her father and mother are trapped in a loveless marriage and her half-brother, Anestis, seems even more of a brooding and dangerous figure than ever before. Anna’s only real friend is the mute servant girl, Hrysa, who many of the local villagers see as some kind of saint due to her alleged sightings of the Virgin Mary in the lonely corn fields that surround the farm. Hrysa disappears and is reported missing. Anna soon suspects her half-brother is responsible and has probably killed the girl. She starts to follow him, trying to trick him into a confession. Realizing that she might become his next victim, Anna starts to fear for her life. Confused and scared she accepts a marriage proposal from a local man. It’s at the wedding ceremony, with the whole village watching, that the truth finally emerges and the terrifying last act of this rural psycho drama is played out. Formats:Blu-ray. Extras: Documentary about the film and director Kostas Manoussakis; gallery of stills and artwork; video: "Remembering Elena Nathanail." (Mondo Macabro).

In Its Wake

(2022) Elvis Stojko, Paige Foskett, Kennith Bemister, Damien Doepping, Rob Notman, Jacqueline Godbout. There's nowhere to go… In the past, it's been called The Wild Hunt, a time when holy men who have strayed from the path find themselves pursued by dark forces. With two groups of unsuspecting young travelers caught in between, a former minister encounters such a force as the sinister Duke of Crows unleashes his hound, a vicious drude that leaves nothing but death in its wake. Formats: DVD, VOD, Digital. (Uncork’d Entertainment). Read more here

Night of the Assassin

(2023 -- South Korea) Shin Hyun-joon, Lee Mun-sik, Kim Min-kyung. After a deadly, long-dormant health condition surfaces during a mission, The Joseon era’s most lethal assassin goes into hiding to seek a cure without revealing his identity. But upon witnessing a ruthless campaign of terror against local villagers, the region’s deadliest killer comes out of retirement in order to exact his own brutal brand of vigilante justice. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray, VOD, Digital. (Well Go USA).

Night of the Executioner

(1992 -- Spain) Paul Naschy, Manuel Zarzo, Paloma Cela, Sergio Molina, Jose Alvarez. Dr Hugo Arranz (Naschy) is commemorating his 50th birthday with his wife and daughter. As the celebrations reach their height, the family is terrorized by a gang of violent street thugs who have broken into their home. Initially the gang is after jewels and cash. But once they have their helpless victims tied up and defenseless, their thoughts turn to violence. They rape Arranz’s wife and daughter and then, annoyed by the doctor’s protests, they cut out his tongue and leave him for dead. Arranz survives the attack and recovers after a stay in hospital. Abandoning his medical practice, he seeks vengeance on the men and women who destroyed his life. He embarks on a strenuous course of physical training, involving knives, guns and punishing bouts of weight lifting. Finally, he is ready to go in pursuit of his prey. But to track them down, he must enter the sleazy underworld which his potential victims inhabit. Formats: Blu-ray. (Mondo Macabro).

Plan Sexenal

(2014 -- Mexico) Edwarda Gurrola, Harold Torres, Noé Hernández. Neither a blackout nor a city curfew will stop young couple Juan and Mercedes from celebrating their new home. But when Mercedes discovers a stranger who claims to be the real Juan, an epic violent confrontation takes place, after which the new, more vigorous, Juan replaces the old, fulfilling a dark, perverse plan. Uncut 16mm post-apocalyptic masterpiece available on Blu-ray for the first time. Formats: Blu-ray. Extras: "Behind the Scenes of Plan Sexenal"; 2008 short film: "Peinados Alocados"; stills gallery; original trailer. (Massacre Video).

Ravishing Dany

(1972 -- France) Sandra Julien, Jürgen Drews, Michel Paulin, Jacqueline Laurent. Surely one of the weirdest “sex comedies” ever, the story concerns Danielle ("Dany to my friends"), a freelance fashion model in early 1970s France, who wants to buy a car and so is saving the travel portion of her fee for that purpose. To get from gig to gig she hitchhikes. This puts her into numerous dangerous and bizarre situations, including being picked up by a hearse driver who wants to have sex with her underneath his hearse, as there’s a corpse in the back; an escaped loony who mistakes sheep for women; a horny Italian countess who’s looking for some kinky sex and flagellation; a hippy who sings rather than talks (and has a big surprise in store for Dany); a crucifix-obsessed butterfly collector; a Byzantine prince in a Rolls Royce; and more. Formats: Blu-ray. Extras: Interview with director’s daughter, Catherine Rozier; featurette: "Dany and the Censors"; theatrical trailer; alternate scenes; includes second full length feature: "The Girl Can’t Stop!" (Mondo Macabro).

Summoning the Spirit

(2023) Krystal Millie Valdes, Ernesto Reyes. A young couple decide to escape the hustle of the big city, purchasing a home in the remote forest. They have big plans for their new quiet life, only to find something much more sinister. The couple quickly realize that they are on the land of a cult, and the leader claims a telepathic connection to a legendary flesh-eating beast deep in the woods surrounding them. Carla and Dean are forced to uncover the terrifying truth of the cult’s prophecy. Formats: DVD, VOD, Digital.(Dark Star Pictures). Read more here

The Thing Behind the Door (La Chose derrière la porte)

(2023 -- France) Séverine Ferrer, David Doukhan, Quentin Surtel, Yves Lecat, Fabien Jegoudez. The story of Adèle, a young woman haunted by the death of her husband who was killed in a trench during World War I. Unable to accept the tragic loss, the young woman turns to black magic in the hopes of bringing her lover back. He comes back to haunt her in her dreams and asks to find an antique spell-book that holds the formula to bring him back to life. Summoning magic from the druids, combining the forces of nature with her own blood, Adèle is obsessed by the potential return of her beloved husband. She ignores, as she performs the supernatural ceremony, that she becomes The Chosen One of a very ancient lineage of vegetal incubi, craving to perpetuate their race. What she resuscitates is a terrifying, unstoppable, and indestructible creature. Formats: DVD, VOD, Digital. (Freestyle Digital Media).

Wolfkin

(2022 -- Luxembourg) Louise Manteau, Victor Dieu, Marja-Leena Junker, Jules Werner. Single mother Elaine is disturbed by her son Martin's aggressive behavior and sudden physical changes when she visits his late father's estranged family in small-town Luxembourg – where a much darker secret lurks. When she realizes that Martin could become like them, Elaine is forced into a desperate fight for her son's future. Formats: DVD, VOD, Digital. Read more here (Uncork’d Entertainment).

Back to top

August 15

Asteroid City

(2023) Takes place in a fictional American desert town circa 1955. The itinerary of a Junior Stargazer/Space Cadet convention (organized to bring together students and parents from across the country for fellowship and scholarly competition) is spectacularly disrupted by world-changing events. Equal parts comedy, drama, and romance (with a touch of science-fiction). Vitals: Director: Wes Anderson. Stars: Jason Schwartzman, Scarlett Johansson, Tom Hanks, Jeffrey Wright, Tilda Swinton, Bryan Cranston, Edward Norton, Adrien Brody, Liev Schreiber, Hope Davis, Stephen Park, Rupert Friend, Maya Hawke, Steve Carell, Matt Dillon, Hong Chau, Willem Dafoe, Margot Robbie, Tony Revolori, Jake Ryan, Jeff Goldblum. CC, MPAA rating: PG-13, 104 min., Comedy, North American box office gross: $27.743 million, worldwide $46.909 million, Universal. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray + Digital Code, Blu-ray/DVD Combo + Digital Code, 4K Ultra HD/Blu-ray Combo + Digital Code, VOD, Digital. Extras: "The Making of Asteroid City" featurettes. Read more here

Babylon 5: The Road Home

(2022) Return to "Babylon 5" as the epic interstellar saga continues with this new feature. Travel across the galaxy with John Sheridan as he unexpectedly finds himself transported through multiple timelines and alternate realities in a quest to find his way back home. Along the way he reunites with some familiar faces, while discovering cosmic new revelations about the history, purpose, and meaning of the Universe. "Babylon 5" celebrates its 30th anniversary this year and returning to voice their characters from the original series are Bruce Boxleitner as John Sheridan, Claudia Christian as Susan Ivanova, Peter Jurasik as Londo Mollari, Bill Mumy as Lennier, Tracy Scoggins as Elizabeth Lochley, and Patricia Tallman as Lyta Alexander. Formats: Blu-ray + Digital Code, 4K Ultra HD/Blu-ray Combo + Digital Code, VOD, Digital. Extras: "Babylon 5 Forever," audio commentary with creator/writer/executive producer J. Michael Straczynski, actor Bruce Boxleitner and supervising producer Rick Morales. (Warner).

City of the Living Dead

(1980 - Italy) Worldwide UHD debut of Lucio Fulci's Italian horror classic in 4K, fully restored with a brand-new Dolby Vision™ color grade, exclusively commissioned by Cauldron Films. The three-disc set includes the 4K UHD Feature, a Blu-ray feature and a Blu-ray extras disc. The death of a priest causes a chain reaction that begins The End of Days. The only hope lies in a jaded reporter (Christopher George) and the psychic (Catriona MacColl) he saved from being buried alive. The two set off for Dunwich, New England to shut the gates of hell before it’s too late and the undead rule the Earth. This horror classic features Special FX work by Gino De Rossi of "Zombie" and "Cannibal Ferox" infamy, a score by Fabio Frizzi, and a screenplay co-written by Dardano Sacchetti ("Rat Man," "Demons"). Formats: 4K Ultra HD/Blu-ray Combo. Extras: New audio commentary with film historian Samm Deighan; archival audio commentaries with film historians Troy Howarth and Nathaniel Thompson; archival audio commentary with actress Catriona MacColl moderated by Jay Slater; archival audio commentary with actor Giovanni Lombardo Radice moderated by Calum Waddell; "Zombie Kings" interview with Massimo Antonello Geleng; "Requiem for Bob" interview with Giovanni Lombardo Radice; "On Stage" Q&A with Venantino Venantini & Ruggero Deodato; Catriona MacColl Q&A; Fabio Frizzi Q&A; "The Meat Munching Movies of Gino De Rossi"; "Carlo of the Living Dead" archival interview with actor Carlo De Mejo; "A Trip Through Bonaventure Cemetery"; Catriona MacColl video intro from 2001; image gallery; more. (Cauldron Films). Read more here

Confidential Informant

(2023) Dominic Purcell, Mel Gibson, Nick Stahl, Kate Bosworth. Crime-thriller tells the tale of two narcotics agents hunting for a cop killer during a crack epidemic. Hoping for leads, Moran (Purcell) and Thorton (Stahl) pay off a junkie informant. Then, in an attempt to provide for his wife (Bosworth) and son, Moran involves the stool pigeon in a deadly scheme. This causes the partners to come under the scrutiny of a suspicious internal affairs agent.   Formats: DVD, Blu-ray + Digital Code, VOD, Digital. Extras: commentary, trailer. (Lionsgate). Read more here

Dim Sum: A Little Bit of Heart

(1985) Wayne Wang’s follow-up to his watershed indie "Chan Is Missing" is a family portrait that gracefully combines the director’s signature gentle humanism and eye for poignant detail. Offering another fresh perspective on San Francisco’s Chinese American community, Wang takes a bittersweet look at the generational pas de deux between an aging immigrant widow and her devoted daughter, torn between filial duty and her own desires. Soulfully performed by an ensemble including real-life mother and daughter Kim and Laureen Chew and Victor Wong, the Yasujiro Ozu–inspired Dim Sum: A Little Bit of Heart is as lovingly made as the home-cooked cuisine it celebrates. Formats: Blu-ray, with high-definition digital master of a new director’s cut, supervised by director Wayne Wang, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack. Extras: Read more here. (The Criterion Collection).

Junk Head

(2017 -- Japan) In the distant future, humankind -- living five miles below the surface -- can no longer reproduce because of gene manipulation aimed at making life longer. The clones ruling the bottomless underworld may have become fertile. So a human scientist is selected to go on a mission through a subterranean labyrinth crawling with monsters to secure humanity's future. Stop motion animated science fiction film written and directed by Takehide Hori, based on his 2013 short film of the same name. Formats: Blu-ray; DVD was released July 11. (Synergetic).

Kill Shot

(2023) Rib Hillis, Rachel Cook, Bobby Maximus, Mara Ohara, Mark Murphy, Xian Mikol. During a hunting trip in Montana, a wilderness guide and former Navy SEAL (Hillis) and his client (Cook) stumble upon a cache of heist money, unwittingly making themselves the one obstacle standing between a dangerous terrorist group and its lost fortune. Eager to take some of the cash for themselves, the pair learns far too late how easy it can be to make someone disappear in the vastness of Big Sky country. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray, VOD, Digital. (Well Go USA).

The Machine

(2023) Bert Kreischer, Mark Hamill, Jimmy Tatro, Iva Babic, Stephanie Kurtzuba, Jessica Gabor. Bert Kreischer rose to fame as a stand-up comedian known as The Machine, and in his signature set he recounts his true experience with Russian mobsters while on a booze-soaked college trip. Now, 23 years later, that trip has come back to haunt him as he and his estranged father (Hamill) are kidnapped back to Russia by the mob to atone for something they say he did. Together, Bert and his father must retrace the steps of his younger self (Tatro) in the midst of a war within sociopathic crime family, all while attempting to find common ground in their often fraught relationship. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray + Digital Code, VOD, Digital. Extras: "Bert’s Big Bash – Premiere Party": "Bert, Bruised & Brawlin’: The Action of The Machine"; outtakes & bloopers; deleted scenes; "The Making of The Machine"; "The Cast of The Machine." (Sony).

Mavka: The Forest Song

(2023 -- Ukraine) Based on the Ukrainian drama “The Forest Song” by celebrated poet and author Lesya Ukrainka, this English-language animated adventure unfolds in a universe that blends ancient Slavic traditions and folklore with a modern narrative that showcases Ukrainian culture, values, designs, and music. In addition to having an engaging storyline and memorable characters, this uplifting and colorful animated fairytale is bolstered by a strong young female lead character, fascinating folklores, and the relevant theme of environmental conservation. Mavka – the soul of the forest – has been chosen by the supreme spirits to become the forest’s new guardian. But when she meets a talented human musician named Lucas – a man on the hunt for a mysterious tree with the power to give life, she is faced with an impossible choice between her newfound love and her duty to the spirits. Can humans and the forest live in harmony, or will greed and vice destroy them both? Formats: DVD, VOD, Digital. Extras: Featurette, music video, trailers. (Shout! Kids).

Metalocalypse: The Complete Series

(2006-13) Eight-disc set includes 62 episodes from all four seasons, plus "Metalocalypse: The Doomstar Requiem - A Klok Opera." The quarter-hour animated series chronicles the world's most popular entertainment act in the known universe -- extreme metal band, DETHKLOK -- as they balance their rabid popularity with the brutality of everyday life. Formats: Blu-ray, VOD, Digital. (Adult Swim/Warner).

Nefarious

(2023) On the day of his scheduled execution, a convicted serial killer gets a psychiatric evaluation during which he claims he is a demon, and further claims that before their time is over, the psychiatrist will commit three murders of his own. Vitals: Director: Cary Solomon, Chuck Konzelman. Stars: Sean Patrick Flanery, Jordan Belfi, Stelio Savante, Tom Ohmer, Cameron Arnett, Eric Hanson, James Healy Jr., Sarah Hernandez, Jarret LeMaster, Robert Peters. CC, MPAA rating: R, 98 min., Horror, North American box office gross: $5.433 million, worldwide $5.433 million, Amazon. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray, VOD, Digital.

Ouija Shark 2

(2023 -- Canada) John Migliore, Deborah Jayne, Reilly Smith, Kylie Gough. When the Ouija Shark emerges from Hell to cause havoc once more on earth, a sorcerer with a history of fighting the ghostly great white must follow it into a multiverse hellscape for one final battle. But this time he is bringing along some friends to help send the shark into oblivion. Formats: Blu-ray, VOD, Digital. Extras: Commentary with director John Migliore; North American premiere Q&A; behind-the-scenes image gallery; stills gallery; deleted scene; alternate take; trailers. (Wild Eye Releasing). Read more here

Wrong Reasons

(2023) James Parks, Liv Roush, Ralph Garman. In this dark, comedic thriller, an ambiguously intentioned masked man (Parks) kidnaps a drug addicted punk rock singer (Roush) and triggers a police investigation headed by Detective Charles Dobson (Garman) as well as a media circus. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray, VOD, Digital. (MVD Visual).

Back to top

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

August 22

The Blackening

(2023) Follows a group of Black friends reunited for a Juneteenth weekend getaway only to find themselves trapped in a remote cabin with a masked killer who forces them to play a twisted board game by his rules, which they soon realize ain’t no motherf****** game. "The Blackening" skewers genre tropes and poses the sardonic question: If the entire cast of a horror movie is Black, who dies first? Vitals: Director: Tim Story. Stars: Grace Byers, Jermaine Fowler, Melvin Gregg X Mayo, Dewayne Perkins, Antoinette Robertson, Sinqua Walls, Jay Pharoah, Yvonne Orji. CC, MPAA rating: R, 96 min., Horror Comedy, North American box office gross: $17.015 million, worldwide $17.015 million, Lionsgate. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray/DVD Combo + Digital Code, 4K Ultra HD/Blu-ray Combo + Digital Code, VOD, Digital. Extras: Audio commentary with director Tim Story and writers Tracy Oliver and Dewayne Perkins; "Do the Write Thing"; "They Can’t All Talk First"; "Shall We Play a Game?"; "Cabin in the Woods"; “Who’s the Blackest? Game Show"; theatrical trailer; more. Read more here

Bo Widerberg’s New Swedish Cinema

Driven by a desire to forge a socially conscious Swedish cinema -- one that broke with the inward-looking psychodrama of Ingmar Bergman to give dynamic expression to the everyday experiences of working-class Swedes -- writer Bo Widerberg turned to filmmaking in the early 1960s, realizing his ambition in politically committed yet poetic works that merge social-realist themes with a refined, often breathtakingly beautiful visual sensibility. Dramatizing the struggles of ordinary people fighting to chart their own destiny, these four acclaimed, popular, and pivotal films from Widerberg’s most prolific period live and breathe with a rare vitality—and helped launch a new Swedish cinema. "The Baby Carriage" (1963), "Raven’s End" (1963), "Elvira Madigan" (1967) And "Ådalen 31" (1969). Formats:Blu-ray, with new restorations, with uncompressed monaural soundtracks. Extras: New introduction to director Bo Widerberg by filmmaker Ruben Östlund; new interviews with actor Tommy Berggren and cinematographer Jörgen Persson; "The Boy and the Kite" (1962), a short film by Widerberg and Jan Troell, with an introduction by Troell; Swedish television interviews with Widerberg from the 1960s; behind-the-scenes footage from the making of "Elvira Madigan"; essay by film historian Peter Cowie and excerpts by Widerberg from his 1962 book Vision in Swedish Film. Read more here. (The Criterion Collection).

A Moment of Romance

(1990 -- Hong Kong) Small-time hood Wah Dee (Andy Lau) is enlisted by Triad boss Trumpet (Tommy Wong) as a getaway driver for a daring heist that goes wrong. Thinking fast Dee takes Jo Jo (Jacklyn Chien-Lien Wu) hostage to save his skin, but the bosses order her to be killed. They escape and begin a forbidden relationship while being chased by both sides of the law. Produced by Johnnie To and Ringo Lam the film is sensationally directed by Benny Chan in his feature debut. With a breakneck pace and violence reminiscent of To and Takashi Miike and the beautiful and emotive sensibility of Wong Kar-wai, the film features stunning performances from Lau, and Wu in her debut work. "A Moment of Romance" is a classic of Hong Kong cinema that has been much imitated but rarely bettered. 4K restoration of the film from the original camera negative. Formats: Blu-ray. Extras: Archival audio interview with Benny Chan; "In Love and Danger: HK Cinema Through A Moment of Romance" new visual essay by critic and Asian cinema expert David Desser on the genre tropes in "A Moment of Romance" and their use in Hong Kong cinema; audio commentary by Asian cinema expert Frank Djeng; trailer; reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Time Tomorrow; limited edition booklet featuring new writing on the iconic cast and crew by critic Sean Gilman; and a profile of Benny Chan by Tony Williams, co-editor of Hong Kong Neo Noir. (Radiance).

NCIS: The 20th Season

(2022-23) Six-disc set with all 22 episodes. Following the cliffhanger Season 19 finale, with Special Agent Alden Parker still on the run with his ex-wife Vivian, the team investigates who from his past might have a personal vendetta against him in hopes of clearing Parker’s name. Formats: DVD. Extras: Three Hawaii crosssover episodes; "A Killer Crossover" featurette; "Unforgettable: NCIS Season 20" featurette; "20 Years at the Top" featurette; "20 Years of Locations" featurette; "20 Years of Visual Effects" featurette; "20 Years of Cinematography featurette; audio commentary on select episodes). (Paramount).

Unman, Wittering and Zigo

(1971) Boys will be boys in this scathing psychological thriller set within the hidebound but testosterone-charged confines of a remote coastal British private school, produced by and starring David Hemmings. John Ebony (Hemmings) is the idealistic young schoolmaster who arrives at Chantrey School for Boys on his first assignment, employed to fill the shoes of his predecessor Pelham who has recently been found dead at the bottom of a nearby cliff. Taking up residence in a cottage in the school's grounds with his restless young wife Sylvia (Carolyn Seymour), Ebony is eager to make a good impression, but immediately gets off on the wrong foot with his assigned pupils, discovering the boys of class Lower 5B, minus the perpetually absent Zigo, to be unruly and defiant. However, they might possibly know more about Pelham's demise than the school's headmaster and his fellow staff are letting on. Masterfully shot by cinematographer Geoffrey Unsworth ("2001: A Space Odyssey") and directed by John Mackenzie ("The Long Good Friday"), this film adaptation of Giles Cooper's classic play is presented on home video for the first time ever. "Unman, Wittering and Zigo" presents a scathing exposé of the kind of environment from which brutish empires are born. Formats: Blu-ray. Extras: Read more here. (Arrow Video/MVD Entertainment).

Weird Science Limited Edition

(1985) If you can't get a date ... make one! After proving himself the king of heartfelt teen flicks with "Sixteen Candles" and "The Breakfast Club," writer-director John Hughes infused the genre with a hefty dose of wacked-out sci-fi comedy in this film where every teenage boy's wildest fantasies come to life. Perennially picked-on high school nerds Gary (Anthony Michael Hall) and Wyatt (Ilan Mitchell-Smith) are sick of their status at the bottom of the social food chain. Using Wyatt's computer, the two hatch a plan to create their dream woman - and following a massive power surge, that woman unexpectedly appears in the form of Lisa (Kelly LeBrock). Gorgeous, intelligent, and blessed with limitless magic powers, Lisa makes the boys' dreams come true ... but what about Wyatt's gun-toting psycho older brother Chet (Bill Paxton), and the two bullies (Robert Downey Jr. and Robert Rusler) determined to put them back in their place? Inspired by EC Comics and boosted by a killer soundtrack (including the classic title theme by Oingo Boingo), Weird Science has never looked better than in this new 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ray edition, including an extended version of the film and hours of bonus content. Formats: 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ray. Extras: Read more here. (Arrow Video/MVD Entertainment).

You Hurt My Feelings

(2023) After overhearing her husband's honest reaction to her latest book, a successful novelist finds her long-standing marriage in jeopardy. As she struggles to come to terms with his criticism, she begins to question everything she thought she knew about her life and her relationships. With the help of her friends and family, she must find a way to move on from this setback and rebuild her life. Vitals: Director: Nicole Holofcener. Stars: Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Tobias Menzies, Michaela Watkins, Arian Moayed, Owen Teague, Jeannie Berlin, Amber Tamblyn, David Cross. CC, MPAA rating: R, 93 min., Comedy Drama, North American box office gross: $4.677 million, worldwide $5.283 million, A-24 Films/Lionsgate. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray/DVD Combo + Digital Code, VOD, Digital. Extras: Audio commentary with writer/director Nicole Holofcener and actor/producer Julia Louis-Dreyfus; "Just Being Honest: Making You Hurt My Feelings." Read more here

Back to top

August 29

Blue Bloods: The Thirteenth Season

(2022-23) Six-disc set with all 21 episodes. In Season 13, Eddie and Jamie deal with a domestic violence case associated with an investigation led by Danny and Baez. Frank and Archbishop Kearns go on a mission to avail themselves to an unfiltered look at the city; and Erin is presented with a surprising offer by her ex-husband, Jack Boyle, regarding her run for District Attorney. Formats: DVD. Extras: Deleted scenes, "The Story of the Reagans: Season 13," "The Legacy of Joe Reagan," gag reel. (Paramount).

Drylongso

(1998) A rediscovered treasure of 1990s DIY filmmaking, Cauleen Smith’s "Drylongso" embeds an incisive look at racial injustice within a lovingly handmade buddy movie/murder mystery/romance. Alarmed by the rate at which the young Black men around her are dying, brash Oakland art student Pica (Toby Smith) attempts to preserve their existence in Polaroid snapshots, along the way forging a friendship with a woman in an abusive relationship (April Barnett) and experiencing love, heartbreak, and the everyday threat of violence. Capturing the vibrant community spirit of Oakland in the nineties, Smith crafts both a rare cinematic celebration of Black female creativity and a moving elegy for a generation of lost African American men. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray, with new 4K digital restoration, approved by director Cauleen Smith, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack. Extras: New conversation between Smith and film scholar Michael B. Gillespie; short films by Smith, including "Chronicles of a Lying Spirit by Kelly Gabron," "Songs for Earth & Folk," "Lessons in Semaphore," "Egungun (Ancestor Can’t Find Me)," "Remote Viewing," and "Suffolk," with a new introduction by Smith; trailer; an essay by film scholar Yasmina Price. Read more here. (The Criterion Collection).

The Flash

(2023) Worlds collide when Barry Allen/The Flash uses his superpowers to travel back in time in order to change the events of the past. But when his attempt to save his family inadvertently alters the future, Barry becomes trapped in a reality in which General Zod has returned, threatening annihilation, and there are no Super Heroes to turn to. That is, unless Barry can coax a very different Batman out of retirement and rescue an imprisoned Kryptonian ... albeit not the one he’s looking for. Ultimately, to save the world that he is in and return to the future that he knows, Barry’s only hope is to race for his life. But will making the ultimate sacrifice be enough to reset the universe? Vitals: Director: Andy Muschietti. Stars: Ezra Miller, Sasha Calle, Michael Shannon, Ron Livingston, Maribel Verdu, Kiersey Clemons, Antje Traue, Michael Keaton. CC, MPAA rating: PG-13, 144 min., Action, North American box office gross: $105.5 million, worldwide $262.3 million, Warner. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray + Digital Code, 4K Ultra HD + Digital Code, VOD, Digital. Extras: “The Flash: Escape the Midnight Circus” podcast, six-part original scripted audio series featuring Max Greenfield as The Flash; "The Flash: Escape the Midnight Circus Behind the Scenes"; deleted scenes; "Saving Supergirl" featurette: "The Bat Chase" featurette; "Battling Zod" featurette; "Fighting Dark Flash" featurette; "The Flash: The Saga of the Scarlett Speedster" featurette (Amazon digital exclusive); "Making the Flash: Worlds Collide" featurette; "Let’s Get Nuts: Batman Returns, Again" featurette; "Supergirl: Last Daughter of Krypton" featurette; "Flashpoint: Introducing the Multiverse" featurette. Read more here

The Flash: The Ninth and Final Season

(2022) Three-disc set with all 13 episodes. After defeating the Reverse Flash once and for all, the ninth season of "The Flash" picks up one week after their epic battle, and Barry Allen aka The Flash and Iris West-Allen are reconnecting and growing closer than ever. When a deadly group of Rogues descend on Central City, led by a powerful and unknown new threat, The Flash and his team including Meta-Empath Cecile Horton, the light-powered meta, Allegra Garcia, brilliant tech-nerd Chester P. Runk and reformed cryogenics thief Mark Blaine, must once again defy the odds to save the day. But as The Rogues are defeated, a deadly new adversary rises to challenge Barry Allen’s heroic legacy. In their greatest battle yet, Barry and Team Flash will be pushed to their limits, to save Central City one last time. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray. Digital. Extras: "The Flash: The Saga of the Scarlett Speedster" featurette; deleted scenes; gag reel. (Warner).

The Last House on the Left Limited Edition

(2009) A vicious and efficient updating of the 1972 controversial graphic shocker of the same name, produced by its original director-producer pairing of Wes Craven and Sean Cunningham. When athletic teen Mari Collingwood (Sara Paxton) opts to hang out with her friend Paige in town rather than spend an evening in with her parents vacationing at the family's remote lake house, it marks the beginning of a night no one is going to forget. The two girls wind up in the company of escaped convict Krug (Garret Dillahunt) and his makeshift family of vile career criminals, who kidnap and brutally assault them before leaving them for dead. Fleeing from the scene of their violent crime during a storm, the thugs inadvertently seek refuge with Mari's parents, anxious as to why their daughter hasn't come home yet and primed to unleash the full forces of hell on anyone who would dare to touch so much as a hair on her head. Energetically directed by Dennis Iliadis from a new script by Carl Ellsworth ("Red Eye," "Disturbia"), this remake of horror cinema's seminal tale of bloody revenge has been described by Stephen King as "the best horror movie of the new century." Co-stars Aaron Paul, Monica Potter and Tony Goldwyn. Two versions of the film: the original Theatrical Version and the Unrated Version. A 4K UHD/Blu-ray combo will be released September 12. Formats: Blu-ray. Extras: Read more here. (Arrow Video/MVD Entertainment).

New Fist of Fury Limited Edition

(1976 -- Hong Kong) Almost five years after breaking all Hong Kong box office records with the instant classic "Fist of Fury," his last collaboration with the late Bruce Lee, director Lo Wei got to work on a sequel. It would be the first major leading role for Lo's latest discovery, a young actor who had been a stuntman on the original film but would soon be as massive a star as Lee. His name: Jackie Chan. Shanghai, 1910. With the Jing Wu martial arts school in shambles and pressure from the Japanese armies to suppress a Chinese uprising after Chen Zhen's martyrdom, Chen's fiancée Li Er (Nora Miao, reprising her role from "Fist of Fury") escapes to Japanese-occupied Taiwan to hide at her grandfather's school. Despite her attempts to lay low, she runs afoul of karate master Okimura (Chan Sing, "The Iron-Fisted Monk"), who plans to take over all of the Chinese-run schools in Taiwan. Amidst all of this, a young aimless thief, known only as Ah Long (Jackie Chan), befriends Li Er after unknowingly stealing the nunchaku once wielded by the late Chen. Will he give into his fears, or will he learn the martial arts of Jing Wu and fight alongside Li Er against the Japanese? Considered to be one of the few "official" sequels to a Bruce Lee film, and now freshly restored in two different versions, "New Fist of Fury" is the first spark that would eventually lead Jackie Chan to becoming the worldwide star he is today. New 2K restoration from the original negatives by Fortune Star; High Definition (1080p) Blu-ray transfers of the 120-min Original Theatrical Cut and the 82-min 1980 Re-release Cut. Formats: Blu-ray. Extras: Read more here. (Arrow Video/MVD Entertainment).

No Hard Feelings

(2023) Maddie (Jennifer Lawrence) thinks she's found the answer to her financial troubles when she discovers an intriguing job listing: wealthy helicopter parents looking for someone to "date" their introverted 19-year-old son, Percy, and bring him out of his shell before he leaves for college. But awkward Percy proves to be more of a challenge than she expected, and time is running out. She has one summer to make him a man or lose it all. Vitals: Director: Gene Stupnitsky . Stars: Jennifer Lawrence, Andrew Barth Feldman, Laura Benanti, Matthew Broderick, Natalie Morales, Scott MacArthur. CC, MPAA rating: R, 103 min., Comedy, North American box office gross: $50.167 million, worldwide $84.863 million, Sony. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray + Digital Code, VOD, Digital. Extras: Outtakes & bloopers; "A Motley Crew: Meet the Characters"; "A Little Wrong: Making No Hard Feelings." Read more here

Smiling Friends: The Complete First Season

(2022) Eight episodes of the quarter-hour animated series. Who are the Smiling Friends? They’re Pim, Charlie, Allan, and Glep and they star in a fantastic, odd, beautiful, sometimes scary, but always amazing world. Plus, they go to Brazil in a special bonus episode. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray. Extras: Commentary. (Adult Swim/Warner).

The Spanish Dancer

(1923) Pola Negri ("The Wildcat") was already an international star. Antonio Moreno ("The Searchers") was her equal in terms of talent and sex appeal. The director Herbert Brenon ("Beau Geste") was one of the greatest directors of his day and he was assisted by the legendary cinematographer, James Wong Howe. Cast members Wallace Beery and Adoph Menjou's brilliant performances add to the pure joy of the film. Together, cast and crew created one of the great romance epics of the silent era. Restored by Eye Filmmuseum and archivist Rob Byrne using material from archives around the world, "The Spanish Dancer" is a joy to behold. The film is action-packed, witty, and romantic with huge sets and a cast of thousands. Brenon keeps the adventure going full steam ahead while Negri and Moreno show why they were huge stars of their day. Negri, a trained dancer from her days at Warsaw's Imperial Ballet, was happily matched with famed choreographer Ernest Belcher (father of Marge Champion and mentor to Gwen Verdon, Cyd Charisse, and Maria Tallchief) to create dance pieces unlike any others of the silent era. Formats: Blu-ray. Extras: Audio commentaries by film historian Scott Eyman and dance historian Naima Prevots; restoration demonstration.(Milestone Film & Video). Read more here

The Toxic Avenger Collection

Troma Entertainment, the longest-running independent movie studio in North America, celebrates their 50th anniversary this year with the release of all four of their groundbreaking Toxic Avenger films, presented in TROMAzing Ultra High Definition. The Toxic Avenger Collection comes to home video featuring a new 4K scan and restoration of each film from the original camera negatives, presented in the original 1.85:1 aspect ratio in HDR with English DTS 2.0 stereo audio; new introductions for each film from the president of Troma Entertainment and creator of The Toxic Avenger, Lloyd Kaufman; and a collectible Toxic Avenger postcard, all compacted into one MONSTROUS, TROMArific 8-Disc TOX SET oozing with TOXIC bonus features. Melvin (Mark Torgl) lives the regular life of a 98-pound janitor at a gym, constantly bullied by the meathead members. The gym and Tromaville, NJ will never be the same when Melvin – after falling into toxic waste – becomes the Toxic Avenger! Toxie, armed with justice on his side, keeps the residents of Tromaville safe from the crime and evildoers that would tarnish the town he loves. Formats: 4K Ultra HD/Blu-ray Combo. (Troma). Read more here

Back to top

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.

E-mail OnVideo

| Home | Resources | DVD Releases | Calendar |
| Reviews | Links |

E-mail: onvideo@earthlink.net
© 1996 -- 2023 OnVideo. All rights reserved
August 25, 2023
(ISSN 1094-3676).