*OnVideo’s week begins with “New Release” Tuesdays

This Week’s Highlighted Release:

Adapted from the 10th novel in Patrick O’Brian’s legendary ‘Aubrey/Maturin’ series, “Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World” (2003) stars Russell Crowe as Captain “Lucky Jack” Aubrey, the Royal Navy’s most daring and battle-tested commander, and Paul Bettany as his close friend, ship’s surgeon, and naturalist Stephen Maturin. When HMS Surprise is ambushed by a superior enemy vessel, Aubrey must confront the brutal challenges of war, the unforgiving sea, and the limits of leadership. With his ship damaged and crew wounded, he sets off on a relentless pursuit across two oceans – facing a choice between duty and loyalty, and a mission that could alter the fate of nations or destroy them all. On 4K Ultra HD/Blu-ray Combo Steelbook, VOD, Digital. From Fox). Read more here.

Buzzin’ the B’s:

When a mentally ill young man thinks he witnesses an abduction and the police refuse to believe him, he reluctantly turns to his next-door neighbor, a bitter and retired security guard, to help him find the missing person in “Neighborhood Watch” (2025), starring Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Jack Quai. As the unlikely duo delves deeper into the mystery, their pursuit of the truth forces them to confront not only the dark secrets surrounding the disappearance but also the unspoken wounds that haunt them both. On DVD from Image Entertainment.

Foreign Films:

An Imperial Japanese Army regiment surrenders to British forces in Burma at the close of World War II and finds harmony through song in “The Burmese Harp (1956 — Japan). A private, thought to be dead, disguises himself as a Buddhist monk and stumbles upon spiritual enlightenment. Magnificently shot in hushed black and white, Kon Ichikawa’s “The Burmese Harp” is an eloquent meditation on beauty coexisting with death and remains one of Japanese cinema’s most overwhelming antiwar sentiments, both tender and brutal in its grappling with Japan’s wartime legacy. On 4K UHD + Blu-ray, Blu-ray, with New 4K digital restoration, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack. In the 4K UHD edition: One 4K UHD disc of the film and one Blu-ray with the film and special features. From The Criterion Collection. Read more here. … In “Delegation” (2024 — Israel), starring Yoav Bavly, Naomi Harari and Leib Levin, three Israeli high school friends take part in a class trip visiting Holocaust sites in Poland – the last time together before going to the army. During the trip, shy boy Frisch, aspiring artist Nitzan and class heartthrob Ido deal with issues of love, friendship and politics against the backdrop of concentration camps and memorial sites. This journey will change them forever. On DVD, VOD, Digital, from Greenwich Entertainment. Read more here … Kon Ichikawa’s “Fires on the Plain (1959 — Japan) is an agonizing portrait of desperate Japanese soldiers stranded in a strange land during World War II and is a compelling descent into psychological and physical oblivion. Denied hospital treatment for tuberculosis and cast off into the unknown, Private Tamura treks across an unfamiliar Philippine landscape, encountering an increasingly debased cross section of Imperial Army soldiers, who eventually give in to the most terrifying craving of all. Grisly yet poetic, “Fires on the Plain” is one of the most powerful works from one of Japanese cinema’s most versatile filmmakers. On 4K UHD + Blu-ray, Blu-ray, with new 4K digital restoration, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack. In the 4K UHD edition: One 4K UHD disc of the film and one Blu-ray with the film and special features. From The Criterion Collection. Read more here.

From the Big Screen:

Friendship

(2024) Suburban dad Craig (Tim Robinson) has his life turned upside down by the arrival of a new neighbor (Paul Rudd). As Craig’s attempts to make an adult male friend spiral out of control, their blossoming relationship threatens to ruin both of their lives. Vitals: Director: Andrew DeYoung. Stars: Tim Robinson, Paul Rudd, Kate Mara, Jack Dylan Grazer. CC, MPAA rating: R, 100 min., Comedy, Theatrical release date: May 23, 2025, North American box office gross: $16.2 million, worldwide $16.2 million, Streaming date: June 17, 2025, A24. Formats: Blu-ray, VOD, Digital. Extras: Commentary with writer-director Andrew DeYoung, director of photography Andy Rydzewski, and Conner O’Malley; deleted scenes; “Men Talking in the Dark” extended Q&A with Eric Rahill, Paul Rudd, Tim Robinson, and Andrew DeYoung; Conner O’Malley extended garage scene; six collectible postcards with behind the scenes photography. Read more here.

All DVDs and Blu-rays are screened on a reference system consisting of an 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.