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OnVideo's Weekly Guide to Home Video Releases
Alabama Snake: Explores the shocking story of Glenn Summerford, a Pentecostal minister and serpent handler who attempted to murder his wife with a rattlesnake. (Digital)
Tina: This documentary is a revealing and intimate look at the life and career of musical icon Tina Turner, charting her improbable rise to early fame, her personal and professional struggles throughout her life and her even more improbable resurgence as a global phenomenon in the 1980s. (Digital)
Good Funk: The lives of immigrants intersect through acts of kindness in a Brooklyn neighborhood on the verge on gentrification. (Digital, VOD)
Nobody: Hutch (Bob Odenkirk) is a nobody. As an overlooked and underestimated father and husband, he takes life’s indignities on the chin and never rocks the boat. But when his daughter loses her beloved kitty-cat bracelet in a robbery, Hutch hits a boiling point no one knew he had. What happens when a pushover finally pushes back? Hutch flips from regular dad to fearless fighter by taking his enemies on a wild ride of explosive revenge. (DVD, Blu-ray release: June 22)
Omerta: The Act of Silence: Set in the iconic Italian neighborhood of Bensonhurst, the film is a peek inside the operation of the Mafia, at a time when the organization had a firm grip on day-to-day living in the area. The word Omerta describes a code of silence about criminal activity and a refusal to give evidence to authorities. (DVD: Day & date)
On the Trail of Bigfoot: The Journey: A handpicked crew of adventurers and investigators head to the Adirondacks of upstate New York for an intensive, adventure-filled week searching for Sasquatch. The documentary takes a deep look into the subject of Bigfoot but also what spurs people to spend their lives searching for a creature that many believe doesn’t exist. (iTunes, Amazon Prime Video, Vudu and FandangoNOW)
Postal: The love-fueled meltdown of Phillip Tress, a hopelessly-romantic Florida millennial. On the day he is set to fly to Hawaii and propose to his dream girl, Phillip wages a war against the shipping company that fails to deliver his engagement ring. (VOD)
Terror Eyes: Three friends take a road trip to the middle of the desert to attend a music festival. As their journey progresses, they begin to grow uneasy when they realize they’re being followed. The trio soon discovers that they are the live subjects of a dark website called “Terror Eyes,” an online platform that broadcasts horrifying events including robberies, violent attacks, and murders. (VOD)
True Mothers: After a long and unsuccessful struggle to get pregnant, Satoko and her husband decide to adopt a child. Over the next six years, the middle-class couple and their young son, Asato, settle into a comfortable, albeit routine life. The family’s orderly existence is shattered by the arrival of Hikari, a young woman who claims to be Asato’s biological mother and demands his return. Japan's entry for Best International Film Oscar this year. (DVD release: Day & date)
The Unhealer: A bullied teenager gains the means to fight back when a botched faith healing bestows supernatural, shamanistic powers upon him. When his lifelong tormentors pull a prank that causes the death of someone he loves, the teen uses his newfound abilities for revenge and goes on a bloody rampage to settle the score. (DVD, Blu-ray release: Day & date)
Voyagers: With the future of the human race at stake, a group of young men and women, bred for intelligence and obedience, embark on an expedition to colonize a distant planet. But when they uncover disturbing secrets about the mission, they defy their training and begin to explore their most primitive natures. (DVD, Blu-ray release: June 15)
Holler: To pay for her education, and the chance of a better life, a young woman joins a dangerous scrap metal crew. alongside her older brother. Together, they spend one brutal winter working the scrap yards during the day and stealing valuable metal from the once thriving factories by night. (Digital, VOD)
Rock Dog 2: Rock Around the Park: One year after the events of the original "Rock Dog," Bodi and his band, True Blue, have become locally famous in the village of Snow Mountain -- they even have devoted fans. But when a music mogul named Lang gives them the opportunity to tour with pop sensation Lil’ Foxy, Bodi and his friends learn that fame comes at a price, and ultimately discover that only by staying true to yourself can you unleash the power of rock ‘n’ roll. (DVD, Blu-ray release: June 15)
The Art of Political Murder: Based on Francisco Goldman’s award-winning book of the same name, the film tells the story of the 1998 murder of Guatemalan human rights activist Bishop Juan Gerardi, which stunned a country ravaged by decades of political violence, and the fight for justice that ensued. (Digital)
Assault on VA 33
(2021) Sean Patrick Flanery, Michael Jai White, Mark Dacascos, Rob Van Dam, Weston Cage Coppola, Gina Holden. Flanery stars as decorated army veteran Jason Hill. While on a routine visit to the local VA hospital, organized terrorists infiltrate the building and take hostages, including a decorated general, and Hill’s wife. The highly trained veteran is outnumbered and the last line of defense, taking on a building full of armed insurgents before it’s too late. Formats: DVD, , VOD, Digital. (Paramount).
Blurred Vision (Tågesyn)
(2019 -- Denmark) Niklas Herskind, Ida Rasmussen, Dorte Højsted. This Danish psychological thriller follows Andre and Elisa, a couple who has recently discovered they’re expecting their first child. Full of hope and excitement for their family’s future, they move to the countryside to be closer to Elisa’s mother, Martha. When life seems perfect, things start to unravel as Elisa develops psychosis and Andre begins to question his own sanity, the pregnancy, and his girlfriend. As disturbing secrets surface about Elisa and a web of lies are spun by her and her overprotective mother, Andre must fight for himself and the life of his unborn child.Formats: DVD, VOD, Digital. (Indican Pictures).
Flashback
(2021) Dylan O’Brien, Maika Monroe, Hannah Gross, Emory Cohen, Keir Gilchrist. Fredrick Fitzell (O'Brien) is living his best life until he starts having horrific visions of Cindy (Monroe), a girl who vanished in high school. After reaching out to old friends with whom he used to take a mystery drug called Mercury, Fredrick realizes the only way to stop the visions lies deep within his own memories, so he embarks on a terrifying mental odyssey to learn the truth. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray, VOD, Digital. (Lionsgate). Read more here.
Fuller House: The Fifth and Final Season
(2019-20) Two-disc set with all 18 episodes. In the fifth and final season, the Tanner childhood house is fuller than ever with DJ’s three boys, Stephanie’s new baby, and Kimmy’s feisty family, as the she-wolf pack prepares for a triple wedding and celebrates all the memories that have led them there. "Fuller House" is the continuation of the 90s ABC series "Full House" in which eldest daughter D.J. Tanner (Candace Cameron Bure) is now a veterinarian and recently widowed mother trying to raise three boys on her own. She is joined by her sister Stephanie (Jodie Sweetin) and best friend Kimmy Gibbler (Andrea Barber) and Kimmy’s teenage daughter Ramona (Soni Bringas), who move in to lend their support and help raise D.J.’s kids.
The original Full House, which centered around three grown men raising three girls in San Francisco, premiered in 1987 on ABC and became an instant hit with viewers. Formats: DVD, Digital. Extras: (Warner).
Le Magnifique – aka The Man from Acapulco BLU-RAY DEBUT
(1981 -- France) Jean-Paul Belmondo, Jacqueline Bisset, Vittorio Caprioli, Hans Meyer, Monique Tarbes, Jean Lefebvre. Screen greats Jean-Paul Belmondo and Jacqueline Bisset star in the uproarious spy comedy. Belmondo plays Francois, a reclusive novelist whose wild imagination gets the best of him in this delightful blend of fantasy and adventure. Becoming the lead character from his own book, the dashing spy-hero Bob Saint-Clair, Francois is hysterically thrown into the middle of his latest espionage case, “How to Destroy the Reputation of the Greatest Secret Agent.” Only with the help of Francois’ beautiful and enticing neighbor (Bisset aptly filling the role of his seductive assistant, Tatiana) can the author save the world from his editor, who has been transformed into dastardly secret agent Karloff. Together, the duo gets caught in a whirlwind of chases, betrayals, confrontations and mutual attraction. Long before Austin Powers, this cleverly written French comedy outrageously portrays the spy game like it’s never been seen before. Co-written and directed by Philippe de Broca ("That Man from Rio") and beautifully shot by René Mathelin.
Formats: Blu-ray. Extras: New audio commentary by film historians Howard S. Berger, Steve Mitchell and Nathaniel Thompson; theatrical trailer. (KL Studio Classics).
The Lovebirds
(2020) Anna Camp, Issa Rae, Kumail Nanjiani, Kyle Bornheimer, Paul Sparks. A couple (Rae and Nanjiani) experiences a defining moment in their relationship when they become mixed up in a murder mystery. As their journey to clear their names takes them from one extreme circumstance to the next, they must figure out how they, and their relationship, can survive the night.
Formats: DVD. (Paramount).
MacGyver: Season 4
(2020) Three-disc set with all 13 episodes. In this reboot of the 1980s series, ex-MI6 agent Russ Taylor recruits former Phoenix Foundation members Mac, Riley, Bozer, Matty, and Desi to hunt down a bioweapon that’s planned to be used by a mysterious organization for a devastating attack on a major U.S. city. Formats: DVD. (Lionsgate).
Omerta: The Act of Silence
(2011) Paul Malignaggi, Will Wallace, Joe Estevez. Set in the iconic Italian neighborhood of Bensonhurst, the film is a peek inside the operation of the Mafia, at a time when the organization had a firm grip on day-to-day living in the area. The word Omerta describes a code of silence about criminal activity and a refusal to give evidence to authorities. Formats: DVD, VOD, Digital. (MVD Entertainment Group).
Undercover Punch & Gun
(2019 -- Hong Kong) Philip Ng, Van Ness Wu, Andy On. While an elite cop is working undercover to infiltrate a notorious drug ring, his plan is compromised when a rival agency with a grudge attacks during a trade, killing the gang’s leader. Their cover blown, both teams are forced to unite and take to the high seas in an attempt to overthrow the ruthless smuggler behind it all. With an all-new English dub. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray, Digital. (Well Go USA).
Under the Sand
(2000) The incomparable Charlotte Rampling gives one of her most acclaimed performances in Francois Ozon's mesmerizing tale of loss and grief. For many years, Marie (Rampling) and Jean (Bruno Cremer) have happily spent their vacations together at their country house. One day at the beach, Marie naps in the sand while Jean goes for a swim. When she awakens, he is gone. Did he drown? Did he run off? Distraught, Marie notifies the authorities. But after an extensive search, no body is found, and Marie is left in a painful limbo, unable to properly grieve for her lost love. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray. Extras: Audio commentary by director Francois Ozon, audio commentary by film historian Kat Ellinger, interview with Rampling, trailer. (Kino Classics).
The Unhealer
(2020) Elijah Nelson, Kayla Carlson, Chris Browning, Adam Beach, Branscombe Richmond, Natasha Henstridge, Lance Henriksen. A bullied teenager gains the means to fight back when a botched faith healing bestows supernatural, shamanistic powers upon him. When his lifelong tormentors pull a prank that causes the death of someone he loves, the teen uses his newfound abilities for revenge and goes on a bloody rampage to settle the score.
Formats: DVD, Blu-ray, VOD, Digital. Extras: Gag reel, deleted scenes, alternative and extended scenes, behind-the-scenes interviews. Read more here. (Scream Factory).
The Woman One Longs For
(1929) Marlene Dietrich for years insisted that "The Blue Angel" (1930) was her screen debut, when in fact she was catapulted to fame by this silent drama of 1929, which fits neatly among the visually dynamic and emotionally dark melodramas of Joseph von Sternberg and G.W. Pabst. Uno Henning stars as a young businessman whose plans of marriage are interrupted when he becomes entranced by a haunting young woman (Dietrich) who seems to be the victim of a monocled sadist (Fritz Kortner). Like Dietrich, director Kurt Bernhardt would emigrate to the United States and enjoy a long career making films based around strong female characters. Restored in 2012 by the Friedrich Wilhelm Murnau Stiftung, this edition is accompanied by a spectacular original orchestral score by Pascal Schumacher. Formats: Blu-ray. Extras: Audio commentary by film historian Gaylyn Studlar, orchestral score by Pascal Schumacher in 5.1 Surround and 2.0 stereo. (Kino Classics).
City of Lies
What is worse, the crime or the cover-up? Based on the book, "LAbyrinth," by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Randall Sullivan, this crime-thriller follows the investigation into the infamous murder of iconic rap artist Christopher Wallace aka The Notorious B.I.G. and the death of Tupac Shakur. Johnny Depp stars as determined LAPD detective Russell Poole, who spent nearly 20 years trying to solve the murder, and Forest Whitaker stars as Jack Jackson, a journalist who teams up with Poole in search of the elusive truth. Together they explore why the case remains cold -- and why a secretive division of the LAPD is seemingly set on keeping it that way. Vitals: Director: Brad Furman. Stars: Johnny Depp, Forest Whitaker, Rockmond Dunbar, Xander Berkeley, Michael Paré.
2021, CC, MPAA rating: R, 112 min., Crime Thriller, US box office gross: $.572 million, worldwide $2/844 million, Saban Films.
Formats: DVD, Blu-ray, VOD, Digital.
Extras: Deleted scenes, "Crafting the Characters in City of Lies," commentary with director Brad Furman and author Randall Sullivan.
Read more here.
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Beate
(2018 -- Italy) Donatella Finocchiaro, Betti Pedrazzi, Lucia Sardo. Partially inspired by true stories, this comedy is a modern social fairytale set in Northeast Italy. When the employees of the Veronica lingerie factory discover they’re to be fired, they take matters into their own hands and borrow equipment to produce their own garment line. Lead by plucky forewoman Armida, they’re determined to overcome the odds and succeed. Nearby, in "Convent of the Holy Mantle," a handful of nuns skilled in the art of embroidery and devoted to a mummified body of a “blessed one,” are in danger of being transferred, while the unscrupulous mayor -- also the owner of the Veronica factory -- wants to develop a luxury resort where the convent resides. Together, to oppose their unfortunate turns, they join forces for a surprising collaboration: a line of sexy lingerie. However, they ‘re soon attacked by the owner of Veronica and the convent’s Mother Superior, from whom the operation had to be kept secret. Formats: DVD, Digital. (Corinth Films).
Center Stage BLU-RAY DEBUT
(1991 -- Hong Kong) Maggie Cheung embodies tragic silent screen siren Ruan Lingyu, known as the "Greta Garbo of China," in this unconventional biopic by Hong Kong New Wave master Stanley Kwan. Praised for her moving and emotive onscreen presence, Ruan’s private life, which was frequent fodder for the vicious Shanghai tabloids, began to mirror the melodramas which brought her fame, culminating in her suicide at age 24. Kwan and Cheung paint a kaleidoscopic yet intimate portrait of the ill-fated actress, deftly blending lush period drama, archival footage, and metatextual documentary sequences of Cheung reflecting on Ruan’s lasting legacy. Digitally restored in 4K from the original negative.
Formats: DVD, Blu-ray. Extras: New introduction by Stanley Kwan, interview with Stanley Kwan, interview with Hong Kong cinema expert Paul Fonoroff (Blu-ray only), 16-page booklet with a new essay by Aliza Ma, head of programming at Metrograph. (Film Movement Classics).
City of Lies
(2021) Johnny Depp, Forest Whitaker, Rockmond Dunbar, Xander Berkeley, Michael Paré.
Los Angeles Police Department detective Russell Poole (Depp) has spent years trying to solve his biggest case -- the murders of The Notorious B.I.G. and Tupac Shakur -- but after two decades, the investigation remains open. Jack Jackson (Whitaker), a reporter desperate to save his reputation and career, is determined to find out why. In search of the truth, the two team up and unravel a growing web of institutional corruption and lies.
Formats: DVD, Blu-ray, VOD, Digital. Extras: Deleted scenes, "Crafting the Characters in City of Lies," commentary with director Brad Furman and author Randall Sullivan.
Read more here. (Saban Films).
The Howl of the Devil
(1988 -- Spain) Spanish horror star Paul Naschy plays a multitude of roles in a tour-de-force performance in one of his last great films. He plays Hector Doriani a stage and screen actor who feels himself living in the shadow of his dead twin brother, Alex Doriani, the latter once a famous star of horror movies. Alex's young son, Adrian, now lives with Hector in his brother's isolated mansion in the countryside. To keep alive the memory of his father, the boy imagines himself visited by the spirit of the dead man, incarnated in a series of classic horror characters from the past. Eric, Alex Doriani's former butler, now also works for Hector. His main role is to locate and bring to the mansion a series of women who are paid large sums of money by Hector to take part in various sadistic sex games. To complicate matters even further, the games always seem to end with the women getting slaughtered in various gruesome ways by a black gloved, masked killer. Also on hand is horror diva Caroline Munro, as Hector's housekeeper and cook, who is being pursued by a local priest with whom she once had a much-regretted affair. One of the last films to be directed by Paul Naschy, "The Howl Of The Devil" was, for many years, impossible to see in anything like its intended form. This first HD presentation of the film shows it at last in its true glory. New 4k transfer from the film negative, digitally restored. Formats: Blu-ray. Extras: Interview with actor Sergio Molina, audio commentary from The Naschycast (Troy Guinn & Rod Barnett), making-of featurette. (Mondo Macabro).
The Human Condition Blu-ray Debut
(1959-61) This mammoth humanist drama by Masaki Kobayashi is one of the most staggering achievements of Japanese cinema. Originally filmed and released in three installments of two parts each, the nine-and-a-half-hour "The Human Condition," adapted from Junpei Gomikawa’s six-volume novel, tells of the journey of the well-intentioned yet naive Kaji -- played by the Japanese superstar Tatsuya Nakadai -- from labor camp supervisor to Imperial Army soldier to Soviet prisoner of war. Constantly trying to rise above a corrupt system, Kaji time and again finds his morals to be an impediment rather than an advantage. A raw indictment of Japan’s wartime mentality as well as a personal existential tragedy, Kobayashi’s riveting, gorgeously filmed epic is novelistic cinema at its best. Formats: Three-disc Blu-ray set, with high-definition digital restoration, with uncompressed monaural (Parts 1–4) and 4.0 surround DTS-HD Master Audio (Parts 5 and 6) soundtracks. Extras: Excerpt from a 1993 Directors Guild of Japan interview with director Masaki Kobayashi, conducted by filmmaker Masahiro Shinoda; interview from 2009 with actor Tatsuya Nakadai; "Appreciation of Kobayashi and The Human Condition" from 2009 featuring Shinoda; trailers; an essay by critic Philip Kemp. (The Criterion Collection).
Hunting Ground
(1983 -- Spain) Assumpta Serna, Victor Valverde, Luis Hostalot, Jose Sacristan, Montserrat Salvador, Paloma Lorena, Jose A. Garcia. Lawyer Adele passionately defends criminals, believing that everyone deserves a second chance and that criminality is more often than not bred by deprivation. In the courtroom, a pair of local hoods sees her in action and decides to follow her. They steal her car, find the keys to her country villa and decide to rob the place. Unfortunately, Adele's family turns up at the villa mid-burglary and her husband is killed. But, that's only the beginning of the nightmare. Directed by Jordi Grau, who made the horror classics "Blood Ceremony" and "Let Sleeping Corpses Lie," the film is an intense, gripping crime story that takes a savagely realistic look at the social divide between rich and poor in the big city. The climax of the film is unrelenting in its depiction of sexual violence and revenge. Brand new 4k transfer from the film negative, digitally restored; uncut. Formats: Blu-ray. Extras: Interview with director Jordi Grau. (Mondo Macabro).
Sin
(2019 -- Russia/Italy) Alberto Testone. Step inside the brilliant, tormented mind
of renaissance legend Michelangelo in Andrei Konchalovsky’s lavish and gripping drama. Florence, early 16th century. Although widely considered a genius by his contemporaries, Michelangelo Buonarroti is reduced to poverty and depleted by his struggle to finish the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. When his commissioner and head of the Della Rovere nobility Pope Julius II dies, Michelangelo becomes obsessed with sourcing the finest marble to complete his tomb. The artist’s loyalty is tested when Leo X, of the rival Medici family, ascends to the papacy and charges him with a lucrative new commission -- the façade of the San Lorenzo basilica. Forced to lie to maintain favor with both families, Michelangelo is progressively tormented by suspicion and hallucinations, leading him to ruthlessly examine his own moral and artistic failings. Formats: DVD, Digital. Extras: "Making of Sin," Q&A with Konchalovsky moderated by Alex Kaluzhsky. (Corinth Films).
The Stylist
(2020) Obsession gets a makeover in "The Stylist," a deliciously twisted slice of female-led psychological horror, nominated for the New Visions Award for Best Motion Picture at the 2020 Sitges International Film Festival and based on co-writer/director Jill Gevargizian's award-winning short film of the same name. We all dream of being someone else ... but for Claire (Najarra Townsend), that dream goes from an obsession to a living nightmare. Hairstylist by day, serial killer and collector of scalps by night, Claire's lonely existence is thrown into turmoil when her regular client, Olivia (Brea Grant), asks her to style her hair for her wedding day. Increasingly fixated on Olivia's seemingly flawless life, Claire vows to lock up her scalp collection and change her ways for good - only to discover that repressing your deadly desires is easier said than done. Formats: Limited Edition Blu-ray and soundtrack CD. Extras: Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Sara Deck; double-sided fold-out poster; illustrated collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film by Emma Westwood and a gallery of exclusive location scouting photographs; audio commentary by co-writer/producer/director Jill Gevargizian and actress/producer Najarra Townsend; exclusive Blu-ray introduction by Jill Gevargizian; "The Invisible Woman," an exclusive visual essay by author and critic Alexandra Heller-Nicholas, exploring the themes of women’s labor and female killers in "The Stylist" and horror cinema; "The Stylist – Behind the Scenes," a series of eight behind-the-scenes featurettes on different aspects of the film’s production, featuring interviews with the cast and crew; location scouting featurette; outtakes; original Kickstarter video; the original 2016 "The Stylist" short film directed by Jill Gevargizian and starring Najarra Townsend, that inspired the main feature; "Pity," a 2016 short film directed by "The Stylist’s" editor, John Pata, and executive produced by Jill Gevargizian, with an optional introduction by Pata; teaser trailer; theatrical trailer; image galleries. (Arrow Video/MVD Entertainment).
True Mothers
(2020 -- Japan) Hiromi Nagasaku, Arata Iura, Aju Makita. After a long and unsuccessful struggle to get pregnant, Satoko and her husband decide to adopt a child. Over the next six years, the middle-class couple and their young son, Asato, settle into a comfortable, albeit routine life. The family’s orderly existence is shattered by the arrival of Hikari, a young woman who claims to be Asato’s biological mother and demands his return. The film weaves together multiple timelines and genres and was Japan's entry for Best International Film Oscar this year. Formats: DVD, Digital. Extras: Juliette Binoche and director Naomi Kawase discuss "True Mothers"; Bonus Short Film " Return to Toyama" (Written and directed by Atsushi Hirai - France, Japan - Japanese with English subtitles - 24 minutes): After a long absence, Takumi returns to his small Japanese coastal hometown, having never made amends with his father who disapproved of him leaving. (Film Movement).
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June 6, 2021
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