New to View: Aug. 29

By Bob Bloom
The following Blu-rays and DVDs are being released on Tuesday, Aug. 29, unless otherwise noted:
Batman and Harley Quinn: Limited Edition Gift Set (Blu-ray + DVD + digital)
Details: 2017, Warner Home Video
Rated: PG-13, language, action and violence, sexual content, rude humor
The lowdown: The newest offering in the animated DC Universe series teams Batman and Nightwing with Harley Quinn, who recently was released from Arkham Asylum.
The theft of a secret dossier from S.T.A.R. Labs by Poison Ivy and Floronic Man is the catalyst for the former super-villain to work with the Dark Knight and his companion to track down the baddies and recover the dossier.
The feature may be animated, but it definitely is not for younger kids. Like most of the DC Universe features, it is aimed at an older crowd.
Technical aspects: Blu-ray: 1080p high definition, 1.78:1 (16×9 enhanced) widescreen picture; English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio and French and Spanish 5.1 Dolby digital; English SDH, French and Spanish subtitles; DVD: 1.78:1 (16×9 enhanced) widescreen picture; English, French and Spanish 5.1 Dolby digital; English SDH, French and Spanish subtitles.
Don’t miss: Bonus features include a Harley Quinn action figure (for the Limited Edition gift set only), a featurette tracing the origins and incarnations of Harley Quinn, a profile of voice actor Loren Lester, two animated Batman shorts from the DC vault that feature Harley Quinn and a sneak peek at the next DC Universe original movie, “Batman: Gotham by Gaslight.”

The Lion King: The Circle of Life Edition (Blu-ray + DVD + digital HD)
Details: 1994, Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment
Rated: G
The lowdown: Disney reissues this contemporary classic as part of its Walt Disney Signature Collection.
The story of Simba is very familiar to movie fans as the film has been transformed into a Broadway musical and a live-action version also is planned for future release.
Still, this is one of the studio’s finest and most touching animated features. It is a coming-of-age saga containing heartbreak, comedy, action and memorable songs.
The newest digital restoration is beautiful to behold, with a rebooted audio track.
Technical aspects: Blu-ray: 1080p high definition, 1.78:1 widescreen picture; English 7.1 DTS-HD Master Audio and Spanish and French 5.1 Dolby digital; English SDH, French and Spanish subtitles; DVD: 1.78:1 widescreen picture; English, French and Spanish 5.1 Dolby digital; English SDH, French and Spanish subtitles.
Don’t miss: Bonus offerings include never-before-seen recording sessions, a behind-the-scenes look at the creation of five iconic scenes, a look at performance artist David Garibaldi creating his own interpretation of the classic villain, Scar, sing-along versions of five songs, a conversation with Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick offering insights into their “Lion King” vocal experiences, inside the story room featurettes that look at five original story pitches for the film and a commentary track.

Gotham: The Complete Third Season (Blu-ray + digital)
Details: 2016-17, Warner Home Video
Rated: Not rated, violence
The lowdown: The lunatics are out of the asylum in the third season of this “Batman” prequel that looks at Gotham City in the years before the Dark Knight became its savior.
The set features all 22 episodes as the fugitives from Indian Hill reign havoc on the city under the leadership of the deranged Hugo Strange and the resurrected Fish Mooney.
Jim Gordon has left the Gotham City Police Department, becoming a bounty hunter so he can fight crime on his own terms, leaving his former partner, Harvey Bullock, and Capt. Barnes to hold back the criminal tide as best they can, including the machinations of Oswald Cobblepot’s Penguin and Edward Nygma’s Riddler.
Meanwhile, young Bruce Wayne continues to investigate the secrets surrounding the murder of his parents and peels back the curtain on the hidden and infamous criminal organization, the Court of Owls.
As usual, the season is filled with twists and turns, as well as the introduction of new characters who will be part of the Batman mythos — Poison Ivy and the Mad Hatter.
Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 1.78:1 (16×9 enhanced) widescreen picture; English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio; English SDH, French and Spanish subtitles.
Don’t miss: Bonus offerings include a featurette on the Court of Owls, a look at the new villains, a behind-the-scenes peek at star Ben McKenzie’s directorial debut, deleted scenes and the show’s 2016 Comic-Con panel.

Peanuts by Schulz: School Days
Details: 2017, Warner Home Video
Rated: Not rated
The lowdown: “Peanuts” fans will enjoy this new DVD featuring 19 episodes from the “Peanuts” cable TV series.
The school-themed episodes are based on Charles Schulz’s comic strips and feature Charlie Brown, Snoopy and the rest of the youngsters.
The two-disc set offers laughs as well as life lessons for kids.
Technical aspects: Widescreen picture; English 5.1 Dolby digital stereo; English and French subtitles.

Supergirl: The Complete Second Season (Blu-ray + digital)
Release date: Aug. 22
Details: 2016-17, Warner Home Video
Rated: Not rated, violence
The lowdown: The Girl of Steel moved from CBS to the CW for her second season, and that wasn’t the only change to this superhero series.
In season two, Supergirl’s Kryptonian cousin, Superman, made his debut.
The bulk of the episodes in this four-disc set, though, feature Supergirl working as reporter Kara Danvers at Catco Worldwide Media as well as helping the DEO deal with extra-terrestrials on Earth.
At the DEO, Supergirl works with her adoptive sister, Alex, as well as Hank Henshaw, a k a Martian Manhunter. Also pitching in are James Olsen and Winn Schott, with Olsen adapting the crime-fighting guise as Guardian.
One of the season’s biggest arcs was Supergirl’s complicated romance with Mon-El, from the planet Daxon.
It’s all excitement and thrills as Supergirl soars over National City as its prime protector.
Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 1.78:1 (16×9 enhanced) widescreen picture; English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio; English SDH, French and Spanish subtitles.
Don’t miss: Supplemental offerings include a 2016 Comic-Con panel, an alien fight night featurette, a look at the show’s various aliens, a conversation with Andrew Kreisberg and Kevin Smith, a commentary track and a “Did You Know” fun facts for fans.

Black Sails: The Complete Fourth Season (Blu-ray + Ultraviolet)
Details: 2016, Lionsgate Home Entertainment
Rated: Not rated
The lowdown: A three-disc set featuring the final season to this Starz original series that is basically a prequel to Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic, “Treasure Island.”
The final episodes deal with war in the West Indies and on the shores of New Providence Island.
Eleanor Gurthrie and Woodes Rogers hold Nassau, but Captain Flint set sail to strike a final blow, while an insurgency, fueled by the legend of Long John Silver, grows.
The men of the sea fight to save their way of life from the encroachment of civilization in this bloody and entertaining series.
Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 1.78:1 (16×9 enhanced) widescreen picture; English 7.1 Dolby TrueHD and Spanish and French 2.0 Dolby digital surround; English SDH and Spanish subtitles.
Don’t miss: Bonus materials include a featurette taking you inside the world of the series, a look at creating that world, roundtables on women in piracy, the legends of “Treasure Island” and the series’ fearless fans.

Killing Hasselhoff
Details: 2017, Universal Studios Home Entertainment
Rated: R, language, sexual references, nudity, violence, drug use
The lowdown: Ken Jeong plays a struggling nightclub owner who decides to get the money he owes a loan shark is to take out his entry in “Who Will Die This Year” celebrity death pool, David Hasselhoff.
But that may prove harder than expected for Jeong’s Chris, who tries everything he can — with the help of his buddies, Fish (Rhys Darby) and Tommy (Jim Jefferies) — to kill the Hoff and win the jackpot.
This low-brow comedy, which also features John Lovitz, features Hasselhoff, as one of its producers — proving the man has a keen sense of humor.
Technical aspects: 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen picture; English 5.1 Dolby digital; English SDH, Cantonese, French, complex Mandarin and Thai subtitles.
Don’t miss: Deleted scenes comprise the major bonus components.

Ronin (Blu-ray)
Details: 1998, Arrow Video
Rated: R, violence, language
The lowdown: Robert De Niro stars in this thriller directed by John Frankenheimer about a group of former intelligence officers and Cold War operatives who band together to recover a briefcase for an unknown employer.
The film, which costars Jean Reno, Natascha McElhone, Sean Bean and Stellan Skargard is filled with dynamic road chases, gunplay and explosions.
The legendary David Mamet was one of the film’s screenwriters.
Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 2.35:1 widescreen picture; English 5.1 DTS-HD Master audio and 2.0 LCPM audio; English SDH subtitles.
Don’t miss: Bonus offerings include an interview with composer Elia Cmiral about the movie’s score, Venice Film Festival interviews with De Niro, Reno and McElhone, interviews with film editor Tony Gibbs and cinematographer Robert Fraisse, an interview with McElhone, a look at the car stunts, a documentary about De Niro, a behind-the-scenes featurette, a commentary track and a booklet about the film.

Night Moves (Blu-ray)
Release date: Aug. 22
Details: 1975, Warner Archive Collection
Rated: R, violence, language
The lowdown: Gene Hackman stars as Los Angeles private detective Harry Moseby who is hired to find a runaway teenage girl.
Moseby is a former pro football player, now reduced to bedroom stakeouts and finding missing people.
To add to his misery, Moseby’s wife is having an affair that is not a well-kept secret.
The movie, directed by Arthur Penn, features early roles for James Woods and Melanie Griffith.
The release is a made-on-demand Blu-ray from the Warner Archive Collection and can be found at www.wb.com/warnerarchive and other online dealers.
Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 1.78:1 (16×9) widescreen picture; English 2.0 DTS-HD Master Audio monaural; English SDH subtitles.
Don’t miss: A vintage featurette, “The Day of the Director,” is the major bonus component.

New Battles Without Honor and Humanity: The Complete Trilogy: Limited Edition (Blu-ray + DVD)
Details: 1974-76, Arrow Video
Rated: Not rated
The lowdown: A set featuring the three films that followed up director Kinji Fukasaku’s five-film “Battles Without Honor and Humanity” series.
Like the original these new films, “New Battles Without Honor and Humanity,” “Head of the Boss” and “Last Days of the Boss,” were more realistic and modern looks at the yakuza crime films that were popular in Japan.
The trio of films are unconnected, but should be of interest to fans and students of modern Japanese gangster movies.
Technical aspects: Blu-ray: 1080p high definition, 2.39:1 widescreen picture; Japanese LPCM monaural; English subtitles; DVD: 2.39:1 widescreen picture; Japanese monaural; English subtitles.
Don’t miss: Extras include an interview with the screenwriter of the second and third films in the series, a video appreciation of Fukasaku and a booklet with essays on the films and the yakuza genre.

My Blue Heaven (Blu-ray)
Release date: Aug. 22
Details: 1990, Warner Archive Collection
Rated: PG-13, language, violence
The lowdown: Steve Martin stars as mobster Vinnie Antonelli, who after being a mob informant, is placed into the FBI’s Witness Protection Program.
Rick Moranis is FBI agent Barney Coopersmith, who must oversee the former wise guy.
The problem is that Antonelli, despite have a new home and a new name, is still the same old Vinnie.
The movie, directed by Herbert Ross and written by Nora Ephron, also stars Joan Cusack, Carol Kane, William Hickey and Melanie Mayron.
The release is a made-on-demand Blu-ray from the Warner Archive Collection and can be found at www.wb.com/warnerarchive and other Internet dealers.
Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 1.85:1 (16×9 enhanced) widescreen picture; English 2.0 DTS-HD Master Audio stereo; English SDH subtitles.

Other Blu-rays and DVDs being released on Tuesday, unless otherwise indicated:
Born in China (Blu-ray + DVD + digital) (Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment)
Heal the Living (Blu-ray) (Cohen Media Group)
The Love of a Woman (Blu-ray + DVD) (Arrow Academy)
Mouton (IndiePix Films)
The Slayer (Arrow Video)

FOR KIDS
Sesame Street: Trick or Treat on Sesame Street (Warner Home Video)

DIGITAL DOWNLOAD and STREAMING
Beatriz at Dinner (Lionsgate Home Entertainment)
Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie (Fox Home Entertainment)
The Daydreamer’s Notebook (Michael Saul Productions)
Wonder Woman (Warner Home Video)
Jackals (Shout! Factory, Sept. 1)

I am a member of the Indiana Film Journalists Association. He reviews movies, Blu-rays and DVDs for ReelBob (ReelBob.com), The Film Yap and other print and online publications. I can be reached by email at bobbloomjc@gmail.com. You also can follow me on Twitter @ReelBobBloom and on Facebook. My movie reviews also can be found at Rottentomatoes: www.rottentomatoes.com.