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Catalogs of DVDs released 1999 -- 2006

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May 1

All I Wish

(2017) Sharon Stone, Tony Goldwyn, Famke Janssen, Ellen Burstyn, Gilles Marini, Liza Lapira. Career, friendships, hardships, relationships, hook-ups, credit card debt, being a daughter, being a grown-up ... it’s all a bit much for Senna Berges (Stone) in this romantic comedy. Zipping around Los Angeles on her Vespa and living a shaggy, freewheeling existence of her own design, Senna marks her 46th birthday as she has many others: Talking to her loving-but-concerned mom Celia (Burstyn), hanging out with her pal Darla (Lapira), and hoping to make a sale with boutique store owner Vanessa (Janssen), who thinks Senna’s handbag fashions aren’t working. As each year brings another birthday, Senna re-evaluates her life -- and reconsiders dating Adam (Goldwyn), the transplanted Boston lawyer Darla once set her up with. But as consecutive birthdays come and go, Senna has her own “coming of age.” Formats: DVD, VOD, Digital. Extras: Interviews with the cast and crew, gag reel. (Universal).

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Capitalism

(2014) Three-disc boxed set with six episodes plus a new 24-page booklet with information about the film, its making and its participants. "Capitalism" is an ambitious and accessible documentary series that looks at the history of the ideas and social forces that have shaped our capitalist world. Blending interviews with some of the world's great historians, economists, anthropologists and social critics with on-the-ground footage shot in 22 countries, "Capitalism" questions the myth of the unfettered free market, explores the nature of debt and commodities and retraces some of the great economic debates of the last 200 years. Ranked among the top 10 television programs of the year in France, where it premiered. Featured participants include the Noam Chomsky, economist Kari Polanyi Levitt, activist and professor David Graeber, economist Thomas Piketty (author of the international best-seller "Capital in the Twenty-First Century"), and the former Greek finance minister Yanis Varoufakis. Formats: DVD, VOD, Digital. (Icarus Films).

Dear Murderer, Series 1

(2017) Two-disc set with five episodes. New Zealand legal mini-series based on the true story of the life of one of that country's most infamous characters, the criminal barrister Mike Bungay, a flawed, but unique rogue. This raucous drama tells the true story of New Zealand’s most controversial lawyer, Mike Bungay. After overcoming a miserable upbringing, Bungay decides to go to law school based on the results of a coin toss. In a high-profile career that begins in the 1960s and spans decades, he makes enemies of fellow lawyers and clients alike with his unconventional methods and his penchant for fast cars, married women, and whisky. Successfully defending alleged murderers, spies, and gang members with his own brand of justice earns him notoriety — and the occasional slap in the face. But no matter how many legal victories he wins, Bungay can’t quit his self-destructive habits and escape his own inner demons. Formats: DVD. (Acorn Media).
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Followers

(2017) Amanda Delaney, Justin Maina. Brook and Caleb, a social media celebrity couple, are celebrating their special anniversary on a camping trip deep in the woods of sunny Florida. They plan on recording the entire trip for their fans, and Caleb even has a special surprise for her to make this weekend extra special. But they are not alone. Helpless and cut off from all communication, Brook and Caleb are being followed by Nick and Jake, two aspiring filmmakers hell-bent on filming a documentary on how easy it is to track someone down through social media ... and kill them. Formats: DVD. (Synkronized).

The Half-Breed

(1916) In an attempt to brand himself as a serious actor, the smiling swashbuckler Douglas Fairbanks starred in "The Half-Breed" (1916), a Western melodrama written by Anita Loos and directed with flair by Allan Dwan. Fairbanks stars as Lo Dorman, who has been ostracized from society because of his mixed ethnicity -- his Native American mother was abandoned by his white father. When Lo catches the eye of the rich white debutante Nellie (Jewel Carmen), he becomes a target for the racist Sheriff Dunn (Sam De Grasse), who wants to break them up and take Nellie for his own. This love triangle becomes a quadrangle with the arrival of Teresa (Alma Rubens), who is on the run from the law. Through fire and fury Lo must decide who and what he truly loves. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Extras: "The Good Bad Man" (1916), starring Douglas Fairbanks and directed by Allan Dwan, "Amazing Tales from the Archives: Restoring The Half-Breed," audio commentaries by Tracey Goessel and Robert Byrne, photo gallery. (Kino Classics).
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In Between (Bar Bahar)

(2016 -- Israel) Maysaloun Hamoud's remarkable debut feature follows Laila (Mouna Hawa), Salma (Sana Jammelieh), and Nur (Shaden Kanboura), three strong, independent-minded Palestinian women who share an apartment in the vibrant heart of Tel Aviv. Away from the constraints of their families and tradition, they find themselves "in between" the free and unfettered lives they aspire to lead and the restrictions still imposed on them by society. Laila, a criminal lawyer with a wicked wit, loves to burn off her workday stress in the underground club scene. Salma, slightly more subdued, is a DJ and bartender. Nur is a younger, religious Muslim who moves into the apartment in order to study at the university; she's also intrigued and intimidated by her two sophisticated roommates. When her conservative fiancé visits, he is horrified by her secular friends, entreating her to hasten their marriage, leave Tel Aviv, and assume her rightful role as a wife. She refuses, and his violent rebuttal leaves all of the women shaken. Salma and Laila also face turmoil: Laila has found love with a modern Muslim man whose acceptance proves less than unconditional, and Salma discovers that her Christian family in a northern Galilean village is not as liberal as they claim. Formats: DVD, Digital. Extras: Behind-the-scenes featurette, bonus short film: "Scent of the Morning" (directed by Maysaloun Hamoud) In 1982 Beirut, a man decides to make a cup of coffee to distract himself from the sounds of crashing bombs across the city. (Film Movement).

The Insult

(2017 -- Lebanon) Adel Karam, Kamel El Basha, Rita Hayek, Camille Salameh. Set in today's Beirut, where an insult blown out of proportion finds Toni, a Lebanese Christian, and Yasser, a Palestinian refugee, facing off in court. Uncovering hidden wounds and traumatic revelations, the media circus surrounding the case threatens to ignite a social explosion in divided Lebanon, forcing Toni and Yasser to reconsider their lives and their prejudices. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray. Extras: "Conversations from the Quad with (writer-director) Ziad Doueiri and (film critic) Richard Peña." (Cohen Media Group).
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In the Fade

(2017 -- Germany) Diane Kruger, Numan Acar, Denis Moschitto. Out of nowhere, Katja’s (Kruger) life falls apart when her husband Nuri (Acar,) and little son Rocco are killed in a bomb attack. Her friends and family try to give her the support she needs, and Katja somehow manages to make it through the funeral. But the mind-numbing search for the perpetrators and reasons behind the senseless killing complicate Katja’s painful mourning, opening wounds and doubts. Danilo (Moschitto), a lawyer and Nuri’s best friend, represents Katja in the eventual trial against the two suspects: a young couple from the neo-Nazi scene. The trial pushes Katja to the edge, but there’s simply no alternative for her: she wants justice. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc, Digital. Extras: "Behind In The Fade: The Story" with Diane Kruger and Fatih Akin (writer-director), "Inside In The Fade with Fatih Akin": Diane Kruger and Denis Moschitto, interviews with Diane Kruger and Fatih Akin. (Magnolia Home Entertainment).

Kaleidoscope

(2016) Toby Jones, Anne Reid, Sinead Matthews, Deborah Findlay. Twisty thriller unfolds in the darkest corners of a man’s mind. Recently released from prison, mild-mannered Carl quietly attempts to move on with his life. Just as he embarks on his first date in 15 years, Carl’s fresh start is shattered by the sudden reappearance of his domineering mother, whose presence awakens within him a deep-seated trauma. What unfolds is a brain-warping puzzle as reality and illusion, past and present collide and explode in violence. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray. Extras: "The Making of Kaleidoscope" featurette, "Working in the Studio" featurette, "Keeping Up With The Joneses" featurette, theatrical trailer. (IFC Midnight/Scream Factory).

Legend of the Mountain

(1979 -- China) In King Hu's masterpiece, a traveling scholar is tasked with translating a Buddhist sutra said to have immense power over the spirits of the afterlife. During his research he loses his way in the mountains, encountering ghostly presences amid a haunting fantasia of color, light and landscape. King Hu rose to prominence in the 1960s and '70s as a superb director of wuxia films ("A Touch of Zen"), a popular Chinese action genre of swords, sorcery and chivalrous heroes. "Legend of the Mountain" comes from the director's late period, when his visual artistry was at the height of its powers. The film's astonishing nature scenes, shot on location in the Korean countryside, are reminiscent of Terrence Malick, while the reflective blend of myth and history is all Hu's own. Newly restored in 4K. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray. Extras: Booklet essay by novelist Grady Hendrix, interview with film critic Tony Rayns, video essay by film critic Travis Crawford, photo gallery, trailer. (Kino Classics).

Marx Reloaded

(2011) Can Karl Marx's ideals still help us understand capitalism, inequality and the global economic and financial crisis of recent years? Today, a new generation of philosophers, artists and political activists are returning to Marx's ideas in order to consider: Is a world without or beyond capitalism possible? "Marx Reloaded" explores these questions with leading thinkers on Marxism, including those at the forefront of its popular revival. The film also includes interviews with leading skeptics, as well as light-hearted animated sequences which follow Marx’s adventures through the matrix of his own ideas. Amongst the experts: Slavoj Zizek, Antonio Negri, Jacques Ranciere, Norbert Bolz, Micha Brumlik, John Gray, Michael Hardt, Nina Power, Peter Sloterdijk and Alberto Toscano. Formats: DVD, VOD, Digital. Extras: The short film "Marx for Beginners." Based on the book by the Mexican cartoonist, Rius, "Marx for Beginners" is a humorous animated film that highlights Marx's most influential ideas and places them in context with Western civilization by introducing Pythagoras, Plato, Aristotle, da Vinci, Copernicus, Galileo and Descartes. And all in 6-minutes.(Icarus Films).
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Once Upon a Time

(2017 -- China) Liu Yifei, Yang, Yikuan Yan, Jin Luo, Chun Li. Visually spectacular fantasy adventure follows an immortal woman who reconnects with a love from her past life. Bai Qian, a goddess and monarch from the Heavenly Realms, is sent to the mortal world to undergo a trial to become a High Goddess. There, she meets Ye Hua, with whom she falls in love and marries. When an old enemy reappears in her life, everything she holds dear is threatened. Formats: Blu-ray, Digital. (Well Go USA).

PAW Patrol: Summer Rescues

(2018) Eight episodes of the "rescuing" pups as they "Save the Fireworks," "Save the Carnival," "Save a Ferris Wheel," "Save a Camping Trip," "Save Dude Ranch Danny," "Save the Chili Cook-Off," "Save a Sleepover" and "Save a Windsurfing Pig." Formats: DVD. (Nickelodeon/Paramount).
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Peter Rabbit

(2018) Rose Byrne, Domhnall Gleeson, Daisy Ridley, Elizabeth Debicki, Margot Robbie, James Corden. Feature adaptation of Beatrix Potter's classic tale of a rebellious rabbit trying to sneak into a farmer's vegetable garden. Read more about "Peter Rabbit" in the May Calendar. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray/DVD Combo, 4K Ultra HD/Blu-ray, VOD, Digital, Movies Anywhere. Extras: "Shake Your Cotton-Tail Dance Along," "Mischief In the Making." Blu-ray adds “Flopsy Turvy” mini movie featuring Peter’s precocious sisters, Flopsy, Mopsy and Cotton-tail, narrated by Margot Robbie as Flopsy. When Flospy sets out to prove that anything her sisters can do, she can do better, she soon learns that when times get tough, sisters come together. (Sony).
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Please Stand By

(2018) Dakota Fanning, Toni Collette, Alice Eve, Patton Oswalt. The world is a confusing place for Wendy (Dakota Fanning). As a fiercely independent and brilliant young woman with autism, Wendy longs to leave the regimen of her group home and return to life with her sister’s family and their new baby, but she must first prove herself. As a lover of all-things-"Star Trek," Wendy writes fantasy stories in her free time. To her, people are an indecipherable code, so she uses her "Star Trek" filter to understand them. When a screenplay competition presents itself, Wendy decides to finish her 500-page "Star Trek" script and enter. Now, the problem is getting it there. In order to meet the deadline, Wendy must travel hundreds of miles outside her protected boundaries to submit her script in person. With her little dog Pete in her purse and a few dollars in her pocket, Wendy boldly goes where she has never gone before. And with her no-nonsense therapist (Toni Collette) and big sister Audrey (Alice Eve) following close behind, Wendy, with the help of some colorful friends she meets along the way, must learn how to follow her dream and find her place in a world she hopes will accept her. Extras: "Making of Please Stand By," deleted scenes.Formats: DVD, Blu-ray, VOD, Digital. (Magnolia Home Entertainment).

Spying on the Royals

(2017) On the weekend of December 5, 1936, a frazzled King Edward VIII sat alone at Buckingham Palace. In secret, he telephoned his brother Bertie to tell him of his major decision -- that he could no longer be King if it meant abandoning the woman he loved, Wallis Simpson. But little did the royal brothers know that others were listening to their call. Declassified documents bring to light the secret story behind the events that stunned the world 80 years ago, detailing the most controversial espionage operation in British history. The targets were none other than King Edward VIII and his feisty American lover Wallis Simpson. Both were considered major security threats and were suspected of having Nazi sympathies by both Britain and America. This top-secret surveillance operation involved hundreds of spies over 11 years, spanning two continents, eight countries, and the Atlantic Ocean. Edward and Wallis were bugged, wire-tapped, and followed -- on the orders of both the British prime minister and the American president. Formats: DVD, Digital. (Public Media Distribution).
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Tremors: A Cold Day in Hell

(2018) Michael Gross and Jamie Kennedy return for more outrageous action in the latest installment of the Tremors franchise. Burt Gummer (Gross) and his son Travis Welker (Kennedy) find themselves up to their ears in Graboids and Ass-Blasters when they head to Canada to investigate a series of deadly giant worm attacks. Arriving at a remote research facility in the arctic tundra, Burt begins to suspect that Graboids are secretly being weaponized, but before he can prove his theory, he is sidelined by Graboid venom. With just 48 hours to live, the only hope is to create an antidote from fresh venom — but to do that, someone will have to figure out how to milk a Graboid. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray/DVD Combo, VOD, Digital. Extras:"The Making of Tremors: A Cold Day in Hell" with filmmakers, cast, and crew; "Anatomy of a Scene" break down of the first underwater Graboid attack; "Inside Chang’s Market." (Universal).
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12 Strong

(2018) Chris Hemsworth, Michael Shannon, Michael Pena, Said Taghmaoui, Elsa Pataky, William Fichtner, Rob Riggle. Set in the harrowing days following 9/11 when a U.S. Special Forces team, led by their new Captain, Mitch Nelson (Chris Hemsworth), are chosen to be the first U.S. troops sent into Afghanistan. Read more about "12 Strong" in the May Calendar. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray/DVD Combo, VOD, Digital. Extras: "12 Strong: The Making of an Impossible Mission," "Monumental Effort: Building America’s Response Monument." (Warner).

The Violent Professionals

(1973 -- Italy) Tough cop Giorgio (Luc Merenda) doesn't like to play by the rules, going as far as gunning down a ruthless criminal in broad daylight. After he's suspended from the force and his boss is murdered, he goes on a brutal undercover dive into the criminal underworld to expose a criminal organization with no respect for authority. Starring Richard Conte with a powerhouse score by the great composers Guido and Maurizio De Angelis, this blistering Italian crime classic blazes with mind-blowing car chases and gunshots. Directed by cult filmmaker Sergio Martino. Formats: Blu-ray. Extras: Trailer. (Kino/Code Red).
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Winchester: The House That Ghosts Built

(2018) Helen Mirren, Jason Clarke, Sarah Snook. Helen Mirren stars as the infamous and eccentric heiress Sarah Winchester, who built a house to serve as a prison, an asylum, for hundreds of vengeful ghosts -- of people killed by the Winchester rifle. Read more about "Winchester: The House That Ghosts Built" in the May Calendar. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray/DVD Combo, VOD, Digital. Extras: “Driven by the Spirits: The Making of Winchester” featurette. (Lionsgate).



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May 8

Ackley Bridge, Series 1

(2017) Two-disc set with six episodes of the new school-based British drama that offers a gritty, funny and truthful insight into the daily drama of teachers, teenagers and families whose lives and cultures collide in a fictional 21st century Northern English town. After years of racial segregation in a small Yorkshire town, two high schools integrate white and Pakistani students by combining into Ackley Bridge College. But the transition is far from easy for teachers and students alike. Headmistress Mandy clashes with her husband, PE teacher Steve, and free-spirited English teacher Emma deals with her daughter showing up drunk to class. Troublemaker Jorda creates enemies by disparaging the school, while best friends Missy and Nasreen quarrel when vivacious Missy doesn’t fit in with Nasreen’s conservative Muslim friends. Will Ackley Bridge unite the community -- or tear it apart? Formats: DVD. Extras: Behind-the-scenes featurette. (Acorn Media).
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Batman Ninja

(2018) The Caped Crusader in feature-length, full-blown anime style. "Batman Ninja" takes a journey across the ages as Gorilla Grodd’s time displacement machine transports many of Batman’s worst enemies to feudal Japan -- along with the Dark Knight and a few of his allies. The villains take over the forms of the feudal lords that rule the divided land, with the Joker taking the lead among the warring factions. As his traditional high-tech weaponry is exhausted almost immediately, Batman must rely on his intellect and his allies -- including Catwoman and the extended Bat-family -- to restore order to the land, and return to present-day Gotham City. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Steelbook, Blu-ray/DVD Combo, Digital. Extras: “East/West Batman” featurette): Batman meets the anime medium, as this documentary looks into some of the Western tropes and archetypes, meshed into the world of feudal Japan. East meets West, swords, samurai and giant robots, all playing into the clash between Batman and his Rogues gallery; “Batman: Made in Japan” featurette: To make a special film about Batman requires just the right artist to bring the mix of style and energy that is unmistakably anime. The filmmakers discuss how the Japanese character models, influences and design create a fusion experience into this hyper real world; “New York Comic Con Presents Batman Ninja." (Warner Bros. Japan/DC Entertainment/Warner Bros. Home Entertainment).
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Blood and Glory

(2016 -- South Africa) Charlotte Salt, Greg Kriek, Josh Myers. Set in 1901, this period epic follows Willem Morkel -- a Boer and family man whose wife and son are murdered during the Anglo-Boer War. Captured as a prisoner of war, Willem must survive incarceration in the notorious St. Helena concentration camp and defeat the ruthless Colonel Swannell, at his own game ... Rugby. Formats: DVD. (Cleopatra Entertainment).

Dear White People Season One

(2017) Three-disc set with all 10 episodes. Set against the backdrop of a predominantly white Ivy League university, where racial tensions bubble just below the surface, "Dear White People Season One" is a send-up of the now post-postracial America that tells the universal story of finding one’s own identity and forging a wholly unique path. The satirical series -- which picks up where the acclaimed 2014 film by the same name left off -- follows a group of Winchester University students of color as they navigate a diverse landscape of social injustice, cultural bias, political correctness (or lack thereof), and activism in the millennial age. Through its absurdist lens, "Dear White People Season One" leads with laughter as it utilizes biting irony, self-deprecation, and sometimes brutal honesty to hold a mirror up to the issues plaguing society today. Formats: DVD, Digital. Extras: “Dear White People: Art As Activism” featurette, “Filming Chapter V” featurette, commentaries for Chapters I and X with creator Justin Simien. (Lionsgate).
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Fifty Shades Freed

(2018) Jamie Dornan, Dakota Johnson, Eric Johnson, Rita Ora, Marcia Gay Harden. The seminal final chapter of the darkly alluring tale. Read more about "Fifty Shades Freed" in the May Calendar. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray/DVD Combo, VOD, Digital, Movies Anywhere. Extras: Deleted scene, "The Final Climax" behind-the-scenes featurettes: "The Wedding," "Honeymoon: Travel," "Mr. & Mrs. Grey," "Ana Takes Charge," "Ana & Mr. Hyde," "Aspen in Whistler," "Ana's Revelation," "Resolution," "The Meaning of Freed." Blu-ray adds "An Intimate Conversation with (author) EL James and Eric Johnson," three music videos. (Universal).

Divine Divas

(2018 -- Brazil) The Divine Divas are icons of the first generation of Brazilian transvestite artists of the 1960s. One of the first stages to host men dressed as women was the Rival Theatre, then run by Americo Leal, the director's grandfather. The film explores the intimacy, the talent and the stories of a generation that revolutionized sexual behavior and defied the moral of the time. Formats: DVD. (FilmRise).

Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief

(2015) Following the Peabody Award-winning documentary "Mea Maxima Culpa", his investigation into the Catholic Church, Alex Gibney dives fully into one of the most controversial and secretive religions in the world, exploring what members of Scientology are willing to do in the name of religion. The film touches on a wide range of aspects of the church, from its origin, to an intimate portrait of the Church's founder L. Ron Hubbard, to its recruiting practices, to present day practices by church officials. Formats: DVD. (FilmRise).

Gray Matter

(2018) Alys Crocker, Brenna Llewellyn, Shaun Mazzocca. Since the 1940's alien beings known as "Grays" have been sighted around the globe with the thought that they're visiting our planet to study our species and civilization before they eventually invade ... but what if we're wrong? What if they are only here to protect us? After a meteorite crashes to Earth awakening the extraterrestrial creature within, a young woman is abducted by an alien "Gray" to aide in hunting down and destroying the creature before it can reach a second meteorite that fell to Earth decades earlier, waiting to unleash a deadly infestation of the planet. Formats: DVD. (IndiCan Pictures).

House of Evil

(2017-- Italy) Andrew Harwood Mills, Lucy Drive, Désirée Giorgetti, David White, Eleonora Marianelli. Horror thriller follows a young couple who, in the 1970s, move into a large, remote house in the countryside with hopes of starting a family. However, it's not long before they are menaced by ghosts and a darker demonic presence. Formats: DVD, VOD. (Breaking Glass Pictures).
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The House That Dripped Blood BLU-RAY DEBUT

(1971) A Scotland Yard inspector’s search for a missing film star leads him to a haunted house. The house sets the framework for four separate tales of terror written by the author of "Psycho," Robert Bloch, and starring horror icons Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee and Ingrid Pitt. All four stories center on the mysterious fates of tenants who have leased the mansion over the years. Extras: New audio commentary by film historian/author Troy Howarth; new interview with second assistant director Mike Higgins; audio commentary with director Peter Duffell and author Jonathan Rigby; Vintage Featurette "A-Rated Horror Film" featuring interviews with director Peter Duffell, actors Geoffrey Bayldon, Ingrid Pitt and Chloe Franks; theatrical trailers (English and Spanish); radio spots; The Amicus Radio Spots Collection; still gallery. (Scream Factory).

Human Experiments

(1979) Linda Haynes, Geoffrey Lewis, Aldo Ray, Jackie Coogan, Ellen Travolta, Laurene Tuttle. The terrifying cult classic finally hits you in the face with a stunning new HD restoration. Rachel Foster (Linda Haynes) is a country singer traveling alone through the United States. She resists the advances of lecherous bar owner Mat Tibbs (Aldo Ray), and in her hurry to leave town, she accidentally wrecks her car. Looking for assistance, she finds what appears to be an abandoned house, but after stumbling inside, she discovers that in fact it's the scene of a grisly multiple homicide. Simply being at the wrong place at the wrong time, she's railroaded into a women's correctional facility and finds herself at the mercy of prison psychiatrist Doctor Kline (Geoffrey Lewis) who has insidious intentions up his sleeve. Evidently, it doesn't take Rachel long to realize that something is greatly amiss, as female inmates inexplicably go missing without a trace. Formats: DVD. Extras: Audio commentary with director Gregory Goodell, theatrical trailer. (Scorpion Releasing/Kino Lorber).
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La Belle Noiseuse (aka The Beautiful Troublemaker)

(1991 -- France) The Grand Prix winner at the 1991 Cannes Film Festival, "La Belle Noiseuse" is Jacques Rivette's intimately epic exploration of the convergence between artistry and eroticism. Edouard Frenhofer (Michel Piccoli) is a reclusive painter living in the French countryside with his wife (Jane Birkin). Their lives are radically upended with the arrival of a younger artist (David Bursztein) and his girlfriend (Emmanuel Béart), who becomes the muse that awakens Edouard's fading passions. Rivette creates a layered character study, while also offering an immersive meditation on the creative process. Rivette (1928-2016) was a key member of the New Wave of the late 1950s and '60s -- the group of film critics for the influential magazine Cahiers du Cinéma who put their revolutionary theories to the test as they became filmmakers themselves and changed the face of modern movies. Standing somewhat apart from Francois Truffaut, Jean-Luc Godard, Alain Resnais, Claude Chabrol, Eric Rohmer and other pioneers of the movement, Rivette created films marked by improvisation, unusual length and loose narrative that give the impression of events simply unfolding before the camera. New 4K restoration of the original four-hour version (in 1992, Rivette released a much shorter cut, titled photo for Manifesto "Divertimento," which presented the story chiefly from the Béart character's point of view). Formats: DVD, Blu-ray, Digital. Extras: Feature-length audio commentary track by film historian Richard Suchenski, interview with Rivette, interview with co-writers Pascal Bonitzer and Christine Laurent, the 2017 re-release trailer. (Cohen Film Collection).

Manifesto

(2015) From acclaimed visual artist Julian Rosefeldt, "Manifesto" features two-time Academy Award winner Cate Blanchett in 13 distinct vignettes that incorporate timeless manifestos from 20th-century art movements. From anchorwoman to homeless man, from Pop Art to Dogma 95, a chameleonic Blanchett gives tour-de-force performances as she transforms herself like never before. Rosefeldt weaves together history's most impassioned artistic statements in this stunning and contemporary call to action. Formats: DVD. (FilmRise).
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Moonrise

(1948) A small-town fable about violence and redemption, ""Moonrise" is the final triumph of Frank Borzage, one of Hollywood’s most neglected masters. Stigmatized from infancy by the fate of his criminal father, young Danny (Dane Clark) is bruised and bullied until one night, in a fit of rage, he kills his most persistent tormentor. As the police close in around him, Danny makes a desperate bid for the love of the dead man’s fiancée (Gail Russell), a schoolteacher who sees the wounded soul behind his aggression. With this postwar comeback, Borzage recaptured the inspiration that had animated his long and audacious early career, marrying the lyrical force of his romantic sensibility with the psychological anguish of film noir, in a stunning vindication of faith in the power of love. On DVD and Blu-ray, with restored 4K digital transfer, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray. Extras: New conversation between author Hervé Dumont ("Frank Borzage: The Life and Films of a Hollywood Romantic") and film historian Peter Cowie, an essay by critic Philip Kemp. (The Criterion Collection).
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Paradox

(2017 -- China) Louis Koo, Gordon Lam, Tony Jaa, Wu Yue, Chris Collins, Ken Low, Vithaya Pansringarm. The third instalment of the SPL martial arts franchise. Hong Kong cop Lee (Koo) goes on a search in Thailand for his missing 16-year-old daughter Chi. Thai Chinese police officer Chui Kit (Yue) lets Lee join the investigation, having no idea that Lee is going to use the mass media to hunt for clues. A short clip which accidentally filmed Chi’s capture is uploaded to the police website, but subsequently deleted. Chui Kit and colleague Tak (Jaa) track down the clip owner, but the evidence is destroyed. The duo begins tracking down the culprit. As they get closer to the truth, they realize that the case is more complicated than they expected, and the mastermind behind the scene is not someone they can deal with. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray, Digital. (Well Go USA).
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Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In: The Complete Fourth Season

The '60s gave us "in-crowds," "be-ins" and "love-ins," and starting in 1968, the happening place for free-form comedy was "Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In," broadcast from beautiful downtown Burbank. Straight man Dan Rowan and wisecracking co-host Dick Martin led a gaggle of goofballs through a rapid-fire assault of one-liners, skits, bits and non sequiturs that left viewers in hysterics and disbelief. Anything and anyone in the public eye was a target. Political correctness? Forget it! The groundbreaking show anchored the Monday 8 p.m. time slot on NBC until March 12, 1973. Available for the very first time at retail, this seven-disc set features 26 complete, remastered episodes from the Emmy- and Golden Globe-winning series. Season Four guest stars include Truman Capote, Art Carney, Johnny Carson, Wilt Chamberlain, Carol Channing, Tim Conway, Bing Crosby, Sammy Davis Jr., Rich Little, Bob Newhart, Vincent Price, Carl Reiner, Debbie Reynolds, Don Rickles, Rod Serling, Orson Welles, and many more. Formats: DVD. (Time Life).

Valentina’s Wedding (La Boda De Valentina)

(2018 -- Mexico) Omar Chaparro, Marimar Vega, Ryan Carnes. Valentina (Vega) has the perfect life in New York with the perfect boyfriend (Carnes), but things get complicated when she visits her politically scandalous family in Mexico and she reunites with her former love (Chaparro). Formats: DVD (Lionsgate).

Vazante

(2017 -- Brazil) Adriano Carvalho, Juliana Da Cunha, Luana Nastas. In Southeastern Brazil in 1821, white drover turned farmer Antonio (Carvalho) returns from a trading expedition to discover that his wife and baby have died in labor. Living on his expansive but desolate property that he fails to cultivate, in the company of his aging mother-in-law (Da Cunha) and numerous slaves, Antonio’s marries his deceased wife’s young niece, Beatriz (Nastas). Separated from her family and left alone on the rugged farmhouse in the Brazilian mountains when her husband departs on business, child bride Beatriz finds solace in the displaced and oppressed inhabitants around her, all of whom are growing openly restless. The film explores the fraught intersection of feminism, colonialism, and race that has persisted across centuries and continents, and Brazil’s shameful, violent sins: miscegenation and slavery -- the conditions that undermines the humanity of all. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray, VOD, Digital. Extras: Masterclass with director Daniela Thomas at Princeton University’s Brazil LAB. (Music Box Films).




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May 15

ACORN and the Firestorm

(2017) If you were impoverished and politically voiceless, ACORN hoped to change your mind. For 40 years, the community-organizing group sought to empower marginalized communities. Its critics, though, believed ACORN exemplified everything wrong with liberal ideals. Fueled by a YouTube video made by two young conservatives who posed as pimp and prostitute in a sting, ACORN’s very existence would be challenged. "ACORN and the Firestorm" goes beyond the 24-hour news cycle and cuts to the heart of the great political divide. Formats: DVD, VOD. (First Run Features).

Bent

(2018) Karl Urban, Sofía Vergara, Grace Byers, Andy Garcia. When a drug bust goes wrong, ex-cop Danny Gallagher’s (Urban) quest for justice leads him to the car-bomb murder of a government official’s wife. As Gallagher learns that the woman’s secret lover was a seductive federal agent (Vergara) he finds himself under fire. But from whom -- his own cops, a vengeful drug lord, the CIA, or someone even more ruthless? Formats: DVD, Blu-ray, VOD, Digital. Extras: “Behind the Scenes of Bent” featurette, cast and crew interviews. (Lionsgate).

Beuys

(2017 -- Germany) Thirty years after his death, Joseph Beuys still feels like a visionary and is widely considered one of the most influential artists of his generation. Known for his contributions to the Fluxus movement and his work across diverse media -- from happening and performance to sculpture, installation, and graphic art -- Beuys' expanded concept of the role of the artist places him in the middle of socially relevant discourses on media, community, and capitalism. Using previously untapped visual and audio sources, director Andres Veiel has created a one-of-a- kind chronicle: Beuys is not a portrait in the traditional sense, but an intimate and in-depth look at a human being, his art and ideas, and the way they have impacted the world. Formats: DVD. Extras: Excerpt from "Joseph Beuys: Transformer," a documentary by John Halpern; interview with director Andres Veiel by John Halpern; John Halpern introduction; Ronald Feldman introduction; trailer. (Kino Lorber).
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Black Panther

(2018) Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong'o, Danai Gurira, Martin Freeman, Daniel Kaluuya, Letitia Wright, Winston Duke, Angela Bassett, Forest Whitaker, Andy Serkis. After avenging the death of his father, King T'Challa returns to his native land of Wakanda in Africa. However, he soon discovers that there are subversive elements within his own country. Foreign forces are plotting to use Wakanda's wealth and knowledge for their own ends, and internal foes are scheming to take advantage of this instability. Relying on the amazing powers given to him by a mysterious herb, T'Challa must once again don his black superhero suit to save his people. Third biggest movie of all time domestically with over $665 million – the first film in eight years to spend five weeks at No. 1 – and rising to the global top 10 of all time with over $1.3 billion. Read more about "Black Panther" in the May Calendar. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray, 4K Ultra HD/Blu-ray Combo, VOD, Digital, Movies Anywhere. Blu-ray extras: Director’s intro; "From Page to Screen: A Roundtable Discussion" delves into the film’s making; "Crowning of a New King" explores the world of “Black Panther” in all its color and complexity; "The Warriors Within": the Wakanda’s women and the actors who portray them; "The Hidden Kingdom Revealed"; "Wakanda Revealed: Exploring the Technology"; deleted scenes; gag reel"; exclusive sneak peek at “Ant-Man and The Wasp”; "Marvel Studios the First Ten Years: Connecting the Universe"; director’s commentary. (Disney).

Cocaine Godmother: The Griselda Blanco Story

(2017) Catherine Zeta-Jones, Jenny Pellicer, Alejandro Edda. Warren Christie, Juan Pablo Espinosa. Lifetime Channel film based on the life of drug lord Griselda Blanco, a pioneer in the Miami-based cocaine trade. Formats: DVD.(Lionsgate).

Forbidden Films

(2014 -- Germany) 1,200 feature films were made in Germany's Third Reich. According to experts, some 100 of these were blatant Nazi propaganda. Nearly 70 years after the end of the Nazi regime, more than 40 of these films remain under lock and key. Director Felix Moeller interviews German film historians, archivists and filmgoers in an investigation of the power, and potential danger, of cinema when used for ideological purposes. Utilizing clips from the films and recorded discussions from public screenings (permitted in Germany in educational contexts) in Munich, Berlin, Paris and Jerusalem, Moeller shows how contentious these 70-year-old films remain, and how propaganda can retain its punch when presented to audiences susceptible to manipulation. Formats: DVD. (Zeitgeist Films/Kino Lorber).

The Forgiven

(2018) Forest Whitaker, Eric Bana, Jeff Gum, Morne Visser, Terry Norton, Rob Gough, Debbie Sherman. When Archbishop Desmond Tutu (Whitaker) is appointed to head a nationwide investigation, he's summoned to a maximum-security prison by a notorious murderer seeking clemency (Bana). Inside the brutal prison's walls, Tutu is drawn into a dangerous, life-changing battle with the cunning criminal in this captivating film based on real events, from Oscar-nominated director Roland Joffe. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray, VOD, Digital. (Lionsgate).

The It’s Alive Trilogy

For the first time on Blu-ray, and in a new, deluxe box set, the "It’s Alive" trilogy is reborn. It's newborn and ... It's Alive ... and murder is what it knows photo for The It’s Alive Trilogybest. A proud couple's bundle of joy is really a newborn terror in filmmaker Larry Cohen's cautionary cult hit "It's Alive" (1974) that tapped into environmental fears. The horror grows when multiple child monsters rampage in the first sequel "It Lives Again" (1978) as two brave parents try to stop them by becoming the bait for their spree. The now global mutants are rounded up and relocated to a far-flung island in It's Alive III: Island of the Alive (1987). Will a parent's greatest nightmare become the world's gravest fear? Formats: Blu-ray. Extras: New 2K scan of the original film elements of all three films, commentary by Cohen on all three films, new "Cohen’s Alive: Looking Back at the It’s Alive Films" featuring interviews with writer-producer-director Larry Cohen, actors James Dixon, Michael Moriarty and Laurene Landon and more; new "It’s Alive at the Nuart: The 40th Anniversary Screening" with Larry Cohen; trailers, TV and radio spots, still galleries. (Scream Factory).

The Jackie Gleason Show in Color: Deluxe Edition

(2017) From 1966-1970, Jackie Gleason, everyone's favorite working-class hero, entertained enthralled audiences across the country with his eponymous TV variety show featuring hilarious sketches, celebrity guest stars and much more. Taped in Miami Beach, "The Jackie Gleason Show "delivered an unforgettable gallery of characters Gleason himself created and fine-tuned, including his most indelible and legendary creation -- Ralph Kramden -- as he and Art Carney revived their Honeymooners roles (with Sheila MacRae and Jane Kean added as the new Alice and Trixie), all presented in glorious color for the first time. Across three beautifully-remastered collector's discs, "The Jackie Gleason Show in Color: Deluxe Edition" contains 12 never-before-released episodes -- including seven unreleased Honeymooners sketches that haven't been seen since they first aired, including "Six Months to Live," "Alice's Birthday," "Lawsuit," "Hot Tip," "The New Bowling Ball," "Norton Moves In" and "he New Manager." Includes guest appearances by Jack Benny, George Burns, Milton Berle, Tony Bennett, Red Buttons, Phil Silvers, Florence Henderson, Frankie Avalon, Nipsey Russell, Edie Adams, Sid Caesar, Alan King, Robert Goulet, Mickey Rooney, Frank Sinatra Jr., Victor Borge and more. Formats: DVD. (Time Life).
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Landing Up

(2018) Stacey Maltin, E’dena Hines, Ben Rappaport. Chrissie (Maltin) is young, wild, and living on the streets of NYC. She and her best friend Cece (Hines) use their youth and good looks to their advantage, playing a con game with strangers to put a roof over their heads, while all the time fantasizing about having enough money to score their dream apartment. When Chrissie meets David (Rappaport), a funny, genuine guy who works his way into her heart, she falls for him and must decide whether to confess the real circumstances of her life or continue her carefully crafted lie at all costs. Formats: DVD, VOD, Digital. (Random Media).

LEGO DC Super Hero Girls: Super-Villain High

(2018) All-new animated film. After a mysterious school opens across the street, the students of Super Hero High find themselves up against a new threat. Wonder Woman, Supergirl, Batgirl and the rest of the DC Super Hero Girls not only have to worry about the well-being of their grades, but the safety and security of friends, family and the rest of civilization. The girls must figure out how to put a stop to this evil, new cross-town rival and save the world once again. Formats: DVD, VOD, Digital. Extras: Six animated shorts: "Crazed and Confused," "Need for Speed," "Showdown", "Trading Places," "Wonder Waitress" and "Bodybuilding." (Warner).

The Manor

(2017) Christina Robinson, Kevin Nash, Rachel True. Still haunted by the demons of a childhood tragedy, Amy (Robinson) checks out of an asylum on her eighteenth birthday. But things get weird when Amy’s mother takes her to a rustic resort to visit her strange, sadistic relatives. When hunters and religious fanatics join the party, Amy can no longer tell fantasy from reality, watching helplessly as the blood spills anew. Formats: DVD, VOD, Digital. (Lionsgate).
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The Monkey King 3

(2018 -- China) Aaron Kwok, Feng Shaofeng, Gigi Leung, Xiao Shenyang, Chung Him Law. The third installment of the blockbuster fantasy series sees the return of the Monkey King (Kwok). While continuing their epic journey to the West, the Monkey King and his companions are taken captive by the Queen of an all-female land, who believes them to be part of an ancient prophecy heralding the fall of her kingdom. With a lot of sorcery and a little bit of charm, the travelers devise a plan to escape. But, when their trickery angers the mighty River God, they realize they might just bring about the foretold destruction -- unless they can find a way to quell her wrath. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray, Digital. (Well Go USA ).

The Other Side of Hope

(2015 -- Finland) This wry, melancholic comedy from Aki Kaurismäki, a response to the ongoing global refugee crisis, follows two people searching for a place to call home. Khaled (Sherwan Haji), a displaced Syrian, lands in Helsinki as a stowaway; photo for The Other Side of Hopemeanwhile, middle-aged Finnish salesman Wikström (Sakari Kuosmanen) leaves his wife and his job and buys a conspicuously unprofitable seafood restaurant. Khaled is denied asylum but decides not to return to Aleppo -- and the paths of the two men cross fortuitously. As deadpan as the best of the director’s work, and with a deep well of empathy for its down-but-not-out characters (many of them played by members of Kaurismäki’s loyal stock company), "The Other Side of Hope" is a bittersweet tale of human kindness in the face of official indifference. On DVD and Blu-ray, with new 2K digital transfer, approved by director Aki Kaurismäki, with 5.1 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack on the Blu-ray. Extras: New interview with actor Sherwan Haji; footage from the 2017 Berlin Film Festival press conference for the film, featuring Kaurismäki and the film’s actors; "Aki and Peter," a new video essay by Daniel Raim about the friendship between Kaurismäki and film critic Peter von Bagh, to whom the film is dedicated; music videos; trailer; an essay by critic Girish Shambu. (The Criterion Collection).

Play the Devil

(2016) Petrice Jones, Melanie Archer, Blair Cameron, Gareth Jenkins. Set against the backdrop of Trinidad and Tobago's mystical Carnival, a gifted and struggling young man becomes the object of intrigue for an older, well-meaning businessman until their worlds collide. Formats: DVD, VOD. (Breaking Glass Pictures).

The Sacrifice

(1986 -- Russia) Dir.: Andrei Tarkovsky; Erland Josephson, Susan Fleetwood, Allan Edwall. Andrei Tarkovsky's final masterpiece is a haunting vision of a world threatened with nuclear annihilation. As a wealthy Swedish family celebrates the birthday of their patriarch Alexander (Erland Josephson), news of the outbreak of World War III reaches their remote Baltic island -- and the happy mood turns to horror. The family descends into a state of psychological devastation, brilliantly evoked by Tarkovsky's arresting palette of luminous grays washing over the bleak landscape around their home. The film's masterful cinematography is by Sven Nykvist, Ingmar Bergman's longtime collaborator. Made as he was dying of cancer, "The Sacrifice" is Tarkovsky's closing artistic testament, a profoundly moving, redemptive tragedy steeped in unforgettable imagery and heart-wrenching emotion. In a 4K Restoration. Formats: Blu-ray/DVD Combo. Extras: Audio commentary by Layla Alexander-Garrett, Tarkovsky's translator on the set of "The Sacrifice"; interview with Michal Leszczylowski, editor of "The Sacrifice" and director of "Directed By Andrei Tarkovsky"; "Directed by Andrei Tarkovsky," a documentary on the making of "The Sacrifice"; trailers. (Kino Classics).

The Shannara Chronicles Season Two

(2017) Three-disc set with all 10 episodes. Season Two finds the Four Lands in chaos. The re-emergence of magic has the populace terrified, and an organization called The Crimson is hunting down magic users, using fear and intimidation to sow discord among the races. Wil Ohmsford, scarred by the loss of Amberle and his separation from Eritrea, has turned his back on his magical destiny to become a healer. But when a mysterious woman named Mareth saves Wil from a Crimson attack, he is forced to rejoin the fight. After reuniting with Eretria, Wil and Mareth seek out Allanon, only to learn that the Druid’s former protégé, Bandon, is on a mission to resurrect a creature of darkest evil: The Warlock Lord. Together, our heroes must band together to take down The Crimson and prevent Bandon from unleashing an even greater threat upon the Four Lands…before it’s too late. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray. Extras: Behind-the-scenes featurettes on the characters, actors and more. (Paramount).

The Sweet Escape

(2015-- France) Bruno Podalydès, Sandrine Kiberlain, Agnès Jaoui. Middle-aged graphic artist Michel (Bruno Podalydès) is seized by a sudden crazy impulse and orders a canoe and paddles -- everything he needs for an adventure. His wife Rachelle (Sandrine Kiberlain) encourages him to set out alone on his escapades. So what if he’s never rowed a boat in his life? Adventure is adventure! His big trip on the water turns out to be full of surprises and unexpected encounters. Formats: DVD, VOD, Digital. (Distrib Films US Collection/Icarus Films).
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Two Thousand Maniacs! Special Edition

(1964) Connie Mason, William Kerwin, Jeffrey Allen. After shocking and outraging the world with his genre-defining 1963 gore-fest "Blood Feast," exploitation pioneer Herschell Gordon Lewis would seek (and positively succeed) to outdo himself with the deliciously depraved film. When a group of Yankee tourists take a detour and wind up in the small Southern town of Pleasant Valley -- which has magically rematerialized 100 years after its destruction during the Civil War -- they find themselves welcomed by the eager townsfolk as guests of honor at their centennial celebrations. Little do the Northerners know that the festivities are set to include torture, death and dismemberment. Also includes H.G. Lewis’ fist fightin’, hooch-swillin’ epic "Moonshine Mountain." On Blu-ray, with original Uncompressed PCM Mono Audio. Extras: Introductions to the films by H.G. Lewis; archive audio commentary on "Two Thousand Maniacs!" by H.G. Lewis; "Two Thousand Maniacs Can't be Wrong" filmmaker Tim Sullivan on H.G. Lewis’ gore classic; "Hickspoitation: Confidential" visual essay on the depiction of the American South in exploitation cinema; "David Friedman: The Gentlemen's Smut Peddler" tribute to legendary producer David F. Friedman featuring interviews with H.G. Lewis, filmmakers Fred Olen Ray and Tim Sullivan and editor Bob Murawski; "Herschell's Art of Advertising" in which Lewis shares his expert opinion on the art of selling movies; "Two Thousand Maniacs!" outtakes; trailers; reversible sleeve featuring original and newly-commissioned artwork by The Twins of Evil. (Arrow Video).

Unforgotten Season 2

(2017) Two-disc set with six episodes of the UK crime drama. Season 2 starts innocently enough with a routine river dredging operation. When the scoop brings up a soggy, old suitcase, the workers open it and find a corpse sealed up so long that the tissues have turned to a soapy substance. Gruesome forensic work identifies the victim as David Walker, a businessman missing for 25 years. The case tests the wits of crime-solving duo Detective Chief Inspector Cassie Stuart and Detective Sergeant Sunny Khan. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray. (PBS Distribution).



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May 22


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Beyond the Hills

(2016 -- Romania) With this arresting drama based on notorious real-life events, Cristian Mungiu mounts a complex inquiry into faith, fanaticism, and indifference. At a desolate Romanian monastery, a young novice nun, Voichita (Cosmina Stratan), reunites with her former companion Alina (Cristina Flutur), who plans to take her to Germany. But Voichita proves unwilling to abandon her calling, and Alina becomes increasingly desperate to reclaim her devotion, putting the outsider at odds with the monastery’s ascetic priest -- and precipitating a painfully misguided, brutal attempt to save her soul. A naturalistic tragedy with the dark force of a folktale, anchored by the fraught dynamic between cinema newcomers Flutur and Stratan (who shared the best actress prize at Cannes), "Beyond the Hills" bears powerful witness to individuals at cross-purposes and institutions ill-equipped to help those most in need. On DVD and Blu-ray, with 2K digital transfer, approved by director Cristian Mungiu, with 5.1 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack on the Blu-ray. Extras: New interview with Mungiu; "The Making of Beyond the Hills,” a documentary from 2013, produced by Mungiu; press conference from the 2012 Cannes Film Festival, featuring Mungiu and actors Cosmina Stratan, Cristina Flutur, Valeriu Andriuta, and Dana Tapalaga; deleted scenes; trailer; an essay by film scholar Doru Pop. (The Criterion Collection).
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Black Venus

(2010) Between "The Secret of the Grain," winner of three César Awards, and the Cannes triumph of "Blue Is the Warmest Colour," Abdellatif Kechiche made "Black Venus," a stark portrait of the life of Saartjie Baartman, also known as the "Hottentot Venus." Baartman was taken from South African home as a 21-year-old and shipped to Georgian London, where she would be caged and exhibited as a freak show. Presented semi-nude, her physique -- especially her large buttocks -- was the source of much curiosity. But as her "fame" spread, so too did her exploitation. Centered on a remarkable performance by Cuban actor Yahima Torres as Baartman, Black Venus provides a bleak but barbed exploration of sex, science, race, colonialism and social attitudes. With optional 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio and 2.0 DTS-HD Master Audio soundtracks. Formats: Blu-ray. Extras: Brand-new appreciation of "Black Venus" and the cinema of Abdellatif Kechiche by critic Neil Young; theatrical trailer; reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Peter Strain; FIRST PRESSING ONLY: Illustrated collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film by Will Higbee, author of "Post-Beur Cinema: North African Émigré" and "Maghrebi-French Filmmaking in France Since 2000." (Arrow Video/MVD Entertainment).
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The Bloodthirsty Trilogy

(1971-74 -- Japan) Kayo Matsuo, Akira Nakao, Atsuo Nakamura, Midori Fujita, Chôei Takahashi, Toshio Kurosawa. Inspired by the runaway success of the British and American gothic horror films of the sixties, Toho studios brought the vampiric tropes of the Dracula legend to Japanese screens with "The Vampire Doll" (1970), "Lake of Dracula" (1971) and "Evil of Dracula" (1974) -- three spookily effective cult classics collectively known as "The Bloodthirsty Trilogy." In "The Vampire Doll," a young man goes missing after visiting his girlfriend’s isolated country home. His sister and her boyfriend trace him to the creepy mansion, but their search becomes perilous when they uncover a gruesome family history. "Lake of Dracula" begins with a young girl suffering a terrifying nightmare of a vampire with blazing golden eyes. Eighteen years later, the dream is revealed to be a hellish prophecy when a strange package containing an empty coffin mysteriously turns up at a nearby lake. In "Evil of Dracula," a professor takes up a new post at an all-girls school only to discover the school’s principle conceals a dark secret and the pupils are in grave danger. Abounding with images of dark thunderous nights, ghostly mansions and bloody fangs, Michio Yamamoto’s trilogy emphasises atmosphere and style and is sure to please both fans of classic gothic horror and Japanese genre cinema. On Blu-ray, with high definition presentation transferred from original film elements, with uncompressed Mono 1.0 PCM audio. Extras: "Jim Newman on The Bloodthirsty Trilogy," a new video appraisal by the critic and writer; stills gallery original trailers; reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Matt Griffin. FIRST PRESSING ONLY: Collector's booklet featuring new writing on the film by Japanese film expert Jasper Sharp. (Arrow Video).

Daphne & Velma

(2018) Sarah Jeffery, Sarah Gilman. Scooby-Doo's leading ladies star in their very own live-action feature film. State of the art robots and high-tech gadgets are common sights at Ridge Valley High, an innovative center of learning for some of the brightest minds in the country, including new transfer student, the bright & optimistic Daphne Blake (Jeffery) who is excited to finally go to school with her online bestie, the whip-smart & analytical Velma Dinkley (Gilman). But not everything is as innocent as it seems as mysterious disappearances begin to plague the top-performing students on campus. Once cheery and full of life, kids now appear in a “zombiefied” state -- lifeless shells of themselves. Can Daphne and Velma learn to work together and save the students or will they become the next victims? Formats: DVD, Blu-ray, Digital. Extras: "Daphne & Velma: A New Ambition," "An Updated Classic Mystery," "Iconic Styles of Daphne & Velma Reimagined," gag reel. (Warner).
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Death Smiles on a Murderer

(1973) Ewa Aulin, Klaus Kinski, Angela Bo. A haunting and dreamlike gothic horror/giallo hybrid, "Death Smiles on a Murderer" is a compelling early work from the legendary sleaze and horror film director Joe D’Amato, here billed under his real name Aristide Massaccesi. Set in Austria in the early 1900s, the film stars Ewa Aulin as Greta, a beautiful young woman abused by her brother Franz (Luciano Rossi) and left to die in childbirth by her illicit lover, the aristocrat Dr. von Ravensbrück (Giacomo Rossi Stuart). Bereft with grief, Franz reanimates his dead sister using a formula engraved on an ancient Incan medallion. Greta then returns as an undead avenging angel, reaping revenge on the Ravensbrück family and her manically possessive brother. Presented here in a stunning 2K restoration, D’Amato’s film is a stately and surreal supernatural mystery which benefits from an achingly mournful score by Berto Pisano, several shocking scenes of gore, and a typically sinister performance from Klaus Kinski as a morbid doctor. On Blu-ray, with new 2K restoration from the original camera negative and original Italian and English soundtracks with uncompressed Mono 1.0 PCM audio. Extras: New audio commentary by writer and critic Tim Lucas; "D’Amato Smiles on Death," an archival interview in which the director discusses the film; "All About Ewa," a newly-filmed, career-spanning interview with the Swedish star; "Smiling on the Taboo: Sex, Death and Transgression in the Horror Films of Joe D’Amato, new video essay by critic Kat Ellinger; original trailers; stills and collections gallery; reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Gilles Vranckx; FIRST PRESSING ONLY: Collector's booklet featuring new writing on the film by critic Stephen Thrower and film historian Roberto Curti. (Arrow Video).

Early Man

(2018) Voices of Eddie Redmayne, Tom Hiddleston, Maisie Williams, Timothy Spall. From Aardman, the award-winning tribe that created "Wallace & Gromit," "Chicken Run," and "Shaun the Sheep Movie," this claymation animated prehistoric romp tells the story of courageous caveman hero Dug (Eddie Redmayne) and his best friend, Hognob, as they unite their tribe against a mighty enemy — Lord Nooth (Tom Hiddleston) and his Bronze Age City — to save their home. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray/DVD Combo, VOD, Digital. Extras: “Before the Beginning of Time: Creating Early Man” featurette, “Nick Park: Massaging the Funny” featurette, “The Valley Meets the Bronze” featurette, “Hanging at Aardman Studios: A Workshop Exploration” featurette. (Lionsgate).

A Fantastic Woman

(2017 -- Chile) Daniela Vega, Francisco Reyes, Luis Gnecco. The story of a young transgender aspiring singer who must confront society and her older lover’s family when he dies unexpectedly. Marina, a young transgender waitress and aspiring singer, and Orlando, an older man, are in love and planning for the future. After Orlando suddenly falls ill and dies, Marina is forced to confront his family and society, and to fight again to show them who she is: complex, strong, forthright, fantastic. Academy Award-winner for Best Foreign Language film of the year. Formats: Blu-ray, Digital. Extras: “The Making of A Fantastic Woman” featurette, commentary with director Sebastián Lelio. (Sony).
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The 15:17 to Paris

(2018) Dir.: Clint Eastwood; Alek Skarlatos, Anthony Sadler, Spencer Stone, Jenna Fischer, Judy Greer, Jaleel White, Bryce Gheisar, Thomas Lennon, Tony Hale, P.J. Byrne, Sinqua Walls. In the early evening of August 21, 2015, the world watched in stunned silence as the media reported a thwarted terrorist attack on Thalys train #9364 bound for Paris--an attempt prevented by three courageous young Americans traveling through Europe. The film follows the course of the friends' lives, from the struggles of childhood through finding their footing in life, to the series of unlikely events leading up to the attack. The heroic trio is comprised of Anthony Sadler, Oregon National Guardsman Alek Skarlatos and U.S. Air Force Airman First Class Spencer Stone, who play themselves in the film. Read more about "The 15:17 to Paris" in the May Calendar. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray/DVD Combo, 4K Ultra HD/Blu-ray Combo, VOD, Digital, Movies Anywhere. Extras: "Portrait of Courage" behind-the-scenes featurette. Blu-ray adds "Making Every Second Count," with Spencer Stone, Alek Skarlatos and Anthony Sadler as they take us moment-by-moment through the real-life drama, just as they lived it. (Warner).
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Game Night

(2018) Jason Bateman, Rachel McAdams, Kylie Bunbury, Kyle Chandler, Jesse Plemons, Michael C. Hall, Chelsea Peretti, Billy Magnussen, Danny Huston. Max and his wife, Annie, and their friends get together for "Game Night" on a regular basis. His brother, Brooks, who's hosting the event this time, informs them that they're having a murder mystery party. Someone in the room will be kidnapped during the party. The other players must do everything they can to find him to win the grand prize. Brooks warns them that they won't know what is real or fake. When the door breaks open suddenly and Brooks is kidnapped, Max and the other players believe that it's merely the start of the mystery. What happens next proves that a real kidnapping can cause a lot of hilarious and even deadly confusion when everyone thinks it's just a game. Read more about "Game Night" in the May Calendar. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray/DVD Combo, VOD, Digital. Extras: “An Unforgettable Evening: Making Game Night,” gag reel. (Warner).
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Graduation

(2016 -- Romania) Blending rigorous naturalism with the precise construction of a thriller, this Cannes award–winning drama from Cristian Mungiu sheds light on the high stakes and ethical complexities of life in contemporary Romania. As his daughter nears high-school graduation, Romeo (Adrian Titieni), an upstanding doctor, counts on her winning a competitive scholarship that will send her to university in England. But when an injury sustained during a sexual assault compromises her performance on an important exam, Romeo’s best-laid plans for her threaten to crumble, leading him to seek favors in a world that runs on backscratching and bribery. Suffused with quiet dread, "Graduation" takes a humane and deeply ambiguous look at how corrosive rampant corruption is to moral convictions. On DVD and Blu-ray, with 2K digital master, approved by director Cristian Mungiu, with 5.1 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack on the Blu-ray. Extras: New interview with Mungiu; press conference from the 2016 Cannes Film Festival, featuring Mungiu and actors Adrian Titieni, Maria Dragu, Malina Manovici, and Rare Andrici; deleted scenes; trailer; an essay by film critic Bilge Ebiri. (The Criterion Collection).
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Gunsmoke: The Thirteenth Season, Volume One

(1967-68) Four-disc set with 15 episodes. U.S. Marshall Matt Dillon's (James Arness) adventures continue alongside the loyal Doc Adams (Milburn Stone), sexy saloon proprietress Miss Kitty (Amanda Blake) and lovable Deputy Festus Haggen (Ken Curtis). The 13th season of television's beloved Western follows Dillon as he corrals dangerous outlaws and deals with problems of the Wild West: epic gunfights, brawls, cold-blooded murderers and bank robbers. Formats: DVD. Extras: Episodic previews on select episodes. (CBS/Paramount).

Gunsmoke: The Thirteenth Season, Volume Two

(1967-68) Three-disc set with 10 episodes. Formats: DVD. Extras: Episodic previews on select episodes. (CBS/Paramount).

Hostages: Season 1

(2013 -- Israel) Two-disc set with 10 episodes. When four masked men violently break into the Danon family home, taking them hostages, the family of four will be shaken to the core and their lives will change forever. In season one, the kidnappers demand that Yael, the matriarch of the family and a brilliant surgeon, kill the Israeli Prime Minister during a routine surgery. If the Prime Minister does not die, Yael's family soon will. Desperate to save her family but keep her patient alive, Yael uses her wits to delay the decision until the last possible moment. During this terrifying time in which the kidnappers and hostages are bound together, a tangled web of secrets and lies are revealed. Formats: DVD. (Kino Lorber).

I Kill Giants

(2017) Zoe Saldana, Imogen Poots, Madison Wolfe, Sydney Wade. Teen Barbara Thorson (Wolfe) is the only thing that stands between terrible giants and the destruction of her small town. But as she boldly confronts her fears in increasingly dangerous ways, her new school counselor (Saldana) leads her to question everything she’s always believed to be true. Based on the critically acclaimed “Man of Action” graphic novel written by Kelly and Ken Niimura (“Henshin”). Formats: DVD, Blu-ray. Extras: “The Making of I Kill Giants,” anatomy of a scene, "I Kill Giants" graphic novel Chapter 1, photo gallery. (RLJE Films).

The Loud House: It Gets Louder - Season 1, Volume 2

(2016) Two-disc set with all 13 episodes of the chaotic animated family comedy in which Lincoln Loud is an 11-year-old boy who lives with 10 sisters. With the help of his right-hand man Clyde, Lincoln finds new ways to survive in such a large family every day. Formats: DVD. (Nickelodeon/Paramount).

Masterpiece: Little Women

(2018) Emily Watson, Michael Gambon, Angela Lansbury, Maya Hawke, Willa Fitzgerald, Annes Elwy, Kathryn Newton, Dylan Baker. Set against the backdrop of a country divided, the story follows the four March sisters on their journey from childhood to adulthood while their father is away at war. Under the guidance of their mother Marmee, the girls navigate what it means to be a young woman: from gender roles to sibling rivalry, first love, loss and marriage. Accompanied by the charming boy next door Laurie Laurence, their cantankerous wealthy Aunt March and benevolent neighbor Mr. Laurence, "Little Women" is a coming-of-age story that is as relevant and engaging today as it was on its original publication in 1868. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray, Digital. ( PBS Distribution).
photo for Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters

Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters

(1985) Paul Schrader’s visually stunning, collagelike portrait of the acclaimed Japanese author and playwright Yukio Mishima (played by Ken Ogata) investigates the inner turmoil and contradictions of a man who attempted the impossible task of finding harmony among self, art, and society. Taking place on Mishima’s last day, when he famously committed public seppuku, the film is punctuated by extended flashbacks to the writer’s life as well as by gloriously stylized evocations of his fictional works. With its rich cinematography by John Bailey, exquisite sets and costumes by Eiko Ishioka, and unforgettable, highly influential score by Philip Glass, "Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters" is a tribute to its subject and a bold, investigative work of art in its own right. On DVD and Blu-ray, with new, restored 4K digital transfer (Blu-ray) and restored high-definition digital transfer (DVD) of the director’s cut, both supervised and approved by director Paul Schrader and cinematographer John Bailey, with 2.0 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack on the Blu-ray. Extras: Two optional English narrations, including one by actor Roy Scheider; audio commentary from 2008 featuring Schrader and producer Alan Poul; interviews from 2007 and 2008 with Bailey, producers Tom Luddy and Mata Yamamoto, composer Philip Glass, and production designer Eiko Ishioka; interviews from 2008 with Mishima biographer John Nathan and friend Donald Richie; audio interview from 2008 with co-screenwriter Chieko Schrader; interview excerpt from 1966 featuring Mishima talking about writing; "The Strange Case of Yukio Mishima," a 55-minute documentary from 1985 about the author; trailer; a booklet featuring an essay by critic Kevin Jackson, a piece on the film’s censorship in Japan, and photographs of Ishioka’s sets. (The Criterion Collection).
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Night Zero

(2018) Katie Maloney, Eric Swader, Dawnelle Jewell, Vincent Bombara, Umar Faraz. A dinner party turns deadly when a group of friends are trapped inside of their house after a massive alien invasion threatens to take over the world. Things take a turn for the worse when they discover that the chemical the military is using to destroy the aliens is also turning humans into zombie-like savages. Formats: DVD.( Conquest Pictures/MVD Entertainment).

Of Unknown Origin

(1983) Peter Weller, Jennifer Dale, Lawrence Dane, Kenneth Welsh, Louis Del Grande, Shannon Tweed, Keith Knight, Maury Chaykin. When not mired in the corporate rat race, Wall Street executive Bart Hughes is king of his sleek Manhattan brownstone --until he finds his castle under siege by the most determined of home intruders. Forced to enter a rat race of an entirely different sort, Bart takes a stand, with his survival and sanity at stake. New 2K scan from the interpositive. Formats: Blu-ray. Extras: New "The Origins of Unknown Origin" interview with executive producer Pierre David; new "That Rat Movie" an interview with writer Brian Taggert; new "Hey, Weren’t You in Scanners?" interview with actor Louis Del Grande; audio commentary with director George P. Cosmatos and actor Peter Weller; theatrical trailers; still gallery. (Scream Factory).

The Party

(2017) Patricia Clarkson, Emily Mortimer, Cillian Murphy, Kristin Scott Thomas, Timothy Spall. An intimate gathering of friends goes haywire when an unexpected announcement sets off a chain reaction exposing secrets, sex, and betrayal within the room -- ending with a bang. A black comedy from Sally Potter, the acclaimed director of "Orlando" and "Ginger & Rosa." Formats: DVD, VOD, Digital. Extras: “A Real House – Making of a Film Set” featurette, photo gallery. (Lionsgate).
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Red Sparrow

(2018) Ballerina Dominika Egorova (Jenifer Lawrence) is recruited to "Sparrow School," a Russian intelligence service where she is forced to use her body as a weapon. Her first mission, targeting a C.I.A. agent, threatens to unravel the security of both nations. Read more about "Red Sparrow" in the May Calendar. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray/DVD Combo, 4K Ultra HD/Blu-ray Combo, VOD, Digital. Extras: Commentary by director Francis Lawrence, deleted scenes. Blu-ray adds "A New Cold War: Origination and Adaptation," "Agents Provocateurs: The Ensemble Cast," "Tradecraft: Visual Authenticity," "Heart of the Tempest: On Location," "Welcome to Sparrow School: Ballet and Stunts," "A Puzzle of Need: Post-Production." (Fox).

Savannah Smiles (Collector's Edition)

(1982) Savannah (Bridgette Andersen) is the precocious six-year-old daughter of a busy politician who is consumed by his re-election campaign. She decides to run away from home and sneaks into a car driven by two escaped convicts, Alvie (Mark Miller) and Boots (Donovan Scott), in a crazy comedy of errors. Hiding in an abandoned house, the two bumbling crooks initially try to hold the adorable Savannah for photo for Savannah Smiles (Collector's Edition)ransom to obtain a hefty reward for her return, but an unexpected bond grows among Savannah, Alvie and Boots, creating a surrogate family they have never known before. Their relationship is tested when the convicts, now seen as kidnappers, must choose between their freedom and their new friend in this classic comedy. Written and produced by the film's star Mark Miller ("A Walk in the Clouds"), "Savannah Smiles" features an all-star supporting cast that includes Academy Award-nominee Pat Morita, Michael Park, John Fiedler, Fran Ryan and Golden Globe-winner Peter Graves and boasts a brand new 2K transfer from a 35mm print from the Library of Congress. Formats: Blu-ray/DVD Combo with original Mono Audio (Uncompressed PCM on the Blu-ray). Extras: "The Making of Savannah Smiles" new documentary featuring writer-producer Mark Miller, star Donovan Scott, Teresa Andersen (mother of Bridgette Andersen) and composer Ken Sutherland; "Memories of Bridgette Andersen" featuring new interviews with Teresa Andersen (Bridgette's mom) along with writer-producer Mark Miller and actor Donovan Scott; "The Songs and Music of Savannah Smiles" featuring new interview with composer Ken Sutherland; original theatrical trailer; collectible mini- poster. (MVD Rewind).

Souvenir

(2016 -- France) Isabelle Huppert, Kévin Azaïs. Liliane (Huppert) lives a modest and monotonous life. By day, she works in a pâté factory, and by night, she sits on the couch and watches TV. One day, a new worker named Jean (Azaïs) arrives. The two form a platonic relationship, but Jean grows increasingly convinced that he recognizes Liliane from a European singing contest he saw as a child. Eventually, Jean convinces Liliane to confront her past. A beautiful portrayal of a friendship between two people from different generations, who come together to make a life changing comeback. Formats: DVD. (Strand Releasing).

A Sunny Day

(2018) Four episodes from the preschool series' first season that follows 10-year-old master hairstylist and entrepreneur Sunny. Along with the help of her best friends Blair and Rox, and her loyal and lovable puppy Doodle, Sunny confidently takes on any challenge thrown her way. The characters in the series celebrate individuality and self-expression, while the show's social-emotional curriculum highlights leadership, innovative thinking and teamwork. Formats: DVD. (Nickelodeon/Paramount).

Swung

(2017) Owen McDonnell, Elena Anaya, Elizabeth McGovern.David (McDonnell) is a recently out of work designer going through a divorce. Lately, he's been having difficulties in the bedroom with his girlfriend Alice (Anaya), a journalist, so the two begin to investigate ways to shake things up. After a stimulating encounter with photo for Wonderstrucktwo swingers adds the missing spice to their relationship, they decide to expand their sexual boundaries and explore even more intimacy with strangers. Based on the Ewan Morrison's internationally acclaimed novel of the same name, the film is a no-holds-barred look at sex in the modern world. Formats: DVD. (Film Movement).

Wonderstruck

(2017) Dir.: Todd Haynes; Michelle Williams, Julianne Moore, Oakes Fegley, Tom Noonan, Cory Michael Smith, Amy Hargreaves, James Urbaniak. Tells the tale of two children separated by fifty years. In 1927, Rose searches for the actress who's life she chronicles in her scrapbook; in 1977, Ben runs away from home to find his father. Read more about "Wonderstruck" in the May Calendar. Formats: DVD, VOD, Digital. (Amazon Studios).



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May 29

photo for Annihilation

Annihilation

(2018) Natalie Portman, Oscar Isaac, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Gina Rodriguez, Tessa Thompson, Tuva Novotny. A biologist signs up for a dangerous, secret expedition into a mysterious zone where the laws of nature don't apply. Read more about "Annihilation" in the May Calendar. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray/DVD Combo, VOD, Digital. Blu-ray extras: Three-part featurette: Part 1 – Southern Reach: "Refractions": See how director Alex Garland created the tone, textures and color palettes for the various film environments on set; "For Those That Follow": the cast’s perspective on their roles and why they found the story so intriguing; Part 2 – Area X: "Shimmer": how filmmakers transformed real set locations to create the world of Annihilation; "Vanished into Havoc" mind-blowing stunts and special effects; Part 3 – To The Lighthouse: "Unfathomable Mind": why the visual effects are integral to achieving director Alex Garland’s overall vision for "Annihilation"; "The Last Phase": cast and crew share their fondest memories from filming Annihilation." (Paramount).
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Au hasard Balthazar

(1966 -- France) A profound masterpiece from one of the most revered filmmakers in the history of cinema, "Au hasard Balthazar," directed by Robert Bresson, follows the donkey Balthazar as he is passed from owner to owner, some kind and some cruel but all with motivations outside of his understanding. Balthazar, whose life parallels that of his first keeper, Marie, is truly a beast of burden, suffering the sins of humankind. But despite his powerlessness, he accepts his fate nobly. Through Bresson’s unconventional approach to composition, sound, and narrative, this simple story becomes a moving parable about purity and transcendence. On DVD and Blu-ray, with new 2K digital restoration, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray. Extras: Interview from 2005 with film scholar Donald Richie; “Un metteur en ordre: Robert Bresson,” a 1966 French television program about the film, featuring Bresson, filmmakers Jean-Luc Godard and Louis Malle, and members of "Balthazar’s" cast and crew; original theatrical trailer; an essay by film scholar James Quandt. (The Criterion Collection).

East West 101, Series 2

(2009 -- Australia) Two-disc set with seven episodes. Set around the Major Crime Squad in metropolitan Sydney, Australia, this thrilling series is based upon the experiences of actual detectives in a crime unit in Sydney’s western suburbs and deals with the clashes of culture, socio-economic statuses, and religious tension in Australia. This season features new perils for Detective Zane Malik, a Muslim Arab living in post-9/11 Australia. After a deadly car bomb goes off in a Sydney suburb, fear and suspicion thrive as the community blames it on Islamic extremists. However, Malik is not convinced it was a terrorist attack, and he joins a joint task force led by Agent Richard Skerritt. The investigation throws Malik into a high-stakes undercover mission targeting a suspected arms-dealer, but the job takes him away from his family and even threatens their safety. Formats: DVD. Extras: Behind-the-scenes featurette. (Acorn media).

Frontline: Weinstein

(2017) Harvey Weinstein was once one of the most successful producers in Hollywood. But beneath the glitz and glamour, there was a pattern of sexual misconduct going back to the very start of his career. This program investigates the disgraced mogul's spectacular downfall, the efforts to silence his accusers, and what Hollywood itself knew. Drawing on exclusive insider accounts, this program examines how Weinstein used lawyers and private detectives to help him suppress sexual harassment allegations. The film shines new light on what those around Weinstein knew about his behavior, and when. Formats: DVD. (PBS Distribution).
photo for I'm Dying Up Here: Season One

I'm Dying Up Here: Season One

(2017) Three-disc set with all 10 episodes. Set in the celebrated and infamous L.A. stand-up comedy scene of the '70s, where the careers of most comedy superstars began, "I'm Dying Up Here" delves into the inspired and damaged psyches that inhabit the hilarious, but complex business of making an audience laugh. The series is based on William Knoedelseder's book of the same name. Before the internet and viral videos made it easy for aspiring comics to get their material seen, they had to travel and perform at comedy clubs to rise through the ranks of stand-up comedy and make a name for themselves. Oscar winner Melissa Leo leads the ensemble cast as Goldie, a comedy-club owner who mentors a competitive but close-knit group of comics. She leads her business with an iron fist but nurtures the comics with tough love because she knows that there's no such thing as an easy laugh in their chosen profession. Formats: DVD. (Showtime/CBS/Paramount).
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Midnight Cowboy

(1969) One of the British New Wave’s most versatile directors, John Schlesinger came to New York in the late-1960s to make Midnight Cowboy, a picaresque story of friendship that captured a city in crisis and sparked a new era of Hollywood movies. Jon Voight delivers a career-making performance as Joe Buck, a wide-eyed hustler from Texas hoping to score big with wealthy city women; he finds a companion in Enrico “Ratso” Rizzo, an ailing swindler with a bum leg and a quixotic fantasy of escaping to Florida, played by Dustin Hoffman in a radical departure from his breakthrough in "The Graduate." A critical and commercial success despite controversy over what the MPAA termed its “homosexual frame of reference,” "Midnight Cowboy" became the first X-rated film to receive the best picture Oscar, and decades on, its influence still reverberates through cinema. On DVD and Blu-ray, with new 4K digital restoration, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray and an alternate 5.1 surround soundtrack, presented in DTS-HD Master Audio on the Blu-ray. Extras: Audio commentary from 1991 featuring director John Schlesinger and producer Jerome Hellman; new selected-scene commentary by cinematographer Adam Holender; "The Crowd Around the Cowboy," a 1969 short film made on location for "Midnight Cowboy"; "Waldo Salt: A Screenwriter’s Journey," an Academy Award–nominated documentary from 1990 by Eugene Corr and Robert Hillmann; two short 2004 documentaries on the making and release of "Midnight Cowboy"; interview with actor Jon Voight on "The David Frost Show" from 1970; interview from 2000 with Schlesinger for BAFTA Los Angeles; excerpts from the 2002 BAFTA LA Tribute to Schlesinger, featuring Voight and actor Dustin Hoffman; trailer; an essay by critic Mark Harris. (The Criterion Collection).

Paws P.I.

(2018) Jon Lovitz, Selah Atwood, Christian Brunetti. Dove Foundation approved family adventure. Peter Williams and his dog, Jackson (voice by Lovitz), are best friends and enjoy hanging out and skateboarding around town. But when Peter’s father Connor, a private investigator, is hired by veterinarian Katherine Worthington to help prove that her aunt’s will was stolen by her corrupt uncle, Peter, Jackson and a gaggle of animal friends decide to do some investigating of their own. Formats: DVD, VOD, Digital. (Lionsgate).
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Smash Palace BLU-RAY DEBUT

(1981 -- New Zealand) Premiering at the 1981 Cannes Film Festival, "Smash Palace" was Roger Donaldson's second feature following the success of "Sleeping Dogs," a film which had heralded the arrival of the New Zealand New Wave. "Smash Palace" concerns itself with the marriage of former racing driver Al (Bruno Lawrence) and French-born Jacqui (Anna Jemison). The pair had met when she nursed him back to health following a career-ending injury. They married, returned to Al's native New Zealand to take over his late father's wrecking yard business -- the Smash Palace of the title -- and had a child. But over time stagnation has set in, Jacqui's resentment of Al has grown, and things are threatening to spill over. Playing out as a darker, more haunting New Zealand variation on such US separation movies as "Kramer vs. Kramer" or "Shoot the Moon," "Smash Palace" offers a brilliant, vivid messy portrait of masculinity in crisis, driven by Lawrence's immense central performance -- once again confirming his status as one of New Zealand's finest actors. With original mono audio (uncompressed LPCM). Formats: Blu-ray. Extras: Commentary by writer-director Donaldson and stunt driver Steve Millen; "The Making of Smash Palace," a 51-minute documentary on the film’s production featuring interviews with Donaldson, actor Keith Aberdein, filmmaker Geoff Murphy and others; theatrical trailer; reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Sean Phillips; FIRST PRESSING ONLY: Illustrated collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film by Ian Barr, a contemporary review by Pauline Kael and the original press book. (Arrow Video/MVD Entertainment).

They Remain

(2018) William Jackson Harper, Rebecca Henderson. Based on the 2010 short story, "-30-" by award-winning author Laird Barron, "They Remain" explores the evolving relationship between Keith and Jessica, two scientists who are employed by a vast, impersonal corporation to investigate an unspeakable horror that took place at the remote encampment of a mysterious cult. Working and living in a state-of-the-art, high tech environment that is completely at odds with their surroundings, they spend their days gathering physical evidence, analyzing it, and reporting on their findings. The intensity of their work, and their extreme isolation, bring the pair closer. But, when Jessica discovers a mysterious artifact of unknown origin, the dynamic between them changes: secrets are kept, sexual tensions arise, and paranoia sets in. Keith begins to have visions and is unable to distinguish whether they are nightmares or hauntings. Having lost all sense of what is real and what is imagined, all he knows is that the horror he and Jessica have been sent to uncover -- a horror that could be biological, psychological, or supernatural -- now threatens his very survival. Formats: Blu-ray, VOD, Digital. (Giant Interactive).

The Two of Us

(1967 -- France) A comically bittersweet tale, Oscar winner Claude Berri's film is also a poignant drama of identity and heritage. When an 8-year-old Jewish boy (Alain Cohen) living in Nazi-occupied France is sent by his parents to live in the country with the Catholic parents of their friends, he is faced with a culture clash both religious and generational. As the grandfatherly (and flagrantly anti-Semitic) Pepe (Michel Simon) infuses the role with a gruff tenderness, his growing relationship with the boy a touching portrayal of connection in a broken world. A beautiful new 4K restoration of the black-and-white world cinema classic, which was the debut of acclaimed director-producer Claude Berri ("Jean de Florette," "Manon of the Spring," "Tess," "The Lover"). Formats: DVD, Blu-ray, Digital. Extras: Audio commentary track by Wade Major, film critic with NPR affiliate KPCC-FM and co-host and producer of the IGN DigiGods podcast; the 2017 rerelease trailer; more. (Cohen Film Collection).

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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.


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May 12, 2018
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