This week’s releases include a fun new take on the superhero story; a TV season that melds past and present; a series that inspires discourse; and some horror classics (some to a lesser degree).
Army of Darkness Limited Edition steelbook (Blu-ray)
Back to do battle with the hideous “Deadites,” Ash (Bruce Campbell) is the handsome, shotgun-toting, chainsaw-armed department store clerk from S-Mart’s housewares division. Demonic forces time warp him — and his ’73 Oldsmobile — into England’s Dark Ages, where he romances a beauty (Embeth Davidtz) and faces legions of the undead. Can Ash save the living from the evil dead, rescue his girlfriend, and get back to his own time?
The third film in the Evil Dead trilogy is many people’s favourite as it is undoubtedly the most outrageous of the three movies. Skeleton armies, a second Ash, a fatal sneeze/cough/slur and another Deadite girlfriend are just some of the things that make this film beloved. It’s also one of the most quotable pictures. Equipped with his boomstick and newly forged hand, Ash takes a medieval army and turns them into killers of the undead. Campbell never falters, bringing an improved level of machismo and comedy to fans to close out the series (though the franchise now continues on the small screen with Ash vs. Evil Dead). The great part about this release is it includes all three versions of the film, in which distinctions include different lines in some scenes (easily recognized by avid fans) and alternate endings.
Special features include: commentary with director Sam Raimi, actor Bruce Campbell and co-writer Ivan Raimi; alternate opening with optional commentary by Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell; deleted scenes with optional commentary by Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell; original ending; vintage making-of featurette; “Medieval Times: The Making of Army of Darkness”; “Creating the Deadites”; “The Men Behind the Army”; on-the-set video footage compilation; behind-the-scenes footage from KNB Effects; extended interview clips; storyboards; still galleries; and trailers. (Scream Factory)
DC League of Super-Pets (4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray & Digital copy)
Krypto the Super-Dog (Dwayne Johnson) and Superman (John Krasinski) are inseparable best friends, sharing the same superpowers and fighting crime in Metropolis side-by-side. When Superman and the rest of the Justice League are kidnapped, Krypto must convince a rag-tag shelter pack — Ace the hound (Kevin Hart), PB the potbellied pig (Vanessa Bayer), Merton the turtle (Natasha Lyonne) and Chip the squirrel (Diego Luna) — to master their own newfound powers and help him rescue the bipedal superheroes.
At first glance, the film seems kind of silly — and it is, but it’s also incredibly fun and entertaining. Krypto is very much like his superpowered pal, both in his abilities and his personality. In the meantime, Superman is a devoted dog owner that fawns over the furry hero’s antics. The shelter animals are very unique characters, not at all prepared for their newfound powers but up to the challenge of saving the world — with a little practice and guidance. The voice actors are exceptionally cast, perfectly suiting their characters and leveraging the already humorous friendship between Johnson and Hart. Moreover, Kate McKinnon’s over-the-top supervillain guinea pig is a showstopper.
Special features include: deleted scenes; “How to Draw Krypto”; “Behind the Super Voices”; “Super-Pets Animation 101”; “Find the Easter Eggs”; and “The World of Super-Pets.” (Warner Bros. Home Entertainment)
Fright Night steelbook (4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray & Digital copy)
Meet Jerry Dandrige (Chris Sarandon). He’s sweet, sexy and he likes to sleep in late. You might think he’s the perfect neighbor. But before inviting Jerry in for a nightcap, there’s just one thing you should know. Jerry prefers his drinks warm, red and straight from the jugular! Only 17-year-old Charley Brewster (William Ragsdale) knows Jerry’s bloodcurdling secret. When Charley can’t get anybody to believe him, he turns to TV horror host Peter Vincent (Roddy McDowall), who used to be the “Great Vampire Killer” of the movies. Can these mortals save Charley and his sweetheart, Amy (Amanda Bearse), from the wrathful bloodsucker’s toothy embrace?
This is a vampire classic, harkening back to the old depictions of the charming, seemingly normal bloodsucker next door, threatening the protagonist’s love interest. Sarandon’s portrayal is very seductive, emphasizing his supernatural sex appeal so that when he walks through a crowd, everyone swoons. Vincent is a TV Van Helsing who simply humours the teens’ unbelievable accusations about their monster neighbour — until some unexpected proof sends him into a spiral of denial and fear. Charley doesn’t seem like much of a hero, but he is persistent and tries to recruit anyone who will listen to help him defeat the vampire and save Amy.
Special features include: commentary with writer/director Tom Holland, actors Chris Sarandon & Jonathan Stark, moderated by filmmaker Tim Sullivan; commentary with writer/director Tom Holland, actors William Ragsdale & Stephen Geoffreys, FX artist Randall Cook, moderated by journalist Jeremy Smith and filmmaker Tim Sullivan; deleted scene storyboards; “You’re So Cool, Brewster! The Story of Fright Night”; “What is Fright Night”; “Tom Holland: Writing Horror”; “Fright Night 35th Anniversary Script Read”; “The Queer Lens: Bryan Fuller in Conversation with Amanda Bearse”; “A Novel Approach: The Splatterpunk Story of the Fright Night Novelization”; SFX storyboard comparisons; “Roddy McDowall: From Apes to Bats”; “Tom Holland and Amanda Bearse Talk Fright Night”; “Round Table with Tom, Stephen and William”; “Shock Till You Drop Presents Choice Cuts with Tom Holland and Ryan Turek”; “First Ever Fright Night Reunion Panel – Fear Fest 2 (2008)”; “Weekend of Hell Panel with Amanda and Stephen”; and trailers. (Sony Pictures Home Entertainment)
The Halloween 4K Collection (1995 – 2002) (4K Ultra HD & Blu-ray)
In these three films — Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers, Halloween: H20, and Halloween: Resurrection — from one of the longest running horror series in cinema history, Michael Myers takes on Tommy Doyle (Paul Rudd) and Dr. Loomis (Donald Pleasence) with help from a mysterious cult, comes face to face with Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) again and slashes his way through the cast of a reality TV show!
It’s a bit strange that these films would be packaged together as Laurie only appears in the latter two and the thin thread tying them all together is they each feature recognizable actors. The first picture was Pleasance’s last as Dr. Loomis’ need to capture Myers drove him to nearly lose his own mind. Rudd’s performance as an adult Tommy is fittingly desperate and exaggerated, though perhaps it’s this character’s first return that distributors hope will appeal to fans. H20 was conceived and released for the franchise’s 20th anniversary, ignoring all the pictures in between that didn’t feature Laurie as their protagonist. The all-star cast and no bs Laurie Strode make this a fun installment that harkens back to its roots, and was expected to end the franchise. But since that wasn’t a financially sound choice, the ending was contrived to lead into the sequel, Resurrection. The reality show concept is somewhat interesting, but Busta Rhymes vs. Myers is definitely the movie’s main attraction.
New and previously released special features included for each film. (Scream Factory)
Star Trek: Picard — Season Two steelbook (Blu-ray)
Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) and his crew go on a bold and exciting new journey into the past. Picard must enlist friends, both old and new, to confront the perils of 21st century Earth in a desperate race against time to save the galaxy’s future — and face the ultimate trial from one of his greatest foes.
This is a season made primarily for fans of Star Trek: The Next Generation with a number of the original cast making appearances, as well as younger versions of their characters as the crew travel back in time. It’s fascinating to watch as an alternative future unfolds, driven by an unknown change in the past that the cast must discover without creating any additional ripple effects in the timeline. The season’s ability to come full circle from the first episode to the last is a testament to the writers who created such a compelling, fluid and entertaining narrative. It will be very interesting to see how the larger stories of this season play out in the next chapter as there may be some significant changes afoot.
Special features include: features; deleted scenes; and gag reel. (Paramount Home Entertainment)
The Twilight Zone (Reboot): The Complete Series (DVD)
Enter another dimension with Jordan Peele and Simon Kinberg’s modern reimagining of the classic TV series. Hosted by Academy Award and Emmy Award winner Peele, and featuring an all-star cast, this complete anthology series box set will take you on a mind-bending voyage filled with endless possibilities.
Rod Serling’s legacy was creating a television show that used science fiction to deliver social commentary in a manner that was entertaining and thought-provoking. Peele has similarly made socially conscious horror movies and he’s now turned his focus to the small screen, reviving the eerie series to deliver provocative narratives for a contemporary audience. Each of the stories is riveting as viewers wait to see the ultimate fate of these characters whose lives take an uncharted path. Though some of them include an element of the supernatural, the tales are still grounded in a reality close enough to our own to make the commentary accessible and relevant. Notably, there are also a few chapters that feel like classic narratives that may have appeared in the original series. A number of recognizable actors lead each chapter, including Oscar nominee Kumail Nanjiani in his Emmy nominated role, Seth Rogen, Tracy Morgan, Greg Kinnear, Sanaa Lathan, Adam Scott, DeWanda Wise, Zazie Beetz, Ginnifer Goodwin, John Cho, Tony Hale, Ethan Embry, Billy Porter, Jurnee Smollett, Joel McHale, Christopher Meloni, Jenna Elfman, Damon Wayans Jr., Topher Grace, Morena Baccarin and Gretchen Mol.
Special features include: Season 1: black-and-white versions of every episode; commentary on select episodes; deleted and extended scenes; “Opening the Door” featurettes; “Crossing Over”; and “Remembering Rod Serling”; Season 2: deleted and extended scenes; and gag reel. (Paramount Home Entertainment)
