New on DVD and Blu-ray Week of April 11-April 17

By Harley Lond - 04/11/17 at 01:49 AM CT

FROM THE BIG SCREEN:
There's a pair of "feel-good" movies coming to home entertainment shelves this week. First up is "Lion," a superbly directed and acted film that got great reviews but just didn't find the audience it deserved. Based on a true story, the film follows five-year-old Indian boy Saroo (Sunny Pawar) who gets lost on a Calcutta train traveling away from his home and family. Frightened and bewildered, he ends up thousands of miles away, in chaotic Kolkata. Somehow he survives living on the streets, escaping all sorts of terrors and close calls in the process, before ending up in an orphanage that is itself not exactly a safe haven. Eventually Saroo is adopted by an Australian couple (Nicole Kidman and David Wenham), and finds love and security as he grows up in Hobart. As an adult, not wanting to hurt his adoptive parents’ feelings, Saroo (Dev Patel) suppresses his past, his emotional need for reunification and his hope of ever finding his lost mother and brother. But a chance meeting with some fellow Indians reawakens his buried yearning. Armed with only a handful of memories, his unwavering determination, and a revolutionary technology known as Google Earth, Saroo sets out to find his lost family and finally return to his first home. Lion is an uplifting film, with top-notch performances by Patel, Pawar, Kidman and Wenham. The meager extras include deleted scenes and a behind-the-scenes gallery. From The Weinstein Co./Anchor Bay.

In a year of political incorrectness, "Hidden Figures" has to be the most politically correct film of the year. Based on a true story and adapted from the book by Margot Lee Shetterly, the film follows a group of African-American female mathematicians who served as the brains behind one of the greatest operations in U.S. history: the launch of astronaut John Glenn into orbit. Since this was the early 1960s, and Jim Crow laws were still in effect -- either overtly or covertly -- the black women, despite their talents and abilities, were segregated and ostracized by the white NASA workers. The film revolves around three of these women, known as "human computers," who quickly rise up the ranks of NASA alongside many of this country's greatest minds to specifically calculate Glenn's trip into space and to guarantee his safe return. The visionary trio, Katherine Johnson (Taraji P. Henson), Dorothy Vaughan (Octavia Spencer) and Mary Jackson (Janelle Monáe), had to fight rampant sexism and racism to cross all gender, race, and professional lines to succeed. And succeed they did, outsmarting the smug white scientists who just couldn't belive that these women could be as smart as them. The film is predictable and by the book -- we just know the women are going to win over the scientists, headed up by a curmudgeonly Kevin Costner -- but it's oh so much fun. Co-stars Kirsten Dunst, Jim Parsons, Mahershala Ali, Aldis Hodge and Glen Powell. Extras include a five-part documentary on the making of the film as well as audio commentary by director Theodore Melfi and Taraji P. Henson. From Fox.

THIS WEEK'S HIGHLIGHTS:

It's a banner week for cinema lovers as two long-awaited releases finally come home: The classic Jacques Demy "The Umbrellas of Cherbourg," a much-requested and long-out-of-print film (recently only available in Criterion's Jacques Demy set, and Takashi Miike's "Dead or Alive Trilogy," long a cult favorite and also hard to get.

An angelically beautiful Catherine Deneuve was launched into stardom by "The Umbrellas of Cherbourg" (1964 -- France), a glorious musical heart-tugger from Demy. She plays Geneviève, an umbrella-shop owner’s beautiful and delicate daughter, glowing with first love for a handsome garage mechanic, played by Nino Castelnuovo. The two want to marry, but Geneviève's mother (the equally beautiful Anne Vernon), would prefer that she marry into a higher station; in particular, she wants her daughter to consider Roland, a totally uninteresting diamond merchant. When the boy is shipped off to fight in Algeria, the two lovers must grow up quickly, and the film follows their subsequent lives and yearnings. Exquisitely designed in a kaleidoscope of colors, and told entirely through the lilting songs of the great composer Michel Legrand, "The Umbrellas of Cherbourg" is one of the most revered and unorthodox movie musicals of all time. And if you don't end up crying by film's end, you don't have a heart. On DVD and Blu-ray in a 2K digital restoration, with 5.1 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack on the Blu-ray. Extras include "Once Upon a Time ... The Umbrellas of Cherbourg,” a 2008 documentary; an interview from 2014 with film scholar Rodney Hill; a French television interview from 1964 featuring Demy and Legrand discussing the film; audio recordings of interviews with Deneuve (1983) and Legrand (1991) at the National Film Theatre in London; and an essay by critic Jim Ridley. From The Criterion Collection.

Beginning with an explosive, six-minute montage of sex, drugs and violence, and ending with a phallus-headed battle robot taking flight, Takashi Miike's unforgettable "Dead or Alive Trilogy" features many of the director's most outrageous moments set alongside some of his most dramatically moving scenes. Made between 1999 and 2002, the "Dead or Alive films" cemented Miike's reputation overseas as one of the most provocative enfants terrible of Japanese cinema, yet also one of its most talented and innovative filmmakers. In "Dead or Alive," tough gangster Ryuichi (Riki Takeuchi) and his ethnically Chinese gang make a play to take over the drug trade in Tokyo's Shinjuku district by massacring the competition. But he meets his match in detective Jojima (Show Aikawa), who will do everything to stop them. "Dead or Alive 2: Birds" casts Aikawa and Takeuchi together again, but as new characters, a pair of rival yakuza assassins who turn out to be childhood friends; after a botched hit, they flee together to the island where they grew up, and decide to devote their deadly skills to a more humanitarian cause. And in "Dead or Alive: Final," Takeuchi and Aikawa are catapulted into a future Yokohama ruled by multilingual gangs and cyborg soldiers, where they once again butt heads in the action-packed and cyberpunk-tinged finale to the trilogy. From Arrow Video/MVD Entertainment.

Jacques Demy followed up "The Umbrellas of Cherbourg" with another musical about missed connections and second chances, "The Young Girls of Rochefort" (1967 -- France), this one a more effervescent confection. Twins Delphine and Solange, a dance instructor and a music teacher (played by real-life sisters Catherine Deneuve and Françoise Dorléac), dream of big-city life; when a fair comes through their quiet port town, so does the possibility of escape. With its jazzy Michel Legrand score, pastel paradise of costumes, and divine supporting cast (George Chakiris, Grover Dale, Danielle Darrieux, Michel Piccoli, and Gene Kelly), "The Young Girls of Rochefort" is a tribute to Hollywood optimism from sixties French cinema’s preeminent dreamer. On DVD and Blu-ray in a 2K digital restoration, with 5.1 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack on the Blu-ray. Extras include a French television interview from 1966 featuring Demy and Legrand discussing the music for the film; a conversation from 2014 between Demy biographer Jean-Pierre Berthomé and costume designer Jacqueline Moreau; an episode from "Behind the Screen," a 1966 series about the making of the film; Agnès Varda’s (Varda was married to Demy) 1993 documentary "The Young Girls Turn 25"; and an essay by critic Jonathan Rosenbaum. From The Criterion Collection.

With a string of masterpieces behind him -- including "Ossessione," "Senso," "The Leopard" and "Death in Venice" -- the great Italian director Luchino Visconti turned his attentions to the life and death of King Ludwig II of Bavaria ("He loved women. He loved men. He lived as controversially as he ruled"), in 1972, resulting in "Ludwig" (1973), an epic of 19th century decadence. Dominated by Helmut Berger in the title role, "Ludwig" nevertheless manages to find room for an impressive cast list: Romy Schneider (reprising her Elisabeth of Austria characterization from the "Sissi" trilogy), Silvana Mangano, Gert Fröbe, John Moulder-Brown and Trevor Howard as Richard Wagner. As opulent as any of Visconti's epics -- Piero Tosi's costume design was nominated for an Academy Award -- "Ludwig" is presented here in its complete form in accordance with the director's wishes and features the English-language soundtrack for the first ever on home video. Four-disc set, 4K restoration from the original film negative. Two viewing options: the full-length theatrical cut or as five individual parts. Optional original English soundtrack available on home video for the first time ever with optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing. In a Blu-ray/DVD Combo from Arrow Video/MVD Entertainment.

BUZZIN' THE 'B'S:

In "The Bye Bye Man" (2017), three friends stumble upon the horrific origins of a mysterious figure they discover is the root cause of the evil behind a series of unspeakable acts: It's a psychological force of evil who grows in power every time you think of his name or say it out loud. Stars Douglas Smith, Lucien Laviscount, Cressida Bonas, Douglas Jones, Carrie-Anne Moss and Faye Dunaway. On DVD and Blu-ray/DVD Combo from Universal ... In "Robot Wars" (2016), which takes place in a dystopian near future, a corporate heist goes wrong and the team members struggle to survive a desperate escape through the apocalyptic sprawl with their stolen prize, a weapon of unspeakable power. As they navigate the urban wasteland, they must contend with barbaric gangs, corporate death squads and the terrifying truth about the weapon they have stolen. Stars Ben Naasz, Teddy Cañez, Jennifer Sydney, Faye Kingslee. From Breaking Glass Pictures ... "Phantasm Special Edition Boxset" is a six-disc Blu-ray box set with "Phantasm: Remastered" (1979), "Phantasm II" (1988), "Phantasm III: Lord of the Dead" (1994), "Phantasm IV: Oblivion" (1998) and the most recent installment "Phantasm: Ravager" (2016). In addition to hours of archival material, "Phantasm" creator Don Coscarelli has produced hours of never-before-seen material, featuring new interviews with cast and filmmakers, as well as rare archival materials. Also included with the collection is "Phantasm Compendium," a 120-page book featuring exclusive interviews and rare, behind-the-scenes photos chronicling the history and impact of the franchise, plus a 21” x 27” reversible poster featuring the iconic original theatrical artwork. On Blu-ray Disc from Well Go USA ... In "Claire in Motion" (2016), starring Betsy Brandt, Anna Margaret Hollyman, Chris Beetem and Sakina Jaffrey, three weeks after Claire’s husband has mysteriously disappeared, the police have ended their investigation and her son is beginning to grieve. The only person who hasn’t given up is Claire. Soon she discovers his troubling secrets, including an alluring yet manipulative graduate student with whom he had formed a close bond. As she digs deeper, Claire begins to lose her grip on how well she truly knew her husband and questions her own identity in the process. From Breaking Glass Pictures ... "House: Two Stories Limited Edition [House 1 & 2]" (1985, 1987): At long-last, Arrow Video is proud to present the first two installments of hit horror franchise "House" on Blu-ray for the first time. In the original "House," William Katt stars as Roger Cobb, a horror novelist struggling to pen his next bestseller. When he inherits his aunt's creaky old mansion, Roger decides that he's found the ideal place in which to get some writing done. Unfortunately, the house's monstrous supernatural residents have other ideas. "House II: The Second Story" sees young Jesse (Arye Gross) moving into an old family mansion where his parents were mysteriously murdered years before. Plans for turning the place into a party pad are soon thwarted by the appearance of Jesse's mummified great-great-grandfather, his mystical crystal skull and the zombie cowboy who'll stop at nothing to lay his hands on it. Limited to 5000 units. On Blu-ray from Arrow Video/MVD Entertainment ... In "Mad Families" (2017), starring Charlie Sheen, Leah Remini, Naya Rivera, Charlotte McKinney, Efren Ramirez and Tiffany Haddish, three families on vacation compete in a series of outlandish competitions for the same campsite during a Fourth of July weekend. On that weekend, Saltstone Park brims with families eager to relax. At campsite 16, however, the Jones, Jones and Jonas families find that their campsite has been overbooked. What starts as a simple clerical error quickly spirals into a family feud fueled by the rivalry of three equally stubborn leaders: Jose, an affable but slovenly slacker; Franklin, a rising politician with a disdain for the outdoors; and Charlie, a goofy, alcoholic hairdresser. By way of porta-potty races and sexually-charged forest encounters, these determined families wage a ferocious war for the right to holiday fun. From Sony ... In "War on Everyone" (2016), starring Alexander Skarsgård, Michael Peña, Caleb Landry Jones and Theo James, Terry and Bob are two crooked cops who frame and blackmail criminals all over town. Looking for the ultimate pay-off, they try to extort a strip-club manager and his eccentric, junkie boss, but get more than they bargained for when their hair-brained scheme uncovers a bigger, darker secret. On DVD, Blu-ray/DVD Combo from Lionsgate ... In "Sword Master" (2016 -- Hong Kong), starring Kenny Lin, Peter Ho, Yiyan Jiang and Mengjie Jiangin, a powerful swordsman is haunted by the destructive impact his deadly talents have on others and, weary of the bloodshed and violence from the martial arts world, he banishes himself to the humble life of a vagrant, wandering the fringes of society. But his violent past refuses to let him go quietly and he must regain the ability to wield his sword and fight those disrupting the peace he so desperately craves. On DVD, Blu-ray Disc from Well Go USA ... In "Walking With the Enemy (2013), starring Jonas Armstrong, Ben Kingsley and Hannah Tointon, during the final months of World War II in Hungary, a young man sets out to find his displaced family by using a stolen Nazi Uniform to pose as an officer. On a journey filled with suspense and danger, he undertakes extraordinary measures to save his family and thousands of lives from the Nazi. Based on a true story. From Fox ... Kate, a young widow who is heavily medicated, moves into an old house on "Lake Eerie" (2016) to recover from her husband's sudden and traumatic death. The lake house has not been lived in for over 40 years and it is exactly how it was left in 1969. From the moment Kate moves into the house, she is soon haunted by a dark presence. Is any of this real or are her medications making her hallucinate? Stars Lance Henriksen, Marilyn Ghigliotti, Betsy Baker, Meredith Majors and Ben Furney. From FilmRise/MVD Entertainment ... "Chupacabra Territory" (2016), starring Sarah Nicklin, Michael Reed, Megan Hensley, Julianne Tura and Pierre Kennel, is another found footage horror film. Four friends hike into the Pinewood Forest to find evidence of the Chupacabra, an ancient creature believed to be responsible for the disappearance of four experienced hikers a year earlier. As they journey deeper into the forest, their innocent search uncovers more than they had ever hoped for, and with it a darkness that threatens to consume their very existence. On DVD, Blu-ray from Maltauro Entertainment ... In "Naciye" (2015 -- Turkey), a pregnant couple travels for the weekend to check on the house they rented on a whim for the remainder of the pregnancy. On their first night at the secluded home they encounter a dangerous woman who claims to be the house's rightful owner, and the idyllic scene turns bloody and horrific as the body count quickly grows. Stars Derya Alabora, Esin Harvey, Gorkem Mertsoz. From Shami Media Group.

ON THE INDIE FRONT:

"Ovum" (2016), starring Sonja O’Hara, Hassan Johnson, Katie Morrison, Jaspal Binning and Rutanya Alda, is a provocative dark comedy about a quirky actress who tries method acting to approach a role and is drawn into the shady world of egg donation clinics and the characters who populate them: from unscrupulous doctors with mind bending fertility drugs to the model donors and a notorious faded movie star who wants her ovum at any cost. But things are not as they first appear in a world where wealthy couples seek to buy the perfect designer egg. Is more at stake than just a role? What is the true worth of a human egg? During the film's production, writer-star O’Hara became an egg donor herself while portraying the lead character, further blurring the boundaries between fantasy and reality. Ultimately the film was in part financed this way, as she ended up donating multiple times to fund the film. From Bohème Film/Random Media ... In "Lonely Boys" (2016), following a recent break-up, struggling writer Jules crashes with his recently separated best friend, Saul at his apartment in Brooklyn. While Saul wants to drink heavily and lament over his impending divorce, Jules just wants to escape into his latest script. After Saul is fired from his job as restaurant manager and Jules loses an off-Broadway production of his play, the two embark on a weekend bender through New York City and Connecticut in search of solace -- and sometimes more pain. Stars Dan Simon, Gregory Lay, Richard Masur, Mark Borkowski. From Candy Factory Films ... Inspired by real events, "The Mafia Kills Only in Summer" (2013 -- Italy) is a black comedy about 20 years of history of Sicily from 1970s to 1990s, mocking Mafia Bosses and restoring the generosity of the heroes of Antimafia. It's focused on Arturo, a young boy who grows up in Palermo and tries to conquer his beloved Flora. Stars Pif, Cristiana Capotondi, Alex Bisconti, Ginevra Antona. From Icarus Films.

FOREIGN FILMS:

In "Toni Erdmann" (2016 -- Germany), starring Sandra Hüller and Peter Simonischek, a practical joking father tries to reconnect with his hard working daughter by creating an outrageous alter ego and posing as her CEO's life coach -- and promptly turns his daughter’s career plans upside-down. In the course of all the madness, the two discover that maybe they have more in common than they imagined. Oscar nominee for Best Foreign Language Film; Independent Spirit Award Winner, Best International Film and winner of five European Film Awards, including Best Picture ... The Greek box office hit "Worlds Apart" (2017 -- Greece), starring J. K. Simmons, Christopher Papakaliatis (as Christoforos Papakaliatis), Maria Kavoyianni, Minas Chatzisavvas and Andrea Osvárt, weaves together three separate tales of romance that blossom during a time of socio-economic crisis in Europe. When college student Daphne is rescued by Farris, a refugee from Syria, the two fall blissfully in love. Corporate manager Giorgos, whose marriage and job are both facing collapse, has a one-night stand with Swedish businesswoman Elise that turns into far more than just a lustful affair. And Maria, a dispirited housewife struggling under economic strain, is renewed by a romantic spark between herself and Sebastian, a German expat who has come to Greece to spend the autumn of his life. From Cinema Libre Studio.

FOR THE FAMILY:

"Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir: It's Ladybug" (2017) features six episodes of the animated series. When Paris is threatened by supervillains, two amazing heroes are the only hope: Ladybug and Cat Noir. With the help of their magical pets, this incredible duo team up to outwit the forces of evil ... but their biggest challenge might be getting through junior high school. In their normal lives, Marinette and Adrien are just a pair of young students, but in reality, this terrific twosome must juggle schoolwork, friends, family and growing up in a world where every day is a high-flying adventure. From Shout! Kids ... In "Monster Trucks" (2017), starring Lucas Till, Jane Levy, Thomas Lennon, Danny Glove, Amy Ryan and Rob Lowe, Tripp is a high school senior with a knack for building trucks who makes an incredible discovery -- a gas-guzzling creature named Creech. To protect his mischievous new friend, Tripp hides Creech under the hood of his latest creation, turning it into a real-life super-powered Monster Truck. Together, this unlikely duo with a shared taste for speed team up on a wild and unforgettable journey to reunite Creech with his family. On Blu-ray/DVD Combo from Paramount ... In "Arctic Adventure: On Frozen Pond" (2016), the Crystal Frog has protected the Frog Kingdom with its magic for centuries. When One-Eye plots to steal the artifact and rule the land, the Frog King asks Freddy and the Frog Princess to undertake a bold journey through forest, desert, river rapids, and icy caverns. But as the protectors arrive, it becomes clear that One-Eye may have led them into a trap. From Lionsgate.

SPECIAL INTEREST:

"100 Girls By Bunny Yeager" (2005), an homage to '50s Pin up photography, makes its Blu-ray debut today. Bunny Yeager, "the worlds prettiest photographer," started out as a beauty contest winner and professional photographer's model in the '50s. She established herself as one of America's top 10 glamour photographers throughout the '50s and '60s for Playboy and other magazines. This pictorial shows 100 of her most glamorous models, featuring her most famous one, Bettie Page, and includes photographs and original footage of Bunny with the girls behind the scenes. Narrated by Yeager, who passed away in 2014. New 2K HD Transfer (from original 16mm film). Extras include two new featurettes of Yeager's never-before-seen photos of Bettie Page; more than 200 pin up photos; clips from Bunny Yeager's "Nude Camera" and "Nude Las Vegas" as well as unseen footage; "Bettie Page Uncovered: The Unknown Photographs of Bunny Yeager" (2016); and a Bunny Yeager/Bettie Page HD virtual photo exhibit. From Cult Epics/CAV Distributing ... "All of Me" (2014) is a documentary that tells the stories of the women who live in La Patrona, a Mexican village that is situated by the tracks of a train from Central America that brings many migrants North to the U.S. Mexico and the United States share the greatest border between the first and third world. Thousands of migrants expose themselves to every danger as they travel north on a train called The Beast. That’s where they meet the Patronas, a group of Mexican women who, every day since 1995, make food and toss it to the helpless as the train rushes by. In the midst of a country at war in a world where all hope seems lost, the Patronas breathe life into a human value that seems fading with each day: love for one another. From Strand Releasing ... The Cohen Film Collection celebrates the return of Julie Dash's landmark drama, "Daughters of the Dust" (1991), about the lives and traditions of the Gullah women of The Sea Islands. The film, marking its 25th anniversary, is the first-ever wide theatrical release by a African-American female filmmaker, and returns with a new 2K restoration. Set at the dawn of the 20th century, the film focuses on the members of the multi-generational Peazant family in the Sea Islands' Gullah community -- former West African slaves who adopted many of their ancestors' Yoruba traditions -- as they struggle to maintain their cultural heritage and folklore while planning to migrate to the mainland. On the eve of their departure, an extended family picnic and ritual farewell departure is arranged, even as a clan elder works to keep the family together and pass on the knowledge of their ancestors as they move ever further from their roots. On DVD, Blu-ray Disc.

FROM TV TO DVD:

"Mars" (2016) is a three-disc set with 20 episodes of the National Geographic series that follows a crew of courageous international astronauts on its exhilarating maiden voyage to Mars and their quest to colonize the fourth planet from the sun. In a unique blend of scripted drama intermixed with documentary sequences and feature-film-caliber visual effects, the series presents what the greatest minds in space exploration are doing to make traveling to Mars a reality, featuring Big Thinkers like Elon Musk, Neil deGrasse Tyson and Stephen Petranek. From executive producers Brian Grazer and Ron Howard. On DVD, Blu-ray Disc from Fox ... "Silicon Valley: The Complete Third Season" (2016) is a two-disc set with all 10 episodes. From Mike Judge and Alec Berg comes a new season of the Emmy-nominated comedy that takes viewers inside Silicon Valley's high-tech gold rush: a land of big ideas and bigger egos. After last season's shocking ending, which found Pied Piper celebrating legal victory just as Richard (Thomas Middleditch) was ousted as CEO, Season 3 picks up with Richard offered the diminished role of CTO and the rest of his team -- Erlich (T.J. Miller), Jared (Zach Woods), Dinesh (Kumail Nanjiani) and Gilfoyle (Martin Starr) -- facing the question of just how far their loyalty extends. With a new no-nonsense CEO hell-bent on transforming everything from Pied Piper's offices to its business agenda, the guys must find a way to triumph in the war of Art vs. Commerce, maneuvering the many competing interests along the way. On DVD, Blu-ray Disc from HBO ... "VEEP: The Complete Fifth Season" (2016) is a two-disc set with all 10 episodes. Season 5 of the acclaimed comedy series finds Selina Meyer in the midst of a virtually unprecedented Electoral College tie -- with her future as President coming down to only a few hundred votes. Selina finds herself spinning her wheels in D.C. as her staff continues their mission to make her seem presidential (even though she is the President) while fending off the ambitions of her charismatic Vice Presidential running mate who, through an obscure constitutional procedure, could end up being President. On DVD, Blu-ray Disc from HBO.

Check out other April 11-April 17 DVD/Blu-ray releases and reviews at OnVideo.

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