We’ve got another great assortment of new releases this week that will delight movie lovers of every taste! Browse the latest DVDs and Blu-rays below!
Free Guy (2021)
Affable big-town bank teller Guy (Ryan Reynolds) was content with life and job–the daily violent holdups notwithstanding. However, his fateful encounter with one foxy felon (Jodie Comer) brought him the realization that he was actually a background character in an open-world video game–and while his newfound autonomy makes him a hit with players, it also draws the wrath of the program’s developer (Taika Waititi). Smash fantasy-actioner co-stars Lil Rel Howery, Joe Keery.
The Green Knight (2021)
One Christmas in Camelot, the revels were interrupted by a hulking, emerald-skinned knight (Ralph Ineson) who dared anyone present to lay a blow on him…as long as he got to strike back a year later. The king’s impetuous nephew Gawain (Dev Patel) met the challenge–and after the intruder improbably survived, faced a fateful journey to meet his end of the bargain. David Lowery’s stylish, subversive take on the Arthurian tale co-stars Alicia Vikander, Joel Edgerton, Sean Harris.
High Sierra (Criterion Collection)(1941)
World-weary gangster Roy “Mad Dog” Earle (Humphrey Bogart) had his release from prison engineered by a mastermind who wanted him to spearhead a heist at a California resort. After the job goes south, however, Earle faces a fateful flight through the Sierra Mountains with an enamored dance-hall girl (Ida Lupino). Raoul Walsh’s classic crime drama co-stars Alan Curtis, Joan Leslie; John Huston and W.R. Burnett adapted Burnett’s novel for the screen.
The Haunting of Bly Manor (2020)
In the late ’80s, troubled American Dani Clayton (Victoria Pedretti) accepted the offer of Britisher Henry Wingrave (Henry Thomas) to become an au pair for his orphaned–and odd–nephew and niece (Benjamin Evan Ainsworth, Amelie Bea Smith) at the family manse. The strange phenomena she encounters will impact through another generation, as creator/director Mike Flanagan turns to Henry James’ “Turn of the Screw” as a basis for another creepy miniseries. Carla Gugino, Oliver Jackson-Cohen, Rahul Kohli also star.
Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain (2021)
From the time he published his tell-all “Kitchen Confidential” in 2000, celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain built his profile as the everyman’s epicure, circling the globe as an accessible documentarian of the dining experience. The fullness of his lifestyle gave all the more reason for followers to be stunned by his 2018 suicide. Director Morgan Neville utilized access to those who knew him best (and a controversial deepfake reproduction of Bourdain’s speaking voice) to examine the man and his drives.
Vera Cruz (1954)
Exciting 19th-century frontier saga stars Gary Cooper and Burt Lancaster as gunslingers who head to Mexico to work as mercenaries during France’s invasion. While being paid to escort a countess to Vera Cruz, they soon learn the stagecoach is transporting a cache of gold and conspire to steal it. However, the pair soon runs afoul of one another. Robert Aldrich directs an all-star cast including Cesar Romero, Denise Darcel, Charles Bronson, and Ernest Borgnine.
Kolchak: The Night Stalker: The Complete Series (1974)
Darren McGavin reprised his role as grizzled journalist Carl Kolchak, whose beat for a Chicago-based news service brought him into contact with werewolves, zombies, headless motorcyclists, and other creatures of the night, in this influential 1974-75 ABC cult favorite. Based on Jeff Rice’s at-the-time unpublished novel “The Kolchak Papers,” the series also starred Simon Oakland, Jack Grinnage, and Ruth McDevitt. 20 episodes on 4 discs.
The Last Sunset (1961)
While laying low in Mexico, outlaw Brendan O’Malley (Kirk Douglas) looks up an old flame (Dorothy Malone) and opts to join her husband (Joseph Cotten) on a cattle drive to Texas. Unfortunately, another hand’s just signed on–incognito lawman Dana Stribling (Rock Hudson)–who’s out to grab O’Malley on a warrant the minute they’re over the border. Robert Aldrich’s muscular oater co-stars Carol Lynley, Neville Brand, Regis Toomey.
The Flash: The Complete Seventh Season (2021)
The combination of a particle accelerator explosion and lightning strike imbues young Central City forensics cop Barry Allen (Grant Gustin) with super-speed, and he uses his newfound abilities to combat metahuman menaces threatening his town, as well as to unearth the truth about his mother’s mysterious slaying. Lively, popular take on the DC Comics hero from The CW co-stars Candice Patton, Tom Cavanagh, Danielle Panabaker, Carlos Valdes, and Jesse L. Martin. 18 episodes on 4 discs.
Wild Bill (2019)
Florida police chief Bill Hixon (Rob Lowe) found himself fired for slugging a kid who’d shared explicit images of his teenage daughter Kelsey (Aloreia Spencer). He crossed an ocean to reclaim a career–as Chief Constable for East Lincolnshire–and found new challenges from a force and community leery of the hard-charging import. Season-lived ITV offering co-starred Bronwyn James, Rachael Stirling, Anji Mohindra, Tony Pitts, Anthony Flanagan, Divian Ladwa. 6 episodes on 2 discs.
Black Lightning: The Fourth and Final Season (2021)
Nine years after giving up his superhero alter-ego, Black Lightning, Jefferson Pierce (Cress Williams) is just your average, everyday high school principal. But the electricity-controlling crimefighter must reluctantly come out of retirement in order to protect his community from a dangerous gang known as the 100. Debuting in 2018, this action-packed CW series–based on the DC Comics character–also stars China Anne McClain, Nafessa Williams, Christine Adams, and James Remar. 13 episodes on 3 discs.
Survive the Game (2021)
When a drug bust gone sideways ended with cop David (Bruce Willis) getting wounded, his partner Cal (Swen Temmel) tracked the two perps to the farm of troubled veteran Eric (Chad Michael Murray). Unfortunately, the only call for backup that got heeded was the one made by the criminals–leaving the three having to think fast and ration their ammo if they’re going to survive. Sarah Roemer, Donna D’Errico, Zack Ward, Sean Kanan also star.
Playing God (2021)
In a hundred grand over their heads, sibling scam artists Rachel and Micah (Hannah Kasulka, Luke Benward) needed a quick strike–and they found it in billionaire Ben (Alan Tudyk), clinically depressed and in search of an audience with God. They ring in their grifter mentor Frank (Michael McKean) to pose as the Almighty…and as the elaborate con seems to work, will the fallout leave hell to pay? Crackling caper farce co-stars Jude Demorest, Marc Menchaca.
Crime Story (aka Reckoning) (2021)
Ex-gangster Ben Myers (Richard Dreyfuss) wasn’t getting much out of his sunset years, between a cancer diagnosis, a wife lost in dementia, and an estranged cop daughter (Mira Sorvino) who wanted nothing to do with him. The last thing he needed was a home break-in–and he got it–but the thieves will find to their regret that his way of handling it is definitely from the old school. Thriller-drama also stars D.W. Moffett, Pruitt Taylor Vince, Cress Williams, Alejandra Rivera Flaviá.
Casanova Last Love (2019)
In the 1760s, while on the run from his legal troubles in Venice and Paris, the aging libertine Giacomo Casanova (Vincent Lindon) settled in London to try and recoup his fortunes. When he tries to ply his seductive wiles on the beautiful young Marianne de Charpillon (Stacy Martin), however, he may ultimately discover that he’s the one being used. Jacquot Benoît’s lush costumer also stars Valeria Golino, Nancy Tate, Julia Roy.
Filibus (1915)
Glamorous socialite Baroness Troixmonde (Valeria Creti) led a second life as the notorious thief Filibus, who utilized a state-of-the art airship to pull off audacious heists from above. When famous detective Kutt-Hendy (Giovanni Spano) vows to end her spree, she rises to the counterattack…and the ensuing war of wits includes donning man-drag to seduce his sister (Cristina Ruspoli), in this ahead-of-its time (in lots of respects) fantasy-adventure from Italy.
The Beast (La Bête) (1975)
Banned for 25 years in England, Walerian Borowczyk’s notorious shocker is a one-of-a-kind experience, not for the easily offended. Lisbeth Hummel plays a young American heiress about to marry the son of a marquis. She finds the diary of an 18th-century woman (Sirpa Lane), who wrote about her own sexual fascination with a creature that is half-bear and half-wolf–and lusts after her! WARNING: Contains explicit scenes; RECOMMENDED FOR ADULTS ONLY.
The Titans That Built America (2021)
The History Channel docudrama series follow-up to “The Men That Built America” focuses on the state of American commerce between the World Wars, as emerging industrial giants like Pierre Du Pont, Walter Chrysler, J.P. Morgan Jr., Henry Ford, and William Boeing changed a nation’s face through the Roaring Twenties and Great Depression, and geared to face the rise of the Axis. Re-enactment scenes star Gerald Kyd, Grant Masters, Ian Toner, and Peter O’Meara.
Deadly Friend (Collector’s Edition)(1986)
Having just moved into town, teenage robotics prodigy Paul (Matthew Laborteaux) couldn’t believe how he clicked with pretty new neighbor Samantha (Kristy Swanson). Sadly, her father was an abusive drunk…and after his latest assault left her irretrievably comatose, Paul’s desperate choice to implant an AI chip in her brain leads to uncanny and terrifying consequences. Wes Craven’s cult favorite, chilling blend of horror and science fiction also stars Anne Ramsey, Anne Twomey.
The Hound of the Baskervilles (1978)
Side-splitting take on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s timeless classic stars Peter Cook as Sherlock Holmes and Dudley Moore as his faithful assistant Watson. As the pair investigates the strange case of a string of murders plaguing the affluent Baskerville family, they uncover a hysterically irreverent mystery. With Denholm Elliott, Joan Greenwood, Prunella Scales.
The Colony (2021)
A privileged few managed to leave a depleted Earth for a new home amongst the stars–but it proved less habitable then thought, as the colonizers were sterile within generations. Now, Blake (Nora Arnezeder) has joined an expedition back to see if conditions improved–and found a yet-flourishing civilization less than happy to see them. Compelling, Germany-shot sci-fi-saga also stars Sarah-Sofie Boussnina, Iain Glen, Sope Dirisu, Sebastian Roché. AKA: “Tides.”
In the Earth (2021)
With the world struggling to work out of a pandemic, scientist Martin Lowery (Joel Fry)–reluctantly squired by park ranger Alma (Ellora Torchia)–set off on foot into the Bristol woods for the remote research site of his botanist colleague Olivia Wendle (Hayley Squires). Between local superstitions, superstitious locals, and the uncanny nature of Wendle’s efforts, there may not be a path back. Ben Wheatley’s unnerving opus also stars Reece Shearsmith, John Hollingworth, Mark Monero.
Cranberry Christmas (2020)
While Dawn and Gabe Powell (Nikki Deloach, Benjamin Ayres) were able to turn their Maine cranberry farm into a burgeoning lifestyle brand, the enterprise bogged down their marriage…and as they’re on the brink of calling it quits, TV doyenne Pamela (Marci T. House) wants to spotlight their business and town on a holiday special. Will the game faces for the cameras translate into the rekindling of old flames? Hallmark holiday romance co-stars Erin Boyes, Greg Rogers, Joanne Wilson.
Legend (1985)
From director Ridley Scott comes this dazzling fantasy/adventure set in a mystical realm where good and evil fight the ultimate battle for domination. Tom Cruise stars as the heroic Jack, who must rescue the beautiful Princess Lili (Mia Sara) from the dreaded Lord of Darkness (Tim Curry) while trying to recover a unicorn’s horn that will return the frozen world back to normal. David Bennent, Alice Playten, Billy Barty also star.
Click here for a complete overview of all of this week’s new releases!