It’s an abnormally slow week for home video. For the first time in a great while (holidays excepted), there are barely any new releases coming our way. In fact, the DVD/Blu-ray of the week is the 3rd season of Game of Thrones. So it’s going to be a much shorter column. So, if you can’t make it out the theater this week, your options are limited, but some of the highlights here may pique your interest. Read ahead and check them out!
Big New Releases!
Afternoon Delight – Jane Lynch, Juno Tempo and Kathryn Hahn star in this independent comedy/drama film about a bored housewife who becomes obsessed with reforming a young stripper. It only played in a handful of theaters and didn’t make much of a splash with audiences, but the majority of critics gave it positive notices. They liked the performances and complimented Hahn’s work in particular. Additionally, they found the subject matter to be interesting and unusual.
Battle of the Damned – This low budget B-flick features Dolph Lundgren and a lot of zombies. After an apocalyptic virus turns the world upside down, our hero must fight through a horde of the undead to reunite with his daughter. Apparently, killer robots are also thrown into the mix. It’s making its premiere on home video, so there haven’t been any reviews as of yet.
Blasts from the Past!
Bad Dreams/Visiting Hours – Shout! Factory gives these two hospital-set horror flicks the Blu-ray double feature treatment. Bad Dreams (1988) follows a young woman under psychiatric care. During her stay, the heroine begins to suffer from freaky hallucinations of her past life in a cult. Not long after, doctors and patients start dying violently. Jennifer Rubin, Richard Lynch and Bruce Abbott star. Visiting Hours (1982) is a trashier effort. This Canadian flick follows a psychotic misogynist killer who targets a female talk show host. When she survives an attack and ends up in a hospital, the nut job attempts to sneak in and finish the job. Michael Ironside plays the heavy, Lee Grant is the TV personality and William Shatner plays her TV producer. Neither are the strongest examples of their genre. However, fans of these schlocky slasher flicks will enjoy the numerous extras and get plenty for their money.
Darkman (Shout!) – This modestly budgeted B-movie throwback from 1990 was Spider-Man director Sam Raimi’s first studio gig. Nearly 25 years later, it remains a cult movie favorite. A scientist working on synthetic skin is assumed dead after his lab is destroyed by mobsters. Mangled and living off the grid, he continues his work and begins to exact revenge by building masks of his tormentors and impersonating them. Liam Neeson, Frances McDormand and Larry Drake star. It’s a fun little flick and Shout! has once again provided a great transfer and loads of bonus features.
Fantastic Mr. Fox (Criterion) – This highly enjoyable stop-motion animated feature from director Wes Anderson (Rushmore, The Royal Tenenbaums, Moonrise Kingdom) gets the Criterion special edition treatment. Based on the children’s book by Roald Dahl, it follows a group of foxes who attempt a daring raid on a farm. George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Bill Murray and Owen Wilson are just a few of the famous actors providing voices. The movie wasn’t a huge hit with audiences back in 2009 and may actually appeal more to adults than children, but it’s a very strong film worth checking out.
You Know, For Kids!
There isn’t an overload of kid-themed release this week, but there are a few titles of note. Here they are!
Beware the Batman: Shadows of Gotham: Season 1, Part 1
Elmo’s Rainbow & Other Springtime Stories
Fantastic Mr. Fox (Criterion) (see above)
Garfield Show: It’s Showtime
Peter Rabbit (Nickelodeon)
Peter Rabbit: Spring Into Adventure (Nickelodeon)
On the Tube!
As mentioned previously, the biggest Blu-ray/DVD release of the week isn’t a movie, but the latest season of the hit TV show Game of Thrones. If you’re a fan, you probably already know about it, but if not, now you can catch up with three seasons worth of dragons, swordplay and “sexposition” (all of the important political discussions in this fantasy world seem to occur while in flagrante delicto).
Dragonball Z: Season 3
Game of Thrones: Season 3
Gentle Ben: Season 2
Nurse Jackie: Season 5
The Six Million Dollar Man: Season 5