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OnVideo's Weekly Guide to Home Video Releases
February 4
A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood: Based on the true story of a real-life friendship between TV's Fred Rogers and journalist Tom Junod. (DVD, Blu-ray release: February 18)
Dragonheart: Vengeance: Lukas, a young farmer whose family is killed by savage raiders in the countryside, sets out on an epic quest for revenge, forming an unlikely trio with a majestic dragon and a swashbuckling, sword-fighting mercenary. (DVD, Blu-ray release: Day & date)
The Festival: After Nick's girlfriend dumps him after graduation, his best mate Shane has the perfect antidote to his break-up blues: three days at an epic music festival. (Digital, VOD only)
Midway: "Midway" centers on the Battle of Midway, a clash between the American fleet and the Imperial Japanese Navy which marked a pivotal turning point in the Pacific Theater during WWII. (DVD, Blu-ray release: February 18)
Stan the Man: A new money multi-millionaire, whose life consists of ladies, gambling and booze, is critically wounded in a liquor store robbery, where he takes the bullet intended for the store clerk. During a near-death experience in the ER, an Angel gives him 30 days to change his ways and redeem himself, and find his one true love. (VOD only)
21 Bridges: An embattled NYPD detective is thrust into a citywide manhunt for a pair of cop killers after uncovering a massive and unexpected conspiracy. (DVD, Blu-ray release: February 18)
February 7
Knives Out: The circumstances surrounding the death of crime novelist Harlan Thrombey are mysterious, but there’s one thing that renowned Detective Benoit Blanc knows for sure—everyone in the wildly dysfunctional Thrombey family is a suspect. Now, Blanc must sift through a web of lies and red herrings to uncover the truth. (DVD, Blu-ray release, VOD: February 25)
Arctic Dogs
(2019) Voices of Jeremy Renner, Heidi Klum, Alec Baldwin, John Cleese, James Franco, Anjelica Huston. Follows the misadventures of Swifty the Arctic Fox (Renner), who stumbles upon a dark scheme by the villainous Otto Von Walrus (Cleese) to melt the Arctic. To stop this sinister plot, Swifty enlists the help of his ragtag group of friends: PB, a neurotic polar bear; Lemmy, a scatterbrained albatross; Jade Fox, a brainy engineer; Leopold and Bertha, two conspiracy theorist otters; and Magda, his grouchy boss.
Formats: DVD, Blu-ray/DVD Combo, VOD, Digital. (Lionsgate).
Atomic Apocalypse (AKA Black Flowers)
(2019) Krista DeMille, Andrea Sweeney-Blanco, Ron Roggé, Jesús Lloveras, William Mark McCullough. Welcome to the future - two years from now after the nuclear apocalypse that changed life as we know it. Without gasoline, electricity, or communications, humanity is devolving into a barbarous society of hunting and pillaging. In this hellish landscape, one family fights for survival. Superhero Mother, Kate (DeMille) loses her injured survivalist husband Sam (Roggé) and lovestruck daughter Suzi (Sweeney-Blanco) in a matter of days after they join handsome loner Joe ( Lloveras) in search of a rumored hidden nuclear bunker full of food and medicine. Suddenly alone, lost in the chemical clouds and pursued by murderous scavengers, Kate fights to stay alive and reunite with her family. Formats: DVD, VOD, Digital. (High Octane Pictures).
Donten: Laughing Under the Clouds – Gaiden: Three Film Collection
(2017 - Japan) The three-film collection includes "Laughing Under the Clouds" films "One Year After the Battle," "The Tragedy of Fuuma Ninja Tribe," and "Conspiracy of the Military," and
Dragonheart: Vengeance
(2019) Joseph Millson, Jack Kane, Helena Bonham Carter. Lukas, a young farmer whose family is killed by savage raiders in the countryside, sets out on a quest for revenge, forming an unlikely trio with a majestic dragon and a swashbuckling, sword-fighting mercenary, Darius. Helena Bonham Carter voices Siveth, the ice breathing dragon who was once banished from the kingdom for failing to save the king’s life. Compelled by the young man’s cause, she emerges from hiding, using her fantastical powers on the trio’s adventurous journey which brings revelations and rewards beyond vengeance. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray/DVD Combo, VOD, Digital. Extras: "A New Legend" featurette, "Creating Siveth" featurette. (Universal).
High Strung Free Dance
(2019) Sequel to Michael Damian's dance hit "High Strung." Zander Raines, a dazzling young choreographer, gives the break of a lifetime to two hopeful artists when he casts a stunning contemporary dancer, Barlow, and innovative pianist Charlie, in New York's most-anticipated new Broadway show: "Free Dance." But the move throws off the show's delicate creative balance when Charlie falls hard for Barlow while Zander embraces her as his muse. The emotions run hot igniting a rollercoaster of impassioned rivalry, romance and determination. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray, Blu-ray/DVD Combo, VOD, Digital. Extras: Behind-the scenes featurette, an interview with composer Nathan Lanier and music videos for "Masterpiece" and "Liar". (GVN Releasing).
The House That Jack Built Director's Cut
(2018 -- Denmark) Dir.: Lars Von Trier; Matt Dillon, Uma Thurman, Riley Keough, Bruno Ganz. A thoughtful, honest onscreen meditations on morality and personal culpability. In five audacious episodes, failed architect and arch-sociopath Jack (Dillon) recounts the elaborately orchestrated murders -- each, as he views them, as a towering work of art -- that define his "career" as a serial killer. Mixing pitch-black humor, transcendent surrealism, and renegade musings on everything from history to architecture to cinema itself, von Trier fashions a radical, blazingly personal inquiry into violence, art, and the twin acts of creation and destruction. Two-disc set with both the theatrical cut and director's cut of the film.
Formats: DVD, Blu-ray. Extras: "Sonning Prize: An Interview With Director Lars Von Trier," teaser trailer, theatrical trailer. (Scream Factory).
MASTERPIECE: Howards End
(2017) Written by Kenneth Lonergan ("Manchester by the Sea", "Gangs of New York"), this is a four episode adaptation of E.M. Forster’s “Howards End.” Starring Matthew Macfadyen as Henry Wilcox, Philippa Coulthard as Helen Schlegel, Julia Ormond as Mrs. Wilcox, Hayley Atwell as Margaret Schlegel and Tracey Ullman as Aunt Juley, this is a fresh take on the story of two independent and unconventional sisters and the men in their lives seeking love and meaning as they navigate an ever-changing world. Formats: DVD, Digital. (PBS Distribution).
MASTERPIECE: Sanditon
(2019) Two-disc set. Andrew Davies has given Jane Austen fans what they have been waiting over a century for ... the completion of Austen's last piece of work, unfinished due to her death in 1817. Now Davies ("Pride and Prejudice," "Les Misérables") takes the first 11 beautifully crafted chapters of the final Austen masterpiece and creates an epic drama for all to enjoy. The lavish adaptation stars Rose Williams as Austen’s lively, but levelheaded heroine Charlotte Heywood and Theo James as the humorous, charming (and slightly wild!) Sidney Parker. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray, Digital. (PBS Distribution).
Mon Mon Mon Monsters
(2017 -- Taiwan) Eugenie Liu, Pei-Hsin Lin, Carolyn Chen, Yu-Kai Deng, Kent Tsai. A group of classmates doing community service discover two flesh-eating creatures hiding in an old building. One of the creatures is able to escape, but they capture the other one, torturing her while trying to learn what she really is. It soon becomes clear that the first creature’s escape has dire consequences, as she hunts them down and stops at nothing to free her sister. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray, VOD, Digital. (RLJE Films).
NOVA: Decoding da Vinci
(2019) On the 500th anniversary of Leonardo’s death, with guidance from historian Walter Isaacson, NOVA pulls back the curtain to investigate what led to da Vinci’s ahead-of-his-time legendary successes. The program examines how Leonardo’s scientific studies, from dissecting humans to studying optics, led to a host of brilliant inventions, like hang gliders, armored tanks, parachutes and many others. "Decoding da Vinci" further explains how this deep scientific curiosity was behind the most captivating work of art in history, The Mona Lisa. Viewers now have the chance to delve deep into Leonardo da Vinci’s Renaissance genius. Formats: DVD, Digital. (PBS Distribution).
100 Acres of Hell
(2019) Gene Snisky, Jeff Swanton, Jim Roof. When ex pro wrestler Buck Severs travels to an abandoned wildlife preserve with his friends for "Bro's Weekend," they become the targets of a deadly manhunt and Buck must find the fighter in himself before it's too late. Formats: DVD, VOD. (Indiecan Pictures).
Serendipity
(2019) A renowned artist, forced to confront her own mortality, turns the exploration of her health crisis into a unique cinematic work. Multimedia French artist Prune Nourry's profoundly moving study stemming from her own breast cancer diagnosis. Nourry has gained international recognition for her thought-provoking, educational and often humorous projects exploring bioethics through sculpture, video, photography and performance - with her prime focus on women's bodies, fertility and gender explorations. But at the young age of 31, a cancer diagnosis turned Prune's world upside down - and forced her to turn
her penetrating artist's eye on herself. She started documenting her treatment and its effect on her own body, turning her medical odyssey into a disarmingly intimate artistic undertaking that leads her to find new meaning in her work and its serendipitous relationship to her own survival. The impassioned film - Nourry's first feature as director - embodies the artist's belief that everything is connected, coincidence is an illusion, and "the essentials to life really are health, love and art." Features one of the final screen appearances by the late renowned French director Agnes Varda. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray, VOD, Digital. Extras: "Conversations at The Quad with director Prune Nourry." (Cohen Media Group).
Train Ride
(2000) Russell Hornsby, M. C. Lyte, Wood Harris, Esther Rolle. Three college seniors who are thinking about nothing but graduation and going out with a bang from college, harshly discover that a culmination of four years of hard work can lead to a permanent road to perdition after they decide to experiment with the knockout "date rape" drug on a vulnerable, impressionable, and very attractive freshman girl. Events quickly spiral out of control in a roller-coaster of unpredictable, virulent events. 20th anniversary edition. Formats: DVD. (Breaking Glass Pictures).
Trauma Center
(2019) Bruce Willis, Nicky Whelan, Tito Ortiz, Texas Battle, Steve Guttenberg. Willis plays Lt. Wakes, a vengeful police detective determined to solve the murders of his partner and an informant. Wakes joins forces with Madison (Whelan), a witness injured during the shootings, after the killers pursue her across the abandoned floor of a hospital and confirm Wakes’s worst fears: the two men are actually corrupt vice cops covering up a crime. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray, VOD, Digital. (Lionsgate).
Waves
(2019) Kelvin Harrison, Jr., Lucas Hedges, Taylor Russell, Alexa Demie, Renée Elise Goldsberry, Sterling K. Brown. Set against the vibrant landscape of South Florida, this drama traces the emotional journey of a suburban African-American family -- led by a well-intentioned but domineering father -- as they navigate love, forgiveness, and coming together in the aftermath of a loss. A heartrending story about the universal capacity for compassion and growth even in the darkest of times. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray, VOD, Digital. (A24).
White Snake
(2019 -- China) From Light Chaser Animation, one of China’s premiere animation studios, comes this film with beautiful animation, lush scenes and stunning visuals. One day a young woman named Blanca is saved by Xuan, a snake catcher from a nearby village. She has lost her memory, and together they go on a journey to discover her real identity, developing deeper feelings for one another along the way. But as they learn more about her past, they uncover a darker plot of supernatural forces vying for power, with the fate of the world hanging in the balance. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray/DVD Combo, Digital. Extras: Interview with co-director Ji Zhao, music video, storyboard clips, theatrical trailers. (GKIDS/Shout! Factory).
© 1996 -- 2020 OnVideo. All rights reserved February 2, 2020 (ISSN 1094-3676). |
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When straight-laced fire superintendent Jake Carson (John Cena) and his elite team of expert firefighters come to the rescue of three siblings in the path of an encroaching wildfire, they quickly realize that no amount of training could prepare them for their most challenging job yet – babysitters. Unable to locate the children's parents, the firefighters have their lives, jobs and even their fire depot turned upside down and quickly learn that kids – much like fires – are wild and unpredictable
Vitals: Director: Andy Fickman. Stars: John Cena, Keegan-Michael Key, John Leguizamo, Brianna Hildebrand, Dennis Haysbert, Judy Greer.
2019, CC, MPAA rating: PG, 90 min., Family Comedy, Box office gross: $43.3 million, Paramount.
Blu-ray extras: "Storytime with John Cena," deleted scenes, bloopers, "Lighting Up the Laughs," "The Director’s Diaries: Read By Star Cast," "What It Means to Be a Family," "The Real Smokejumpers: This Is Their Story."
Consummate con man Roy Courtnay (Ian McKellen) has set his sights on his latest mark: the recently widowed Betty McLeish (Helen Mirren), worth millions. And Roy means to take it all.
From their very first meeting, Roy begins plying Betty with his tried and true manipulations, and Betty, who seems quite taken with him, is soon going along for the ride. But this time, what should have been a simple swindle escalates into a cat-and-mouse game with the ultimate stakes — revealing more insidious deceptions that will take them both through a minefield of danger, intrigue and betrayal.
Vitals: Director: Bill Condon. Stars: Helen Mirren, Ian McKellen, Johannes Haukur Johannesson, Russell Tovey, Jim Carter, Mark Lewis Jones, Phil Dunster, Laurie Davidson, Michael Culkin.
2019, CC, MPAA rating: R, 109 min., Drama, Box office gross: $14.9 million, Warner.
Kate (Emilia Clarke) harumphs around London, a bundle of bad decisions accompanied by the jangle of bells on her shoes, another irritating consequence from her job as an elf in a year-round Christmas shop. Tom (Henry Golding) seems too good to be true when he walks into her life and starts to see through so many of Kate's barriers. As London transforms into the most wonderful time of the year, nothing should work for these two. But sometimes, you gotta let the snow fall where it may, you gotta listen to your heart.
Vitals: Director: Paul Feig. Stars: Emilia Clarke, Henry Golding, Emma Thompson, Michelle Yeoh, Peter Serafinowicz, Patti LuPone, Rob Delaney, Sue Perkins, Ingrid Oliver.
2019, CC, MPAA rating: PG-13, 102 min., Romantic Comedy, Box office gross: $35.150 million, Universal.
Extras: Blooper reel, deleted/alternate/extended scenes, "Last Christmas" - full performance, "Director in Vision," "It's All So Cold," "Try Not to Laugh," "A Legacy Revealed," "Pure Golding," "Emilia Recording Session," "Love Letter to London," "Santa and Her Elf," "Paul Feig Takes Over the Tram," "12 Days of Production," feature commentary with director Paul Feig, feature commentary with director Paul Feig and producer/co-writer Emma Thompson.
Sequel of sorts to "The Shining." Still irrevocably scarred by the trauma he endured as a child at the Overlook, Dan Torrance (Ewan McGregor) has fought to find some semblance of peace. But that peace is shattered when he encounters Abra (Kyliegh Curran), a courageous teenager with her own powerful extrasensory gift, known as the “shine.” Instinctively recognizing that Dan shares her power, Abra has sought him out, desperate for his help against the merciless Rose the Hat (Rebecca Ferguson) and her followers, The True Knot, who feed off the shine of innocents in their quest for immortality. Forming an unlikely alliance, Dan and Abra engage in a brutal life-or-death battle with Rose. Abra’s innocence and fearless embrace of her shine compel Dan to call upon his own powers as never before—at once facing his fears and reawakening the ghosts of the past.
Vitals: Director:. Stars: Ewan McGregor, Jacob Tremblay, Rebecca Ferguson, Kyliegh Curran, Zahn McClarnon, Bruce Greenwood, Carel Struycken, Emily Alyn Lind, Jocelin Donahue, Nicholas Pryor, Carl Lumbl.
2019, CC, MPAA rating: R, 151 min., Horror Suspense, Box office gross: $28.8 million, Warner.
Extras: "Return to the Overlook," "The Making of Doctor Sleep: A New Vision," "From Shining to Sleep."
Brain Damage
(1988) From Frank Henenlotter, the man behind such cult horror favorites as "Basket Case" and "Frankenhooker," comes the ultimate head-trip, now finally on Blu-ray. Meet Elmer. He's your friendly neighborhood parasite with the ability to induce euphoric hallucinations in his hosts. But these LSD-like trips come with a hefty price tag: when young Brian comes under Elmer's addictive spell, it's not long before he finds himself scouring the city streets in search of his parasite friend's preferred food source - brains! Featuring late TV horror host John Zacherle as the voice of Elmer, "Brain Damage" boasts some of the most astonishingly bad taste gore gags ever realized, including the notorious "brain-pulling sequence" and a blow-job that ends with a distinctly unconventional climax. Formats: Blu-ray. Extras: Audio commentary by writer-director Frank Henenlotter; "Listen to the Light: The Making of Brain Damage" documentary featuring interviews with actor Rick Herbst, producer Edgar Ievins, editor James Kwei, first AD Gregory Lamberson, visual effects supervisor Al Magliochetti and makeup artist Dan Frye; "The Effects of Brain Damage": FX artist and creator of “Elmer” Gabe Bartalos looks back at his iconic effects work on the film; "Animating Elmer" featurette looking at the contributions of visual effects supervisor Al Magliochetti; "Karen Ogle: A Look Back": stills photographer, script supervisor and assistant editor Karen Ogle recalls her fond memories of working on "Brain Damage"; "Elmer’s Turf: The NYC Locations of Brain Damage – featurette revisiting the film’s original shooting locations
Tasty Memories: A Brain Damage Obsession" interview with superfan Adam Skinner; "Brain Damage" Q&A with Frank Henenlotter recorded at the 2016 Offscreen Film Festival; image galleries; original theatrical trailer; "Bygone Behemoth" animated short by Harry Chaskin, featuring a brief appearance by John Zacherle in his final onscreen credit; reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Sara Deck. (Arrow Video/MVD Entertainment).
contains the original Japanese audio and a new English dub. Directed by Tetsuya Wakano ("Pokémon Generations") and from the celebrated Wit Studio ("Attack on Titan"), "Donten: Laughing Under the Clouds – Gaiden" is based on the supernatural manga series by Karakara-Kemuri and was previously adapted into an anime television series. It’s been a year since brothers and shrine guardians, Tenka, Soramaru, and Chutaro, have defeated the legendary giant snake that threatened to destroy humanity. However, their lives are thrown into upheaval when they discover a plot to revive the evil serpent. Formats: Blu-ray/DVD Combo, Digital. (Eleven Arts Anime Studio/Shout! Factory).
Evil Ed
(1995) A blood-soaked love letter to the splatter films of the 80s, video rental favorite "Evil Ed" returns in an extended "Special ED-ition" cut alongside hours of stomach-churning bonus features. Mild-mannered film technician Edward enjoys his job. That is, until he finds himself transferred from his regular post to the "Splatter and Gore department," where he's forced to edit hours upon hours of grisly video nasty footage. Traumatised by the onscreen violence, Ed starts to lose his grip on reality - with ghastly (and bloody) consequences. Owing a debt to such films as "The Evil Dead," "Re-Animator" and the early splatter classics of Peter Jackson, "Evil Ed" is a special FX fiend's dream - offering up a veritable smorgasbord of flying limbs, exploding heads and creepy creatures. Formats: Blu-ray. Extras: Original Stereo and 5.1 DTS-HD MA audio options; introduction by writer-director Anders Jacobsson and editor Doc; "You Keep 'Em Heads Rollin'" extensive making-of documentary featuring interviews with cast and crew; "Beyond Ed": the filmmakers discuss their careers following "Evil Ed"; deleted scenes; "Reconstructing Edward" featurette looking at the preparation of the Special ED-ition cut; "New Scenes" featurette: a closer look at the scenes that were added to the Special ED-ition cut; trailers and teasers; image gallery; reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Graham Humphreys. (Arrow Video/MVD Entertainment).
wildest imagination: Sarah now looks as beautiful as the models she works with. But as her confidence - and her sexual appetite - grows, it comes with a price: Sarah is now the carrier of a contagion that causes her lovers to become violent spreaders of death. As the disease spirals out of control, time is running out in the race to find a cure.
Formats: DVD, Blu-ray, VOD, Digital. Extras: Audio commentary with directors & writers Jen & Sylvia Soska, interview with actress Laura Vandervoot, theatrical trailer. (Scream Factory).
