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OnVideo's Weekly Guide to Home Video Releases

Tuesday, May 2 -- Monday, May 8

All DVD Releases

  • I Am Not Your Negro

    photo for I Am Not Your Negro In 1979, James Baldwin wrote a letter to his literary agent describing his next project, "Remember This House." The book was to be a revolutionary, personal account of the lives and successive assassinations of three of his close friends -- Medgar Evers, Malcolm X and Martin Luther King, Jr. At the time of Baldwin’s death in 1987, he left behind only 30 completed pages of his manuscript. Now, in his incendiary new documentary, master filmmaker Raoul Peck envisions the book James Baldwin never finished. The result is a radical, up-to-the-minute examination of race in America, using Baldwin’s original words and flood of rich archival material. "I Am Not Your Negro" is a journey into black history that connects the past of the Civil Rights movement to the present of #BlackLivesMatter. It is a film that questions black representation in Hollywood and beyond. And, ultimately, by confronting the deeper connections between the lives and assassination of these three leaders, Baldwin and Peck have produced a work that challenges the very definition of what America stands for. Narrated by Samuel L. Jackson. Vitals: Director: Raoul Peck 2017, CC, MPAA rating: PG-13, 93 min., Documentary, Box office gross: $3.855 million, Magnolia. 3 stars


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  • The Salesman

    photo for The Salesman After their old flat becomes damaged, Emad (Shahab Hosseini) and Rana (Taraneh Alidoosti), a young couple living in Tehran who happen to be performers rehearsing for Arthur Miller's "Death of a Salesman," are forced to move into a new apartment. Eventually, an incident linked to the previous tenant -- a prostitute -- of their new home dramatically changes the couple’s life, and the husband goes on a crusade to restore his manhood and self-worth. The film is a psychological and moral drama. Won the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film. Vitals: Director: Asghar Farhadi. Stars: Shahab Hosseini, Taraneh Alidoosti, Babak Karimi, Mina Sadati. 2016 -- Iran, CC, MPAA rating: PG-13, 125 min., Drama, Box office gross: $1.784 million, Sony. Extras: "A Conversation With Writer-Director Asghar Farhadi." 3 stars

  • The Comedian

    photo for The Comedian An aging comic icon, Jackie Burke (Robert De Niro) has seen better days. Despite his efforts to reinvent himself and his comic genius, the audience only wants to know him as the former television character he once played. Already a strain on his younger brother (Danny DeVito) and his wife (Patti LuPone), Jackie is forced to serve out a sentence doing community service for accosting an audience member. While there, he meets Harmony (Leslie Mann), the daughter of a sleazy Florida real estate mogul (Harvey Keitel), and the two find inspiration in one another, resulting in surprising consequences. Through the alchemy of their unlikely friendship, Harmony and Jackie overcome their own emotional damage and emerge as better people. Vitals: Director: Taylor Hackford. Stars: Robert De Niro, Leslie Mann, Danny DeVito, Edie Falco, Veronica Ferres, Charles Grodin, Cloris Leachman, Patti LuPone, Lois Smith, Harvey Keitel. 2017, CC, MPAA rating: R, 120 min., Comedy, Box office gross: $1.653 million, Sony. Extras: Deleted scenes, “The Comedian at AFI Fest: Q&A Featuring Robert De Niro, Leslie Mann, Danny DeVito and Taylor Hackford,” “Backstage With The Comedian” featurette. 2 stars

  • A Dog’s Purpose

    photo for A Dog’s Purpose Based on the bestselling novel by W. Bruce Cameron, "A Dog’s Purpose," from director Lasse Hallstrom ("The Cider House Rules," "The 100-Foot Journey"), shares the soulful and surprising story of one devoted dog (voiced by Josh Gad) -- who is reincarnated numerous times in the form of different breeds -- and finds the meaning of his own existence through the lives of the humans he teaches to laugh and love. Prior to theatrical release, controversy arose when behind the scenes footage surfaced and appeared to show a distressed dog being forcibly submerged into turbulent pool water during filming. As a result of the leaked footage, the filmmakers chose to cancel the U.S. premiere. The American Humane Association claims that the video was a fake -- two disparate scenes were spliced together to show the dog was being forced into and under water, giving a misleading impression of abuse -- but the dog, apparently, was mishandled for 2 or 3 seconds -- which is still too much, of course. The film's boxoffice took a heavy hit because of the controversy. Vitals: Director: Lasse Hallström. Stars: Josh Gad (voice), Dennis Quaid, Peggy Lipton, K.J. Apa, Britt Robertson. 2017, CC, MPAA rating: PG, 100 min., Adventure, Box office gross: $53.645 million, Universal. Extras: Deleted scenes, outtakes, "Lights, Camera, Woof!" behind-the-scenes featurette, "A Writer's Purpose" featurette on author W. Bruce Cameron Cameron and his best-selling novel. 2 stars

  • Rings

    photo for Rings A young woman becomes worried about her boyfriend when he explores a dark subculture surrounding a mysterious videotape said to kill the watcher seven days after he has viewed it. She sacrifices herself to save her boyfriend and in doing so makes a horrifying discovery: There's a “movie within the movie” that no one has ever seen before. Vitals: Director: F. Javier Gutierrez Stars: Matilda Lutz, Alex Roe, Johnny Galecki, Aimee Teegarden, Bonnie Morgan, Vincent D’Onofrio. 2017, CC, MPAA rating: PG-13, 102 min., Horror-Thriller, Box office gross: $27.766 million, Paramount. Blu-ray extras: "Terror Comes Full Circle," "Resurrecting the Dead: Bringing Samara Back," "Scary Scenes," deleted/extended/alternate scenes. 2 stars


    This Week's Digital Releases

    May 2:

    I Am Not Your Negro: Documentary explores race in America through writer James Baldwin's unfinished novel, "Remember This House." Narrated by Samuel L. Jackson.
    Resident Evil: The Final Chapter: Alice returns to where the nightmare began, The Hive in Raccoon City, where the Umbrella Corporation is gathering its forces for a final strike against the only remaining survivors of the apocalypse. (DVD, Blu-ray release: May 16)
    xXx: Return of Xander Cage: When a group of lethal mercenaries steal a hi-tech weapon that poses a global threat, superspy Xander Cage (Vin Diesel) is recruited back into action. (DVD, Blu-ray release: May 16)

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    All DVD Releases

    The Age of Shadows (2016 -- South Korea) Song Kang-ho, Gong Yoo, Han Ji-min. The first project from Warner Bros. Korea, "The Age of Shadows" takes place in 1920s Korea and Shanghai during the Japanese occupation. The stylistic espionage-thriller is based on real people and incidents surrounding the dramatic events that transpired between the Korean resistance and their occupiers. Lee Jung-chool, a Korean police captain in the Japanese police force, is given a special mission to infiltrate the armed resistance fighting for the independence of Korea, which is led by an old acquaintance of his, Kim Woo-jin. After an intel leak and the death of a resistance leader, pressure on Captain Lee to take down the resistance grows -- but as he works deeper into their web, it becomes more unclear who is actually playing who and where true allegiances lie. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray/DVD Combo, VOD, Digital. (CJ Entertainment).

    Beyond the Gates (2017) Chase Williamson, Graham Skipper, Barbara Crampton. A creepy homage to 80s horror and a love letter to the VHS Golden Age of home video. After their father's unexplained disappearance, two estranged brothers -- responsible Gordon and reckless John -- reunite to sift through the contents of his stubbornly anachronistic VHS rental store. Among the inventory, they find an old interactive VCR board game. Intrigued, the brothers pop in the tape ... and soon discover that this video is no ordinary game, but a portal to a nightmarish alternate reality, one with deadly consequences for anyone who dares to press ‘play.’ Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc. Extras: Audio commentaries with director Jackson Stewart, actress Barbara Crampton and the cast and crew; behind-the-scenes featurette; deleted scenes; theatrical trailer; retro-style "Beyond the Gates" commercial. (IFC Midnight/Scream Factory).

    The Comedian (2016) Dir.: Taylor Hackford; Robert De Niro, Leslie Mann, Danny DeVito, Edie Falco, Veronica Ferres, Charles Grodin, Cloris Leachman, Patti LuPone, Lois Smith, Harvey Keitel. An aging insult comic (De Niro) struggles to reinvent himself. Formats: DVD. Extras: Deleted scenes, “The Comedian at AFI Fest: Q&A Featuring Robert De Niro, Leslie Mann, Danny DeVito and Taylor Hackford,” “Backstage With The Comedian” featurette. (Sony).

    Counting for Thunder (2015) Phillip Irwin Cooper, Mariette Hartley, John Heard, Peter Stebbings, Alison Elliott. Inspired by his own life experiences, actor-director-writer Phillip Irwin Cooper tells a story of a son's return home to Alabama, where he is faced with caring for his ill mother (Hartley) and reconciling with his supportive father (Heard) while also coming out later in life and discovering romantic feelings for a childhood friend from a life he left behind in the deep South. Formats: DVD, VOD. (Wolfe Video).

    A Dog’s Purpose (2017) Josh Gad (voice), Dennis Quaid, Peggy Lipton, K.J. Apa, Britt Robertson. A dog looks to discover his purpose in life over the course of several lifetimes and owners. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray/DVD Combo, VOD, Digital, UltraViolet (cloud). Extras: Deleted scenes, outtakes, "Lights, Camera, Woof!" behind-the-scenes featurette, "A Writer's Purpose" featurette on author W. Bruce Cameron Cameron and his best-selling novel. (Universal).

    Gold (2016) Matthew McConaughey, Edgar Ramírez, Bryce Dallas Howard, Craig T. Nelson. Tale about one man’s pursuit of the American dream -- to discover gold. Matthew McConaughey stars as Kenny Wells, a prospector desperate for a lucky break, who teams up with a similarly eager geologist, and they set off on an amazing journey to find gold in the uncharted jungle of Indonesia. Getting the gold was hard, but keeping it would be even harder, sparking an adventure through the most powerful boardrooms of Wall Street. The film is inspired by a true story. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray/DVD Combo, Digital. Extras: Deleted sequence, commentary with director Stephen Gaghan, “The Origins of Gold” featurette, “The Locations of Gold” featurette, “Matthew McConaughey as Kenny Wells” featurette. (Dimension Films/Anchor Bay).



    I Am Not Your Negro (2017) Documentary explores race in America through writer James Baldwin's unfinished novel, "Remember This House." Narrated by Samuel L. Jackson. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc. Extras: Interview and Q&A session with director Raoul Peck, Q&A with Samuel L. Jackson, photo gallery of notable photographs featured in the film. (Magnolia Home Entertainment).

    The Last Ship: The Complete Third Season (2016) Two-disc set with all 13 episodes of the TNT’s action-drama in which Navy Captain Tom Chandler (Eric Dane) and his crew set sail again in its quest to save humanity after a devastating pandemic. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc. Extras: "From America's First Fighting Ship to The Last Ship" documentary that details the fascinating history behind the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, the vessel that serves as the inspiration behind the U.S.S. Nathan James in the series; "Inside the Episodes"; "Behind the Scenes"; four character pieces; "Women of The Last Ship"; Season One and Two recap. (Warner).

    photo for MindGamers MindGamers (2015 - Austria) Tom Payne, Sam Neill, Dominique Tipper, Oliver Stark. A group of brilliant young students create a wireless neural network, linking multiple minds via a quantum computer. Capable of transferring motor skills from one brain to another, they have brought into existence the first shareware for human motor skills. They freely spread this technology, believing it to be a first step towards a new equality and intellectual freedom. But they soon discover that they themselves are part of a much greater and more sinister experiment, as dark forces emerge that threaten to subvert this technology into a means of mass-control. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc, VOD, Digital, UltraViolet (cloud). Extras: "The Making of MindGamers" featurette. (Universal).

    photo for The Red Turtle The Red Turtle (2016) Marking the much-anticipated return of Studio Ghibli, this masterfully animated fantasy film tells the story of a man shipwrecked at sea who becomes stranded on a beautiful but desolate island. He learns to live in isolation, seemingly tormented in his efforts to escape the island by a giant red turtle. Miraculously, soon he comes upon a young woman, also lost at sea, and they create a family together. The film was an Academy Award-nominee for Best Animated Feature Film, and won both the Annie Award for Best Independent Animated Film and the Un Certain Regard Prize at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc, Digital. Extras: Two featurettes: "The Birth of The Red Turtle" and "The Secrets of The Red Turtle," AFI Fest Q&A with director Michael Dudok de Wit. (Sony).

    The Resurrection of Gavin Stone (2016) Brett Dalton, Neil Flynn, D.B. Sweeney, Shawn Michaels. Gavin Stone is a former photo for The Resurrection of Gavin Stone child star whose hard-partying ways get him in trouble, forcing him to do 200 hours of community service at a church in his hometown. Gavin pretends to be a Christian to land the part of Jesus in the church's annual Passion Play and discovers that the most important role of his life is far from Hollywood. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray/DVD Combo, VOD, Digital, UltraViolet (cloud). Extras: "Church Uniform Advice," cast interviews, deleted scenes. (Universal).

    Rings (2017) Matilda Lutz, Alex Roe, Johnny Galecki, Aimee Teegarden, Bonnie Morgan, Vincent D’Onofrio. A young woman finds herself on the receiving end of a terrifying curse that threatens to take her life in seven days. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc/DVD Combo, VOD, Digital, UltraViolet (cloud). Blu-ray extras: "Terror Comes Full Circle," "Resurrecting the Dead: Bringing Samara Back," "Scary Scenes," deleted/extended/alternate scenes. (Paramount).


    photo for Rugrats: Season 1 and Rugrats: Season 2 Rugrats: Season 1 and Rugrats: Season 2 (1991-1993) A baby's gotta do what a baby's gotta do. Told from the perspective of a group of adventurous and imaginative toddlers, Rugrats transformed the most mundane activities into unforgettable adventures. Led by fearless leader Tommy Pickles, the gang can turn an ordinary trip to the park into a journey across the Sahara in search of water, a visit to the plant nursery into a jungle trek to find a cure for "jungle beaver," or a search for cookies into a prehistoric fantasy. Together, there's no adventure too big and no problem they can't solve ... or at least nothing that a good nap won't help. "Rugrats: Season 1" ($14.99) contains 25 episodes on two discs; "Rugrats: Season 2" ($19.99) contains 51 episodes on four discs. Formats: DVD. (Paramount).

    The Salesman (2017 -- Iran) Dir.: Asghar Farhadi; Shahab Hosseini, Taraneh Alidoosti, Babak Karimi, Mina Sadati. The story of a couple -- performing in Arthur Miller's "Death of a Salesman" -- whose relationship is altered due to events beyond their control when they move to a new apartment. Won the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film. Formats: DVD. Extras: "A Conversation With Writer-Director Asghar Farhadi." (Sony).

    Saturday Night Fever 40th Anniversary Blu-ray (1977) John Travolta, Karen Lynn Gorney, Barry Miller, Joseph Cali, Paul Pape, Donna Pescow, Bruce Ornstein, Julie Bovasso. Director John Badham worked with Paramount in 2016 to restore the film in 4K using the original negative and to update the surround sound mix. During this process he added scenes to the theatrical R-rated version that round out character and plot, making this new Director’s Cut the definitive representation of his original vision. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc, Digital, UltraViolet (cloud). Extras: "‘70s Discopedia," "Catching the Fever," "Back to Bay Ridge," "Dance Like Travolta with John Cassese," "Fever Challenge!", deleted scene. Blu-ray adds Theatrical Version in high definition, commentary by director John Badham (theatrical version only). (Paramount).

    photo for Saving Banksy Saving Banksy (2016) When art collector and preservationist Brian Greif decides to save an iconic work hailing from the world's most renowned street artist, it sets off an art world struggle. The eponymous street artist originally painted the "Haight Street Rat" in San Francisco in 2010, in lieu of interviews for the premiere of the Banksy doc, "Exit Through the Gift Shop." Enter Greif, who spent months negotiating with the owners of the vandalized Red Victorian Bed and Breakfast to carefully remove 10 redwood siding planks, with every intention of preserving Banksy's work for the public. However, years pass before Greif is able to show the work to the public -- no major museum will display it without proper authentication and greedy collectors and dealers simply want to sell or own it -- for up to three quarters of a million dollars. Formats: DVD, VOD, Digital. Extras: "Behind-the-scenes" featurette with footage and interviews not seen in the theatrical version. (Candy Factory Films).

    The Shadow Effect (2017) Cam Gigandet, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Brit Shaw, Michael Biehn. Obsessed with gene regeneration, and fascinated by the phenomenon of the waking dream, Dr. Reese (Rhys Meyers) explores the psyche of Gabriel Howarth (Gigandet), a young man whose life is turned upside down when his violent dreams begin to blend with reality. When Gabriel's dreams mirror political assassinations, he must race against the clock to not only save himself and his wife Brinn (Shaw), but stop an experimental government program. Formats: DVD, VOD, Digital. (Momentum Pictures).

    photo for Tunnel Tunnel (2016 - South Korea) Ha Jung-woo, Doona Bae, Oh Dal-su. South Korean superstar Ha Jung-woo ("The Handmaiden") plays a car salesman fighting for survival inside a collapsed tunnel while rescue workers race against time to free him. With draining cell phone battery power and a rescue effort that might end before they locate him, days pass by without success, and people start to lose hope as the rescue operation becomes an ordeal when incompetence, the media and government interference slow down the process. Formats: DVD, Digital. (Well Go USA).


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