With a new year comes plenty of fun flicks now making their way to Blu-ray and DVD. If this week’s batch of releases are any indication, 2019 is going to be a year packed with incredible films for fans of all different genres. We are really excited about these new offerings, and we can think of no better way to start off the new year than by checking some — or all! — of these out. See for yourself!
Suddenly unemployed, thirtysomething dropout Teddy (Kevin Hart) must get his GED so he can land a new job and continue fooling his girlfriend (Megalyn Echikunwoke) into thinking he’s not broke. His high school nemesis-turned principal (Taran Killam) sticks him in a night school program run by a tough-as-nails teacher (Tiffany Haddish) who goes to hilarious lengths to whip Teddy and his misfit classmates into shape. With Romany Malco, Rob Riggle, Mary Lynn Rajskub.
It was 1969, and the lull at a once trendy hotel on the California/Nevada border ended with a rush of clientele including an aging priest (Jeff Bridges), a vacuum salesman (Jon Hamm), a drifter (Dakota Johnson), and a soul singer (Cynthia Erivo). However, agendas and identities aren’t all what they seem…and between a hunt for hidden bank loot and cultists arriving at the door, no one should expect a good night’s rest. Stylish contemporary noir co-stars Chris Hemsworth, Lewis Pullman, Cailee Spaeny.
Her undeniable comic gifts brought her breakout popularity as one of “SNL”’s inaugural regulars, and her battle with ovarian cancer would take her at a tragically young age. The legacy of laughter that Gilda Radner left behind is memorably celebrated in this documentary effort that draws upon access to her own diary, as the trials of her upbringing and her struggles with fame and health are remarkably drawn; colleagues and celebrity fans share their insights as well.
Looking to make a new life, Mexican-American buffalo hunter Matt Fletcher (Marlon Brando) returned to his Texas border hometown astride a magnificent Appaloosa stallion that was to be the cornerstone of his own ranch. Unfortunately, the horse caught the eye of notorious bandit Chuy Medina (John Saxon) and his gang…and Fletcher faces a perilous journey south to single-handedly reclaim what is his. Gritty effort co-stars Anjanette Comer, Emilio Fernández, Miriam Colón.
Henry James’ classic story, first filmed as 1949’s “The Heiress,” is elegantly brought to the screen by director Agnieszka Holland (“Europa, Europa”). Jennifer Jason Leigh stars as Catherine Sloper, the shy and insecure Victorian woman whose search for love leads her into the arms of wastrel Morris Townsend (Ben Chaplin). Albert Finney, Maggie Smith also star.
John Ritter stars in this made-for-TV drama as Tom McPherson, a young minister hired by popular televangelist Rev. Freddy Stone (Ned Beatty). Tom soon begins to grow uncomfortable as he questions Rev. Stone’s ethics and the ways in which he conducts himself in his dual roles as spiritual leader and television celebrity. Madolyn Smith Osborne, Richard Kiley, Louise Latham also star.
Bubba Newman (John Ritter) is a washed-up minor league ball player in desperate need of some life changes. He seems to get them when he starts coaching a team of disadvantaged children while romancing a beautiful Parks and Rec worker (Susan Dey). But when Bubba gets another shot at a career in baseball, will he turn his back on the kids? Fun-filled made-for-TV movie also stars Doug McKeon, James Gregory, Jeremy Licht, and, in an early role, Patrick Swayze.
The fourth screen version of the classic seafaring saga features Anthony Hopkins as Lt. William Bligh, captain of the HMS Bounty, and Mel Gibson as first-mate Fletcher Christian. During an expedition to Tahiti, Christian leads a mutiny against the iron-handed Bligh, forcing him and his loyal followers off the ship. As Christian tries to find an island safe from British law, Bligh and his men attempt to survive the open sea in a cramped longboat. With Laurence Olivier, Edward Fox, Daniel Day-Lewis, Liam Neeson.
Terror so sudden there is no time to scream! When a young co-ed is unable to find housing on campus, she moves in to a local mansion that has been transformed into a boarding house for college students run by a woman and her son. But when people begin getting murdered at the residence, two detectives try to solve the mystery of the deaths before the body count rises. Rebecca Balding, Cameron Mitchell, Barbara Steele, and Yvonne De Carlo star.
Frustrated teen motocross rider Miles Hill (Alex Neustaedter) needed a best friend, and he found one during his desert wanderings when he came upon a massive robotic dog that had fled its defense contractor developers. As he incredibly bonds with his new “pet,” they’ll need all his astonishing abilities when the cybernetic canine’s creators come calling. Throwback family fantasy-adventure co-stars Becky G, Dominic Rains, Alex MacNicoll, Thomas Jane, Lou Taylor Pucci, Ted McGinley.
Disney perennial Dean Jones stars as Peter Denwell, a scientist working on a cure for the common cold. When he imbibes a strange serum from India that turns him invisible, he’ll have to use his newfound powers to stop foreign agents from using a dangerous formula to take over the world. The first theatrical film from K-Tel Records, this multinational production is a hilarious, fast-paced comedy for the whole family. See it while you can! With Philippe Leroy, Gastone Moschin, Ingeborg Schöner.
Which of these new releases are you looking forward to kicking off the new year with? Let us know in the comments!