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OnVideo's Guide to DVDs

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Catalogs of DVDs released 1999 -- 2006

DVD Releases
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May 7

The Assassin's Blade (aka The Butterfly Lovers) (2008 -- Hong Kong) Charlene Choi, Chun Wu, Ge Hu, Xin Xin Xiong, Siu-Wong Fan. Based upon a famous Chinese legend, this "Romeo & Juliet" fable tells the story of Zhu Yanzhi, who disguises her female identity in order to be accepted into the country's most prestigious male-only martial arts academy, where she immediately finds herself at odds with -- and becomes attracted to -- her superior, Liang. After she reveals her true identity, and the pair express their desire for each other, she returns home to find out that her parents have betrothed her to another. Formats: DVD. (Well Go USA).
Band of Outsiders BLU-RAY DEBUT (1964) Four years after "Breathless," Jean-Luc Godard reimagined the gangster film even more radically with "Band of Outsiders." In it, two restless young men (Sami Frey and Claude Brasseur) enlist the object of both of their fancies (Anna Karina) to help them commit a robbery -- ­in her own home. This audacious and wildly entertaining French New Wave gem is at once sentimental and insouciant, effervescently romantic and melancholy, and it features some of Godard's most memorable set pieces, including the headlong race through the Louvre and the unshakably cool Madison dance sequence. New digital master of Gaumont's recent high-definition restoration, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack. Extras: Visual glossary of references and wordplay found in "Band of Outsiders"; exclusive interviews with cinematographer Raoul Coutard and actor Anna Karina; excerpts from a 1964 interview with director Jean-Luc Godard, including rare behind-the-scenes footage from the film; filmmaker Agnes Varda's 1961 silent comedy "Les fiances du pont Mac Donald," starring Godard and Karina and featuring other members of the "Band of Outsiders" cast; Godard's original theatrical trailer and the 2001 U.S. re-release trailer; booklet featuring an essay by poet and critic Joshua Clover, Godard's character descriptions for the film's 1964 press book, and an interview with the director from the same year. (The Criterion Collection).

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Barrymore (2012) Christopher Plummer. The screen version of the William Luce play about famed actor John Barrymore. Adapted by writer-director Erik Canuel from the 1996 Broadway production for which Plummer won a Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in 1997. As John Barrymore reckons with the ravages of his life of excess, he rents an old theater to rehearse for a backer's audition to raise money for a revival of his 1920 Broadway triumph in "Richard III." Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc. Extras: Behind-the-scenes documentary, "Backstage With Barrymore," featuring Helen Mirren, Julie Andrews and Zoe Caldwell. (Image Entertainment).
Broadway Musicals: A Jewish Legacy (2013) Broadcast on PBS in January 2013 and narrated by Tony- and Academy Award-winner Joel Grey, the film examines the leading role of Jewish composers and lyricists in the creation of the modern American musical and showcases the work of legends such as Irving Berlin, Jerome Kern, George and Ira Gershwin, Lorenz Hart, Richard Rodgers, Oscar Hammerstein II, Leonard Bernstein, and Stephen Sondheim. Alongside standout performances and archival footage, the film co-mingles cultural history with illuminating perspectives on the origins and meanings of some of Broadway's most beloved songs, stories, and shows. Formats: Two-disc DVD, $39.99. Extras: Bonus disc with three hours of extra performances and interviews not seen on PBS, a 16-page viewer's guide, more. (Athena).
Brubaker BLU-RAY DEBUT (1980) Robert Redford, Yaphet Kotto, Jane Alexander, Murray Hamilton, David Keith, Morgan Freeman. (Fox).
Cars III (2009) Travis Jones, Richard Bain, Tyler Jones. A Troma B- grade film: A used car salesman must sell a Mercury Topaz within the hour -- or the devil gets his soul. To achieve his goal and save himself, he'll do whatever it takes -- even if it means pointing a gun at his customers' heads. Formats: DVD, $14.95. (CAV Distributing).
Citizen Hearst (2013) Documentary, narrated by William H. Macy, traces the 125-year history of the Hearst media empire, from William Randolph Hearst's pioneering and controversial days of headline-grabbing yellow journalism to the global impact of the company's many successful media brands. Provides a rare glimpse behind the glass walls of the Hearst Tower, interviewing legends in the media industry such as Oprah Winfrey, Dan Rather, Ralph Lauren, Heidi Klum, Donna Karan, Nina Garcia, Leonard Maltin and top Hearst magazine editors, among others, and gaining unprecedented access to the Hearst Castle and family members in San Simeon, California. Formats: DVD, $19.98. (Lionsgate).
The Condemned (2012 -- Puerto Rico) Cristina Rodlo, Renee Monclava, Axel Anderson. Psychological thriller about the dark and terrible secrets hidden in an old mansion that come back to life when a young woman transforms the abandoned family house into a museum detailing her father's scientific and humanitarian achievements. Formats: DVD. Extras: "Playing With Fire -- On the Set," "Making The Condemned, deleted scenes. (Strand Releasing).
Doc McStuffins: Time for Your Check Up (2013) Second DVD compilation for Disney Junior's hit animated TV series for kids 2-5 about a nurturing 6-year-old girl who heals stuffed animals and broken toys out of her backyard playhouse clinic. Includes five episodes and a growth chart. Formats: DVD, $19.99. (Disney)
Doc Martin: Special Collection -- Series 1-5 + The Movies A 13-disc collector's edition with 38 episodes and two movies. Formats: DVD, $124.99. Extras: Behind-the-scenes segments, photo galleries, trivia, cast filmographies. (Acorn Media).
Doctors of the Dark Side (2011) Documentary about the pivotal role of physicians and psychologists in detainee torture. The stories of four detainees and the doctors involved in their abuse demonstrate how US Army and CIA doctors implemented the Enhanced Interrogation Techniques and covered up signs of torture at Guantanamo and Abu Ghraib. Narrated by Academy Award-winner Mercedes Ruehl. Formats: DVD. Extras: "How We Filmed the Torture Doctors," "How to Help Doctors Prevent Torture," "Worse than the Pictures: An Insider's view of Abu Ghraib." (Shelter Island).
Drive-In Collection: The Dungeon of Harrow/Death By Invitation Two exploitation films: "The Dungeon Of Harrow" (1962): This lurid Texas shot gem follows two survivors of a shipwreck as they find themselves trapped on a remote island, run by a mad baron keen on torture. "Death By Invitation" (1971): A gritty tale of 20th century witchery topped off with a pleasant touch of psychedelia. Formats: DVD. (Vinegar Syndrome/CAV Distributing).
Elmo the Musical (2012) Five episodes of Elmo's newest imaginative and math skill-enhancing lessons along with the home video classic, "Let's Make Music." Debuting in Sesame Street's 43rd season, "Elmo the Musical" is an extension of the show’s S-T-E-A-M curriculum (science, technology, engineering, arts and math). Each 11-minute episode is an interactive musical adventure created by Elmo and the child at home. Focusing on imagination and math skills, such as enumeration, relational concepts, addition/subtraction, geometric shapes and many more, Elmo takes viewers on explorations as he imagines himself in "Sea Captain the Musical," "Circus the Musical," "Prince Elmo the Musical" and even "President the Musical!" Formats: DVD, $14.98. (Sesame Workshop/Warner).
The Exorcist in the 21st Century (2012) Chilling documentary that examines the unknown world of exorcism in the Catholic Church. With unprecedented access granted by the Catholic Church, director Fredrik Horn Akselsen accompanies a Vatican-approved Catholic priest and exorcist Father Jose Antonio Fortea as he travels the world to enlighten the masses of demonic possession and help fellow exorcists. Also featured is Father Gabriel Amorth, Official Vatican Exorcist, who has been an exorcist for 25 years and estimates he has seen 70,000 cases. Formats: DVD. Extras: A 50 minute filming of a real life exorcism, an extended interview with Father Jose Antonio Fortea, full interview with Father Gabriel Amorth. (Disinformation Company).
Felicity: Season Three (2000-01) Three-disc set with 17 episodes, $19.98. Formats: DVD. Extras: Commentary with cast and crew, "A Look Back at Season Three With Greg Grunberg" featurette, Keri on "MADtv." (Lionsgate).
Felicity: Season Four (2001-02) Three-disc set with 22 episodes, $19.98. Formats: DVD. Extras: Commentaries; behind-the-scenes look at the filming of the final episode; a special Q&A with J.J. Abrams, Jennifer Garner, Matt Reeves and Keri Russell; "Lost Elena," the long-awaited answer to Felicity fans' biggest question. (Lionsgate).
A Fine Romance: Complete Collection (1981-84) Stars real-life couple and legendary actors Judi Dench and her late husband Michael Williams as two middle-aged misfits embarking on an unlikely romance. Formats: Four-disc DVD, $59.99. (Acorn Media).
Flashpoint: The Fifth Season (2012) Three-disc set with 13 episodes of the series about a special tactical team that rescues hostages, busts gangs, defuses bombs, and takes on other tough cases. Formats: DVD, $39.98. (CBS/Paramount).
Fringe: The Complete Fifth & Final Season (2012) Three-disc set with 13 episodes. Formats: DVD, $39.98; Blu-ray Disc, $49.99; Digital, UltraViolet (cloud). Extras: Featurette, producer commentary, gag reel, more. (BBC/Warner).
Fringe: The Complete Series (2012) All 109 episodes on 28 DVDs or 20 Blu-ray discs. Formats: DVD, $159.96; Blu-ray Disc, $197.50. (BBC/Warner).
Gamer 3D (2009) Gerard Butler, Michael C. Hall, Chris "Ludacris" Bridges, Kyra Sedgwick. Uses state-of-the-art Samsung 3D technology to bring on the thrills in the futuristic adventure set in a prison where convicts fight to the death in a twisted, real-life video game. Formats: 3D Blu-ray Disc, VOD, Digital. Extras: "Inside the Game: Controlling Gamer" featurette. (Lionsgate).
The Great Escape BLU-RAY DEBUT (1963) Dir.: John Sturges; Steve McQueen, Richard Attenborough, James Donald, Charles Bronson, Donald Pleasence, James Coburn. Extras: Commentary by director John Sturges, cast and crew; "The Great Escape: Bringing Fact to Fiction"; "The Great Escape: Preparations for Freedom"; "The Great Escape: The Flight to Freedom"; "The Great Escape: A Standing Ovation"; "The Great Escape: The Untold Story"; "The Great Escape: The Untold Story -- Additional Interviews"; "A Real Virgil Hilts: A Man Called Jones"; "Return to The Great Escape"; original theatrical trailer. (MGM/Fox).
The Great Gatsby: Midnight in Manhattan (2000) Produced in celebration of the 75th Anniversary of "The Great Gatsby" (and coinciding with the May 10 theatrical release of Baz Luhrmann's version of "Gatsby") for the BBC's acclaimed art series Omnibus, this documentary explores the life and dark creative spirit of F. Scott Fitzgerald. It examines his disappointing college days at Princeton, his difficult relationship with fellow author Ernest Hemingway, and his turbulent last days in Hollywood. It dispels the age-old mythology surrounding Fitzgerald, largely created by himself, that tends to glamorize the Jazz-Age and his alcoholism. Includes commentary from Fitzgerald's granddaughter, Eleanor Lanaham, writers Hunter S. Thompson, George Plimpton and Jay McInerney, and literary critic Harold Bloom, with a wonderful in-depth analysis of "Gatsby" and its place in the American canon. Also included is the bonus feature "Private Affairs: A Dream of Living," a play that looks at the lives of F. Scott Fitzgerald, his wife Zelda, and Ernest Hemmingway in 1925 Paris. Formats: DVD, $14.98. (BBC Home Entertainment).
Gunsmoke: The Eighth Season Volume One and Volume Two (1962-62) Each five-disc set contains 19 episodes of the iconic (and longest-running) television Western starring James Arness as Marshal Matt Dillon, the only man responsible for keeping law in the Wild West of Dodge City. Formats: DVD, $49.99 each set. Extras: Preview trailers on select episodes, sponsor material. (CBS/Paramount).
photo Have Gun Will Travel: The Sixth and Final Season, Volume One and Two (1962-63) Richard Boone stars as the suave, enigmatic, cultured gun-for-hire Paladin -- one of the fastest guns in the West -- who appreciates fine food, beautiful women, and the refined lifestyle of San Francisco's Carlton Hotel. But, at a moment's notice, this legendary gunslinger will hit the trail to fight injustice and track down evildoers --- for a price, of course. A classic. Each two-disc set contains 16 episodes. Formats: DVD, $29.98 each set. (CBS/Paramount).
The Henry Fonda Film Collection "Jesse James," "Drums Along the Mohawk," "The Grapes of Wrath," "The Return of Frank James," "Immortal Sergeant," "The Ox-Bow Incident," "My Darling Clementine," "Daisy Kenyon," "The Longest Day," "The Boston Strangler." Formats: DVD. (Fox).
ID:A (2011 -- Denmark) Tuva Novotny, Flemming Enevold, Carsten Bjornlund. Scandinavian thriller about a young woman in search of her identity, boasting a plot that gradually reveals fragments of information before unveiling the final shocking truth. A young woman wakes up in a river in France with a bag with 2 million euros, a scar across her abdomen and no memory. She seeks refuge in the nearest town but soon discovers that mysterious men are following her. When she discovers that her accent is Danish, she decides to go to Denmark in the search for her identity. Formats: DVD. (Shout! Factory).
In the Hive (2012 -- TV) Dir.: Robert Townsend; Roger Guenveur Smith, Michael Clarke Duncan, Loretta Devine, Vivica A. Fox, Jonathan 'Lil J' McDaniel. Urban drama about a school for "discarded" boys. Formats: DVD. (Entertainment One).
Jack Reacher (2012) Tom Cruise, Rosamund Pike, Robert Duvall, David Oyelowo, Richard Jenkins, Werner Herzog, Jai Courtney. Read more about "Jack Reacher" in the May Calendar. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray/DVD Combo, VOD, Digital, UltraViolet (cloud). Blu-ray extras: Commentary by Tom Cruise and director Christopher McQuarrie, commentary by composer Joe Kraemer, "When the Man Comes Around" behind-the-scenes featurette, "You Do Not Mess With Jack Reacher: Combat & Weapons" featurette, "The Reacher Phenomenon" featurette. (Paramount).
Mama (2013) Jessica Chastain, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Megan Charpentier, Isabelle Nelisse, Daniel Kash, Javier Botet, Jane Moffat, Morgan McGarry, David Fox. Read more about "Mama" in the May Calendar. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray/DVD Combo, VOD, Digital, UltraViolet (cloud). Extras: Commentary with director/co-writer Andy Muschietti and producer/co-writer Barbara Muschietti; original short with introduction by Guillermo Del Toro; "The Birth Of Mama" featurette; deleted scenes. Blu-ray adds "Matriarcal Secrets" special effects featurette. (Universal).
Marley Africa Road Trip (2011 -- TV) Follows three sons of music legend Bob Marley as they travel back to Africa with hopes of reconnecting with their father. Thirty years after his passing, Ziggy, Rohan and Robbie Marley uncover the roots of his legacy of music, family and African Unity. Formats: DVD. (ARC Entertainment).
Mighty Fine (2012) Chazz Palminteri, Andie MacDowell, Jodelle Ferland, Rainey Qualley. Set in the 1970's, "Mighty Fine" is the story of Joe Fine, a charismatic, high-spirited man, who relocates his family -- wife Stella, daughters Natalie and Maddie -- from Brooklyn to New Orleans, in search of a better life. But his devotion to his family knows no bounds, providing them with the greatest life, from a palatial home to a steady string of extravagant gifts, in a spending spree that is wildly out of touch with reality, threatening the very fabric of the family. Formats: DVD, VOD, Digital Download, UltraViolet (cloud). Extras: Commentary with director Debbie Goodstein. (Lionsgate).
Mutantz, Nazis and Zombies (2009) Singe disc with three Troma B- grade films: "The Secret of the Magic Mushrooms," "Attack of the Tromaggot" and "Teen Ape Vs. The Monster Nazi Apocalypse." Formats: DVD, $14.95 (CAV Distributing).
Nature: What Plants Talk About (2013) When we think about plants, we don't often associate a term like "behavior" with them, but experimental plant ecologist JC Cahill is trying to correct that perception. The University of Alberta professor maintains that plants do behave and lead anything but solitary and sedentary lives. He builds the case that plants eavesdrop on each other, talk to their enemies, call in insect allies to fight those enemies, recognize their relatives, and nurture their young. Cahill documents the behavior of plants through the use of time-lapse photography and high-tech cameras. Formats: DVD, $19.99. (PBS Distribution).
One Hour Photo BLU-RAY DEBUT (2002) Robin Williams, Connie Nielsen, Michael Vartan, Dylan Smith, Gary Cole. Extras: New: Cast rehearsals, "Lensing One Hour Photo," main title test, "Sy's Nightmare Elements," storyboards, poster explorations. Original release commentary by director Mark Romanek and Robin Williams, "The Charlie Rose Show," Sundance: Anatomy of a Scene, Cinemax featurette, trailer and TV spots. (Fox).
The Oranges (2012) Leighton Meester, Hugh Laurie, Oliver Platt, Catherine Keener. The enduring friendship between the Walling and Ostroff families is tested when Nina, the prodigal Ostroff daughter, returns home for the holidays after a five-year absence and enters into an affair with David, head of the Walling family. Formats: DVD. Extras: "Opening Doors: Inside the Oranges," "Juicy Secrets: Behind the Scenes of The Oranges." (Fox).
Private Practice: The Complete Sixth Season (2012-13) Final season: Three-disc set with 13 episodes, $39.99. Extras: "Saying Our Goodbyes" featurette, deleted scenes, outtakes. (Disney).
The Rabbi's Cat (2011 -- France) Based on the bestselling graphic novel by Joann Sfar -- award-winning filmmaker ("Gainsbourg") and one of France's most celebrated comic artists, this animated adventure tells the story of a rabbi and his sharp-tongued feline philosopher brimming with scathing humor. Formats: DVD, Blu-rayDVD combo, VOD, Digital. Extras: Documentary on the Filmmaker: "Joann Sfar Draws From Memory"; "People of the Graphic Novel" documentary short; making-of featurette; U.S. trailer. (Cinedigm).
Revenge for Jolly (2012) Brian Petsos, Oscar Isaac, Elijah Wood, Adam Brody, Gillian Jacobs, Garret Dillahunt, Ryan Phillippe, Kristen Wiig. Harry is having a very, very bad day: When he returns home from an all-night drinking binge with his cousin, he discovers that his little dog Jolly -- Harry's one true love and the source of light in his dark, solitary life -- has been murdered. Brokenhearted and beyond consolation, he vows to track down the dog's murderer and, armed with a stockpile of firepower in the trunk of his car, he and Cecil embark on a frenzied, alcohol-fueled wild-goose chase, leaving a bloody path of destruction in their wake. Formats: DVD. (Sony).
Rookie Blue: The Complete Third Season (2012) Four-disc set with 13 episodes, $39.98. Formats: DVD. (Entertainment One).
Royal Pains: Season Four (2012) Four-disc set with 16 episodes, $39.98. Formats: DVD. (Universal).
Safe Haven (2013) Dir.: Lasse Hallstrom; Julianne Hough, Josh Duhamel, Cobie Smulders, David Lyons. Read more about "Safe Haven" in the May Calendar. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray/DVD Combo, VOD, Digital, UltraViolet (cloud). Extras: Deleted and extended scenes, alternate ending. Blu-ray adds "Igniting the Romance in Safe Haven," set tour, Josh Duhamel's "Lessons in Crabbing." (Fox).
Shanghai Noon/Shanghai Knights BLU-RAY DEBUT (2000/2003) Jackie Chan, Owen Wilson. (Disney).
Sparkle BLU-RAY DEBUT (1976) Irene Cara, Lonette McKee, Dwan Smith, Mary Alice, Dorian Harewood, Philip Michael Thomas. (BBC/Warner).
Somebody's Child (2012 -- TV) Lynn Whitfield, Michael Jai White, Byron Minns, Nadine Ellis, Clifton Powell. A divine twist of fate causes Constance Rivers (Whitfield) and her son Douglas (White) to open their hearts to an ex-convict. Then, while on the brink of losing her battle with kidney disease, Constance's near death confession causes her past and present to instantly collide. Dove-approved inspirational drama. Formats: DVD, VOD. (One Village Entertainment).
Starlet (2012) Dree Hemingway, Besedka Johnson, Stella Maeve, James Ransone, Karren Karagulian. Explores the unlikely friendship between 21 year-old aspiring actress Jane (Dree Hemingway) and elderly widow Sadie after their worlds collide in California's San Fernando Valley. Jane spends her time getting high with her dysfunctional roommates and taking care of her chihuahua Starlet, while Sadie passes her days alone, tending to her garden. Drifting and driving contentedly around the sun-dappled San Fernando Valley, Jane one day finds a pile of cash stashed inside an old thermos she's purchased at a yard sale held by the elderly Sadie. After treating herself to a manicure and Starlet to a sparkly new halter, Jane returns to the house where she bought the thermos and, prompted by a growing sense of morality and guilt, begins a tentative friendship with Sadie. Formats: DVD. (Music Box Films).
Steel Magnolias (2012 -- TV) Queen Latifah, Phylicia Rashad, Adepero Oduye, Condola Rashad, Jill Scott, Alfre Woodard. Contemporary version of the stage play and classic film chronicles the lives and friendship of six women in Louisiana. Supporting each other through triumphs and tragedies, they congregate at Truvy's Beauty Spot to ponder the mysteries of life and death, husbands and children -- all the important issues that truly unite and celebrate women. Formats: DVD, UltraViolet (cloud). (Sony).
Superman: Unbound (2013) DC Universe Animated Original Movie has Superman going up against Brainiac, who has crossed the universe, collecting cities from interesting planets -- including Supergirl's home city of Kandor -- and now the all-knowing, ever-improving android has his sights fixed on Metropolis. Formats: Blu-ray Combo Pack ($24.98) and DVD ($19.98), Digital, UltraViolet. Extras: Sneak peek at "Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox," the next DC Universe Animated Original Movie, "Kandor: History of the Bottle City" and "Brainiac: Technology and Terror" featurettes, four bonus episodes from "Superman: The Animated Series," digital excerpt from the graphic novel "Superman: Brainiac." (Warner).
The Telephone Book (1971) Sarah Kennedy, Norman Rose, Jill Clayburgh. A major, though forgotten, work from New York's underground film scene of the late 60s and early 70s, Nelson Lyon's "The Telephone Book" tells the story of a sex-obsessed hippie who falls in love with the world's greatest obscene phone caller and embarks on a quest to find him. Her journey introduces her to an avant-garde stag filmmaker, a manipulative psychiatrist, a bored lesbian housewife, and more. Formats: Blu-ray/DVD Combo. Extras: Commentary with producer Merv Bloch, original music soundtrack, still gallery, theatrical trailers. (Vinegar Syndrome/CAV Distributing).
Texas (1994 -- TV) Stacy Keach, Patrick Duffy, Chelsea Field, Benjamin Bratt, Maria Conchita Alonso, David Keith, Randy Travis, John Schneider, Ricky Schroder. Miniseries tells the tale of the extraordinary men and women of the southwestern frontier in the tumultuous years leading up to the Texas Revolution and the famous battle of the Alamo. Formats: DVD,$19.99. (CBS/Paramount).
30 Rock: Season 7 photo (2012-13) Last 13 episodes wraps up seven years of the acclaimed series with a season full of network tanking, election meddling, upward spiraling, funeral weddings, Florida, reverse health scares, sacrificial bunions, symphonic "Sanford and Son" arrangements, last lunches and boat modeling. Formats: Two-disc DVD, $44.98. Extras: Commentaries with Tina Fey, Jane Krakowski and writer-producer Tracey Wigfield; deleted scenes; "The Donaghy Files" animated webisode in which Jack auditions unlikely candidates for the Big Game half-time show; series retrospective and insider's tour of the "30 Rock" set with Fey. (Universal).

Upstream Color (2012) Amy Seimetz, Shane Carruth, Andrew Sensenig, Thiago Martins. One of the year's most talked about independent films since its award-winning premiere at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival, this is director Shane Carruth's much-anticipated follow-up to his 2004 award-winning cult classic, "Primer." A woman (Amy Seimetz) is abducted and hypnotized with an organic material harvested from a specific flower. When she falls for a man (Carruth), the two come to realize he may also have been subjected to the same process. They search urgently for a place of safety within each other and struggle to assemble the fragments of their wrecked lives, unknowingly drawn into the life cycle of a presence that permeates the microscopic world. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc, VOD, Digital. (Cinedigm).
The Verdict BLU-RAY DEBUT (1982) Dir.: Sidney Lumet; Paul Newman, Charlotte Rampling, Jack Warden, James Mason, Milo O'Shea, Lindsay Crouse, Edward Binns, Julie Bovasso. Extras: "Paul Newman: The Craft of Acting," "Milestones in Cinema History: The Verdict," "Sidney Lumet: The Craft of Directing," commentary with Lumet and Newman, two additional featurettes. (Fox).
Viva Zapata! BLU-RAY DEBUT (1952) Dir.: Elia Kazan; Marlon Brando, Jean Peters, Anthony Quinn, Joseph Wiseman. (Fox).
Witness: A World in Conflict Through a Lens (2012) Groundbreaking four-part HBO Documentary series offers a stark view into present-day conflict zones in Mexico, Libya, South Sudan and Brazil, as shown through the lens of three war photographers. Carrying viewers to the heart of the human drama in war-torn areas, the film explores what compels our current generation of photojournalists to get closer to battle when everyone else seeks cover. The three young combat photographers: Eros Hoagland, who explores the gang-and-drug related violence in both Juarez, Mexico and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Michael Christopher Brown, who chronicles escalating ethnic tensions in the wake of Gaddafi's ouster last year in Libya; and Veronique de Viguerie, who follows the "Arrow Boys" and their struggle against Gen. Kony in South Sudan. Executive produced by Michael Mann. Formats: DVD, $19.99. (HBO).
WWII From Space (2013) HISTORY special uses an all-seeing CGI eye that offers a satellite view of the battles of WWII, allowing you to experience it in a way that places key events and tipping points in a global perspective. By re-creating ground breaking moments that could never have been captured on camera and by illustrating the importance of simultaneity and the hidden effects of crucial incidents, this program puts the war's monumental moments in never-before-seen context. $19.99. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc. (Lionsgate).

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May 14

Back to 1942 (2012 -- China) Adrien Brody, Tim Robbins, Daoming Chen, Zhang Guoli, Zhang Hanyu. Tragic retelling of historical events based on Zhenyun Liu's best selling novel "Remembering 1942," about the Henan province disaster in China, where 3 million people died of starvation, a humanitarian crisis first sparked by drought, then compounded by a combination of windstorms, government corruption and the war with Japan. Formats: DVD. (Well Go USA).
Bink & Gollie ... And More Stories About Friendship (2013) All-new compilation headlined by "Bink & Gollie", from Kate DiCamillo, the Newbery Medal-winning author of "Because of Winn Dixie" and "The Tale of Despereaux" and Alison McGhee. Three other stories about friendship are also included: "A Sick Day for Amos Mcgee," "The Other Side" and "Cat and Canary." Formats: DVD. Extras: Author and illustrator interviews, read-along function. (Scholastic Storybook Treasure).
The Bletchley Circle (2013) Follows the exploits of four ordinary women with the extraordinary ability to break codes, a skill honed during World War II when they worked undercover at Bletchley Park, site of the United Kingdom's main decryption establishment. Now, in 1952, the four have returned to civilian life, keeping their intelligence work secret from all, including family and friends. A series of ghastly murders targeting women, however, reunites the team as they set out to decode the pattern behind the crimes. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc, Digital. (PBS Distribution).
Cloud Atlas (2012) Directors: Tom Tykwer, Andy Wachowski, Lana Wachowski. Stars: Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Susan Sarandon, Jim Sturgess, Hugh Grant, Ben Whishaw, Jim Broadbent, Keith David, James D'Arcy, Hugo Weaving, Gotz Otto, Zhu Zhu. Read more about "Cloud Atlas" in the May Calendar. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray/DVD Combo, Digital Download, UltraViolet (cloud). Extras: "A Film Like No Other" featurette. Blu-ray adds "Everything Is Connected," "The Impossible Adaptation," "The Essence of Acting," "Spaceships, Slaves and Sextets," "The Bold Science Fiction of Cloud Atlas" and "Eternal Recurrence: Love, Life, and Longing in Cloud Atlas" featurettes. (Warner).
Crimewave (1985) Dir.: Sam Raimi; Bruce Campbell, Louise Lasser, Paul L. Smit, Brion James, Sheree J. Wilson, Reed Birney, Edward R. Pressman. Comedy/noir written by Ethan Coen, Joel Coen and Raimi. The head of a security systems company is bumped off by two gonzo exterminators who have gone from stomping out pesky varmints to stomping out human targets. The exterminators go after the partner who hired them and his blatantly obnoxious wife and, in the meantime, frame a poor security guard for the murder of the company boss. Formats: Blu-ray/DVD Combo. (Shout! Factory).
Dance Academy (2010/2011 -- Australia) Teen Nick's tween series in two-disc sets with 13 episodes each, $19.95: "Dance Academy: Season 1, Volume 1," "Dance Academy: Season 1, Volume 2," "Dance Academy: Season 2, Volume 1," "Dance Academy: Season 2, Volume 2." Formats: DVD. (Flatiron Film Company).
Dexter: The Seventh Season photo (2012) Four-disc set with 12 episodes. Another powerful season of the Showtime favorite as Dexter is finally forced to confront his greatest fear: Debra witnesses his insatiable, ritualistic slaying of a killer. Now Debra knows the secret of his Dark Passenger, his undeniable thirst for blood, and the Code that their father Harry instilled in him as a young boy. But as Debra tries to reconcile the unfathomable idea that her beloved, mild-mannered brother is Miami's most notorious serial killer, Dexter is still pulled by his natural impulses to seek out the guilty and exact his brand of vigilante justice. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc. Extras: Biographies. (Showtime/Paramount).
Doctor Who: The Visitation Special Edition It's 1666, and England is in the grip of the Great Plague. But when the Doctor (Fifth Doctor Peter Davison) and his companions arrive, they discover an even greater threat: The entire planet is in danger as an alien menace is intent on wiping out humanity and claiming the planet for themselves.Formats: DVD. (BBC Home Entertainment).
Escape (2012 -- Norway) Ingrid Bolso Berdal, Kristian Espedal, Isabel Christine Andreasen. In 1363, 10 years after the Black Death has ravaged the population and turned the world into a merciless killing field, a pack of killers murders a family, only sparing the life of the 19-year-old Signe. She learns that she faces a fate worse than death and manages to escape, setting up a chase -- and retribution. Formats: Blu-ray/DVD Combo. (Entertainment One).
Face 2 Face (2012) "Loving Annabelle" filmmaker Katherine Brooks answers the question: “How can you have 5,000 friends on Facebook and still feel alone?" Struggling with depression, addiction and years of suppressed trauma, Brooks comes to grips with her need for true human interaction and impulsively posts on her Facebook wall a vow to visit the first 50 people who respond. An enthusiastic and hearty response comes immediately, and Kat quickly hops in a van and embarks on a journey around America, meeting complete strangers, re-igniting relationships with long lost acquaintances, and exploring a past that continues to rear its ugly head in the present. Formats: DVD, Digital. Extras: Extended/deleted interviews, slide show from the trip. (Wolfe Video).
Fraggle Rock: 30th Anniversary Collection (1983-87) All four seasons of the celebrated series, $129.99. Formats: DVD. Extras: Behind the scenes interviews recently discovered in the archives of The Jim Henson Company, a collectible Red plush keychain, a new exclusive Fraggle Rock graphic novel featuring a parent-friendly activity guide. (The Jim Henson Company/Gaiam Vivendi Entertainment).
Fraggle Rock: Meet The Fraggles Features the pilot, as well as five episodes highlighting each of the beloved main characters, $14.93. Formats: DVD. (The Jim Henson Company/Gaiam Vivendi Entertainment).
Frankie Go Boom (aka 3, 2, 1... Frankie Go Boom) (2012) Charlie Hunnam, Chris O'Dowd, Lizzy Caplan, Chris Noth, Ron Perlman, Whitney Cummings. For decades, amateur filmmaker Bruce (O'Dowd) has tortured his awkward brother Frank (Hunnam) with a series of embarrassing videos posted on the Internet. Bruce finally goes too far when he uploads a video of a disastrous one-night stand involving the inebriated daughter of a loose-cannon ex-movie star. To try to undo the damage, the brothers enlist the help of Bruce's transsexual computer-hacker buddy (Perlman). Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc. Extras: Behind the scenes featurette, deleted and alternate scenes, "Pig in the Pool" short featurette surrounding one of the film's most memorable characters -- a pig. (Universal).
A Glimpse Inside the Mind of Charles Swan III (2013) Charlie Sheen, Jason Schwartzman, Bill Murray, Patricia Arquette, Aubrey Plaza, Katheryn Winnick, Mary Elizabeth Winstead. A Los Angeles graphic designer's enviable life slides into despair when his girlfriend breaks up with him. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc. Extras: Commentary with writer-director Roman Coppola, "The Making of Charles Swan" featurette, "A Glimpse Into the Mind of Charles White" interview with artist Charles White, upon whom the film is based. (Lionsgate).
History of Your Life -- The Decades Collection -- 40s-80s photo Five-disc set captures the life and times in America from the 1940's through the 1980's, on a decade-by-decade basis, configured as a "History of Your Life" in the decade you were born, offering more than 20 hours of pop culture and history: "The Decade You Were Born 1940s," "1950s," "1960s," "1970s" and "1980s." Includes documentaries, TV episodes, features, commercials, more. Formats: DVD, $29.98. (Mill Creek Entertainment).
JFK -- A New World Order -- Commemorative Documentary Series Fifty years after his death, President John F. Kennedy's life and legacy continues to capture the hearts and minds of the nation. This three-disc set with eight programs introduces to a new generation of Americans the compelling story of this unforgettable leader, and the political dynasty that he left behind. Formats: Blu-ray/DVD Combo, $14.98. Extras: "Kennedy vs. Nixon debate," "Assassination of President John F. Kennedy," "Funeral service of President John F. Kennedy." (Mill Creek Entertainment).
Jubal (1956) A trio of exceptional performances from Glenn Ford, Ernest Borgnine and Rod Steiger form the center of "Jubal," an overlooked Hollywood treasure from genre master Delmer Daves. In this Shakespearean tale of jealousy and betrayal, Ford is an honorable itinerant cattleman, befriended and hired by Borgnine's bighearted ranch owner despite his unwillingness to talk about his past. When the new hand becomes the target of the flirtatious attentions of the owner's bored wife (Valerie French) and is entrusted by the boss with a foreman's responsibilities, his presence at the ranch starts to rankle his shifty fellow cowhand, played by Steiger. The resulting emotional showdown imparts unparalleled psychology intensity to this Western, a vivid melodrama featuring expressive location photography in Technicolor and CinemaScope. New high-definition digital restoration, with uncompressed stereo soundtrack on the Blu-ray edition. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc. Extras: Booklet featuring an essay by critic Kent Jones. (The Criterion Collection).
Liz & Dick (2012 -- TV) Lindsay Lohan, Grant Bowler, Theresa Russell. For nearly a quarter of a century, Elizabeth Taylor (Lindsay Lohan) and Richard Burton (Grant Bowler) were Hollywood royalty, and their fiery relationship was the most notorious and publicized celebrity affair of its day. Despite the controversy and scandal surrounding their tumultuous romance, Liz and Dick shared an undeniable love greater than most people could ever imagine. Formats: DVD. Extras: Interviews with Lindsay Lohan, Grant Bowler and more. (Entertainment One).
The Locker (2009) Natalie Dickinson, Stacy Cunningham, Farah White, Joey Greco. A young woman -- institutionalized for insisting that she's the lone escapee and survivor from a masked maniac that kidnaps and tortures beautiful women -- pulls her life together until she receives a book that details her frightening story, but no one believes her -- not even the police, trapping her between what is real, and what may be real. Formats: DVD. (Entertainment One).
My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic -- Season Two (2011-12) Two-disc set with 26 episodes, $34.99. Formats: DVD. Extras: Sing-alongs, printable coloring sheets. (Shout! Kids).
Power Rangers Samurai: The Sixth Ranger -- Volume 4 (2011)When a mysterious fisherman arrives, the Power Rangers Samurai meet their newest ally -- Antonio, the Gold Ranger. Antonio must prove he possesses the true spirit of the samurai before he can join the team and battle the Nighlok monsters. Showcases four action-packed episodes. Formats: DVD, $14.98. Extras: Bloopers, "Ask a Ranger" featurette, "Train Like a Ranger" video. (Lionsgate).
Secrets of War -- Vietnam -- A War Unwanted Documentary on the daring covert operations, ingenious spy gadgets and cunning military deceptions used by the American and Vietnamese military leaders during the Vietnam War, from the Viet Cong's secret methods to hidden supply highways, underground cities, covert camps and double agents. Narrated by Charlton Heston. Formats: DVD, $9.98. (Mill Creek Entertainment).
Taz-Mania: Taz on the Loose Season 1 Part 1 (1991) Two-disc set with 13 episodes of the Saturday morning cartoon, $19.97. Formats: DVD. (Warner).
Team Umizoomi: Animal Heroes (2012) Four episodes of Team Umizoomi -- a tiny team of superheroes, Milli, Geo and Bot, who use their mighty math powers to help little kids solve big problems. The Team gets Purple Monkey to his new Monkey Jungle home at the zoo, rescues Buster the dog at a construction site, fixes the Cuckoo Bear' clock, and finds all of Farmer Dan's missing animals. Formats: DVD, $14.99. (Nickelodeon/Paramount).
Texas Chainsaw (2013) Alexandra Daddario, Dan Yeager, Tremaine "Trey Songz" Neverson, Tania Raymonde, Shaun Sipos, Keram Malicki-Sanchez, James MacDonald, Thom Barry, Paul Rae, Richard Riehle, with special appearances by four cast members from previous installments of the franchise: Gunnar Hansen (the original Leatherface), Marilyn Burns, John Dugan and Bill Moseley. Read more about "Texas Chainsaw" in the May Calendar. Formats: 3D/2D Blu-ray Disc, DVD , VOD, Digital, UltraViolet (cloud). Extras: Commentary with producer Carl Mazzocone and filmmaker Tobe Hooper; Special "Chainsaw Alumni" audio commentary with stars Bill Moseley, Gunnar Hansen, Marilyn Burns and John Dugan: "Texas Chainsaw Legacy" featurette that looks back at the history and 40-year legacy of the series with Tobe Hooper; "Resurrecting the Saw" featurette; "The Old Homestead" featurette; "Casting Terror" cast interview featurette; "Leatherface 2013" interview with Leatherface actor Dan Yeager on his interpretation of the legendary role; "Lights, Camera, Mayhem" 3D creation featurette; "It's in the Meat" special effects and make-up featurette; on-set short subjects: "Five Minute Massacres" "Burning Down the House," "Trapped in the Van," "Carnival Time," "Leatherface in Action," "Hot Times In Louisiana," "Bloody Good Times". (Lionsgate).
3:10 to Yuma (1957) In this beautifully shot and acted, psychologically complex western, Van Heflin is a mild-mannered cattle rancher who takes on the task of shepherding a captured outlaw, played with cucumber-cool charisma by Glenn Ford, to the train that will take him to prison. This apparently simple plan turns into a nerve-racking cat-and-mouse game that will test each man's particular brand of honor. Based on a story by Elmore Leonard, "3:10 to Yuma" is a thrilling, humane action movie, directed by the supremely talented studio filmmaker Delmer Daves with intense feeling and precision. New high-definition digital restoration, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray edition. Alternate 5.1 surround soundtrack, presented in DTS-HD Master Audio, on the Blu-ray edition. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc. Extras: New interviews with author Elmore Leonard and Glenn Ford's son and biographer, Peter Ford; booklet featuring an essay by critic Kent Jones. (The Criterion Collection).
Tomorrow You're Gone (2012) Stephen Dorff, Michelle Monaghan, Willem Dafoe. A recent ex-con must commit a murder for his jailhouse mentor but when the hit goes wrong, he heads out on the road with an ethereal hooker who reminds him of a past love. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc, Digital.(Image Entertainment).
Top Gear 19 Three-disc set with five new episodes plus the two-part Africa special, $24.98. Formats: DVD. (BBC Home Entertainment).
WordGirl vs. the Energy Monster (2013) Critically acclaimed and award winning animated series from Scholastic Media that follows the life and super hero adventures of WordGirl as she fights crime and enriches vocabulary usage. Includes three fun-filled learning adventures in which WordGirl and her sidekick, Captain Huggy Face, fight the good fight against dastardly villains and bad vocabulary. Formats: DVD, $9.99. Extras: Interactive games, video shorts, coloring pages. (PBS Distribution).



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May 21

The ABCs of Death (2013) Twenty-six directors. Twenty-six ways to die. This anthology film is comprised of 26 individual "chapters" on the topic of death, each helmed by a different director assigned to a specific letter of the alphabet. Provocative, funny and shocking, this anthology is the definitive vision of modern horror diversity. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc, Blu-ray/DVD Combo. Extras: Behind-the-scenes and making-of featurettes, deleted scenes, filmmaker commentary, AXS TV: "A Look at The ABCs of Death.". (Magnolia Home Entertainment).
The Adventures of Bailey: A Night in Cowtown (2013) Third installment of the live-action adventures of Bailey, everyone's favorite golden retriever; here he develops a crush on a neighbor's dog and must rescue her brother from dog snatchers to win her heart. Formats: DVD, $14.98. (Entertainment One).
American Masters Mel Brooks: Make a Noise (2012) After 60 years in show business, Mel Brooks has earned more major awards than any other living entertainer; he is one of 14 EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony) winners. Yet, the comedy giant has energetically avoided a documentary profile from being made, even issuing an informal gag order on his friends -- until now. Brooks agreed to throw himself into a new documentary about his storied career, and gave American Masters exclusive interviews and complete access to his film archives. Features never-before-heard stories and new interviews with Brooks, Cloris Leachman, Carl Reiner, Matthew Broderick, Nathan lane, Joan Rivers, Tracey Ullman and others. Airs Monday, May 20, on PBS. Formats: DVD. (Shout! Factory).
Apartment 4E (aka Small of Her Back) (2012) Nicole Beharie, Christopher Domig. A beautiful, intelligent young woman with everything to live for is trapped in a dark world of her own making: Deeply troubled, desperate and clutching a handgun, she has not left her apartment in a long time, and when there’s a knock on the door, she will face a choice that will make the difference between life and death. Formats: DVD. (One Village Entertainment/RLJ Entertainment).
The Aquabats! Super Show! Season One (2012) Two-disc set with all 13 Season One episodes of wacky crime-fighting, music videos and outlandish villains. The blend of live-action and animation follows the amazingly wild comic antics of The Aquabats, the galaxy's first group of musical, crime-fighting superheroes -- from the co-creator of "Yo Gabba Gabba!" Formed in the 1990s, The Aquabats are based in Southern California and are on a never-ending quest to right wrongs, destroy boredom and seek justice for all. When they're not busy saving the world, they can be found on tour, traveling the highways and by-ways of the land in their trusty super-customized BattleTram. The crime-fighting, surf-rock supergroup's "The Aquabats! Super Show!" can currently be seen on The HUB TV Network with Season Two premiering soon featuring all new adventures (and all new villains). Formats: DVD. (Shout! Factory).
Barney: Dance With Barney (2013) Everyone's favorite purple dinosaur and his dino friends share their favorite dance moves, build confidence by learning new steps and have fun dancing dino-style. Includes three episodes, $14.98. Formats: DVD, VOD, Digital. Extras: "The Barney Boogie" music video, "Lookie, Lookie, It's a Cookie" karaoke music video, "Happy Dancing" karaoke music video. (HIT/Lionsgate).
Beautiful Creatures (2013) Dir: Richard LaGravenese; Alden Ehrenreich, Alice Englert, Jeremy Irons, Viola Davis, Emmy Rossum, Thomas Mann, Emma Thompson, Eileen Atkins. Read more about "Beautiful Creatures" in the May Calendar. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray/DVD Combo, Digital, UltraViolet (cloud). Extras: "ICONS by Margaret Stohl" book trailer, deleted scenes. Blu-ray adds six featurettes: "Book to Screen," "The Casters," "Between Two Worlds," "Forbidden Romance," "Alternate Worlds" and "Beautiful Creatures: Designing the Costumes." (Warner).
Best of Warner Bros. Cartoon Collection -- Hanna-Barbera (2012) 90th anniversary collection of 25 classic Hanna-Barbera cartoons. Formats: Two-disc DVD, $26.99. Extras: "Here Comes a Star" documentary. (Warner).
Blood of the Vine Seasons 1 & 2 (2011 -- France) After an internationally renowned wine expert is enlisted by the local police to help solve the case of a serial killer who combines murders with Grand Crus, he gets bitten by the investigative bug and seeks out new mysteries to solve in the heart of the Bordeaux vineyards and in the regions of Cognac and Champagne. Season One is a two-disc set with three episodes, Season Two is a two-disc set with four episodes; $39.95 each. Formats: DVD. (MHz Networks).
The Burning (1981) Brian Matthews, Leah Ayres, Brian Backer, Larry Joshua, Shelley Bruce, Bonnie Deroski, Fisher Stevens, Jason Alexander, Holly Hunter. A group of summer camp pranksters get the scare of their lives when they target the camp's creepy caretaker ... and he takes bloody revenge. Formats: Blu-ray/DVD Combo. Extras: Commentary with director Tony Maylam, commentary with stars Shelley Bruce and Bonnie Deroski, "Blood n Fire Memories," "Slash & Cut" interview with editor Jack Sholder, "Cropsy Speaks" interview with actor Lou David, "Summer Camp Nightmare" interview with actress Leah Ayres, behind-the-scenes footage, theatrical trailer, make-up effects still gallery, poster and still gallery. (Shout! Factory).
Captain America: Collector's Edition BLU-RAY DEBUT (1990) Matt Salinger, Ronny Cox, Ned Beatty, Darren McGavin, Michael Nouri, Scott Paulin.Extras: New interviews: "Looking Back at Captain America With Director Albert Pyun and Actor Matt Salinger." (Shout! Factory).

Watch the "Captain America" trailer:


Cleopatra BLU-RAY DEBUT (1963) Dir.: Joseph L. Mankiewicz; Richard Burton, Elizabeth Taylor, Rex Harrison, Hume Cronyn, Cesare Danova, Martin Landau, Roddy McDowall. Two-disc 50th Anniversary edition features the 243-minute premiere version of the film -- meticulously restored -- with never-before-seen missing footage. A limited edition comes packed in a full-color book featuring rare images from the making of the film. The historical epic shot in 70mm was the highest photo grossing film of 1963, bringing in more than $24 million in its initial release ... but the film cost an unprecedented $42 million to make (equivalent to over $300 million today) and nearly bankrupted 20th Century Fox. In addition to elaborate sets and costumes, production delays and the relocation of principal filming from London to Rome added to the skyrocketing budget. A very public love affair between Taylor and Burton that blossomed during the three-year production meant that there was as much romance and intrigue off-screen as on-screen. The film later won four Academy Awards, and was nominated for five more, including Best Picture. Extras: "Cleopatra Through The Ages: A Cultural History"; "Cleopatra's" missing footage; "Fox Movie Channel presents Fox Legacy With Tom Rothman"; commentary with Chris Mankiewicz, Tom Mankiewicz, Martin Landau and Jack Brodsky (author of a book "The Cleopatra Papers"); "The Cleopatra Papers: A Private Correspondence"; "Cleopatra: The Film That Changed Hollywood"; "The Fourth Star of Cleopatra"; Fox Movietone News: archival footage of the New York premiere, archival footage of the Hollywood premiere; trailers. (Fox).
A Common Man (2012) Ben Kingsley, Ben Cross. A seemingly average citizen plants five powerful bombs in different locations around a major international city and threatens to detonate them unless his sole unconditional demand is met: The simultaneous release of four of the most deadly international terrorists from government prisons. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc. (Anchor Bay).
Dark Circles (2013) Pell James, Johnathon Schaech, Jennifer Foreman, Philippe Brenninkmeyer. Sleep-deprived parents begin to see strange things in their new house. Formats: DVD, VOD, Digital. Extras: Commentary with writer-director Paul Soter. (Lionsgate).
The Dark Dealer (1995) Richard Hull, Rocky Patterson, Charles Carrol. Three-film horror anthology about three hell-bound characters gambling with their lives and souls in a game of blackjack with the devil. The first story in this thriller, the creepy, satanic, "Cellar Space," won the Silver Scroll award from the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror: A vicious killer invades the cellar apartment of a seemingly defenseless old hermit, but the hoodlum soon finds out that something more than human lives there. Formats: DVD. (Whacked Movies/MVD Entertainment).
Detective De Luca (2008 -- Italy) Against the backdrop of Italy's political upheaval, Fascism, and chaos during the tumultuous post-war period between 1938 and 1948, Detective De Luca does the one thing he knows how to do: be a cop. De Luca investigates and solves crimes in the war-torn city of Bologna and along the Adriatic coast with little or no regard for those in power, whoever they happen to be. His solitary and uncompromising character, his magnetic effect on women, and the fact that he's simply too skilled and too honest a policeman not to uncover the truth, all conspire to land him in trouble from time to time. Based on the best-selling crime novels by Carlo Lucarelli. Two-disc set with four episodes, $39.95. Formats: DVD. (MHz Networks).
Gaiking: The Movie Collection (1976) Two-disc set with three feature-length movies edited from the original series, plus a brand-new English language track. An iconic classic from the golden age of Japanese animation, Gaiking the transforming super robot is back in a trio of feature-length adventures loaded with high-impact action and mind-expanding science fiction. Formats: DVD. (Shout! Factory).
Howl's Moving Castle BLU-RAY DEBUT (2004) Dir.: Hayao Miyazaki; voices of Jean Simmons, Christian Bale, Lauren Bacall, Blythe Danner, Billy Crystal. Two-disc Blu-ray/DVD combo. (Studio).
H.P. Lovecraft's Cool Air (2006) Morgan Weisser, Crystal Laws Green, Norbert Weisser, Lauren Sutherland. A young man rents a room in a rundown mansion somewhere in the isolated mountains above Malibu, where he's inspired to write the "great American Screenplay" but, instead, has a heart attack and comes under the care of the mansion's recluse, a strangely preserved female doctor who draws the man into a nightmarish world of insane experiments and murder. Based on an H.P. Lovecraft short story. Formats: DVD, VOD, Digital. (Lionsgate).
Jim Jefferies: Fully Functional, (2013) Politically incorrect Australian comedian Jim Jefferies puts everything out there in this raunchy EPIX comedy special and shows off his skill for skewering sacred cows and virtually everything else with brutal honesty. Formats: DVD, $14.98. VOD. (Inception Media Group).
Last Kind Words (2012) Brad Dourif, Spencer Daniels, Alexia Fast, Marianne Hagan. A young teen who moves to a secluded rural farm learns that the surrounding woods have flesh-crawling stories to tell -- in particular those surrounding decaying bodies hanging from the trees. Formats: DVD, Digital. (Image Entertainment).
The Last Stand (2013) Dir.: Jee-woon Kim; Arnold Schwarzenegger, Forest Whitaker, Johnny Knoxville, Rodrigo Santoro, Jaimie Alexander, Luis Guzman, Eduardo Noriega, Peter Stormare, Zach Gilford, Genesis Rodriguez. Read more about "The Last Stand" in the May Calendar. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray/DVD Combo, VOD, Digital, UltraViolet (cloud). Extras: "Not in My Town: Making The Last Stand" featurette, "Cornfield Chaos" featurette, "The Dinkum Firearm and Historic Weaponry Museum" featurette, "Actor-Cam Anarchy: With Johnny Knoxville and Jaimie Alexander" featurette, deleted/extended and alternate scenes. (Lionsgate).
photo Laverne and Shirley: The Sixth Season (1980-81) Three-disc set with 22 episodes of the 1950s-set comedy revolving around the friendship between bright-eyed, naive and demure Shirley Feeney and brassy, tough-talking, street smart Laverne De Fazio; this season the duo -- with friends and family -- move to Burbank. Formats: DVD, $39.98. Extras: Episodic promos, gag reel. (CBS/Paramount).
LEGO Batman: The Movie -- DC Super Heroes Unite (2013) Batman enlists the aid of Superman to help end Lex Luthor's latest crime spree. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray/DVD Combo, VOD, Digital, UltraViolet (cloud). Extras: "Building Batman" featurette, "LEGO/DC Universe Super Heroes Video Contest Winners" short, two bonus episodes from "Batman: The Brave and the Bold ('Triumvirate of Terror' and 'Scorn of the Star Sapphire') and one episode from "Teen Titans" ('Overdrive'). Also includes an exclusive Lego Clark Kent/Superman figurine on pack while supplies last. (Warner).
Little Caesar BLU-RAY DEBUT (1931) Dir.: Mervyn LeRoy; Edward G. Robinson, Douglas Fairbanks Jr., Glenda Farrell, Sidney Blackmer. (Warner).
Love Sick Love (2013) Matthew Settle, Katia Winter, Charlotte Rae, M. Emmet Walsh, Jim Gaffigan. A New York businessman's one-night stand turns deadly when he is teamed with a psychotic serial romantic in this boy meets girl thriller that propels the term "love hurts" to a whole new level. Formats: DVD. (Monarch Home Entertainment).
Marsh Mud Madness (2013) One of the nation's top touring family artists, Roger Day has a knack for creating songs that make complex ideas simple and fun. In this full-length DVD -- filmed live at the Savannah Music Festival and on location at the University of Georgia Marine Institute on Sapelo Island -- Roger introduces children to the plants and animals that live in and around the salt water marshes and beaches of barrier islands and how each one has an important role to play in a healthy coastal ecosystem. Even sneaky ghost crabs and regurgitating vultures! Formats: DVD, $15.00 via Bigkids.com, CDBaby.com and Rogerday.com. (RogerDay).
Medium Cool (1969) It's 1968, and the whole world is watching. With the U.S. in social upheaval, famed cinematographer Haskell Wexler decided to make a film about what the hell was going on. His debut feature, "Medium Cool," plunges us into that moment. With its mix of scripted fiction and seat-of-the-pants documentary technique, this story of the working world and romantic life of a television cameraman (Robert Forster) is a visceral, lasting cinematic snapshot of the era, climaxing with an extended sequence shot right in the middle of the riots surrounding the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. An inventive commentary on the pleasures and dangers of wielding a camera, "Medium Cool" is as prescient a political film as Hollywood has ever produced. New 4K digital restoration, approved by Wexler, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray edition. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc. Extras: Two audio commentaries, one featuring Wexler, actor Marianna Hill, and editor Paul Golding, the other featuring historian Paul Cronin; new interview with Wexler; "Look Out Haskell, It's Real!" a 55-minute documentary about the making of "Medium Cool," produced by Cronin and featuring interviews with Wexler, Golding, actors Verna Bloom, Peter Bonerz and Robert Forster, Chicago historian Studs Terkel, and others; excerpts from "Sooner or Later," a documentary by Cronin about Harold Blankenship, who plays the adolescent Harold in the film; original theatrical trailer; booklet featuring an essay by film critic and programmer Thomas Beard. (The Criterion Collection).
Mold (2012) Edward X. Young, Ardis Campbell, Robert Fattorini, Chris Gentile, Lawrence George, Rick Haymes. A classified government project to create a new weapon to combat the drug cartels -- a fast-growing, genetically engineered strain of mold designed to wipe out coca fields that turns out to prefer feeding on human flesh -- is released in a secret lab, where a group of unsuspecting scientists and military officials are forced to fight their way to safety while trying to contain it before it's unleashed on the world. Formats: DVD. Extras: Director's commentary, behind-the-scenes featurette, trailers. (MVD Entertainment).
My Neighbor Totoro BLU-RAY DEBUT (1988) Dir.: Hayao Miyazaki; voices of Dakota Fanning, Elle Fanning, Tim Daly, Pat Carroll, Lea Salonga. Two-disc Blu-ray/DVD combo. (Studio).
N.A.S.A. The Spirit of Apollo (2013) Documentary chronicles hip-hop duo N.A.S.A.'s (Sam Spiegel and DJ Zegonduo) worldwide travels and collaborations that led to 2009's ground-breaking LP of the same name. "N.A.S.A. The Spirit of Apollo" was shot between 2004-2011 in locations spanning the globe (Brazil, Jamaica, Sweden, the U.S. and more) and features music and appearances by David Byrne, Kanye West, Karen O, Tom Waits, Method Man, M.I.A., Ol' Dirty Bastard, John Frusciante, Santigold, RZA, George Clinton, Nick Zinner, Ghostface Killah, Lykke Li, Gift of Gab, Kool Keith, Chuck D, DJ AM, Del Tha Funkee Homosapien, Spank Rock, The Cool Kids, Amanda Blank, and many more. The film also features myriad accompanying visual images by various high profile visual artists who lent their work to the project, including: Shepard Fairey, Marcel Dzama, Sage Vaughn, The Date Farmers and Logan, Barry McGee, Jimena Odea, Splunny, Didiu Rio Branco, Flourescent Hill, Three Legged Legs, Aaron Acord, and more. Formats: DVD. (Microcinema).
National Lampoon's Vacation BLU-RAY DEBUT (1983) Chevy Chase, Beverly D'Angelo, Imogene Coca, Randy Quaid, Anthony Michael Hall, Dana Barron, Eddie Bracken, Brian Doyle-Murray, James Keach, Eugene Levy, John Candy, Christie Brinkley, Jane Krakowski. 30th anniversary edition.Extras: New A&E Special: "Inside Story: National Lampoon's Vacation"; introduction by Chevy Chase, Randy Quaid and Matty Simmons; commentary by Harold Ramis, Chevy Chase, Randy Quaid, Anthony Michael Hall, Dana Barron and Matty Simmons. (Warner).
Nightfall (2012 -- Hong Kong) Simon Yam, Nick Cheung. Grisly thriller pits a bitter, aging detective against a recently released murderer in the mystery surrounding the killing of a popular opera singer ... but a clear-cut case of revenge gets murkier, with the facts -- and the truth -- becoming harder to uncover. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc, Digital. Extras: (Well Go USA).
Once Upon a Time in Brooklyn (2013) William DeMeo, Ice-T, Wass Stevens, Ja Rule, Armand Assante, Cathy Moriarty. After serving several prison sentences, Bobby Baldano returns to the streets, craving a life of inescapable crime, but desperate to honor his family; he must decide whether to make his family proud or destroy what generations of Baldanos have built before him. Formats: DVD, VOD, Digital. Extras: Commentary with director Paul Borghese, interviews. (Lionsgate).
Open Road (2013) Camilla Belle, Juliette Lewis, Andy Garcia, Colin Egglesfield, John Savage. Angie (Belle), a young Brazilian artist, abandons her old life and embarks on a journey around the country, living on her own terms and occasionally waitressing to make money. But when she makes connections with a drifter (Garcia), a handsome cop (Egglesfield), and his sister (Lewis), she finds herself torn between her life of absolute freedom and being tied to people who care about her. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc, VOD, Digital, UltraViolet (cloud). Extras: "Makfing of Open Road." (Universal).
Parker (2013) Dir.: Taylor Hackford; Jason Statham, Jennifer Lopez, Nick Nolte, Michael Chiklis, Clifton Collins Jr., Wendell Pierce, Micah Hauptman, Patti LuPone, Emma Booth, Bobby Cannavale. Read more about "Parker" in the May Calendar. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc, Digital, UltraViolet (cloud). Extras: Commentary with director Taylor Hackford, two featurettes: "Bringing the Hunter to Life: The Making of Parker" and "Who Is Parker?" Blu-ray adds two featurettes: "The Origin of Parker" and "Broken Necks and Bloody Knuckles. (Sony).
Perception: The Complete First Season (2012) Two-disc set with 10 episodes, $29.99. Formats: DVD. (Disney).
The Petrified Forest BLU-RAY DEBUT (1936) Dir.: Archie Mayo; Leslie Howard, Bette Davis, Dick Foran, Humphrey Bogart. (Warner).
Picture Day (2012) Tatiana Maslany, Spencer Van Wyck, Steven McCarthy, Mark DeBonis, Susan Coyne. A rebellious teenager forced to repeat her last year of high school is caught between adolescence and adulthood -- and between two very different male admirers. Formats: DVD. (Ketchup Entertainment).
The Public Enemy BLU-RAY DEBUT (1931) Dir.: William Wellman; James Cagney, Jean Harlow, Edward Woods, Joan Blondell. (Warner)
The Royal Collection (2013) Four-disc set featuring four royal titles, each presenting perspectives on the British Monarchy: "The Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II," a behind-the-scenes look at the Queen's 1953 Coronation; "King George and Queen Mary: The Royals Who Rescued the Monarchy," a two-part portrait of Elizabeth II's grandparents, King George V and Queen Mary, which examines the lasting legacy of the couple who rescued the monarchy from potential disaster; "Queen Victoria's Children," a three-part series exploring the reign of Victoria through her personal relationships with her husband and her nine children; and "How to Be a Prince," a program centered on Prince William from 2003. Also includes a replica of a booklet for Queen Elizabeth II's Coronation, featuring original photography from the ceremony. Formats: DVD, $24.99. "The Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II" and "Queen Victoria's Children" are available separately for $19.98 each. (BBC Home Entertainment ).
photo Saving Hope (2012) Four-disc set with 13 episodes of the supernatural medical drama in which the chief of surgery at Toronto's Hope Zion Hospital ends up in a coma and explores the hospital halls in "spirit" form, not sure if he's a ghost or a figment of his own imagination. $39.98. Formats: DVD. (Entertainment One).
Side Effects (2013) Dir.: Steven Soderbergh; Channing Tatum, Rooney Mara, Jude Law, Catherine Zeta-Jones. Read more about "Side Effects" in the May Calendar. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray/DVD Combo, Digital, UltraViolet (cloud). Extras: "Aliza Website Experience," "Behind-the-Scenes of Side Effects," Ablixa commercial for the fictional drug portrayed in the film, Intenin commercial. (Universal).
Soldiers of Paint (2012) Follows a dramatic battle involving 5,000 people who restage D-Day, the 6th of June 1944 invasion of Normandy. Instead of bullets, it's paintball; instead of the French coast, it's Oklahoma. And, every year, it's any man's game, which means the Germans could win. Staged on a 700-acre battlefield owned by the grand-son of a veteran of Omaha Beach, this yearly battle of paint is fought as a tribute to all veterans. These paintball soldiers take "gung ho" to an all-time high, utilizing real tanks and airplanes for this epic fight. Formats: DVD, $24.95. Extras: Deleted scenes, D-Day parade, officers party, extra battle footage. (First Run Features).
Sommersby BLU-RAY DEBUT (1993) Richard Gere, Jody Foster, Bill Pullman, James Earl Jones. (Warner).
Stand Up Guys (2013) Al Pacino, Christopher Walken, Alan Arkin, Katheryn Winnick, Julianna Margulies. Read more about "Stand Up Guys" in the May Calendar. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc, VOD, Digital, UltraViolet (cloud). Extras: "American Muscle: The Stand Up Stunt Driving Scenes" featurette, "The Lowdown On Making Stand Up Guys" featurette, "The Stand Up Songs Of Jon Bon Jovi" featurette, deleted scenes, audio commentary with director Fisher Stevens. (Lionsgate).
Teen Wolf Season 2 (2011) Three-disc set with 12 episodes, $39.98. Formats: DVD. Extras: Alternate, deleted and extended scenes; "Teen Wolf" CGI reel; fight choreography; "Shirtless Montage 2.0"; gag reel; commentary. (Fox).
This Girl Is Badass (2011 -- Thailand) Kick-ass Jeeja Yanin (of "Chocolate" fame) takes her skills to the next level as a bike messenger who is hired by competing mob bosses to smuggle goods. Caught in the middle and given an ultimatum, the only way out is a confrontation erupting into a battle of bullets, face kicks and blows. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc. Extras: "The Making of This Girl Is Bad Ass" behind-the-scenes featurette, deleted scenes, international trailer. (Magnolia Home Entertainment).
The Town That Dreaded Sundown (1977) Ben Johnson, Andrew Prine, Dawn Wells. Cult-director Charles B. Pierce's thriller about a "Phantom Killer" terrorizing young lovers in Texarkana. Formats: Blu-ray/DVD Combo. Extras: Commentary with Justin Beahm and historian Jim Presley, "Small Town Lawman" interview with actor Andrew Prine, "Survivor Stories" interview with actress Dawn Wells, "Eye of the Beholder" interview with director of photography James Roberson, theatrical trailer, essay by writer brian albright, poster and still gallery. Bonus feature: Charles B. Pierce's "The Evictors" (1979), about a young couple tormented by the previous owners of an eerie house located in a small Louisiana town; stars Vic Morrow, Michael Parks and Jessica Harper. (Shout! Factory).
True Blood: The Complete Fifth Season photo (2012) Full 12-episode season of the immensely popular series finds a vampire war brewing and an old vampire foe returning to wreak havoc on the human race. Formats: Five-disc DVD, $59.99; Blu-ray set with five BD discs, 2 DVD discs, $79.98; Digital, UltraViolet (cloud). Extras: "Inside the Episodes" back stories on each episode; commentaries with cast and crew including creator-executive producer Alan Ball, Anna Paquin, Stephen Moyer, Denis O'Hare and Carrie Preston; previews; recaps. Blu-ray set adds "True Blood Episode Six: Autopsy," in which the cast and crew dissect the major events of the episode; "Authority Confessionals," which offers information about the mysterious institution; Enhanced Viewing "Re-Vamped" Guide and Archive with character bios, vampire histories and hints/FYIs that offers even more background on the characters; Enhanced Viewing: Flashback/Flash Forwards function to relive pivotal moments of go forward to reveal the significance of a certain scene; "True Blood Lines" interactive program to uncover secrets from relationships past and present. (HBO).
photo Ultimate Gangster Collection Classic BLU-RAY DEBUT The four films in the Classic Collection have been remastered for their Blu-ray debuts. They include "The Public Enemy" and "White Heat" with the legendary performances of James Cagney; "Little Caesar" with Edward G. Robinson as hoodlum Rico Bandello; and "The Petrified Forest" starring Humphrey Bogart, Bette Davis and Leslie Howard. The collection includes a feature-length documentary "Public Enemies: The Golden Age of the Gangster Drama" which explores the development of the crime genre and the rise of Warner stars like Cagney, Bogart and Robinson. Also discussed are directors such as Walsh, Wellman and Curtiz; the films themselves; their influence on filmmakers worldwide; and Warner’s impact in establishing the genre. Includes a 32-page booklet with images and additional information about each film. $49.99. The titles in the Classic Collection will be available individually as well for $19.98. (Warner).
Ultimate Gangster Collection Contemporary Five-disc set with five crime films that include Martin Scorsese's "GoodFellas," "The Departed" and "Mean Streets"; "Heat," starring Al Pacino, Robert De Niro and Val Kilmer; and Paramount's "The Untouchables" with Kevin Costner, De Niro and Sean Connery. Includes a 32-page booklet with images and additional information about each film. $49.99. (Warner).
Vegas Vacation BLU-RAY DEBUT (1997) Chevy Chase, Beverly D'Angelo, Marisol Nichols, Ethan Embry, Randy Quaid. (Warner).
White Heat BLU-RAY DEBUT (1949) Dir.: Raoul Walsh; James Cagney, Virginia Mayo, Edmond O'Brien, Margaret Wycherly, Steve Cochran. (Warner).
Wine, Women & Friends (2012) While many people have the fantasy of moving to a lovely village in the South of France, maybe to find a vineyard, to create wonderful wines, to sell it and share it with friends, lesbian couple Carole LeBlanc and Jo Befort did just that. They started their wine adventure six years ago in Collias, France, with no experience, just their passion -- and friends. Winemaking is a complex and labor intensive process, and still a very macho affair in France, but as this film reveals, it's possible for two women who are willing to work hard to achieve their dream and live the life they choose -- as well as bring an entire village and community into their world. Formats: DVD, $19.95. (First Run Features).
Yossi (2012 -- Israel) Ohad Knoller, Oz Zehavi, Lior Ashkenazi. The sequel to "Yossi & Jagger" -- the tragic love story of two men serving in the Israeli Defense Forces -- finds still-closeted Dr. Yossi Hoffman reminiscing about his love 10 years after the latter's death. Things change when he follows a mysterious woman to the southern city of Eilat, where he meets a group of young Israeli officers, among them Tom, a handsome and self-confident openly gay man, who represents a new world, different from the one that shaped Yossi. Formats: DVD. (Strand Releasing).

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May 28

Baby Mama's Club (2010) Tommy Friend, Miko DeFoor. Best friends James, a consummate womanizer who becomes a gather for the 17th time, and married Randall, who becomes a father for the first time, go to an unconventional counselor to help them with their problems: Randall to get the respect of his wife and James to control his sexual addiction. Formats: DVD, VOD, Digital. (Lionsgate).
Bubble Guppies: Sunny Days! (2013) Six exciting underwater adventures: "The Beach Ball!," "The Legend of Pinkfoot," "Bring on the Bugs," "The Sizzling Scampinis!," "Bubble Duckies!" and "Gup, Gup, and Away!" Formats: DVD, $16.99. (Nickelodeon/Paramount).
Covert Affairs: Season Three (2012) Four-disc set with 16 episodes. Formats: DVD. Extras: "Sights Unseen: A Covert Affairs Prequel." (Universal).
Dark Skies (2013) Keri Russell, Josh Hamilton, Dakota Goyo, Kadan Rockett, J.K. Simmons. Read more about "Dark Skies" in the May Calendar. Formats: Blu-ray/DVD Combo. Extras: Commentary with writer-director Scott Stewart, producer Jason Blum, executive producer Brian Kavanaugh-Jones and editor Peter Gvozdas; alternate and deleted scenes. (Dimension Films/Anchor Bay).
Dead Mine (2012) Joe Taslim, Sam Hazeldine, Miki Mizuno. The legend of Yamashita's Gold lures a treasure hunter and his group deep into the Indonesian jungle where they become trapped in an abandoned World War II Japanese bunker and face the terrifying reality that the only way out is to go further in. Formats: DVD. (XLrator Media).
Doctor Who: Series Seven, Part Two The Doctor (Eleventh Doctor Matt Smith) kicks off the second half of Series Seven by searching for Clara (Jenna Louise-Coleman) -- the impossible girl he's already lost twice. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc. (BBC Home Entertainment).
Doctor Who: The Snowmen Introduces a new companion, a new look for the Doctor, plus a new monster in this movie-scale Christmas special. Starring Matt Smith as the Doctor and introducing Jenna-Louise Coleman as new companion Clara, this feature follows their mission to save Christmas from the villainous Doctor Simeon and his army of icy snowmen. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc. Extras: Behind-the-scenes. (BBC Home Entertainment).
Dorfman in Love (2013) Sara Rue, Elliott Gould, Jonathan Chase, Johann Urb, Haaz Sleiman, Scott Wilson, Catherine Hicks. San Fernando Valley girl Deb Dorfman (Sara Rue), who spends more time on her demanding widowed father and stingy married brother than on her own life, jumps at the chance to cat-sit at the cool downtown Los Angeles loft of the young journalist she has a secret crush on; while he's away, with the aid of his neighbors -- including a hunky artist who may not be exactly what he seems -- she gives the loft, and herself, a makeover. Formats: DVD. (Virgil Films).
George Gently Collection: Series 1-4 (2007-11) Eleven mysteries starring Martin Shaw as Inspector George Gently, an incorruptible cop transplanted from London to Northumberland in the mid-1960s. Formats: Eleven-disc DVD, six-disc Blu-ray, $99.99. Extras: Behind-the-scenes featurette, text interviews, six-page insert, more. (Acorn Media).
George Gently, Series 5 (2012) Four feature-length mysteries. Formats: Four-disc DVD, two-disc Blu-ray, $59.99. Extras: Behind-the-scenes featurette. (Acorn Media).
The High Fructose Adventures of Annoying Orange: The Complete First Season (2012) Four-disc set with 30 episodes that follows YouTube sensation Annoying Orange along with his band of produce buddies -- Passion Fruit, Pear and Marshmallow -- as they navigate the time-space continuum in their magical fruit cart. From Prehistoric Era to Colonial Times, Orange and the rest of the crew are dropped into random adventures and forced to squeeze their way out. Formats: DVD, $29.93. Extras: "Annoying Orange: Exposed," "Behind the Seeds," "Sizzle Peel," Episode Six storyboard animatic, "The Very First Annoying Orange Webisode." (Gaiam Vivendi).
Life Is Sweet (1990) This moving film from Mike Leigh is an intimate, invigorating, and amusing portrait of a working-class family in a suburb just north of London -- ­an irrepressible mum and dad (Alison Steadman and Jim Broadbent) and their night-and-day twins, a bookish good girl and a sneering layabout (Claire Skinner and Jane Horrocks). In it, Leigh and his typically brilliant cast create, with extra­ordinary sensitivity and craft, a vivid, lived-in story of ordinary existence, in which even modest dreams (such as the father's desire to open a food truck) carry enormous weight. Perched on the line between humor and melancholy, "Life Is Sweet" is captivating, and it was Leigh's first international sensation. New high-definition digital restoration, with 2.0 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack on the Blu-ray edition. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc. Extras: Commentary featuring director Mike Leigh, audio recording of a 1991 interview with Leigh at the National Film Theatre in London, booklet featuring an essay by critic David Sterritt. (The Criterion Collection).
Longmire: The Complete First Season (2011) Two-disc set with 10 episodes of the A&E Western series, $39.98. Formats: DVD. Extras: "The Slow Burn: Shooting Longmire" featurette, gallery of still photography, unaired scenes. (Warner).
Lore (2012 -- Germany/Australia) Saskia Rosendahl, Kai Malina, Nele Trebs, Ursina Lardi, Hans-Jochen Wagner, Mika Seidel, Andre Frid, Eva-Maria Hagen. Read more about "Lore" in the May Calendar. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc, VOD, Digital. Extras: "The Making of Lore," "Memories of a German Girl," alternate ending, deleted scenes, "Reel Talk" panel discussion. (Music Box Films).
Nailbiter (2012) Erin McGrane, Meg Saricks, Emily Boresow, Sally Spurgeon, Michelle Davidson. After a family seeks refuge in a storm shelter during a tornado, they discover that someone -- or something not quite human -- is holding them captive. Formats: DVD, VOD, Digital. Extras: Commentaries, storyboard to screen comparison featurette. (Lionsgate).
NOVA: Mind of a Rampage Killer (2012) A growing body of scientific research is bringing us closer to understanding the complex web of circumstances that can conspire to produce a rampage killer: uncontrolled violent urges, depression, and perceived social isolation. NOVA correspondent Miles O'Brien explores how brain function, genetics, and early life experiences may prime the brain for each of these risk factors. Formats: DVD. (PBS Distribution).
The Numbers Station (2012) John Cusack, Malin Akerman, Liam Cunningham, Lucy Griffiths. After his latest mission goes disastrously wrong, veteran CIA black ops agent Emerson Kent (John Cusack) is given one last chance to prove he still has what it takes. His new assignment: guarding Katherine (Malin Akerman), a code operator at a top-secret remote CIA "Numbers Station" where encrypted messages are sent and received. When an elite team of heavily armed assailants lays siege to the station, Emerson and Katherine suddenly find themselves in a life-or-death struggle against an unknown enemy. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc. Extras: "The Making of the Numbers Station" featurette. (Image Entertainment).
Rolling Thunder BLU-RAY DEBUT (1977) William Devane, Tommy Lee Jones, Linda Haynes, Dabney Coleman. A Vietnam War POW -- who endured eight years of torture -- returns home to a hero's welcome and a cash reward, but finds that his wife has fallen in love with another man. To make matters worse, a group of thugs go after his reward, in the process killing his wife and son; he then teams up with another ex-POW to exact his revenge. Extras: Interview with William Devane, theatrical trailer, TV spot. (Shout! Factory).
Shoot First, Die Later (1971 -- Italy/France) Luc Merenda, Richard Conte, Delia Boccardo, Raymond Pellegrin. Italian director Fernando Di Leo's lost crime masterpiece, restored by Raro Video from an original 35mm print. A highly regarded police detective who is taking syndicate money in exchange for departmental favors asks his father -- a simple man, who also works for the department but at a lower level -- for a favor (he wants a certain police report that is desired by the syndicate) and it doesn't take long for the detective's father to realize his son is on the take, which leads to numerous complications. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc. Extras: Two featurettes: "The Master of the Game" and "The Second Round of the Game," 20 page booklet on the genesis of the film. (Kino/Lorber).
Suits: Season Two photo (2012-13) Four-disc set with 16 episodes. Formats: DVD, UltraViolet (cloud). Extras: Commentary on select episodes, "Suits Recruits" webisodes, deleted and extended scenes, gag reel, "Suits: Sophomore Success," "The Style of Suits," "Suits Punch" reel. (Universal).
Swimming to Cambodia (1978) Master storyteller Spalding Gray brought his tour-de-force one-man show "Swimming to Cambodia" to the big screen, brilliantly directed by Academy Award-winning director Jonathan Demme and featuring the music of Laurie Anderson. Grey spent eight weeks in Southeast Asia playing the role of the Ambassador's aide in the Academy Award-winning film "The Killing Fields." Inspired by his experiences there, Gray weaves a hilarious and hypnotic tale of the making of the film, from the "sixty-six takes" of his first scene to the jarring encounters with Thai marijuana, the history of Cambodia and the inhabitants of the Asian massage parlors and sex bars. It's reality with a wry twist from a fascinating pioneer of experimental theatre. Formats: DVD. Extras: Commentary by director Jonathan Demme. (Shout! Factory).
The Ultimate Guide to the Presidents (2013) Three-disc set of the eight-hour History series that offers a fresh perspective on how the Oval Office has evolved over the past 200 years and looks at the 44 men who have served as Commander-in-Chief -- from George Washington to Barack Obama, concentrating on the ebbs and flows of presidential power and responsibilities as each of America's leaders deal with the events, expectations and challenges of his time. Formats: DVD, $24.98. Extras: Bonus footage. (Lionsgate).

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All listings are based on information from the home video studios. Some release dates may change and titles may come out after a specified date (with no announcement from the studio). Additionally, some titles may be released with little or no advance announcement. And since all DVDs are priced at sell-through and are available for substantial discounts at both online and brick-and-mortar stores, we only list suggested retail prices for some special editions, box sets and collections.



All DVDs are screened on a reference system consisting of a Oppo BDP-83 Blu-ray Disc Player w/SACD & DVD-Audio, a Rotel RSX-972 Surround Sound Receiver, and Phase Technology 1.1 (front), 33.1 (center), and 50 (rear) speakers and Power 10 subwoofer.


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May 9, 2013
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