The Art of Racing in the Rain (Blu-ray & Digital copy)
The tale is narrated by a witty and philosophical dog named Enzo (voiced by Kevin Costner). Through his unique insight into the human condition, Enzo helps his owners — race car driver Denny Swift (Milo Ventimiglia), his wife Eve (Amanda Seyfried) and daughter Zoe (Ryan Kiera Armstrong) — navigate life with a refreshing perspective on friendship, family and unconditional love.
This is a slightly new take on a family drama as it’s seen almost entirely from a dog’s perspective who happens to have a very human understanding of the world. Costner’s voice fits Enzo perfectly as it’s pleasant and incredibly expressive so audiences can comprehend his emotions without any facial cues. The story hits viewers with a gut punch in the opening seconds before taking them on a sweet, uplifting journey about the bond between a dog and his owner(s). It’s funny and charming as Enzo learns to love racing as much as Denny, and eventually learns to share him with the women in his life. There’s, of course, tragedy and conflict, but it all works together to create an enjoyable dramedy.
Special features include: commentary by director Simon Curtis; and “A Journey to Screen.” (Fox Home Entertainment)
Batman Beyond: The Complete Series [Deluxe Limited Edition] (Blu-ray)
Fueled by remorse and vengeance, a high schooler named Terry McGinnis (Will Friedle) revives the role of Batman. Under supervision of an elderly Bruce Wayne (Kevin Conroy), he fights crime in a harsh futuristic Gotham.
While DC’s live-action movie game has largely not been up to snuff, their animation series have been above par for decades. This TV show was not just another Batman narrative — it was a sequel that passed the cape to a new masked crusader who must face old and new enemies. Terry isn’t much different than the many heroes who fought crime at Batman’s side — he’s young, impulsive, athletic and the victim of a senseless murder. However, instead of fighting next to Batman, the now elderly Wayne guides Terry from the Batcave and only occasionally leads reconnaissance missions. Each 30-minute episode consists of an exciting and sometimes concerning narrative that typically wraps up before the end; though there are several gripping, multi-episode arcs. This was an excellent series that felt short-lived even if it did get a feature film follow-up — though the bonus Funko metallic figure and art cards make this release a little more special.
Special features include: commentary on select episodes; “Music of the Knight”; “Inside Batman Beyond” featurettes; Meet the Series Creators”; “Nostalgic Tomorrow – A Batman Gathering”; “Knight Immortal”; “Tomorrow Knight: Batman Reborn”; “Gotham: City of the Future”; “The High Tech Hero”; and “Secret Origin: The Story of DC Comics.” (Warner Bros. Home Entertainment)
Chernobyl (Blu-ray)
On April 26, 1986, the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine, Soviet Union suffered a massive explosion resulting in one of the worst human-made catastrophes in history. This miniseries tells the story of the brave men and women who made incredible sacrifices to save Europe from unimaginable disaster, all the while battling a culture of disinformation. Jared Harris portrays Valery Legasov, a leading Soviet nuclear physicist. As part of the response team, he was one of the first to grasp the scope of the unparalleled disaster that occurred. Stellan Skarsgård plays Soviet Deputy Prime Minister Boris Shcherbina, who is assigned by the Kremlin to lead the government commission on Chernobyl in the hours immediately following the accident. Emily Watson portrays Ulana Khomyuk, a Soviet nuclear physicist committed to solving the mystery of what led to the Chernobyl disaster.
This is a fascinating examination of all the errors and arrogance that led to this horrific disaster. There’s no attempt to sugar coat the truth or excuse those most responsible; instead, a bright, penetrating light is shone upon every detail in a manner easily understood by laymen. Beginning in the control room during an ill-timed and inappropriate test, the series follows each misstep and decision from not flipping a switch that could have prevented the explosion to not calling for an evacuation to people making choices that did more to cover their own butts than mitigate damages. It’s a textbook example of everything that could go wrong and be done wrong. But there are also acts of heroism as men risked their lives to try to manage whatever they could of the fallout. The performances are impeccable from the briefest act to the show stars as the ensemble conveys this heavy subject matter with authenticity.
Special features include: “Inside the Episodes”; “What is Chernobyl?”; “Meet the Key Players”; “Behind the Curtain – Director Johan Renck”; “Script to Screen – The Divers”; and “Pivotal Moment: The Trial.” (HBO Home Entertainment)
Cinderella and the Secret Prince (DVD)
With the help of good fairy Crystal, Cinderella and her three mouse friends are able to escape the attic they live in and make it to the Royal Ball at the palace … but they soon discover a terrible secret. The real Prince has been turned into a mouse by an evil witch … and the “Prince” standing in front of everyone at the Ball is an impostor. Cinderella and her faithful, furry friends must embark on an an adventure to restore the real Prince to his true form and help him defeat the forces of darkness.
This is a new take on the classic tale of a young woman saved by her fairy godmother as it’s told from one of her mouse companion’s perspectives. However, before long the story shifts focus from Cinderella to another cursed soul who needs her help. The animals play an expectedly greater role in this narrative, though the fairy godmother isn’t exactly the polished, whimsical, grandmother-like nymph people remember. Instead, Cinderella’s magical guardian is a novice fairy still getting the hang of her spells and searching for her mentor for help. It’s definitely a broader story than the better-known version, but if one considers them entirely separate narratives it can be quite enjoyable.
There are no special features. (Shout Kids Factory)
Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw (4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray & Digital copy)
For years, hulking lawman Luke Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson) and lawless outcast Deckard Shaw (Jason Statham) have traded smack talk and body blows. But when cyber-genetically enhanced anarchist Brixton Lorr (Idris Elba) gains control of an insidious bio-threat that could alter humanity forever, Hobbs and Shaw must partner up to bring down the only guy who might be badder than themselves.
The movie opens by paralleling Hobbs’ and Shaw’s routines, emphasizing the differences in their personalities and styles. Of course by the end, they’ve learned to complement each other and work together. But getting there is the entertaining part. They throw creative, lengthy insults at each other, have prolonged stare downs and low level betray each other repeatedly. here’s definitely a lot of cheesy moments, but it fits perfectly with the over-the-top rivalry. Even though it’s not a Fast film, director David Leitch ensures it remains in line with the franchise. There are some luxury cars, high-speed chases and a multi-vehicle stunt that will shock audiences with its simultaneous implausibility and coolness. As Johnson and Statham are also known for their physicality, there’s a lot more hand-to-hand combat in the spinoff. There’s not much unpredictability in the plot, but it doesn’t matter when it’s this much fun.
Special features include: commentary by director David Leitch; deleted and extended scenes; alternate opening; “Johnson & Statham: Hobbs & Shaw”; “Progress of a Fight Scene with Director David Leitch”; “Practical Action”; “The Bad Guy”; “The Sister”; “Hobbs’ Family Tree”; “THE MATRIARCH”; “New Friends”; “Elevator Action”; “Stunt Show and Tell; “”; “Keeping It in the Family: A Conversation With Roman and Dwayne”; “Blind Fury”; and “Dwayne and Hobbs: Love At First Bite.” (Universal Pictures Home Entertainment)
Food Coop (DVD)
In Brooklyn NY, in the shadow of Wall Street, an institution that represents a less well-known American tradition is booming. The Park Slope Food Coop, a cooperative supermarket where all 16,000 members work 2.75 hours per month to earn the right the buy the best food in New York at incredibly low prices.
We see first-hand how the Park Slope Food Coop works, the rules that make it function, and the diversity and eccentricity of its members.
This is a documentary that sets to discover how and why a supermarket cooperative is thriving in Brooklyn. The first question is answered via interviews with the many people who volunteer their time in administrative and managerial roles. They explain their approach to their roles, as well as the rules everyone must follow in order to remain an active member with the emphasis being on completing one’s shift each month. The why is made obvious by the members who commonly describe a lack of grocery store options and inflated prices on produce and other unprocessed products. Surrounded by bodegas, healthy choices are not readily available. It becomes a little repetitive after a while, but filmmakers do find a number of ways to illustrate their point.
Special features include: deleted scenes; and additional interviews. (Icarus Films)
The Kitchen (Blu-ray & Digital copy)
Between 8th Ave. and the Hudson River, the Irish mafia runs 20 blocks of a tough New York City neighbourhood known as Hell’s Kitchen. But for mob wives Kathy (Melissa McCarthy), Ruby (Tiffany Haddish) and Claire (Elizabeth Moss), things are about to take a dramatic and radical turn. When the FBI sends their husbands to prison, the three women take business into their own hands by running the rackets and taking out the competition.
A gangster movie with female leads is almost unheard of, but these women take charge first out of necessity and then because they enjoy the power and freedom being at the table brings. They’ve each endured years of abuse by their husbands and others, making them unafraid of anything someone else might throw at them. In realizing they don’t need the men in their lives to support them, they grow bolder and more determined to do things their way rather than how the men want. Their transition from housewife to full-blown gangster is a little rushed, though they’ve been observing from the sidelines for years. The ending is also a bit difficult to swallow, but the movie makes a good argument for the graphic novels from which it’s adapted.
Special features include: deleted scene; “Running Hell’s Kitchen”; and “Taking Over the Neighbourhood.” (Warner Bros. Home Entertainment)
Ophelia (Blu-ray)
As a rebellious and motherless child, Ophelia (Daisy Ridley) is taken into Elsinore Castle by Queen Gertrude (Naomi Watts) as one of her most trusted ladies-in-waiting. Soon enough, Ophelia captures the affections of the young Prince Hamlet (George MacKay). In secret, a passionate romance ignites between the two as the kingdom is on the brink of war amidst its own political intrigue and betrayal. When Hamlet’s father is murdered, and the prince’s wits begin to unravel into an insatiable quest for vengeance, Ophelia sharply navigates the rules of power in Denmark all while struggling to choose between her true love and her own life.
The narrator opens by claiming although Ophelia’s story has been shared by others, they’ve been inaccurate accounts… hence, the only true version can be from the woman’s own perspective. Beginning with a brief depiction of her childhood, the narrative quickly jumps into the life of the young woman whose sincerity endeared her to the queen and whose adventurousness captured the prince’s heart. Scenes and characters from Shakespeare’s play are recognizable, yet it’s a different tale that travels a different path even though the end result is similar. Ophelia’s perspective is often clouded by love, though the rest of the story unfolds with expected ruthlessness and insanity as the monarchy crumbles. The picture also borrows from another of the bard’s stories, while not giving him the satisfaction of utter ruin.
There no special features. (Shout Factory)
Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark (4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray & Digital copy)
It’s 1968 in America. Change is blowing in the wind…but seemingly far removed from the unrest in the cities is the small town of Mill Valley, where for generations the shadow of the Bellows family has loomed large. It is in their mansion on the edge of town that Sarah, a young girl with horrible secrets, turned her tortured life into a series of scary stories, written in a book that has transcended time. For a group of teenagers who discover Sarah’s terrifying home, the stories become all too real.
Rather than make a straightforward horror anthology based on several pieces from the original collection, the filmmakers chose to create an overarching connecting story and splice in Schwartz’s frightening tales throughout. The Sarah Bellows narrative is actually quite effective in not only propelling the picture forward, but providing an enemy against which they can unite. The movie incorporates some of the lesser-known stories from Alvin Schwartz’s book, which also feature palpable evil characters to translate to the screen, such as the shapeless creature that haunts the red halls of one of their nightmares. Based on director André Øvredal’s previous work it’s a bit surprising, but much like the original source material it becomes evident early on that the target audience for this movie is also skewing younger than the typical horror crowd.
Special features include: “The Bellows Construct”; “Creature from the Shadows”; “Mood Reels”; “Behind-the-Scenes Trailers: Set Visits”; “Dark Tales”; and “Retro Horror.” (Lionsgate Home Entertainment)
Universal Soldier (4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray & Digital copy)
Soldiers Luc Deveraux (Jean-Claude Van Damme) and Sgt. Andrew Scott (Dolph Lundgren) killed each other in Vietnam. But their demise proves to be just the beginning for the U.S. government, which brings both men back to life decades later for a secret anti-terrorism program.
The super soldier was a concept explored in many action sci-fi narratives as it was assumed technological advancement would open the door to enhanced human weapons. The soldiers are nearly unstoppable, and designed to be clean slates ready to take and execute orders. Of course, the human mind is a complex machine and tinkering in there doesn’t always produce the desired results. Scott is blatantly positioned as a despicable human being with no care for other people’s lives, while Deveraux is humanity’s champion ready to protect the innocent and put down the evildoer. It’s not a great film, but it was a quintessential movie of the ‘90s featuring two of the decade’s biggest action stars that still has a special place amongst fans.
Special features include: commentary by Roland Emmerich, Dean Devlin, Jean-Claude Van Damme, and Dolph Lundgren; commentary by Roland Emmerich and Dean Devlin; alternate ending; behind-the-scenes featurette; “A Tale of Two Titans”; “Guns, Genes, and Fighting Machines”; and trailer. (Lionsgate Home Entertainment)
