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OnVideo's Weekly Guide to Home Video Releases Tuesday, March 18 -- Monday, March 24 All DVD Releases American Hustle Though overlooked at this year's Oscars, David O. Russell's film set in the alluring world of high-stakes scams and politics, loosely based on the FBI ABSCAM operation of the late 1970s and early '80s that ensnared East Coast politicians and congressmen in accepting bribes for political favors, was still one of the highlights of a year that produced a lot of "good" films but was shy on great ones (except for our pick for best film of the year, "The Great Gatsby.") Russell's hard-driving direction, lightly-convoluted screenplay, playful camerawork and choice of actors (top-notch performances by Christian Bale, Bradley Cooper, Jeremy Renner, Amy Adams, Jennifer Lawrence) made this an involving production that swept you away in its audaciousness. It's over the top and very watchable. Extras: "The Making of American Hustle" featurette, deleted and extended scenes. Vitals: Director: David O. Russell. Stars: Christian Bale, Bradley Cooper, Jeremy Renner, Amy Adams, Jennifer Lawrence, Louis C.K., Alessandro Nivola, Elisabeth Rohm, Dawn Olivieri, Jack Huston, Michael Pena. 2013, CC, MPAA rating: R, 138 min., Drama, Box office gross: $132.1 million, Sony. Advertisement Frozen Disney's 53rd animated feature is a reworking of Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale "The Snow Queen," here about a young princess cursed with the magical ability to create ice and snow but who can't control her powers, jeopardizing her younger sister as well as her entire kingdom. When she "freezes" the land of Arendelle and runs away to hide in the mountains, her younger sister, accompanied by a thrill-seeking mountain man, take of on a journey to return her to the castle and undo the icy damage. It's by far Disney's best non-Pixar animated film in ages, harking back to the story depth of "The Lion King" and "Beauty and the Beast" (in fact, it shares many of the same motifs with "Beast": a handsome bad guy, clumsy slapstick scenes, a surprise hero, anthropomorphic characters, and lively, bouncing songs ("Frozen" won Best Original Song for "Let It Go"). The animation is rich, the story line fast, the music catchy, the sentiment of "love and righteousness will conquer all" just perfect for younger viewers and just sentimental enough for old codgers like me (I shed a tear at the happy ending). No surprise that "Frozen" won the Oscar for Best Animated Film and will sell like crazy on DVD and Blu-ray. Extras: Deleted scenes; original theatrical short: "Get A Horse"; "Let It Go" music videos by Demi Lovato, Martina Stoessel & Marsha Milan Londoh; "Frozen" teaser trailer. Blu-ray adds "The Making"; "Breaking the Ice -- The Real Making of Frozen." Vitals: Director: Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee. Stars: Voices of Kristen Bell, Idina Menzel, Jonathan Groff, Josh Gad, Santino Fontana, Alan Tudyk, Ciaran Hinds, Chris Williams. 2013, CC, MPAA rating: PG, 102 min., Animated, Box office gross: $388.736 million, Disney. Saving Mr. Banks Though Walt Disney was at the top of his game in 1962 -- having come off TV and movie hits like "Lady and the Tramp," "Sleeping Beauty," "One Hundred and One Dalmatians," "The Mickey Mouse Club" and " Davy Crockett," as well as the success of Disneyland -- there was one project that eluded him: a live-action adaptation of P.L. Travers' children's book "Mary Poppins." Disney was up against a curmudgeonly, uncompromising writer who had absolutely no intention of letting her beloved magical nanny get mauled by the Hollywood machine but, as the books stoped selling and money grew short, Travers reluctantly agreed to go to Los Angeles from England to hear Disney's plans for the adaptation. "Saving Mr. Banks" maps the trials and tribulations Disney faced in trying to persuade the author to allow him to make a film of her cherished story. Tom Hanks is perfect as the low-keyed but always sunny Walt Disney (though in real life, Walt had a somewhat darker side) and Emma Thompson, who like Kristin Scott Thomas can do no wrong, dominates the film as the persnickety author whose craggy exterior harbors a traumatic past. It's not a remarkable film but rather a nice nugget of Hollywood history. Extras: Deleted scene "Nanny Song," in which the Sherman Brothers composers perform a song that P.L. Travers is less than thrilled about. Blu-ray adds two more deleted scenes, "The Walt Disney Studios: From Poppins to Present" featurette, "Let's Go Fly a Kite" in which the cast and crew sing break out in a rousing, heartfelt tribute to composer Richard Sherman on the last day of filming. Vitals: Director: John Lee Hancock. Stars: Emma Thompson, Tom Hanks, Colin Farrell, Paul Giamatti, Jason Schwartzman, Bradley Whitford, Annie Buckley, Ruth Wilson, B.J. Novak, Rachel Griffiths, Kathy Baker. 2013, CC, MPAA rating: PG-13, 125 min., Bio-Drama, Box office gross: $81.877 million, Disney. Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom "Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom" is a straight-ahead look at the life and times of Nelson Mandela, the South African lawyer who, in the 1960s, became radicalized by the horrors of apartheid, joined and help lead the African National Congress, was imprisoned by the government for 27 years and finally, when released, became South Africa's first democratically elected president, from 1994 to 1999. The film chronicles his early life, education, marriage to Winnie Mandela, prison sentence and his efforts to rebuild the country's once segregated society. "Mandela" the film is stirring in its depiction of the horrors of segregation and slavery, and sets out to do three things: tell Mandela's story, depict the struggle for freedom by African blacks, and paint the Afrikaner overlords as the horrible monsters they most likely were. It succeeds -- enjoyably -- on all levels. And Idris Elba is insanely great as Mandela. Extras: "Mandela: The Leader You Know, The Man You Didn't" featurette, commentary with Director Justin Chadwick. Blu-ray adds behind-the-scenes featurettes and a tribute video gallery. Vitals: Director: Justin Chadwick. Stars: Idris Elba, Naomi Harris, Tony Kgoroge, Riaad Moosa. 2013, CC, MPAA rating: PG-13, 141 min., Bio-Drama Box office gross: $8.079 million, The Weinsterin Co./Anchor Bay. Kill Your Darlings The fascination for the Beat Generation poets and writers of the 50s and early 60s has had a bit of a renaissance as of late, with such documentaries and movies as "Howl" (2010), "William S. Burroughs: A Man Within" (2010), "Magic Trip" (2011), "Big Sur" (2012), "Corso: The Last Beat" (2012), "On the Road" (2012) and "The Beat Hotel" (2012). Now add to that list "Kill Your Darlings," a weak, uneven attempt at portraying Alan Ginsberg's early literary life at Columbia University in 1944, a time that supposedly set the foundation and themes for his later, groundbreaking work. At first it's intriguing to see younger versions of Beat stalwarts Ginsberg, William S. Burroughs and Jack Kerouac playing at being literary revolutionaries, but the film gets bogged done in too much exposition and off-key characterizations, including that of Ginsberg's mother's insanity, Ginsberg's exploration of homosexuality, and his experimentation with drugs (a drug-infused, fast-motion Ginsberg writing session is a little too slapstick). The centerpiece of the film is the murder of a gay hanger-on that involves Ginsberg, Kerouac, Burroughs and Lucien Carr (one of Ginsberg's muses), and the movie picks up as it approaches that watershed event. But until then, there's nothing really to "Howl" about. Extras: "On the Red Carpet at the Toronto Film Festival"; commentary with Daniel Radcliffe, Dane DeHaan, John Krokidas and Austin Bunn; "In Conversation With Daniel Radcliffe and Dane DeHaan"; Q&A with director/co-writer John Krokidas and co-writer Austin Bunn; deleted scenes. Vitals: Director: John Krokidas. Stars: Daniel Radcliffe, Dane DeHaan, Ben Foster, Michael C. Hall, Jack Huston, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Elizabeth Olsen. 2013, CC, MPAA rating: R, 104 min., Drama, Box office gross: $1.019 million, Sony. Blu-ray Debuts A Brief History of Time (1991) (Criterion) The Hidden Fortress (1958) (Criterion) The Jungle Book 2 (2003) Mysterious Skin (2004) Read more. All DVD Releases Achmed Saves America (2013) From the inventive mind of Jeff Dunham comes the first animated movie starring Achmed the Dead Terrorist. When Achmed unexpectedly finds himself in Americaville, USA, he's mistaken as a French exchange student while he bumblingly plots to destroy the town and all its "infidels." But when exposed to the sweet things in life, including all-you-can-eat buffets and frozen yogurt, Achmed's campaign of hate turns into a patriotic all-American lovefest. Formats: DVD. Extras: "The Making of Achmed Saves America," commentary by Dunham and friends. (Paramount). Almost Sharkproof (2012) Jon Lovitz, Cameron Van Hoy, Michael Drayer, Kinga Kierzek, Ken Davitian. Two broke buddies down on their luck come up with a big idea: wetsuits that can save surfers from shark bites. With nothing to lose and everything to gain, they seek the help of a shady loan shark and nightclub owner to help finance their big idea, but when they both fall in love with the female half of a knife-throwing act at the club, they find themselves at the mercy of an angry gangster and his team of goons. Formats: DVD, Digital. (Cinedigm). American Hustle (2013) Director: David O. Russell. Stars: Christian Bale, Bradley Cooper, Jeremy Renner, Amy Adams, Jennifer Lawrence, Louis C.K., Alessandro Nivola, Elisabeth Rohm, Dawn Olivieri, Jack Huston, Michael Pena. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray/DVD Combo, VOD, Digital, UltraViolet (cloud). Extras: "The Making of American Hustle" featurette, deleted and extended scenes. (Sony). Atlantis: Season One (2013) Three-disc set with 13 episodes. Formats: DVD, $29.98; Blu-ray Disc, $39.98. Extras: Cast and crew interviews. (BBC Home Entertainment). A Brief History of Time (1991) Errol Morris turns his camera on one of the most fascinating men in the world: the pioneering astrophysicist Stephen Hawking, afflicted by a debilitating motor neuron disease that has left him without a voice or the use of his limbs. An adroitly crafted tale of personal adversity, professional triumph, and cosmological inquiry, Morris's documentary examines the way the collapse of Hawkin's body has been accompanied by the untrammeled broadening of his imagination. Telling the man's incredible story through the voices of his colleagues and loved ones, while making dynamically accessible some of the theories in Hawkin's best-selling book of the same name, "A Brief History of Time" is at once as small as a single life and as big as the ever-expanding universe. New, restored 4K digital film transfer, supervised by director of photography John Bailey and approved by director Errol Morris, with 5.1 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack on the Blu-ray. Formats: Blu-ray/DVD Dual Format Edition. Extras: New interview with Morris, new interview with Bailey, booklet featuring an essay by critic David Sterritt, a chapter from Stephen Hawking's 2013 memoir "My Brief History," and a short excerpt from Hawking's 1988 "A Brief History of Time." (The Criterion Collection). Contracted (2013) Najarra Townsend, Caroline Williams, Alice Macdonald, Katie Stegeman, Simon Barrett. A twentysomething party girl has sex with a stranger at a party and contracts what she thinks is a sexually-transmitted disease. But she soon realizes that she is the host of something much more catastrophic, and that she and those around her are in mortal danger. Part zombie film and part body-horror shocker. Formats: DVD. (IFC Films). Cybergeddon (2012) Missy Peregrym, Olivier Martinez, Manny Montana. Thriller about a pair of agents who investigate a slew of seemingly unrelated cyber attacks that are actually the work of a cybercrime ring. Formats: DVD. (Arc Entertainment). Doc McStuffins: Mobile Clinic (2013) Five song-filled episodes and a free Doc McStuffins reusable tote bag. Formats: DVD. (Disney). Flashpoint: The Final Season (2013) Three-disc set with 13 episodes, $42.99. Follows the exploits of Team One of the Strategic Response Unit (SRU), an elite SWAT team that specializes in resolving extreme situations. Armed and dangerous criminals, bomb threats, abduction and gang wars are all in a day's work for these expert cops. This season the unit faces a serial killer on the run with a victim in tow, a deadly "smart" gun that is stolen, and a terrorist who starts bombing the city's most populated buildings. Formats: DVD. (CBS Home Entertainment/Paramount). Flu (2013 -- South Korea) Jang Hyuk, Su Ae, Yoo Hae-jin, Park Min-ha. South Korea's answer to "Contagion." A human trafficker is infected with an unknown virus and dies in a Bundang hospital, covered in red rashes and coughing up blood. Less than 24 hours, similar cases are reported all over Bundang. The medics despair over the super virus that has no known cure, but they soon find hope when they hear of a sole survivor who may have developed antibodies against the viral mutation. As medical professionals rush to find the sole individual with the potential key for a cure, fatalities rise and soon the government has no choice but to quarantine the city. Amidst the ensuing panic, wild desperation and violence, the struggle for life between the infected and non-infected begins to spiral out of control. Formats: DVD. Extras: Deleted scenes, making-of featurette, concept art. (CJ Entertainment). Frozen (2013) Voices of Kristen Bell, Idina Menzel, Jonathan Groff, Josh Gad, Santino Fontana, Alan Tudyk, Ciaran Hinds, Chris Williams. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray/DVD Combo, VOD, Digital. Extras: Deleted scenes; original theatrical short: "Get A Horse"; "Let It Go" music videos by Demi Lovato, Martina Stoessel & Marsha Milan Londoh; "Frozen" teaser trailer. Blu-ray adds "The Making"; "Breaking the Ice -- The Real Making of Frozen." (Disney). Here Comes the Devil (2012 -- Mexico) Francisco Barreiro, Laura Caro, Alan Martinez, Michele Garcia. A couple's preteen son and daughter inexplicably reappear after being lost overnight on a desolate, cave-riddled mountainside, but the kids become withdrawn and begin to exhibit strange behavior, leading the parents to believe that they may have fallen prey to something inhuman -- and that this dark, unstoppable evil has now returned home with them. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc. Extras: "Making of Here Comes the Devil," "Behind the Visual Effects," theatrical trailer. (Magnolia Home Entertainment). The Hidden Fortress (1958) A grand-scale adventure as only Akira Kurosawa could make one, "The Hidden Fortress" stars the inimitable Toshiro Mifune as a general charged with guarding his defeated clan's princess (a fierce Misa Uehara) as the two smuggle royal treasure across hostile territory. Accompanying them are a pair of bumbling, conniving peasants who may or may not be their friends. This rip-roaring ride is among the director's most beloved films and was a primary influence on George Lucas' "Star Wars." "The Hidden Fortress" delivers Kurosawa's trademark deft blend of wry humor, breathtaking action, and compassionate humanity. New 2K digital restoration, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray. Formats: Blu-ray/DVD Dual Format Edition. Extras: Alternate 5.1 surround soundtrack preserving the original Perspecta simulated stereo effects, presented in DTS-HD Master Audio on the Blu-ray; commentary by film historian Stephen Prince, author of "The Warrior's Camera: The Cinema of Akira Kurosawa"; documentary from 2003 on the making of the film, created as part of the Toho Masterworks series "Akira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create"; interview from 2001 with filmmaker George Lucas about Kurosawa; trailer; booklet featuring an essay by film scholar Catherine Russell. (The Criterion Collection). The Horror at 37,000 Feet (1973 -- TV) Chuck Connors, Buddy Ebsen, Tammy Grimes, Lynn Loring, France Nuyen, William Shatner, Roy Thinnes, Paul Winfield, Jane Merrow. Supernatural horror telefilm centers on a hapless ensemble of airline passengers plagued by a demon that somehow escapes from an ancient altar that's being shipped to the U.S. in the plane's cargo hold. Formats: DVD. (CBS Home Entertainment/Paramount). The Jungle Book 2 BLU-RAY DEBUT (2003) John Goodman, Haley Joel Osment, Mae Whitman, Connor Funk, Bob Joles, Tony Jay, Phil Collins. Extras: Deleted scenes, "Music and More," "Backstage Disney" with "Synopsis of the Original Movie -- The Jungle Book (a short recap of the first story) and "The Legacy of The Jungle Book" (how the original animated film influenced the look, feel and story of the new movie). Available in a Blu-ray/DVD combo and on DVD. (Disney). Justin Time (2011) First three volumes of the popular preschool animated series airing in more than 70 countries that follows the wild imagination of Justin and his friends, Olive and Squidgy, as they travel to fascinating places and meet new and interesting characters. In "Justin Time Amazing Adventures" the kids journey to ancient Aztec Mexico in search of the mysterious Missing Mask, ride a giant tortoise on the Galapagos Islands and make a new friend in China who loves to fly kites next to the Great Wall. In "Justin Time Goes Exploring," the trio ride an Emu through the Australian Outback to help track down Olive's lost chickens, chug through the Canadian Rocky Mountains aboard the Pancake Express train, then blast off from Cape Canaveral Space Center to rescue a lonely stranded astronaut. "Justin Time Far Away Friends" finds the three friends traveling back to the Ice Age to help a heartbroken Woolly Mammoth, to Italy in search of special meatballs for a picky Princess, and back to ancient Egypt to find Cleopatra s missing cat. Formats: DVD, $12.95 each. (Cinedigm). Kill Your Darlings (2013) Daniel Radcliffe, Dane DeHaan, Ben Foster, Michael C. Hall, Jack Huston, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Elizabeth Olsen. Formats: Blu-ray/DVD Combo, VOD, Digital, UltraViolet (cloud). Extras: "On the Red Carpet at the Toronto Film Festival"; commentary with Daniel Radcliffe, Dane DeHaan, John Krokidas and Austin Bunn; "In Conversation With Daniel Radcliffe and Dane DeHaan"; Q&A with director/co-writer John Krokidas and co-writer Austin Bunn; deleted scenes. (Sony). Kingdom of Conquerors (2013 -- China) Yu Shaoqun, Geng Le, Men Tu. The rise of the Mongolian Empire as Genghis Khan unites all the nomadic tribes of 13th century Asia under his banner. Formats: DVD, VOD, Digital, UltraViolet (cloud). (Lionsgate). Mako Mermaids - An H2O Adventure Season 1, Vol. 1: Island of Secrets and Mako Mermaids - An H2O Adventure Season 1, Vol. 2: Moon Pool Magic (2013) Live-action teen mermaid dramedy is the spin-off to the TeenNick series "H2): Just Add Water," and follows the adventures of mermaids Sirena, Nixie and Lyla, who are part of a mermaid pod that lives in the waters of Mako island. Season 1, Vol. 1 contains episodes 1-13, Season 1, Vol. 2 contains episodes 14-26. Formats: Two-disc DVD sets, $19.95 each. Extras: Cast interviews and behind the scenes. (Cinedigm). Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom (2013) Idris Elba, Naomi Harris, Tony Kgoroge, Riaad Moosa. Formats: DVD Blu-ray/DVD Combo, VOD, Digital, UltraViolet (cloud). Extras: "Mandela: The Leader You Know, The Man You Didn't" featurette, commentary with director Justin Chadwick. Blu-ray adds behind-the-scenes featurettes and a tribute video gallery. (The Weinsterin Co./Anchor Bay). Monsters: The Complete Series (1988-90) Nine-disc set with 72 episodes of the fan-favorite syndicated horror anthology series, $99.98. Formats: DVD. (Entertainment One). Mysterious Skin BLU-RAY DEBUT (2004) Dir.: Gregg Araki; Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Brady Corbet, Michelle Trachtenberg, Elisabeth Shue. At the age of eight, Kansas youngsters Neil and Brian played on the same little league baseball team. Now, 10 years later, the two boys couldn't be more different. Neil is a charismatic but emotionally aloof male hustler while Brian is a nervous introvert obsessed with the idea that he has been abducted by a UFO. When the boys parallel lives inevitably intersect, the pair unearth dark, repressed secrets on a harrowing and unforgettable journey of self discovery. Adapted from Scott Heim's acclaimed novel. Extras: Conversation between Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Brady Corbet; director introduction; novelist Scott Heim reflects 10 years later, script/sketches gallery, photo gallery, commentary track, deleted scenes, book reading, audition tape, theatrical trailer. (Strand Releasing). Outpost: Rise of the Spetsnaz (2013) Bryan Larkin, James "The Colossus" Thompson. Third installment of the hit Nazi Zombie action-horror franchise, details the horrifying origins of these supernatural soldiers as they battle the most ruthless and notorious of all military special forces: the Russian Spetsnaz. Formats: DVD. (XLrator Media). The Patience Stone (2013 -- Afghanistan) Golshifteh Farahani, Hamid Djavadan, Hassina Burgan. In a country torn apart by war, a young woman watches over her older husband, who took a bullet in the neck that has reduced him to a comatose state. One day, the woman's vigil changes and she begins to speak truth to her silent husband, telling him about her suffering, her dreams and her secrets. After years of living under his control, with no voice of her own, she says things she could never have spoken before. Her husband has unconsciously become "syngue sabour" (the patience stone) -- a magical black stone that, according to Persian mythology, absorbs the plight of those who confide in it. After weeks of looking after her husband, she begins to act, discovering herself in the relationship she starts with a young soldier. Formats: DVD, Digital. Extras: "The Making of The Patience Stone" featurette. (Sony). Peppa Pig: My Birthday Party (2014) U.S. DVD launch of international animated preschool favorite that airs on Nick Jr. Follows the adventures of Peppa, a loveable little piggy, her family and all of her animal friend. Fourteen "Peppasodes," $14.98. Formats: DVD, Digital. Extras: "Learn the Alphabet" and "Learn to Count." (Entertainment One). Punk in Africa (2012) The story of the multi-racial punk movement within the recent political and social upheavals in three Southern African countries: South Africa, Mozambique and Zimbabwe. In these societies, the punk subculture represented a genuinely radical political impulse, playing out against a backdrop of intense political struggle, economic hardship and even civil war. Documentary traces this until-now untold story from its roots in the underground rock music of early 1970s Johannesburg, where the first multi-racial punk bands formed in the wake of the Soweto Uprising, and the militant anti-apartheid hardcore and post-punk bands of the 1980s, to the rise of celebratory African-inspired ska bands which sprang up from Cape Town to Maputo in the democratic era of the 1990s. Formats: DVD, $16.95. (MVD Entertainment). Reasonable Doubt (2014) Dominic Cooper, Samuel L. Jackson, Gloria Reuben, Ryan Robbins, Erin Karpluk. Hotshot district attorney Mitch Brockden (Cooper) is involved in a fatal hit-and-run, but Clinton Davis (Jackson) is found with the body and charged with murder. Believing that Davis is innocent, Brockden is compelled to throw the trial but, soon after, Brockden's perfect life begins to unravel as he realizes that the man he set free is hiding a secret that will destroy him. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc, VOD, Digital, UltraViolet (cloud). Extras: Behind-the-scenes with cast and crew interviews; extended interviews with Samuel L. Jackson, Dominic Cooper and Gloria Reuben; deleted scenes. (Lionsgate). Return to Nuke 'Em High, Vol. 1 (2013) Catherine Corcoran, Asta Paredes, Debbie Rochon, Lemmy Kilmister, Kevin the Wonder Duck. It's readin', writin' and radiation again as the folks at Troma (creators of the Toxic Avenger and Sgt. Kabukiman NYPD) return to Tromaville High School ("Class of Nuke 'Em High," 1986) as young couple Chrissy and Lauren go up against the school glee club -- which has mutated into a gang called The Cretins after eating tainted tacos courtesy of the Tromorganic Foodstuffs Conglomerate. When the other students begin to undergo mutations, the pair -- along with their mutant pet duck -- must solve the mystery and save Tromaville High. It's full of satire, sci-fi, plenty of Troma's world famous green goo and themes of anti-bullying and LGBT rights. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc. Extras: Commentary with actors Zac Amico, Clay von Carlowitz, Catherine Corcoran, Stuart Kiczek and Asta Parades; commentary with writer/producer/director Lloyd Kaufman, producer Justin A. Martell, executive producer Matt Manjourides, associate producer Regina Katz and writer Travis Campbell; "Casting Conundrum"; "Pre-Production Hell with Mein-Kauf (Man)"; "Special (Ed) Effects"; "Cell-U-Lloyd Kaufman: 40 Years of TROMAtising the World"; "Architects of Fear – Edison Device" music video; "Return to Nuke 'Em High, Vol. 2" trailer. (Troma/Anchor Bay). Saving Mr. Banks (2013) Emma Thompson, Tom Hanks, Colin Farrell, Paul Giamatti, Jason Schwartzman, Bradley Whitford, Annie Buckley, Ruth Wilson, B.J. Novak, Rachel Griffiths, Kathy Baker. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc, VOD, Digital, UltraViolet (cloud). Extras: Deleted scene "Nanny Song," in which the Sherman Brothers composers perform a song that P.L. Travers is less than thrilled about. Blu-ray adds two more deleted scenes, "The Walt Disney Studios: From Poppins to Present" featurette, "Let's Go Fly a Kite" in which the cast and crew sing break out in a rousing, heartfelt tribute to composer Richard Sherman on the last day of filming. (Disney). The Slumber Party Massacre BLU-RAY DEBUT (1982) Michele Michaels, Robin Stille, Michael Villela, Andree Honore. "Slumber Party Massacre" helped define the slasher film ethos of the 1980s. Put together by first-time director Amy Holden from a script, titled "Don't Open the Door," by feminist author Rita Mae Brown ("Rubyfruit Jungle"), the film was an immediate hit for Roger Corman's New World Pictures, eventually spawning two sequels. New HD transfer from the original camera negative. Extras: New interview with actor Rigg Kennedy, "Sleepless Nights: The Making of the Slumber Party Massacre," commentary with director Amy Holden Jones, actors Michael Villela And Debra De Liso, theatrical trailer. (Shout! Factory). Sparks (2013) Chase Williamson, Ashley Bell, Clancy Brown, Clint Howard, Jake Busey, William Katt. After a radioactive meteor strikes Earth, a genetically altered group, known as The Rochester 13, gain astonishing, superhuman powers. Among them is Ian Sparks, who teams up with the beautiful Lady Heavenly to decimates New York's army of thugs ... until they tangle with the nation's most twisted arch-villain. Formats: DVD, VOD. (Image Entertainment). Swerve (2011) David Lyons, Emma Booth, Jason Clarke, Travis McMahon. While driving cross-country in the Australian outback to a job interview, Colin (David Lyons) witnesses a two-car crash that leaves one driver decapitated. The good-hearted Colin pulls a beautiful and mysterious young woman, Jina (Emma Booth), from the wreckage, along with a suitcase full of money. He soon becomes entangled with a crooked local cop (Jason Clarke) -- who happens to be the very jealous husband of Jina -- as well as a murderous thug who's after the cash. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc. Extras: Cast and crew interviews. (Cohen Media Group). Tom Holland’s Twisted Tales (2014) Anthology of nine nerve-shredding, totally "Twisted Tales" directed by Holland and starring William Forsythe, Danielle Harris, Ray Wise, AJ Bowen, Sarah Butler and more. A new drug offers users a glimpse of the future ... with beastly consequences. A murderous husband is stalked by his own cell phone. A jilted lover wreaks satanic vengeance. The nightmarish action then leads to worlds haunted by dark magic, demonic possession, vampires, witches and more. Formats: DVD. Extras: Behind-the-scenes featurettes. (Image Entertainment). 20 Ft. Below: The Darkness Descending (2014) Kinga Philipps, Danny Trejo, An eager, young documentary filmmaker ventures below the bustling streets of New York City to shed light on the homeless population living in abandoned subway tunnels. But once underground, she discovers a much darker reality than ever imagined. Formats: DVD, VOD. (Vertical Entertainment). The Wrath of Vajra (2013 -- China) Xing Yu, Steve Yoo, Poppin Hyun-Joon, Jiang Baocheng, Ya Mei. In 1930s Japan, a death cult working with the Imperial Army buys children and trains them as deadly assassins. When 8-year-old Vajrasattva accidentally kills his own brother in a fight for food, he makes a secret oath to take revenge. As an adult, he emerges as the cult's best assassin, returning to China where he joins the Southern Shaolin Temple to protect his people from Japanese invaders. When the death cult opens a branch in China and starts buying local children, he sets out to save them and avenge his brother. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc, Digital. Extras: Making-of featurette. (Well Go USA). | Home | Resources | Links | E-mail: mail@onvideo.org © 1996 -- 2014 OnVideo. All rights reserved March 16, 2014 (ISSN 1094-3676).

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