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Review: New on DVD for October 4 (Includes first-hand account)

A Bigger Splash (DVD)

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Elevation Pictures

When rock legend Marianne Lane (Tilda Swinton) and her partner, Paul (Matthias Schoenaerts), decide to vacation on a remote Italian island, their rest is disrupted by the surprise visit of an old friend, Harry (Ralph Fiennes), and his alluring daughter, Penelope (Dakota Johnson). Suddenly, what was supposed to be a perfect romantic getaway turns into a whirlwind of jealousy, passion, danger and rock and roll under the Mediterranean sun.

The manner of Harry’s arrival is an immediate indicator that he’s impulsive and has boundary issues, which are only exasperated throughout the narrative. In spite of being together for several years, Paul can’t help but feel somewhat insecure when Marianne and her old flame are reunited for any length of time as he’s sure the fire between them was never wholly extinguished. In most instances, Penelope’s presence seems insignificant though she’s often manipulating her elders with a somewhat malicious/immature and subtle touch. Although it’s frequently delivered in whispered tones, the dialogue is usually lined with hidden subtext or overt declarations. Directed by native Italian Luca Guadagnino, the film doubles as a stunning travelogue dedicated to this small cliff-side town and all of its beautiful nooks and crannies.

There are no special features. (Elevation Pictures)

Banshee: The Complete Fourth Season (Blu-ray & Digital copy)

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HBO Home Entertainment

This season begins two years after Lucas (Anthony Starr) and Carrie (Ivana Milicovic) orchestrated a multimillion dollar heist that went bad, leaving Carrie’s husband dead and Job (Hoon Lee) in the hands of a criminal gang. After a bender, during which he finds an unlikely saviour in Rebecca (Lili Simmons), Lucas emerges from a self-imposed exile and goes back to Banshee to find it a drastically changed town that’s facing multiple threats on many levels.

The series’ final season adopts the format of Twin Peaks, in which a major character is murdered in the first episode and the case is investigated for the remainder of the show. The victim still lives in flashbacks as events from the previous two years are revealed whenever they prove relevant to the present. Lucas’ seclusion gives him the appearance of a mountain man, but his reflexes are still cat-like and his interest in the official investigation doesn’t bode well for the mystery serial killer. He also finds an ideal partner in a flawed FBI agent played by Eliza Dushku. Meanwhile, fans of Job will find this to be a particularly difficult season to watch as his charm is threatened with extinction. With many of the characters taking on new, high level positions around town, local drug wars involving Proctor (Ulrich Thomsen), the white supremacists, the cartel and a vigilante, as well as clues leading to the town’s even seedier underbelly, the flow of blood just never seems to stop in Banshee. However showrunners determine to give their beloved characters a proper send-off and they do just that with several memorable scenes leading up to the fitting finale.

Special features include: commentaries; deleted scenes; “Zoomed In”; “Banshee Origins”; and cast retrospectives. (HBO Home Entertainment)

Dexter: The Complete Series (Blu-ray)

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Paramount Home Media Distribution

He’s smart, he’s good looking, and he’s got a great sense of humor. He’s Dexter Morgan (Michael C. Hall), everyone’s favorite serial killer. As a Miami forensics expert, he spends his days solving crimes and nights committing them. But Dexter lives by a strict code of honour that is both his saving grace and lifelong burden. Torn between his deadly compulsion and his desire for true happiness, Dexter is a man in profound conflict with the world and himself.

When the series premiered in 2006, it arrived to rave reviews as it brought a unique perspective to the forensics investigation genre. After all, who better to cover up his tracks as a serial killer than someone who knows exactly what to look for at a crime scene? But it was made more complex by his unexpected personal relationships, which eventually included fatherhood, and the rules he followed regarding his victims. As time goes on Dexter becomes more uncertain about the double-life he’s built, particularly in the moments when they are at risk of discovery or dissolution. The actors’ commitment to the series and their characters endured for up to eight seasons – possibly a little longer than it could really be sustained — but it did deliver a satisfactory conclusion for everyone when the time finally came.

Special features include: commentary by cast and crew; cast interviews; and special featurettes. (Paramount Home Media Distribution)

Fender Bender (Blu-ray & Digital copy)

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Scream Factory

Seventeen-year-old Hilary (Makenzie Vega) has just received her driver’s license only to have her first accident shortly thereafter. Innocently exchanging her personal information with the remorseful stranger behind the wheel, Hilary returns home for a quiet evening with friends. But when the man (Bill Sage) she so readily handed all of her information to reveals himself to be something much darker and sinister than she could imagine, Hilary finds herself in a head-on collision with terror.

This would make a better horror movie if the characters didn’t make so many foolish errors, namely failing to call the police at the first sign of danger; instead, everyone feels fit to investigate the threat themselves. Moreover, as a PSA, an exchange of accident insurance doesn’t include addresses nor should you trust an adult who appears unable to write their given name correctly the first time. All that said, the film does have its moments; particularly when Hilary shows she may be a worthy adversary… if only her human opponent didn’t seemingly have superhuman resistance to her outwardly effective attacks.

Special features include: commentary by director Mark Pavia; commentary by the producer; behind-the-scenes featurette; “Retro VHS” version of the film; “Slashback” trailer reel; TV spot; and theatrical trailer. (Scream Factory)

The Mind’s Eye (Blu-ray)

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RLJ Entertainment

Zack Connors (Graham Skipper) and Rachel Meadows (Lauren Ashley Carter) were born with incredible psychokinetic capabilities. When word of their supernatural talents gets out, they find themselves the prisoners of Michael Slovak (John Speredakos), a deranged doctor intent on harvesting their powers. After a daring escape, they are free from his sinister institution, but the corrupt doctor will stop at nothing to track them down so that he may continue to siphon their gifts for his own use.

The motto for most visual mediums is typically “show, don’t tell.” However, the horror genre is one of the few exceptions in which doing the opposite can be just as effective. Writer/director Joe Begos flawlessly incorporates some of the worst transgressions at the institution into verbal exchanges between the characters. Combined with camera angles that obscure certain procedures and adequate practical effects in the second half of the movie, the viewer is drawn in by the story rather than the spectacle. There are numerous similarities between this movie and the David Cronenberg masterpiece Scanners, but they’re not necessarily intentional. Rather than simply pilfering from classic genre movies, Begos produces an homage to his beloved sci-fi and horror influences — with a dash more splatter.

Special features include: commentary by writer/director Joe Begos; commentary by producers Begos, Josh Ethier, Graham Skipper and Zak Zeman; and “A Look into the Eye of Madness.” (RLJ Entertainment)

Penny Dreadful: The Final Season (Blu-ray)

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Paramount Home Media Distribution

Confronting new horrors in dangerous new lands, Ethan Chandler (Josh Hartnett), Dr. Frankenstein (Harry Treadaway), Dorian Gray (Reeve Carney), Sir Malcolm (Timothy Dalton), the Creature (Rory Kinnear) and the ravishing but deadly Lily (Billie Piper) must each face — and embrace — their own most truly monstrous selves. But for the beautiful and tortured Vanessa Ives (Eva Green), accepting her demons could exact a terrible cost and plunge the world into unending darkness.

The main characters’ narratives remain separate for the majority of the season, but their individual journeys become more interesting. With Ethan being extradited back to America, audiences are finally allowed a glimpse of his origins, including the far-reaching power of his callous father, the endless devotion of his adopted Apache father and the guilt that compels him to fight evil. In the meantime, Frankenstein teams up with Dr. Jekyll to cure the insane and Lily drives Dorian crazy with her crusade to empower women instead of live recklessly with him. Left alone, Vanessa is determined to explore her past for answers regarding her present and the evil that stalks her. With the help of a skilled therapist, she may even find a way to escape Dracula’s grasp. The concluding season wraps up all the stories in a manner that is satisfying but not decisive; these journeys have found their end, but there are others that are just beginning.

Special features include: “Hecate’s Witch Prosthetic”; “The Making of Dr. Jekyll’s Lab”; “Vanessa’s Costumes”; “The Dead Zoo”; and character profiles. (Paramount Home Media Distribution)

Perry Mason: The Complete Series (DVD)

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Paramount Home Media Distribution

Based on the bestselling novels by Erle Stanley Gardner, Perry Mason (Raymond Burr) is a brilliant criminal defense attorney who represents the falsely accused.

While the formula of the legal drama remains the same, it’s the details of each case that captures audience’s attention. They’d mix it up occasionally, freeing his client at the preliminary hearing before the case even goes to trial. But for amateur Nancy Drews and Joe Hardys, piecing together the clues of a whodunit are just as appealing as discovering the truth at the end of the show when Mason forces the real criminal to confess in the face of overwhelming evidence. The nature of the show’s premise also established regular adversaries, including the district attorney and homicide detective. Hollywood’s first hour-long weekly series ran for nine seasons and 271 episodes with the same cast (who earned multiple Emmys), making it one of the longest ever in its genre. Mason’s team always prove to be better investigators than the police, uncovering missed clues, finding hidden bodies and identifying the actual culprit — all without the help of DNA evidence or other modern-day techniques.

There are no special features. (Paramount Home Media Distribution)

Swiss Army Man (Blu-ray & Digital copy)

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D Films & Lionsgate

Hank (Paul Dano) is stranded on a deserted island, having given up all hope of ever making it home again. But one day everything changes when a corpse named Manny (Daniel Radcliffe) washes up onshore. The two become fast friends and ultimately go on an epic adventure that will bring Hank back to the woman of his dreams.

In short, this is the story of a man and a farting corpse. It’s difficult to create a film that’s not silly when that’s the premise, but this script proves it doesn’t have to be silly all the time. There is a surprising amount of substance to the movie as it addresses issues of loneliness, social stigmas and mental illness in the context of this bizarre camaraderie. One of the key elements that makes this film so provocative is the question of how much of it is real. It’s simple to dismiss the idea of a talking corpse as impossible or imaginary, but the picture consistently includes moments that force audiences to question the reality of a scene. Save for the film’s ending, Dano and Radcliffe are the only people in the entire picture. Luckily both are young, talented actors that have no problem carrying this strange tale.

Special features include: commentary; deleted scenes; behind-the-scenes featurette; “Making of Manny”; and Q&A with filmmakers. (D Films & Lionsgate)

The Wailing (Blu-ray)

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Well Go USA Entertainment

A foreigner’s mysterious appearance in a quiet, rural village causes suspicion among the locals — suspicion which quickly turns to hysteria as the townspeople begin killing each other in brutal outbursts for seemingly no reason. As the investigating officer watches his daughter fall under the same savage spell, he agrees to consult a shaman for answers, unknowingly escalating the situation into something far more dangerous.

This is unquestionably one of the best ghost stories of the year as it combines a possession narrative, evil curses, demons and a lot of uncertainty to keep audiences on the edge of their seat until the final seconds. Although the film is two-and-a-half-hours, it uses every minute to construct a thrilling story that grows increasingly intriguing with each new development. The tale transitions from a crime drama involving unexplained mass murders to a personal struggle to save one’s only child. The scenes with the shaman and the rituals performed throughout the picture are captivating as he’s especially convincing and clearly moved by his character. The film’s conclusion is haunting and expertly crafted to leave a lasting impression.

Special features include: making-of featurette; “The Beginning of The Wailing”; and trailer. (Well Go USA Entertainment)

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Written By

Sarah Gopaul is Digital Journal's Editor-at-Large for film news, a member of the Online Film Critics Society and a Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer-approved critic.

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