From the Big Screen:

Scream VI

(2023) The four survivors from the most recent Woodsboro Ghostface killings have moved to New York City for a fresh start. Just as they begin to feel a sense of normalcy, they receive that infamous call. Ghostface is more brutal and relentless than ever and will stop at nothing to hunt them down. Vitals: Director: Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, Tyler Gillett. Stars: Melissa Barrera, Jasmin Savoy Brown, Mason Gooding, Jenna Ortega, Hayden Panettiere, Courteney Cox, Jack Champion, Henry Czerny, Liana Liberato, Dermot Mulroney, Samara Weaving. CC, MPAA rating: R, 122 min., Horror, North American box office gross: $108.161 million, worldwide $168.961 million, Paramount. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray + Digital Code, Blu-ray/DVD Combo + Digital Code, + Digital Code Ultra HD/Blu-ray Combo, VOD, Digital. Extras: Commentary by the filmmakers; “The Faces of Death” featurette; “More Meta Than Meta” inside the sequel featurette; “Bloodbath at a Bodega” featurette; “An Apartment to Die For” behind-the-apartment-scene-attack featurette; “The Night Train to Terror” behind-the-scenes look at the NYC subway sequence; “Theater of Blood” franchise featurette; Digital exclusive: Gag reel. Read more here

Book Club: The Next Chapter

(2023) Sequel follows four best friends as they take their book club to Italy for the fun girls trip they never had. When things go off the rails and secrets are revealed, their relaxing vacation turns into a once-in-a-lifetime cross-country adventure. Vitals: Director: Bill Holderman. Stars: Diane Keaton, Jane Fonda, Candice Bergen, Andy Garcia, Don Johnson, Mary Steenburgen, Craig T. Nelson, Giancarlo Giannini. CC, MPAA rating: PG-13, 107 min., Comedy, North American box office gross: $17.556 million, worldwide $27.640 million, Universal. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray/DVD Combo + Digital Code, VOD, Digital. Read more here

Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret

(2023) In this long-awaited movie adaptation of Judy Blume’s classic novel, eleven-year-old Margaret (Abby Ryder Fortson) is uprooted from her life in New York City to the suburbs of New Jersey, going through the messy and tumultuous throes of puberty with new friends in a new school. She relies on her mother, Barbara (Rachel McAdams), who is also struggling to adjust to life outside the big city, and her adoring grandmother, Sylvia (Kathy Bates). A timeless coming-of-age story with insightful humor while candidly exploring life’s biggest questions. Vitals: Director: Kelly Fremon Craig. Stars: Rachel McAdams, Abby Ryder Fortson, Elle Graham, Benny Safdie, Kathy Bates. CC, MPAA rating: PG-13, 106 min., Comedy Drama, North American box office gross: $19.921 million, worldwide $20.329 million, Lionsgate. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray/DVD Combo + Digital Code, VOD, Digital. Extras: “Finally That Time: Making Margaret”; “Are You There Margaret? It’s Me, Judy”; “The Secret Crew Club: Margaret and Friends”; “Bringing the Period to Life: Designing Margaret”; deleted scenes; roundtable discussion; theatrical trailer. Read more here

Beau Is Afraid

(2023) Following the sudden death of his mother, a mild-mannered but anxiety-ridden man confronts his darkest fears as he embarks on an epic, Kafkaesque odyssey back home. Vitals: Director: Ari Aster. Stars: Joaquin Phoenix, Nathan Lane, Patti LuPone, Parker Posey, Amy Ryan. CC, MPAA rating: R, 179 min., Comedy Thriller, North American box office gross: $7.552 million, worldwide $10.273 million, Lionsgate. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray/DVD Combo + Digital Code, VOD, Digital. Extras: “Finally Home: Making Beau Is Afraid.” Read more here

Sisu

(2023 — Finland) During WWII, a solitary prospector crosses paths with Nazis in northern Finland. When the Nazis steal his gold, they quickly discover he is no ordinary miner. While there is no direct translation for the Finnish word “sisu,” the legendary ex-commando will embody what it means: a white-knuckled form of courage and unimaginable determination in the face of overwhelming odds. And this one-man death squad will go to outrageous lengths to get his gold back — even if it means killing every last Nazi in his path. Vitals: Director: Jalmari Helander. Stars: Jorma Tommila, Aksel Hennie, Jack Doolan. CC, MPAA rating: R, 91 min., Action, North American box office gross: $7.265 million, worldwide $11.158 million, Lionsgate. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray/DVD Combo + Digital Code, 4K Ultra HD/Blu-ray Combo + Digital Code, VOD, Digital. Extras: “Indestructible: Making Sisu”; “Pushing the Boundaries of Reality: The Visual Effects of Sisu.” Read more here

Knights of the Zodiac

(2023) Based on the international anime sensation, Knights of the Zodiac brings the Saint Seiya saga to the big screen in live-action for the first time. Seiya (Mackenyu), a headstrong street teen, spends his time fighting for cash while he searches for his abducted sister. When one of his fights unwittingly taps into mystical powers he never knew he had, Seiya finds himself thrust into a world of warring saints, ancient magical training and a reincarnated goddess who needs his protection. If he’s to survive, he will need to embrace his destiny and sacrifice everything to take his rightful place among the Knights of the Zodiac. Vitals: Director: Tomasz Baginski. Stars: David Torok, Diego Tinoco, Famke Janssen, Mackenyu, Madison Iseman, Mark Dacascos, Nick Stahl, Sean Bean. CC, MPAA rating: PG-13, 112 min., SciFi Adventure, North American box office gross: $1.090 million, worldwide $6.794 million, Sony. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray + Digital Code, VOD, Digital. Read more here

This Week’s Highlight:

The wry, incisive debut feature “The Watermelon Woman” (1996) by Cheryl Dunye gave cinema something bracingly new and groundbreaking: a vibrant representation of Black lesbian identity by a Black lesbian filmmaker. Dunye stars as Cheryl, a video-store clerk and aspiring director whose interest in forgotten Black actresses leads her to investigate an obscure 1930s performer known as the Watermelon Woman, whose story proves to have surprising resonances with Cheryl’s own life as she navigates a new relationship with a white girlfriend (Guinevere Turner). Balancing breezy romantic comedy with a serious inquiry into the history of Black and queer women in Hollywood, “The Watermelon Woman” slyly rewrites long-standing constructions of race and sexuality on-screen, introducing an important voice in American cinema. On Blu-ray, with 2K digital restoration, supervised by director Cheryl Dunye, cinematographer Michelle Crenshaw, and producer Alexandra Juhasz, in collaboration with the Outfest UCLA Legacy Project, with 3.0 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack. From The Criterion Collection. Read more here.

Buzzin’ the ‘B’s:

“Bad Girl Boogey” (2023), starring Lisa Fanto, Iris Mcerlean, Chris Asimos, Toshiro Glenn, Lewi Dawson, Kate Bonney, with a featured voiceover cameo from horror icon Bill Mosley, follows Angel, whose mother was brutally murdered one Halloween night, when blood was shed by a deranged killer wearing a parasitic mask cursed with black magic and bigotry. Sixteen years later, when Angel’s best friend is slaughtered by a killer with the same mask, they must overcome their personal struggles, fight their fear, and find the masked killer before he, or it, slaughters everyone they hold dear. From Dark Star Pictures. Read more here … In “Hi-Fear” (2023), an ambitious young illustrator is forced to create four of the most terrifying stories imaginable for a new comic book based on basic human fears. But with each story she creates, the stakes become higher and more deadly as she delves deeper into the nature of evil itself. From Wildeye Releasing. Read more here … In “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. On DVD, with the Blu-ray due August 15, from Synergetic … In “McBain” (1991), starring Christopher Walken, Chick Vennera, Maria Conchita Alonso, Michael Ironside, Steve James, Thomas G. Waites and Jay Patterson, at the end of the Vietnam War, POW Robert McBain (Walken) is freed by a squad of Army Rangers led by Santos (Vennera). In gratitude, McBain promises to help Santos whenever he’s in need. Santos takes out a $100 bill, tears it in two, gives half to McBain and says, “If the other half of this bill ever finds you, you can pay me back.” Almost 20 years later, Santos, back in his native Colombia, is killed while leading a fight against drug lords and corrupt politicians. Santos’ sister Christina (Alonso) travels to America with the other half of the $100 bill in an attempt to enlist McBain’s help in overthrowing the Colombian regime. McBain brings together the former Rangers to help bring down the dictator and drug lords in an all-out war on drugs, political corruption and injustice. On Blu-ray, with all-new remixed 5.1 surround sound created specifically for this release and original 2.0 theatrical stereo mix. From Synapse Films … After serving eight incident-free years in prison, a former elite soldier is released, finally free to reunite with his estranged wife and young daughter in “Day Zero” (2022 — Philippines), starring Brandon Vera, Pepe Herrera, MJ Lastimosa, Joey Marquez and Ricci Rivero. However, he re-enters civilization only to discover that the outside world has been completely overtaken by a dangerous virus with terrifying effects on the human body. Chased by hordes of the undead, he races through the dangerous urban landscape in a final desperate attempt to redeem himself and rescue his family. On DVD, Blu-ray, from Well Go USA. Read more here … In “Shin Ultraman” (2022 — Japan), starring Takumi Saitoh, Masami Nagasawa, Daiki Arioka, Akari Hayami, Tetsushi Tanaka and Hidetoshi Nishijima, the appearance of giant unidentified life forms known as “S-Class Species (Kaiju)” has become commonplace in Japan. The Japanese Government has formed a Kaiju defense taskforce known as the SSSP, led by Kimio Tamura (Nishijima). After a particularly challenging encounter, a silver giant descends from the sky to rescue the country. Dubbed Ultraman, this giant’s identity and purpose are a mystery. On DVD, Blu-ray, from Cleopatra Entertainment. Read more here … “Carmen” (2022), starring Melissa Barrera, Paul Mescal and Rossy De Palma, is a dance drama follows a young and fiercely independent woman who is forced to flee her home in the Mexican desert following the brutal murder of her mother. Carmen (Barrera) survives a terrifying and dangerous illegal border crossing into the US, only to be confronted by a lawless volunteer border guard, who cold-bloodedly murders two other immigrants in her group. When the border guard and his patrol partner, Aidan (Mescal) — a Marine with PTSD — become embroiled in a deadly standoff, Carmen and Aidan are forced to escape together. They make their way north towards Los Angeles in search of Carmen’s mother’s best friend, the mercurial Masilda (De Palma) and owner of La Sombra nightclub – a sanctuary of music and dance. Carmen and Aidan find both solace and their unwavering love for one another in the safety of Masilda’s magical refuge, but time is running out as the police hunt closes in. In English and Spanish. On DVD, Blu-ray, from Sony.

On the Indie Front:

In “Galatea” (2022), starring Russell Hawkins and Jess Paul, a unique work partnership unravels into an adventure of love and science fiction. Jesse Park (Hawkins) is an introverted genius who has made groundbreaking progress with an emotionally intelligent A.I. robot. In need of a vocal actor for his project, Jesse hires a quirky and shy woman named Kim (Paul). Jesse’s passion for technology becomes dually powerful with his growing feelings for his new hire. Full of emotion, danger, and mystery, Jesse and Kim embark on a journey to discover their one-of-a-kind path to romance. From Indican Pictures. Read more here.

Foreign Films:

In “Employee of the Month” (2022 — Belgium), starring Jasmina Douieb, Laetitia Mampaka, Peter Van Den Begin, Laurence Bibot and Alex Vizorek, , after working for EcoClean — an industrial cleaning supplies company — for nearly 17 years, model-employee Inès believes it’s time for a raise. Despite daily jibes from her incompetent and misogynistic co-workers (including Patrick, EcoClean’s ineffectual owner), she remains professional and dedicated to the company’s brand. When Inès confronts Patrick about her salary, he not only disparages her request but makes a lecherous pass at her. New intern Mélody witnesses this and jumps in to help, but in the process both women accidentally find themselves with blood on their hands. Spiraling more out of control by the minute, Inès and Mélody must conjure up increasingly maniacal solutions to cover their tracks — and clean up their mess. From Film Movement.

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.