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OnVideo's Weekly Guide to Home Video Releases
August 20
The Assault: A woman and her best friend go on a crime spree to rob her husband and escape her marriage. (DVD: Day & date)
Booksmart: In this fresh, unfiltered modern comedy (directed by Olivia Wilde), best friends and academic overachievers Amy and Molly realize they’ve missed out on pretty much all fun during high school. So, on the eve of graduation, they decide to make up for lost time with one wild adventure, (DVD, Blu-ray release: September 3)
Canal Street: After being arrested for the murder of a white classmate, a young black man's father fights in court for his son's vindication. Against all odds, they embrace their undying trust in each other and find faith in God. (DVD release: September 1)
Ma: A lonely woman befriends a group of teenagers and decides to let them party at her house. Just when the kids think their luck couldn't get any better, things start happening that make them question the intention of their crazy host. (DVD, Blu-ray release: September 3)
Men in Black: International: The Men in Black have always protected the Earth from the scum of the universe. In this new adventure, they tackle their biggest, most global threat to date: a mole in the Men in Black organization. (DVD, Blu-ray release: September 3)
Seaside:
A dramatic thriller about Daphne, a young woman who moves to the Oregon Coast with her boyfriend, Roger, when he inherits his childhood beach house, only to discover that Roger hasn't been completely honest about his past. (Digital only)
August 23
Hot Air: A right wing talk show host's (Steve Coogan) life takes a sudden turn when his 16 year old niece comes crashing into his life. (Digital, VOD only)
John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum: Super assassin John Wick (Keanu Reeves) has a $14 million price tag on his head after killing a member of the High Table, the shadowy international assassins guild, and he now has an army of the world’s most ruthless hit men and women on his trail. (DVD, Blu-ray release: September 10)
August 26
Euphoria Season 1: Follows the troubled life of 17-year-old Rue, a drug addict fresh from rehab with no plans to stay clean, and her friends: a transgender girl searching for where she belongs; a jock whose anger issues mask sexual insecurities; a football star who finds the adjustment from high school to college harder than expected; and Kat, a body-conscious teen exploring her sexuality. (Digital only)
Share: After discovering a disturbing video from a night she doesn't remember, 16-year-old Mandy must try to figure out what happened and how to navigate the escalating fallout. (Digital only)
Akio Jissoji: The Buddhist Trilogy
(1970 -- Japan) Akio Jissôji created a rich and diverse body of work during his five decades in Japan's film and television industries. For some, he is best-known for his science-fiction: the 1960s TV series "Ultraman" and 1988's box-office success "Tokyo: The Last Megalopolis." For others, it is his 1990s adaptations of horror and mystery novelist Edogawa Rampo. And then there are his New Wave films for the Art Theatre Guild, three of which - "This Transient Life," "Mandara" and "Poem," forming The Buddhist Trilogy - are collected here. Winner of the Golden Leopard award at the 1970 Locarno Film Festival, "This Transient Life" is among the Art Theatre Guild's most successful - and most controversial - productions. The film concerns a brother and sister from a rich family who defy the expectations placed on them: he has little interest in further education or his father's business, instead obsessing over Buddhist statues; she continually refuses a string of suitors and the prospect of marriage. Their closeness, and isolation, gives way to an incestuous relationship which, in turn, breeds disaster. "Mandara," Jissôji's first color feature, maintained the controversial subject matter, focusing on a cult who recruit through rape and hope to achieve true ecstasy through sexual release. Shot, as with all of Jissôji's Art Theatre Guild works, in a radically stylized manner, the film sits somewhere between the pinku genre and the fiercely experimental approach of his Japanese New Wave contemporaries. The final entry in the trilogy, "Poem", returns to black and white and is centred on the austere existence of a young houseboy who becomes helplessly embroiled in the schemes of two brothers in this exploration of faith in a post-industrial world. Formats: Blu-ray. Extras: Introductions to all three films by David Desser, author of" Eros Plus Massacre: An Introduction to the Japanese New Wave"; scene-select commentaries on all three films in the Trilogy by Desser; theatrical trailers; limited edition packaging, fully illustrated by maarko phntm; illustrated 60-page perfect-bound collector's book featuring new writings on the films by Anton Bitel and Tom Mes. (Arrow Video/MVD Entertainment).
Arrow: The Complete Seventh Season
(2018-19) All 22 episodes. Following Oliver Queen’s shocking decision to turn himself over to the FBI and reveal his identity as the Green Arrow to the public, he has spent the past five months in prison while his team was left behind to protect Star City. In the wake of Ricardo Diaz’s escape, Oliver has yet again turned into someone else inside Slabside Maximum Security Prison. Determined to keep a low profile to shorten his sentence for the sake of his family, Oliver’s limits will be tested when he and Team Arrow are pitted against the most ruthless villains they have yet to face. Formats: Five-disc DVD, four-disc Blu-ray, Digital. Extras: "The Best of DC TV’s Comic-Con Panel San Diego 2018," "Inside the Crossover: Elseworlds," "Villains: Modes of Persuasion," gag reel, deleted scenes. (Warner).
The Assault
(2017) Tom Sizemore, Kevin Nash, Jordan Ladd. Tired of her husband Seth’s abuse, Lindsay’s out for revenge. She and her exotic-dancer friend Nikki are stealing Seth’s riches in a series of brazen armed robberies. But things get complicated when Nikki seduces Broza (Sizemore), the detective on the case. When their final heist goes horribly wrong, the two women must flee for their lives — with an unsuspecting Broza in hot pursuit. Formats: DVD, VOD, Digital. (Lionsgate).
The Beatles: Made on Merseyside
(2018) The Beatles defined music and popular culture like no other band -- but how exactly did they make the journey from Merseyside teenagers to international pop stars in the 60s? Featuring unique and revealing interviews from those involved in the early years of The Beatles, this documentary follows the Fab Four's ascent from Liverpool and Hamburg to the pinnacle of rock success. Recounting how American rock 'n' roll and rhythm and blues dragged post-war Liverpool into one of the most vibrant music cities ever with the Mersey Sound, this acclaimed doc delves into the young history of the Fab Four, their early band iterations and why it took so long for them to break through the noise. From school bands, to colleges, Hamburg to The Cavern Club, The Beatles moved from skiffle to rock 'n' roll before creating their own unique sound that took the world by storm. With newly filmed contributions from the "fifth Beatle" Pete Best, Quarrymen Colin Hanton and Len Garry, Brian Epstein's business associate Joe Flannery, The Beatles first ever secretary Freda Kelly, original Mersey Beat magazine owner Bill Harry, and flatmates of John Lennon and Stuart Sutcliffe, the film charts the original music and the energy and excitement that led to the explosion of Beatlemania and one of the most influential and beloved bands in history. (Omnibus Entertainment/Film Movement).
Blue Bloods: The Ninth Season
(2018-19) Six-disc set with all 22 episodes as the Reagan family (a multigenerational family of cops dedicated to New York City law enforcement) drama continues with an all-star cast including Tom Selleck, Donnie Wablberg, Bridget Moynahan, Will Estes and Len Cariou. Frank Reagan (Selleck) is the New York Police Commissioner and heads both the police force and the Reagan brood. A source of pride and concern for Frank is his eldest son, Danny (Wahlberg), a seasoned detective, family man and Iraq War vet who on occasion uses dubious tactics to solve cases with his partner, Detective Maria Baez. The Reagan women in the family include Erin (Moynahan), a New York Assistant D.A. who also serves as the legal compass for her siblings and father. Jamie is the youngest Reagan, a Harvard Law graduate and the family's "golden boy." Unable to deny the family tradition, Jamie decided to give up a lucrative future in law and follow in the family footsteps as a cop. He's found a friend and ally in Eddie Janko, his female partner who keeps him on his toes, but has very different reasons than the Reagans for joining the police force. After several years of working together, Janie (Estes) and Eddie finally succumbed to their strong feelings for one another and are engaged to be married. Following Jamie and Eddie's engagement during season eight's finale, the ninth season finds the family questioning the future of their partnership. Meanwhile, Erin is on tap for a promotion after her boss's untimely death and Danny prepares to send his eldest son, Jack, to college. Formats: DVD. Extras: "The Story of the Reagans: Season 9"; "Abigail's Diary": Abigail Hawk (Det. Abigail Baker) takes fans on an exclusive, candid look at her life on set with the Blue Bloods cast and crew; "By the Book" behind-the-scenes technical feturette;
"CBS Watch! Magazine Special with Sami Gayle" behind-the-scenes look at the CBS Watch! Magazine photoshoot featuring Sami Gayle; "CBS Watch! Magazine Special with Will Estes, Bridget Moynahan, Vanessa Ray and Donnie Wahlberg" behind-the-scenes look at the CBS Watch! Magazine photoshoot featuring additional cast; deleted scenes; gag reel. (CBS/Paramount).
The Brink
(2017 -- China) Max Jin Zhang, Shawn Yue, Yue Wu, Janice Man. A renegade cop is on a mission to bring a shady smuggler to justice by any means necessary. When his investigation leads to a Triad mob boss and global smuggling ring, his manhunt quickly turns from local misconduct into a violent international incident. There's a relentless barrage of high flying action and explosive fight sequences, and once the fists start flying, they never stop - not even underwater.
Formats: DVD, Blu-ray/DVD Combo, Digital. Extras: "Making-of” featurette. (Well Go USA).
Cruising
(1980) Academy Award-winner William Friedkin ("The Exorcist," "The French Connection") directs Al Pacino as an undercover cop pitched into New York's seedy underbelly in Cruising - available for the first time on Blu-ray in a brand new director-approved transfer. New York is caught in the grip of a sadistic serial killer who is preying on the patrons of the city's underground bars. Captain Edelson (Paul Sorvino) tasks young rookie Steve Burns (Pacino) with infiltrating the S&M subculture to try and lure the killer out of the shadows -- but as he immerses himself deeper and deeper into the underworld, Steve risks losing his own identity in the process. Taking the premise and title from reporter Gerald Walker's novel, "Cruising" was the subject of great controversy at the time of its release and remains a challenging and remarkable movie to this day, with Pacino's haunted lead performance as its magnetic centerpiece. Brand new restoration from a 4K scan of the original camera negative, supervised and approved by writer-director William Friedkin; newly remastered 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio supervised by Friedkin. Formats: Blu-ray. Extras: Archival audio commentary by William Friedkin; "The History of Cruising" archival featurette looking at the film’s origins and production; "Exorcizing Cruising" archival featurette looking at the controversy surrounding the film and its enduring legacy. Original Theatrical Trailer (Arrow Video/MVD Entertainment).
A Dog’s Journey
(2018) Marg Helgenberger, Betty Gilpin, Henry Lau, Kathryn Prescott, Dennis Quaid, Josh Gad. Picking up where "A Dog’s Purpose" left off, "A Dog’s Journey" continues the tale of lovable farm dog Bailey, as he finds a new destiny and forms an unbreakable bond, and learns that some friendships transcend lifetimes. Formats: DVD Blu-ray/DVD Combo, VOD, Digital. Extras: Deleted and extended scenes, gag reel, "A Dog'S Sequel" featurette, "Everyone's Best Friend" featurette, "Working With Dogs" featurette, "A Healing Journey" featurette, "Scoring the Journey" featurette, feature commentary with director Gail Mancuso. (Universal).
The Harder They Come [Collector’s Edition] BLU-RAY DEBUT
(1972) Jimmy Cliff stars as Ivan Martin in 1972’s "The Harder They Come," the first feature film to come out of Jamaica. An aspiring singer who leaves his rural village for the big city of Kingston, Ivan is hoping to make a name for himself. Robbed of his money and possessions on his first day in town, he finds work with a self-righteous preacher and an unscrupulous music mogul who exploits young hopefuls. In desperation, the simple country boy turns outlaw, at war with both the police and his rivals in the ganja trade. Ivan’s dream of stardom soon becomes a reality as he rises to the top of both the pop charts -- and the most-wanted lists. Directed and produced by Jamaican Perry Henzell, and written by Henzell and Trevor D. Rhone, the film also stars Janet Bartley, Carl Bradshaw, and Toots and The Maytals. Features a new transfer from the original 16mm negative. Extras: The first-ever home entertainment release of Perry Henzell’s long lost follow up feature, "No Place Like Home," which had gone unfinished and was thought to have been lost; "Perry Henzell: A Filmmaker’s Odyssey," a new documentary about "The Harder They Come's" genesis and restoration; a full slate of new bonus features, shot in Jamaica, to be announced at a later date. (Shout! Factory).
Magnificent Obsession
(1954) Reckless playboy Bob Merrick (Rock Hudson, in his breakthrough role) crashes his speedboat, requiring emergency attention from the town's only resuscitator -- at the very moment that a beloved local doctor has a heart attack and dies waiting for the lifesaving device. Thus begins one of Douglas Sirk's most flamboyant master classes in melodrama, a delirious Technicolor mix of the sudsy and the spiritual in which Bob and the doctor's widow, Helen (Jane Wyman), find themselves inextricably linked amid a series of increasingly wild twists, turns, trials, and tribulations.
Formats: Blu-ray Disc with high-definition digital restoration, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack Extras: Audio commentary from 2008 featuring film scholar Thomas Doherty; "Magnificent Obsession," John M. Stahl's 1935 adaptation of the same novel, newly restored; "From UFA to Hollywood: Douglas Sirk Remembers" (1991), a documentary by German filmmaker Eckhart Schmidt; interviews from 2008 with filmmakers Allison Anders and Kathryn Bigelow, in which they pay tribute to Sirk; theatrical trailer; an essay by critic Geoffrey O'Brien. (The Criterion Collection).
NCIS: New Orleans: The Fifth Season
(2018-19) Six-disc set with all 24 episodes. The hit series starring Scott Bakula follows the local field office that investigates criminal cases involving military personnel in The Big Easy, a city known for its music, entertainment and decadence. returns immediately after the assassination attempt on Agent Dwayne Pride (Bakula) as he fights for his life in the ICU, while the team searches the city for the hit woman who tried to kill him. In the fifth season, Pride will explore new opportunities in the agency while Special Agent Hannah Khoury (newcomer Necar Zadegan) is called in to lead the New Orleans office in his absence. Formats: DVD. Extras: "Cast and Creole: A Look at Season 5"; "Who Dat? Hannah Khoury" interview with new cast member Necar Zadegan; "King Cake: The 100' Episode" celebration; "Off Subject" in which the cast talks about a wide variety of topics from their favorite behind-the-scenes moment and the worst job they ever held to their ideal meal and why they became an actor, among other amusing subjects. (CBS/Paramount).
Ronja, The Robber’s Daughter
(2017 -- Japan) Four-disc set with all 26 episodes of the first television series produced by the renowned Studio Ghibli. One stormy night, a girl is born inside a mountain fort, surrounded by her parents and a loving band of robbers. Now 10 years old, Ronja has grown into a strong and active girl, who discovers the forest as both a beautiful and frightening place inhabited by unique creatures. She befriends the son of her father’s rival, which begins the drama of her friendship and family loyalties. As she struggles to balance this friendship with her family relationship, she comes to understand that differences can be overcome with the help of love and understanding. Formats: Blu-ray. Extras: "Making of Ronja" featurette, interview with director Goro Miyazaki. (GKIDS and Shout! Factory).
The Sun is Also a Star
(2019) Yara Shahidi, Charles Melton, Cathy Shim, Gbenga Akinnagbe, Faith Logan. College-bound romantic Daniel Bae and Jamaica-born pragmatist Natasha Kingsley meet—and fall for each other—over one magical day amidst the fervor and flurry of New York City. Sparks immediately fly between these two strangers, who might never have met had fate not given them a little push. But will fate be enough to take these teens from star-crossed to lucky in love? With just hours left on the clock in what looks to be her last day in the U.S., Natasha is fighting against her family's deportation as fiercely as she's fighting her budding feelings for Daniel, who is working just as hard to convince her they are destined to be together.
Formats: DVD, VOD, Digital. Extras: "Love is a Universe” featurette. (MGM/Warner).
The Walking Dead” Season 9
(2018-19) Five-disc set with all 16 episodes. Last season brought the culmination of “All Out War,” which pitted Rick Grimes and his group of survivors against the Saviors and their leader, Negan. With Negan’s life in his hands, Rick had a character-defining choice in front of him, and he spared Negan to uphold the values his late son, Carl, championed -- values that created conflict within his group. Now, with the survivors rebuilding civilization under Rick’s leadership a year and a half after the end of the war, it’s a time of relative peace among the communities. However, the world they knew is rapidly changing, nature is literally taking over, and, as time passes, the communities confront unexpected obstacles and danger. But nothing can prepare them for the formidable force they’re about to encounter, threatening the very idea of civilization our survivors have worked so hard to build. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray, VOD, Digital. Extras: Deleted scenes, “Seasons Change” featurette, “In Memoriam” featurette, “The Whisperers: Behind the Mask” featurette, “Rick Farewell” featurette, “Time Jump” featurette, bonus scene: Episode 908, “Inside Episode ...” featurettes per episode, “Making of ...” featurettes per episode. (Lionsgate).
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