Category Archives: DVDs

Olive Signature releases two films in pristine prints and essential extras

Olive Films continues its tradition of releasing lost, little-known films . . . even films that have had DVD life, but are resurrected through 4Ks scan of original camera negatives and crammed with essentials extras.

The next titles to be included in Olive Signature, a new series of DVD & Blu-ray releases offering deluxe editions of time-honored classics, fan favorites and under-appreciated gems from the Olive catalog. Olive Signature titles feature pristine audio and video presentation and an abundance of bonus material that will delight fans, collectors, and cinephiles. They continue the series with two distinct, but beloved classics. Save the release date: October 25.

The Quiet Man (1952)unnamed (14)
Sean Thornton (portrayed by John Wayne), an American boxer with a tragic past, returns to the Irish town of his youth. There, he purchases his childhood home and falls in love with the fiery local lass, Mary Kate Danaher (the lovely Maureen O’Hara). But Kate’s insistence that Sean conduct his courtship in a proper Irish manner with matchmaker Michaleen Oge Flynn (Barry Fitzgerald) along for the ride as chaperone is but one obstacle to their future together; the other is her brother, “Red” Danaher (Victor McLaglen), who spitefully refuses to give his consent to their marriage, or to honor the tradition of paying a dowry to the husband. Sean couldn’t care less about dowries or any other tradition that might stand in the way of his happiness. But when Mary Kate accuses him of being a coward, Sean is finally ready to take matters into his own hands. The Quiet Man would go on to win two Academy Awards in 1953, including Best Director (John Ford) and Best Cinematography and received five more nominations including Best Picture, Best Screenplay and Best Supporting Actor (McLaglen).
Bonus tracks abound!

  • Mastered from 4K scan of original camera negative
  • Audio commentary with John Ford biographer Joseph McBride
  • Tribute to Maureen O’Hara with Ally Sheedy, Hayley Mills and Juliet Mills
  • Don’t You Remember It, Seánín?: John Ford’s ‘The Quiet Man’ – A visual essay by historian and John Ford expert Tag Gallagher
  • Free Republic: The Story of Herbert J. Yates and Republic Pictures
  • The Old Man: Remembering John Ford – An appreciation of the director with Peter Bogdanovich
  • The Making of The Quiet Man – Written and hosted by Leonard Maltin

The Night of the Grizzly (1966)
Adventure is the name of the game in this action-packed, western-tinged adventure. Clint Walker stars as “Big Jim” Cole, a former lawman who trades his badge for rancher duds when he inherits land in Wyoming. But no sooner has the Cole family begun settling into their new life when nature—in the form of a blood-thirsty grizzly bearrears its ugly head. Adding to the terror and tension are a group of envious neighbors who want the Cole property for themselves, and the unwelcome return of an outlaw from Big Jim’s past who’s out for revenge.unnamed (15) Directed by Joseph Pevney, The Night of the Grizzly features a who’s-who of great character actors including Keenan Wynn, Jack Elam, Leo Gordon and Ron Ely.

  • New High-Definition digital restoration
  • Audio Commentary by film historian Toby Roan
  • Blood on the Claw: How Cheyenne Bodie Became a Movie Star – An essay by C. Courtney Joyner
  • The Legend of Big Jim Cole – Interview with Clint Walker
  • The Night of the Grizzly World Premiere archival footage
  • At Home with Clint Walker and His Home Gymnasium – Archival interview

“Louder Than Bombs” star Jesse Eisenberg: “It’s rare to find a script like this one”

The truth is always louder than mere words. Witness Louder Than Bombs (Sony Pictures Home Entertainment), a riveting film in which  a war photographer’s mysterious death is revealed.

Academy Award nominee Jesse Eisenberg, Gabriel Byrne and newcomer Devin Druid star as family members coming to terms with conflicting memories and new revelations about the life and passing of their mother and wife, a renowned photographer played by Isabelle Huppert.

http://https://youtu.be/0jUg-JRLudo

Directed by acclaimed Norwegian filmmaker Joachim Trier and co-starring Oscar nominees Amy Ryan and David Strathairn, Louder Than Bombs was an Official Selection at the Cannes Film Festival (2015), where it was nominated for the prestigious Palme d’Or. Released theatrically by The Orchard earlier this year, the film arrives on DVD with director’s commentary, a behind-the-scenes featurette and photo gallery.

unnamed (13)What does Jesse Eisenberg think of his role? “There’s an enigmatic quality to the character I play,” he says. “His mother has killed herself, but he’s not reacting to his grief in a way that’s immediately obvious. And yet his reaction is emotionally correct. An actor will always take that kind of emotional logic and run with it, will make the character as eccentric as they can, because it’s rare to find a script, like this one, that allows an actor to behave ambivalently or to live out ambiguity.  My character abandons his wife and child in a way that’s seems innocuous at first but then seems increasingly immoral. When I read the script, I couldn’t get his moral compass. It seemed vague. But then, when you’re acting it, it seems exactly right—this is what somebody would do in this particular situation.”

 

Jonathan Tropper: “‘Banshee’ has been an incredible ride.” Save the date for the Blu-ray/DVD release of the final season

No one, nothing, did violence on the small screen as well (and bloody) as Cinemax’s Banshee. Die-hard fans—so die-hard they are called “Fanshees”—went into deep mourning when they learned the Emmy-winning action-packed series (ex-con assumes the identity of a small-town Pennsylvania sheriff deep in Amish country)—would be coming to an end.

A show source says that “we have not been canceled, but on the creative side, we have decided to end the show, basically because we were done telling the story. As Cinemax’s highest-rated show, no one was looking to cancel us. It was a creative decision. The premise was never meant to survive a long stretch. We all made the decision at the end of season three that we were going to make season four our grand finale.”
unnamed (12)
Banshee co-creator Jonathan Tropper adds his take: “’Banshee’ has been an incredible ride, and we continue to break new ground in season four. While we certainly considered returning for a fifth season, I always said that when the story was told, it would be time to move on, and that time has come. I am grateful to Cinemax for making ‘Banshee’ the great success it has been and for supporting our creative decision to wrap things up.”

This leaves four electrifying seasons, now on Blu-ray and DVD, though Banshee: The Complete Fourth Season doesn’t arrive until October 4.  Sure to lift any “Fanshee” out of the doldrums, the three-disc sets are packed with behind-the-scenes extras including audio commentaries, exclusive deleted scenes, episode recaps, Banshee Origins (which tells the story behind the story with eight prequel videos featuring the cast of Banshee); Zoomed In Episodes 1–8 (an on the set feature highlighting how key, adrenaline-filled scenes were created); and specially-created cast retrospectives on “Best Fight Scenes” and “Job’s Best Outfits.”

Created by Tropper and David Schickler, Banshee charts the final twists and turns that follow Lucas Hood, an ex-convict who assumed the identity of sheriff in the Amish-area town Banshee, where his former lover and partner-in-crime was living under her own alias, Carrie Hopewell. The final season takes place two years after Lucas gave up his badge after a bloody, multi-million-dollar heist at the Camp Genoa Marine Base which proved costly: Carrie’s husband Gordon was killed, and Lucas’s longtime computer-hacker partner, Job, was abducted by a shady criminal ring.

After settling a score with a “recruiter” from Lucas’s past whom he hoped would have intel on Job, Lucas went on a bender before being rescued by an unlikely savior, Proctor’s niece.  Emerging from a self-imposed exile, Lucas returns to Banshee to find it a changed town. Brock Lotus is now sheriff, Kai Proctor is the mayor, and the old “Cadi” police station has been replaced by a state-of the-art facility.


A new deputy with ties to Proctor, Nina Cruz, has joined Brock’s team, along with Kurt Bunker, the skinhead-turned-deputy who continues to make amends for his dark past while fighting the racist overtures of the group led by his younger brother Calvin. After reuniting with Carrie, their daughter Deva, and ex-boxer Sugar Bates, Lucas becomes immersed in a new Banshee crisis: rooting out a vicious serial murderer whose latest victim is someone near and dear to his heart.

IFC Films offers three flicks, as different as they are daring and dramatic

IFC Films offers an August filled with a trio of must-see, must-own films.

11 Minutes
In the span of 11 tense minutes, a whirlwind of interlocking tales of life in the surveillance age unfold in this stylish, propulsive thriller from acclaimed director Jerzy Skolimowski. In a city square in Warsaw, a sleazy film director “auditions” a married actress in a hotel room; a hot dog vendor goes about his work while concealing a dark secret; a drug runner has a tryst with a client’s wife; and a young man plots an ill-advised robbery.
unnamed (9) Mixing sleek cinematography with footage from webcam, smartphone and CCTV cameras, 11 Minutes masterfully lays out the pieces of a puzzle and then brings them together in an explosive climax.
The IFC Films theatrical release, a winner of multiple prizes at the Venice Film Festival, Polish Film Festival and Lisbon & Estoril Film Festival, stars Richard Dormer, Paulina Chapko, Andrzej Chyra and Wojciech Mecwaldowski. “

Sky
In this captivating, star-filled road movie, a French woman finds liberation in the dusty highways, open spaces and smoky barrooms of the great American West. Diane Kruger stars as Romy, a Parisian who, while on vacation in California, breaks things off once and for all with her boorish husband (Gilles Lellouche) in a dramatic final fight.unnamed (10) Now a free woman in a strange land, Romy embarks on a life-changing trip through the desert, crossing paths with strangers who impact her life in various ways: a kindly small-town police officer (Joshua Jackson), a pregnant, trailer park-dwelling mother (Lena Dunham) and a charming, ruggedly independent cowboy (Norman Reedus), with whom she finds the possibility of new love. Beautifully capturing the landscapes and soul of the Southwest, Sky, an IFC Films theatrical release and an official selection at the Toronto International Film Festival, is a stirring emotional odyssey about what it means to start your life over again.

Weiner
Anthony Weiner was a young congressman on the cusp of higher office when a sexting scandal forced a humiliating resignation. Just two years later, he ran for mayor of New York, betting that his ideas would trump his indiscretions. With unprecedented access to Weiner, his family and his campaign team, the universally acclaimed flick is a thrilling look inside a political comeback-turned-meltdown. What begins as an unprecedented surge to the top of the polls takes a sharp turn once Weiner is forced to admit to new sexting allegations.
unnamed (11)He desperately tries to forge ahead, but the increasing pressure and crippling 24-hour news coverage halt his political aspirations. With the city of New York as a loud and bustling backdrop, Weiner walks the line between political farce and personal tragedy as it plunges through an increasingly baffling campaign with unflinching clarity, humor and pathos. The IFC Films theatrical release won the U.S. Grand Jury Prize for documentary at the Sundance Film Festival.

IndiePix Unlimited offers the 5 Must-See Films of the Summer

August continues to bring daze, and as the big-budget summer blockbusters begin their annual invasion, those who have no interest in the usual explosive entertainment should look to IndiePix Unlimited, the signature subscription streaming service from IndiePix Films. Counter-programming of the highest order, they’ve carefully curated the “5 Must-See Films of Summer,” suitable for binge-watching indoors or anchoring your own festival.

Highlighted by the all-new digital release Mouton, a compelling French language drama which captured both a Special Jury Prize and Best First Film (from directors Gilles Deroo and Marianne Pistone) at the prestigious Locarno Film Festival; the essential must see films also include the world cinema festival favorites The Winter (Greece), Crumbs(Ethiopia) and Samson & Delilah (Australia) and Ondi Timoner’s Sundance Grand Jury Prize-winning doc, We Live in Public.

Called “the independent film champion” by TechHive.com, consumers interested in programming their own film festival with IndiePix Unlimited  and “5 Must-See Films of Summer” can simply visit indiepix-unlimited.tumblr.com/ and sign up for access to these cinematic gems, as well as a highly-curated catalog of 400+ acclaimed world cinema classics, short films, documentaries and more.  For $5.99 per month (with the first month free!) IndiePix Unlimited offers movie lovers the opportunity to watch Indiepix’s deep, award-winning catalog anywhere and anytime through any platform . . . whether  tethered to a desktop or out and about on an iPhone, tablet or Android device.  With free apps supporting both iOS and Android devices, subscribers need only to sign up on the secure site for immediate 24/7 access.

Before you start logging in, let us give you a little more movie maven info about each of the must-see flicks.
Mouton (France) Directors Gilles Deroo and Marianne Pistone borrowed from the cinema-verité handbook with their feature film debut, a highly original drama that follows cheerful 17 year-old, Aurélien Bouvier, also known as Mouton (Sheep).  He works in the kitchen of the local seafood restaurant in the little town of Courseulles-sur-Mer on the Normandy coast and enjoys a simple life filled with work friendship and love.  unnamed (4)But when Mouton suffers a bizarre accident with a chainsaw during the Fête de la Sainte-Anne, the film’s focus turns to those left behind in a drama about which Variety loved the film, gushing: “Films that truly surprise are the rarest of the rare and Mouton‘s originality and intriguing docu-style approach make it impossible to dismiss as just another arty experiment”.
The Winter (Greece) The dazzling feature debut of talented VFX artist Konstantinos Koutsoliotas, this is the story of an impoverished writer, Niko (Theo Albanis) who leaves London for his family home in the Greek mountain town of Siatista. unnamed (5)
Upon arriving, he discovers the home has been abandoned and is now haunted by the ghosts of the past.  Working to retain his grasp on reality, Niko sets about to uncover the mystery of his father’s death in this poignant, fantastical drama blended with a touch of magical realism and influenced by the works of Poe and Lovecraft.  It was nominated for a Méliès d’Argent Best Fantastic Feature Film at 2015 Imagine: Amsterdam Fantastic Film Festival.

Crumbs (Ethiopia) Called “outlandish and imaginative” by The Hollywood Reporter and “an instant classic” by Movie City News.com, this film is a post-apocalyptic, surrealist science-fiction romance.  Set against the background of spectacular Ethiopian landscapes, the film finds a  strange-looking scrap collector, Gagano (played by the charismatic Daniel Tadesse).  Alternately gripped by daydreams and constant fears, the diminutive Gagano has had enough of collecting the priceless crumbs of decayed civilization, including the most valuable: merchandise from Michael Jackson and Michael Jordan.  unnamed (6)When a spaceship that has been hovering high in the sky for years starts showing signs of activity, Gagano has to overcome his fears–as well as  a witch, Santa Claus and second-generation Nazis–to discover things aren’t quite the way he thought. After its World Premiere in the Bright Futures section at the Rotterdam International Film Festival, followed by EFM in Berlin, Crumbs captured a special Nightfall Jury Mention at the 2015 Los Angeles Film Festival, and the New Flesh Award for Best First Feature Film at Montreal’s 19th Annual Fantasia International Film Festival.

Samson & Delilah (Australia) Best described as a “survival love story”, Australia’s official Oscar submission from 2009 and winner of the Caméra d’Or at Cannes for Best First Film, follows cheeky, aimless Samson (Rowan McNamara, in his big screen debut) and Delilah (Marissa Gibson), two indigenous 14 year-olds living in a isolated Aboriginal community in the desert of Central Australia.  Among a tiny collection of houses, day in and day out, nothing changes and no one seems to care.  However, when tragedy strikes, the duo are branded as outcasts and they turn their backs on home and embark for distant Alice Springs on a grueling road trip.  Subjecting the wayward couple to extreme poverty, addiction and hunger, their journey of self-discovery helps them discover that while life isn’t always fair, love never judges.unnamed (7)Based on director Warwick Thornton’s personal experiences, Samson & Delilah was an international smash, capturing 7 Australian Film Institute Awards, as well as Best Feature Film at the 2009 Asia Pacific Awards, Best Film at the Amazonas Film Festival in Brazil and the Grand Jury Prize for Best Film at the St. Tropez Film Festival in France.
We Live in Public (USA) Ten years in the making and culled from 5,000 hours of footage, We Live in Public reveals the effect the web is having on our society, as seen through the eyes of “the greatest Internet pioneer you’ve never heard of”, artist, futurist and visionary Josh Harris.
unnamed (8)Ondi Timoner
documented his tumultuous life for more than a decade to create a riveting, cautionary tale of what to expect as the virtual world inevitably takes control of our lives.
Whether you’re interested in binge-watching the 5 Must-See Films of Summer or creating your own queue filled with acclaimed cinema, don’t miss out on a truly unique, engaging and watercooler-worthy viewing experience with the IndiePix Unlimited!
 

IndiePix Unlimited offers movie mavens a highly-curated catalog of cinematic gems

On the road again? This summer join IndiePix Films for a journey to the Dominican tropics for On the Road, Somewhere (Algun Lugar), a poignant coming-of-age road trip drama.  The feature debut of writer/director Guillermo Zouain will premiere exclusively on August 12 on IndiePix Unlimited, IndiePix Films’ streaming subscription service. Admit you may not have heard of him. Admit you always will after seeing the flick, so wonderful it was an Official Selection at numerous festivals including the Miami International Film Festival, the Chicago Latino Film Festival, Cine Las Americas and the International Film Festival of Panama.

unnamed
On the Road, Somewhere follows three high-school best friends, Oliver (portrayed by Arnold Martínez), Moises (Javier Grullón) and Hemingway (Victor Alfonso), on a summer road trip through the Dominican Republic–their last together before college.  Oliver needs to arrive at all costs to the remote town of Pedernales to say goodbye to his high school sweetheart before she moves away to New York.  Moises is documenting the trip as a last tribute to his love of photography before enrolling in a career in civil engineering.  And Hemingway seeks to escape his oppressive family and become a writer in a society that despises authors.
unnamed (1)
Along the way, the car breaks down frequently, leaving the three boys stranded with nearly every character under the Dominican sun: a Haitian hitchhiker, a famous photographer and an intriguing artist.  And when these strangers trigger a series of adventures unexpectedly changing their travel plans, their celebratory journey may well become a final farewell. 

Nominated for Best Feature Film at the 2015 Miami International Film Festival and Top Indie Film Awards 2015, among numerous other accolades, On the Road, Somwhere will initially only be available on IndiePix Unlimited, which  gives passionate cinephiles 24/7 access to a highly-curated catalog of cinematic gems from both international auteurs and visionary new voices alike. There, it joins other contemporary classics of world cinema including 2009 Cannes Camera D’Or winner, Samson & Delilah; Iranian artist Shirin Neshat’s feature-length debut; the Golden Lion-nominated Women Without Men and Noaz Deshe’s powerful White Shadow.  For just $5.99 per month, those film and more than 400 others across all genres will be available on any device or platform through IndiePixUnlimited.com or apps available on iTunes or Google Play.
 

“Star Wars: The Force Awakens 3D Collector’s Edition” on Blu-ray and DVD: May the force be with you.

It will happen, in a galaxy not so far, far away. It will happen in the Milky Way, right here on Earth. It will first happen on Halloween in Sweden and Holland  . . . and happen in the United States and Canada on November 15.

Save the date. This is important. Those are the dates Star Wars devotees will experience—up close and in eye-popping 3D—the highly-anticipated Star Wars: The Force Awakens 3D Collector’s Edition. May the force be with you.AVCO_3D_pack_shot

For the first time—and just in time for the holidays (make note!)—viewers can bring home Lucasfilm’s “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” in 3D, encased in stunning, collectible packaging. The exclusive four-disc 3D Collector’s Edition contains the original theatrical release on Blu-ray 3D, Blu-ray, Digital HD and DVD, along with originally released bonus features and brand-new bonus material, including additional deleted scenes, behind-the-scenes conversations with cast and crew and revealing, never-before released audio commentary by director J.J. Abrams.

Yes, this is important news. Upon its debut last December, Star Wars: The Force Awakens received rave reviews from both critics and audiences, and shattered box office records with over $936 million domestic and $2 billion worldwide. The film has since been nominated for five Academy Awards and took home the BAFTA Award for Special Visual Effects. The Force Awakens re-ignited the Star Wars franchise and fans eagerly await the next installment, arriving in theaters December 2017, as well as the first in a series of standalone films, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, premiering this December 16.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens saw the eagerly anticipated reteaming of original Star Wars stars Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher and Mark Hamill, along with Anthony Daniels (the only actor to have been in all seven Star Wars films) and Peter Mayhew. The returning cast was joined by newcomer Daisy Ridley, who beat out fierce competition to take the principal role of Rey; BAFTA Rising Star Award winner John Boyega as reluctant stormtrooper Finn; Emmy nominee Adam Driver as the villainous Kylo Ren, and Golden Globe winner Oscar Isaac as Resistance pilot Poe Dameron.

Having established a musical legacy with his iconic scores for the previous six films in the Star Wars saga, acclaimed composer John Williams returned to score“Star Wars: The Force Awakens, ultimately garnering his 50th Oscar nomination for it. Nothing but music to our ears!

3D COLLECTOR’S EDITION BONUS FEATURES:

  • Audio Commentary with J.J. Abrams Enter the mind of visionary director J.J. Abrams as he reveals the creative and complex choices made while developing the first film in the new Star Wars
  • Foley: A Sonic Tale Foley artists, consisting of old pros and new talent, unite to bring the world of Star Wars: The Force Awakens alive through the matching of sound to action.
  • Sounds of the Resistance Hear how the epic sound design of Star Wars: The Force Awakens moves the Star Wars legacy forward.
  • Deleted Scenes View never-before-shared scenes that didn’t make the film’s final cut.
  • Dressing the Galaxy Costume Designer Michael Kaplan reveals how the costumes of the original Star Wars movies were re-envisioned for a new generation.
  • The Scavenger and the Stormtrooper: A Conversation with Daisy Ridley and John Boyega The two new stars share the thrill of working together on the adventure of a lifetime and becoming part of the Star Wars
  • Inside the Armory Take a fascinating tour through the design and creation of the weaponry in Star Wars: The Force Awakens.
  • Classic Bonus Features These offerings from the April release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, include the complete story behind the making of the film, an unforgettable cast table read, insights from legendary composer John Williams and deleted scenes, as well as features that dig deeper into the creation of new characters such as BB-8, the design of the climactic lightsaber battle between Rey and Kylo Ren, the film’s remarkable digital artistry and the Star Wars: Force for Change global aid initiative.

    The force will be with you.

 

A bird? A plane? Nope. It’s Melissa Benoist and Supergirl flying onto Blu-ray and DVD

It’s a bird! it’s a plane! It’s Super . . . girl!

A new superhero will begin flying into homes on Tuesday, as Warner Bros. Home Entertainment releases Supergirl: The Complete First Season on Blu-ray and DVD on August 9.  Fans can purchase the set which, in addition to all 20 exhilarating episodes, contains more than an hour of extra content, including the 2015 Comic-Con panel, featurettes, deleted scenes and a gag reel.


The show, starring Melissa Benoist as Supergirl, is a delightful high-soaring romp; it’s no surprise Supergirl was the winner of the 2016 People’s Choice Award for Favorite New TV Drama.

The plot is the stuff meant for the Daily Planet. Born on the doomed planet Krypton, Kara Zor-El escaped at the same time as her cousin, Superman, but didn’t arrive on Earth until years later after being lost in the Phantom Zone. Raised by her adopted family, the Danvers, Kara grew up in the shadow of her foster sister, Alex, and learned to hide the phenomenal powers she shares with her famous cousin.
107117_D0437bc_36a54143_566b7159c0be06.95399558Years later, at age 24, and now living in National City while working as an assistant for Catco Worldwide Media mogul Cat Grant, Kara has spent so many years trying to fit in that she forgot to ever stand out. All that changes when she decides to embrace her superhuman abilities and become the hero she was always destined to be. With the help of Daily Planet photographer James Olsen, her bioengineer sister Alex, and the research of the super-secret, off-the-grid Department of Extra-Normal Operations (DEO), who are tasked with keeping the Earth safe from aliens, Kara takes to the skies to protect her world.

 

106641_D_0833r_dd5a9040_566b70f8251f06.86574174In addition to Melissa Benoist, Supergirl  stars Chyler Leigh, Mehcad Brooks, Jeremy Jordan, David Harewood and Calista Flockhart.  Season One guest stars include Dean Cain, Peter Facinelli, Jenna Dewan Tatum, Laura Benanti and Helen Slater.  Die-hard Superman fans will know at least two of the guest stars make appearances!

We leave with some insight into how Melissa Benoist plays Supergirl; she knows young people look up to her, so she is careful how she plays her character, keeping a certain purity and goodness in your performance.

“I think that’s the driving force behind her. That makes it easy because I always know what to fall back on when I’m playing Supergirl. She does get angry, she does have flaws. But what ultimately is the most important about her is that she always finds the silver lining. She always finds a way to be heroic and good and pure at heart. So, there’s a pressure, but it’s something that’s kind of constant about her that I rely on.”

 

Boo! Fright nights unlimited: “Tales of Halloween” will escape on Blu-ray and DVD

We could begin to chat about Halloween with a riddle: What do you call an empty hot dog? A hollow-weenie. (We’re waiting for you to stop laughing.)

That was our trick. We shift to talk about a treat most wonderful than a big sloppy kiss from our pooch. Though Halloween is weeks away,we have news that Tales of Halloween (Epic Pictures Group) will escape onto Blu-ray and DVD collector’s sets on September 13. The horror anthology, bringing together an all-star lineup of horror heavyweight directors and stars, premiered to strong critical acclaim at the 2015 Fantasia International Film Festival. Epic Pictures Releasing, the U.S. distribution division of Epic Pictures Group, released the film in theaters and on digital platforms on October 16, 2015. 

Named “the best horror anthology since Trick ‘r Treat” by Fangoria and “among the Best Halloween-themed horror movies ever made” by DailyDead, this critically-acclaimed film weaves together 10 chilling tales from horror’s top directors. Ghosts and ghouls, monsters and madmen, the devil and the dead delight in terrorizing unsuspecting residents of a suburban neighborhood on Halloween night. The all-star directorial lineup includes Neil Marshall, Darren Lynn Bousman, Lucky McKee and Mike Mendez. Cameos by horror heavyweights include Barry Bostwick, Lin Shaye, John Savage, Adrienne Barbeau, John Landis, Joe Dante, Barbara Crampton, Booboo Stewart, Keir Gilchrist, Grace Phipps, Pat Healy, Kristina Klebe, Greg Grunberg, Alex Essoe and Pollyanna McIntosh.

In addition to the feature film on both Blu-ray and DVD, the limited-edition collector’s set will also contain a DVD chock-full of bonus features and a CD of the film’s soundtrack featuring original tracks by Lalo Schifrin, Jimmy Psycho, Christopher Drake and Christian Henson. Among the highlights of the bonus features are exclusive, never-before-seen short films from Tales of Halloween directors, including previously unreleased “Brain Death,” an early student film from director Neil Marshall. Other highlights include video diaries for each segment of the anthology, featuring interviews with the directors, cast, and crew, and sneak peeks behind-the-scenes on set. Additional bonus materials include deleted scenes, director commentaries and photo galleries.

The set is currently available for pre-order the set here. It will also be available on Amazon.com.

First Run Features releases a slew of fascinating must-have documentaries

Everyone who knows our obsession over films, knows we always embrace the goodies released by First Run Features.  Let’s take a look at four recent must-haves.

When Justice isn’t Just
The film, directed by Oscar-nominated and NAACP Image Award winner David Massey, addresses the concept and reality of justice in the United States, particularly in regard to racial disparities in the American criminal justice system. Filmed in cities across the country, this dynamic documentary explores why so many unarmed black people have been targeted and killed by law enforcement officers, an issue that has taken center stage in the national consciousness. unnamed (2)The filmmakers talk to legal experts, activists and law enforcement officials who speak to the inequality within our criminal justice system. The film asks the crucial question of how to prevent more violence in this country, including Black on Black deaths. Activists, law enforcement officials, legal scholars, and the family members of victims offer a range of responses. At its heart, When Justice Isn’t Just confronts our broken criminal justice system, focusing on the incarceration rate of people of color. As the Black Lives Matter movement—and citizens nationwide—question the accountability of our justice system in cases of police violence, the film is an essential addition to the ongoing discussion about reform and renewal. Available September 13.

From the producers that brought us Persepolis and Delicatessen comes this family road trip comedy. Claire and Maurice, both survivors of previous marriages, have to take their whole family on a road trip to Claire’s father’s funeral. This tightly knit family is composed of Claire’s vegetarian son, Alex, who’s secretly fond of Maurice’s daughter, Lucie, the teenage rebel. Meanwhile Claire’s poet brother is along for the ride. unnamed (2)And of course don’t forget young Prune, Claire and Maurice’s daughter, who will develop a passion for France’s emblematic cows. Will this family of misfits survive the trip?

Weight
You beat the weight or the weight beats you–it’s the test every powerlifter faces when approaching the bar. But the weight that’s been pressing down on coach and gym owner Paul Steinman is something far more challenging than sport.  Bombing out on his squats at the 2012 American Open was just one more failure for Paul. It had been a bad stretch for him both in and out of the gym–now it’s time to make good.
unnamedOne year later, he’s back in the same place and competing at the same meet, with his wife and partner Rebecca at his side. As a super heavyweight Paul will lift in the day’s final flight, leaving time to sit and think about all that’s happened. What do you do when the weight feels heavy? Can you get up? Andrew Filippone Jr.’s Weight is a dramatic, character-driven documentary set in Brooklyn, following Paul and Rebecca over a challenging year.
DVD Extras: Epilogue • Biographies • Audio Commentary with Rebecca Steinman

Dark Diamond is a poised, stylish, assured thriller about a man who, out of retribution, vows vengeance against his relatives who abandoned him. Pier Ulmann comes from a family of powerful diamond dealers, who he believes are responsible for his estranged father’s death. To take revenge, he insinuates himself back into the family enterprise, with an elaborate caper in mind.unnamed (3)

The Professor: Tai Chi’s Journey West
A film by Barry Strugatz, The Professor is a documentary about Tai Chi and one of its great masters, Cheng Man-Ching, a man who brought Tai Chi and Chinese culture to the West during the swinging, turbulent ’60s. Featuring a rich array of vintage archival footage, the film tells the story of his remarkable life and features Tai Chi as a martial art and a spiritual practice.images
DVD Extras: Cheng Man-Ching performs his 37 Movement Form • The Origin of Tai Chi • Medical Science & Tai Chi: Interview with Peter M. Wayne, PhD, Harvard Medical School

Spring & Arnaud
Marcia Connolly and Katherine Knight’s “artful and art-filled love story” (The Globe and Mail) is a documentary about two unique characters is also an unforgettable look at art, love and mortality. Influential photographer Arnaud Maggs, turning 85, embarks on a series of self-portraits that wryly depict his life’s work.unnamed (1) Spring Hurlbut at 60 is creating haunting works that evoke mortality while harboring the certainty that Arnaud’s time is limited. Together more than 25 years, each grapples with the nature of an artist’s creativity where the drive for invention and discovery resists life’s finite reality.
DVD Extras: Seven Short Films