We’re in the thick of holiday craziness right now. By this point you probably need a break, if only for a few hours, from the seasonal hustle and bustle. So why not take a few hours off and check out one of this week’s fantastic new Blu-ray or DVD releases? Here’s what’s now available!
Once Upon a Time…In Hollywood (2019)
“The 9th film from Quentin Tarantino” is a seriocomic mix of fact and fiction set in 1969 Los Angeles. As the sun prepares to set on Hollywood’s Golden Age, fading TV star Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio) attempts to revive his career, and he and longtime stunt double and pal Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt) find themselves crossing paths with actress Sharon Tate (Margot Robbie) and several members of the Manson Family. With Emile Hirsch, Dakota Fanning, Bruce Dern, Al Pacino, and Kurt Russell.
It: Chapter Two (2019)
Another 27 years have passed, the demonic clown Pennywise (Bill Skarsgård) has returned to stalk the children of Derry, Maine…and the now-middle-aged members of the Losers’ Club make a reluctant homecoming, determined to finally consign him to the hell he came from. Their nemesis, however, now has most of their lifetimes’ insecurities to prey upon–and the last laugh may belong to him. Concluding half of the Stephen King shock saga co-stars Jessica Chastain, James McAvoy, Bill Hader.
Hustlers (2019)
When Wall Street got smacked by the ‘08 financial crisis, a lot of ancillary businesses felt the pinch as well…such as the New York strip clubs frequented by frisky brokers. It got bad enough that the enterprising ladies at one establishment started making their own rain–as they conspired to run up the credit card bills of their compromised clientele. Lorene Scafaria’s scorching true-life caper comedy stars Jennifer Lopez, Constance Wu, Julia Stiles, Keke Palmer, Lili Reinhart, Cardi B, and Lizzo.
The Cotton Club Encore (1984)
The Golden Age of Harlem lives on in director Francis Ford Coppola’s stunning drama, a mix of jazz music, romance, and gangsters. Richard Gere stars as Dixie Dwyer, a musician working at the famed ’30s nightclub, who gets mixed up with the mob, and Diane Lane co-stars as love interest Vera Cicero, the girlfriend of crime boss Dutch Schultz. With Gregory and Maurice Hines, Lonette McKee, Bob Hoskins, Fred Gwynne, and Nicolas Cage.
Linda Ronstadt: The Sound of My Voice (2019)
During a peak that spanned the ‘70s, her vocal prowess let her top rock, country, and R&B charts, making a portfolio of covers uniquely her own. The life, career and lasting influence of Linda Ronstadt are engagingly celebrated in this documentary portrait, as Linda herself looks back from her Stone Poneys days through her embrace of standards and Spanish songs before illness forced her retirement; insights from contemporaries like Emmylou Harris, Dolly Parton, Bonnie Raitt are also featured.
The Abominable Snowman of the Himalayas (1957)
Creepy, atmospheric Hammer production featuring Forrest Tucker as adventurous American scientist Tom Friend, who is joined by British botanist Dr. John Rollason (Peter Cushing) on a search for the legendary man-beast known as the Yeti in the Himalayan region of Tibet. But while Friend seeks only notoriety, Rollason is driven by a thirst for knowledge. They locate the creature, but may be surprised by what they find. Maureen Connell, Richard Wattis, Robert Brown co-star.
Dr. Jekyll and Sister Hyde (1971)
Surprisingly sinister spin on the horror classic, in which Dr. Henry Jekyll’s (Ralph Bates) potent potion puts his gender in a blender and changes him into a lovely and lethal woman (Martine Beswick). In need of female hormones to fuel his concoction, Jekyll must murder a series of young women, making him the one responsible for the Jack the Ripper killings. Gerald Sim, Lewis Fiander, Dorothy Alison also star in this unusual Hammer shocker.
Fritz Lang’s Indian Epic (1959)
“The Tiger of Eschnapur,” the first entry in Fritz Lang’s two-part adventure saga, follows an architect who falls for a beautiful temple dancer after he’s called to India to work for the Maharajah of Eschnapur. Problem is, the dancer has been promised to the Maharajah, and when he learns of their relationship, the lovers flee to the desert. Paul Hubschmid (Christian), Debra Paget and Walter Reyer star. Then, “The Indian Tomb” is an updating of a silent serial he wrote about architect Hubschmid and dancer Paget facing sandstorms in the desert, a scary jungle trek, a leper colony, and a rebellion at the Maharajah’s palace.
The Loudest Voice (2019)
The rise and fall of conservative media executive Roger Ailes–from his mid-‘90s founding and subsequent stewardship of Fox News, to the allegations of sexual harassment that leveraged his ouster from the network after two decades–is stunningly laid out in this Showtime miniseries boasting a remarkable central performance from Russell Crowe as Ailes. Sienna Miller, Seth MacFarlane, Simon McBurney, Annabelle Wallis, Aleksa Palladino, Naomi Watts co-star.
Until the End of the World (Criterion Collection)(1991)
In 1999, with the world panicking over a space station’s imminent re-entry into the atmosphere, fugitive Claire (Solveig Dommartin) finds herself seduced and robbed by stranger Sam (William Hurt). She learns that he’s carrying pilfered technology that can record and transmit neural imagery…and her desire for payback leads her on a literal chase to the ends of the Earth. Wim Wenders’ long-gestated fantasy epic co-stars Sam Neill, Rüdiger Vogler, Max Von Sydow, Jeanne Moreau.
Out of the Blue (1947)
Zany comedy stars George Brent as Arthur Earthleigh, a milquetoast husband whose life is turned upside-down when boozy, free-spirited neighbor Olive Jensen (Ann Dvorak) passes out in his apartment while his domineering wife is away. Thinking she’s dead, Arthur deposits the unconscious Olive on the terrace of another neighbor, playboy artist David Galleo (Turhan Bey), who uses the opportunity to blackmail “murderer” Earthleigh. Carole Landis, Virginia Mayo also star.
Blue Collar (1978)
Tired of just getting by, a trio of Detroit assembly line workers (Richard Pryor, Harvey Keitel, Yaphet Kotto) decide to loot the office of their union local. They find little cash, but lots of evidence of corruption amongst their leadership. Their decision to run a blackmail with their findings, though, might have them paying more than dues. Paul Schrader’s exciting, underrated debut as writer/director co-stars Ed Begley, Jr., Cliff De Young.
The Fanatic (2019)
As he scratched out a living, and amassed his collectibles, on the Hollywood Boulevard margins, socially stunted gray fanboy Moose (John Travolta) seemed harmless enough. However, after getting blown off at a signing by a personal hero–fading action star Hunter Dunbar (Devon Sawa)–Moose takes his desire for a make-good into the actor’s life and home with shattering consequences. Director/co-scripter Fred Durst’s tale of toxic fandom co-stars Ana Golja, James Paxton, Jacob Grodnik.
Iron Eagle III: Aces (1992)
A battle-weary Chappy Sinclair (Lou Gossett, Jr.) was happy limiting his flying to a WWII aircraft exhibition show with his cronies. However, after an old Peruvian friend was shot down doing the forced bidding of the drug cartel terrorizing his native village, the veteran pilots pointed their vintage craft south in search of retribution. Third entry in the soaring sky series co-stars Rachel McLish, Horst Buchholz, Sonny Chiba, Christopher Cazenove, Paul Freeman.
Inside Moves (1980)
Confined to a wheelchair after a botched suicide attempt, the embittered Roary (John Savage) finds new meaning amongst the other “misfits” at a local saloon whose bartender, Jerry (David Morse), dreams of becoming a pro basketball player. Jerry gets a much-needed knee operation and is soon playing for the Golden State Warriors…leaving his friends behind in the process. Director Richard Donner’s compelling character study, co-scripted by Barry Levinson, also stars Diana Scarwid, Harold Russell.
Love on the Slopes (2018)
Extreme sports are not copy editor Alex Burns’ (Katrina Bowden) thing. Nevertheless, she’s been sent to write a travel article on the destination for daredevils known as Ridgeline Resort. When not attempting a series of death-defying, white-knuckle stunts, will Alex have time for a little romance with handsome extreme sportsman Cole (Thomas Beaudoin)? Hallmark Channel original comedy also stars Elysia Rotaru, Anthony Konechny, Corey Woods.
The Nude Bomb (1980)
Famed “Get Smart” agent Maxwell Smart (Don Adams) is on his most dangerous case ever, trying to stop KAOS from dropping a bomb that would destroy all existing fabric worldwide. And would you believe he only has 48 days to save the day and keep mankind clothed? Sylvia Kristel, Vittorio Gassman, Rhonda Fleming, Dana Elcar, Pamela Hensley also star; directed by Clive Donner (“What’s New Pussycat?”). AKA: “The Return of Maxwell Smart.”
Old Joy (Criterion Collection)(2006)
Featuring music by Yo La Tengo, this naturalistic drama chronicles the quiet dissolution of the friendship between a single idealist drifter and his responsible married college pal. During a weekend camping trip in Oregon’s Cascade Mountains, the pair begins to discover the subtle and profound ways in which their lives, desires and feelings about each other have changed. Indie rock veteran Will Oldham, Daniel London and Tanya Smith star.
Third in the legendary Tsuburaya Productions’ succession of “Ultra” series, this 1967-68 follow-up to the best-known “Ultraman” program focuses on the exploits of the Terrestrial Defense Force and its special Ultra Guard team: six elite officers and a seventh member who has fused with Ultraseven, his alien rescuer from the Land of Light in Nebula M-78. Together, the super squad battles one monstrous alien kaiju after another! Kôji Moritsugu, Yuriko Hishimi star. All 48 episodes of the series are included in a six-disc set.
Viy (1967)
Accepting a night’s lodging from an old crone, a novitiate monk (Leonid Kuravlyov) found himself attacked by his host…and after his self-defense proved mortal, she transformed into a beautiful young woman (Natalya Varley) in death. Fleeing, he thought the horrors were behind him–but as he found himself ordered to preside over his victim’s wake for three nights, they’d only just begun, in this seminal Soviet scarefest adapted from the Gogol novella.
48 episodes on 6 discs
See what the buzz is about with this five-disc set that includes The Fly (1958), Return of the Fly (1959), Curse of the Fly (1965), The Fly (1986), The Fly II (1989).
Click here for a complete list of all of this week’s new releases!