On DVD This Week: Pixels, Southpaw, Army of Darkness, Mulholland Drive, and More
by Ryan Fujitani | October 26, 2015
This week on home video, we’ve got a video game-inspired CGI spectacle, a gritty boxing film, an acclaimed directorial debut, a family-friendly movie, and three special releases of beloved classics. Read on for the full list:
18%
Back in the 1980s, Sam (Adam Sandler) and his buds were masters of the arcade. But when a race of aliens mistake Pac-Man, Donkey Kong, and the like for a threat — and reverse-engineer said icons for destructive purposes — its up to our slacker heroes to save the day. The Blu-ray comes with a number of making-of featurettes, a music video, and brief profiles of both Toru Iwatani and the Space Invaders player who won a role in the movie.
59%
Jake Gyllenhaal stars as Billy Hope, a boxing champ who’s blindsided by personal tragedy, losing his title and his family in the process. But with the help of a committed trainer, Billy seeks redemption in the ring. Special features include deleted scenes, a cast Q&A, and an extended training montage.
91%
In his Certified Fresh directorial debut, Joel Edgerton stars alongside Jason Bateman as Simon and Gordo, a pair of old high school buddies who run into each other one day by chance — or so it seems, until Gordo begins showing up everywhere and leaving mysterious gifts for Bateman. The Blu-ray contains deleted scenes, an interview wit Bateman, and an alternate ending, among other things.
37%
In this feelgood drama aimed at younger viewers, a military canine comes home to the family of the fallen soldier who was his partner; will he overcome his own PTSD to become man’s best friend again? Just two extras here: a profile of the dogs who played the titular character and a look at dogs who have been trained by the military.
68%
The first of three special reissues we’re looking at this week is a Collector’s Edition of Sam Raimi’s Army of Darkness, which stars Bruce Campbell as Ash (from Evil Dead), a lowly retail employee who is transported back to the Middle Ages and right into the middle of a supernatural battle between good and evil. The new Blu-ray comes with four versions of the film (theatrical, international, television, and director’s cuts), and more than three hours of bonus features.
92%
Next up, we’ve got a 40th Anniversary Edition of Monty Python and the Holy Grail, which is not only available in a standalone Blu-ray, but also in a Limited Edition Castle Catapult Gift Set. The bonuses included are similar to the previous release, but this one also comes with a new Q&A recorded at this year’s Tribeca Film Festival.
84%
And lastly, we’ve got the Criterion Collection release of David Lynch’s fever dream Mulholland Drive, which stars Naomi Watts in her breakout role as a disturbed woman whose grip on reality slowly crumbles after she meets a stranger who’s lost her memory. Special features include a new 4k transfer, new interviews with Lynch, Watts, and other cast and crew; on-set footage; a deleted scene; and more.



