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:
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
