(2024) When a phishing scheme results in the death of the person he most trusts, Adam Clay (Jason Statham) will stop at nothing to root out the corruption - no matter how high it goes. Clay is no ordinary vigilante, however, he was once a Beekeeper - an operative for a highly clandestine and brutally efficient special forces unit - and now he will use all his skills to take down everyone who goes up against him or stands in his way.
Vitals: Director: David Ayer. Stars: Jason Statham, Josh Hutcherson, Jeremy Irons, Emmy Raver-Lampman, Taylor James, David Witts.
CC, MPAA rating: R, 105 min., Action Thriller, North American box office gross: $65.884 million, worldwide $152.384 million, MGM.Formats: DVD, Blu-ray + Digital Code, 4K Ultra HD + Digital Code, VOD, Digital.
Drive-Away Dolls
(2024) Written by Ethan Coen and Tricia Cooke, the story follows Jamie (Margaret Qualley), an uninhibited free spirit bemoaning yet another breakup with a girlfriend, and her demure friend Marian (Geraldine Viswanathan), who desperately needs to loosen up. In search of a fresh start, the two embark on an impromptu road trip to Tallahassee, but things quickly go awry when they cross paths with a group of inept criminals along the way. Vitals: Director: Ethan Coen. Stars: Margaret Qualley, Geraldine Viswanathan, Beanie Feldstein, Colman Domingo, Pedro Pascal, Bill Camp, Matt Damon.
CC, MPAA rating: R, 83 min., Action Comedy, North American box office gross: $5.028 million, worldwide $6.379 million, Universal.Formats: DVD, Blu-ray + Digital Code, VOD, Digital. Extras: "The Drive-Away Gang" featurette; "Drive-Away Dolls: an Ethan and Tricia Project"; "Road Trip Essentials."
Read more here.
Top Disc Releases Next Week
•Blue Giant (2023 -- Japan) •Madame Web •Mean Girls (2024) •Ordinary Angels •The Promised Land (2023 -- Denmark) •Stargazer •The Tin Star [Limited Edition] (1957)
Arthur the King: An adventure racer adopts a stray dog named Arthur to join him in an epic endurance race. (Premium Digital, VOD; Standard Digital, VOD and DVD, Blu-ray release: May 28)
Downtown Owl: The film takes place in the fictional town of Owl, North Dakota, which is semi isolated from the 1980s pop culture that surrounds it. This story follows three residents - Horace, an old man who spends his afternoons reminiscing in the local coffee shop, Mitch, a depressed high school backup quarterback, and Julia, the new English teacher - whose lives, along with those of the town's other residents, are upended by a whiteout blizzard. (Digital, VOD only)
Monkey Man: An anonymous young man unleashes a campaign of vengeance against the corrupt leaders who murdered his mother and continue to systemically victimize the poor and powerless. (Digital, VOD only)
The Moon and Back: One year after her father's death, high school senior Lydia Gilbert feels completely lost...until she discovers something unexpected: a space opera screenplay needing a blockbuster-sized budget --written by her dad. Equipped with just a VHS camera and pocket change, Lydia decides to honor her late father and make this script a reality. (Digital, VOD only)
The Seeding: A man finds himself trapped in a desert canyon with a woman living off-grid who is captive to a pack of sadistic boys. (Digital, VOD only)
April 26
Love Lies Bleeding: Gym manager Lou falls for Jackie, a bodybuilder who is passing through town en route to a competition in Las Vegas. (Digital, VOD only)
(2024) Jason Statham, Josh Hutcherson, Jeremy Irons, Emmy Raver-Lampman, Taylor James, David Witts. One man's brutal campaign for vengeance takes on national stakes after he is revealed to be a former operative of a powerful and clandestine organization known as "Beekeepers." Formats: DVD, Blu-ray + Digital Code, Blu-ray/DVD Combo + Digital Code, 4K Ultra HD/Blu-ray Combo + Digital Code, VOD, Digital. (MGM).
Black Mask
(1996 -- Hong Kong) Dazzling and explosive martial arts extravaganza starring Jet Li, produced by the legendary Tsui Hark, and presented on Blu-ray fully uncut from a new 2K restoration. This marks the first time the fully uncut version has been made available in North America. Tsui Chik (Li) is a librarian who leads a quiet, unassuming life – or, at least, that’s what he wants people to believe. In truth, he was once a member of the 701 Squad, a group of elite combatants produced by a failed super-soldier project. In kind with his former comrades, his central nervous system has been altered to render him impervious to pain. When several of his fellow test subjects resurface and embark on a crimewave under the leadership of their former commander Hung Kuk (Patrick Lung), Tsui is forced to use his extraordinary abilities once more. Donning a costume, he sets out to face his past – as the vigilante known as the Black Mask. Limited Edition of 2000 copies only; O-card slipcase featuring new artwork by Grégory Sacré (Gokaiju); a limited edition bonus disc featuring two alternate versions of the film; plus a limited-edition collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film by James Oliver. Formats: Blu-ray. Extras: New audio commentary on the Hong Kong version by Asian film expert Frank Djeng (NY Asian Film Festival); new audio commentary on the US export version by action cinema experts Mike Leeder and Arne Venema; brand new interview with stuntman Mike Lambert; brand new interview with film critic Andrew Heskins (easternKicks.com); brand new interview with Leon Hunt, author of "Kung Fu Cult Masters: From Bruce Lee to Crouching Tiger"; reversible sleeve featuring original poster artwork; archival making of featurette; trailers. (Eureka Entertainment).
The Cat and the Canary
(1927) The film is presented for the first time ever on Blu-ray from a glorious 4K restoration, as part of Eureka's Masters of Cinema brand. The first print run of 2000 copies will feature a Limited Edition O-card slipcase. Twenty years after the death of millionaire Cyrus West, his surviving relatives are called together in a decaying mansion on the Hudson River. There, they gather to hear West’s lawyer Roger Crosby (Tully Marshall) read his last will and testament and discover that West has left everything to his niece Annabelle (Laura La Plante). That is, at least, on the condition that she is judged to be legally sane. As the family settles in for the evening, tensions rise when they are informed that a murderer nicknamed the Cat has escaped from a nearby asylum and is suspected to be somewhere on the grounds. Crosby soon disappears in mysterious circumstances, which proves to be just the first in a series of horrifying events that will punctuate a long, dark night of terror – during which Annabelle’s sanity will be called into question again and again. Based upon the 1922 stage production by John Willard, "The Cat and the Canary" is a perfect blend of horror and black comedy and stands at the apex of a cycle of films adapted from mystery plays throughout the 1920s. It later inspired James Whale’s "The Old Dark House" and has been remade several times – but never bettered. The Masters of Cinema Series is proud to present this cornerstone of horror cinema for the first time ever on Blu-ray from a glorious 4K restoration.
Formats: Blu-ray. Extras: New audio commentary by author Stephen Jones and author/critic Kim Newman; new audio commentary by Kevin Lyons and Jonathan Rigby; "Mysteries Mean Dark Corners" new video essay by David Cairns & Fiona Watson; Pamela Hutchinson on "The Cat and the Canary" new interview with writer and film critic Pamela Hutchinson; Phuong Le on "The Cat and the Canary" new interview with film critic Phuong Le; "A Very Eccentric Man & Yeah, a Cat!" extracts from John Willard’s original play; "Lucky Strike" in which Paul Leni gives a full-throated endorsement to the product that got him through filming "The Cat and the Canary"; collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film by Richard Combs, Craig Ian Mann, and Imogen Sara Smith. (Eureka Entertainment).
Drive-Away Dolls
(2024) Director: Ethan Coen, stars Margaret Qualley, Geraldine Viswanathan, Beanie Feldstein, Colman Domingo, Pedro Pascal, Bill Camp, Matt Damon. Comedy caper follows Jamie, an uninhibited free spirit and her demure friend Marian who embark on an impromptu road trip to Tallahassee ... but things quickly go awry when they cross paths with a group of inept criminals along the way. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray + Digital Code, VOD, Digital. Extras: "The Drive-Away Gang" featurette; "Drive-Away Dolls: an Ethan and Tricia Project"; "Road Trip Essentials."
(Universal). Read more here.
Hansel & Gretel
(1987) David Warner, Hugh Pollard, Nicola Stapleton, Cloris Leachman. Children of an impoverished woodcutter, Hansel and Gretel, get lost in the forest after birds have eaten the trail of breadcrumbs that was supposed to show them the way back home. They arrive at a strange house made entirely of gingerbread. The resident turns out to be a malicious witch who is extremely excited to fatten Hansel up so she can then put him on her menu. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray. (Capelight Pictures).
I Am Cuba
(1964 -- Cuba, Soviet Union) Both a landmark of radical political cinema and one of the most visually ravishing films ever made, this legendary hymn to revolution shimmers across the screen like a fever dream of rebellion. The result of an extraordinarily ambitious collaboration between the Soviet and Cuban film industries, director Mikhail Kalatozov’s "I Am Cuba" unfolds in four explosive vignettes that capture Cuban life on the brink of transformation, as crushing economic exploitation and inequality give way to a working-class uprising. Backed by Carlos Fariñas’s stirring score, the dazzling camera work by Sergei Urusevsky—an inspiration for generations of filmmakers to follow—gives flight to the movie’s message of liberation.
Formats: Blu-ray, 4K UHD + Blu-ray Combo. New 4K digital restoration, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack. In the 4K UHD edition: One 4K UHD disc of the film and one Blu-ray with the film and special features. Extras:Read more here. (The Criterion Collection).
Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths – Part Two
(2022) All-new, action-packed DC animated film features some of DC’s most famous Super Heroes from multiple universes including Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman, who come together to stop an impending threat of doom and destruction. An endless army of SHADOW DEMONS bent on the destruction of all reality swarms over our world and all parallel Earths. The only thing opposing them is the mightiest team of metahumans ever assembled. But not even the combined power of Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern and all their fellow superheroes can slow down the onslaught of this invincible horde. What mysterious force is driving them? And how do the long-buried secrets of the Monitor and Supergirl threaten to crush our last defense?
Formats: Blu-ray, 4K Ultra HD Steelbook, VOD, Digital. Extras: "Voices in Crisis"; "The Bat-Family of the Multiverse"; "Justice League Crisis on Infinite Earths – Part Three" sneak peek. (Warner).
Kamen Rider Geats: The Complete Series
(2022) Eight-disc set with all 49 episodes. Kamen Rider Geats rampages on “Survival Games.” All Kamen Riders, past and present, are set to battle against unknown enemies and compete with each other in Survival Games, getting scores on the Desire Grand Prix. Each participant transforms into a Kamen Rider and competes to win the game by defeating enemies, saving people, and surviving. Hugely popular in the online world, these games are unpredictable and thrilling. Only true heroes who win the competition will be granted the right to bring their ideal world to life. Originally premiering in 1971, the long-running Japanese television series "Kamen Rider" follows the exploits of a masked, motorcycle-riding hero who fights the forces of evil. The number one kids’ program in Japan for almost 50 years, "Kamen Rider" has proved to be beloved through multiple series iterations and generations of fans and Riders.
Formats: Blu-ray. (Shout! Studios).
Monolith
(2022 -- Australia) Lily Sullivan, Ling Cooper Tang, Ansuya Nathan. While trying to salvage her career and rehabilitate her tarnished reputation, a disgraced journalist (Sullivan) begins digging into a strange conspiracy theory via a controversial new investigative podcast. But as the evidence begins leading uncomfortably close to home, she is forced to grapple with the web of lies at the heart of her own story.
Formats: Blu-ray, VOD, Digital. Extras: Behind-the-scenes featurette; writer, producer and director audio commentary. (Well Go USA).
The Scarface Mob [Limited Edition]
(1959) Originally conceived as a two-part TV pilot, "The Scarface Mob" is a gritty and thrilling dramatization of Eliot Ness's account of his hunt for ruthless gangster Al Capone in Chicago during the prohibition. The film would go on to spawn "The Untouchables," one of the most widely celebrated TV crime dramas of all time. Chicago, 1929. Al Capone's ruthless gang of thugs are dealing in bootleg booze in blatant defiance of Prohibition laws, and paying off corrupt cops and crooked politicians to stay out of their way. That is, until Federal Investigator Eliot Ness is tasked with bringing down Capone's criminal empire. To aid him in this task, he assembles a crack team of men he is sure will be incorruptible, to identify and sabotage the Capone gang's distilleries. But when Capone, Scarface himself, gets wind that his operation is under threat, he decides to take matters into his own hands. Tautly directed by film noir veteran Phil Karlson ("The Phenix City Story") and featuring memorable performances by Robert Stack as the righteous Eliot Ness and Neville Brand as the unhinged Al Capone, "The Scarface Mob" is a tense crime drama waiting to be rediscovered. Formats: Blu-ray. Extras:Read more here. (Arrow Video/MVD Entertainment).
Tormented
(1960) New 4K scan of Bert I. Gordon’s classic supernatural thriller from original 35mm archival elements. Iconic cult film director Bert I. Gordon ("Empire of the Ants," "The Food of the Gods," "The Mad Bomber," "The Cyclops") helmed this terrifying story of passion from beyond the grave, starring Richard Carlson, Susan Gordon and Lugene Sanders. In a tight-knit island community off the coast of California, Tom Stewart (Carlson) is about to marry the woman he loves (Sanders). All is well until Tom's ex-girlfriend, Vi (Reding), confronts him at the top of the island's lighthouse, claiming he is hers and hers alone. When a freak accident occurs, he refuses to intervene, allowing the scorned woman to fall to her death. But his relief soon fades as Vi’s vengeful spirit begins to follow him everywhere he goes. Tormented day and night, body and soul, to what lengths will he go to protect his secret? Will the unrelenting she-ghost reveal herself to others? Find out in this harrowing tale of love and hate ... caught between the worlds of the living and the dead.
Formats: DVD, Blu-ray. Extras: Unreleased TV pilot of "Famous Ghost Stories," made by Bert I. Gordon and hosted by Vincent Price; "Mystery Science Theater 3000" version of "Tormented" (1992), full feature (1:33.1), with captions; new documentary by Ballyhoo Motion Pictures," Bert I. Gordon in the 1950s & 1960s: Bigger Than Life," featuring C. Courtney Joyner; archival interview with writer-producer-director Bert I. Gordon, "Bert I. Gordon: The Amazing Colossal Filmmaker"; feature essay by Tom Weaver with a bonus essay by John Wooley, former president of the Susan Gordon fan club and a personal friend of the actress; commentary provided by film historian-writer-filmmaker Gary Don Rhodes; new, visual essay by The Flying Maciste Brothers, "The Spirit is Willing: CineMagic and Social Discord in Bert I. Gordon’s Tormented”; original trailer, scanned in 4K from 35mm archival elements, presented in its raw format; as well as a recut trailer using restored film elements.
(Film Masters).
DVD
Read more here.
Tsui Chik (Li) is a librarian who leads a quiet, unassuming life – or, at least, that’s what he wants people to believe. In truth, he was once a member of the 701 Squad, a group of elite combatants produced by a failed super-soldier project. In kind with his former comrades, his central nervous system has been altered to render him impervious to pain. When several of his fellow test subjects resurface and embark on a crimewave under the leadership of their former commander Hung Kuk (Patrick Lung), Tsui is forced to use his extraordinary abilities once more. Donning a costume, he sets out to face his past – as the vigilante known as the Black Mask. Limited Edition of 2000 copies only; O-card slipcase featuring new artwork by Grégory Sacré (Gokaiju); a limited edition bonus disc featuring two alternate versions of the film; plus a limited-edition collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film by James Oliver. Formats: Blu-ray. Extras: New audio commentary on the Hong Kong version by Asian film expert Frank Djeng (NY Asian Film Festival); new audio commentary on the US export version by action cinema experts Mike Leeder and Arne Venema; brand new interview with stuntman Mike Lambert; brand new interview with film critic Andrew Heskins (easternKicks.com); brand new interview with Leon Hunt, author of "Kung Fu Cult Masters: From Bruce Lee to Crouching Tiger"; reversible sleeve featuring original poster artwork; archival making of featurette; trailers. (Eureka Entertainment). 
surviving relatives are called together in a decaying mansion on the Hudson River. There, they gather to hear West’s lawyer Roger Crosby (Tully Marshall) read his last will and testament and discover that West has left everything to his niece Annabelle (Laura La Plante). That is, at least, on the condition that she is judged to be legally sane. As the family settles in for the evening, tensions rise when they are informed that a murderer nicknamed the Cat has escaped from a nearby asylum and is suspected to be somewhere on the grounds. Crosby soon disappears in mysterious circumstances, which proves to be just the first in a series of horrifying events that will punctuate a long, dark night of terror – during which Annabelle’s sanity will be called into question again and again. Based upon the 1922 stage production by John Willard, "The Cat and the Canary" is a perfect blend of horror and black comedy and stands at the apex of a cycle of films adapted from mystery plays throughout the 1920s. It later inspired James Whale’s "The Old Dark House" and has been remade several times – but never bettered. The Masters of Cinema Series is proud to present this cornerstone of horror cinema for the first time ever on Blu-ray from a glorious 4K restoration.
Formats: Blu-ray. Extras: New audio commentary by author Stephen Jones and author/critic Kim Newman; new audio commentary by Kevin Lyons and Jonathan Rigby; "Mysteries Mean Dark Corners" new video essay by David Cairns & Fiona Watson; Pamela Hutchinson on "The Cat and the Canary" new interview with writer and film critic Pamela Hutchinson; Phuong Le on "The Cat and the Canary" new interview with film critic Phuong Le; "A Very Eccentric Man & Yeah, a Cat!" extracts from John Willard’s original play; "Lucky Strike" in which Paul Leni gives a full-throated endorsement to the product that got him through filming "The Cat and the Canary"; collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film by Richard Combs, Craig Ian Mann, and Imogen Sara Smith. (Eureka Entertainment). 
![photo for The Scarface Mob [Limited Edition]](https://www.onvideo.org/photos24/scarface-mob-box.jpg)
