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OnVideo's Weekly Guide to Home Video Releases
Above Suspicion, Set 3
(2009) A younger, sassier successor to "Prime Suspect." Based on the bestselling novel "Silent Scream" by Lynda La Plante ("Prime Suspect"), this three-part drama delves into the shallow world of stardom and the harsh realities of deception. When the brutal murder of a famous young actress brings DI Anna Travis (Kelly Reilly) face-to-face with her old boss, DCS James Langton (Ciaran Hinds), the two must find a killer and deal with their own relationship. Formats: DVD. (Acorn Media).
Adventure Time: The Complete Third Season
(2011-12) All 26 episodes, packed in a custom, collectible BMO die-cut slipcase. Formats: Two-disc DVD, $26.95; single-disc Blu-ray, $32.07. Extras: Episode commentaries for all 26 episodes, interview with series creator Pendleton Ward, alternate show intro. (Cartoon Network/Warner).
Adventures of the Penguin King
(2012) Rex, a young King Penguin, has been away from his home for three years, learning to hunt in the deep oceans, but now he's back -- in Penguin City. His mission: to find a mate, settle down and raise a chick -- to become a true Penguin King. Documentary narrated by Tim Allen. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc, 3D Blu-ray. Extras: "Making of the Adventures of the Penguin King." (Cinedigm).
Amber Alert
(2012) Summer Bellessa, Chris Hill, Jasen Wade. While filming their audition video for a popular reality television show, best friends Nate and Samantha notice several active amber alert signs. To their surprise, they recognize the car traveling in front of them as the vehicle described on the amber alert, and they decide to follow the car, but with police slow to respond, their pursuit quickly turns into a high-stakes game of cat and mouse with a murderous child rapist. Formats: DVD. (Random Media/Cinedigm).
Blue Is the Warmest Color
(2013) Adele Excharpoulos, Lea Seydoux, Salim Kechiouche, Aurelien Recoing, Catherine Salee. The colorful, electrifying romance that took the Cannes Film Festival by storm courageously dives into a young woman's experiences of first love and sexual awakening. "Blue Is the Warmest Color" stars the remarkable newcomer Adele Excharpoulos as a high schooler who, much to her own surprise, plunges into a thrilling relationship with a female twentysomething art student, played by Lea Seydoux. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc. Extras: Trailer and TV spot, a booklet featuring an essay by critic B. Ruby Rich. (The Criterion Collection).
Braquo: Season 1
(2009) Four-disc set with eight episodes of the internationally acclaimed, hard-hitting thriller about a squad of Paris cops who exist in the blurred boundaries at the edge of the law, using violence and intimidation to get the job done, $39.95. Formats: DVD. (MHz Home Entertainment).
Braquo: Season 2
(2011) Three-disc set with eight episodes of the internationally acclaimed, hard-hitting thriller about a squad of Paris cops who exist in the blurred boundaries at the edge of the law, using violence and intimidation to get the job done, $39.95. Formats: DVD. (MHz Home Entertainment).
Breathless
(1960) There was before "Breathless," and there was after "Breathless." Jean-Luc Godard burst onto the film scene in 1960 with this jazzy, free-form, and sexy homage to the American film genres that inspired him as a writer for "Cahiers du cinema." With its lack of polish, surplus of attitude, anything-goes crime narrative, and effervescent young stars Jean-Paul Belmondo and Jean Seberg, "Breathless" helped launch the French New Wave and ensured that cinema would never be the same. Restored high-definition digital transfer, approved by director of photography Raoul Coutard, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray. Formats: Blu-ray/DVD Dual Format Edition. Extras: Archival interviews with director Godard and actors Belmondo, Seberg and Jean-Pierre Melville; contemporary interviews with Coutard, assistant director Pierre Rissient, and filmmaker D. A. Pennebaker; two video essays, one on Seberg and one on "Breathless" as film criticism; "Chambre 12, Hotel de suede," an 80-minute 1993 documentary about the making of "Breathless"; "Charlotte et son Jules," a 1959 short by Godard starring Belmondo; trailer; a booklet featuring an essay by scholar Dudley Andrew, writings by Godard, Francois Truffaut's original treatment, and Godard's scenario. (The Criterion Collection).
Crimes of Passion
(2013 -- Sweden) Three-disc set with six episodes, $39.95. Based on the classic crime novels by Maria Lang and featuring Ola Rapace ("Skyfall," Swedish "Wallander") in a collection of stylish "whodunnits" set in postwar Sweden that follow the exploits of the brainy and beautiful literature student Puck; wherever she goes, mystery and murder are never far behind. Formats: DVD. (MHz Home Entertainment).
419
(2012) Mike Ivers, Scott Kerns, Ned Thorne, Ezra Mabengeza. When a struggling New York actor loses everything in a scam based in South Africa, his two best friends take him to Cape Town to find the scammer with the help of a smooth-talking local. The search begins well, but soon takes a dark turn. Formats: DVD. (MVD Entertainment).
The Guide
(2013) Don Scribner, Stephanie Leone, Jan-David Soutar, Clayton Myers, Nicholas Russell. When a distraught woodsman reluctantly agrees to guide two New Yorkers on a deer hunt in the frozen wilderness of northwestern Maine, his sanity begins to slip away as the wreckage that his buck hunting set in motion a year before catches up with him. Formats: DVD. (Monarch Home Entertainment).
Here Comes Honey Boo Boo: Season 1
(2012-13) Single-disc with 14 episodes of the TLC series about six-year-old pageant star Alana, aka Honey Boo Boo, who takes viewers into her home with her family, stay-at-home mom June, chalk-mining dad Sugar Bear, and sisters Pumpkin, Chubbs and Chickadee. Formats: DVD, $29.93. (Cinedigm).
Ice Soldiers
(2013) Dominic Purcell, Adam Beach, Michael Ironside. Science-fiction militaristic adventure about an expedition that unearths three genetically engineered Russian super soldiers frozen in ice since the height of the Cold War, three killing machines that must be stopped at all costs or risk the total destruction of the Western world. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc, VOD, Digital, UltraViolet (cloud). (Sony).
Jamesy Boy
(2013) James Woods, Mary-Louise Parker, Ving Rhames, Taissa Farmiga, Taboo, Spencer Lofranco. Based on the true story of teenager James Burns who goes from a suburban street gang to a maximum-security prison cell surrounded by hardened criminals, turning his life around in prison thanks to the unexpected friendship he forms with a convicted murderer who becomes his mentor. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc. Extras: Director's commentary, cast interviews, trailer. (Phase 4 Films/XLrator Media).
King of the Hill
(1993) For his first Hollywood studio production, Steven Soderbergh (whose independent debut, "sex, lies, and videotape," had won the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival a few years earlier) crafted this small jewel of a growing-up story. Set in St. Louis during the Depression, "King of the Hill" follows the daily struggles of a resourceful and imaginative adolescent (Jesse Bradford) who, after his tubercular mother is sent to a sanatorium, must survive on his own in a run-down hotel during his salesman father's long business trips. This evocative period piece, faithfully adapted from the memoir by the novelist A. E. Hotchner, is among the ever versatile Soderbergh's most touching and surprising films. New high-definition digital transfer, supervised and approved by Soderbergh and supervising sound editor and rerecording mixer Larry Blake, with 5.1 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack on the Blu-ray. Formats: Blu-ray/DVD Dual Format Edition. Extras: New interviews with Soderbergh and A. E. Hotchner, author of the memoir on which the film is based; "Against Tyranny," a new video essay by ::kogonada in which he explores Soderbergh's unique approach to character subjectivity; "The Underneath" (1995), Soderbergh's follow-up feature to "King of the Hill," with an interview with the director; trailers; a booklet featuring an essay by critic Peter Tonguette, a 1993 interview with Soderbergh, and an excerpt from Hotchner’s 1972 memoir. (The Criterion Collection).
L.A. Law: Season One
(1986-87) Co-created by Steven Bochco ("Hill Street Blues," "NYPD Blue"), the Emmy Award-winning series takes us inside the law firm of McKenzie, Brackman, Chaney and Kuzak. There, a team of ambitious and competitive attorneys must face the conflicts between their personal desires, their obligations as lawyers, and their principles as human beings. A portrayal of the law and its litigators that was both realistic and irreverent, "L.A. Law" became a favorite of critics and audiences alike during its eight-year run on NBC from 1986 to 1994. Six-disc set with 22 episodes, $29.93. Formats: DVD. Extras: New Interviews with Steven Bochco, Jimmy Smits, Jill Eikenberry, Michael Tucker, Susan Ruttan; more. (Shout! Factory).
The Last Elvis
(2012 -- Argentina) John McInerny, Griselda Siciliani, Margarita Lopez. Most evenings in Buenos Aires, "Elvis" Gutierrez is a star -- his singing and stage presence bring back to life the King of Rock 'n' Roll in all his glory. By day, though, Gutierrez slaves away at a dead-end factory job and endures the scorn of his ex-wife; only his young daughter, Lisa Marie, brings any joy outside of his Elvis tribute gigs. Feeling more connected to his stage persona than to the world around him, Gutierrez retreats from reality until a tragic accident forces him to grapple with his real-world responsibilities. Formats: DVD. (First Run Features).
Last Stand of the 300 and Other Famous Greek Battles
(2013) Three-disc set with History Channel specials "The Last Stand of the 300," "Decisive Battles: Thermopylae," "Decisive Battles: Marathon," "Judgment Day at Marathon," "Troy: The Passion of Helen" and "Alexander: Lord of War." Formats: DVD, $19.98. (Lionsgate).
Les Petits Meurtres D'Agatha Christie, Set 1
(2008-12) Agatha Christie's masterful storytelling gets a soupçon of French flair in these sexy, witty mysteries. Four-disc set with seven mysteries. Formats: DVD. (Acorn Media).
Lesson Before Love
(2011) Kenneth Brown Jr., Shamea Morton, Peyton Coles, Reece Odum. A contemporary story of modern professional African Americans looking for a happily ever after. Formats: DVD. Extras: Commentary with director Dui Jarrod and producer-director of photography Tyler Dixon, promos with the crew, featurette on the director. (Breaking Glass Pictures).
Lost in Thailand
(2013 -- China) Xu Zheng, Huang Bo, Wang Baoqiang. Road trip comedy about two rival businessmen who must track down their boss at a Buddhist temple to secure a patent on a revolutionary new fuel additive. Xu catches the first plane to Bangkok, where his plans are delayed by the happy-go-lucky Wang, an unexpected travel companion who opens his eyes to life's true priorities.
Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc, Blu-ray/DVD Combo, VOD, Digital, UltraViolet (cloud). Extras: "Making-of" featurette, trailer. (Well Go USA).
Mama's Family: The Complete Third Season
(2013) Four-disc set with 25 episodes, $29.95. In the world of prime-time television, success often begets success by way of the spin-off. "The Carol Burnett Show" lasted 11 seasons on CBS, thanks in part to the recurring comedy sketches that attracted a large, loyal viewership. "The Family" remained a favorite because fans related to the Harpers' constant squabbling about the mundane. As the irascible Mama Harper, Vicki Lawrence was wondrously transformed into a full-tilt senior citizen, and it wasn't a matter of if, but when, she would get her own TV series, "Mama's Family" debuted in 1983 on NBC, lasting two seasons before going into syndication for another four years. Formats: DVD. Extras: "Family History": A Classic "Family" Sketch from "The Carol Burnett Show"; featuring Maggie Smith; "Mama's Family Tree: The Sprouts (All about Bubba)" featurette; "Mama Knows Best: A Mama's Family Cast Reunion"; interview: Allan Kayser (Bubba Higgins). (StarVista/Time Life).
The Middle: The Complete Fourth Season
(2012-13) Three-disc set with 23 episodes, $44.98. Formats: DVD. Extras: Deleted scenes, gag reel. (Warner).
Mr. Nobody Extended Director's Cut
(2009) Jared Leto, Sarah Polley, Diane Kruger, Linh Dan Pham, Rhys Ifans. The life story of Nemo Nobody, a 118 year-old man who is the last mortal on Earth after the human race has achieved quasi-immortality. On his deathbed, Nemo shares his life story with a reporter and reviews the choices he made along the way. Yet even with his last breath, a pivotal decision awaits to conclude his destiny. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc. Extras: AXS TV: "A Look at Mr. Nobody," theatrical trailer. (Magnolia Home Entertainment).
Nebraska
(2013) Dir.: Alexander Payne; Bruce Dern, Will Forte, June Squibb, Stacy Keach, Bob Odenkirk, Rance Howard, Mary Louise Wilson, Tim Driscoll, Kevin Kunkel, Angela McEwan, Devin Ratray.
Formats: DVD, Blu-ray/DVD Combo, VOD, Digital, UltraViolet (cloud). Blu-ray Extras: "The Making of Nebraska" six-part featurette: "The Script," "Cast and Characters," "Locations," "Shooting in Black and White," "Working with Alexander," "A Film Family." (Paramount).
Pulling Strings
(2013 -- Mexico) Laura Ramsey, Jaime Camil, Omar Chaparro, Tom Arnold, Stockard Channing.
After his daughter's Visa request to visit her grandparents in America is rejected, a single father and his loyal best friend do everything it takes to win over the Embassy worker who turned her down. Formats: DVD, VOD, Digital, UltraViolet (cloud). (Lionsgate).
The Royal Family Collection
Single-disc with TLC five programs on the weddings and lifestyles of the British Royals: "The Royal Wedding," "The Making of a Royal Wedding," "Royalty Astounding: 30 defining Days," "Wild About Prince Harry" and "Untold Stories of a Royal Bridesmaid." Formats: DVD, $29.93.(Cinedigm).
Scarecrow
(2013) Lacey Chabert, Robin Dunne, Brittney Wilson. For years the urban legend of the deadly scarecrow has haunted children, and in one small town, the evil comes to life. Imprisoned for over 150 years, a deadly Scarecrow seeks revenge on the descendants of its captors after it escapes on the eve of a small town's fall harvest festival. Formats: DVD. (Cinedigm).
The Shadow: Collector's Edition BLU-RAY DEBUT
(1994) Alec Baldwin, John Lone, Penelope Ann Miller, Peter Boyle, Ian McKellen, Jonathan Winters, Tim Curry. Extras: New interviews with director Russell Mulcahy, Alec Baldwin, Penelope Ann Miller, production designer Joseph Nemec III, director of photography Stephen H. Burum and writer David Koepp; theatrical trailer. (Shout! Factory).
Spiral Season 3
(2010) Four-disc set with 12 episodes of the gritty French police thriller that follows criminal investigations in Paris from all the different points of view, $49.95.
Formats: DVD. (MHz Home Entertainment).
The Swan Princess: A Royal Family Tale
(2013) Fourth sequel in the animated "Swan Princess" franchise follows the CGI adventures of Princess Odette and Prince Derek shortly after the Royal Family adopts a young girl named Alise; when Alise disappears, Princess Odette, Prince Derek and their trusted woodland friends must work together to find a way to help her return home. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray/DVD Combo, Digital. Extras: Two sing-a-long features: "We Wanna Hear From You" and "Right Where I Belong." Both specially marked Combo Pack and DVD packages will include a free, sparkly tiara for young princesses, as well as a free Shutterfly Photo Book ($29.99 value) for their moms. (Sony).
Tess
(1979) This multiple-Oscar-winning film by Roman Polanski is an exquisite, richly layered adaptation of Thomas Hardy's "Tess of the d'Urbervilles." A strong-willed peasant girl (Nastassja Kinski, in a gorgeous breakthrough) is sent by her father to the estate of some local aristocrats to capitalize on a rumor that their families are from the same line. This fateful visit commences an epic narrative of sex, class, betrayal, and revenge, which Polanski unfolds with deliberation and finesse. With its earthy visual textures, achieved by two world-class cinematographers -- Geoffrey Unsworth and Ghislain Cloquet -- "Tess" is a work of great pastoral beauty as well as vivid storytelling. New 4K digital restoration, supervised by Polanski, with 5.1 surround DTS-HD Master audio soundtrack on the Blu-ray. Formats: Blu-ray/DVD Dual Format Edition. Extras: "Once Upon a Time ... Tess," a 2006 documentary on the film; three programs on the making of the film: "From Novel to Screen," "Filming Tess" and "Tess: The Experience" -- featuring interviews with Polanski, actors Kinski and Leigh Lawson, producer Claude Berri, costume designer Anthony Powell, composer Philippe Sarde, and others; interview with Polanski from a 1979 episode of "The South Bank Show"; 45-minute documentary shot on location for French television during the making of the film; trailer; a booklet featuring an essay by critic Colin MacCabe. (The Criterion Collection).
Thor: The Dark World
(2013) Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Tom Hiddleston, Anthony Hopkins, Christopher Eccleston, Jaimie Alexander, Zachary Levi, Ray Stevenson, Tadanobu Asano, Idris Elba, Rene Russo, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Kat Dennings, Stellan Skarsgard, Alice Krige. Formats: 3D Blu-ray/Blu-ray/DVD Combo, Bluray, DVD, VOD, Digital, UltraViolet (cloud). Extras: Extended and deleted scenes; gag reel; exclusive look at "Marvel's Captain America: The Winter Soldier"; "A Brothers' Journey: Thor & Loki"; "Scoring Marvel's Thor: The Dark World With Brian Tyler"; commentary with director Alan Taylor, producer Kevin Feige, actor Tom Hiddleston (Loki) and cinematographer Kramer Morgenthau; more. (Disney).
The 300 Spartans BLU-RAY DEBUT
(1962) Richard Egan, Ralph Richardson, Diane Baker. Extras: Original theatrical trailer, TV Spots. (Fox).
Transformers Prime: Ultimate Bumblebee
(2013) Four action-packed Bumblebee adventures featuring one of the smallest and youngest of the Transformers: Masters and Students," "Operation Bumblebee, Part 1," "Operation Bumblebee, Part 2," "Deadlock." Formats: DVD, $9.99. (Shout! Factory).
Twice Born
(2013 -- Italy/Spain) Penelope Cruz, Emile Hirsh, Adnan Haskovic, Saadet Aksoy. A single mother brings her teenage son to the battle-scarred city of Sarajevo, where his father died in the Bosnian conflict years before. Formats: DVD, Digital. Extras: Cast and crew interviews. (Entertainment One).
Under Capricorn
(1982) Peter Cousens, John Hallam, Lisa Harrow. Based on the popular novel by Helen Simpson and filmed on location in Australia, this saga set in 1831 follows young Irishman Charles Adare who arrives in New South Wales, Australia, eager to make his fortune -- and make it fast. But what he finds are greed, jealousy, insanity and secret passions. Two-disc set. Formats: DVD. (Acorn Media).
You Will Be My Son
(2013 -- France) Niels Arestrup, Lorant Deutsch, Anne Marivin, Nicolas Bridet. A story that focuses on the problematic relationship between Paul Marseul, owner of a prestigious vineyard in Saint Emilion and his son, Martin, who works with him on the family estate. Paul is a demanding and passionate wine-maker but is a domineering father, and he's not happy that his son may one day succeed him. When Philippe, the son of the winery's manager, returns from California to look after his father, Paul sees Philip as his ideal son and turns away from his own flesh and blood. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc. Extras: Deleted scenes, interviews. (Cohen Media Group).
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