Now in Theaters:
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes – The fifty six year old franchise gets another installment in an attempt to launch a new trilogy of films, this one unspooling many years after the previous trilogy’s events and centering on the existential crisis of a descendant of the previous film’s central character of Caesar. Being that movie viewers are living in the age of the butt-numb-a-thon this entry clocks in just shy of three hours so viewers should be warned.
Photo: Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes stars Owen Teague, Freya Allan & Kevin Durand
New to Streaming:
William Shatner: You Can Call Me Bill (**½) The legendary actor gets a career spanning documentary in this unconventional film. Basically it’s ninety odd minutes of Shatner sitting in a chair ruminating on the strange trajectory of his life’s journey. Some of his insights are worthy and interesting while others just seem a little too much on the hippy-dippy side of the aisle, making for a very uneven viewing experience. Die hard fans won’t want to miss it while more discerning viewers may want to consider whether their time investment is worthy.
New to Disc:
Criterion:
Peeping Tom (1960) Michael Powell’s controversial thriller about a photographer obsessed with taking photos of his murder victims at the time of death comes to 4K UHD this week for the first time ever. Bonus material include featurettes, commentary and documentary.
Kino:
Submarine Command (1951) William Holden is a World War II veteran suffering from PTSD, who is called back into action during the Korean War, in this drama from director John Farrow. Extras include new audio commentary.
Thunder in the East (1952) Alan Ladd is a gun Runner who hopelessly falls in love with a young and blind English woman played by Deborah Kerr in this drama from Charles Vidor which features a new audio commentary as a bonus.
Paramount:
Once Upon a Time in the West (1969) Sergio Leone’s much heralded western tale of vengeance and land snatching, featuring a terrific villainous turn by Henry Fonda, comes to 4K in a new edition that features a few new bonus features while retaining the previous ones.
Film Movement:
Alam (2023) This foreign entry is a coming of age drama about a group of teens living in Israel, searching for drugs, flirting with girls and slacking off at school. No extras
Scream/Shout Factory:
Orphan (2009) The adopting parents of a young child get more than just a new addition to the family in this horror thriller coming to Blu-ray in a new collector’s edition that includes deleted scenes, featurette and a still gallery.
Killer Klowns from Outer Space (1988) The cult classic about an intrusion from alien invaders dressed as clowns comes to 4K UHD just in time for its 35th Anniversary. Extras include previously issued materials along with a new scan of the film.
Warner Brothers:
The recent box office blockbuster, Dune: Part 2 (2024), comes to 4K and Blu-Ray this week along with new 4K debuts of the box office hits from the previous decade, American Sniper (2014) and Magic Mike (2012). The latter includes archival extras.
Warner Archive:
You’re a Big Boy Now (1966) Francis Ford Coppola’s studio film debut, the delightful tale of a romance starved early twenty-something looking for the woman of his dreams in New York City, comes to Blu-ray for the first time ever sporting a new restoration.
A Nun’s Story (1959) Audrey Hepburn stars in Fred Zinneman’s tale of a nun who is tested in both faith and on an emotional level now debuting on Blu-Ray along with William Wyler’s tale of a Quaker community’s conflicts during the Civil War, Friendly Persuasion (1956), which stars Gary Cooper and Anthony Perkins. Both feature the usually splendid restorations for which the label is known.
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