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OnVideo's Weekly Guide to Home Video Releases

Tuesday, January 24 -- Monday, January 30

All DVD Releases

  • The Handmaiden

    photo for The Handmaiden From Park Chan-wook, the celebrated director of "Oldboy," "Lady Vengeance," "Thirst" and "Stoker" comes a ravishing new crime drama inspired by the novel "Fingersmith" by British author Sarah Waters. Having transposed the story to 1930s-era colonial Korea and Japan, Park presents a gripping and sensual tale of a young Japanese Lady living on a secluded estate, and a Korean woman -- a street thief --who is hired to serve as her new handmaiden, but who is secretly involved in a conman's plot to defraud her of her large inheritance. Powered by remarkable performances from Kim Min-hee as Lady Hideko, Ha Jung-woo as the conman who calls himself the Count and sensational debut actress Tae-ri Kim as the maid Sookee, the film borrows the most dynamic elements of its source material and combines it with Park's singular vision and energy to create an unforgettable viewing experience. One of New York Times' Best Films of 2016 and Certified Fresh (93%) on Rotten Tomatoes. Vitals: Director: Park Chan-wook. Stars: Kim Min-hee, Ha Jung-woo, Tae-ri Kim. 2016, CC, MPAA rating: NR, 144 min., Drama, Box office gross: $1.659 million, Sony. 3 stars


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  • Inferno

    photo for Inferno Author Dan Brown's famous symbologist Robert Langdon (Tom Hanks) wakes up in an Italian hospital with amnesia and finds himself the target of a manhunt. Langdon teams up with Sienna Brooks (Felicity Jones), a doctor he hopes will help him recover his memories. Together, they race across Europe and against the clock to stop a virus that could wipe out half of the world's population. Third outing for the trio (Brown-Hanks-Howard) after "The Da Vinci Code" and "Angels & Demons." Vitals: Director: Ron Howard. Stars: Tom Hanks, Felicity Jones, Ben Foster, Omar Sy, Irrfan Khan, Sidse Babett Knudsen. 2016, CC, MPAA rating: PG-13, 121 min., Thriller, Box office gross: $34.097 million, Sony. Extras: Deleted and extended scenes; six featurettes: "Ron Howard, A Director's Journal," "A Look at Langdon," "The Billionaire Villain: Bertrand Zobrist," "This Is Sienna Brooks," "Inferno Around the World" and "Visions of Hell." 2 stars

  • The Light Between Oceans

    photo for The Light Between Oceans Tom is a World War I veteran who maintains a lighthouse off the shore of Australia with his wife Isabel, a woman desperate to have a baby. Her prayers are answered when an infant washes up on shore in a rowboat. Tom thinks they should notify the authorities but ultimately gives in to Isabel's wish to keep the girl. Fate strikes again when the couple meet the child's biological mother on the mainland. Now, Tom and Isabel must make a decision that will forever affect the lives of four people. Based on the 2012 best-selling novel by M.L. Stedman. Vitals: Director: Derek Cianfrance. Stars: Michael Fassbender, Alicia Vikander, Rachel Weisz, Florence Clery, Jack Thompson, Thomas Unger, Bryan Brown. 2016, CC, MPAA rating: PG-13, 130 min., Romantic Drama, Box office gross: $12.545 million, DreamWorks/Disney. Extras: Commentary with director Derek Cianfrance and his film studies professor Phil Solomon. Blu-ray adds "Bringing The Light to Life" behind-the-scenes featurette, "Lighthouse Keeper" featurette. 2 stars


    This Week's Digital Releases

    January 24:
    The Handmaiden: In Japanese-occupied 1930s Korea a Korean street thief poses as a maid as part of a conman's plot to defraud a wealthy Japanese heiress.
    Inferno: Robert Langdon (Tom Hanks) races across Europe and against the clock to stop a virus that could wipe out half of the world's population.
    Justice League Dark (DVD, Blu-ray release: February 7)
    The Light Between Oceans: A lighthouse keeper and his wife living off the coast of Western Australia raise a baby they rescue from a drifting rowing boat.
    The Lovers and the Despot: South Korean filmmakers are kidnapped by the North Korean government to make propaganda films.
    Parasites: Festival favorite about a band of bloodthirsty vagrants who rule the underpasses and alleyways of downtown LA and whom go after a trio of lost college boys.
    Trolls: Animated adventure based on the crazy-haired toys that were big business in the 80s. (DVD, Blu-ray release: February 7)

    Read more.


    Blu-ray Debuts

  • Black Girl (1966) (Criterion)

    Read more.




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All DVD Releases

Adventure Time: Islands (2017) New eight-part TV miniseries. The Emmy and Peabody Award-winning "Adventure Time" returns this January with "Adventure Time: Islands, "an eight-part journey into Finn the Human's mysterious past. Jake (John DiMaggio), BMO (Niki Yang) and Susan Strong (Jackie Buscarino) leave the Land of Ooo to embark on a quest of epic proportions across the ocean and into new lands -- encountering new creatures, discovering new islands and using teamwork along the way. Formats: DVD, Digital. (Cartoon Network/Warner).

Battle for Incheon: Operation Chromite (2016 -- South Korea) Liam Neeson, Lee Jung-jae, Lee Bum-soo. Tells the true story of the heroes whose lives were sacrificed in order to turn the tide of the Korean War. The seemingly impossible plan is for South Korean Navy Special Forces, Captain Jang Hak-soo and seven members of the KLO (Korean Liasion Office) unit to disguise themselves as a North Korean inspection unit and infiltrate the North Korean army command center in Incheon. Their mission is complicated and only when they give the signal will General MacArthur (Liam Neeson) be able to successfully initiate the battle to take Incheon back from the enemy. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc. (CJ Entertainment).

photo for Black Girl Black Girl (1966) Ousmane Sembène ("Xala," "Faat Kiné") was one of the greatest and most groundbreaking filmmakers who ever lived, as well as the most internationally renowned African director of the 20 century -- but his name deserves to be better known in the rest of the world. He made his feature debut in 1966 with the brilliant and stirring "Black Girl." Sembène, who was also an acclaimed novelist in his native Senegal, transforms a deceptively simple plot -- about a young Senegalese woman who moves to France to work for a wealthy white couple and finds that life in their small apartment becomes a prison, both figuratively and literally -- into a complexly layered critique of the lingering colonialist mind-set of a supposedly postcolonial world. Featuring a moving central performance by M'Bissine Thérèse Diop, "Black Girl" is a harrowing human drama as well as a radical political statement -- and one of the essential films of the 1960s. New 4K digital restoration, undertaken by The Film Foundation's World Cinema Project in collaboration with the Cineteca di Bologna, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc. Extras: 4K restoration of the short film "Borom sarret," director Ousmane Sembène's acclaimed 1963 debut; new interviews with scholars Manthia Diawara and Samba Gadjigo; excerpt from a 1966 broadcast of JT 20h, featuring Sembène accepting the Prix Jean Vigo for "Black Girl"; new interview with actor M'Bissine Thérèse Diop; trailer; an essay by critic Ashley Clark; more. (The Criterion Collection).

The Handmaiden (2016) Dir.: Park Chan-wook. Stars: Kim Min-hee, Ha Jung-woo, Tae-ri Kim. In Japanese-occupied 1930s Korea a Korean street thief poses as a maid as part of a con man's plot to defraud a wealthy Japanese heiress. One of New York Times' Best Films of 2016 and Certified Fresh (93%) on Rotten Tomatoes. Formats: DVD, VOD, Digital. (Sony).



I'm Not Ashamed (2016) Masey McLain, Ben Davies, Sadie Robertson, Korie Robertson, Jaci Velasquez, Jennifer O'Neill. The inspiring and powerful true story of Rachel Joy Scott -- the first student killed in the Columbine high school shooting in 1999. Devout teen Rachel Joy Scott shows compassion and love for her fellow students, until armed classmates enter Columbine High School on a fateful day that changes America forever. Her hopes and dreams seemed to end, but God was just getting started. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray/DVD Combo, VOD, Digital, UltraViolet (cloud). Extras: "Not Ashamed" music video, Mark Pettit interview, "Social Media Sadie Robertson," "Sadie Talking INA," "Bella Talking INA," "Rachel's Last Words," "RJS Non Religious Writings," "Mom Into Drowning," "Interrupted." (Universal).

Inferno (2016) Director: Ron Howard. Stars: Tom Hanks, Felicity Jones, Ben Foster, Omar Sy, Irrfan Khan, Sidse Babett Knudsen. When Robert Langdon wakes up in an Italian hospital with amnesia, he teams up with Dr. Sienna Brooks, and together they must race across Europe against the clock to foil a deadly global plot. Third outing in the Dan Browm-adapted series. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc, 4K Ultra HD/Blu-ray Combo, VOD, Digital, UltraViolet (cloud). Extras: Deleted and extended scenes; six featurettes: "Ron Howard, A Director's Journal," "A Look at Langdon," "The Billionaire Villain: Bertrand Zobrist," "This Is Sienna Brooks," "Inferno Around the World" and "Visions of Hell." (Sony).

The Light Between Oceans (2016) Michael Fassbender, Alicia Vikander, Rachel Weisz, Florence Clery, Jack Thompson, Thomas Unger, Bryan Brown. A lighthouse keeper and his wife living off the coast of Western Australia raise a baby they rescue from a drifting rowing boat. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc, VOD, Digital. Extras: Commentary with director Derek Cianfrance and his film studies professor Phil Solomon. Blu-ray adds "Bringing The Light to Life" behind-the-scenes featurette, "Lighthouse Keeper" featurette. (DreamWorks/Disney).

The Man Who Fell to Earth Limited Collector's Edition (1976) Dir.: Nicolas Roeg; David Bowie, Buck Henry, Candy Clark, Rip Torn, Bernie Casey. International icon David Bowie stars in his unforgettable debut role as an alien who has ventured to Earth on a mission to save his planet from a catastrophic drought. In honor of Bowie's legacy, the limited collector's edition Blu-ray Combo Pack includes never-before-seen interviews, brand new artwork, a 72-page bound book, press booklet, four art cards and a mini poster. Formats:Blu-ray/DVD Combo, Digital, UltraViolet (cloud). Extras: David Bowie Interview from French TV 1977, new interview with costume designer May Routh featuring original costume sketches, new interview with stills photographer David James featuring behind-the-scenes stills, new interview with fan Sam Taylor-Johnson, new interview with producer Michael Deeley, new "The Lost Soundtracks" featurette featuring interviews with Paul Buckmaster and author Chris Campion, interview with Candy Clark, interview with writer Paul Mayersberg, interview with cinematographer Tony Richmond, interview with director Nicolas Roeg. (Lionsgate).


photo for The Monster The Monster (2016) Zoe Kazan, Scott Speedman, Ella Ballentine. A divorced mother and her headstrong daughter must make an emergency late-night road trip to see the girl’s father. As they drive through deserted country roads on a stormy night, they suddenly have a startling collision that leaves them shaken but not seriously hurt. Their car, however, is dead, and as they try in vain to get help, they come to realize they are not alone on these desolate backroads — a terrifying evil is lurking in the surrounding woods, intent on never letting them leave. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc, VOD, Digital, UltraViolet (cloud). Extras: "Eyes in the Darkness” featurette. (Lionsgate).

Peanuts by Schulz: Snoopy Tales (2016) Two-disc set with all 32 episodes from the newly launched Peanuts cable television series. The first new animated Peanuts cartoon series in over 10 years, "Peanuts by Schulz: Snoopy Tales" presents viewers with stories from the original, print comic strips, told through a series of animated vignettes. Formats: DVD. (Warner).

photo for Takashi Miike's Black Society Trilogy Takashi Miike's Black Society Trilogy After several years spent working almost exclusively in the direct-to-video world of "V-cinema" in Japan, Takashi Miike announced himself as a world-class filmmaking talent with this trio of thematically-connected, character-centric crime stories about violence, the underworld of Japanese society, families both real and surrogate, and the possibly hopeless task of finding one's place in the world. His first films made specifically for theatrical release, and his first for a major studio, the "Black Society Trilogy" was the beginning of Miike's mature career as a filmmaker and they remain among the prolific director's finest works. Set in the bustling Kabuki-cho nightlife neighborhood of Tokyo, "Shinjuku Triad Society" follows a mixed-race cop (Kippei Shiina) struggling with private issues while hunting a psychotic criminal (Tomorowo Taguchi) who traffics in children's organs. "Rainy Dog," shot entirely in Taiwan, is about an exiled yakuza (Show Aikawa) who finds himself saddled with a son he never knew he had and a price on his head after the Chinese gang he works for decides to turn on him. "Ley Lines" moves from the countryside to the city and back, as three Japanese youths of Chinese descent (including Kazuki Kitamura) seek their fortune in Tokyo, only to run afoul of a violent gang boss (Naoto Takenaka). High Definition digital transfers of all three films with original uncompressed stereo audio. Formats: Blu-ray, DVD. Extras: New interview with director Takashi Miike, new interview with actor Show Aikawa, new audio commentaries for all three films by Miike biographer Tom Mes, original theatrical trailers for all three films, reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Chris Malbon. (Arrow Video/MVD Entertainment).

photo for USS Indianapolis: Men of Courage USS Indianapolis: Men of Courage (2016) Dir.: Mario Van Peebles; stars Nicolas Cage, Tom Sizemore, Thomas Jane. The harrowing true story of the crew of the USS Indianapolis, who were stranded in the Philippine Sea for five days after delivering the atomic weapons that would eventually end WWII. As they awaited rescue, they endured extreme thirst, hunger, and relentless shark attacks. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc, VOD, Digital, UltraViolet (cloud). Extras: "The Making of USS Indianapolis: Men of Courage" featurette. (Lionsgate).

The Vessel (2016 -- Puerto Rico/USA) Martin Sheen, Jacqueline Duprey, Aris Mejias. In this powerful faith-based drama from executive producer Terrence Malick, Martin Sheen stars as a local priest of a Latin American fishing village recovering from a tsunami that washed away dozens of elementary school students. Ten years later, one of the young villagers miraculously comes back to life and begins to build a mysterious structure out of the school's remains, setting the town aflame with passions long forgotten -- and the whole town wonders if he is a sign from God. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc. Extras: -Deleted scenes, making-of featurette, original theatrical trailer. (Strand Releasing).


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Last Week's Releases: Tuesday, January 17 -- Monday, January 23