New to View: Oct. 4
By Bob Bloom
The following titles are being released on Tuesday, Oct. 4, unless otherwise noted:
DC League of Super-Pets (4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray + digital)
Details: 2022, Warner Home Entertainment
Rated: PG, action, mild violence, language, rude humor
The lowdown: This animated feature centers Krypto, Superman’s pet dog, who must gather and convince a motley group of shelter animals to master their powers and help him rescue the Justice League.
Joining Krypto are Ace, the hound; PB, the pot-bellied pig; Merton the turtle; and Chip, the squirrel.
The movie features the vocal talents of Dwayne Johnson as Krypto, Kevin Hart as Ace, Natasha Lyonne as Merton and Diego Luna as Chip.
The cast also includes Kate McKinnon, Vanessa Bayer, John Krasinski, Keanu Reeves, Marc Maron, Olivia Wilde, Jameela Jamil and Daveed Diggs.
The movie is a lightweight family-friendly feature that is sentimental and sly. It received a 73 percent fresh rating at Rotten Tomatoes.
Technical aspects: 4K: 2160p ultra high definition, 2.39:1 widescreen picture; English Dolby Atmos-TrueHD and 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio; English 5.1 Dolby digital descriptive audio and French and Spanish 5.1 Dolby digital; English SDH, French and Spanish subtitles; Blu-ray: 1080p high definition, 2.39:1 widescreen picture; English Dolby Atmos-TrueHD and 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio; English 5.1 Dolby digital descriptive audio and French and Spanish 5.1 Dolby digital; English SDH, French and Spanish subtitles.
Don’t miss: Bonus components include a “How to Draw Krypto” featurette; a behind-the-scenes look at the voice talent; a “Super-Pets Animation 101” featurette; deleted scenes; a “World of Super-Pets” featurette and clues to finding Easter eggs.
Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty: The Complete First Season (Blu-ray + digital)
Details: 2022, HBO-Warner Home Entertainment
Rated: Not rated
The lowdown: This 10-episode HBO series, which has been renewed for a second season, covers the rise of the Los Angeles Lakers dynasty in the 1980s, chronicling the professional and personal lives of players such as Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as well as coach Pat Riley, owner Jerry Buss and members of his family.
The very versatile John C. Reilly stars as Buss, with Quincy Isaiah as Johnson and Adrien Brody as Riley.
The drama mixes fact with fiction as it chronicles the on-court drama and personal challenges facing new owner Buss and the team he has purchased.
The cast also includes Jason Clarke, Gaby Hoffmann, Tracy Letts, Jason Segel, Julianne Nicholson and Sally Field.
Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 1.78:1 widescreen picture; English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio and French 5.1 Dolby digital; English SDH and French subtitles.
Don’t miss: Bonus materials include an invitation to the set featurette; a featurette on the Forum; a set tour and teaching time featurette; a look at the costumes; and comments from writer Rodney Barnes, production designer Richard Toyon and set designer Argya Sadan.
Star Trek: Picard: Season Two (DVD)
Details: 2022, CBS Home Entertainment-Paramount Home Entertainment
Rated: Not rated
The lowdown: In the exciting second season of this Paramount+ series, Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) and his crew are trapped in an alternate reality by Picard’s longtime nemesis, Q (John de Lancie).
Transported to Los Angeles in 2024, Picard must enlist old and new friends to confront many challenges to set history right and save the future of the galaxy.
The cast also includes Jeri Ryan, Alison Pill, Brent Spiner, Michelle Hurd, Santiago Cabrera and Brent Spiner.
The 10-episode series is one of the best of the new “Star Trek” shows that have been added to the Paramount+ streaming service.
The episodes in this three-disc set, like other “Star Trek” series, mix action with philosophical and moral challenges the individuals must face.
Technical aspects: 16:9 widescreen picture; English 5.1 Dolby digital; English SDH subtitles.
Don’t miss: Bonus materials include deleted scenes, a gag reel, featurettes on the creation of the U.S.S. Stargazer, the Picard chateau and the old and new friends Picard and his crew encounter; behind-the-scenes looks at the props and at de Lancie’s Q; and a look showcasing actress Annie Wersching as the new Borg Queen
Night of the Living Dead (4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray)
Details: 1968, The Criterion Collection
Rated: Not rated
The lowdown: George A. Romero’s “Night of the Living Dead” is a work of cinematic lore.
Romero’s movie, made on a miniscule budget, set the template for many zombie horror and apocalypse films to follow.
The story is well known — a group of people take shelter in an abandoned house as the dead seem to begin attacking the living.
The film is basically a survival story as those in the house fend off attacks from the creatures whose sustenance is human flesh. The movie, shot in black and white, spawned sequels, remakes and a genre that churned out many substandard knock-offs.
Even after 50-plus years, the original still has the power to grab you.
Criterion’s release is a three-disc set with one 4K ultra high-definition disc and two Blu-ray discs.
It is a fabulous set, one of the best that Criterion has issued, and worth viewing.
Technical aspects: 4K: 2160p ultra high definition, 1.37:1 full-screen picture; English LPCM monaural; English SDH subtitles; Blu-ray: 1080p high definition, 1.37:1 full-screen picture; English LPCM monaural; English SDH subtitles.
Don’t miss: Extras include two archival commentary tracks; a 16mm work print of movie under its original title, “Night of the Anubis,” featuring an introduction by actor Russell Streiner, who also was one of the film’s co-producers; a “Light into Darkness” featurette in which filmmakers Guillermo del Toro, Robert Rodriguez and Frank Darabont discuss what makes the movie so special and its lasting impact on the horror genre; a silent 16mm reel of never-before-seen footage and alternate takes; a discussion with co-writer John Russo about the challenges facing the filmmakers; a VHS recording of TV newsreel footage shot for Pittsburgh broadcast news; clips from archival interviews with 10 actors who portrayed zombies; a short featurette on the obstacles faced by Romero and his crew; excerpts from a 1979 “Tomorrow” show in which Romero and filmmaker Don Coscarelli (“Phantasm”) discuss the evolution of the horror genre; a 2012 archival interview with Romero; archival interviews with cast members Duane Jones and Judith Ridley; and a 1967 newsreel detailing the findings of the Mariner 5 spacecraft in Venus’ atmosphere that preceded the crash that unleashes the zombie plague in the movie; and an essay about the movie.
The Munsters: Collector’s Edition (Blu-ray)
Details: 2022, Universal Studios Home Entertainment
Rated: PG, macabre and suggestive material, scary images, language
The lowdown: Writer-director Rob Zombie’s reinvention of the popular 1960s sitcom is hit and miss.
Zombie goes back to the beginning, chronicling the courtship of Lily, a lonely 150-year-old vampire, and Herman, a 7-foot green experiment with a heart of gold.
It’s love at first sight in this Transylvanian romance. But the road to love is bumpy, especially with Lily’s father, who has other plans for his daughter.
The movie offers some wit, with its idealized world comprised of 1960s cultural personalities, but some of Zombie’s ideas fail to gel.
Still it is a lighthearted experience that may please fans of the old TV series.
Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 1.78:1 widescreen picture; English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio and Spanish 5.1 DTS digital surround; English SDH, French and Spanish subtitles.
Don’t miss: Extras include a behind-the-scenes look at the production with Zombie and a commentary track with the writer-director.
Walker: Season Two (DVD)
Details: 2021-22, CBS Studios-Paramount Home Entertainment
Rated: Not rated
The lowdown: Jared Padalecki stars as Texas Ranger Cordell Walker in this CW crime drama, reimagining of the Chuck Norris TV series “Walker, Texas Ranger,” which aired from 1993 to 2001.
This five-disc set features all 20 second-season episodes as Walker is reintegrated back into his role on his family’s ranch.
Events take a turn with the introduction of a family from Walker’s past living in the vacant ranch next door. The new neighbors spark years of trauma from Walker’s childhood.
Other dramas and relationships play out over the course of the season as Walker’s dedication to protecting his family and discovering the truth about his wife’s death remains steady and solid.
Technical aspects: 16:9 widescreen picture; English 5.1 Dolby digital; English SDH subtitles.
Don’t miss: Deleted scenes and a gag reel comprise the extras.
Sex and Lucia: Unrated Director’s Cut (Blu-ray)
Details: 2001, Music Box Films
Rated: Not rated
The lowdown: A Spanish drama that looks at Lucia (Paz Vega) who, after the death of her longtime boyfriend, travels from Madrid to a sun-bleached Mediterranean island where she begins a flirtation with Carlos, a scuba diver.
Lucia also begins to discover the dark secrets of the island, her late boyfriend and her own knotty relationships.
This is an erotic and sensual love story that made a huge impact upon its initial release.
The movie earned a 71 percent fresh rating at Rotten Tomatoes.
Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 2.39:1 widescreen picture; Spanish 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio; English subtitles.
Don’t miss: Supplemental materials include a making of featurette, cast and filmmaker interviews and a video essay about the film.
‘Til Kingdom Come (DVD)
Details: 2020, Kino Lorber
Rated: Not rated
The lowdown: This intriguing documentary by Israeli filmmaker Maya Zinshtein examines the head-scratching political alliance between American Evangelicals, Israel’s right-wing politicians and their influence on former President Trump’s foreign policy which led to the moving of the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
Zinshtein looks at the Binghams, a dynasty of Kentucky pastors and their congregants in an impoverished coal mining community, who donate as much as they can to Israel’s foremost philanthropic organization — the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews.
They do so because these Evangelicals believe the Jews are crucial to the return of Jesus, and that Israel’s survival plays a key role in end-times prophecy in which Christians will be saved and others — including Jews — will perish.
The film traces the unusual relationship from the hills of Kentucky to the halls of governmental power.
Zinshtein, who had unparalleled access, reveals a stunning backstory of the Trump and Netanyahu administrations in which financial, political and messianic motivations intersect with an apocalyptic worldview that is slowly reshaping American foreign policy toward Israel and the Middle East.
The movie earned a 100 percent fresh rating at Rotten Tomatoes.
Technical aspects: 2.39:1 (16×9 enhanced) widescreen picture; English 5.1 and 2.0 Dolby digital; English SDH subtitles.
They Crawl Beneath (Blu-ray)
Details: 2022, Well Go USA Entertainment
Rated: Not rated
The lowdown: Danny, a young police officer, is working on a classic car at his uncle’s remote ranch when an earthquake hits.
Danny is trapped under the vehicle and his cries for help go unanswered.
His claustrophobic nightmare soon gets worse when something emerges from the fissures created by the quake.
Somehow, Danny must fight for his life in these most dire of circumstances.
The film is a direct-to-video release.
Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 16:9 enhanced picture; English DTS-HD Master Audio; English SDH subtitles.
Return to Auschwitz: The Survival of Vladimir Munk (DVD)
Details: 2021, Virgil Films-Kino Lorber
Rated: Not rated
The lowdown: A documentary that tells the moving story of Vladimir Munk, a Czech Holocaust survivor and retired SUNY Plattsburgh professor.
The movie follows Munk who, at 95, returns to the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration and extermination camp where he was held during World War II and where 30 of his close relatives, including his parents, were murdered.
His faced challenges on his trip back to the camp, where he confronted the painful memories of his loss. The return to the United States also was difficult because it occurred during the COVID-19 outbreak, forcing Munk into isolated lockdown and serious heart problems that threatened his health.
But, as the film demonstrates, Munk, a truly amazing individual, is a survivor.
Technical aspects: 16:9 widescreen picture; English 5.1 Dolby digital; English closed-captioned, French, German and Spanish subtitles.
Krypto the Superdog: The Complete Series (DVD)
Release date: Sept. 27
Details: 2005, 2006-07, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment
Rated: Not rated
The lowdown: A five-disc set featuring all 39 episodes of this animated series that aired on the Cartoon Network, then as part of the CW’s Saturday morning cartoon lineup.
The series follows the comedy-centric adventures of Krypto, Superman’s faithful canine companion from Krypton,
In this iteration, Krypto lands on Earth after traveling across the galaxy as a test-pilot puppy.
When he lands on Earth, he is fully grown and finds companionship with Kevin Whitney, a lonesome young boy.
Krypto also makes some super friends with the Dog Star Patrol, including Streaky the Supercat and Ace the Bat-Hound, to battle forces that threaten the Earth and people and animals of Metropolis.
Technical aspects: 1.33:1 full-screen picture; English, French and Spanish 2.0 Dolby digital; English SDH and French subtitles.
Other titles being released on Tuesday, unless otherwise indicated:
Croc (DVD & digital) (Uncork’d Entertainment)
Dark Lies the Island (DVD & digital) (Indican Pictures)
Scrooge & Marley (DVD & digital) (Dark Star Pictures)
OCT. 10
Sawed Off (DVD & digital) (Uncork’d Entertainment)
DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, STREAMING or VOD
Dead Bride (Breaking Glass Pictures)
The Deer King (Shout! Factory-GKids)
Dreaming Walls: Inside the Chelsea Hotel (Magnolia Pictures)
The Handmaid’s Tale: Season 5, Episode 5 (Hulu)
Phantom Project (Dark Star Pictures)
Reboot: Episode 5 (Hulu)
Sextortion: The Hidden Pandemic (1091 Pictures)
OCT. 5
All Sorts (Vibrant Penguin)
Bling Empire: Season 3 (Netflix)
The D’Amelio Show: Season 2, Episode 3 (Hulu)
Tell Me Lies: Episode 6 (Hulu)
OCT. 7
Bad Sisters: Episode 9 (Apple TV+)
Beast (Universal Pictures Home Entertainment)
Billy Flanigan: The Happiest Man in the World (Good Deed Entertainment)
Bromates (Quiver Distribution)
Central Park: Episode 7 (Apple TV+)
Conversations with a Killer: The Jeffrey Dahmer Tapes (Netflix)
Hello, Jack! The Kindness Show: Season 2 (Netflix)
Hellraiser (Hulu)
Hinterland (Film Movement)
The Midnight Club (Netflix)
The Mystery Spot (Terror Films)
Operation Seawolf (Shout! Studios)
See: Season 3, Episode 7 (Apple TV+)
OCT. 9
Mortal Kombat Legends: Snow Blind (Warner Bros. Home Entertainment)
OCT. 10
Legacy: The True Story of the L.A. Lakers: Episode 10 (Hulu)
I am a founding member of the Indiana Film Journalists Association. I review movies, 4K UHD, 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 at ReelBob or the Indiana Film Journalists Association. My movie reviews also can be found at Rotten Tomatoes: www.rottentomatoes.com.