Once again, it’s time to take a look at all of the new releases coming to Blu-ray and DVD. This is an incredibly busy week with plenty of flicks both new and old. In fact, there should be something here for just about everyone. So if you can’t make it to the movies this week, be sure to give one of these titles a try!

Big New Releases!

American Animals - Based on a real incident, this heist feature involves a group of unhappy Kentucky university students. Some are looking for creative inspiration, others excitement, while a few just want to rebel. They plot an elaborate heist to steal valuable books from a school library and sell them to a black-market dealer. Reviews were...

Rating: « out of ««««

Running Time: 91 minutes

The latest feature from the late, great Jim Henson’s production company tries to put a spin on Muppet-like characters, allowing its puppets to engage in adult activities and spout four-letter words.

Truthfully, this isn’t the first time this approach has been taken with creations that are more closely associated with children’s entertainment. These include the off-Broadway musical Avenue Q, as well as the Peter Jackson cult flick, Meet the Feebles (1989). Sadly, the newest attempt is The Happytime Murders, a production that doesn’t reach the same demented heights as either of those previous efforts.

In this filmic world...

Rating: ««« out of ««««

Running Time: 133 minutes

The original 1973 feature Papillon is a hard act to follow. The Steve McQueen/Dustin Hoffman prison drama faithfully recreated the horrific conditions of prison in French Guiana during the ’30s and the tireless efforts of the title character to escape its confines. This was a dark and brutal movie that still managed to connect with audiences, becoming a sizable hit and earning an Oscar nomination for its score. Some 45 years after the original, a remake of Papillon has arrived. This effort fares better than many reinterpretations of classic films, although it still can’t quite match its predecessor.

Henri ‘Papillon’...

Welcome to another look at highlights arriving on Blu-ray and DVD. There’s some really interesting stuff arriving, including one summer blockbuster from just a few months back. So if you can’t make it out to the movies this week, be sure to give one of these titles a try!

 

Big New Releases!

Action Point - An independently owned and operated amusement park has to deal with rides that aren’t safety tested (but are a lot of fun) as well as a new corporate theme park opening nearby. Based on an actual place, this wacky comedy did not receive many positive notices. A few found the movie crassly amusing, but the majority complained that the movie didn’t take advantage of...