Animal Factory (Blu-ray)
Troubled youth Ron Decker (Edward Furlong) is sentenced to a 10-year stint in the notorious San Quentin State Prison for a drug-dealing conviction. Inexperienced in the ways of prison life, he’s taken under the wing of Earl Copen (Willem Dafoe), an experienced con with the entire prison in the palm of his hand — inmates and guards alike. But as Ron grows increasingly cocky in his privileged role as Earl’s confidant, is he in danger of biting off more than he can chew with some of the jail’s more volatile inhabitants?
Based on the real-life experiences of a convict, the film displays a raw but hopeful perspective of life on the inside. Decker doesn’t know much, so he’s lucky to be taken under the wing of first a co-worker and then Earl. Earl’s transgressions aren’t publicized, but what’s clear is he’s done what’s needed to get to the top and stay there. It’s also unclear why the guards and warden are so friendly and accommodating, except that he’s a generally likeable guy. But as audiences have seen in other pictures, it doesn’t take long for a good apple to go bad in prison and Decker is in the fast lane to ruining his life long-term. The movie also features a number of other familiar actors, including Danny Trejo, Tom Arnold, director Steve Buscemi and Mickey Rourke as Decker’s always-talking trans cellmate.
Special features include: commentary by novelist/co-writer/actor Eddie Bunker and co-producer/actor Danny Trejo; interview with critic Barry Forshaw covering Bunker’s varied career; theatrical trailer; and reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Jacob Phillips. (Arrow Video)
Fargo: Year 3 (DVD)
Set in 2010, chapter three centres on Emmit Stussy (Ewan McGregor), the “Parking Lot King of Minnesota,” and his younger brother Ray Stussy (also McGregor), a pot-bellied parole officer with a huge chip on his shoulder. Following the death of their father, Ray and Emmit trade their inheritance: Emmit hands over his precious Corvette to Ray for a valuable stamp collection, which sets the characters on a collision course. Ray and his parolee girlfriend, Nikki Swango (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), plot to steal the stamps back after blackmailing another parolee, Maurice LeFay (Scoot McNairy) into carrying out the task. Murder and fraud follow as local police chief Gloria Burgle (Carrie Coon) investigates the unexpected death of her stepfather, Ennis Stussy. Meanwhile, Emmit and his business partner, Sy Feltz (Michael Stuhlbarg), seek to repay a two-year old loan on his parking lot before Emmit is approached by the conniving V.M. Varga (David Thewlis), who delivers bad news to him in an attempt to expand his power and influence in St. Cloud.
The latest “true story” to come out of small-town Minnesota is a doozy. Extreme instances of sibling rivalry and corporate takeover lead to multiple deaths, some accidental and others intricately planned for the highest body count. Coincidence is just another word for “fate” in this series as each step the characters take towards their goal causes something else to occur that pushes them closer to their possible demise. The twists and turns of this season are brilliant, keeping audiences engaged in the messy lives of these otherwise ordinary people. Burgle is definitely a big fish in a small bowl, repeatedly demonstrating she is a skillful detective able to connect the pieces and deduce what is really happening in St. Cloud. This is a very strong season for the show with a cast of terrific actors who truly embody their roles.
Special features include: “First Look”; “Ray and Nikki”; “Emmit Stussy and Sy Feltz”; “One Actor, Two Characters”; “Gloria Burgle”; “Varga”; “Anatomy of a Scene”; “The Digital Age”; “Connectivity and References”; “Locations”; and “Noah Hawley.” (Fox Home Entertainment)
Home Again (Blu-ray, DVD & Digital copy)
Alice (Reese Witherspoon), a recently separated mother of two, finds her life upended when three young, charismatic filmmakers (Pico Alexander, Jon Rudnitsky and Nat Wolff) move into her guest house. Alice’s unlikely new family and a budding romance comes to a crashing halt when her ex-husband (Michael Sheen) shows up, suitcase in hand.
This is a sweet, somewhat illogical comedy that probably makes more sense to people “in the industry” where couch-surfing is just another type of accommodation. After a chance meeting at a bar, these 20-something guys almost instantaneously become a part of Alice’s family, including confidants of her two young daughters. The guys are charming and helpful, though mixing sex and charity can only end in disaster. The narrative is pretty superficial with everything just sort of happening, even when circumstances dictate there should be greater thought involved. Finally, the arrival of Alice’s estranged husband makes everything amusingly more complicated, but it all leads to the inevitably happy ending all family rom-coms foretell.
Special features include: commentary by writer/director Hallie Meyers-Shyer and producer Nancy Meyers. (Universal Pictures Home Entertainment)
Kingsman: The Golden Circle (Blu-ray, DVD & Digital copy)
Our heroes face a new challenge when their headquarters are destroyed and the world is held hostage. Their journey leads them to the discovery of an allied spy organization in the US called Statesman. In a new adventure, these two elite, secret organizations band together to defeat a ruthless common enemy in order to save the world — something that’s becoming a bit of a habit for Eggsy (Taron Egerton).
These films are intended to be over-the-top with unbelievable weaponry and highly eccentric villains. Poppy (Julianne Moore) is obsessed with ‘50s nostalgia, a technical genius, a ruthless leader and a huge Elton John fan. Unsurprisingly, their initial introductions between the Kingsman and Statesman are a little rocky since neither apparently knew the other existed and their manner of doing things differ stereotypically: the Brits are reserved and rational while the Americans are brash and unreasonable. However, the Statesman do have some exciting gadgets as well as something that interests the Kingsman far more — an old friend. The focus remains on the Kingsman, but the Statesman certainly add another dynamic to the mix… and more opportunity to deliver an exaggerated narrative. This film doesn’t exactly measure up to its predecessor, but it maintains some excitement, humour and charm to keep things fun.
Special features include: multi-chapter making-of documentary; “Black Cab Chaos: Anatomy of a Killer Chase”; concept art; and stills gallery. (Fox Home Entertainment)
Letter from an Unknown Woman (Blu-ray)
In Vienna during the early 20th century, Stefan Brand (Louis Jourdan), a concert pianist whose amorous ways have eclipsed his musical talent, is preparing to flee the city on the eve of a duel to be fought over a recent dalliance when he receives a letter from an unknown woman. Moved by its contents, he’ll come to realize that the author is not a stranger, but Lisa Berndle (Joan Fontaine), a woman he’s known since her youth and discarded as he has so many others before her. But this time, Stefan’s cavalier behavior will have tragic repercussions.
It’s somewhat difficult to call this story tragic since Lisa repeatedly puts her love for Stefan above her own well-being, constantly making the wrong choice and never learning from her mistakes. Stefan is a recognizable womanizer, using his position as a travelling musician to romance women in one city before leaving for another. While Lisa fell head-over-heels for him at a very young age, she never seems to grasp his true nature or chooses to ignore it when the evidence is undeniable. Jourdan is a constant charmer, as his character grows very little throughout the narrative or through the decades. Fontaine, on the other hand, does demonstrate emotional maturity in Lisa — or at least she gives the impression of it – until Stefan causes her to regress to the foolish young woman again. This movie is sad, but in a way that makes viewers want to shake some sense into Lisa before it’s too late.
Special features include: commentary by Max Ophüls expert Lutz Bacher; “A Deal Made in a Turkish Bath,” interview with Oscar-winning documentarian Marcel Ophüls; “An Independent Woman: Changing sensibilities in a post-war Hollywood,” interview with Professor Dana Polan; “Ophülsesque: The Look of Letter from an Unknown Woman,” interview with cinematographers Ben Kasulke and Sean Price Williams; “Letter from An Unknown Woman: Passion’s Triumph,” a visual essay by film scholar Tag Gallagher; and essay by critic Molly Haskell. (Olive Signature)
Mysteries of China (4K UHD, Blu-ray & Digital copy)
The film captures one of the great archaeological events of the modern age, telling the story of Ancient China, the First Emperor, and the literal foundation of the China we know today. The discovery of the Terracotta Warriors and the Tomb of the First Emperor offers a unique time capsule into the past, revealing many things about this great country, which tells a larger story about the growth of China into a true superpower. From modern China to ancient China and back again, Mysteries of China is a visual adventure, using aerial photography and cutting-edge time lapse techniques to reveal great majesty, tragedy, splendor, and growth in a nation that continues to excel quickly into the future.
This is a fascinating history lesson, which is both remarkable and intriguing. The massive discovery of the clay warriors is quite astonishing due its size and completeness, as well as the reasoning for their existence. Through various techniques, narrator Avery Brooks explains how China grew to the size it is today via an ambitious leader and how the determination to keep the newly acquired territory led to the building of the Great Wall. In addition to relating the country’s history, the film also provides viewers with a crash course in archaeology, and how the previously lost treasures were excavated and preserved. In one case, it describes how an area known to hold artifacts cannot be dug up because of the irreversible damage caused by exposing the items. At only 37 minutes, this is a lovely and informative application for high-definition images.
Special features include: exclusive interviews; behind-the-scenes footage; and 4K trailers. (Shout Factory)
The Strain: The Complete Series (DVD)
This original series comes from Guillermo del Toro, Carlton Cuse and Chuck Hogan. When a freak virus tracing back to ancient vampirism strikes New York, it gives rise to bloodthirsty human hybrids. Hoping to destroy the creatures and the evil “Master” behind the outbreak, the CDC’s Dr. “Eph” Goodweather (Corey Stoll) develops a deadly bio weapon. Teaming with a mysterious Holocaust survivor (David Bradley), and searching clues found in an ancient book, Eph races against time — amidst great personal loss — in an effort to save humanity.
The longer the series continued, the more it seemed to deviate from the trilogy of books that inspired the TV show. Yet it still managed to retain the essence of the source material, as well as some of the more significant moments in the narrative. This is an unconventional vampire story amongst contemporary fiction as the creatures are not romantic beings, but rather vicious, primal monsters strategically taking over the world. Over four seasons, the TV series recounts the near annihilation of humanity and the premeditated rise of bloodsuckers, including human farming. A ragtag group, including a scientist, exterminator, gang member, octogenarian and vampire, bands together to stop the spread, though the odds are clearly stacked against them. If one separates the original post-apocalyptic narrative from the adaptation, this is a relatively absorbing thriller with a bleaker representation of a legendary plague that threatens the whole human race (especially those with a conscience). Also, the collectible artwork on the packaging is quite impressive.
Special features include: commentary on selected episodes; deleted scenes; “In the Beginning”; “A Novel Approach”; “Setrakian’s Lair”; “Meet the Crew”; “The White Room”; “Beyond the Page”; “Sentient Strigo”; “The Strain: Under Siege Companion Series and Intro with Carlton Cuse”; “Coping with The Strain: A Therapy Session”; Vamp Boom music video; and gag reels. (Fox Home Entertainment)
Twin Peaks: A Limited Event Series (Blu-ray)
A quarter century after revolutionizing television, the series returns. Expanding the world you thought you knew, this limited event series takes you places wonderful, strange and father out.
This 18-episode event is a continuation of the series that ended in 1991 after only two seasons (and a feature-length film). A follow-up in various formats had been discussed and dismissed for years, but creators Mark Frost and David Lynch surprised fans when they announced the return to Twin Peaks. Twenty-five years later, the series picks up almost exactly where it left off. It’s also just as bizarre, blurring the lines between film and television, and raising unconventional storytelling and style above all else. The discs are formatted to play the comprised episodes together, which fuels the argument that this show is just an incredibly long feature film rather than individual episodes. Fans will not be disappointed; conversely, it’s definitely not meant for the unversed as they will be overwhelmingly confused by the show’s events.
Special features include: “Impressions: A Journey Behind the Scenes of Twin Peaks”; “Phenomenon”; “Rancho Rosa Logos”; “A Very Lovely Dream: One Week in Twin Peaks”; “Behind the Red Curtain”; “I Had Bad Milk in Dehradun”; San Diego Comic-Con 2017 Twin Peaks panel; David Lynch produced promos; and behind-the-scenes photo gallery. (Paramount Home Media Distribution)
Zoo: Season Three (DVD)
The year is now 2027 and the world has reached a tipping point. The human population continues to dwindle due to the sterility problem and a devastating threat rises in the form of “the hybrids,” an army of unstoppable lab-made creatures who are hell-bent on destroying mankind. Although the team has become estranged over the past decade, Jackson (James Wolk), Jamie (Kristen Connolly), Abraham (Nonso Anozie), Dariela (Alyssa Diaz) and Logan (Josh Salatin) are forced to overcome their differences and reunite when they learn that Mitch is alive. As the planet’s future hangs in the balance, the team must race to stop the hybrids and their creator — a shadowy figure with a startling connection to the team’s past.
Skipping ahead 10 years, the team are all in very different places… and no longer together. However, by chance or design they are reunited with a new and evolving common cause. From gathering DNA from various hybrid species to protecting humanity’s last hope to continuing the fight against the evil people controlling and capitalizing on the new world, there is always something to combat. It seems that with time everyone has expanded their individual specialties to be valuable, well-rounded rebels capable of handling any situation. Their newest enemy is smart and conniving, staying one step ahead and doing everything necessary to achieve her goal of supremacy. Unfortunately the series was cancelled and the cliff-hanger setup in the season finale will not be resolved in season four.
Special features include: deleted scenes; VFX reel; “Season 3 Sneak Peek”; and gag reel. (Paramount Home Media Distribution)
