Truth be told, there are a lot more noteworthy new releases this week than usual. Why? Maybe it’s because the studios realize that you want to spend the dog days of summer inside your air conditioned home watching movies instead of dealing with the heat and humidity of the outside world. That said, there is one clear box office, er, King that dominates these latest offerings. Here’s some info on that specific film and all of the other new viewing options that you’ll be checking out in the days to come!
In 1973, government seismologist Bill Randa (John Goodman) sold his superiors on the notion that an uncharted isle in the Pacific held the keys to a generation’s scientific advancement. His ragtag team of soldiers and researchers discovered the atoll’s secrets, to their everlasting terror: scores of bloodthirsty mutated beasts and an uncanny giant gorilla lording dominion over all. Crowd-pleasing re-do of the fright favorite co-stars Samuel L. Jackson, Tom Hiddleston, Brie Larson, John C. Reilly.
TJ Hooker: The Complete Series
Fast-paced crime drama starred William Shatner as Sgt. T.J. Hooker, a seasoned police officer determined to clean up the streets while acting as mentor to hot-headed rookie officer Vince Romano (Adrian Zmed) and the sexy Stacy Sheridan (Heather Locklear). Luckily, Hooker’s a good cop who’s up to the challenge. Richard Herd and James Darren co-starred in the series, which ran on ABC, then CBS, from 1982-1986. All 91 episodes of the series are featured in this 20-disc set.
The Untouchables: The Scarface Mob
The bullet-riddled two-part pilot to the classic TV gangster series, originally shown on “Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse,” shows how government lawman Eliot Ness (Robert Stack) formed his elite crimefighting squad to bring down Chicago mob boss Al Capone (Neville Brand). Bruce Gordon, Keenan Wynn, Bill Williams, Barbara Nichols, Paul Dubov, and Nicholas Georgiade also star in this small-screen adaptation of Ness’ memoirs; Walter Winchell narrates
Immunologist John Beck (Stewart Moss) and his new bride Cathy (Marianne McAndrew) have got to be rethinking that adventure honeymoon spent spelunking, as they got trapped within a subterranean cavern. Worse still, John received a bat bite…that curses him with uncontrollable transformations into a bloodthirsty, fanged man-beast! Drive-in staple co-stars Michael Pataki, Paul Carr; the “were-bat” make-up was an early effort for Stan Winston.
Coronet Blue: The Complete Series
Fished out of East River by the cops, a victimized man (Frank Converse) could remember nothing beyond the fact he’d been running from killers…and the strange phrase “Coronet Blue.” Adopting the name “Michael Alden,” the amnesiac went on a quest to uncover the truth about his past–and why his mysterious assailants, now redoubling their efforts, want him dead. Suspenseful, cult-favorite summer replacement series that aired on CBS, created by Larry Cohen, also starred Joe Silver, Brian Bedford. 13 episodes on 4 discs.
Hard-hitting police drama stars Brian Dennehy as Frank Daly, the head of an elite unit of Los Angeles cops who are suspended as their investigation into a drug-trafficking operation is hindered by corrupt members of the L.A.P.D. and the federal government. And when one of their own is murdered, Daly and his team quit the force to deal out their own brand of justice. With Joe Pantoliano, Jeff Fahey, and Bill Paxton.
Before “The Fast and the Furious” came this action-packed thriller about rookie cop Benjy Taylor (D.B. Sweeney), whose knowledge of German cars gets him an undercover assignment infiltrating an auto theft ring specializing in Porsches. But his growing friendship with the operation’s boss (Charlie Sheen) and the seductive influences of wealth and power prove strong temptations. With Randy Quaid, Lara Harris; scripted by Dick Wolf.
When a fearless enemy out for revenge unleashes a brutal and deadly new virus, BSAA captain Chris Redfield enlists the help of Agent Leon S. Kennedy and Professor Rebecca Chambers to bring down the death merchant and save New York City, in this original computer-generated animated film based on the popular horror franchise.
Boston, 1978: The wee-hours warehouse rendezvous between an IRA emissary (Cillian Murphy), a black market arms dealer (Sharlto Copley), and their respective brokers (Brie Larson, Armie Hammer) was supposed to have gone down quickly and quietly. Thanks to some bad blood between their hangers-on, though, matters quickly go south…and as the gunfire starts erupting, it’s anyone’s guess who gets out in one piece. Ben Wheatley’s audacious, darkly funny shoot-’em-up co-stars Sam Riley, Jack Reynor, Noah Taylor.
In mid-19th century Scotland, working-class teenager Tommy Morris (Jack Lowden) developed his love of golf from his groundskeeper father Old Tom (Peter Mullan), one of the era’s great players. However, their relationship would become strained as Tommy’s emergent abilities led him away from his humble roots, and made him the sport’s transformative talent over the balance of his short life. Atmospheric and effective biodrama co-stars Ophelia Lovibond, Sam Neill.
In the mid-1910s, Armenian apothecary Mikael Boghosian (Oscar Isaac) journeyed to Constantinople with the backing of his in-laws to pursue medical training…and found himself vying with American reporter Chris Myers (Christian Bale) for the attentions of the Paris-raised Ana Khesarian (Charlotte Le Bon). With the coming of World War I–and the Ottoman government’s genocidal campaign against the Armenian populace–all three faced a perilous journey to try and secure the safety of Mikael’s family. Singular historical drama co-stars Angela Sarafyan, Shohreh Aghdashloo, Rade Serbedzija.