Cancel Your Week, DVD/Blu-ray Review Extravaganza!

There’s another batch coming soon.  I promise.

Somehow, spring has become pre-summer, which means summer is coming soon.

That means air conditioning and sitting in the coolness watching movies.  There’s a ton in here with more coming soon.

Seriously.

So, fire up that queue and prep that shopping cart.

Fifty Shades of Grey 

Universal /Released 5/8/15

The worldwide phenomenon comes to life in Fifty Shades of Grey, starring Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan in the iconic roles of Anastasia Steele and Christian Grey. Ana is an inexperienced college student tasked with interviewing enigmatic billionaire Christian Grey. But what starts as business quickly becomes an unconventional romance. Swept up in Christian’s glamorous lifestyle, Ana soon finds another side to him as she discovers his secrets and explores her own dark desires. What results is a thrilling, all-consuming romance as Christian and Ana test the limits they will go to for their relationship.  Extras include unrated version with alternate ending, featureless and sequel teaser trailer

Last Word: E.L. James’ inexplicably world renowned, mommy porn, best seller, Fifty Shades of Grey, has finally been adapted. I’ve been anticipating how the director, Sam Taylor-Johnson, would turn utter shit into something beautiful. The film was better than the book, but that bar is so low, it’s on the ground.

Fifty is a very aesthetically pleasing film and features a killer soundtrack. Space, sets, lighting, all the pretty actors and their fancy wardrobes–warm and immersing. Swarming shots of Seattle are exuberant, and extreme close-ups of lips and naked bodies, accompanied with proper slow beats, are mesmerizing. Credit where credit is due–Fifty was put together and executed really well. It’s just unfortunate that the film is pure beautiful idiocy.

Anastasia Steele is a quiet, mousy about-to-be college grad. She’s awkward, she’s timid. And Dakota Johnson did a pretty good job in the role. While she had a garbage script to work with, as well as no real story to express, the actress had great timing and her awkwardity (my favorite made-up word) was genuine and humorous. Jamie Dornan. Oh Jamie. I apologize to your pretty, chiseled face, but Meh. The actor masters the famous Christian Grey scowl and does a lovely job keeping his eyes open for periods of time that are far too lengthy. He’s hot, always in a suit and controlling, but unfortunately, rather boring. I wasn’t intimidated by him at all. The actor was doofy to watch at times.
At least Dakota tried. Dornan literally just stands around, pushing, shoving, demanding, always rigid. There are dramatic one-liners, that are impossible to deliver without sounding like painful cliches. And his American accent is distracting. There’s an odd twang present and I couldn’t help but notice he said Anastasia’s name three different ways. All that aside, for you female viewers, he’s hot. He’s sexy. And he is shirtless most of the film. But hold on to your toast. You’ll see what I mean.

Now overall, despite it’s baseline of terrible, the film was, admittedly, awesomely steamy and hilarious at times. Of course we all knew it was going to be void of character development and depth of any measure. And I don’t know how people feel about seeing Dakota Johnson naked for a couple of hours, usually tied up, but kudos to the actress for taking on such a provocative role. I respect the actors, as I did with Blue is the Warmest Color, for exposing themselves in situations that may or may not make people uncomfortable. I admire their comfort outside the comfort-zone.

The erotic story of a billionaire young man and his prowl for a submissive young lady has been done many times. While Fifty is just a bland romance with beautiful people, I give it credit for being bolder than others I’ve seen, within the soft-core realm. I want to recognize and give props to the explicit nature of Fifty Shades of Grey. It wasn’t as campy as the eighties flick, 9 ½ Weeks, with Kim Basinger and Mickey Rourke (when he was hot), nor was it as peculiar as Secretary, with James Spader and Maggie Gyllenhal. Fifty wasn’t shy during the S&M scenes, full frontals were abundant. And while they may or may not be representative of actual actions (I think that depends on taste), the delivery was genuine enough to be intriguing, yet tame enough so as not to be disturbing.

For those who have read the books, I’m so very thankful that this movie was void of Anastasia’s offensively annoying inner-monologues. And I’m honestly shocked they didn’t spit the word, “mercurial” a dozen times, or the famous, “Crap, Double Crap.” They did squeeze in, “Laterz Baby,” as well as my absolute favorite, beware of spoiler, “Fifty shades of fucked up.” And that just made me smile so wide. (– Caitlyn Thompson)

Paddington 

Starz/Anchor Bay / Released 4/28/15

From the beloved novels by Michael Bond and producer David Heyman, Paddington tells the story of the comic misadventures of a young Peruvian bear (voiced by Ben Whishaw) who travels to the city in search of a home. Finding himself lost and alone, he begins to realize that city life is not all he had imagined – until he meets the kindly Brown family who read the label around his neck that says “Please look after this bear. Thank you,” and offer him a temporary haven. It looks as though his luck has changed until this rarest of bears catches the eye of a museum taxidermist (Nicole Kidman). Extras include featurettes and music video.

Last Word: The issue of Paddington is a tough one to consider. Paddington is a rather polarizing figure in children’s literature. His iconic look is similarly recognized like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’s Oompa Loompas, or Madeline’s big red hat, but Paddington isn’t nearly as well known. So writing a full-length film about a bear who wears a coat and eats marmalade is not nearly as easy to pull off as you may believe. Additionally, the film is quite British, and a children’s film, both of which give an extremely difficult tone to do well. If anything is true in children’s films, it’s that the tone and pacing need to be impeccable.

Thankfully, Paddington manages to address most of these issues and deliver a solid family film with quite a bit of wit snuggled underneath its oversized hat. The unconventional story latches on to the emotional core of the character, and a very real family dynamic which, surprisingly, is layered extremely well. Of course, the voice acting of Ben Whishaw as Paddington really elevates this character to truly being a remarkable addition to the production.

Paddington stars the aforementioned Whishaw as the titular character who grows up in a family of bears. The bear family was discovered by an explorer in deepest Peru and come to learn culture and human language, along with a fantastic and strange land called London. After the explorer leaves, the family sits around planning a trip to London, while adapting what they’ve learned from the humans to become more human themselves. Soon an earthquake hits and tragedy befalls Paddington, who is then sent away from Deepest Peru and towards London to find a real family to take care of him. Paddington’s journey to London leads him to a family whose parents are played by Hugh Bonneville and Sally Hawkins. They take in the bear as he looks for the explorer so he can stay with him instead. Slowly, the deep rift between the bear and the family is bridged, and they begin to change each others lives in rather unconventional ways. However, forces in the background are amused and surprised to find a talking bear, and decide they want said bear for their own purposes, which I won’t spoil here.

The cast is filled with unknowns, especially the family. The biggest compliment that can be paid here is that you begin to view them as a real family, and not several actors hired to play family in a film. The family displays real kinship and react in the sort of normal ways you would expect a family to act. The father is overprotective, the mother is a little too prying, and the daughter is embarrassed of family. While these seem stereotypical, the reasons behind them are grounded not only into the characters, but the world they live in. The script pays as much attention to why they want things, as they do with the things they desire. This is a sign of solid writing as they make the world behave in a fashion that is understandable.

Another piece of great work is the computer graphics that display Paddington and the exploits he goes through. While there’s only so much realism that can be added to talking bear, Paddington feels much more like a real bear and less like a creature developed in an effect shop. Paddington’s computer graphics also show several important weather changes, along with special effects that seem much more grounded in practical reality. This helps with the tone the film is aiming for and without pushing things over the top. It’s a solid selection by the production staff and show they have a coherent goal for the picture. The film’s pacing overall is quite good. An exception to this is in the first five minutes, which introduces the bears in their meeting with the humans, with Paddington living in Deepest Peru. While they effectively set up what Paddington is like, it seems much more childlike than the rest of the film, kicking the film off into a roller coaster of different emotions, instead of building a consistent tone. If not for some serious work after that, it could have derailed the whole first act.

The tone does hit several emotional peaks and valleys. The story, focusing on family and home, is a wise selection in theme that’s appropriate not only to the memory of the books, but in developing the character for the screen. You feel genuine human emotion for all of the characters. There are a few tense moments where you worry about what is going to happen in the future. One hiccup with this is the over the top issue with Nicole’s Kidman’s character. While well-acted, the character seems too one-note and the reveal late in the film is too coincidental, which is hard to buy into when compared to the rest of the film. The incident takes a little wind out of its sails. I must truly praise the direction of this film. The director made several conscious decisions in tone and camera angles to portray a very specific story. Paddington reminded me of a lot of Pixar films where they chose camera angles to portray the world, tone, or story instead of going with the flashiest shot. The acting is well done, especially with child actors who were relatively unknown. Tight spaces are still effectively conveyed, despite having a computer generated bear in most of them. Overall, Paddington is a must see if you have a family, or if you’re looking for a lighthearted film with a lot of emotion. Despite the problems that could have popped up, Paddington exceeds all expectations and could be one of the best children’s films of the year. (– David Postma)

Mad Max 

Shout! Factory /Released 5/8/15

Setting Mel Gibson on a sure path to superstardom, this highly acclaimed “crazy collide-o-scope”, (Newsweek) of highway mayhem “cinematically defined the postapocalyptic landscape”, (TV Guide). Featuring eye-popping stunts that are “electrifying and very convincing”, (Variety) and “an authentically nihilistic spirit”, (The Village Voice), this unforgettable actioner from director George Miller (The Road Warrior, Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome and Mad Max: Fury Road) is “pure cinematic poetry”, (Time).

In the ravaged near-future, a savage motorcycle gang rules the road. Terrorizing innocent civilians while tearing up the streets, the ruthless gang laughs in the face of a police force hell-bent on stopping them. But they underestimate one officer: Max (Gibson). And when the bikers brutalize Max’s best friend and family, they send him into a mad frenzy that leaves him with only one thing left in the world to live for: revenge! Also starring Joanne Samuel, Hugh Keays-Byrne (Mad Max: Fury Road) and Steve Bisley (The Great Gatsby, Red Hill), this rugged race car of a film runs on “comic book volatility… exhilarating rowdiness and visual intensity”, (The New York Times)! Extras include commentary, interviews, featurettes, trailers, TV spots and galleries.

Last Word: With the release of the newest chapter, Fury Road, Shout! Factory presents George Miller’s first chapter in his ongoing saga, Mad Max.

Produced on a skeleton budget and released in 1979, Mad Max is organized chaos in the best way possible.  The plot is simple; a cop in an otherwise lawless stretch of highway seeks retribution against the bikers who killed his family.  But if you’re thinking this is a simple revenge film, you forgot that it’s a non-stop car chase/crash opus that puts films like the Fast and Furious franchise to shame; no CGI, just good drivers, fast cars and thankfully, limited fatalities.

Mad Max was notable for not only introducing Mel Gibson and former emergency room doctor turned director George Miller to the world, but also propelling the low budget, over the top Ozploitation film movement.  Thirty five years later, Mad Max is still a fresh, intense and engaging movie experience that should not only be seen, but should be a part of every cinegeek’s home library.  Highly recommended.

Murder Of A Cat

Starz/Anchor Bay / Released 5/5/15

Nikki Reed, Greg Kinnear, Fran Kranz and Academy Award Winner J.K. Simmons star in this offbeat detective comedy produced by Sam Raimi.

When someone murders his beloved cat, Clinton (Kranz), an adult child, demands justice. Taking it upon himself to solve the case, he teams up with an unlikely ally, Greta (Reed), and the two set out to find the culprit lurking in their small suburban town. But as Clinton searches for the truth, he begins to uncover a conspiracy that goes far deeper than he anticipated.

The Frontier

Virgil Films / Released 5/5/15

The “frontier” of the title is actually a suburban coastal town – a place that Tennessee Sullivan (Coleman Kelly) left after his mother’s death. He now works as a ranch hand, content to be away from his overbearing father, Sean Sullivan (Max Gail of 42 and the classic sitcom Barney Miller, where he played the less-than-sharp Detective “Wojo” Wojciehowicz). Sean is a retired literature professor and civic activist accustomed to reciting poetry and generally pontificating to anyone within earshot. A source of the tension between father and son is Tennessee’s belief that Sean blames him for his mother’s death.

So when Tennessee receives a letter from his aging father urging him to come see him, he is uncertain how to respond. But believing Sean may be ill, he decides to go home. He arrives just as Nina (model Anastassia Sendyk), Sean’s beautiful personal assistant fresh off a bad breakup, accepts Sean’s offer to move in and help him write his memoirs.

Tennessee tries to settle into life at his old home, but the tension between father and son is ever-present, with Nina trying to act as referee in their verbal brawls. As Sean and Nina work, Tennessee avoids his dad by concentrating on fix-up projects around the house. One evening after Nina has gone out, Sean and Tennessee find themselves alone in the house for the first time, leaving the door open for the possible mending of broken lives.

The Secret Invasion

Kino Lorber / Released 5/5/15

Mickey Rooney (Baby Face Nelson) and Stewart Granger (King Solomon’s Mines) co-star in this action-packed war drama about a group of criminals gathered into the greatest infiltration force in WWII. When an Italian general decides to join the Allies, Nazi troops capture and imprison him before he can defect. Desperate for the information and resources the general would provide, the Allies assemble a rescue team of the only men able to infiltrate the Nazi prison undetected… criminals. But when the team’s carefully planned prison break erupts into an all-out fight for survival, it will take more than bravery to carry out their mission and turn the tide of the war. Wonderfully directed by cult legend, Roger Corman (Premature Burial) and featuring an outstanding cast that includes Raf Vallone (Phaedra), Henry Silva (The Italian Connection) and Edd Byrnes (TV’s 77 Sunset Strip), The Secret Invasion is an explosion of fast, absorbing entertainment that doesn’t let up until the final salute.  Extras include on camera interview with Roger Corman and trailer.

Amira & Sam

Drafthouse Films / Released 5/5/15

Rousing, smart, and sweet, Amira & Sam is a confident feature debut from writer-director Sean Mullin, and follows Sam (Martin Starr, Freaks & Geeks, Silicon Valley), an army veteran adapting back to civilian life after a lengthy tour overseas. Upon reuniting with his unit’s former Iraqi translator in New York City, he meets Amira (newcomer Dina Shihabi), his war buddy’s niece; suspicious of soldiers, she wants nothing to do with him. However, when Amira runs into immigration trouble, Sam offers to keep her safe at his apartment. After a rocky start, their unlikely friendship starts to blossom into something more.

Meanwhile, Sam’s cousin Charlie (Paul Wesley, Before I Disappear, The Vampire Diaries) offers him a lucrative opportunity at his hedge fund, helping to secure wealthy veterans as new clients. However, all is not as it seems, and Amira and Sam soon find themselves faced with mounting obstacles in order to stay together.  Extras include commentary, making of, table read, trailers, crew stand-up and stand-up outtakes.

Halt and Catch Fire

Starz / Anchor Bay / Released 5/5/15

Halt and Catch Fire captures the rise of the PC era in the early 1980s, during which an unlikely trio – a visionary, an engineer and a prodigy – take personal and professional risks in the race to build a computer that will change the world as they know it. While charting the changing culture of Texas’ Silicon Prairie, tensions build within the group as they attempt to navigate the thin line between visionary and fraud, genius and delusion, and as their drive to do something that matters runs up against their ability to truly innovate.

The series stars Lee Pace (Guardians of the Galaxy) as Joe McMillan, Scoot McNairy (Argo) as Gordon Clark, Mackenzie Davis (Smashed) as Cameron Howe, Kerry Bishe (Argo, Red State) as Donna Clark, Toby Huss (Cowboys & Aliens) as John Bosworth and David Wilson Barnes (The Bourne Legacy, You Don’t Know Jack) as Dave Butler. Extras include Inside Episodes and featurettes.

Selma 

Paramount / Released 5/5/15

From the Oscar winning producers of 12 Years a Slave and acclaimed director Ava DuVernay comes the true story of courage and hope that changed the world forever. Golden Globe nominee David Oyelowo shines as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who rallied his followers on the historic march from Selma to Montgomery in the face of violent opposition, an event that became a milestone victory for the civil rights movement. Also starring Oscar nominees Oprah Winfrey and Tom Wilkinson, Selma is the landmark achievement that critics are calling “one of the most powerful films of the years.”  Extras include commentary, featurettes, deleted and extended scenes. music video.

The Last Five Years 

Starz/Anchor Bay / Released 5/5/15

Anna Kendrick and Jeremy Jordan  star in The Last Five Years, an adaptation of the popular musical of the same name. Jamie Wallerstein (Jordan) is a young, talented up and coming novelist who falls in love with Cathy Hiatt (Kendrick), a struggling actress. Their story is told almost entirely through song. All of Cathy’s songs begin at the end of their marriage and move backwards in time to the beginning of their love affair, while Jamie’s songs start at the beginning of their affair and move forward to the end of their marriage. They meet in the center when Jamie proposes.  Extras include sing-along subtitles and interview.

Mr. Turner 

Sony / Released 5/15/15

Spanning the last 25 years in the life of Britain’s most revered painter, Mr. Turner is a remarkably rich portrait of the great if eccentric British painter J.M.W. Turner (1775-1851),  a complex, contradictory man whose relationships with his family, fellow artists and lovers were often as turbulent as the canvases he painted. Profoundly affected by the death of his father, loved by a housekeeper he takes for granted and occasionally exploits sexually, he forms a close relationship with a seaside landlady with whom he eventually lives incognito in Chelsea, where he dies. Throughout this, he travels, paints, stays with the country aristocracy, visits brothels, is a popular if anarchic member of the Royal Academy of Arts, has himself strapped to the mast of a ship so that he can paint a snowstorm, and is both celebrated and reviled by the public and by royalty. Hailed as one of the best films of the year, Mr. Turner is a beautifully shot epic and stands as another masterpiece from Mike Leigh, the seven-time Oscar-nominated director of Another Year and Topsy-Turvy.  Extras include featurettes, commentary and deleted scenes.
 

Masterpiece: Mr. Selfridge – Season 3

PBS Home Video / Released 5/5/15

It’s 1919, World War I has just ended, and Harry Selfridge (Jeremy Piven), like many Londoners, is struggling with loss. The death of his beloved Rose (Frances O’Connor) has left the flamboyant entrepreneur all alone and he is making costly business mistakes. His empire is weakened, leaving him vulnerable to his old enemy Lord Loxley (Aidan McArdle).

 Despite heartbreak and sorrow all around, the world goes on, and season three sees new characters breathe life back into the famous department store. Harry’s gorgeous daughters are all grown up and causing trouble, and there’s an intriguing new love interest to distract the mourning hero. Selfridge’s offers the world an escape from post-war depression and gloom, and customers are drawn to the glamour and extravagance behind its ornate doors more than ever before. But, though the store may be thriving, it looks like Harry’s charmed life is starting to unravel.  Extras include featurettes.

Masters of Sex: Season 2

Sony / Released 5/5/15

Having been dismissed by Maternity Hospital, Dr. William Masters (Michael Sheen) needs a place where he and Virginia Johnson (Lizzy Caplan) can resume their work. But thanks to their study’s controversial topic – sex – they are forced out of two more hospitals before deciding to open their own clinic. With the seeds of the sexual revolution being sown and the simmering civil rights movement exploding around them, the intimate relationship they started under the guise of their research unravels as the result of Masters’ sudden impotence. With the prospect of treating sexual dysfunction becoming increasingly important to their patients and themselves, at home Masters confronts his wife’s growing disaffection and the unexpected return of his estranged brother, while Johnson faces a crisis of her own when the publicity surrounding their work places the custody of her two children in doubt. Extras include featurettes, deleted scenes and actors’ roundtables.

Lost River 

Warner Bros. / Released 5/5/15

Oscar nominee Ryan Gosling makes his directorial debut with Lost River is a dark fairy tale about love, family and the fight for survival in the face of danger. In the virtually abandoned city of Lost River, Billy (Christina Hendricks), a single mother of two, is led into a macabre underworld in her quest to save her childhood home and hold her family together. Her teenage son Bones (Iain De Casestecker) discovers a mystery about the origins of Lost River that triggers his curiosity and sets into motion an unexpected journey that will test his limits and the limits of those he loves.

Last Word:  Visually inventive, but narratively crippled, Ryan Gosling’s debut as a writer-director evokes the work of David Lynch and regular collaborator Nicholas Winding Refn, but never truly comes together.  Gosling is a talented actor and here, shows some talent as a director, but has zero skills as a writer as Lost River not only feels overly familiar, but worse, meandering and bland.  There’s also very evidence presented that convinces that there is a story worth telling; it’s as if he were more interested in crafting unique shots or paying homage to the Terrence Malick school of meandering imagry.  Like every starting photographer takes roll after roll of black and white photographs of feet, thinking their genius is deep and groundbreaking, Gosling here, seems convinced that he has something to say.  He doesn’t.

Goodfellas 25th Anniversary

Warner Bros./Released 5/5/15

Martin Scorsese’s unforgettable film of Nicholas Pileggi’s true-crime best seller Wiseguy is presented here in a stunning new 4K remaster. Arresting performances from an all-star cast led by Ray Liotta, Robert De Niro and Lorraine Bracco drive this brutal yet darkly funny narrative of life in the mob. Nominated for six Oscars, with a win for Joe Pesci, and named one of the AFI’s top 100 American movies, this instant classic would forever change the rules for gangster films to come.  Extras include commentaries, featurettes, trailer and 36 page photo book.

Last Word: Remember when Goodfellas won Best Picture at the Academy Awards?  That’s right it didn’t.  Dances With Wolves won.

When was the last time you thought about Dances With Wolves?

When Goodfellas arrived amid a hail of gunfire, Scorsese delivered more than a movie.  He simply created one of the best, most entertaining, cinematic classics of the decade.  And that still holds true today.  With De Niro, Liotta, Pesci, Bracco and an ensemble that included Paul Sorvino, Frank Sivero, Frank Vincent, Mike Starr, Samuel L. Jackson, Debi Mazar, Michael Imperioli, Tony Sirico, Illeana Douglas, and Kevin Corrigan, Goodfellas resonated with audiences and remains an almost flawless movie.

Covering thirty years in the life of Henry Hill, Goodfellas is shocking, touching, exciting and very funny.  With amazing performances throughout and the Scorsese’s use of songs instead of a score, Goodfellas is energetic and gritty and an influence on cinema and television storytelling that continues to this day.  Highest recommendation.

Frank Sinatra Collection

Warner Bros. /  Released 5/5/15

Collecting five films from “The Chairman of the Board”, this collection covers Sinatra’s musicals and comedies (his notable dramatic work including From Here To Eternity and Man With The Golden Arm belong to other studios).

Although Sinatra proved to be a talent as a dramatic actor, his best work was in the lighter work as presented in this collection.  He’s a consummate performer and interestingly enough, more comfortable as part of an ensemble.  In this set, Sinatra collaborate with such legends of stage and screen as Gene Kelly, Dean Martin, Marlon Brando, , Sammy Davis, Jr., Bing Crosby, Peter Falk, Jean Simmons, Peter Lawford, Kathryn Grayson, Joey Bishop, Angie Dickinson, Cesar Romero, Dean Stockwell and Victor Buono.  Frank Sinatra: 5-Film Collection is a must have for any cinegeek.

Anchors Aweigh
Frank Sinatra stars along with Kathryn Grayson and Gene Kelly in this wartime tale of two sailors on leave in Hollywood. Gene Kelly’s history-making choreography and beloved musical numbers make this a milestone of movie fantasy. Sinatra’s “I Fall in Love Too Easily”, the exuberant Kelly/Sinatra “We Hate to Leave” and other musical highlights helped Anchors Aweigh weigh in with a 1945 Academy Award for Best Scoring of a Musical Picture, plus four more Oscar nominations, including Best Picture and Actor (Kelly). Extras include Hanna & Barbera on the Making of “The Worry Song”, Football Thrills of 1944 short, Jerky Turkey animated short and trailers.

On The Town
New York, New York, it’s a wonderful town – especially when sailors Gene Kelly, Frank Sinatra and Jules Munshin have a 24-hour shore leave to see the sights… and when those sights include Ann Miller, Betty Garrett and Vera-Ellen. Based on the Broadway hit and set to an Academy Award-winning score, On The Town changed the landscape of movie musicals by blending brilliant location and studio production numbers to up-and-at-’em perfection. The Bronx is up and the Battery’s down, but no one can be down after going On The Town. Extras include Mr. Whitney Had a Notion short, Doggone Tired animated short and trailers.

Guys And Dolls
Hollywood legends Marlon Brando, Jean Simmons, Frank Sinatra and Vivian Blaine (from the original Broadway cast) are dazzling in this Frank Loesser (How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying) masterpiece. Featuring hits like “Luck Be a Lady” and “A Woman in Love”, this smash film version of one of Broadway’s most popular musicals is guaranteed rip-roaring “four-star entertainment” (New York Daily News). Extras include The Goldwyn Touch, From Stage to Screen, More Guys and Dolls Stories musical performances and trailer.

Ocean’s 11
New Year’s Eve in Las Vegas. When the lights go out on the Vegas strip, it’s the perfect time to steal a kiss or a $25 chip. But for Danny Ocean (Frank Sinatra) and 10 partners in crime, it’s the ideal moment to steal millions. Also starring Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Peter Lawford and Joey Bishop, and packed with location-lensed glamour, suspense, comedy and a stunning twist ending, Ocean’s 11 is a sure bet. Extras include commentary, “The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson” Clip, with Guest Host Frank Sinatra, Tropicana Museum Vignette, Vegas Map, Easter Egg and Two Trailers.

Robin And The 7 Hoods
Robin And The 7 Hoods gives the Robin Hood legend a Depression-era, mobtown Chicago spin. North Side boss Robbo (Frank Sinatra) sets himself up as a latter-day Robin Hood with philanthropic fronts enabling him to scam the rich, take his cut and then give to the poor. Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Bing Crosby, Peter Falk and Barbara Rush join in the giddy, gangsterish fun. And the jazzy Sammy Cahn/James Van Heusen score (including Sinatra’s classic “My Kind of Town”) is the perfect match for this all-star cast. Extras include commentary, featurette, Robin Hood Makes Good, Robin Hood Daffy, Rabbit Hood animated shorts, and trailer.

Broadchurch: Season 2

MPI Home Video / Released 5/5/15

The shocking murder of 11-year-old Daniel Latimer rocked the quiet seaside town of Broadchurch, as everyone in the tight-knit community suddenly became a suspect. After a tumultuous investigation, a killer was finally named.

Now, Broadchurch is still reeling and the case of young Danny Latimer is far from over. The new season of Broadchurch follows two seemingly unconnected events: the trial of Joe Miller (the man charged for Danny’s murder) and the Sandbrook case – Alec Hardy’s previously failed investigation, which has dogged his existence ever since. Though all expect a swift sentencing, Joe Miller’s hearing quickly escalates into a full-trial, proving there are undeniable discrepancies and still more secrets hidden among the townspeople. At the same time, Hardy’s past comes back to haunt him when his primary suspect in the Sandbrook homicide resurfaces, looking for the woman who testified against him—his wife, Claire. What unfolds is a series of twists and turns as the Sandbrook case bursts back open, unraveling Hardy’s past and bringing shocking truths from both cases to the surface.

In season one, Detective Inspector Alec Hardy (David Tennant) – still haunted by the collapse of his previous murder case – was put in charge of the Latimer investigation, much to the chagrin of local officer Detective Sergeant Ellie Miller (Olivia Colman). Strong yet compassionate, Ellie was forced to put her personal connections to the victim aside to help solve the case that devastated the close-knit community. As the detectives scraped for evidence and fought to narrow the suspects, the town was turned upside down.

The investigation saw many townspeople come under suspicion, including Danny’s father Mark (Andrew Buchan). But after many twists and turns, the revelation of the killer’s identity had far-reaching consequences for Hardy and Ellie. In the season one finale, Joe Miller (Matthew Gravelle), Ellie’s husband, was found responsible for the unspeakable crime – leaving the entire town, especially Ellie, shell-shocked.

Season two begins on the day of Joe Miller’s hearing. All of Broadchurch awaits his sentencing— eager to gain some sense of closure from the nightmare of Danny’s murder. But to everyone’s disbelief (including his barrister’s) Joe enters an astonishing plea – ‘not guilty.’ Joe fixedly avers that nobody is innocent and promises to expose more secrets of the town’s residents. He goes on to enlist a fearsome defense team led by Queen’s Counsel (QC) Sharon Bishop (Marianne Jean-Baptiste) and junior barrister Abby Thompson (Phoebe Waller-Bridge).

Now bracing themselves for a full trial, Danny’s parents, Beth (Jodie Whittaker) and Mark desperately seek legal representation from esteemed local QC barrister Jocelyn Knight (Charlotte Rampling). At first she refuses to take on their case, but will she have a change of heart when she learns that former pupil Sharon Bishop is representing the defense?

Hardy, no longer on active duty as detective, remains in Broadchurch – but why? With his health condition worsening, he desperately needs Ellie’s help to make things right with a previously failed investigation. As Hardy’s past comes back to haunt him, the two detectives (Hardy and Ellie) are forced back together.

Following Joe’s arrest, Ellie is left broken and alone. She’s left Broadchurch to serve as a traffic officer in Devon and her son (Tom) refuses to live with her. There won’t be a light at the end of the tunnel for Ellie until Joe is brought to justice – only then can she even begin to find a sense of normalcy again. For now, she finds solace and some fleeting sense of purpose in helping Hardy. One thing is for certain, as the hearing of Joe Miller unfolds and Hardy’s past bubbles to the surface – nothing will stay hidden in Broadchurch. Extras include featurettes, interviews and deleted scenes.

Scooby-Doo! 13 Spooky Tales: Surf’s Up Scooby-Doo!

Warner Bros. / Released 5/5/15

Scooby-Doo and the gang are together again in this exciting collection that’s comprised of fan favorite episodes which are offered together for the first time in one set. Strange and mystifying happenings take our favorite Great Dane and his pals on a variety of thrilling escapades the whole family will enjoy watching together.

Featured in this release is an all-new, 22-minute cartoon titled Scooby-Doo! and the Beach Beastie. Providing the iconic voice of both Scooby-Doo and Fred, Frank Welker leads a talented voice cast which includes Mindy Cohn, Grey Griffin, Matthew Lillard and Adam West. Get set for more hijinks and excitement in this captivating adventure that features Scooby, Shaggy, Fred, Daphne and Velma as they go on a much-needed vacation in Florida. When a weird water creature causes trouble in paradise by stealing precious jewels, the Gang will either sink or swim to solve the case. In Scooby-Doo! 13 Spooky Tales: Surf’s Up Scooby-Doo!, the Mystery Incorporated gang face aquatic apparitions, haunted lighthouses and other oceanic oddities that will be sure to get the whole family excited.

Includes the episodes:

• Scooby-Doo! and the Beach Beastie – brand-new 22-minute cartoon

• A Clue for Scooby-Doo

• Scooby’s Night with a Frozen Fright

• Scooby Dude

• Scooby-Nocchio/Scooby’s Roots/Lighthouse Keeper Scooby

• Excalibur Scooby/Scooby’s Luck Of The Irish/Scooby’s Escape From Atlantis

• Cruisin’ for a Bruisin’

• Hang in There Scooby

• The Creepy Case of Old Iron Face

• A Creepy Tangle in the Bermuda Triangle

• She Sees Sea Monsters by the Sea Shore

• Shiver and Shake, That Demon’s a Snake

• Twenty Thousand Screams Under the Sea

Convoy

Kino Lorber / Released 4/28/15

When the Western film, for many decades the staple of the American cinema, suffered a decline in the Seventies, a new sub-species helped fill the void the trucking epic. The great Sam Peckinpah (The Wild Bunch) directed this action classic based on the runaway hit song, Convoy. Martin ‘Rubber Duck’ Penwald (Kris Kristofferson, Vigilante Force) who, in pursuance of a feud with Sheriff Lyle ‘Cottonmouth’ Wallace (Ernest Borgnine, Marty), unites scores of his fellow-drivers via Citizen Band radio into a gigantic mile-long convoy which, powered by pent-up frustrations and resentments as much as by diesel-fuel, rolls irresistibly along the Arizona highways towards the freedom of the Mexican border. The stellar cast includes Ali MacGraw (The Getaway), Seymour Cassel (Opening Night) and Burt Young (The Killer Elite) as Bobby ‘Love Machine’ ‘Pig Pen’.  Extras include commentary, US radio and tv spots, documentary Passion & Poetry – Sam’s Trucker Movie, featurettes, stills, and deleted scenes.

Accidental Love

Millennium Entertainment / Released 4/28/15

Alice’s (Jessica Biel) perfect life is turned upside down when a freak accident leaves a nail lodged in her head, causing erratic (and erotic) behavior. After her fiance (James Marsden) call off the engagement, Alice sets off in a search of a cure and falls into the arms of Howard Bidwell (Jake Gyllenhaal), a sexy senator who champions her cause. Caught up in a love triangle held together by a nail, will Alice to her head or her heart?  Extras include a trailer.

Hollywood Shuffle

Olive Films / Released 4/28/15

A satire on the ups & downs of being a black actor in Hollywood, Hollywood Shuffle writer/producer/director/star Robert Townsend (Streets of Fire, The Five Heartbeats, The Mighty Quinn, A Soldier’s Story) stars as Bobby Taylor, a young black actor whose attempts to find work are dashed when told that he’s not “black enough” for the roles being offered. With jobs limited to stereotypes (gang-bangers, pimps and Uncle Toms’), Bobby’s struggles are told through a series of comic fantasies and dreams, making all-too-real that he needs to do the Hollywood Shuffle. Co-starring Keenen Ivory Wayans, Anne-Marie Johnson, Helen Martin, John Witherspoon, Eugene Robert Glazer and Dom Irrera. 

Boy Meets Girl

Wolfe Home Video / Released 4/28/15

Eric Schaeffer’s new film, Boy Meets Girl is a poignant, sexy, romantic coming of age comedy about three twenty year-olds living in Kentucky. Robby (Michael Welch, Twilight) and his best friend since childhood, Ricky (Michelle Hendley), a gorgeous transgender girl, have never dated. Lamenting the lack of eligible bachelors, Ricky considers dating a girl. In walks Francesca (Alex Turshen), a beautiful young debutante waiting for her Marine fiance to return from the war. Ricky and Francesca strike up a friendship, and maybe a little more, which forces Robby to face his true feelings for Ricky. This is a sex/human positive modern fable and identification with its story crosses all gender and sexual orientation lines.

Appropriate Behavior

Kino Lorber / Released 4/28/15

For Shirin, being part of a perfect Persian family isn’t easy. Acceptance eludes her from all sides: her family doesn’t know she’s bisexual, and her ex-girlfriend, Maxine, can’t understand why she doesn’t tell them. Even the six-year-old boys in her moviemaking class are too ADD to focus on her for more than a second. Following a family announcement of her brother’s betrothal to a parentally approved Iranian prize catch, Shirin embarks on a private rebellion involving a series of pansexual escapades, while trying to decipher what went wrong with Maxine.

The Mentalist: The Seventh and Final Season

Warner Home Video / Released 4/28/15

With serial killer Red John laid to rest, Patrick Jane is finally free to close the door on his past and plan for the future. A fresh start with the FBI has him solving top-security cases alongside former CBI agents Teresa Lisbon and Kimball Cho, new colleagues Jason Wylie and Michelle Vega, and boss Agent Dennis Abbott. And Jane’s blossoming connection with Lisbon brings a deeper bond to the partner’s already intimate and intense professional relationship. But when femme fatale Erica Flynn resurfaces from Jane’s past and another sadistic serial killer appears on the scene, affairs of the heart take a backseat to survival. Cases are cold and hearts are warm in the final sexy, suspenseful episodes of this uncommonly intriguing series. Extras include featurette.

Last Word: Simon Baker plays Patrick Jane, a consultant to California Bureau of Investigation.  After finally closing his pursuit of serial killer Red John (the serial killer that murdered his family), Jane now finds himself at the FBI.  This final season introduces some new supporting characters as it edges toward it’s finale, but will it be a happy ending? . Baker’s Jane is charming, engaging and funny (and not really a psychic, just hyper-aware) and works well with the ensemble cast of character. Guest stars include Garcelle Beauvais, Morena Baccarin, Claudia Christian, Mary Kay Place, M.C. Gainey, and Dylan Baker.  The Mentalist: The Seventh and Final Season is pure escapism and comes recommended.

The Wedding Ringer

Sony / Released 4/28/15

Doug Harris (Josh Gad) is a loveable but socially awkward groom-to-be with a problem: he has no best man. With less than two weeks to go until he marries the girl of his dreams (Kaley Cuoco-Sweeting), Doug is referred to Jimmy Callahan (Kevin Hart), owner and CEO of Best Man, Inc., a company that provides flattering best men for socially challenged guys in need. What ensues is a hilarious wedding charade as they try to pull off the big con, and an unexpected budding bromance between Doug and his fake best man Jimmy. Extras include featurette and select scene commentary.

Last Word: Devoid of humor, The Wedding Ringer might very well be one of the worst films I’ve seen in recent memory.  Starting with the cast; the grating Josh Gad and Kevin Hart (once again playing the same character he plays in everything) are more often than not, painful to watch.  There’s no chemistry between them and even worse, they both seem like they don’t want to be there either.

Inspidly influenced by I Love You, Man, The Wedding Ringer doens’t even pretend to have an honest moment within it’s bloated exectution.  The filmmakers don’t seem to realize that writing stupid characters doesn’t make the film any more appealing.  It just makes it stupid.   And not in a good way.

Miami Blues

Shout! Factory / Released 4/28/15

Based on the late Charles Willeford’s series of hard-boiled crime novels featuring Miami cop Hoke Moseley, the Jonathan Demme-produced offbeat black comedy Miami Blues opens with the prison release of Frederick Frenger Jr. (Alec Baldwin), a deranged killer who has barely de-boarded his plane before he’s killed a Hare Krishna in the airport.

Checking into his hotel, Frenger meets up with Pepper (Jennifer Jason Leigh), a young prostitute with dreams of domestic life; the two become romantically involved. Meanwhile, the Hare Krishna murder case is given to Moseley (Fred Ward), a grizzled vet who quickly hunts down Frenger only to have the killer beat him senseless and steal his badge and false teeth. With Moseley incapacitated, Frenger is free to continue his crime spree, this time with the benefit of police credentials. Extras include new cast interviews.

Almighty Johnsons: Seasons 1-3

PBS Home Video / Released 4/28/15

The Almighty Johnsons is a comedy-drama series about four brothers from New Zealand who just happen to be descended from Norse Gods. Each of the Johnson boys has his own God-like power; it’s just that their powers aren’t all that powerful.

The Johnsons are typical Kiwi blokes who don’t much like to stand out from the crowd. And everyday gods have everyday struggles – striving to love stroppy women, overcoming sibling rivalry and fulfilling your God-like destiny, all while still finding the time to enjoy a few beers with your mates.

As the series begins, the Johnson brothers are on a quest to find Frigg and fulfill the ancient prophecy so that they might get their full God powers. But by the end of the season, after some trying encounters with some rather forthright women, the Quest of the Johnson boys was no closer to being resolved.

As their quest continued and youngest brother Axl found himself on a more personal quest – to become Odin, he must first ‘become’ Odin. And just when it looked like the love of Axl’s life, Gaia, was going to become Frigg and fulfil the Johnsons’ destiny, it turned out that Gaia’s goddess form was to be Idun, the eternal wife of Bragi in the god realm. So Axl’s true love became that of his brother Anders.

In the final season he boys are trying to regroup from the false Frigg chase of season two, and to reclaim their lives in the ‘real’ world. The universe might have other ideas but right now Axl has a new quest, to lead a ‘normal’ life.

Little Man Tate

Olive Films / Released 4/28/15

The struggle to lead and maintain a normal life is at the core of this dramatic and often funny tale directed by and starring Jodie Foster. At the center of this struggle is Fred Tate (Adam Hann-Byrd), a 7-year-old child with an IQ bordering on genius. Allowing Fred to enroll in a summer camp for gifted children, Dede (Foster), Fred’s single mom, soon finds herself in a battle with the camp psychologist, Jane Grierson (Dianne Wiest), a former prodigy herself, over what is best for Fred. Little Man Tate features supporting performances Harry Connick, Jr., David Hyde Pierce, Debi Mazar and Celia Weston.

Last Word: A wonderfully charming film from writer Scott Frank and first time director Jodie Foster chronicles a child prodigy and his relationship with the world around him.  In an effort by his mother to provide every opportunity for him, Fred Tate is sent to a camp for geniuses and guided by a well meaning psychologist, who seems to forget that Fred’s intellect is living in the body and emotions of a child.

Everyone is spectacular, especially Hann-Byrd as Fred. Foster and Weist are both fantastic playing the competing mother’s in Fred’s life; both wanting the best for the child and disagreeing with one another on how to accomplish that.  Connick, Jr. delivers a very likable performance as Eddie, a college student who befriends Fred.  In many ways, Little Man Tate functions a bit like a period piece (there are no computer prodigies depicted among the math geniuses), but that heart and emotion are as fresh as ever.  Highly recommended.

The Barber

Arc Entertainment / Released 4/28/15

Eugene van Wingerdt (Scott Glenn) is a small-town barber hiding a dark secret. Twenty years earlier he was arrested for several gruesome murders, but was released due to insufficient evidence. The detective in charge of the case killed himself in despair. Now the detective’s son is in town, with a few secrets of his own. Is he seeking revenge or hoping to learn at the feet of the master? Through the film’s myriad twists and turns, you’ll realize there’s much more to evil than you ever could imagine.  Extras include alternate ending, deleted and extended scenes, and trailer.

Teachers

Olive Films / Released 4/28/15

Teachers, a satirical, dramatic and often comic look at the life of the modern day teacher, stars Nick Nolte as Alex Jurel, a once idealistic high school teacher now burned out by a system. With a lawsuit filed by an illiterate student, the recipient of a passing grade and diploma, Alex is surprised to learn that the lawyer assigned to handle the case (JoBeth William) turns out to be Alex’s former star pupil. Teachers co-stars Judd Hirsch, Ralph Macchio, Allen Garfield, Lee Grant, Richard Mulligan, Laura Dern and Steven Hill.

The Admiral: Roaring Currents

CJ Entertainment / Released 4/28/15

The Admiral is the brutal retelling of the battle of Myeong-Nyang, the legendary naval conflict that occurred during the Japanese invasion of Korea in 1597. On the 16th of September in 1597, Admiral Yi Sun-shin (CHOI Min-sik) was left with only 12 battleships to face an insurmountable fleet of 330 Japanese battleships. This battle and its result is the most well-known conflict in Korean history, as the Japanese military relentlessly charged towards the capital and the nation faced the possibility of losing the war. Extras include featurette, film highlights, teaser and trailer.

Masterpiece: Wolf Hall

PBS Home Video / Released 4/28/15

Tony Award-winning actor Mark Rylance (Twelfth Night) and Emmy and Golden Globe Award-winner Damian Lewis (Homeland) star in the miniseries adapted from Hilary Mantel’s best-selling Booker Prize-winning novels: Wolf Hall and its sequel, Bring Up the Bodies.

From humble beginnings and with an enigmatic past, Thomas Cromwell (Rylance) is the brilliant consigliere to King Henry VIII (Lewis). Told from Cromwell’s perspective, Wolf Hall follows the complex machinations and back room dealings of this pragmatic and accomplished power broker who must serve king and country while dealing with deadly political intrigue, Henry VIII’s tempestuous relationship with Anne Boleyn (Claire Foy, Little Dorrit), and the religious upheavals of the Protestant reformation.

A historical drama for a modern audience, this unromanticized re-telling lifts the veil on the internal struggles England faced on the brink of Reformation. At the center of it all is Cromwell, navigating the moral complexities that accompany the exercise of power, trapped between his desire to do what is right and his instinct to survive. Extras include featurettes.

Inherent Vice

Warner Bros. / Released 4/28/15

From Paul Thomas Anderson and Thomas Pynchon, it’s the tail end of the psychedelic ’60s and paranoia is running the day from the desert to the sea of sunny Southern California.

With a cast of characters that includes surfers, hustlers, dopers and rockers, a murderous loan shark, the FBI, LAPD detective, a tenor sax player working undercover, a group of Beverly Hills dentists and a mysterious entity called The Golden Fang, everything’s gone from “groovy” to “where you at, man?” in what seems like a matter of moments.

So when private eye Doc Sportello’s ex-old lady Shasta Fay shows up at his door with a story about her current Billionaire land-developer boyfriend and his wife and her boyfriend… well it all starts to get a little peculiar after that. Maybe you’ll just want to see the movie?  Extras include featurettes.

Last Word: Self-indulgent, pretentious and virtually incomprehensible, Inherent Vice is the latest from Paul Thomas Anderson, and like much of his body of work, I didn’t care for it.  That being said, Anderson is an extremely talented filmmaker and all of his films should be seen; I just don’t particularly care for it (that said, if you haven’t seen his first film, Hard Eight, add it to your queue immediately). 

Like much of his work, Inherent Vice is a Los Angeles story; this time set in the seventies and takes on the detective genre.  Based on the book by Thomas Pynchon, Inherent Vice is often reminiscent of The Big Sleep and The Big Lebowski, other contributions to the genre that share a somewhat scattered narrative.  As always, Anderson has assembled a fantastic cast including Joaquin Phoenix, Josh Brolin, Owen Wilson, Katherine Waterston, Reese Witherspoon, Benicio del Toro, Jena Malone, Joanna Newsom, Maya Rudolph, Michael K. Williams, Martin Short, Sasha Pieterse, Martin Donovan, and Eric Roberts.   Yet, you can’t help but feel that they are being wasted in this overlong and more often than not, boring and pointless exercise.

The Gambler

Paramount / Released 4/28/15

Academy Award nominee Mark Wahlberg delivers a “career-defining performance” as Jim Bennett, an English professor leading a secret double life as a high-stakes gambler. When Jim is forced to borrow from a notorious gangster, he places the lives of those he loves in mortal danger. With time running out, he must enter the criminal underworld and risk everything to keep from losing it all. John Goodman. Brie Larson and Academy Award winner Jessica Lange also star in this “slick, stylish thriller.” Extras include featurettes and deleted/extended scenes.

Last Word: Mark Wahlberg stars in a remake of 1974’s The Gambler directed by Rupert Wyatt (Rise of the Planet of the Apes, The Escapist). No, not Kenny Rogers as The Gambler, that came out in 1980!  Wahlberg takes on the role of Jim Bennett, a college professor with a knack for getting in deep with the wrong kinds of people while feeding his gambling habit.

The rest of the cast features heavy hitters Jessica Lange as Jim’s long-suffering rich mother, John Goodman as Frank the whale and one of our favorite actors from HBO’s Boardwalk Empire and The Wire, Michael Kenneth Williams. Brie Larsen (Scott Pilgrim vs. the World) is Amy Phillips, a literature student working off her student loans nights at an upscale underground Hollywood casino. Amy knows her professor’s secret but is not the only student to be affected by the Bennett’s actions—mirroring points in the original film.

There is more than debt resolution and distracted teaching in this film, however. Wahlberg delivers a serious performance of a man bordering on being out of control with his habits but not an addict. There may be more to what we see behind Jim Bennett’s blackjack face.

Back to the opening of the film, we are given that same palm-sweat you see in the final high stakes game in Casino Royale as you see Bennett bust on nearly all of his hands. The house lends him the necessary dough to ride it out, but unlike our Bond, the busts keep coming and the hole gets deeper.
Bennett gets in deep with the Koreans and with Neville (Michael Kenneth Williams) and then even deeper with presumed underground boss Frank (Goodman).

By day, Bennett is teaching literature to a classroom of underachievers with some exceptions. Two athletes on scholarship, a tennis player and a basketball player are teased out of the lecture hall. At a key moment, Bennett identifies that he has only one mental peer in the room, and that is with young writer Amy Phillips (Larson). He at once embarrasses her and challenges her in front of everyone with another key line of dialogue about her recent essay, “Did you write this because you believe in it, or because you thought that was what people want”? Perhaps her essay was written to impress her professor, perhaps to seduce him but considering that she knows he is an NYT best-selling author, she so much as shines the mirror back to his face about his own life later in the film.

Because of his need for money, Bennett approaches his widowed mother Roberta (Lange) to tap into his family’s fortune. She’s of course sick of this behavior and lets him know it. The mother/son relationship here is beyond broken, and when hundreds of thousands are handed to him after a bank transaction, Jim coldly leaves with not so much as a ‘thank you’. Lange’s screen time is short but of course amazing.

I’ve been on a bit of a Scorsese jag lately, and while The Gambler didn’t reach the bombast or roller coaster ride those films provide, it did fulfill me as far as action an intrigue are concerned. There’s a ticking clock, romance, game rigging, large sums of money and seedy underbellies to be had. Wyatt directed a more subtle and intellectual film. Wahlberg continues to impress as a multi-faceted actor, racking up Academy and Golden Globe, and Teen Choice nominations for serious roles in The Departed and The Fighter, an underrated comic book movie 2 Guns, and 2013’s Lone Survivor.

What I’m driving at is, if you are a fan of Mark Wahlberg, this is a great leading role for him. The drama in The Gambler is high test, and Rupert Wyatt was able to make a version of the movie that separates itself by 40 years and has more a modern philosophical grit than the first. Wyatt leaves you wondering what you would do in Jim Bennett’s shoes, given the same set of circumstances. (–  Clay N Ferno)

Taken 3

20th Century Fox / Released 4/21/15

The hunter becomes the hunted when Liam Neeson returns as former CIA operative Bryan Mills, who finds himself framed for the brutal murder of his ex-wife (Famke Janssen). Consumed with rage, and pursued by a savvy police inspector (Forest Whitaker), Mills must rely on his “particular set of skills” one last time to find the real killers, clear his name, and protect the only thing that matters to him now – his daughter (Maggie Grace). Extras include gallery, featurettes and deleted scene.

Escape From New York

Shout! Factory / Released 4/21/15

A thrilling landmark film that jolts along at a breakneck pace, Escape From New York leapt to cult status with high-octane action, edge-of-your-seat suspense and the mind-blowing vision of lone warrior Snake Plissken (Kurt Russell) battling his way out of a post-apocalyptic Manhattan!

In a world ravaged by crime, the entire island of Manhattan has been converted into a walled prison where brutal prisoners roam. But when the US president (Donald Pleasence) crash-lands inside, only one man can bring him back: notorious outlaw and former Special Forces war hero Snake Plissken (Russell). But time is short. In 24 hours, an explosive device implanted in his neck will end Snake’s mission, and his life, unless he succeeds! Extras include commentaries, interviews, featurette, deleted sequence, trailers and photo gallery.

Last Word:  What can you say about one of the greatest genre films of all time?  With John Carpenter at the helm (fresh after Halloween and The Fog), it’s his second collaboration with Kurt Russell (after their tv-movie, Elvis), and an ensemble of some of the greatest character actors ever committed to film (Lee Van Cleef, Ernest Borgnine, Donald Pleasence, Isaac Hayes, Harry Dean Stanton, Adrienne Barbeau, and Tom Atkins, among others).

Escape From New York might not appeal to the average movie-goer, but for the cinegeek audience there’s lots to love; from anti-hero Plissken to the dystopic and very dangerous New York City is both smart and silly, with plenty of sly political commentary with an overall cynical point of view from Carpenter.  It’s unlikely that a film like Escape From New York could or would get made anymore.  Cynicism has become the status quo and anti-heroes in film are created by the corporate machine (elements of which dripped into the less successful sequel, Escape From L.A.); watch and revel in the madness and magic of this film.  Highly recommended.

Everly

Starz/Anchor Bay / Released 4/21/15

Salma Hayek takes no prisoners as a femme fatale unleashing the ultimate vengeance in this action-packed thriller by director Joe Lynch (Knights of Badassdom). Trapped in her apartment, Everly (Hayek) is forced to fend off waves of assassins sent by a dangerous Yakuza mob boss who wants her dead after he learns she is no longer loyal to him. Desperate to be reunited with her mother and young daughter, Everly must fight to kill her attackers before they destroy her and her family. Extras include commentaries and music video.

Musketeers, The: Season 2

BBC Home Video / Released 4/21/15

En garde! Prepare for more pulse-pounding thrills, more breathtaking action and more high-stakes heroism. The gallivanting royal bodyguards for King Louis XIII – Athos (Tom Burke, The Hour), Aramis (Santiago Cabrera, Heroes), Porthos (Howard Charles, &Me) and d’Artagnan (Luke Pasqualino, Skins) – are back for love, honor and adventure. Together, the inseparable Musketeers employ their bravery and skill to track down a missing Musketeer; become embroiled in a full-scale riot orchestrated by a notorious criminal mastermind; and embark on a dangerous mission to Le Havre. Extras include featurettes.

Includes the episodes:

• “Keep Your Friends Close”: The Musketeers rescue the Comte de Rochefort from hanging. The deceased Cardinal’s man in Madrid who had seemingly escaped from a Spanish prison has news that General De Foix, France’s chief military strategist, has been captured. The king’s order his rescue by Rochefort and the Musketeers, but the duplicitous Rochefort has his own plans to rescue De Foix involving the death of the Musketeers. The Dauphin Louis is born.

• “An Ordinary Man”: King Louis wants to experience the life of an ordinary Frenchman and insists the Musketeers take him onto the streets in disguise. In a tavern, the King and d’Artagnan are separated from the other Musketeers and they fall into the hands of slave traders intent on selling them as galley slaves on a Spanish ship. Their paths cross with Milady de Winter who works for the slavers. Rochefort sees a chance to manipulate the Queen in the interests of Spain.

• “The Good Traitor”: An ex-general, a traitor, of the Spanish army arrives in Paris to plead for help in rescuing his daughter, held by Spanish agents in Paris; in exchange for a coded formula and cypher machine of a deadly new gunpowder the Spanish also want. The Dauphin is seriously ill and Constance takes the baby from the palace in an attempt to save his life. The Queen informs the King of the prince’s abduction, finding him under a table in a compromising position with Milady de Winter.

• “Emilie”: A prophet, Emilie of Duras, is raising an army from the peasantry of France to march on Spain. Aramis rides to her camp to resolve the situation and while there Queen Anne and Constance arrive and the reasons for Emilie’s visions become apparent. Rochefort and the Spanish Ambassador’s double dealings come to a head with the death of Rochefort’s whore; and then of the ambassador at Milady’s hand with Treville paying the price for failing to protect the ambassador.

• “The Return”: Athos, who has renounced his title, is kidnapped by his tenants and discovers his neighbour, Baron Renard, is intent on taking his lands. Athos’s indifference to his tenants, because his wife Milady had killed his brother at the family home, shocks the other musketeers; but a meeting with his dead brother’s betrothed changes his mind and he agrees to give the tenants the land if they are prepared to fight for it; requiring the musketeers to train them.

• “Through a Glass Darkly”: An astrologer invites the Royal party to observe a solar eclipse at his castle observatory and takes them all prisoner with their bodyguards d’Artagnan, Aramis, and Porthos; to take part in his deadly game of chance of life and death. Milady takes the toss of a coin to decide her fate and is allowed to live. The King has to make the same choice if his Queen and son are to survive while the musketeers seek a way to escape from a madman bent on revenge.

• “A Marriage of Inconvenience”: A marriage between Princess Louise, a cousin of King Louis, and a Swedish crown prince that would bring an alliance between France and Sweden to the detriment of Spain; allows Rochefort to plot his own advancement at court having the King’s council members killed by unlikely assassins with a disastrous consequence for Constance’s husband. Rochefort learns of the Queen’s relationship with Aramis and Milady discovers whom Rochefort’s loyalties lie with.

• “The Prodigal Father”: Treville tells Porthos who his father is and Porthos travels to meet his father, half sister and her husband he never knew. Porthos’s loyalties to his father and the musketeers are tested when the musketeers discover his sister and murderous brother-in-law are pimping young girls as entertainment to the highest bidder. Constance has to make a decision about her future with d’Artagnan after doctor Lemay proposes to her. Rochefort manipulates King Louis’s paranoia to take control of the court and his lust for the Queen comes to a confrontation with Anne and ends with his accusation of her treason.

• “The Accused”: Rochefort produces a treasonable letter the Queen wrote to her brother, the King of Spain. The musketeers, with unexpected help from Milady, spirit the Queen away to safety at a convent leaving Athos and Milady to search for evidence that Rochefort is a spy for the Spanish. The King is poisoned and doctor Lemay is arrested and Constance is implicated. Constance is given a graphic ultimatum of her fate unless she testifies to the Queen’s infidelity with Aramis. Porthos sets out to capture Vargas, the Spanish spymaster, while the Queen insists on returning to Paris and falls into Rochefort’s trap that includes the arrest of Aramis for treason.

• “Trial and Punishment”: Athos and d’Artagnan rescue Constance from the executioner’s sword and with Treville they help Porthos to capture the Spanish spymaster Vargas. Rochefort proves his case against the Queen and Aramis with testimony from Lady Marguerite. Milady rescues Aramis; Rochefort clears the court except for the red guard and the King signs the Queen’s death warrant leading to a final confrontation between Rochefort and the musketeers.

Teen Titans Go! Season 1

Warner Archive / Released 4/21/15

What happens after everyone’s favorite teenage super heroes have saved the planet from total annihilation? Swing by Titans Tower and find out as Robin, Cyborg, Raven, Starfire and Beast Boy chill out after a hard day of crime fighting and take on some real challenges like laundry, chores, video games and plain ol’ trying to get along!

Enjoy the laughs when Beast Boy introduces his new villainous girlfriend, Raven’s demonic father stops in for a visit, or Cyborg has his birthday bashed by an evil pie baker. So suit up, order a pizza and check out these adventures, at least until the next time the world needs saving!  Includes the following episodes:

• “Legendary Sandwich”: After being interrupted by the guys during a Pretty Pretty Pegasus marathon, Raven sends them on a dangerous mission to look for ingredients for a mystical sandwich.

• “Pie Bros”: In order to buy Cyborg a birthday gift, Beast Boy takes a job at their favorite pie shop, but it soon jeopardizes their friendship.

• “Driver’s Ed”: Robin takes up driver’s ed after his license is suspended, but fails to realize that his instructor Ed is using him as a getaway driver. 

• “Dog Hand”/”Raven’s Daddy Dearest”: Seeking to lure his daughter back to the dark side, Raven’s father makes nice with her friends through discussing their “daddy issues”.

• “Double Trouble”: Upon Cyborg’s request, Raven makes clones out of him and Beast Boy so they can do their chores while the originals have time to play with each other, but things go astray.

• “The Date”: After mustering up enough courage to ask Starfire on a date, Robin finds his archrival Speedy has already arranged plans to go out with her. To get his revenge, Robin kidnaps and impersonates him to sabotage his date.

• “Dude Relax”: After Robin’s high-strung nature begins to affect the cast, they try to teach him to relax.

• “Laundry Day”: On laundry day, the Titans bicker as to whom is responsible for cleaning the Titans’ tattered uniforms. Raven succumbs, and uses her magic to clean them, bringing them to life and against the Titans.

• “Ghostboy”: Beast Boy has Starfire believe she has killed him in mosquito form, so he acts like a ghost to scare her. The Titans get back at him with one of Raven’s spells to make Beast Boy think he really is dead.

• “La Larva de Amor”: When the other Titans are given the task of babysitting Silkie, he escapes to Mexico in romantic pursuit of a Mexican woman named Sonja and her evil and jealous lover Carlos.

• “Hey Pizza!”: Beast Boy and Cyborg try to get free pizza by slowing down the delivery boy, but constantly fail to get the pizza to Titans Tower in over 30 minutes; meanwhile, Robin is torn between building a pool or a senior center.

• “Gorilla”:Beast Boy takes over the Titans after not changing out of his gorilla form.

• “Girls’ Night Out”: Starfire and Raven invite Jinx for a girls’ night out when the other Titans go out on a guys’ night out.

• “You’re Fired!”: When Beast Boy is fired from the team, the Titans look for new members to join, and select Jayna and Zan, the Wonder Twins. Being useless to the team and hired as a receptionist, Beast Boy assists Zan in sabotaging Jayna.

• ”Super Robin”: Robin wants super-powers as he is the only one without them, but Raven tells him powers are a curse.

• “Tower Power”: Cyborg thinks being a robot is the best, but when he short-circuits, the Titans can’t put him back together, so they connect him to the tower computer with unexpected results.

• “Parasite”: Starfire gets a space parasite who she names Parry and talks to through brain waves. The Titans become fond of it, but Robin suspects that it is evil. Robin then realizes it isn’t evil after befriending Parry, but it morphs into a spider alien who crushes the Titans.

• “Starliar”: Starfire is the only one invited to the Titans East party because of the other Titans’ immaturity, so Beast Boy teaches her to lie so she won’t upset the others.

• “Meatball Party”:Eating a simple meatball cracks Raven’s tooth and unleashes a tentacled demon from her mouth whenever it opens.

• “Staff Meeting”: The Titans’ accidentally break Robin’s staff, which he is very fond of, so he attempts to find a better one at the Universe Tree.

• “Terra-ized”: Terra has the other Titans believe she is Beast Boy’s girlfriend, but Raven is suspicious of her every move… or is she just jealous?

• “Artful Dodgers”: The Titans spend too much time practicing a victory dance for their dodgeball match against the H.I.V.E., and don’t practice the game, so for the finals, they plan to cheat.

• “Burger vs. Burrito”: Beast Boy and Cyborg find out they have a different favorite food, so they battle it out to see which is superior: the burger or the burrito.

• “Matched”: Cyborg has a Love Matcher 5000 program that ends up pairing Raven with Beast Boy and Starfire with Aquaman. While Beast Boy does everything he knows how to do, Robin can only hope that being more like Aquaman could win Starfire’s heart.

• “Colors of Raven”: When a crystal prism stolen from Dr. Light breaks in front of Raven, she is split into five versions of herself and the rest of the Titans must find her copies, trap them in the fragments of the prism, and put her back together.

• “The Left Leg”: Cyborg builds a robot for all the Titans to use in dangerous situations. However, Robin is relegated to the left leg, so he decides to make it the best body part it can be.

• “Books”: Raven shows the Titans about books, which they like a lot, but they can’t find another one, so they become desperate and will read anything.

• “Lazy Sunday”: Robin gives the Titans’ couch to charity as he is tired of Cyborg and Beast Boy’s Lazy Sundays, thus sending them through grief. Meanwhile, Robin installs a treadmill into the place of the couch, and makes BB and Cy take up a life of fitness.

• “Starfire the Terrible”: Robin is upset that he has no arch-nemesis, so Starfire comes to save… or ruin the day.

• “Power Moves”: Cyborg and Beast Boy combine their powers to make “Power moves.” When Robin and Cyborg accidentally make one, Beast Boy gets jealous when they start doing power moves together.

• “Staring at the Future”: When Cyborg and Beast Boy end up 30 years into the future in a long staring contest, they find out that Robin, Starfire, and Raven have taken up bigger responsibilities.

• “No Power”: Robin sets everyone on a challenge to use no super-powers for 24-hours, to prove to them how hard no powers can be.

• “Sidekick”: Batman assigns Robin to look after the Batcave while he is gone. The Titans come too but mess everything up.

• “Caged Tiger”: Robin, Cyborg and Beast Boy get trapped in the elevator and get Cabin Fever, while Raven and Starfire meet Dr. Light and find out that he’s not so bad.

• “Second Christmas”: The Titans are excited about Christmas, but when it ends they fool Starfire into throwing a second one.

• “Nose Mouth”: After Robin keeps everybody awake one night because of his sleep-fighting, The Titans think that Raven’s spells could help around the Tower. When Raven finally does, she becomes more evil, just as she feared.

• “Legs”: When Robin steals Raven’s cloak, the Titans find out she’s a better person without it. Raven later leaves the Titans but comes back when things get out of control with her cloak when Cyborg end up wearing it.

• “Breakfast Cheese”: Starfire tries teaching the Titans to use peace and love to defeat their adversaries.

• “Waffles”: Robin and the Titans become annoyed when Beast Boy and Cyborg will only say the word “waffles”.

• “Be Mine”: Terra seeks revenge against the Titans, particularly Beast Boy, during a Valentine’s Day dance at Titans Tower.

• “Opposites”: Cyborg falls in love with Jinx and both try to keep it a secret from the Titans and the H.I.V.E.

• “Birds”: Robin accidentally mutates mocking birds with birdicide which soon take over the tower.

• “Brain Food”: Beast Boy wants to be smarter than the others, so he uses Raven’s spell book to make the Titans dumber than him. But as a meteor heads for Earth, it’s up to Silkie to save the world.

• “In and Out”: Robin insists that he must go in disguise as a villain named Red X in order to blow up the H.I.V.E tower but he finds out that some things are just too good to be destroyed and the rest of the Titans follow.

• “Little Buddies”: Cyborg befriends Pain Bot and decides to keep him as a “little buddy”.

• “Missing”: Robin, Beast Boy and Cyborg return Silkie to Killer Moth in favor of a cash reward while Raven tries convincing Starfire that Silkie was incapable of loving her.

• “Uncle Jokes”: Beast Boy and Cyborg invite Starfire to join their entourage, as long as she avoids annoying “uncle jokes”. Robin ends up freaking out over the team’s balance when Star joins in.

• “Mas y Menos”: Robin tries teaching two super-speedy Guatemalan brothers named Más y Menos how to become heroes, or rather to become like him, but the other Titans distract him from his “lessons.”

• “Dreams”: The dreams of the Titans are revealed.

• “Grandma Voice”: Cyborg starts speaking in the voice of his grandmother, which the Titans think is funny, but it proves to be more annoying as the days go by.

• “Real Magic”: Raven tries to stop Robin from performing “terrible” magic tricks, because of being summoned by the Magic god.

• “Puppets, Whaaaaat?”: After Robin gets mad at his team. He makes a deal with the evil puppet wizard.

Bio-Dome

Olive Films / Released 4/21/15

Pauly Shore (Encino Man) and Stephen Baldwin (The Usual Suspects) star as Bud “Squirrel” Macintosh and Doyle “Stubs” Johnson in the ultimate slacker comedy Bio-Dome. Mistaking an experimental site for a mall, Squirrel and Stubs enter in hopes of finding a bathroom and instead find themselves the unwitting participants in a biological research project and the antagonistic foils of the by-the-book lead scientist Dr. Faulkner (William Atherton, Die Hard, Day of the Locust). Joey Adams (Chasing Amy, Big Daddy) lends comic support in the Jason Bloom (Overnight Delivery, Viva Las Nowhere) directed comedy written by Kip Koenig and Scott Marcano.

Breakin’ / Breakin’ 2: Electric Boogaloo

Shout! Factory / Released 4/21/15

When jazz dancer Kelly (Lucinda Dickey, Ninja III: The Domination) teams up with street dancers Ozone (Adolfo Shabba Doo, Quinones) and Turbo (Michael “Boogaloo Shrimp”, Chambers), there’s no stopping them! Now, at last, you can relive the exhilarating Breakin’ saga on Blu-ray!

In Breakin’, rich girl Kelly learns the moves of the street under the tutelage of Ozone and Turbo. In spite of her disapproving dance instructor, Kelly overcomes the odds to become a poppin’ and lockin’ princess: and the secret weapon in Ozone and Turbo’s battle against rival dance team Electro Rock.

The beat doesn’t slow down for the slammin’ sequel to Breakin’, Breakin’ 2: Electric Boogaloo! A hip-hop homage to the “hey kids, let’s put on a show! “, musicals of Hollywood’s yesteryear, this fly follow-up finds our heroes coming to the rescue of a community center facing demolition at the hands of a greedy real-estate developer. Featuring even more fancy footwork than the original film, Breakin’ 2: Electric Boogaloo is unquestionably the greatest film (title) of all time. Extras include commentary, featurettes and trailers.

Ghoulies / Ghoulies II

Shout! Factory / Released 4/21/15

Ghoulies
Take a creepy old Hollywood mansion, a naive young man and a pretty girl. Add an over-the-top orgy and some slimy, winged goblins who crawl out of toilets, and you have Ghoulies, a horrifying and hilarious ride into the darkest regions of hell! Conjured during a party thrown by the mansion’s new owner, the hairy, fanged demons waste no time wreaking havoc on the scene: and declaring the unsuspecting owner their new lord and master! Peter Liapis (Ghost Warrior), Lisa Pelkin (Jennifer), Michael Des Barres (Waxwork II, Under Siege) and Jack Nance (Eraserhead, Twin Peaks) star in this fanged frenzy of sharp twists and eye-popping shocks that’ll get you where it counts!  Extras include commentary, interviews, and trailer.

Ghoulies II
The demonic, toilet-dwelling goblins are back! Stowed away in Satan’s Den, the traveling House of Horror operated by carnival workers Larry and Uncle Ned, the Ghoulies merrily devour the sideshow attraction’s patrons… until Larry realizes his horror house is for real and tries to flee the scene! Deliciously outrageous special effects and over-the-top antics ratchet up the horrific fun! Kerry Remsen (Pumpkinhead), Phil Fondacaro (Troll), William Butler (1990’s Night Of The Living Dead) and Royal Dano (Big Bad Mama) star in this creepy, crawly sequel that’s got every bit as big a bite as the original! Extras include interviews, deleted scenes and trailer.

Dance With Me Henry

Olive Films / Released 4/21/15

Featuring the legendary comic duo Abbott and Costello (in what would be their last screen appearance together), Dance With Me, Henry is a heartwarming, dramatic and often comedic tale of friendship and unconditional love. When business partners, friends, and housemates Lou Henry (Lou Costello) and Bud Flick (Bud Abbott) become involved in a money-laundering scheme, they risk not only their partnership and friendship, but jeopardize the welfare of the two orphaned children who they have taken into their home to raise. Add to the mix the hot-on-their heels welfare worker Miss Mayberry (Mary Wickes, White Christmas, The Music Man, Sister Act) who considers the living arrangements to be less than ideal for the children, and you have the elements for an adventure that could only be done the “Abbott and Costello” way. Lending acting support are Gigi Perreau (The Man In The Gray Flannel Suit) and Rusty Hammer (TV’s Make Room For Daddy) in a film directed by Charles Barton (Abbott and Costello’s The Time of Their Lives and Disney’s The Shaggy Dog).

Blind Woman’s Curse

Arrow Video / Released 4/21/15

A thrilling Yakuza film featuring eye-popping visuals, sensational fight sequences and the gorgeous Meiko Kaji (Lady Snowblood, Stray Cat Rock), in her first major role. Akemi (Kaji) is a dragon tattooed leader of the Tachibana Yakuza clan. In a duel with a rival gang Akemi slashes the eyes of an opponent and a black cat appears, to lap the blood from the gushing wound. The cat along with the eye-victim go on to pursue Akemi’s gang in revenge, leaving a trail of dead Yakuza girls, their dragon tattoos skinned from their bodies.

A bizarre blend of the female Yakuza film and traditional Japanese ghost story, with a strong dash of grotesque-erotica (the same movement was a sensibility of Edogawa Rampo whose works were adapted by Ishii in Horrors of Malformed Men), Blind Woman’s Curse is a delirious mash-up of classic genre tropes, of which Ishii was no stranger, having directed everything from Super Giant films to Biker movies! Bonus Materials include: New high definition digital transfer of the film prepared by Nikkatsu Studios Presented in High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) and Standard Definition DVD Uncompressed mono PCM audio Newly translated English subtitles Audio commentary by Japanese cinema expert Jasper Sharp Original Trailer Trailers for four of the films in the Meiko Kaji-starring Stray Cat Rock series, made at the same studio as Blind Woman’s Curse Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Gilles Vranckx Collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film by Japanese cinema expert Tom Mes, illustrated with original archive stills.

Cooley High

Olive Films / Released 4/21/15

Set in 1964 Chicago, Cooley High is a slice-of-life tale of high school students coping with the challenges of everyday life, growing up in the shadows of the housing projects. “Preach” (Glynn Turman, Thomasine & Bushrod) and “Cochise” (Lawrence-Hilton Jacobs, TV’s Welcome Back Kotter) are two black high school students, and best friends, who see their lives irrevocably changed by circumstance in this dramatic comedy Cooley High.

Cooley High also stars Garrett Morris (TV’s Saturday Night Live) and Jackie Taylor (Hoodlum, Losing Isaiah).

Last Word: Films that capture the magic of youth and the energy of male friendship accurately are rarer than you’d think.  Diner did it.  Fandango did it.  Stand By Me did it.  And Cooley High did it.  From director Michael Schultz, Cooley High is a charming, realistic take on that succeeds in both drama and comedy.  The inspiration for the television series, What’s Happenin’, Cooley High‘s best moments come from the natural performances and the very tangible chemistry of the ensemble.  The third act introduces some heavier drama and in some ways, stunts the overall success of the film, but realistically handled, it ultimately works.  Recommended. 

Supremacy

Well Go USA / Released 4/21/15

Tully (Joe Anderson) just got paroled. But his first night out could be his last. He just killed a cop. He’s on the run. And no one’s going to listen to an ex-con with the Aryan Nation.

His leader (Anson Mount) just cut him loose, and as the police close in, Tully and his girlfriend (Dawn Olivieri) add home invasion and hostages to the body count. But no one counted on Mr. Walker (Danny Glover), an ex-con himself, to fight back – using his understanding of the racist mind to turn the tables on a desperate and violent man. Will it be enough to keep his family alive? Extras include behind the scenes and trailers.

Hit By Lightning

Starz/Anchor Bay / Released 4/14/15

Aging and single, Ricky Miller (Jon Cryer), spends his days managing a fast food chain, doting on his cats, and yearning to fall in love. Terrified that his ship has sailed, he turns to online dating, where he meets the mysterious Danita, a woman without a picture who asks him out on a date. Fearing the worst, Ricky goes to meet Danita, only to find that she is charming, intelligent, and stunningly beautiful. Most puzzling, she seems to be totally smitten with Ricky from first sight.

Egged on by his best friend Seth (Will Sasso) who is skeptical of the situation, Ricky looks for the catch. Danita confesses that she is in a loveless marriage to a very successful crime novelist, who was once accused of killing his ex-wife a few years prior. She fears her husband will strike again, and the only way that she can be free of him is for Ricky to kill him.

Hopelessly in love with Danita, but horrified by the predicament, Ricky wonders can homicide lead to happy ever after?

Where’s the Love

First Look / Released 4/21/15

Married relationship experts and doctors Sebastian (Lamman Rucker) and Ryan Reid (Denise Boutte) seem to have it all, but secretly their relationship is falling apart. They’ve been keeping up appearances to their family, friends, colleagues, patients, and their fans to save their lucrative careers – until one day when it all comes out. now, Ryan and Sebastian have to decide whether their own marriage can be saved. Also starring Terri J. Vaugh, LeToya Luckett, Darian “Big Tigger” Morgan, David Banner and Nicole Eggert.

Fortitude

PBS Home Video / Released 4/21/15

Surrounded by the savage beauty of the frozen landscape, Fortitude, a small town in the Arctic Circle, is one of the safest towns on Earth. There has never been a violent crime here. Until now.

In this close-knit community, a murder touches everyone and the unsettling horror of the crime threatens the future of the town itself. The local police chief, Sheriff Dan Anderssen (Richard Dormer), must investigate alongside Eugene Morton (Stanley Tucci), a detective who has flown into Fortitude so fast that questions are being asked about how much he knew, and when. As the two cops try to make sense of the killing, each finds reasons to mistrust and suspect the other.

The murder is a catastrophe for the town’s governor, Hildur Odegard (Sofie Grabol), who’s planning on turning the declining mining town into a site for high-end tourism. Meanwhile, for wildlife photographer Henry Tyson (Michael Gambon), who only has weeks left to live, the murder is the catalyst to unearthing Fortitude’s darkest secret. As the cold Arctic darkness gives way to endless summer nights, this apparently idyllic community struggles to make sense of the murderous horror that has been let loose in its heart. Extras include interviews.

The Babadook Special Edition

Shout! Factory / Released 4/14/15

Amelia (AFI Award winner Essie Davis, Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries, The Slap) is a single mother plagued by the violent death of her husband. When a disturbing storybook called “Mister Babadook” turns up at her house, she is forced to battle with her son’s deep-seated fear of a monster. Soon she discovers a sinister presence all around her.

A chilling tale of unseen and otherworldly horror in the haunting tradition of The Orphanage, Jennifer Kent’s visceral journey into the heart of fear itself is as terrifying as it is believable. Extras include Deleted Scenes, Cast and Crew Interviews, Behind the Scenes of the Making of The Film, Jennifer Kent’s Short Film, “Monster” and Theatrical Trailers

Last Word: The Babadook is the very promising debut film by Jennifer Kent, a spookily effective horror movie that is essentially a two-character drama between a grieving widow and her troubled child.

Amelia (Essie Davis) must raise son Samuel (Noah Wieseman) alone after her husband’s tragic death.  As the film starts, Amelia is overwhelmed by Samuel’s insistence on hunting the monsters that might be under his bed or in his closet. He’s even fashioned a crossbow that he carries with him to school, which promptly gets him expelled.  Things only escalate after he chooses a book called “Mister Babadook” one night for his bedtime story. Amelia has never seen the book before and has misgivings once she realizes that it’s a tale of a boogeyman who’s all of Samuel’s worst fears.

From then on, Samuel is obsessed with the Babadook and soon Amelia thinks she is seeing the monster as well.  The fantastically unsettling drawings of the Babadook are by American illustrator Alexandra Juhasz. With his white face, top hat, cape and long, spindly black fingers, he resembles Lon Chaney in London After Midnight.

The art direction impressively suggests the monster in ordinary things as his destructive presence increasingly takes over the little family. Davis is terrific as the mother, who goes from meekly overwhelmed to seriously unhinged as she starts to believe in the Babadook as well. Samuel’s actions have alienated everyone but his mother, so she has nowhere to turn for help as the situation worsens. There are some great heart-thumping scares in the film, although I wish that the question of whether the Babadook is real or just a figment of the isolated duo’s imagination was more ambiguous.

The movie builds to a great climax, then doesn’t know where to go, unfortunately. Kent, who wrote as well as directed The Babdook, concludes on an odd, unsatisfactory note that doesn’t fit with what’s come before.  That doesn’t undermine what is still a great piece of psychological horror reminiscent of The Innocents and Repulsion. I look forward to what Kent does next.  (– Sharon Knolle)

Echoes

Starz/Anchor Bay / Released 4/14/15

Struggling with horrifying, sleep-paralysis induced visions, Anna (Kate French, of One Tree Hill, Wicked Wicked Games), retreats with her boyfriend to an isolated yet beautiful glass house in the desert. Hoping that the desert vistas surrounding her will spur her creative juices, she welcomes the opportunity to stay behind when her boyfriend must return to the city for urgent business.

However, Anna’s sleep paralysis does not abate, despite the calming environment. And now, her attacks are accompanied by a mysterious figure, caked with dirt as if it was made of sand itself. As the visions intensify, she finds herself on the verge of losing her mind…or is she being lead to uncover a life-threatening secret? Steven Brand (The Scorpion King) and Billy Wirth (The Lost Boys) co-star in this supernatural chiller about haunting secrets, grisly vengeance, and the fear that reverberates in Echoes.

Little House on the Prairie: Season 5

Lionsgate / Released 4/14/15

Follow your favorite frontier family as they move from Walnut Grove to be closer to Mary’s school for the blind, and experience every exciting adventure from season five of this much-loved TV series. Relive the heartwarming moments when orphan Albert wins Charles’ heart, when Mary conquers doubts about becoming a wife and mother, when the townspeople return to and restore Walnut Grove, and when Laura and Albert help a dying friend realize his dream. All 24 uncut episodes are restored and remastered for premium picture and sound to capture hearts once again.  This season also features an expanded cast with the addition of  Patrick Labyorteaux, Matthew Labyorteaux and Linwood Boomer.  Extras include featurette.

Little Accidents

Starz/Anchor Bay / Released 4/14/15

When a teenage boy goes missing in a small town already devastated by a fatal mining accident, three strangers find themselves drawn together in a tangle of secrets, lies, and the collective grief of the community. Reeling from the disappearance of her son, Diane (Elizabeth Banks) finds herself drifting away from her husband (Josh Lucas), a mining company executive whose role in the accident has made her family the prime target for the town’s anger. When she forms a dangerous bond with the sole survivor of the disaster (Boyd Holbrook), truths will be uncovered that threaten to tear apart the few remaining threads holding the town together in this intense drama from writer-director Sara Colangelo.

Woman in Black 2: Angel of Death

20th Century Fox / Released 4/14/15

The supernatural terror returns and unspeakable evil sets its sight on new prey when a group of orphaned children are forced to move into the abandoned Eel Marsh House with their caretakers, Eve and Jean. As the children begin to mysteriously disappear, Eve makes a shocking discovery… it may not be a coincidence that she has come to reside in a place inhabited by the murderous Woman in Black. Extras include featurettes and deleted scene.

Late For Dinner

Kino Lorber / Released 4/14/15

Late For Dinner is a charming, critically acclaimed old-fashioned romantic comedy that leaps through time into your heart. In the innocent days of 1962, Willie (Brian Wimmer) marries Joy (Marcia Gay Harden), the girl of his dreams. But the young lovers’ hopes are shattered when a sleazy land developer (Peter Gallagher) frames Willie and his best friend Frank (Peter Berg). On the run from a crime they didn’t commit, the two buddies end up caught in the biggest chill ever: guinea pigs in a dangerous cryonics experiment. Frozen Alive! And they don’t thaw out until 1991! Willie and Frank haven’t aged a day but everything has changed. Even Willie’s only love, who’s now in her fifties. But if love does indeed conquer all, Willie and Joy will have the chance to share their once-in-a-lifetime romance… twice. The second and final film directed by writer W.D. Richter, the first was cult classic, The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension.

Enter The Dangerous Mind

Well Go USA / Released 4/14/15

Music makes the voices stop. That s what Jim (Jake Hoffman) wants most to hide away in his apartment, mixing original dubstep beats as a soundtrack to the insanity of daily life.

But it s not working too well lately. His brother (Thomas Dekker) bullies him into pursuing social worker Wendy (Nikki Reed), and their intimate encounter sparks an obsession that turns Jim into a human time bomb. Also starring Scott Bakula, Jason Priestley, and Gina Rodriguez, Enter The Dangerous Mind is a terrifying study of mental illness, and the destruction unleashed when you finally snap.

Manny

Starz/Anchor Bay / Released 4/14/15

From a starving teenager who fought to feed his family, to a Congressman working tirelessly to improve the lives of his people, Manny explores the many triumphs and tribulations of Filipino boxing sensation Manny Pacquiao, the greatest pound for pound fighter the world has ever seen.

Narrated by Liam Neeson, directed by Ryan Moore and Academy Award winner Leon Gast (When We Were Kings), Manny is the inspiring, action-packed story of the life of one of the world’s greatest sportsmen inside and outside the ring. Extras include featurettes.

Joe 90: The Complete Series

Shout! Factory / Released 4/14/15

The authentic Gerry Anderson Sci-Fi Classic! The world’s greatest secret agent is only nine years old!

In the not too distant future, the World Intelligence Network (W.I.N.) welcomes its newest – and most unlikely – secret agent. Joe McClaine is just nine years old, but thanks to the Brain Impulse Galvanoscope Record And Transfer (BIG RAT) machine invented by his father, he can be given the skills, knowledge and experience of anyone on earth. Joe’s adventures take him all over the world, foiling international terrorists, helping besieged royals and recovering missing nuclear weapons.

Following on the heels of Thunderbirds and Captain Scarlet, Joe 90 marked yet another triumph for producer Gerry Anderson. In classic Anderson style, the show featured incredible machines, fast-paced action and ahead-of-their-time special effects. This DVD collection includes all 30 episodes, digitally remastered and restored from 35mm prints and presented in their original production order. Extras include commentaries, Character Biographies, Data Files: Equipment and Location Briefings and Photo Gallery.

Class Of 1984

Shout! Factory / Released 4/14/15

Andrew Norris (Perry King), an idealistic and naive music teacher, has moved into a new community with his pregnant wife, Diane (Merrie Lynn Ross), only to find his new job is an academic abyss. Appalled by the crime-infested school, Norris soon crosses paths with its teenage kingpin, the shrewd and sadistic Peter Stegman (Timothy Van Patten). With Norris setting his sights on reforming Stegman and the young punk declaring war on his teacher, the duo is on a collision course for a fateful showdown.

Directed and co-written by Mark L. Lester (Class of 1999, Commando, Firestarter), Class of 1984 is one of the seminal cult movies of the early 1980s. While its vision of a decaying, violence-plagued inner city school seemed over the top in 1982, it sadly prophesied the future of American education. With an original story and screenplay co-written by genre veteran Tom Holland (Fright Night, Child’s Play, Psycho II, The Beast Within), the film is also notable for its great cast, which includes Lisa Langlois, Roddy McDowall, Stefan Arngrim and Michael J. Fox in an early role. Extras include commentary, interviews, trailer, TV spots and gallery.

The Missing

Starz / Anchor Bay / Released 4/14/15

Directed by Tom Shankland and written by Harry Williams and Jack Williams, The Missing centers on the psychological fallout and ensuing years-long manhunt resulting from the sudden disappearance of five-year-old Oliver Hughes while on holiday with his parents in France in 2006.

When Hughes disappears while on holiday in France in 2006, it sets off a nearly decade-long search for his whereabouts.  A gripping dramatic thriller,  The Missing goes inside the mind of a father, Tony Hughes, played by James Nesbitt, desperate to locate his lost son. With help from a legendary police detective, Julien Baptiste, played by Tcheky Karyo, Tony embarks on an obsessive quest to find his son and those responsible for his disappearance. A gripping puzzle with twists and turns at every stage, Tony’s exhaustive search fractures his relationship with his wife, Emily, played by Frances O’Connor, and threatens to destroy his life. Told through a delicate and complex narrative, The Missing unfolds over two time frames simultaneously.

In addition to James Nesbitt (Tony Hughes), Frances O’Connor (Emily Hughes) and Tcheky Karyo (Julien Baptiste), the international ensemble cast also includes Emilie Dequenne (Laurence), Arsher Ali (Malik Suri), Titus De Voogdt (Vincent Bourg), Ken Stott (Ian Garrett), Said Taghmaoui (Khalid Ziane), Anamaria Marinca (Rini), Jean-Francois Wolff (Alain) and Astrid Whetnall (Sylvie). Extras include featurettes.

Vengeance of an Assassin

Well Go USA / Released 4/14/15

Legendary director, fight choreographer of Ong Bak and mentor to action star Tony Jaa, Panna Rittikrai reunites with Dan Chupong of Born To Fight (2004) in his final film.

The Assassins’ Code: Stick to the mission. Never take your eyes off the target. Show no mercy. Natee (Dan Chupong) became a killer for one reason- to discover who killed his parents. As he gets closer to uncovering a secret network of power and corruption, he’s double-crossed on a job, making him a target and putting everyone he loves in danger. Betrayed, exposed, and hunted by the deadliest killers in the business, now Natee has a new code. Be faster. Stronger. Hit harder. Survive.  Extras include a trailer.

Kidnapping Mr. Heineken

Millennium Entertainment / Released 4/14/15

In 1983, a group of childhood friends pulled off the crime of the century: kidnapping one of the richest men in the world, the heir of the Heineken beer empire (Anthony Hopkins). The shocking capture –by gunpoint in broad daylight on the streets of Amsterdam–resulted in the largest ransom ever paid for a kidnapped individual. It was truly the perfect crime… until they got away with it. Based on a true story, Kidnapping Mr. Heineken also stars Sam Worthington, Jim Sturgess and Ryan Kwanten. Extras include deleted and extended scenes.

That Man from Rio / Up to His Ears

Cohen Media Group / Released 4/14/15

Director Philippe de Broca (King Of Hearts, On Guard) and actor Jean-Paul Belmondo’s (Breathless) most successful collaborations, The Man From Rio was a riotous cut above the James Bond spoofs of the day and Up To His Ears, its follow-up, notched up the action even higher. Set against the beauty of Brazil, Belmondo and Francoise Dorleac are in hot pursuit of a stolen Amazonian statuette, while others pursue them for the same treasure. This recognized inspiration for Raiders Of The Lost Ark was nominated for an Oscar for Best Writing, Story and Screenplay. In Up To His Ears, Belmondo plays a board and recently bankrupted millionaire who is convinced to allow someone to murder him so that he can leave the insurance money is his will. He’s fine with the plan until he meets a stunning stripper (Ursula Andress) and tries to reverse his deal, setting off a madcap chase across China and Tibet. Extras include featurettes and trailers.

Last Word: Parodied by the OSS 117 movies by director Michel Hazanavicius starring Jean Dujardin, these two films are pure cinematic fun.  Clearly produced as a response to the spy craze of the sixties, these films have less in common with Bond than they do with the work of Hergé.  They are energetic, spirited and charming with Jean-Paul Belmondo starring and Philippe de Broca behind the camera.  It’s remarkable how infectious the joy is in both of the films as the director and star seemed to have as much fun making them as they are to watch.  Although the films aren’t connected in anything other than creative collaborators and general tone, they share a common reverence for cinema (in fact, one can see a direct influence that That Man From Rio in particular had on both Hayo Miyazaki’s The Castle of Cagliostro and Steven Spielberg’s Raiders of the Lost Ark).  The enthusiastic adventures in both films benefit from the lead always being slightly in over his head, slightly escaping with Buster Keaton like gracefulness.  Both films are charming, cliché filled, unrelenting cinematic pastiches and are delivered with a wink and a tongue firmly planted in cheek.  Highly recommended.

Teen Titans Go!: Appetite For Disruption Season Two Part One

Warner Bros. / Released 4/14/15

In Season 2 Part 1, the Teen Titans return with a whole new bevy of baddies, beverages and adventures! Partner up with Robin, Cyborg, Raven, Starfire and Beast Boy to defend Jump City against slimy monsters, tyrannical villains and of course, crime fighting induced hunger pains. Every vote counts when the Teen Titans hold team leader elections, Beast Boy dials up the “man-factor” with his new robotic limbs, while Raven races to save the cotton candy bushes from the Gumdrop Goblin. Includes appearances from such DC characters as Blackfire, Aqualad, Gizmo, Dr. Light, The Brain, Brother Blood, Trigon and Nightwing.  Includes the episodes:

• “Mr Butt”: Starfire is set up by Blackfire and arrested. As she plots revenge, the other Titans help make Blackfire a better sister.

• “Man Person”: Beast Boy starts replacing body parts with robotic limbs to make him look tough.

• “Pirates”: Beast Boy gets jealous of Aqualad when he and Raven begin to fall for each other.

• “Money Grandma”: After Robin begins Team Leader Elections for the Titans and hoping to win again, Raven brings back George Washington from the past to show Robin what being a true leader is about.

• “I See You”: Robin and Starfire go on a stakeout, but it is really an excuse for her to kiss him. Meanwhile, Beast Boy and Cyborg try stakeouts as well.

• “Brian”: When the Titans are captured by the Brain, it is up to Birdarang and the other little buddies to save them.

• “Nature”: Beast Boy claims to have lost his “wild side” after losing the ability to change into animals.

• “Salty Codgers”: Mad Mod turns the Titans into old people, who are Raven’s favorite type of people.

• “Knowledge”: Raven gives Starfire unlimited knowledge, but in the process, she becomes a nuisance.

• “Slumber Party”: The Titans host a slumber party to get rid of Cyborg’s fear of the dark.

• “Love Monsters”: Raven warns the titans not to go near a box with the Twin Destroyers of Azarath. Starfire opens it and loves the Destroyers. However, love makes them stronger.

• “Baby Hands”: Brother Blood erases the memories of the Raven, Cyborg, Starfire & Beast Boy so they won’t remember being a Titan. This thrills Robin, because he then retrains the team his style.

• “Caramel Apples”: Trigon wants to destroy the Earth because Raven didn’t get him anything for Father’s Day. Starfire spends time with Trigon because she didn’t have a fatherly relationship.

• “Sandwich Thief”: Robin hunts for the person who stole his “perfect” sandwich.

• “Friendship”: Control Freak traps the Titans in the TV show “Pretty Pretty Pegasus” and they must find a way out.

• “Vegetables”: The Titans become vegetarians, but not everyone is meant for it.

• “The Mask”: Robin’s mask hides a terrible secret, not just his secret identity.

• “Serious Business”: The Titans find out the purpose for a bathroom.

• “Halloween”: Raven tries to put the spirit back into Halloween.

• “Boys vs Girls”: Robin, Beast Boy, and Cyborg compete against Raven and Starfire to determine if boys or girls are better.

• “Body Adventure”: When Cyborg gets sick, Robin becomes small so that he can fight the infection and Titans got to help.

• “Road Trip”: Cyborg takes the Titans on a road trip.

• “Thanksgiving”: Robin tries to impress Batman by hosting the perfect Thanksgiving dinner. Meanwhile, Raven’s father Trigon joined in as he mentioned twice in his appearance.

• “The Best Robin”: Due to the Titans’ laziness, Robin creates another team of himself to battle Brother Blood.

• “Mouth Hole”: Robin goes on a quest to gain a new power: whistling.

• “Hot Garbage”: When the Titans try to get Beast Boy to clean his dirty room, they discover that there’s more to garbage than just trash.

Whitney

Lionsgate / Released 4/14/15

Whitney chronicles the headline-making relationship between iconic singer, actress, producer, model Whitney Houston and singer- songwriter Bobby Brown, from the time they first met at the very height of their celebrity to their courtship and tumultuous marriage. This biopic is a testament to love, triumph, and the overwhelming rewards and deadly cost of fame and fortune. Golden Globe winner and Academy Award nominee Angela Bassett makes her directorial debut in this special two-hour movie featuring Yaya DaCosta (Lee Daniels’ The Butler) in the lead role and Arlen Escarpeta (Final Destination 5) as Bobby Brown. Music includes Brown’s “Every Little Step,” as well as Houston hits “The Greatest Love of All,” “I’m Your Baby Tonight,” “I’m Every Woman,” and “I Will Always Love You,” sung by Grammy-nominated, multi-platinum entertainer Deborah Cox.

God Help The Girl

Starz/Anchor Bay / Released 4/14/15

Eve (Emily Browning of Sucker Punch and Lemony Snicket’s A Series Of Unfortunate Events) starts writing songs during a stay in a mental health clinic, then runs away to Glasgow, where she meets singer-guitarist James (Olly Alexander of the band Years and Years) and his music student Cassie (Hannah Murray of Skins and Game Of Thrones). The three decide to form a band and spend a summer living the songs they’re writing. Experience the “completely charming” and “refreshingly unconventional” (Los Angeles Times) new pop musical from the producer of The Royal Tenenbaums, Rushmore and Bridesmaids, written, directed and featuring songs by Stuart Murdoch of Belle & Sebastian.  Extras include deleted scenes, featurette and music video.

Eddie and the Cruisers / Eddie and the Cruisers II: Eddie Lives! 

Shout! Factory / Released 4/14/15

Eddie And The Cruisers
They say rock ‘n’ roll never dies, but one dark night in 1963, Eddie Wilson’s car took a dive off a Jersey bridge with the troubled rock idol at the wheel. His body was never found. Tom Berenger (Sniper), Michael Pare (Streets of Fire), Joe Pantoliano (The Matrix) and Ellen Barkin (Sea of Love) star in this cool, compelling classic that really rocks!

Twenty years after the lead singer (Pare) of “Eddie and the Cruisers”, disappeared, the band’s songs are hotter than ever. And renewed interest in the band leads TV reporter Maggie Foley (Barkin) to pursue a tantalizing mystery: what if Eddie is still alive?  Extras include trailer.

Eddie And The Cruisers II: Eddie Lives
At the height of fame, rock legend Eddie Wilson (Pare) drove his car into the river and disappeared from the limelight. Twenty years later, his band Eddie and the Cruisers is hotter than ever. Posing as construction worker, Eddie has maintained a quiet life in Canada. But his relentless desire to make music pulls him back to the stage where he forms a new band and an even hotter sound. Meanwhile, to cash in on the revived interest in the band, record executives release an Eddie and the Cruisers “lost tapes”, album and promote a worldwide search for the mysterious rocker. As his new band hits center stage, Eddie finally faces the past: his way. Extras include trailer, interviews and featurette.

Big Eyes 

Starz/ Anchor Bay / Released 4/14/15

From director Tim Burton, Big Eyes tells the outrageous true story of one of the most epic frauds in history. In the late 1950s and early 1960s, painter Walter Keane (Christoph Waltz) had reached success beyond belief, revolutionizing the commercialization of popular art with his enigmatic paintings of waifs with big eyes. The bizarre and shocking truth would eventually be discovered though: Walter’s works were actually not created by him at all, but by his wife Margaret (Amy Adams). Big Eyes centers on Margaret’s awakening as an artist, the phenomenal success of her paintings, and her tumultuous relationship with her husband, who was catapulted to international fame while taking credit for her work. Extras include featurette.

Last Word: Set in the sixties, Tim Burton’s Big Eyes, is based on the life of artist Margaret Keane (Amy Adams) and her shyster husband, Walter (Christoph Waltz). This is a sidestep from Burton’s previous work while still maintaining some of his signature weirdness. Supporting cast includes Jason Schwartzman, Krysten Ritter, Terence Stamp, Danny Huston and a host of others.

The title comes from Margaret’s ‘waif’ paintings, you’ve seen these and knockoffs for years, perhaps in your grandma’s sitting room.

The unfortunates look sad and look through you, and Big Eyes means to set the record straight about who is behind the brush.  The styling, costumes and the set pieces are very much of the time — we’re trained to expect a certain throwback to the same era after seven seasons of Mad Men — and the overall palette of the picture is as bright as you may expect.

The movie opens with Margaret leaving her former life and husband to head to San Francisco.
Margaret and Walter meet selling paintings at an outdoor art fair with her young daughter Jane in tow. Jane is the model for most of Margaret’s ‘Big Eye’ paintings, and after some courtship, the two move in together.

Walter is not a great painter but is a charming man when it comes to business. After exhibiting his Parisian street scenes along side the ‘waifs’ in a local bar, the public attention was always on the waifs. Since the couple had now married, both were signing their name ‘Keane’ to the work. Walter gets caught up in a lie that he relished in — claiming to have painted the waifs himself. Whereas previously in the film, Walter had pitched his work to avant-garde gallery owner Ruben (Schwartzman) he was being rejected. By appealing to the pop-art masses with his new product, Ruben represents the art world as he sits by and watches Walter Keane become somewhat of a rock star and open his own gallery with ‘his’ own works.

The family secret remains so for most of the film, even lying to their daughter Jane and keeping her out of Mommy’s attic studio. The money was rolling in, and as was the case in those days, Adams plays the near perfect subservient housewife when not producing canvas after canvas of the waif paintings. Waltz’s Walter revels in the attention and accolades from many magazine and newspaper features (he garnered special attention at the local paper from gossip columnist Dick Nolan played by Danny Huston) as the creator of the waifs. Once the paintings caught on, the family was making money hand over fist and opening their own gallery it was near to late to set the record straight about which Keane was the painter. In fact, it had to stay a dark lie for Margaret to sit with.

Burton is a huge fan of Keane’s paintings, so it is easy to chalk this up to and believe that this was a passion project for him, perhaps setting the record straight for the masses about this incredulous artistic injustice. The true strength of the film might not be the message it carries, though it is a thoughtful comment on misogyny and men taking power from women (and the righteous reversal of that)!

My favorite part of Big Eyes are the performances. The only time the audience might feel placated or judged is by the over-the-top goatee’d Schwartzman who is only a beret and an ascot away from being 100% cartoon. And you know what — that’s probably intentional and it just makes me miss Bored To Death. Big Eyes is not the Burton you are expecting, but still is enough of a distraction to justify a pizza and Redbox night. (– Clay N Ferno)

A Most Violent Year

Lionsgate / Released 4/7/15

Powerful performances by Oscar Isaac (Inside Llewyn Davis) and Jessica Chastain (Interstellar) lead this gritty story of crime and corruption in ’80s New York City from acclaimed writer-director J.C. Chandor. Abel Morales has a lucrative oil-delivery service. But on the eve of a huge business deal, Abel is snared in a web of danger and deceit. Beset by rivals who want his business and a D.A. who wants to take him down, Abel is driven to desperate measures to save his company and protect his family. Extras include commentary, featurettes and deleted scenes.

Last Word: A Most Violent Year is the story of a successful immigrant businessman, Abel Morales (Oscar Isaac). The film follows Morales as he works to break ahead of his fellow competitors in an ambitious business deal. In a business fraught with political corruption and mob ties, Morales tries to stay true to his moral compass, protect his family from a turf war, and stay ahead of an ambitious DA who sees Morales as his opportunity to taking down a corrupt industry.

All of this is set against the tarnished landscape of New York City in 1981, historically a year where the violent crimes in New York had reached an all time high. A Most Violent Year has all the components of an Academy recognized drama.

Oscar Isaac is brilliant as Abel Morales. He strides the line between ruthless and morally conscious with a perfect balance. In some ways his portrayal of Morales reminded me of a young Al Pacino in the first godfather, struggling not to become involved in the “family business”.

Jessica Chasten is hypnotic as Anna Morales, Abel’s wife. Watching Anna vacillate between being the good, supportive wife, and the tough-as-nails mafioso daughter who is infinitely more dangerous than her husband is entertaining. The performance of these two fine actors were the saving grace of an otherwise mostly unremarkable film.

Albert Brooks, a undisputedly talented actor, was wasted in a one dimensional character, and David Oyelowo’s deft performance as the ambitious District Attorney was short on screen time.

The film lacked depth and texture. With the exception of a few things on the surface such as cars and lead character’s clothes, costume design and make-up completely missed the mark. It was like they tried to fit a 2014 aesthetic into the 1980’s.  In a lighter film that might work. However, A Most Violent Year appeared to be attempting authenticity. Unfortunately, it was not achieved. The devil is in the details. Don’t wax your leading man when you are portraying an era where Burt Reynolds and Tom Selleck are your examples of masculinity.

The film just never really felt like New York of the early Eighties. It was a dangerous time. New York felt bigger, grittier, darker then.  That danger was almost completely lacking in the film. A few of Morales’ employees are violently assaulted, but the acts are so far telegraphed ahead of time that instead of suspense or shock, I was left with a, “Well, you should have seen that coming, Dummy”.

The writing often smacked of someone thinking that they were being clever, but showing their hand too often. A talented, capable, and moral main character named Abel Morales. Really? Is this supposed to be a Dickens’ novel?

The development of Morales’ character is plodding and predictable in the writing. I tip my hat to Oscar Isaac that he was able to work with the material as much as he did. It may just be a case of the writer, J.C. Chandor, feeling overwhelmed with the details of a period piece. The pace felt uneven. The plot seemed to slog through to get the viewer to the high tension, dramatic scenes, and then drop off.  Overall, A Most Violent Year left me wishing for a tighter rewrite and more time spent in pre-production before filming. It was an interesting idea with uneven execution.  (– Sharon Knolle)

The Voices

Lionsgate / Released 4/7/15

Jerry (Ryan Reynolds) is that chipper guy clocking the nine-to-five at a bathtub factory, with the offbeat charm of anyone who could use a few friends. With the help of his court-appointed psychiatrist, he pursues his office crush (Gemma Arterton). However, the relationship takes a sudden, murderous turn after she stands him up for a date. Guided by his evil talking cat and benevolent talking dog, Jerry must decide whether to keep striving for normalcy, or indulge in a much more sinister path.  Extras include featurettes, deleted and extended scenes, animatics, and galleries.

The Immigrant

Starz/Anchor Bay Released 4/7/15

In James Gray’s The Immigrant, Ewa Cybulski (Marion Cotillard) and her sister sail to New York from their native Poland in search of a new start and the American dream. When they reach Ellis Island, doctors discover that Magda (Angela Sarafyan) is ill, and the two women are separated. Ewa is released onto the mean streets of Manhattan while her sister is quarantined. Alone, with nowhere to turn and desperate to reunite with Magda, Ewa quickly falls prey to Bruno (Joaquin Phoenix), a charming but wicked man who takes her in and forces her into prostitution. The arrival of Orlando (Jeremy Renner) – a dashing stage magician who is also Bruno’s cousin – restores her self-belief and hopes for a brighter future, becoming her only chance to escape the nightmare in which she finds herself. Extras include commentary, featurette and trailer.

Killers

Well Go USA Released 4/7/15

A series of horrific murders just went viral, posted anonymously by the handsome and seductive Nomura (Kazuki Kitamura), a predator with a taste for torture. Thousands of miles away, disgraced journalist Bayu (Oka Antarra) can’t stop watching – and in a reckless moment discovers he, too, can kill.

One man in Tokyo. One in Jakarta. A serial killer and a vigilante. As the posts multiply and the body count rises, a bizarre and psychotic rivalry begins – and the face-to-face showdown that’s coming will paint the city in blood.

Thunder Road

Shout! Factory / Released 4/7/15

Robert Mitchum (who also wrote the story and served as executive producer) stars in Thunder Road as Lucas Doolin, a Korean War veteran who returns home and promptly rejoins the family’s bootlegging business. His father, Vernon (Trevor Bardette), runs the still and heads the family, while Lucas handles the driving and transporting of the moonshine (mostly to Memphis), and his younger brother, Robin (James Mitchum), takes care of the car he uses to outrun the competition and the Treasury agents; and their mother, Sarah (Frances Koon), keeps the home. Lucas is a better driver than anyone around, and he and Robin have rigged a few tricks on the car that surprise the Treasury men — but Robin is nearly 17 and tired of just working under the hood; he wants to drive like Lucas.

Lucas doesn’t want his brother to become a transporter, though, preferring that the teenager stay in school and stay straight with the law. But Lucas is pretty easy to idolize, looked up to by most of their neighbors for his driving skills, among other attributes, and the object of affections of lots of women between Harlan and Memphis, most especially teenaged neighbor Rozanna Ledbetter (Sandra Knight). He appreciates her admiring and lustful gaze, though he has all the woman he can handle and wishes that she were that interested in Robin, who’s her own age and just as attracted to her in his own awkward way. Lucas and his family have always been able to outrun the revenue agents, even with a new man, Troy Barrett (Gene Barry), assigned to the territory and out to get him — they’re dedicated and tough, but they’re not killers. However, now they’re hearing of a new threat in the guise of a Memphis-based gangster named Carl Kogan (Jacques Aubuchon), who wants to take over the Doolins’ operation and all the other moonshining activity in Harlan County. He’s already offered a lot of money, but the Doolins and most of their neighbors running stills are too independent for that, and now he’s sending in muscle, and that gets a young neighbor of theirs (Jerry Hardin) killed. But Lucas was pretty tough before the war, and he learned a thing or two about combat in Korea, and is not about to let either revenue agents or a bunch of strong-arm men from the city get in his way, and he has the car and the firepower to back up those sentiments. When Kogan goes too far and kills a Treasury man, Lucas also picks up an unintended ally in agent Barrett, whose highest priority becomes indicting Kogan. The problem is that indictments and prosecutions aren’t what Lucas is about — he means to meet shot-for-shot and take more personal action, especially when his family becomes involved in Kogan’s machinations. One thing he always swore to any and all within hearing range was that he’d keep Robin from becoming a transporter, and kill anyone who tried to make him one. And when Kogan manipulates a situation where Robin is lured into driving, Lucas means to make good on that vow.

Director Arthur Ripley, working in tandem with second unit directors James Casey and Jack Lannan and second unit photographer Karl Malkames, keeps the action moving at a brisk pace. Robert Mitchum is the center of gravity to the movie, though, which contains the quintessential Mitchum performance, the actor making his work look so easy that he could almost seem lazy if he weren’t so magnetic in the role. He helped make Thunder Road into a national success, but the movie always had an extra-special resonance in the South, where it was shot and set. Thunder Road continued to generate annual five- and six-figure ticket sales from drive-ins in the border and Southern states for 25 years after its original release, a factor that caused United Artists and its successor organizations to purposefully delay its release on home video until the end of the 1980s. Extras include a trailer.

Manhattan Season 1

Lionsgate / Released 4/7/15

Breathless

Shout! Factory /Released 4/7/15

Inspired by a classic French New Wave film, Breathless is a gripping and sexually charged thriller. When Las Vegas lowlife Jesse Lujack (Richard Gere) becomes a wanted fugitive, he hightails it from Sin City to the City of Angels in order to track down Monica (Valerie Kaprisky), a beautiful French woman studying at UCLA, planning to convince her to escape to Mexico with him. Finding herself drawn in by the sheer magnetism of Jesse and his dark world, Monica can’t help but fall for him and she soon finds herself swept up in his run from the law. But as the noose around the two begins to tighten, Monica must decide whether to stand by her ne’er-do-well lover… or save herself.  Extras include a trailer.

Wings 3D

BBC Home Video / Released 4/7/15

Narrated by Doctor Who star David Tennant, Wings 3D is the breathtaking aerial adventure that takes goose bumps to new heights. Emmy nominated director John Downer users breakthrough filming techniques and technology to bring you high-flying sights that will simply amaze. Remarkable 3D footage captures majestic bald eagles gliding over the Grand Canyon, colorful macaws on the rivers of Peru, manta rays soaring skyward from the sea, barn swallows dive-bombing for a drink, cranes high over Venice and so much more. Your historic flight is ready for departure.

Tiny Giants 3D

BBC Home Video / Released 4/7/15

The producers of Life and Planet Earth share this spectacular ground-level view of the smallest wonders of the natural world. Unless you’ve been an ant or an earthworm in a previous life, you’ve never seen anything like this. Immerse yourself in a terrifically fascinating place, where small creatures face titanic battles to survive. Special 3D cameras capture that larger than life adventures of Earth’s littlest heroes. Featuring a stirring musical score from Ben Foster (The Theory of Everything, Doctor Who) and narrated by Stephen Fry, Tiny Giants is one of the most remarkable nature films of all time! Extras include featurette.

Planet Dinosaur 3D

BBC Home Video / Released 4/7/15

More dinosaurs were discovered in the last decade than the preceding 200 years, and you can find them here in eye-popping 3D. Planet Dinosaur 3D will transport you back hundreds of millions of years to meet T Rex’s bigger, meaner, weirder cousins. Scarier than any movie and stranger than your wildest fantasy, you’ll discover a completely immersive visual experience studded with curious fact and jaw-dropping action. Travel back in time and witness a world like nothing you’ve ever seen, now in 3D!

King of the Hill Season 9

Olive Films / Released 4/7/15

A hilarious slice of middle-class life in small-town America, “King of the Hill” has become one of the most beloved and long-running prime-time animated series in television history. Outrageously funny but remarkably truthful, the series follows the exploits of propane salesman Hank Hill (Mike Judge) as he reigns over a family of underachievers, a group of beer-guzzling friends, and the everyday challenges of life in Arlen, Texas. Comprised of all 15 episodes from season nine, this two-disc collection features guest appearances by Jason Bateman and Johnny Knoxville.

Includes the episodes:

• “A Rover Runs Through It”: The Hills travel to Montana to visit Peggy’s mother. There, they find out the family is losing the ranch to Henry Winkler because of high property taxes.

• “Ms. Wakefield”: When an elderly stranger, Ms. Wakefield (voice of Marion Ross), visits the Hill residence during Christmas, Hank is thrilled to show her his house since it was also her childhood home. However, when Ms. Wakefield announces that she wants to die in their house, Hank and Peggy want nothing more than for her to leave, despite her bothersome insistence.

• “Death Buys a Timeshare”: Cotton inherits $10,000 from the will of his friend Topsy, and goes to Mexico, with Bill in tow, to buy a timeshare. Feeling lonely after the death of his friend, Cotton gets suckered in by tales of the timeshare development’s owner, O’Kelly, and decides to buy—even though Americans cannot own land in Mexico. Meanwhile during a heatwave in Arlen, Peggy, Bobby and Dale search for a pool to swim in.

• “Yard, She Blows!”: Peggy is jealous that Hank always gets complimented on his yard, so she starts a garden in the front yard. When that plan fails, she puts Winklebottom the garden gnome in their front yard, which drives Hank insane.

• “Dale to the Chief”: When Dale reads Joseph the Warren Commission Report, he notices the absence of a discrepancy in the positioning of the local landmarks, decides that the U.S. government must be right about who assassinated John F. Kennedy (and thus, their official version of every story he had previously written off as part of some conspiracy is in fact completely factual) and turns his government-hating, right-wing mania into even more insufferable, flag-waving patriotism. Meanwhile, Hank discovers a mistake on his driver’s license and is sent through a boatload of red tape in order to fix it—a task made all the more onerous when Dale reports Hank as a threat to America’s national security.

• “The Petriot Act”: When Hank agrees to take in a soldier’s pet, he gets Duke, a vicious, mean-spirited cat, against Hank’s wishes. Hank takes Duke to visit Dr. Leslie (voice of Jason Bateman), a veterinarian who runs a battery of tests and presents Hank with a bill for several thousand dollars.

• “Enrique-cilable Differences”: Hank’s co-worker Enrique is having marital problems, and starts spending all his time with Hank. Meanwhile, Bobby tries to unblock the Fox network from the Hills’ TV in order to watch the Daytona 500.

• “Mutual of Omabwah”: When Hank forgets to mail his insurance payment, Hank and Bobby must protect themselves from any accidents until their insurance can be re-activated in 36 hours. Meanwhile, Dale decides to raise bees, Bill and Boomhauer discover the joys of deep-frying, and Peggy and Luanne get stuck at a rest stop when Hank asks them not to drive uninsured.

• “Care-Takin’ Care of Business”: When the Tom Landry Middle School football team has to forfeit a game due to poor field maintenance when the caretaker goes senile, the booster club resolves to replace the school’s elderly groundskeeper, Smitty (voice of Christopher Lloyd), and Hank resolves to help him keep his job by secretly doing upkeep on the field. Meanwhile, Luanne starts dating a redneck named Lucky (first seen in “The Redneck on Rainey Street”), much to Peggy’s dismay.

• “Arlen City Bomber”: To pay off her credit card debts, Luanne signs up to be a roller derby girl. Peggy gets in on it too and uses borrowed money to make improvements on the team, sinking both Luanne and Peggy deeper into debt.

• “Redcorn Gambles with His Future”: Hank is in charge of organizing the Strickland Family Fun Day. Meanwhile, John Redcorn and his band “Big Mountain Fudgecake” are having trouble finding a venue to play their music. Acting on Hank’s advice, John Redcorn uses his land to open a casino so his band can have a place to play.

• “Smoking and the Bandit”: When Arlen bans smoking in all restaurants and bars, Dale becomes the rebellious “Smoking Bandit” to impress Joseph. Meanwhile, Peggy decides to tail the “Bandit” and unmask him. Tone Lōc guest stars.

• “Gone with the Windstorm”: When Channel 84 hires a new meteorologist, Irv Bennett, Nancy and her less-than-accurate weather reports are left out in the cold — and the only way back to being hot is for Nancy to cover news of a forest fire. Meanwhile, Bobby tries to fight back against a bully who springs out and scares his victims.

• “Bobby on Track”: Upset with Bobby’s habit of giving up what he starts (after Bobby does not complete the miles needed to run for a charity race), Hank puts Bobby on the school’s track team, but soon learns that the coach only wants Bobby as a “Stick” so he can push the other team members to do better.

• “It Ain’t Over ’til the Fat Neighbor Sings”: Bill joins an all-male chorus (based on a real Dallas-based men’s chorus called The Vocal Majority) who end up using Bill and forcing him to blow off his appointment to cut the general’s hair at the Army base. Meanwhile, Peggy and Bobby get caught up in a game of Pong after Peggy finds her old Atari console in the closet.

King of the Hill Season 10

Olive Films / Released 4/7/15

A hilarious slice of middle-class life in small-town America, King of the Hill has become one of the most beloved and long-running prime-time animated series in television history. Outrageously funny but remarkably truthful, the series follows the exploits of propane salesman Hank Hill (Mike Judge) as he reigns over a family of underachievers, a group of beer-guzzling friends, and the everyday challenges of life in Arlen, Texas. Comprised of all 15 episodes from season ten, this two-disc collection features guest appearances by Johnny Knoxville, Shannon Elizabeth, John Schneider, Dax Shepard and Ricky Lake.  Includes the following episodes:

•  “Hank’s on Board”: Hank fears he is being shunned when his friends go on a vacation without him. Meanwhile, Bobby uses grocery money entrusted to him by Peggy to buy a metal detector.

• “Bystand Me”: When the Arlen Bystander newspaper gets a new editor, Peggy gets a job writing a household hints column (even though Peggy does not know any household hints). Meanwhile, Hank makes Bobby get a paper route.

• “Bill’s House”: Bill turns his house into a rehabilitation center for alcoholics, and enlists Hank’s assistance when the task gets out of hand.

• “Harlottown”: While researching for an article, Peggy discovers that Arlen’s founding mothers were prostitutes, which embarrasses Hank and prompts the city manager to open a Museum of Prostitution and have Arlen be the new city for the Adult Video Awards.

• “Portrait of the Artist as a Young Clown”: Bobby goes to clown college and becomes a classical clown, but no one likes his new act except Bobby himself.

• “Orange You Sad I Did Say Banana?”: Upon being told that he is too Americanized and called a “banana” (the Asian equivalent to an Oreo [a black person who acts white]), Kahn vows to return to his Laotian roots, which doesn’t sit well with Minh and Connie, who are used to living the fat, pop-culture obsessed American life. Meanwhile, Hank, Bill, Dale, and Boomhauer help Kahn built a pool in his backyard.

• “You Gotta Believe (In Moderation)”: Hank invites a softball team to compete against his own team of misfits, to raise money to save Tom Landry Middle School’s baseball team.”Business Is Picking Up”: Hank tries to get Bobby interested in working as a propane salesman during Tom Landry Middle School’s Career Day, but when Joseph beats him to the punch, Bobby shadows a young, handsome man (voice of Johnny Knoxville) who makes his living picking up animal (and human) waste.

• “The Year of Washing Dangerously”: Kahn buys the local car wash as part of get-rich-quick scheme he saw on TV, and Hank finds himself working for his disrespectful, money-obsessed neighbor when Buck takes a stake in the business as well.

• “Hank Fixes Everything”: Buck Strickland hires the Teutul family from the reality show American Chopper (who voice themselves) to perform at Strickland Propane in order to win a price war with Thatherton Fuels, then gets into a price fixing conspiracy with the other propane companies in Arlen which attracts the government’s attention—centered on Hank.

• “Church Hopping”: When the Hill family finds out that their pew of many years has been given away to another family at church, they abandon their staid Methodist church and come about to worship at a new megachurch, but, while Bobby and Peggy enjoy it, Hank begins to miss his old church.

• “24 Hour Propane People”: When Buck gets banned from his favorite strip club, he focuses on making Strickland Propane a “fun” place to work after spending his days at a Cold Stone Creamery-style ice cream parlor where the clerks sing to their customers and give out gimmicky sizes and prizes for their service.

• “The Texas Panhandler”: When Hank refuses to buy Bobby designer faded jeans, Bobby gets a job as a sign spinner — but quits when he realizes that he can get more money by becoming a slacker who begs for money for fun.

• “Hank’s Bully”: Hank gets bullied by a boy named Caleb, whose parents don’t seem to mind that their son is pushing around an adult. Meanwhile, Dale and Peggy enter a taxidermy competition.

• “Edu-macating Lucky”: When Lucky asks Peggy to help him ,get his GED in the hopes of improving his chances of marrying Luanne, Peggy agrees to help him study for the test whilst being torn between her wish to help him and her wish to keep him away from her niece. He fails his GED, but the biggest shock comes after the results when Luanne announces she’s pregnant with Lucky’s child.

Inside Amy Schumer – Seasons 1 & 2

Paramount/ Released 4/7/15

Straight from Amy Schumer’s provocative and hilariously wicked mind, Inside Amy Schumer explores sex, relationships and the general clusterf**k that is life with sketches, stand-up comedy and woman-on-the-street interviews. 3-disc DVD comes with all 20 episodes from the show’s first two seasons, exclusive special features, and Ultraviolet digital copy of both seasons. Starring Amy Schumer and featuring guest appearances by: Paul Giamatti, Parker Posey, Josh Charles, Rachel Dratch, and Patrick Warburton.  Extras include outtakes and deleted scenes, commentaries and photo gallery.

Includes the episodes:

• “Bad Decisions”: Amy Schumer auditions for an illicit Internet video; the aftermath of a one-night stand; and a regrettable airplane flight.

• “Real Sext”: Amy interviews a stripper; tries to understand sexting; and visits a restaurant with a testicle theme.

• “A Porn Star Is Born”: Amy quits her job in porn; has trouble accepting a compliment; and learns that her boyfriend is HIV-positive.

• “The Horror”: Amy gets a bad haircut; breaks wind when she’s afraid; and has a romantic encounter with Amber Tamblyn.

• “Gang Bang”: Amy gets into group sex; gives a friend a sex toy; and uses a disease to get out of commitments.

• “Meth Lab”: Amy cooks some meth; tries to maintain a makeover; and gets food slapped out of her mouth.

• “Unpleasant Truths”: Amy gets molested; has multiple personalities; and has a memorable interaction with a boyfriend.

• “Clown Panties”: Amy fights an addiction; catches her boyfriend cheating; and ridicules a 12-year-old.

• “Terrible People”: Amy wears a catsuit; fibs to get out of a charity event; and conjures Dave Attell.

• “Sex Tips”: In the Season 1 finale, Amy wakes up in bed with two men; searches for the perfect sex tip; and competes on a reality show.

• “You Would Bang Her?”: Amy marries a black guy, loses a tennis match, talks to god and gets herpes.

• “I’m So Bad”: Amy goes to prom; plays a violent video game; and eats a man’s face.

• “A Chick Who Can Hang”: Amy sails to India; and flirts with a coworker.

• “Boner Doctor”: Amy stays at a fancy hotel; begins a questionable diet; and gets couples therapy from supermodel Chrissy Teigen.

• “Allergic to Nuts”: Amy judges strippers; lands a plum movie role; and gets intimate with a magician.

• “Down for Whatever”: Amy screams at a turtle; objects to a wedding; and breaks up with her boyfriend.

• “Slow Your Roll”: Amy hires an interior decorator; looks at inkblots; and goes to therapy with her mom.

• “Tyler Perry’s Episode 208”: Amy raises her estrogen levels; looks for a movie to watch; and gets cheated on while airing the news.

• “Raise a Glass”: Amy attends a wedding, a funeral, and an execution.

• “Slut-Shaming”: Amy meets the press, gets ready for sex, and watches her boyfriend turn gay.

One Step Beyond

Film Chest Media / Released 4/7/15

Produced a year before the Twilight Zone, One Step Beyond – which ran on ABC for three seasons (1959-1961) – sparked the growing interest in paranormal suspense in the late 1950s. Rather than creating fictional stories with mystical twists and turns like the more well-known sci-fi series of the time, this program sought out “real stories” of supernatural events to be re-enacted.

From ghosts and monsters to mysterious disappearances, each eerie episode presents storylines that defy common understanding of reality. No solutions to these mysteries were ever found, leaving viewers bewildered … wondering if the paranormal truly exists.

Includes appearances by such iconic stars as Charles Bronson (Once Upon a Time in the West, The Dirty Dozen, The Great Escape), Cloris Leachman (FOX’s Raising Hope, Young Frankenstein, The Beverly Hillbillies), Robert Loggia (Independence Day, Big, Scarface), Ross Martin (Dying Room Only, The Wild Wild West, The Great Race), Warren Beatty (Bulworth, Dick Tracy, Reds, Bonnie and Clyde), Robert Blake (Lost Highway, Money Train, Baretta, In Cold Blood), Suzanne Pleshette (The Birds) and Joan Fontaine (Ivanhoe, Suspicion).

Hosted by John Newland (Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark, Peyton Place, Dr. Kildare), this set includes the most original episodes ever offered in a single package to date. Extras include an episode guide with synopses.

Uncle Grandpa Good Mornin’

Cartoon Network /  Released 4/7/15

Everyone’s favorite uncle and grandpa is back on DVD—and this time, he’s spreading his catch phrase around in the all-new Cartoon Network DVD, Uncle Grandpa: Good Mornin’! Uncle Grandpa and his extraordinary friends Pizza Steve, Mr. Gus, Belly Bag & Giant Realistic Flying Tiger bring magic and happiness everywhere they pop up… and you never know when or where that may be. With a collection of 12 episodes from the popular animated series, fans can expect unpredictable wackiness, crazy adventures, and imaginative lands. Includes the episodes: Brain Game, Moustache Cream, Nickname,  Locked Out, Mystery Noise, Bad Morning, Bezt Frends, Hide and Seek, The History of Wrestling, Vacation, Aunt Grandma, and Grounded. 

Mahogany: The Couture Edition

Paramount / Released 5/5/15

An ambitious beauty (Diana Ross), rising from a Chicago ‘hood, becomes a rich, deliciously decadent international supermodel. But, she soon learns that la dolce vita isn’t what it’s cracked up to be from the likes of a twitchy bisexual photographer (Anthony Perkins) before finding redemption with straight- arrow politician (Billy Dee Williams).  Extras include photo gallery.

John Doe: Vigilante

Arc Entertainment / Released 4/14/15

Frustrated with a failing legal system that allows violent criminals to go free, John Doe (Jamie Bamber) begins exacting justice the only way he know how – by killing one criminal at a time. Soon he becomes a media sensation and inspires a group of copycat vigilantes, but who is the real John Doe – a pillar of justice or a cold-blooded murderer?   Extras include commentary, and featurettes.

Love Hunter

Kino Lorber / Released 4/14/15

Milan Mumin, the lead singer of the hugely influential Serbian rock band Love Hunters, who, during the turbulent 90s, electrified and gave voice to a generation of young Serbians stars as himself in this inspirational bittersweet musical drama.

Ten years after leaving Serbia, Milan is driving a cab in New York City and cobbling together funds to record his dream album. When his bass guitar’s player suddenly quits, Milan finds a talented but prickly replacement, and a romantic spark, in a free-spirited guitarist named Kim (Eleanor Hutchins). Just as rehearsals start picking up steam, Milan’s longtime Serbian girlfriend Lela (Jelena Stupljanin) arrives with very different plans for their future — she wants him to come home to Serbia where his reputation will let him be anything he wants — but Milan is determined to make his recording — in America, at any cost.

The Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts: Stingers and Zingers

StarVista/Time Life / Released 4/14/15

What began as a ratings booster for the final season of The Dean Martin Show in 1973 evolved into The Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts, an eagerly awaited franchise of regular NBC television specials that targeted the biggest names in the world of entertainment and beyond. Roastmaster General Martin kept things loose and lively, deflecting his share of stray barbs from the guest roasters and from Bob Hope to Muhammad Ali, Johnny Carson to Lucille Ball, Gov. Ronald Reagan to Redd Foxx anybody with a thick skin and a good agent was fair game. In 1974, the show moved from Los Angeles to the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas for the remainder of the run, and the 54 raucous, unforgettable roasts ran until 1984. These original, bawdy roasts hearken back to a time before acutely sensitive Network censors, and deliver home audiences directly to the dais where the cigarettes are real, the drinks are free, and the camaraderie is heartfelt.

The Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts: Stingers and Zingers is an 8-disc collector’s set that features 24 complete roasts, including Valerie Harper, Jack Klugman & Tony Randall, Michael Landon, Carroll O’Connor, Sen. Hubert Humphrey, Wilt Chamberlain, Danny Thomas, Ted Knight, Dan Haggerty, Mr. T, Jack Klugman, Ed McMahon, Redd Foxx, Joe Garagiola, Evel Knievel, Hank Aaron, Peter Marshall, Truman Capote, William Conrad, Monty Hall, Leo Durocher, Bobby Riggs, and Joe Namath-twice! Appearing as roasters, throwing zingers at the men and women of the hour, are Bob Hope, Ed Asner, Lucille Ball, Georgia Engel, Milton Berle, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Ruth Buzzi, Sid Caesar, Foster Brooks, Charo, Howard Cosell, Angie Dickinson, Phyllis Diller, Nipsey Russell, Rich Little, Red Buttons, Audrey Meadows, Bob Newhart, Harvey Korman, Orson Welles, and many others.

Sporting over 20 gut-busting hours of non-stop stingers and zingers, the newly-packaged collection also includes more than three hours of bonus programming, with comedy sketches featuring Dean, Ruth Buzzi, Dom DeLuise, Charo, Ernest Borgnine, and others; two featurettes: “Primetime Ribbing: Roasting Small-Screen Stars” and “Sports Stars: Hit ‘Em Where It Hurts”, as well asexclusive interviews with Ed Asner, Norm Crosby, Rich Little, Carol Burnett, Dan Haggerty, Tom Dreesen, Jimmie Walker, Tony Danza, Shirley Jones, Rip Taylor and Jack Carter.

The Dean Martin Celebtrity Roasts: Hall of Famers

StarVista/Time Life / Released 4/14/15

As the 2015 baseball season gets underway this April, spend some time with legendary Cooperstown inductees with The Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts: Hall of Famers. The set features the complete roasts of two of the game’s legendary players and personalities: Hank Aaron, who, for more than 30 years was baseball’s home run king; and, Joe Garagiola, a talented major league catcher who was eventually inducted into the Hall of Fame as one of the game’s greatest broadcasters. With a murderer’s row of roasters, including fellow baseball Hall of Famers Yogi Berra (who also grew up with Garagiola), Mickey Mantle, Willie Mays and Stan Musial, along with a celebrated All-Star line-up of Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts MVPs including Milton Berle, Ruth Buzzi, Foster Brooks, Nipsey Russell, Rich Little, Red Buttons and Orson Welles,no base was left unturned, in these grand slam events!

With frozen rope insults, bouncing bloopers and towering zingers, The Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts: Hall of Famers is guaranteed to entertain well into extra innings! The disc also includes almost an hour of bonus features such as comedy sketches from the The Dean Martin Show featuring Dean and Joey Bishop, as well as exclusive interviews with Shirley Jones, Norm Crosby and Dan Haggerty.