This Week's DVD, Blu-ray, Digital Releases -- OnVideo

OnVideo Logo

Amazon Video
ales


Join the
Sixties generation

dvd DVD

blu-ray
Blu-ray Releases

calendar
home page
video resources
links


dujour

iway 500
winner

Good & Associates logo

Masthead created by Good & Associates

OnVideo's Weekly Guide to Home Video Releases

Tuesday, May 15 -- Monday, May 21

All DVD Releases

  • Black Panther

    photo for Black Panther Marvel Studio's comic book hero "Black Panther" -- created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in 1966 -- follows T'Challa who, after the death of his father, the King of Wakanda, returns home to the isolated, technologically advanced African nation to succeed to the throne and take his rightful place as king. But when a powerful old enemy reappears, T'Challa's mettle as king - and Black Panther - is tested when he is drawn into a formidable conflict that puts the fate of Wakanda and the entire world at risk. Faced with treachery and danger, the young king must rally his allies and release the full power of Black Panther to defeat his foes and secure the safety of his people and their way of life. Unlike the bulk of superhero films inundating the big-screen market place, this one has moxie and heart -- and a vision (by director Ryan Coogler and writers Coogler and Joe Robert Cole) that goes way behind other Marvel properties that specialize in mayhem only. Here we have a world in which super technology (flying saucers, Vibranium metal, hovercrafts) co-exists with tradition (tribal customs, thatched roofed buildings). And, unlike the simplistic notes of the MCU in general, this film deals with the meaning and abuse of power in a realistic, intelligent way. Add to this a literary attempt at myth-building and a world that has empowered (rather than subservient) women, and you have a giant hit. Black Panther is the third biggest movie of all time domestically with over $695 million – the first film in eight years to spend five weeks at No. 1 – and rising to the global top 10 of all time with over $1.3 billion. Vitals: Director: Ryan Coogler. Stars: Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong'o, Danai Gurira, Martin Freeman, Daniel Kaluuya, Letitia Wright, Winston Duke, Angela Bassett, Forest Whitaker, Andy Serkis. 2018, CC, MPAA rating: PG-13, 134 min., Action-Adventure, Box office gross: $666.272 million, Disney. Blu-ray extras: Director’s intro; "From Page to Screen: A Roundtable Discussion" delves into the film’s making; "Crowning of a New King" explores the world of “Black Panther” in all its color and complexity; "The Warriors Within": the Wakanda’s women and the actors who portray them; "The Hidden Kingdom Revealed"; "Wakanda Revealed: Exploring the Technology"; deleted scenes; gag reel"; exclusive sneak peek at “Ant-Man and The Wasp”; "Marvel Studios the First Ten Years: Connecting the Universe"; director’s commentary. 3 stars


    Advertisement



    This Week's Digital Releases

    May 11:

    Revenge: Jen is enjoying a romantic getaway with her wealthy boyfriend until his sleazy friends arrive for an unannounced hunting trip -- and she's attacked and left for dead. Unfortunately for her assailants, she survives and reemerges with a relentless, wrathful intent: revenge.

    May 14:

    Here and Now: A multi-racial family made up of husband, wife, three adopted children from Liberia, Vietnam and Colombia and one biological child, find their bonds tested when one of the children begins seeing things which the rest cannot. (DVD release: August 7)

    Masterpiece: Little Women: New adaptation of the classic brings to life the narrative of the four sisters who grow and change, while the world around them becomes divided. (DVD, Blu-ray release: May 22)

    May 15:

    Creedmoria: Family is an institution. Sometimes, you gotta break out. This is the story of how 17-year-old Candy finds the courage to walk away from everything she's ever known with the hope of discovering a better tomorrow. (VOD only)

    Early Man: Aardman claymation prehistoric romp tells the story of Dug the caveman and his goofy friends who challenge invaders to a game of soccer in order to win back their home. (DVD, Blu-ray release: May 22)

    The Forgiven: Based on real events, and directed by Academy Award-nominee Roland Joffé, the film tells the story of Archbishop Desmond Tutu’s meeting with a brutal murderer who is suddenly seeking redemption. (DVD, Blu-ray release: Day & date)

    Landing Up: Dramatic and edgy story features two female friends living on the streets of New York and how their troubled world changes when one finds love. (DVD: Day & date)

    1987: When the Day Comes: A thrilling look back at a pivotal moment in South Korean history when the death of a student protester sparked public outrage and shook an entire country.

    Steven Tyler: Out on a Limb: An intimate portrait of rock icon Steven Tyler as he embraces the challenges of shifting gears, both as a solo performer and in a new genre of music.

    Read more.



    go back to top



    All DVD Releases

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

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

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

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

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

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



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

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

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

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

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

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

    photo for The Monkey King 3 The Monkey King 3 (2018 -- China) Aaron Kwok, Feng Shaofeng, Gigi Leung, Xiao Shenyang, Chung Him Law. The third installment of the blockbuster fantasy series sees the return of the Monkey King (Kwok). While continuing their epic journey to the West, the Monkey King and his companions are taken captive by the Queen of an all-female land, who believes them to be part of an ancient prophecy heralding the fall of her kingdom. With a lot of sorcery and a little bit of charm, the travelers devise a plan to escape. But, when their trickery angers the mighty River God, they realize they might just bring about the foretold destruction -- unless they can find a way to quell her wrath. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray, Digital. (Well Go USA ).


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

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

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

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

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

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

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


go back to top




rule


| Home | Resources | Links |


E-mail: mail@onvideo.org
© 1996 -- 2018 OnVideo. All rights reserved
May 13, 2018
(ISSN 1094-3676).

Get the latest DVD release information (free) every Tuesday morning. Subscribe here.

photoPrinter Friendly Version

Last Week's Releases: Tuesday, May 8 -- Monday, May 14