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December 1

Beast Mode

(2020) C Thomas Howell, Leslie Easterbrook, Ray Wise, James Hong, James Duval. This 80s throwback horror tells the story of a has-been Hollywood producer, who after accidentally killing his lead star, turns to an ancient herbal elixir, in the hope that it will save his career. He makes a dark deal that unleashes a band of bloodthirsty, shape-shifting, ferocious beasts on LA. Formats: DVD, Digital. (Devilworks Pictures).

Bobbleheads: The Movie

(2020) Voices of Jennifer Coolidge, Karen Fukuhara, Khary Payton, Julian Sands, Brenda Song, Luke Wilson, Cher. Get ready for a big shake-up when misfit bobbleheads take on trashy humans and a slobbery dog who crash their home with plans to swap a new baseball player bobblehead for a valuable one of them. With some guidance from Bobblehead Cher, they find the courage to bobble-up for an outrageous battle of wits and wobble. Formats: DVD, VOD, Digital. (Universal).

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Bugs Bunny 80th Anniversary Collection

Available in a collector’s gift set that includes a full-size glitter Funko figure. Three-disc collection features 60 shorts along with bonus content, including 10 episodes of Looney Tunes Cartoons, a documentary and collectible memorabilia. Formats: Blu-ray, Digital. (Warner). Read more here.
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Crash

(1996) For this icily erotic fusion of flesh and machine, David Cronenberg adapted J. G. Ballard’s future-shock novel of the 1970s into one of the most singular and provocative films of the 1990s. A traffic collision involving a disaffected commercial producer, James (James Spader), and an enigmatic doctor, Helen (Holly Hunter), brings them, along with James’s wife, Catherine (Deborah Kara Unger, in a sublimely detached performance), together in a crucible of blood and broken glass -- and it’s not long before they are all initiated into a kinky, death-obsessed underworld of sadomasochistic car-crash fetishists for whom twisted metal and scar tissue are the ultimate turn-ons. Controversial from the moment it premiered at Cannes -- where it won a Special Jury Prize “for originality, for daring, and for audacity” -- "Crash" has since taken its place as a key text of late-20th-century cinema, a disturbingly seductive treatise on the relationships between humanity and technology, sex and violence, that is as unsettling as it is mesmerizing. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray, with new 4K digital restoration supervised by director of photography Peter Suschitzky, and 5.1 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack on the Blu-ray, both approved by director David Cronenberg. Extras: Audio commentary from 1997 featuring Cronenberg; press conference from the 1996 Cannes Film Festival featuring Cronenberg, Suschitzky, author J. G. Ballard, producers Robert Lantos and Jeremy Thomas, and actors Rosanna Arquette, Holly Hunter, Elias Koteas, James Spader, and Deborah Kara Unger; Q&A from 1996 with Cronenberg and Ballard at the National Film Theatre in London; behind-the-scenes footage and press interviews from 1996; trailers; an essay by film critic Jessica Kiang. (The Criterion Collection).
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The Curse of Frankenstein BLU-RAY DEBUT

(1957) The first, and perhaps the best of the long-running series of horror films from the house of Hammer. Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee star in this landmark interpretation based on the famous Mary Shelley story. Baron Victor Frankenstein becomes friends with one of his teachers, Paul Krempe. At first, both men are fascinated by the potential of their re-animating experiments. Eventually, though, Krempe refuses to help with Frankenstein's human experiments. However, he is drawn back into the plot when Frankenstein's creature kills a member of the house staff. A deluxe 2 Disc Special Edition, featuring two theatrical aspect ratio presentations, meticulously remastered and restored in 4k scans from preservation separations, as well as bonus disc with the restoration presented in "open-matte" format, as was seen for years on television. Extras: New feature commentary by screenwriter/film historian Steve Haberman and filmmaker/film historian Constantine Nasr; new featurettes: "The Resurrection Men: Hammer, Frankenstein and the Rebirth of the Horror Film," "Hideous Progeny: The Curse of Frankenstein and the English Gothic Tradition," "Torrents of Light: The Art of Jack Asher," "Diabolus in Musica: James Bernard and the Sound of Hammer Horror"; original theatrical trailer. (Warner Archive).
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Dream Factory

(2019 -- Germany) Svenja Jung, Emilia Schüle, Dennis Mojen, Nikolai Kinski. Summer 1961, Germany. Emil (Mojen) arrives at DEFA Studio Babelsberg to begin working as an extra when he falls in love with a French dance-double, Milou (Schüle). Though it‘s love at first sight, they are torn apart when East Germany closes its border and erects the Berlin Wall just days after they first meet. Milou returns to Paris. Emil remains in East Germany, crushed by the fact that the love of his life just slipped through his hands ... that is, until he sets in motion a daring and adorably romantic plan. Formats: DVD. (MPI).

Evergreen

(2019) Tanner Kalina, Amanda Maddox, Olivia Grace Applegate, David Bianchi. Set against the rustic winter backdrop of the Colorado Western Slope, the film is an intimate character study of an interfaith couple's relationship over a tumultuous Christmas weekend. Paul, a contemporary Catholic, plans to propose to his girlfriend, while pragmatic Gena wants to finally take their celibate relationship to the next level. When expectations clash, the two set aside their prior notions and agree to a brutally honest, no-holds-barred weekend of "question and answer," unearthing long-buried secrets and manifestations from relationships past. Formats: DVD, Digital. (Indican Pictures).
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Green Eggs and Ham: The Complete First Season

(2019) A single disc with 13 animated episodes of the Dr. Seuss series featuring an all-star cast including Michael Douglas, Adam Devine, Keegan-Michael Key, Eddie Izzard, Jillian Bell, Ilana Glazer and Diane Keaton. A chance meeting at a diner and a briefcase switch-up results in two unlikely companions Sam (Devine) and Guy (Douglas) getting mixed up on an adventure that takes them on a road trip to save an endangered animal – the elusive Chickeraffe – from a far-off zoo. The two mismatched souls cross paths with the overprotective Michellee (Keaton), whose daughter, EB (Glazer) desperately wants a pet and falls in love with the Chickeraffe … despite her mother’s fears that it will eat off her face (it won’t). As Michellee’s walled-up heart connects with the heart-hardened Guy, a laborious love story begins. With the foursome also unknowingly pursued by a bounty-hunter Goat, two bad guys, McWinkle and Gluntz and Snerz, a tiny, evil overlord who’s out to get the Chickeraffe as his ultimate trophy, they set out on a cross-country road trip, learning to try new things along the way – like hope, friendship … and a certain delectable dish. Formats: DVD, Digital. (Warner).

Holiday Affair BLU-RAY DEBUT

(1949) RKO's resident "bad boy" Robert Mitchum surprised audiences with his softer side in this classic Yule-themed romantic comedy. Mitchum portrays Steve Mason, a department-store clerk who loses his job, yet buys an electric train set for a child he scarcely knows. It must be Christmastime. Mitchum and Janet Leigh are warmly matched in a seasonal favorite scripted by Isobel Lennart (later to adapt Mitchum's "The Sundowners") and directed by Hope/Crosby "road movies" veteran Don Hartman. Formats: Blu-ray. Extras: Lux Radio Theater broadcast (12/18/50) with Robert Mitchum and Laraine Day, original theatrical trailer. (Warner Archive).

Intersection

(2020 -- Australia) Matt Doran, Lianne Mackessy, Lucy Fry. When white-collar extortionist (Doran) discovers his son is kidnapped, he is forced to drive the city streets, completing an escalating series of tasks to appease his child’s abductor. Writer-Director Samuel Bartlett sets out to create a tightly-woven kidnapping thriller, and has flipped the genre on its head by making the kidnapper the good-guy, and the victim the villain. Formats: DVD, VOD. (Breaking Glass Pictures).
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Made in Italy

(2020) Liam Neeson, Michael Richardson, Valeria Bilello, Lindsay Duncan. A heart-warming father-son story set in glorious Tuscany about bohemian London artist Robert (Neeson), who returns to Italy with his estranged son Jack (Richardson) to make a quick sale of the house they inherited from his late wife. Neither expects to find the once beautiful villa in such a state of disrepair. Renovations go badly, with father and son soon finding themselves at odds. Robert's comical lack of DIY experience leads him to seek help from some colorful locals including the no nonsense Kate (Duncan), an ex-pat making her living selling villas who quickly captures his attention. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray, VOD, Digital. (Universal).

Perry Mason: The Complete First Season

(2020) Two-disc set with all eight episodes of the HBO series that follows the origins of American fiction’s most legendary criminal defense lawyer, Perry Mason, set in a noirish 1930s Los Angeles. When the case of the decade breaks down his door, Mason’s relentless pursuit of the truth reveals a fractured city and just maybe, a pathway to redemption for himself. Stars Matthew Rhys, Juliet Rylance, Chris Chalk, Shea Whigham, Tatiana Maslany and John Lithgow. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray, Digital. Extras: Executive producer Robert Downey Jr. & star Matthew Rhys conversation; Downey Jr. & executive producer Susan Downey conversation; "The Characters of Perry Mason" featurette, "Under the Fedora" featurette. (Warner).

Popeye BLU-RAY DEBUT

(1980) 40th Anniversary of director Robert Altman’s vision of the famous cartoon character, starring Robin Williams. Looking for the father (Ray Walston) who deserted him as a baby, a sailor named Popeye (Williams) journeys to the port town of Sweethaven. Popeye befriends an assortment of eccentrics and falls in love with Olive Oyl (Shelley Duvall), who already has a suitor, the bully Bluto (Paul L. Smith). Popeye also discovers an abandoned baby, Swee'Pea, whom he raises as his own. But when the spurned Bluto kidnaps Olive and the child, Popeye takes action, with the help of his magic spinach. Legendary producer Robert Evans and screenwriter Jules Feiffer worked for nearly three years to get "Popeye" into production. The film combined the talents of director Altman, composer and lyricist Harry Nilsson, numerous filmmaking artisans, and an outstanding cast of actors, mimes, athletes and street performers to bring the world of the beloved character to life. Formats: Blu-ray, Digital. Extras: "Return to Sweethaven: A Look Back with Robin and the Altmans," "The Popeye Company Players," "Popeye’s" premiere, "The Sailor Man Medleys," theatrical trailer. (Paramount).
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The Rental

(2020) Alison Brie, Dan Stevens, Jeremy Allen White, Sheila Vand. Two couples on an oceanside getaway grow suspicious that the host of their seemingly perfect rental house may be spying on them. Before long, what should have been a celebratory weekend trip turns into something far more sinister, as well-kept secrets are exposed and the four old friends come to see each other in a whole new light. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray, VOD. Extras: Behind-the-scenes featurette, trailer. (IFC Midnight/Scream Factory).

Tex Avery Screwball Classics: Volume Two

Single-disc with 21 cartoons. Welcome back for another three-ring circus of animated comedy from the legendary leader of cartoon fun – director Tex Avery. In the first ring, Avery serves up some of his finest one-shot creations: cartoons featuring cats who hate people, wacky cuckoo clocks, kooky cavemen and lovelorn French fleas. We also meet up again with Avery's attractive Red Riding Hood, a pair of amorous wolves and his durable all-around fall guy, Spike. The second ring is a showcase for Avery's ironically deadpan "Happy Hound": Droopy. The third ring offers a whimsical glimpse into the future – or at least a future from the POV of the mid-20th century – with a plethora of zany postwar inventions. While none of the cartoons "of tomorrow" foresaw smartphones or Blu-ray players, these far-fetched contraptions, gadgets, houses and farms, televisions, and various modes of transportation could only come from the madcap mind of Avery and his MGM crew. Uncut, restored and remastered in high definition for the first time. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray. (Warner Archive).
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Thirst

(2019 -- Iceland) Hjörtur Sævar Steinason, Hulda Lind Kristinsdóttir, Jens Jensson. An Icelandic adrenaline-pumping vampire epic. The drug addict Hulda is arrested and accused of murdering her brother. After she's released because of insufficient evidence, she meets Hjörtur, a thousand-year-old gay vampire, and together they fight a cult while being investigated by a rouge detective. Formats: DVD, Digital. (Uncork'd Entertainment).

The Trip: Four Course Meal

(2020) Actors Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon embark on multiple road trips through Europe including the UK, Italy, Spain, and Greece, sampling the restaurants, eateries, and sights along the way. As the brilliant comic duo, freestyling with flair, drive each other mad with constant competition and showdowns of competing impressions of famous celebrities, Coogan and Brydon create a brilliantly comic rumination on the nuances of friendship and the juggling of family and career. Four-disc set with "The Trip: Greece," "The Trip: Italy," "The Trip: Spain" and "The Trip: UK." Formats: DVD. (IFC Films).

Werewolf

(2019 -- Poland) Kamil Polnisiak, Nicolas Przygoda, Sonia Mietielica. Children liberated from a Nazi concentration camp have to overcome hunger, thirst and vicious dogs in an abandoned mansion surrounded by the forest. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray, Digital. (Indiecan Entertainment).



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December 8

Arthur & Merlin: Knights of Camelot

(2020 - UK) Richard Short, Richard Brake. The year is 463 AD and England is a land divided, a land in need of a legend. King Arthur has been absent for five long years, fighting a war abroad that has stricken his knights, left his throne defenseless and his queen at the mercy of Mordred, his illegitimate son. He must return home fast, facing dark and dangerous threats from all side. Now he must reunite with the wizard Merlin and the Knights of the Round Table and fight to get back his crown. Formats: DVD. (MPI Media Group).

Black Pumpkin

(2018) Lily Keene, Kamilla Alnes, Connor Weil. On October 31, 2018, two pre teens in a small town accidentally awaken an evil that has lain dormant for decades. They are forced to survive through a terrifying Halloween night of cat-and-mouse, from the monster known as "Bloody Bobby." Formats: DVD, VOD, Digital. (Uncork'd Entertainment).

The Buster Keaton Collection: Go West & College

Two new restorations of Buster Keaton classics with new musical scores. "Go West" (1925): Heeding the expansionist call of Horace Greeley, an idealistic young man (though aptly named “Friendless”) hops a freight train westward to meet his destiny, first in a teeming metropolis -- where he is roundly trampled by rush-hour foot traffic -- then into the ranch lands of Arizona. His attempts at bronco busting, cattle wrangling, and even dairy farming all end in hilarious failure, but when a trainload of steer are unleashed on the streets of Los Angeles, “Friendless” decides to undertake an unorthodox, single-handed round-up. "College" (1927): Keaton’s ode to varsity life demonstrates the performer’s trademark brand of visual comedy as well as his remarkable agility. He stars as Ronald, a small-town, academically-inclined freshman who applies his wiry physique to a series of sports, in order to impress a fellow student (Anne Cornwall). He seems destined for failure, but when Mary is accosted by an overzealous rival (Harold Goodwin), Ronald discovers within himself an untapped wellspring of athleticism.Formats: DVD, Blu-ray. (Cohen Film Collection).
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Cinema Paradiso

(1988 -- Italy) A winner of awards across the world including Best Foreign Language Film Oscar, five BAFTA Awards including Best Actor, Original Screenplay and Score, the Grand Prize of the Jury at the Cannes Film Festival and many more. Giuseppe Tornatore's loving homage to the cinema tells the story of Salvatore, a successful film director, returning home for the funeral of Alfredo, his old friend who was the projectionist at the local cinema throughout his childhood. Soon memories of his first love affair with the beautiful Elena and all the highs and lows that shaped his life come flooding back, as Salvatore reconnects with the community he left 30 years earlier. Giuseppe Tornatore's classic is presented in its original award-winning theatrical version and in the expanded Director's Cut, which delves deeper into Salvatore's backstory, on the Blu-ray: High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentations of the two versions of the film, with uncompressed original stereo 2.0 Audio and 5.1 surround sound options. Formats: DVD, two-disc Blu-ray, 4K Ultra HD/Blu-ray Combo. Extras: Audio commentary with director Giuseppe Tornatore and Italian cinema expert critic Millicent Marcus; "A Dream of Sicily" 52-minute documentary profile of Tornatore with interviews with the director and extracts from his early home movies and interviews with director Francesco Rosi and painter Peppino Ducato, set to music by Ennio Morricone; "A Bear and a Mouse in Paradise" 27-minute documentary on the making of "Cinema Paradiso" and the characters of Toto and Alfredo, featuring interviews with the actors who play them, Philippe Noiret and Salvatore Cascio as well as Tornatore; "The Kissing Sequence": Tornatore discusses the origins of the kissing scenes with clips identifying each scene; original director’s cut theatrical trailer and 25th anniversary re-release trailer. (Arrow Academy/MVD Entertainment).

The Facility (aka The Rizen: Possession)

(2019) Harriet Madeley, Michael Fatogun, Sarine Sofair, Kevin Leslie, Sophie Miller. In 1955, NATO and the Allied Forces conducted secret, occult experiments in a bid to win the Arms Race. They succeeded, but what they unleashed almost tore our world apart. Now a group of young urban explorers and a private military unit could become the final pieces in a 60-year plan to reopen a door that should have stayed closed. Formats: DVD, Digital. (Uncork'd Entertainment).

Faith Under Fire

(2020) Nick Vlassoppulos, Kevin Sorbo, Dean Cain. After an exhausting night of saving a little girl from a raging house fire, fireman Tom Hatcher is at the end of his rope. He couldn't save his wife from cancer – and worse yet – his six-year-old daughter, Tiffany, is now facing the same possible fate. When he finds himself in a cold jail cell after punching a pastor out of frustration with a seemingly absent God, Tom begins to reflect on his downward spiral into despair. But with the help and persistent friendship of the very man he attacked, Tom is challenged to face his grief and embrace faith in the darkest hour of his life. Formats: DVD. (Universal).

Garfield Cartoon World: Two Movie Collection

Single disc with two animated Garfield films. "Garfield's Fun Fest" (2008): Welcome to FunFest, the annual talent competition for the funniest comic strip in Cartoon World. As you can probably guess, a certain lasagna-loving, tubby tabby wins it every year. So why should this year be any different? "Garfield Gets Real" (2007): Follow Garfield behind the scenes in Cartoon World where he grows bored with his life as a comic strip star. Formats: DVD. (PBS Kids).

Girl With No Mouth

(2019 -- Turkey) Denizhan Akbaba, Elif Sevinç, Özgür Civelek. A group of children who suffer from deformities due to a toxic explosion embark on an adventure in a war-torn post-apocalyptic region. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray, VOD, Digital. (Indiecan Entertainment).
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Habermann

(2010 -- Germany/Czech Republic/Austria) Mark Waschke, Karel Roden, Ben Becker. A stimulating film that raises awareness of a post World War II event that must never be forgotten – the brutal and horrific expulsion of ethnic Germans from the Sudetenland and other parts of Eastern Europe. A result of the resentment against Germans as Nazi sympathizers that are responsible for the war, millions of Germans that had been peacefully co-existing alongside Czechs were stripped of their land and possessions and forced in mass exodus back to German soil. Most of them were tortured, many were murdered; whether they had anything to do with the Nazis or not. Based on the true story of August Habermann, a wealthy mill owner interested in neither politics nor ideology, the film portrays a brave man in his attempt to hold together his family and community as he is manipulated by malicious forces beyond his comprehension. Formats: DVD, Digital. (Corinth Films).

Hawaii Five-0 (2010): The Complete Series

(2010-20) A contemporary take on the classic series about an elite federalized task force photo for Hawaii Five-0 (2010): The Complete Serieswhose mission is to wipe out the crime that washes up on the islands’ sun-drenched beaches. Detective Steve McGarrett, a decorated Naval officer turned cop, returned to Oahu after Hawaii’s former governor persuaded him to head up the new team: his rules, no red tape and full blanket authority to hunt down the biggest “game” in town. Joining McGarrett are Detective Danny “Danno” Williams, a relocated ex-New Jersey cop who is committed to keeping the islands safe for his children; Captain Lou Grover, who formerly headed Hawaii’s SWAT unit; Jerry Ortega, the islands’ local conspiracy theorist; Tani Rey, a bold, recent police academy graduate; Junior Reigns, a former SEAL who comes to McGarrett looking for a job. The state’s brash Five-0 unit, who may spar and jest among themselves, remain determined to eliminate the seedy elements from the 50th state. Formats: DVD. (CBS/Paramount).

The Little Penguin Pororo’s Dinosaur Island Adventure

(2020) It’s dinosaur versus alien in this animated family adventure! When a space pod crashes close by, penguin Pororo and his animal pals discover Alo, a baby dinosaur. But the pod abducts Alo and dino pal Crong and takes them to a nearby vessel, where an alien invader plans to sell them and get rich. To rescue their friends, Pororo’s gang asks a friendly dinosaur tribe to help battle the alien and his army of robots. Formats: DVD, VOD, Digital. (Lionsgate).
photo for Mario Puzo's The Godfather, Coda: The Death of Michael Corleone

Mario Puzo's The Godfather, Coda: The Death of Michael Corleone

(1990) Just in time for the 30th anniversary of "The Godfather: Part III," director-screenwriter Francis Ford Coppola has re-edited the final film in his epic Godfather trilogy. This new version achieves Coppola and screenwriter Mario Puzo’s original vision for the finale, which has been meticulously restored frame-by-frame from a 4k scan for the finest presentation of the Corleone saga’s last chapter. Michael Corleone (Al Pacino), now in his 60s, seeks to free his family from crime and find a suitable successor to his empire. That successor could be fiery Vincent (Andy Garcia)... but he may also be the spark that turns Michael's hope of business legitimacy into an inferno of mob violence. The film’s meticulously restored picture and sound, under the supervision of American Zoetrope and Paramount Pictures, includes a new beginning and ending, as well as changes to scenes, shots, and music cues. With an introduction by Coppola. The film also stars Diane Keaton, Talia Shire, Andy Garcia, Eli Wallach, Joe Mantegna, George Hamilton, Bridget Fonda, Sofia Coppola, Raf Vallone. Formats: Blu-ray, with Digital copy. (Paramount).


Mister Roberts BLU-RAY DEBUT

(1955) The USS Reluctant carries cargo along World War II's forgotten Pacific seaways. Beyond the horizon, the real war passes its stir-crazy crew by. "Mister Roberts," directed by John Ford and Mervyn LeRoy, is the classic story of men fighting to survive – not war's dangers, but its indignities. Henry Fonda's reprise of his Tony-winning Broadway role returned him to movies after seven years away. Jack Lemmon won his first Academy Award as hapless, lecherous Ensign Pulver. James Cagney's petty, scrappy Captain makes a fierce adversary. In his final film, William Powell makes world-weary Doc a sage for the ages. "Mister Roberts" has moments of unforgettable humor. But sadness tempers the comedy. No shot is fired. No blood is spilled. Yet "Mister Roberts" endures as one of our most truthful war sagas. New 2020 1080p HD Remaster from 4K Scan of Original Negative. Extras: Commentary by Jack Lemmon, original theatrical trailer. (Warner Archive).
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Mouchette BLU-RAY DEBUT

(1967) Robert Bresson plumbs great reservoirs of feeling with "Mouchette," one of the most searing portraits of human desperation ever put on film. With a dying mother, an absent, alcoholic father, and a baby brother in need of care, the teenage Mouchette seeks solace and respite from her circumstances in the nature of the French countryside and daily routine. Bresson deploys his trademark minimalist style to heartbreaking effect in this essential work of French filmmaking, a hugely empathetic drama that elevates its trapped protagonist into one of the cinema’s most memorable tragic figures. Formats: Blu-ray, with new 4K digital restoration, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack. Extras: Audio commentary from 2006 by film scholar, critic, and festival programmer Tony Rayns; "Au hasard Bresson," a 1967 documentary by Theodor Kotulla, featuring director Robert Bresson on the set of "Mouchette"; segment of a 1967 episode of the French television series "Cinéma," featuring on-set interviews with Bresson and actors Nadine Nortier and Jean-Claude Guilbert; original theatrical trailer, cut by Jean-Luc Godard; an essay by critic and poet Robert Polito. (The Criterion Collection).

No Place

(2019) Benjamin Madrid, Forba Shepherd, Ric Payne, Afton Shepard. Mac is a grifter on the hunt for his next hustle. After tying up loose ends in the midwest with his fixer, Les, she turns him onto an opportunity expected to lead to a big payout in Indianapolis. Sent to a local bar owner, his chance for revenge and redemption turns into a meet up with an old flame, Evelyn. As his past catches up with him, Mac realizes that getting involved with her again means putting his life on the line. Formats: DVD, Digital. (Indican Pictures).
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Possessor (Uncut)

(2020 -- UK/Canada) Andrea Riseborough, Christopher Abbott, Jennifer Jason Leigh. An arresting sci-fi thriller about elite corporate assassin Tasya Vos who uses brain-implant technology to take control of other people’s bodies, forcing them to execute high-profile targets. As she sinks deeper into her latest assignment, Vos becomes trapped inside a mind that threatens to obliterate her. Formats: Blu-ray, Blu-ray/DVD Combo, 4K Ultra HD/Blu-ray Combo, VOD, Digital. Extras: Deleted scenes, behind-the-scenes footage. (Well Go USA).

Raining in the Mountain

(1979 -- Taiwan/Hong Kong) During the Ming Dynasty, a Buddhist abbot charged with protecting the sacred scroll of Tripitaka prepares to name his successor. An aristocrat and a general arrive at his secluded mountaintop monastery promising to help in his search, but are in fact scheming to secure the scroll for themselves. As they set about recommending corrupt photo for Raining in the Mountainsuccessors, rival bands of martial artists lie in wait to steal the precious artifact. Soon, the monastery is transformed into an epic battleground for the scroll, with each player caught in a web of betrayal. A remarkably photographed caper heist that is the peak of legendary director King Hu's ("A Touch of Zen") infusion of Buddhist spiritual principles into the legacy of martial arts cinema. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray, Digital. Extras: "Treasures of the Spirit" new video essay by Chinese-language film expert/author Stephen Teo; audio commentary by critic and Asian cinema expert Tony Rayns; 16-page booklet with a new essay by New York Asian Film Festival executive director Samuel Jamier. (Film Movement Classics).

The Secrets She Keeps

(2020) Two-disc set with all six episodes of the suspenseful and intense psychological thriller -- based on the novel of the same name by Michael Robotham -- that revolves around the lives and connection between two heavily pregnant women (Laura Carmichael and Jessica De Gouw) who meet in a supermarket just outside of Sydney. Both have secrets that gradually emerge as their worlds collide. They are the same age and due at the same time. Meghan (De Gouw) is a glamorous online influencer on the rise with an ambitious television sports reporter husband, Jack (Michael Dorman). Agatha (Carmichael) works in the supermarket as a shelf stacker. Although they live near each other, the two women’s lives could not be more different: Agatha is a loner, barely living above the poverty line. She’s ecstatic to be pregnant, pinning all her hopes and dreams on this much longed-for "miracle baby." Yet, the father of her unborn child is a sailor on active duty and remains mixed to her condition. Meghan is a sophisticated mother-of-two who uses her website to reframe her imperfect life into a glossier, more aspirational existence. Both women have secrets. And both will risk everything to conceal the truth. But their worlds are about to collide in one shocking act that cannot be undone. Formats: DVD. (Sundance Now).

Seven Women for Satan (aka The Wicked Weekends of Count Zaroff)

(1974 -- France) Michel Lemoine, Joëlle Coeur, Nathalie Zeiger, Howard Vernon. By day a mild-mannered businessman, in his dreams, Boris Zaroff hunts naked females on his country estates, just like his notorious father. One weekend, two visitors arrive at Boris’s castle. The young girl is fascinated by tales of the wicked Zaroffs and asks if she can see their famous torture chamber. Maybe now the Zaroff’s dreams can become reality once more. A stylish and erotic horror film that was actually banned in France in the 1970s. Severely cut from its original running time and more or less forgotten for decades, the film now reaches Blu-ray in a stunningly restored, exclusive extended version created from the original negative. Formats: Blu-ray. Extras: Interview with cast member Robert de Laroche, interview with director Michel Lemoine, deleted and alternate scenes, trailer. (Mondo Macabro).

Sins of the Flesh

(1974 -- France) Anne Libert, Francis Lemonnier, Patrick Penn, Barbara Sommers. Benoît Landrieux, the idle and depraved son of a rich industrialist has two chance encounters on the same day that will change his life forever - Jean-Pierre, a young tearaway who is trying to steal his car, and Isabelle, 20 years old, whom he saves from being raped by her stepfather. Benoît is a coward and a voyeur who gets his kicks from watching other couples make out. He cajoles his two new companions to attempt what he has never dared do - rob the safe in his father’s factory, seduce his stepmother to blackmail her for money, and finally go so far as committing murder. Thus begins a wild ride that takes them to the very edge of madness. Brand new 4k transfer from a film negative, digitally restored. Formats: Blu-ray. Extras: Interview with actress Anne Libert, interview with Gerard Kikoine, interview with distributor Francis Mischkind, interview with assistant director Didier Philippe-Gérard, trailers, alternate title sequences. (Mondo Macabro).

Smiley Face Killers

(2019) Crispin Glover, Ronen Rubinstein, Mia Serafino. As a strange wave of mysterious drownings of male college students plagues the California coast, Jake Graham (Rubinstein) struggles to keep his life together at school. Finding himself stalked by a hooded figure (Glover) driving an unmarked van, Jake fears he may become the next victim in the killers’ horrific spree. Inspired by true events and the twisted “smiley face killers” conspiracy theory that has gripped the American imagination for decades. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray, VOD, Digital. Extras: Behind-the-scenes featurette with the cast.(Lionsgate).
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Song Without a Name

(2019 -- Peru) Pamela Mendoza, Tommy Párraga, Lucio Rojas. Stranger-than-fiction, Kafkaesque thriller of crime and corruption. Based on harrowing true events, the film, just named Peru’s Official Oscar Submission for Best International Film at the 93rd Academy Awards, tells the story of Georgina, an indigenous Andean woman whose newborn baby is whisked away moments after its birth in a downtown Lima clinic -- and never returned. Stonewalled by a byzantine and indifferent legal system, Georgina approaches journalist Pedro Compos, who uncovers a web of fake clinics and abductions -- suggesting a rotting corruption deep within Peruvian society. Set in 1988, in a Peru wracked by political violence and turmoil, Melina León’s heart-wrenching first feature renders Georgina's story in gorgeous, shadowy black-and-white cinematography. Winner of More than 30 International Awards, Including “Best Film By An Emerging Director” at the Munich Film Festival and the New Voices/New Visions Grand Jury Prize at the Palm Springs Film Festival. Formats: DVD, Digital. Extras: Video Introduction by director Melina León; bonus short film, "Sin Cielo" (directed by Jianna Maarten Saada, United States, Spanish with English subtitles): Teens pursue love in a Mexican order town where violence may be inescapable. (Film Movement).
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Steven Universe: The Complete Collection

(2013-20) 15-Disc Collector’s Edition Storybook features custom-made pieces of art on every page by Chromosphere. Inside, it is filled with every episode of "Steven Universe," "Steven Universe Future," as well as the smash hit TV movie, "Steven Universe The Movie." Cartoon Network’s six-time Emmy-nominated "Steven Universe" revolves around Steven, the “little brother” to a team of magical aliens — the Crystal Gems — who defend the planet Earth. Steven is the son of the Crystal Gems’ late leader Rose Quartz and aging aspiring rockstar Mr. Universe. Steven belongs everywhere and nowhere: he has inherited his mother’s Gem and her magical powers, but also his father’s humanity and charm. The show is a slice-of-life action comedy that follows Steven as he attempts to bridge the gap between the sci-fi fantasy world of Gems and the cozy, funny, simple-yet-extraordinarily-complicated world of human beings. Formats: DVD, Digital. Extras: Animatics, music videos, "Steven Universe" minisodes, "Steven Universe The Movie" sing-a-long, commentary on select episodes. (Warner).

Survivor Ballads: Three Films By Shohei Imamura

Throughout the 1980s, Shohei Imamura ("The Pornographers," "Profound Desires of the Gods"), a leading figure of the Japanese New Wave era of the 1960s, cemented his international reputation as one of the most important directors of his generation with a series of films that all competed at Cannes to great critical acclaim. This exclusive box set from Arrow Academy presents restored versions of three late career classics from the legendary filmmaker. Based on an ancient folktale, "The Ballad of Narayama" (1983) was the first of two works from the director to win the prestigious Cannes Palme d'Or. Imamura's magnum opus photo for Survivor Ballads: Three Films By Shohei Imamuradepicts the members of an extended farming family eking out their existence in the mountainous north of Japan against the backdrop of the changing seasons before village lore decrees they make the sacrifice of abandoning their aged mother on the top of a nearby mountain when she reaches her 70th year. Making its HD debut, "Zegen" (1987) takes a satirical look at Japan's prewar colonial expansion through the unscrupulous eyes of its flesh-peddler antihero as he establishes a prostitution enterprise across Southeast Asia. Finally, the harrowing "Black Rain" (1989) details the precarious existence of a household of atomic bomb survivors as, five years after being caught in the blast of Hiroshima, they struggle to find a husband for their 25-year-old niece. These three works epitomize the director's almost documentary style of filmmaking, exposing the vulgar yet vibrant and instinctive underbelly of Japanese society through a sympathetic focus on peasants, prostitutes, criminal lowlife and other marginalized figures to explore the schism between the country's timeless premodern traditions and the modern face it projects to the world. Restored High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentations of all three films with original lossless Japanese PCM 1.0 mono soundtracks. Formats: Blu-ray. Extras: New audio commentaries on all three films by Japanese cinema expert Jasper Sharp; new, in-depth appreciations of all three films by Japanese cinema expert Tony Rayns; alternate color ending to "Black Rain," shot by Imamura but removed from the film shortly before its release; archival interviews on "Black Rain" with actress Yoshiko Tanaka and assistant director Takashi Miike; multiple trailers and image galleries; original Japanese press kits for "The Ballad of Narayama" and "Black Rain" (BD-ROM content); limited edition 60-page booklet containing new writing by Tom Mes; limited edition packaging featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Tony Stella. (Arrow Academy/MVD Entertainment).
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Symbiopsychotaxiplasm: Two Takes by William Greaves BLU-RAY DEBUT

In his one-of-a-kind fiction/documentary hybrid "Symbiopsychotaxiplasm Take One" (1968), the pioneering William Greaves presides over a beleaguered film crew in New York’s Central Park, leaving them to try to figure out what kind of movie they’re making. A couple enacts a breakup scenario over and over, a documentary crew films a crew filming the crew, locals wander casually into the frame: the project defies easy description. Yet this wildly innovative sixties counterculture landmark remains one of the most tightly focused and insightful movies ever made about making movies, expanded thirty-five years later by its unconventional follow-up, "Symbiopsychotaxiplasm Take 2½" (2005). The “sequel” sees "Take One" actors Audrey Henningham and Shannon Baker reunited in a more personal, metatheatrical exploration of the effects of the passage of time on technology, the artistic process, and relationships -- real and fabricated. With high-definition digital transfers of both films with uncompressed monaural soundtracks. Extras: "Discovering William Greaves," a 2006 documentary on Greaves’s career, featuring Greaves, his wife and co-producer Louise Archambault, actor Ruby Dee, filmmaker St. Clair Bourne, and film scholar Scott MacDonald; interview from 2006 with actor Steve Buscemi; trailer; an essay by critic Amy Taubin and production notes by Greaves for "Take One." (The Criterion Collection).
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2020 World Series Champions: LA

(2020) Like so many events, the COVID-19 pandemic dramatically reshaped how this MLB season looked and felt. After navigating unprecedented challenges, playing a restructured regular season, a new Postseason format and the first neutral site World Series in modern history, the historic 2020 season culminated in an unforgettable Fall Classic and with the Los Angeles Dodgers being crowned champions for the first time in since 1988. Fans can rejoice and relive all the excitement, drama, and life-changing moments of the 2020 World Series against the American League Champion Tampa Bay Rays, in the official 2020 World Series film from Major League Baseball. Legendary Dodgers broadcaster Vin Scully lends his signature voice, taking fans on a heartfelt journey to the 2020 championship through his unique baseball perspective. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray/DVD Combo, VOD, Digital. (Shout! Factory).

Versus

(2000 -- Japan) A relentless one-of-a-kind sensory assault chock-full of hyper-kinetic fight scenes, gangster shootouts, sword-slashing violence and gory zombie horror, "Versus" was a key title among the barrage of innovative horror and action movies that appeared as if from nowhere from Japan at the turn of the millennium, leading to a new wave of appreciation for Asian extreme cinema. A mysterious face-off in a wooded clearing between two escaped convicts and a carload of sharply dressed yakuza holding a beautiful woman captive ends in hails of bullets and showers of blood. The location for this violent encounter is the mythic Forest of photo for VersusResurrection, the site of the 444th portal of the 666 hidden gates that link this earthly domain to the netherworld -- and it didn't get this name for nothing. As one of the surviving prisoners escapes with the girl into the darkness of the forest, disgruntled gangsters soon become the least of their worries as an earlier battle between a lone warrior against hordes of zombie samurai is carried over from a millennium ago into the present day. "Versus" caused a sensation both in Japan and internationally upon its release, launching the careers of director Ryûhei Kitamura and action star and fight choreographer Tak Sakaguchi. Presented in both its original 2000 and expanded 2004 "Ultimate Versus" iterations in a new 2K restoration from original film elements by Arrow Films, approved by director Ryûhei Kitamura. High Definition (1080p) Blu-ray presentations of both versions of the film: the original 2000 cut and 2004’s Ultimate Versus, featuring over 10 minutes of new and revised footage. Formats: Two-disc Blu-ray. Extras: Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Chris Malbon. FIRST PRESSING ONLY: illustrated collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film and a reprinted interview with Kitamura by Tom Mes, and notes on the making of the film by Kitamura. Disc One: Versus: Audio commentary by Kitamura and producer Keishiro Shin; audio commentary by Kitamura and the cast and crew; new visual essay on the career of Kitamura by Japanese cinema expert Jasper Sharp; "Behind Versus," a two-part behind-the-scenes documentary exploring the film’s production; "First Contact: Versus Evolution," a featurette exploring the film’s origins; "Tak Sakaguchi’s One-Man Journey," an archival featurette on the actor’s visit to the 2001 Japan Film Festival in Hamburg; film festival screening footage; "Team Versus," a brief look inside the Napalm Films office; "Deep in the Woods," an archival featurette featuring interviews with Kitamura, cast and crew; "The Encounter," an archival interview with editor Shûichi Kakesu; deleted scenes; "Nervous and Nervous 2," two “side story” mini-movies featuring characters from the main feature; featurette on the making of "Nervous 2"; "Versus FF Version," a condensed, 20-minute recut of the film; multiple trailers; image gallery. Disc Two: Ultimate Versus: Audio commentary by Kitamura, cast and crew; "Sakigake! Otoko versus Juku," a featurette on the newly shot material for "Ultimate Versus."(Arrow Video/MVD Entertainment).

Yellowstone: Season 3

(2020) All 10 episodes of the engrossing family drama that follows the epic story of a multi-generational family that controls the largest contiguous ranch in the U.S. In Season 3, The Dutton family is threatened by new foes and lucrative business deals, forcing John (Kevin Costner), Kayce (Luke Grimes), Beth (Kelly Reilly) and Jamie (Wes Bentley) to utilize unexpected alliances and risky measures to safeguard their legacy. Formats: Four-disc DVD, three-disc Blu-ray. Extras: Interviews, behind-the-scenes featurettes. (Paramount).




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December 15

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Amores perros

(2000) Sending shock waves through the Mexican film industry and the world, this blistering feature debut from Alejandro González Iñárritu brought the director’s electrifying visual style and bravura multistrand storytelling to the screen with the heart-stopping impact of a primal scream. In Mexico City, the lives of three strangers -- a young man (Gael García Bernal) mixed up in the gritty underworld of dogfighting, a glamorous woman (Goya Toledo) who seems to have it all, and a mysterious assassin (Emilio Echevarría) who is desperate to reconnect with his estranged daughter -- collide in a tragic twist of fate that forever alters their personal journeys. A tour de force of violence and emotion captured in a rush of kinetic handheld camera work, "Amores perros" is an unforgettable plunge into a world of brutality and aching, interconnected humanity. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray, with new 4K digital restoration, supervised by director Alejandro González Iñárritu and director of photography Rodrigo Prieto, with 5.1 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack on the Blu-ray. Extras: New interview with Iñárritu and filmmaker Pawel Pawlikowski; new conversation between Iñárritu and actors Adriana Barraza, Vanessa Bauche, and Gael García Bernal; "Perros, amores, accidentes," a new documentary on the making of the film featuring behind-the-scenes footage; rehearsal footage with reflections by Iñárritu; new interview with composer Gustavo Santaolalla; new video essay by film scholar Paul Julian Smith; music videos for songs from the film’s soundtrack by Control Machete, Café Tacvba, and Julieta Venegas; trailer; essays by critic Fernanda Solórzano and author Juan Villoro. (The Criterion Collection).

Army of One

(2020) Ellen Hollman, Matt Passmore, Geraldine Singer, Gary Kasper, Cam Bowen. While out hiking, Special Forces Brenner Baker and her husband stumble upon an illegal drug compound. The drug dealers capture them, kill her husband, and leave her for dead ... but they should have made sure they finished the job. Now, 1st Lieutenant Brenner Baker of the Army's 75th Ranger Division is on a one-woman killing mission carving up everyone in her path until there is only one person standing, her. Formats: DVD, VOD, Digital. (Uncork'd Entertainment).

Avenue 5: The Complete First Season

(2020) This HBO comedy is set 40 years into the future when travelling the solar system is no longer the stuff of sci-fi fantasy but a booming, multibillion-dollar business. The series stars Hugh Laurie as Ryan Clark, the confident and suave captain of "Avenue 5" - a space cruise ship with luxury amenities like gourmet buffets, a spa, an observation deck and yoga classes. Among the 5,000 passengers and crew on board are billionaire Herman Judd (Josh Gad), the mercurial face and name behind Avenue 5; Judd's right-hand-woman Iris Kimura (Suzy Nakamura); head of customer relations Matt Spencer (Zach Woods); engineer Billie McEvoy (Lenora Crichlow); and strong-willed passenger Karen Kelly (Rebecca Front). Monitoring Avenue 5 from the ground is Rav Mulcair (Nikki Amuka-Bird), the seen-it-all head of Judd Mission Control. As the series begins, Avenue 5's eight-week journey around Saturn is underway and its systems are optimal. But when the ship suddenly encounters technical difficulties, it's up to Ryan and his crew to calm the disgruntled passengers and find a way to deal with unexpected events onboard - though they may or may not be equipped for the task. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray. (Warner Archive).

Aviva

(2020 -- US/France) Bobbi Jene Smith, Zina Zinchenko, Or Schraiber, Tyler Phillips. The character Aviva is a young Parisian who develops an online romance with a New Yorker named Eden. After a long-distance courtship they meet in person, fall in love, and eventually marry. The two lovers are played by four different dancer/actors simultaneously. As the young relationship grows, the lovers struggle as their shifting masculine and feminine sides battle for primacy—both inside and outside their bodies, as expressed through movement and dialogue. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray, VOD, Digital. Blu-ray extras: Behind-the-scenes rehearsals. (Strand Releasing).

The Beach House

(2019) Liana Liberato, Noah Le Gros, Maryann Nagel, Jake Weber. Hoping to reignite their relationship, college students Emily (Liberato) and Randall (Le Gros) arrive at their weekend getaway only to discover a peculiar older couple already staying there. They all agree to share the home but, after an indulgent night of partying, they awake to a living nightmare of apocalyptic proportions. A mysterious airborne microbe has infected the water and it’s making its way to the house. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray, VOD, Digital. (RLJE Films).
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Beasts Clawing at Straws

(2020 -- South Korea) Jeon Do-yeon, Jung Woo-sung, Bae Sung-woo. A wild crime thriller about a bag of money left in a sauna and the eight strangers who, spurred by blinding greed, become intricately and dangerously involved with each. A Luis Vuitton bag stuffed full of cash sends a group of hard-luck lowlifes on a desperate chase for the fortune in this pitch-black neo-noir crime thriller. Fish-mongering gangsters, a greasy cop, an “innocent” gym cleaner, a prostitute, her wife beater of a husband, her ruthless boss and her clueless boyfriend all violently scheme to get their hands on the elusive bag. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray, Digital. (Artsploitation Films).

The Call

(2020) Lin Shaye, Tobin Bell, Chester Rushing. Set in the fall of 1987, a group of small-town friends must survive the night in the home of a sinister couple after a tragic accident occurs. Needing only to make a single phone call, the request seems horribly ordinary until they realize that this call could change their lives ... or end them. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray, VOD. (Cinedigm).

The Dark and the Wicked

(2020) Marin Ireland, Michael Abbott Jr., Xander Berkeley. On a secluded farm, a man is bedridden and fighting through his final breaths while his wife slowly succumbs to overwhelming grief. Siblings Louise and Michael return home to help, but it doesn’t take long for them to see that something’s wrong with mom -- something more than her heavy sorrow. Gradually, they begin to suffer a darkness similar to their mother’s, marked by waking nightmares and a growing sense that an evil entity is taking over their family. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray. (RLJE Films).

Dragon Soldiers

(2020) Ruben Pla, Antuone Torbert, Heath C. Heine. When locals start vanishing from a small Colorado town, the mayor hires a squad of elite mercenaries to fight off the menace — whoever or whatever it may be. Leader Cameron (Pla) and his team suspect a ruthless gang of mercenary survivalists … until they come face to face with a massive, airborne, fire-breathing reptile. Now, stopping the creature and surviving the attacks will take weapons, explosives, and gunfire, along with every ounce of courage they have left. Formats: DVD, VOD, Digital. (Lionsgate).

Echo Boomers

(2020) Patrick Schwarzenegger, Gilles Geary, Hayley Law, Jacob Alexander, Oliver Cooper, Kate Linder, Lesley Ann Warren, Alex Pettyfer, Michael Shannon. Recent college graduate Lance Zutterland (Schwarzenegger) leaves school in debt, realizing everything he had worked towards was built on a lie. When he is pulled into a criminal operation, he finds his peers fighting the system by stealing from the rich and giving to … themselves. With nothing to lose, they leave behind a trail of destruction ... but with the cops closing in, tensions mount and Lance soon discovers he is in over his head with no way out. Formats: DVD, VOD, Digital. (Paramount).
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Frau Stern

(2019 -- Germany) Ahuva Sommerfeld, Kara Schröder, Pit Bukowski. 90-year-old Frau Stern is in remarkable shape for a woman her age. Her physical health is excellent, her daughter and granddaughter are doting on her, her hairdresser supplies her with recreational drugs and she is surrounded by friends who are still in their 20s. But the Holocaust survivor from Berlin has had enough: she desperately wants to die. With a wonderful performance from the late Sommerfeld, "Frau Stern" is a sad yet funny meditation on life, death and everything in between. Formats: DVD, Digital. (Film Movement).

The Harvey Girls BLU-RAY DEBUT

(1946) Judy Garland headlines this joyous slice of Americana celebrating the "Harvey House" restaurants that brought extra helpings of civilization to the Old West. Famed M-G-M musical producer Arthur Freed brought together an impressive cast of talents for this box-office hit which features a delightful original score by composer Harry Warren and lyricist Johnny Mercer, who earned an Oscar for their On the Atchison, Topeka, and the Santa Fe as the Best Song of 1946. Garland once again shares the screen with her "Oz" co-star Ray Bolger, clowns with Virginia O'Brien, falls in love with leading man John Hodiak, and faces off against wicked saloon gal Angela Lansbury in one of the most entertaining and enduring musical classics to come from Metro's golden age, now fully restored to its original Technicolor luster for its Blu-ray debut. New 2020 1080p HD restoration from 4K scan of the original nitrate Technicolor negatives. Extras: Feature-length audio commentary by director George Sidney; three deleted musical sequences: "March of the Doagies," "March of the Doagies" (reprise), "My Intuition"; scoring stage sessions (audio only) featuring pre-recordings made for the film including the unused "Hayride," "On the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe" remixed in stereo; original theatrical trailer. (Warner Archive).
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Infidel

(2020) Jim Caviezel, Claudia Karvan, Hal Ozsan, Stelio Savante, Bijan Daneshmand, Isabelle Adrian. Kidnapped while attending a religious conference in the Middle East, American journalist Doug Rawlins (Caviezel) is held hostage of the Iranian regime and put on trial for trumped-up charges of espionage. With no help from her State Department connections, Doug's wife Liz (Karvan) decides to take matters into her own hands to find her husband and bring him home. Inspired by true events and ripped from today's headlines. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray, VOD, Digital. CC, MPAA rating: R, 108 min., Action, Box office gross: $4.050 million. Extras: Commentary (Universal).

Mutiny

(1952) Dir.: Edward Dmytryk; Mark Stevens, Angela Lansbury, Patric Knowles. During the War of 1812, the United States, in need of gold, arranges with a French group to lend the government $10 million in bullion. To bring the gold here, an American ship must break through the British blockade. A young captain accepts the dangerous assignment and after several narrow photo for Mutiny escapes, the ship finally reaches France. No sooner is the gold aboard the American ship when the crew mutinies and sets the captain adrift, giving him one chance in a thousand to reach shore. However, the captain survives his watery experience, returns with the American Navy and recaptures his vessel. A British warship arrives on the scene, but one of the men volunteers to torpedo the enemy in an untried submarine made for a two-man crew. The mission is successful, and the gold eventually reaches America. First time on Blu-ray. Produced from a new restoration re-mastered from the original 35mm negatives in 4K, in gorgeous Technicolor. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray. (VCI Entertainment).

My German Friend

(2012 -- Argentina/Germany) Celeste Cid, Benjamin Sadler, Max Riemelt. A German-Jewish girl and the son of an exiled Nazi colonel form an enduring bond in Argentina in this love story that distills 30 years of personal and political postwar history. The film opens in 1950s Buenos Aires where Jews and Nazis, having fled Europe, are thrown photo for My German Friendtogether in a foreign land. As the children of affluent German emigrants, Sulamit Löwenstein (Cid) and Friedrich Burg (Riemelt) first meet as next door neighbors and become instant friends. Only later does Friedrich learn that his father was a high-ranking SS officer. Determined to break with his family, he moves to Germany to immerse himself in radical student politics. Sulamit follows and a romance briefly blossoms, but Friedrich’s commitment to political activism leaves no room for love. When he returns to Argentina to join an anti-government guerilla movement and disappears without a trace, Sulamit embarks on a search to find him, and heal her heart and the wounds of the past. Partly based on people and events from her own life, writer-director Jeanine Meerapfel delivers an intimate and humane examination of a guilt-ridden generation seeking to escape the mistakes and legacy of their forbearers. Formats: DVD, Digital. (Corinth Films).

The Opening Act

(2020) Jimmy O. Yang, Alex Moffat, Cedric The Entertainer, Neal Brennan, Debby Ryan, Ken Jeong, Bill Burr, Whitney Cummings. Will Chu (Yang) is stuck in a thankless job while trying to pursue his true passion in life, becoming a stand-up comedian. When he gets the opportunity he’s been waiting for, the emcee slot on the road opening for his hero Billy G., the realities of life on the stage come crashing down. Between relentless hecklers, drunk comedy groupies and hard-to-impress morning radio DJs, things get off to a rough start. Even if he can learn from his idols and overcome the challenges, he’ll have to prove he has what it takes to make his dream a reality. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray. Extras: "The Making of The Opening Act," "Getting Started in Comedy," extended stand-up scenes with Jimmy O. Yang, Cedric The Entertainer, Whitney Cummings and more. (RLJE Films).

Robo

(2019 -- Russia) Daniil Izotov, Vladimir Vdovichenkov, Sergey Bezrukov. 12-year-old Mitya Privalov dreams of becoming a superhero comics artist. But his robotics engineer parents want him to follow in their footsteps. Mitya never would have imagined that he'd find support and understanding in the rescue robot created by his parents -- A-112, or Robo for short. The two of them have amazing adventures together as Robo learns to believe in himself and his dreams and teaches Mitya courage and responsibility. Formats: DVD. (MPI Media).
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Tenet

(2020) Director: Christopher Nolan. Stars: Robert Pattinson, Elizabeth Debicki, John David Washington, Dimple Kapadia, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Clemence Poesy, Michael Caine, Kenneth Branagh, Fiona Dourif, Himesh Patel, Andrew Howard, Wes Chatham, Dimple Kapadia, Martin Donovan. Armed with only one word - Tenet - and fighting for the survival of the entire world, the Protagonist journeys through a twilight world of international espionage on a mission that will unfold in something beyond real time. A soldier known for not breaking under torture is dead. At least, that's what the masses believe. The truth is that there is an afterlife for some soldiers when they are retired from their roles in either war or everyday international espionage. In his afterlife, the man, a secret agent, receives an unbelievable mission: He must help others to prevent World War III. The threat isn't nuclear. It's something far worse. The only way to open doors and find the answers that he seeks is to know a single word. Of course, he must also remember that some events haven't happened yet.Formats: DVD, Blu-ray/DVD Combo, 4K Ultra HD/Blu-ray Combo, Digital. CC, MPAA rating: PG-13, 150 min., Science Fiction, Box office gross: $56.300 million US; $353.7 worldwide. (Warner).

Torched

(2004) Michelle Boback, Tamara Pender, Daniel Lomas. Deanna, a young, pretty and upwardly mobile nurse is about to face the most difficult challenge of her life ... deciding whether five men should live or die. Deanna was brutally raped, but the pain she suffered is nothing compared to that which her five suspects are about to endure. One by one, Deanna avenges her rape. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray. Extras: Commentary with director Ryan Nicholson, behind-the-scenes featurette, interview with Nicholson, trailers. Blu-ray adds over five hours of additional extras. (Unearthed Films).

Tremors [Limited Edition]

(1990) A pulse-pounding love letter to 1950s creature features that delivers horror and humor in equal measure, "Tremors" is a bonafide cult classic that has grabbed audiences' affections ever since its release and spawned a successful franchise that continues to this day. Good-ol'-boy handymen Val (Kevin Bacon) and Earl (Fred Ward) are sick of their dead-end jobs in one-horse desert town Perfection, Nevada (population: 14). Just as they're about to escape Perfection forever, however, things start to get really weird: half-eaten corpses litter the road out of town; the phone lines stop working; and a plucky young scientist shows evidence of unusually strong seismic activity in the area. Something is coming for the citizens of photo for Tremors [Limited Edition]Perfection ... and it's under the goddamn ground. Bursting with indelible characters, quotable dialogue and jaw-dropping special effects, "Tremors" is back and bigger than ever in this new 4K restoration from the original negative, approved by director Ron Underwood and director of photography Alexander Gruszynski. Formats: Two-disc Blu-ray, 4K Ultra HD/Blu-ray Combo. Extras: Sixty-page perfect-bound book featuring new writing by Kim Newman and Jonathan Melville and selected archive materials; large fold-out double-sided poster featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Matt Frank; small fold-out double-sided poster featuring new Graboid X-ray art by Matt Frank; six double-sided, postcard-sized lobby card reproduction artcards; limited edition packaging with reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Matt Frank. Disc 1: New audio commentary by director Ron Underwood and writers-producers Brent Maddock & S.S. Wilson; new audio commentary by Jonathan Melville, author of "Seeking Perfection: The Unofficial Guide to Tremors"; "Making Perfection," a new documentary by Universal Studios interviewing key cast and crew from the franchise (including Kevin Bacon, Michael Gross, Ariana Richards, Ron Underwood, among many others) and revisiting the original locations; "The Truth About Tremors," a newly filmed interview with co-producer Nancy Roberts on the film’s rocky road to the screen; "Bad Vibrations," a newly filmed interview with director of photography Alexander Gruszynski; "Aftershocks and Other Rumblings," newly filmed on-set stories from associate producer Ellen Collett; "Digging in the Dirt," a new featurette interviewing the crews behind the film’s extensive visual effects; "Music for Graboids," a new featurette on the film’s music with composers Ernest Troost and Robert Folk: "Pardon My French!," a newly assembled compilation of overdubs from the edited-for television version; "The Making of Tremors," an archive documentary from 1995 by Laurent Bouzereau, interviewing the filmmakers and special effects teams; "Creature Featurette," an archive compilation of on-set camcorder footage showing the making of the Graboids; electronic press kit featurette and interviews with Kevin Bacon, Michael Gross and photo for TrompieReba McEntire; deleted scenes, including the original opening scene; theatrical trailers, TV and radio spots for the original film as well as trailers for the entire Tremors franchise; comprehensive image galleries, including rare behind-the-scenes stills, storyboards and two different drafts of the screenplay. Disc 2: Extended hour-long interviews from "Making Perfection" with Ron Underwood, Brent Maddock, S.S. Wilson, Nancy Roberts and creature designer Alec Gillis; outtakes with optional introduction and commentary by S.S. Wilson; three early short films by the makers of "Tremors," remastered in high definition, including S.S. Wilson’s stop-motion horror/comedy classic "Recorded Live" (1975). (Arrow Video/MVD Entertainment).

Trompie

(1975 -- South Africa) Trompie and three of his mischief-making friends make up a neighborhood gang of which he's the captain. They're typical 12 year-olds, full of brilliant ideas and escapades. Whenever Trompie finds himself in a pickle, he talks his way out of trouble, repentant or not. Based on the books by Topsy Smith. Set in 1970's Apartheid South Africa. Part of IndiePix Films' Retro Afrika collection, comprised of digitally-remastered classic Apartheid-era films, produced by and starring native South Africans, paying homage to Hollywood action, in a groundbreaking B-movie style, a precursor to today's burgeoning photo for Upondo and NkinselaNollywood industry. In Afrikaans with English subtitles. Formats: DVD Digital. Extras: Trailer. (IndiePix Films).

Upondo and Nkinsela

(1984 -- South Africa) Pondo and Nkinsela are two haphazard, dysfunctional friends who end up going on a series of crazy adventures. From ruining a bride's wedding day to destroying a client's hairdo in a beauty salon, to escaping a ghost, the two friends always seem to come out on top despite the havoc they cause everywhere they go. A madcap Apartheid-era South African caper, part of IndiePix Films' Retro Afrika collection, comprised of digitally-remastered classic Apartheid-era films, produced by and starring native South Africans. In Zulu with English subtitles. Formats: DVD, Digital. (IndiePix Films).

Vigilante

(1982) Robert Forster, Fred Williamson, Richard Bright, Rutanya Alda, Carol Lynley, Woody Strode, Joe Spinell, Willie Colón. New York City factory worker Eddie Marino (Forster) is a photo for Vigilantesolid citizen and regular guy, until the day a sadistic street gang brutally assaults his wife and murders his child. But when a corrupt judge sets the thugs free, Eddie goes berserk and vows revenge, enforcing his own kind of law, with swift and violent home-made justice. In a new restoration, scanned in 4K 16-bit from the original 35mm camera negative, with Dolby Vision HDR and Dolby Atmos audio. Formats: 4K Ultra HD/Blu-ray Combo. Extras: Audio commentary #1 with co-producer/director William Lustig and co-producer Andrew Garroni; Audio Commentary #2 with Lustig and stars Robert Forster, Fred Williamson and Frank Pesce; new audio commentary #3 with film historians Troy Howarth and Nathaniel Thompson; new "Blue Collar Death Wish" interviews with writer Richard Vetere, star Rutanya Alda, associate producer/first A.D./actor Randy Jurgensen, and others; new "Urban Western" interview with composer Jay Chattaway; theatrical trailers; TV spots; radio spot; promotional reel; poster and still galleries; collectible booklet with new essay by Michael Gingold. (Blue Underground).

Where I Belong

(2014 -- Austria/UK) Katy Bartrop, Adrian Chisholm, Charis-Elizabeth Deighton, Matthias Habich. The politics of the Third Reich drove thousands into exile. For many, England was the first safe haven. When the war came to an end the world as they photo for Where I Belongknew it had changed forever. Many of them would not return to their homeland. Rosemarie is a hard-working young woman living in a small English town in the 1950's. She left Austria with her father during the war to escape the Nazi oppression and since then, despite poverty and loneliness, she has always kept the faith that better days would arise. When she meets Anton, one of her father's friends, she immediately falls in love and starts believing in a fortunate destiny with him. Against all impediments, their secret love affair may help Rosemarie to find out where she really belongs. Formats: DVD, Digital. (Corinth Films).

White Riot

(2019) Britain, late-1970s. Punk is exploding. The country is deeply divided over immigration. The National Front, a far-right and fascist political party, is gaining strength as politicians like Enoch Powell push a xenophobic agenda. Outraged by a racist speech from Eric Clapton, music photographer Red Saunders writes a letter to the music press, calling for rock to be a force against racism. NME, Melody Maker, and Sounds all publish the letter. Flooded with responses, Red discovers many share his views. Teaming up with like-photo for White Riotminded creatives Roger Huddle, Kate Webb, Syd Shelton and Australian graphic designer Ruth Gregory, the team bands together to create Rock Against Racism (RAR) and a fanzine, Temporary Hoarding. Speaking directly to the youth, Temporary Hoarding reports stories and issues that the mainstream British media ignores, like immigration, the Catholic side of the Northern Ireland conflict, and the police’s controversial “suspected persons” (sus) powers. They give a voice to the voiceless. The National Front begins to strike back, committing acts of violence against RAR supporters and petrol-bombing their HQ. Despite this, RAR spreads virally across the UK and into Europe, becoming a grassroots youth movement. The Clash, Steel Pulse, Tom Robinson and other top bands of the day jump on board. "White Riot" is a moment in time when music changed the world. When a generation challenged the status quo. It’s Woodstock meets the March on Washington, punk-style. Formats: DVD, Digital. (Film Movement).

Young Man With a Horn BLU-RAY DEBUT

(1950) With a secondhand trumpet and the loving guidance of a brilliant bluesman, a lonely boy grows into manhood as a superb musician whose talent carries him from honky-tonks to posh photo for Young Man With a Horn BLU-RAY DEBUTsupper clubs. But his desperate search for an elusive high note – trapped in his mind but impossible to play – starts him on a boozy downward slide. Charged with dynamic performances by Kirk Douglas (the title role), Doris Day, Lauren Bacall and Hoagy Carmichael, and pitch-perfect direction by Michael Curtiz, the film is a feast of hot, cool, moody jazz. Legendary Harry James dubbed Douglas' hornwork. Day brings another fine instrument – her voice – to four standards. Movie and music lovers will be glad to meet this Man. New 2020 1080p HD remaster from 4K scan of original nitrate elements. Extras: Lux Radio Theater broadcast (3/3/52) with Kirk Douglas and Jo Stafford; vintage WB cartoons: "Hillblly Hare," "Homeless Hare" and "Hurdy Gurdy Hare"; original theatrical trailer. (Warner Archive).



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December 22


photo for The Craft: Legacy

The Craft: Legacy

(2020) Cailee Spaeny, Gideon Adlon, Lovie Simone, Zoey Luna, Nicholas Galitzine, Michelle Monaghan, David Duchovny. A continuation of the cult hit "The Craft" (1996), in which an eclectic foursome of aspiring teenage witches get more than they bargained for as they lean into their newfound powers. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray, VOD, Digital. (Sony).

It Happened On 5th Avenue

(1947) As he does every winter, hobo Aloysius T. McKeever (Victor Moore) moves into a mansion on New York City's 5th Avenue while its owners are away for the winter and invites all his hobo friends in from the cold. But this Christmas, Mary O'Connor (Ann Harding) comes home unexpectedly after a quarrel with her boyfriend to find her house occupied by jovial street dwellers. To make matters even worse, her father (Charles Ruggles) disguises himself as a hobo to get an invitation to stay in his own home -- and keeps his identity secret in this perennial Christmas favorite about rediscovering family and the joy of being together. Don DeFore and Gale Storm co-star as the young love interests in this first release from Allied Artists Productions. New 2020 1080p HD remaster from 4K scan of best surviving nitrate elements. Extras: Lux Radio Theater Broadcast (5/19/1947). (Warner Archive).

Jiu Jitsu

(2020) Nicolas Cage, Alain Moussi, Frank Grillo, Rick Yune, Marie Avgeropoulos, Juju Chan, Tony Jaa. Every six years, an ancient order of expert Jiu Jitsu fighters faces a vicious race of alien invaders in a battle for Earth. For thousands of years, the fighters that protect Earth have won ... until now. When celebrated war hero Jake Barnes (Moussi) is defeated by Brax, the indomitable leader of the invaders, the future of humanity hangs in the balance. Injured and suffering from amnesia, Jake is rescued by Wylie (Cage), Keung and his team of fellow Jiu Jitsu fighters. They must help Jake to regain his strength in order to band together and defeat Brax in an epic battle that will once again determine the fate of mankind.Formats: DVD. (Paramount).

Kajillionaire

(2020) Dir.: Miranda July; Evan Rachel Wood, Gina Rodriguez, Debra Winger, Richard Jenkins, Mark Ivanir, Adam Bartley, Patricia Belcher, Diana Maria Riva. From acclaimed writer/director Miranda July comes a profoundly moving and wildly original comedy. Con-artists Theresa (Winger) and Robert (Jenkins) have spent 26 years training their only daughter, Old Dolio (Wood), to swindle, scam, and steal at every opportunity. During a desperate, hastily conceived heist, they charm a stranger (Rodriguez) into joining their next scam, only to have their entire world turned upside down.Formats: DVD, VOD, Digital. (Universal).
photo for The Shop Around the Corner BLU-RAY DEBUT

The Shop Around the Corner BLU-RAY DEBUT

(1940) Ernst Lubitsch adds his unique style of directorial aplomb to this timeless love story that marked the third of Margaret Sullavan and James Stewart's four film appearances together. A 1936 play by Nikolaus Laszlo called "Perfumerie" was the basis for this timeless love story set in a Budapest shop. With a witty screenplay adaptation by Samson Raphaelson, Stewart and Sullavan play bickering gift-shop workers Alfred and Klara, unaware that they have fallen in love with each other as secret pen pals who only know their respective correspondents as "Dear Friend." The charm of the stars ably supported by a sterling supporting cast headed by Frank Morgan make this timeless classic one to enjoy over and over again. The story was later filmed as "In The Good Old Summertime" with Judy Garland and Van Johnson in 1949, and as "You've Got Mail" in 1998. It was also the basis of the 1963 Broadway musical favorite "She Loves Me." Ranked #28 on AFI's "100 Years... 100 Passions." Beautiful 1080p HD remaster from protection film elements made right from the original nitrate negative. Extras: Vintage MGM promotional film: "The Miracle Of Sound"; Screen Guild Theater radio broadcast (9/29/40) with Margaret Sullavan, James Stewart and Frank Morgan; Lux Radio Theater broadcast (6/23/41) with Claudette Colbert and Don Ameche. (Warner Archive).

Shortcut

(2020) Jack Kane, Zander Emlano, Zak Sutcliffe. A group of five teenagers is trapped inside their school bus after the invasion on the road of a mysterious creature. It is night. They are alone in the middle of a desert road. Time runs out and every passing minute decreases their survival chances against the constant threats of that unknown entity. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray, VOD, Digital. (Gravitas Ventures).

The War With Grandpa

photo for The War With Grandpa (2020) Sixth-grader Peter (Oakes Fegley) is pretty much your average kid -- he likes gaming, hanging with his friends and his beloved pair of Air Jordans. But when his recently widowed grandfather Ed (Robert De Niro) moves in with Peter’s family, the boy is forced to give up his most prized possession of all, his bedroom. Unwilling to let such an injustice stand, Peter devises a series of increasingly elaborate pranks to drive out the interloper, but Grandpa Ed won’t go without a fight. Soon, the friendly combatants are engaged in an all-out war with side-splitting consequences. Based on the award-winning book by Robert Kimmel Smith. Vitals: Director: Tim Hill . Stars: Robert De Niro, Uma Thurman, Rob Riggle, Jane Seymour, Christopher Walken, Colin Ford, Laura Marano, Oakes Fegley, Cheech Marin. CC, MPAA rating: PG, 94 min., Comedy, Box office gross: $16.675 million, Universal. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray/DVD Combo with digital code, VOD, Digital. 2 stars



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December 29

Black Jack: The Jackie Ryan Story

(2020) Ashley Greene, David Arquette, Robert Davi. Bio-drama about troubled Brooklyn-native street basketball legend Jackie Ryan, who confronts his inner demons after getting invited to try out for the NBA. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray, VOD, Digital. (Gravitas Ventures).
photo for Honest Thief

Honest Thief

(2020) Liam Neeson, Kate Walsh, Jai Courtney, Jeffrey Donovan, Anthony Ramos, Robert Patrick. Meticulous thief Tom Carter (Neeson) has stolen $9 million from small-town banks while keeping his identity a secret. But after he falls in love with the bubbly Annie (Walsh), Tom decides to come clean about his criminal past, only to be double-crossed by two ruthless FBI agents. A tale of redemption and one man's mission to make things right for the sake of love. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray/DVD Combo, VOD, Digital. CC, MPAA rating: PG-13, 99 min., Crime Action, Box office gross: $12.362 million. (Universal).

The Last Shift

(2020) Richard Jenkins, Shane Paul McGhie, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Birgundi Baker, Allison Tolman, Ed O’Neill. Stanley (Jenkins), an aging fast-food worker, plans to call it quits after 38 years on the graveyard shift at Oscar’s Chicken and Fish. His last weekend takes an interesting turn while training his replacement, Jevon (McGhie), a talented but stalled young writer whose provocative politics keep landing him in trouble. These two who share little in common are brought together through circumstance. Stanley, a high school dropout who has watched his life pass by his drive-through window, proudly details the nuances of the job. While Jevon, a columnist who’s too smart to be flipping patties, contends their labor is being exploited. A flicker of comradery sparks during the long overnight hours in a quiet kitchen. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray, Digital. (Sony).

Zombie Bro

(2020) Lauren Grego, Cooper Flynn. They say blood is thicker than water, but does infected zombie blood count? When Francine catches her brother, Teddie, in the act of a zombie attack, she must convince her parents that they’re in danger and - worst of all - that they have to find a way to get rid of her brother. Along the way, Francine learns how to defend herself, make a best friend for life and become closer to her idol, her father. Formats: DVD, Digital. Extras: Behind-the-scenes footage; "Directing with Children" featurette, "Meet the Cast" featurette. (Indican Pictures).



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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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