From classic Hollywood hits to recent theatrical offerings, this week’s DVD and Blu-ray new releases have titles to please even the most discerning of movie lovers. Take a look at what new releases are now available!
The movie that made Alan Ladd a star is a film noir classic, based on Graham Greene’s thriller. Ladd plays Philip Raven, a cold-blooded killer out for revenge against double-crossing nightclub owner Willard Gates (Laird Cregar). Raven teams up with beautiful singer Ellen Graham (Veronica Lake)–who’s been tasked with spying on Gates–and the two are soon caught up in the intrigue surrounding a dangerous secret formula, with Ellen’s police lieutenant boyfriend (Robert Preston) hot on their trail.
When she entered her teens, Norfolk kid Saraya Knight (Florence Pugh) gave into the wishes of her folks (Lena Headey, Nick Frost) that she join the family business–and, given that they were pro wrestlers/promoters, she’d in fact have to learn the ropes. The years she spent honing her craft, and the payoff with her breakout stardom as WWE’s Paige, are engagingly covered in this dramedy/biopic; Zak Lowden, Vince Vaughn, Stephen Merchant (who wrote and directed), Dwayne Johnson co-star.
Irish undertaker Patrick Tate (Emile Hirsch) came to frontier California to better provide for his wife (Déborah François) and children…and business took an uptick after sociopath outlaw Dutch Albert (John Cusack) and his men decamped in town. Will he be able to make a stand when the escalating violence he’s profiting from threatens to consume his community and family? Flavorful sagebrusher also stars Danny Webb, Antonia Campbell-Hughes, Blake Berris, Paul Ronan.
Wedding March 4: Something Old, Something New
In the fourth of Hallmark’s “Wedding March” movies, Grace Pershing (Josie Bissett) is dealing with the unexpected arrival of her daughter (Emily Tennant), who announces her equally unexpected engagement. Meanwhile, Grace’s boyfriend/business partner Mick Turner (Jack Wagner) winds up way outside of his comfort zone when he must plan the next wedding scheduled at the Willow Lake Inn. Merritt Patterson, Andrew W. Walker, Aaron Pearl also star.
For Chicago FD inspector Sean McCaffrey (Joe Anderson), the worst part of the job was being answerable to his uncle–department veteran Brian McCaffrey (William Baldwin)–whom he blamed for his father’s death in action. They’d have to extinguish their differences in order to stop ruthless arms smugglers who are using arson to cover their tracks. Slow-burning sequel also stars Alisha Bailey, Ross O’Hennessy, Sal Longbardo, and Donald Sutherland as Ronald Bartel.
The Lone Ranger: Seasons 1 & 2
A fiery horse with the speed of light, a cloud of dust and a hearty ‘Hiyo, Silver!’…Clayton Moore and Jay Silverheels saddle up to bring justice to the Old West as the Lone Ranger and Tonto in the timeless 1949-57 frontier drama, one of ABC’s few hits in the ’50s. All 78 episodes from the first two seasons are included in this 12-disc set.
Insightful social satire stars Beau Bridges as Elgar Enders, a sheltered rich kid who wants to prove his financial savvy by buying a Brooklyn tenement in order to gentrify the neighborhood. Instead, he finds himself assimilating into the lives of the tenants he had planned to evict, and falling in love with a black art student (Marki Bey) to the annoyance of his domineering mother (Lee Grant). Hal Ashby’s directorial debut also stars Pearl Bailey, Diana Sands, Louis Gossett, Jr., and Susan Anspach.
With an economic downturn in full swing, aging Manhattan adman Mel Edison (Jack Lemmon) had to go back to his Upper East Side apartment and tell wife Edna (Anne Bancroft) he’d just been canned. As she struggles to keep the bills paid–and he struggles to keep his sanity–the on-target quips about New York life fly fast and furious in Neil Simon’s stage hit seriocomedy. Gene Saks, Elizabeth Wilson co-star; look for early appearances by Sylvester Stallone and F. Murray Abraham.
Striking film noir classic stars Ray Milland as George Stroud, a crime magazine editor who has a liaison with Pauline, a beautiful woman who turns out to be the mistress of his boss, tyrannical publisher Earl Janoth (Charles Laughton). When a jealous Janoth murders Pauline, he sets out to frame the “other man” for the crime and assigns the job of finding him to Stroud. Rita Johnson, George Macready, and Elsa Lanchester also star in this suspenser that inspired 1987’s “No Way Out.”
Action and dark humor mix in this American remake of the 2014 Norwegian film “In Order of Disappearance.” Liam Neeson stars as Nelson Coxman, an everyman snow plow driver whose son is murdered by drug dealers who make it look like an overdose. Now, Coxman will take matters into his own hands as he wages a war of vengeance against the drug cartel and its vicious leader (Tom Bateman). Laura Dern, Emmy Rossum co-star; directed by Hans Petter Moland, who also helmed the original.
Veteran New York cop Peter Casey (Thomas Mitchell) thought it couldn’t get worse when the department marked his 20 years with the force by pensioning him off. He got proven wrong when the upstart Scot rookie (Dennis Morgan) who got awarded his old beat started secretly romancing his oldest daughter (Priscilla Lane)! As he labors to break the fling off, how will he handle learning of their elopement? Flavorful charmer also stars Alan Hale, Virginia Grey, Irene Hervey, William Lundigan.
Avaricious African miner Eli Snedeker (George Tobias) was enraged that fired foreman John Gamble (George Brent) partnered with old rival Roger Smythe (Miles Mander) and uncovered a fabulous diamond…so he murdered Smythe and pinned it on Gamble. After five years on the run, Gamble surfaces in England under an alias…and, having fallen for Smythe’s daughter Katherine (Brenda Marshall), engages in a desperate gambit to clear his name. Lee Patrick, James Stephenson, Eric Blore, Cecil Kellaway co-star.
Back on Britain’s shores after the athletic mainland escape that had the media dub him “Gorilla Man,” wounded commando officer Craig Killian (John Loder) was delivered to a private sanitarium. Unfortunately, he discovers the facility’s a Nazi front and they’re going to pump him for the intelligence he uncovered! He goes on the run, but what’s his move when the Axis-loyal administrators tell the public he’s insane and dangerous? Wartime thriller co-stars Ruth Ford, Paul Cavanagh, Richard Fraser.
Judy Garland turns in one of her finest performances in director George Cukor’s classic musical drama. The film chronicles the rise of an up-and-coming entertainer (Garland) whose path to stardom is sharply contrasted by the career decline of her husband (James Mason), a former matinee idol who’s descended into alcoholism. With Jack Carson, Charles Bickford. Songs include “Born in a Trunk,” “The Man That Got Away,” “Lose That Long Face.” This is the restored 1983 re-release.
Young zoology student Jane Chase (Elisabeth Shue) takes a job as an assistant to her professor, Dr. Steven Phillip (Terence Stamp). But when the doc mysteriously disappears, Jane finds herself pursued through his isolated English mansion by one of his research animals–an intelligent, dangerous primate named Link (no relation to Lancelot). Scary simian slasher from the UK also stars Steven Finch, Richard Garnett, David O’Hara.
This rousing made-for-television rendition of the timeless adventure story by A.E.W. Mason stars Beau Bridges as Lt. Harry Feversham, a 19th-century English officer who must regain the respect of his friends and loved ones after they come to believe–mistakenly–that cowardice is the reason he’s decided to remain behind when his unit is sent to fight in the Sudan. Feversham travels to the war zone in disguise and risks his life to aid his comrades. With Jane Seymour, Robert Powell, Simon Ward.
Having broken the time loop that saw her slain on her birthday over and over, Tree Gelbman (Jessica Rothe) discovered that her peril stemmed from the quantum experiments of classmate Ryan (Phi Vu). His efforts to clean up the mess only succeed in thrusting her into a parallel universe with some key differences–including, unfortunately, that the Baby Mask Killer’s still out there. Israel Broussard, Ruby Modine, Rachel Matthews, Charles Aitken also return for this diabolical do-over.
Sweeping and impressively mounted Biblical mini-series from Britain casts Burt Lancaster as the leader of the Israelites following his life from his abandonment and adoption by Egypt’s rulers through his rebellion against Pharaoh and marking his many challenges as he shepherded his people through 40 years’ wanderings in search of the Promised Land. Anthony Quayle, Irene Papas, Ingrid Thulin, Mariangela Melato, Aharon Ipale, Marina Berti also star.
Funny Games (Criterion Collection)
An affluent family’s vacation at their lakeside summer home is shattered by the arrival of two handsome and seemingly polite young men whose increasingly hostile and brutal actions intimidate and endanger their hosts. Disturbing, at times surreal look at the nature of violence, which director Michael Haneke remade in the U.S. in 2007, stars Frank Giering, Ulrich Mühe, Susanne Lothar, Arno Frisch.
House of Games (Criterion Collection)
Pop psychologist Margaret Ford (Lindsay Crouse) chose to aid a desperate patient in deep with the mob by confronting Mike (Joe Mantegna), the charismatic hood who’s holding the marker. Upon learning that the whole set-up was an attempt to fleece her, the now-intrigued therapist asks Mike to teach her how to grift…but the tutorial will end in a web of deceit and death. Striking film directorial debut for author David Mamet co-stars William H. Macy, J.T. Walsh, Ricky Jay, Lilia Skala.