Another busy week with loads of new releases; read about all of the highlights below. 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!

Alien: Covenant - This sequel to 2012’s Prometheus introduces a new crew heading out to colonize a planet on the far reaches of the universe. They encounter a distress call and head out to investigate the signal. Once there, they come under attack from a menacing and familiar force. The movie earned generally positive reviews with some caveats. Several stated that it couldn’t quite decide if it wanted to be a Prometheus sequel or a straight up scary Alien film...

It’s time for another look at highlights arriving on Blu-ray and DVD. There’s a great mix here that includes big summer releases as well as small, independent fare. Looks like there’s something for everyone. 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!

11:55 - A Marine returns home after serving his term, but finds his gritty and violent past catching up with him. This independent drama follows the lead’s attempts to redeem himself over the course of a day and find a way to avoid hostility and tragedy. The picture didn’t get the widest of releases, but response was actually very positive. While...

Rating: «« out of 4 stars

Running Time: 109 min.

Annabelle is an evil and decidedly creepy-looking porcelain plaything that first received attention for its brief but memorable turn in The Conjuring. The bit stood out so much that the toy received its own film in 2014. While the press (myself included) were less enamored with the spin-off, it was successful enough to spawn this week’s follow-up, Annabelle: Creation. As expected, this prequel/sequel is far from a classic. Still, those who enjoy a chill or two may find a few of their hairs standing on end.

Set in the 1950s, the story involves doll-maker Samuel Mullins (Anthony LaPaglia) and his wife Esther (Miranda Otto), who...

Rating: ««« out of 4 stars

Running Time: 143 min.

The 1967 Detroit riot was one of the largest displays of violent civil unrest in the United States up to that point in history. Motivated largely by racial discrimination and mistreatment, mobs formed in the streets, leading to clashes, confrontations and devastation. The new film Detroit comes 50 years after the real-life incident and specifically deals with the horrific and disturbing actions that took place between police and citizens taking refuge at the nearby Algiers Motel.

Admittedly, the opening is a tad more awkward than it should be. There’s an animated intro setting up events in US history, then a raid that ultimately...