The Beekeeper

(2024) When a phishing scheme results in the death of the person he most trusts, Adam Clay (Jason Statham) will stop at nothing to root out the corruption – no matter how high it goes. Clay is no ordinary vigilante, however, he was once a Beekeeper – an operative for a highly clandestine and brutally efficient special forces unit – and now he will use all his skills to take down everyone who goes up against him or stands in his way. Vitals: Director: David Ayer. Stars: Jason Statham, Josh Hutcherson, Jeremy Irons, Emmy Raver-Lampman, Taylor James, David Witts. CC, MPAA rating: R, 105 min., Action Thriller, North American box office gross: $65.884 million, worldwide $152.384 million, MGM. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray + Digital Code, 4K Ultra HD + Digital Code, VOD, Digital.

Drive-Away Dolls

(2024) Written by Ethan Coen and Tricia Cooke, the story follows Jamie (Margaret Qualley), an uninhibited free spirit bemoaning yet another breakup with a girlfriend, and her demure friend Marian (Geraldine Viswanathan), who desperately needs to loosen up. In search of a fresh start, the two embark on an impromptu road trip to Tallahassee, but things quickly go awry when they cross paths with a group of inept criminals along the way. Vitals: Director: Ethan Coen. Stars: Margaret Qualley, Geraldine Viswanathan, Beanie Feldstein, Colman Domingo, Pedro Pascal, Bill Camp, Matt Damon. CC, MPAA rating: R, 83 min., Action Comedy, North American box office gross: $5.028 million, worldwide $6.379 million, Universal. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray + Digital Code, VOD, Digital. Extras: “The Drive-Away Gang” featurette; “Drive-Away Dolls: an Ethan and Tricia Project”; “Road Trip Essentials.” Read more here.

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This Week’s Best Bets

“Tormented” (1960) features a new 4K scan of Bert I. Gordon’s classic supernatural thriller from original 35mm archival elements. Iconic cult film director Gordon (“Empire of the Ants,” “The Food of the Gods,” “The Mad Bomber,” “The Cyclops”) helmed this terrifying story of passion from beyond the grave, starring Richard Carlson, Susan Gordon and Lugene Sanders. In a tight-knit island community off the coast of California, Tom Stewart (Carlson) is about to marry the woman he loves (Sanders). All is well until Tom’s ex-girlfriend, Vi (Reding), confronts him at the top of the island’s lighthouse, claiming he is hers and hers alone. When a freak accident occurs, he refuses to intervene, allowing the scorned woman to fall to her death. But his relief soon fades as Vi’s vengeful spirit begins to follow him everywhere he goes. Tormented day and night, body and soul, to what lengths will he go to protect his secret? Will the unrelenting she-ghost reveal herself to others? Find out in this harrowing tale of love and hate … caught between the worlds of the living and the dead. On DVD, Blu-ray from Film Masters … “I Am Cuba” (1964 — Cuba, Soviet Union) is a landmark of radical political cinema and one of the most visually ravishing films ever made. This legendary hymn to revolution shimmers across the screen like a fever dream of rebellion. The result of an extraordinarily ambitious collaboration between the Soviet and Cuban film industries, director Mikhail Kalatozov’s “I Am Cuba” unfolds in four explosive vignettes that capture Cuban life on the brink of transformation, as crushing economic exploitation and inequality give way to a working-class uprising. Backed by Carlos Fariñas’s stirring score, the dazzling camera work by Sergei Urusevsky—an inspiration for generations of filmmakers to follow—gives flight to the movie’s message of liberation. On Blu-ray, 4K UHD + Blu-ray Combo. 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. Read more here. From The Criterion Collection … “Black Mask” (1996 — Hong Kong) is a dazzling and explosive martial arts extravaganza starring Jet Li, produced by the legendary Tsui Hark, and presented on Blu-ray fully uncut from a new 2K restoration. This marks the first time the fully uncut version has been made available in North America. Tsui Chik (Li) is a librarian who leads a quiet, unassuming life – or, at least, that’s what he wants people to believe. In truth, he was once a member of the 701 Squad, a group of elite combatants produced by a failed super-soldier project. In kind with his former comrades, his central nervous system has been altered to render him impervious to pain. When several of his fellow test subjects resurface and embark on a crimewave under the leadership of their former commander Hung Kuk (Patrick Lung), Tsui is forced to use his extraordinary abilities once more. Donning a costume, he sets out to face his past – as the vigilante known as the Black Mask. Limited Edition of 2000 copies only; O-card slipcase featuring new artwork by Grégory Sacré (Gokaiju); a limited edition bonus disc featuring two alternate versions of the film; plus a limited-edition collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film by James Oliver. On Blu-ray from Eureka Entertainment … “The Cat and the Canary” (1927) is presented for the first time ever on Blu-ray from a glorious 4K restoration, as part of Eureka’s Masters of Cinema brand. The first print run of 2000 copies will feature a Limited Edition O-card slipcase. Twenty years after the death of millionaire Cyrus West, his surviving relatives are called together in a decaying mansion on the Hudson River. There, they gather to hear West’s lawyer Roger Crosby (Tully Marshall) read his last will and testament and discover that West has left everything to his niece Annabelle (Laura La Plante). That is, at least, on the condition that she is judged to be legally sane. As the family settles in for the evening, tensions rise when they are informed that a murderer nicknamed the Cat has escaped from a nearby asylum and is suspected to be somewhere on the grounds. Crosby soon disappears in mysterious circumstances, which proves to be just the first in a series of horrifying events that will punctuate a long, dark night of terror – during which Annabelle’s sanity will be called into question again and again. Based upon the 1922 stage production by John Willard, “The Cat and the Canary” is a perfect blend of horror and black comedy and stands at the apex of a cycle of films adapted from mystery plays throughout the 1920s. It later inspired James Whale’s “The Old Dark House” and has been remade several times – but never bettered. The Masters of Cinema Series is proud to present this cornerstone of horror cinema for the first time ever on Blu-ray from a glorious 4K restoration. On Blu-ray from Eureka Entertainment.

Buzzin’ the ‘B’s:

“Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths – Part Two” (2022) is an all-new, action-packed DC animated film features some of DC’s most famous Super Heroes from multiple universes including Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman, who come together to stop an impending threat of doom and destruction. An endless army of SHADOW DEMONS bent on the destruction of all reality swarms over our world and all parallel Earths. The only thing opposing them is the mightiest team of metahumans ever assembled. But not even the combined power of Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern and all their fellow superheroes can slow down the onslaught of this invincible horde. What mysterious force is driving them? And how do the long-buried secrets of the Monitor and Supergirl threaten to crush our last defense? On Blu-ray, 4K Ultra HD Steelbook, from Warner … “The Scarface Mob [Limited Edition]” (1959) was originally conceived as a two-part TV pilot, “The Scarface Mob” is a gritty and thrilling dramatization of Eliot Ness’s account of his hunt for ruthless gangster Al Capone in Chicago during the prohibition. The film would go on to spawn “The Untouchables,” one of the most widely celebrated TV crime dramas of all time. Chicago, 1929. Al Capone’s ruthless gang of thugs are dealing in bootleg booze in blatant defiance of Prohibition laws, and paying off corrupt cops and crooked politicians to stay out of their way. That is, until Federal Investigator Eliot Ness is tasked with bringing down Capone’s criminal empire. To aid him in this task, he assembles a crack team of men he is sure will be incorruptible, to identify and sabotage the Capone gang’s distilleries. But when Capone, Scarface himself, gets wind that his operation is under threat, he decides to take matters into his own hands. Tautly directed by film noir veteran Phil Karlson (“The Phenix City Story”) and featuring memorable performances by Robert Stack as the righteous Eliot Ness and Neville Brand as the unhinged Al Capone, “The Scarface Mob” is a tense crime drama waiting to be rediscovered. On Blu-ray from Arrow Video/MVD Entertainment … In “Monolith” (2022 — Australia), starring Lily Sullivan, Ling Cooper Tang and Ansuya Nathan, while trying to salvage her career and rehabilitate her tarnished reputation, a disgraced journalist (Sullivan) begins digging into a strange conspiracy theory via a controversial new investigative podcast. But as the evidence begins leading uncomfortably close to home, she is forced to grapple with the web of lies at the heart of her own story. On Blu-ray from Well Go USA).

For the Family:

In the classic fairy tale “Hansel & Gretel” (1987), starring David Warner, Hugh Pollard, Nicola Stapleton and Cloris Leachman, the children of an impoverished woodcutter, Hansel and Gretel, get lost in the forest after birds have eaten the trail of breadcrumbs that was supposed to show them the way back home. They arrive at a strange house made entirely of gingerbread. The resident turns out to be a malicious witch who is extremely excited to fatten Hansel up so she can then put him on her menu.On DVD, Blu-ray, from Capelight Pictures.

From TV to Disc:

“Kamen Rider Geats: The Complete Series” (2022) is an eight-disc set with all 49 episodes. Kamen Rider Geats rampages on “Survival Games.” All Kamen Riders, past and present, are set to battle against unknown enemies and compete with each other in Survival Games, getting scores on the Desire Grand Prix. Each participant transforms into a Kamen Rider and competes to win the game by defeating enemies, saving people, and surviving. Hugely popular in the online world, these games are unpredictable and thrilling. Only true heroes who win the competition will be granted the right to bring their ideal world to life. Originally premiering in 1971, the long-running Japanese television series “Kamen Rider” follows the exploits of a masked, motorcycle-riding hero who fights the forces of evil. The number one kids’ program in Japan for almost 50 years, “Kamen Rider” has proved to be beloved through multiple series iterations and generations of fans and Riders. On Blu-ray from Shout! Studios.

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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.