It’s hot as, well, you know, out there right now. So it’s fitting that this week’s new releases kick off with the Hellboy reboot. But after you check that one out, you can cool off by watching everything from Warner Archive classics making their Blu-ray to debuts to cult flicks, fun hits, 1980s art house favorites from the Criterion Collection, and so much more. See for yourself what red hot hits are now available!
David Harbour dons the trenchcoat–and sawed-off horns–of Mike Mignola’s half-demon, all-badass paranormal government agent in this anticipated reboot, as Hellboy and his new allies–Irish witch Alice Monaghan (Sasha Lane) and were-jaguar Ben Daimo (Daniel Dae Kim)–must halt the resurrection of the Arthurian sorceress Nimue (Milla Jovovich) before she resumes her centuries-old bid for conquest. Ian McShane, Thomas Haden Church, Sophie Okonedo, Brian Gleeson also star.
In the late 19th century, prolific yet ignored monster tracker Sir Lionel Frost (voiced by Hugh Jackman) was brought to the Pacific Northwest by an anonymous promise to deliver a Bigfoot sighting. Turns out that the missive came from the articulate creature himself (Zach Galifianakis)–who wants the adventurer’s help with a peril-filled passage to a Himalayan Yeti colony. Engaging stop-motion effort from Laika also features the voices of Zoe Saldana, Stephen Fry, Timothy Olyphant, Emma Thompson.
In a blasted future dystopia, scrap-picking cyberneticist Ido (Christoph Waltz) comes upon the remnants of a cyborg (Rosa Salazar) with an amnesiac human brain. Restored and dubbed “Alita,” she begins to tap into the buried combat skills that she possesses…and uses them to take on the forces of the sky-dwelling oligarchy that seeks her destruction. Ambitious take on the Yukito Kishiro manga from Robert Rodriguez co-stars Jennifer Connelly, Mahershala Ali, Ed Skrein, Jackie Earle Haley.
Do the Right Thing (Criterion Collection)
Tempers flare, emotions run high, and a white-run pizza parlor in a black Brooklyn neighborhood becomes the center of a violent conflict on a hot summer day in Spike Lee’s acclaimed, controversial look at race relations. Lee stars as Mookie, who delivers pizzas for Sal (Danny Aiello), but soon finds himself caught up in the brewing racial tension. Giancarlo Esposito, John Turturro, Ossie Davis, Ruby Dee, Bill Nunn, and Rosie Perez also star.
1984 (Criterion Collection)
Bleak, compelling version of George Orwell’s classic dystopia stars John Hurt as Winston Smith, an office worker living under the watchful eye of “Big Brother.” With everything–including thoughts–policed by the government, Smith puts himself in grave danger by daring to think for himself and falling in love with a mysterious and beautiful woman (Suzanna Hamilton). Richard Burton, in his last feature role, is O’Brien, master of psychological torture. With Cyril Cusack, Gregor Fisher; score by Eurythmics.
South America, the 1700s: a pacifistic priest (Jeremy Irons) and a reformed slaver (Robert De Niro) join to convert the native Indians. The two men are thrust into conflict when corruption within Church and state threaten to violently destroy all that they have built. Acclaimed drama by director Roland Joffé (“The Killing Fields”), with a classic film score by Ennio Morricone, co-stars, Ray McAnally, Aidan Quinn, Cherie Lunghi, Ronald Pickup.
Sexy, strong, and 6’2″, federal agent Cleopatra Jones (Tamara Dobson) was a scourge to drug traffickers around the world…and after torching a Turkish poppy field, she found herself targeted for destruction by L.A. crime matriarch Mommy (Shelley Winters). After Mommy gets corrupt cops to haul in the innocent clientele of a rehab center, Cleopatra comes home to Watts…and the fireworks start! Blaxplo classic co-stars Bernie Casey, Antonio Fargas, Brenda Sykes, Bill McKinney.
After a workers’ insurrection at an Amazonian diamond mine, a mixed bag of fugitives–including a soldier of fortune (Georges Marchal), a prostitute (Simone Signoret), and a missionary (Michel Piccoli)–flee into the jungle in search of the Brazilian border. Their pact to work together for mutual survival runs into harrowing snags, in Luis Buñuel’s mix of “Wages of Fear”-style thrills and dark social satire; Charles Vanel, Michèle Girardon, Tito Junco, Raúl Ramírez also star.
An amiable pair of Parisian vagrants (Paul Frankeur, Laurent Terzieff) opt for a pilgrimage to the shrine of Santiago de Compostela in Spain, hoping to hit up wealthy worshippers. The journey takes bizarre sidetracks through space and time, as the duo encounters such figures as Christ, the Marquise de Sade, and the Whore of Babylon. Luis Buñuel’s surrealistic satire of dogma and hypocrisy co-stars Delphine Seyrig, Alain Cuny, Edith Scob, Michel Piccoli, Claude Cerval.
Troop Beverly Hills (30th Anniversary Edition)
In order to rescue her troubled marriage, pampered L.A. housewife Phyllis Nefler (Shelley Long) agrees to serve as her daughter’s Wilderness Girls troop leader. But when Beverly Hills Hilton “campouts” and Rodeo Drive shopping trips give way to sleeping in the wild, will Phyllis persevere? Heartfelt family comedy co-stars Betty Thomas, Craig T. Nelson, Jenny Lewis, Mary Gross; look for Carla Gugino in her film debut.
San Francisco yuppie householders Patty Palmer (Melanie Griffith) and Drake Goodman (Matthew Modine) thought they had a promising apartment tenant in apparently well-heeled Carter Hayes (Michael Keaton). They’d soon learn that his smooth facade hid a sadistic sociopath…and what began as brazen squatting escalated into a full-blown and deviant campaign of personal terror. John Schlesinger’s top-notch thriller co-stars Beverly D’Angelo, Laurie Metcalfe, Tippi Hedren, Mako.
Tired of being shot down by girls, a pair of high school science geeks (Anthony Michael Hall, Ilan Mitchell-Smith) try to craft a computer program that will design the “perfect woman,” but a freak power surge brings their idealized creation (Kelly LeBrock) to life! The stunning simulacrum winds up giving life lessons to her makers in John Hughes’ classic teen farce. Bill Paxton, Robert Downey, Jr. co-star.
Director Samuel Fuller’s two-fisted war story is set in 1944 and focuses on Brigadier General Frank D. Merrill and the 5307th Composite Unit (Provisional), 3,000 American volunteer soldiers who must traverse miles of treacherous swamps, jungles, and mountains to secure a series of Japanese-held bases in Burma. Jeff Chandler, Ty Hardin, Peter Brown, and Claude Akins star; based on the book “The Marauders” by 5307th communications officer Charlton Ogburn, Jr.
When millionaire J.B. Ball (Edward Arnold) throws his wife’s (Mary Nash) new fur coat out of his penthouse, it lands on office girl Mary Smith (Jean Arthur), who gets a whole new life she never could have imagined. Believed to be the tycoon’s mistress, Mary begins getting free luxuries from various businesses. Things get complicated when she falls in love with a young man (Ray Milland) who, unknown to her, is Ball’s son. Preston Sturges scripted this hilarious screwball romp.
In this offbeat fantasy-romance, the basis for 1998’s “Meet Joe Black,” the Grim Reaper grows tired of his “job” and comes down to Earth, taking the form of a handsome prince, to learn why humans fear him. Complications arise when “Prince Sirki” falls in love with one of his fellow guests at an Italian villa. Fredric March is mesmerizing in the title role; with Evelyn Venable, Guy Standing, Henry Travers, Gail Patrick.
For border-town sheriff Sean Kilpatrick (Richard Harris), violence had always been his last resort for maintaining the peace. When his wife and son are slain by the notorious Frank Brand (Rod Taylor) and his gang, Kilpatrick saddles up for a vengeful pursuit into Mexico…and an abandonment of the ideals he once held dear. Adaptation of a novella by originally-slated director Sam Fuller also stars Neville Brand, William Smith, Al Lettieri.
In this action- and stunt-packed vehicle for ‘60s’ and ‘70s’ superstar cyclist Evel Knievel, the famed daredevil (as himself) is set on retiring after a disastrous crash when a onetime apprentice (Marjoe Gortner) approaches him to make a record-breaking jump in Mexico. Unfortunately, the venture’s being backed by a drug cartel…which has sinister motives for making sure the event ends in tragedy. Gene Kelly, Lauren Hutton, Red Buttons, Leslie Nielsen, Dabney Coleman, Cameron Mitchell co-star.
Click here for an overview of all of this week’s excellent new releases!