Luca
Set in a beautiful seaside town on the Italian Riviera, Luca is a coming-of-age story about one young boy experiencing an unforgettable summer filled with gelato, pasta and endless scooter rides. Luca shares these adventures with his newfound best friend, but all the fun is threatened by a deeply-held secret: they are sea monsters from another world just below the water’s surface.
Description and score provided by Metacritic.
“This movie will fill your heart up. Casarosa is an artist with a true perspective, fearless in his creative impulses and limitless in his compassion, and Luca is a pure expression of these sensibilities.” – Drew Taylor, The Playlist
“The layered dynamics and pure, honest emotions underneath Luca‘s simple coming-of-age story are what elevate the film to one of Pixar’s best — and an example of what animation can be if they stop trying to race forward, and just stop and take a breath.” – Hoai-Tran Bui, /Film
“[The] friendship between the two boys feels very natural, and will likely remind older viewers of meeting their first best friend, and possibly even their first crush. It also smartly uses the predicament of the sea monsters trying to hide their true selves on dry land, where any splash of water can cause their secret to be revealed, as a way to explore being an ‘other’ among people who are pre-inclined to hate you, a feeling which will also ring very close to home for many in the audience.” – Sean Farrell, AFPL Journal
Available Formats [8/3]:
Blu-ray / DVD Combo Pack
Those Who Wish Me Dead
Hannah (Angelina Jolie), a smoke jumper still reeling from the loss of three lives she failed to save from a fire, comes across a traumatized 12-year-old boy with nowhere else to turn.
Description and score provided by Metacritic.
“The neo-Western inflected work is a lean, engrossing, action-packed shot of adrenaline that is striking in its aesthetic decisions and boasts some exceedingly fun turns from its actors. Most important, it proves once more why Jolie is a star.” – Angelica Jade Bastien, Vulture
“The film’s rock-solid survival story is enhanced by its charming ensemble and striking, elegant environment.” – Jacob Oller, Paste
“An enjoyable, absorbing, characterful testament to shuffling the whole deck of genre conventions, and then politely setting it on fire.” – Jessica Kiang, Los Angeles Times
Available Formats [8/3]:
DVD
Here Today
When veteran comedy writer Charlie Burnz meets New York street singer Emma Payge, they form an unlikely yet hilarious and touching friendship that kicks the generation gap aside and redefines the meaning of love and trust.
Description and score provided by Metacritic.
“The easy chemistry between the characters reflects the real-life friendship of the two stars and it is clear to see that like Emma and Charlie, Haddish and Crystal get a kick out of each other. ” – Nell Minnow, RogerEbert.com
“What’s good about the movie is that Crystal, who co-wrote and directed it, has an inside knowledge of the showbiz comedy world (as he demonstrated in 1992 when he directed and starred in the acerbically accomplished Mr. Saturday Night), and the prickly vivacity with which he portrays it roots the movie in something real.” – Owen Gleiberman, Variety
“Even with all the laughs paving the way, the story reaches a legitimately moving conclusion and leaves us grateful we got to know Charlie Burnz.” – Richard Roeper, Chicago Sun-Times
Available Formats [8/3]:
DVD
Finding You
After an ill-fated audition at a prestigious New York music conservatory, violinist Finley Sinclair (Rose Reid) travels to an Irish coastal village to begin her semester studying abroad. At the B&B run by her host family, she encounters gregarious and persistent heartthrob movie star Beckett Rush (Jedidiah Goodacre), who is there to film another installment of his medieval fantasy-adventure franchise. As romance sparks between the unlikely pair, Beckett ignites a journey of discovery for Finley that transforms her heart, her music, and her outlook on life. In turn, Finley emboldens Beckett to reach beyond his teen-idol image and pursue his true passion. But when forces surrounding Beckett’s stardom threaten to crush their dreams, Finley must decide what she is willing to risk for love.
Description and score provided by Metacritic.
“There are no real surprises here, except maybe one. It would never work, Finley warns us, and it seems she might as well be talking about this cornball movie. But thanks to something ineffable — Redgrave, leprechauns, moondust, or maybe just understated performances from two appealing protagonists — Finding You kinda, sorta does.” – Michael O’Sullivan, Washington Post
“Effervescent performances from an ebullient ensemble make Finding You a palatable and compelling female coming-of-age tale.” – Courtney Howard, Variety
“As a piece of entertainment, you’re likely to find that you get more out of this film than you might have expected.” – Tara McNamara, Common Sense Media
Available Formats [8/10]:
Blu-ray / DVD Combo Pack
Queen Bees
While her house undergoes repairs, fiercely independent senior Helen (Ellen Burstyn) moves into a nearby retirement community ― just temporarily. Once behind the doors of Pine Grove Senior Community, she encounters lusty widows, cutthroat bridge tournaments and a hotbed of bullying “mean girls” the likes of which she hasn’t encountered since high school, all of which leaves her yearning for the solitude of home. But somewhere between flower arranging and water aerobics Helen discovers that it’s never too late to make new friends and perhaps even find a new love.
Description and score provided by Metacritic.
“A lightweight but likable comedy.” – Joe Leydon, Variety
“As all movies about this stage of life must, among obvious jokes about aches, pains, and Viagra… Queen Bees touches gently and sympathetically on the inescapable challenges of aging, loss of loved ones, loss of independence, cancer, strokes, and dementia.” – Nell Minnow, RogerEbert.com
“Each of these stalwarts bring more than charisma to their roles, and when the writing itself displays some snap… the performers bite right into it.” – Glenn Kenny, New York Times
Available Formats [8/10]:
DVD
Profile
An undercover British journalist attempts to bait and expose a terrorist recruiter through social media, while trying not to be sucked in by her recruiter and lured into becoming a militant extremist herself.
Description and score provided by Metacritic.
“The relationship between ‘Melody’ and ‘Bilel’ (also an assumed name) shows the slippery nature of performed online identities, the leveraging of personal grievances into political/terrorist action, and how the immense scale of social media can essentially collectivize and weaponize alienation and anger from around the world into real world terror.” – Joe Blessing, The Playlist
“Once again, Bekmambetov has delved into new possibilities of digital filmmaking, capturing the complexities and anxieties that have become inextricably linked to our reliance on technology.” – Mary Beth McAndrews, Paste
“Profile works on several levels — as a cinematic feat, dual character study, gripping thriller… and as a cautionary tale.” – Michael Ordona, Los Angeles Times
Available Formats [8/10]:
DVD
The Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard
The world’s most lethal odd couple – bodyguard Michael Bryce (Ryan Reynolds) and hitman Darius Kincaid (Samuel L. Jackson) – are back on another life-threatening mission. Still unlicensed and under scrutiny, Bryce is forced into action by Darius’s even more volatile wife, the infamous international con artist Sonia Kincaid (Salma Hayek). As Bryce is driven over the edge by his two most dangerous protectees, the trio get in over their heads in a global plot and soon find that they are all that stand between Europe and a vengeful and powerful madman (Antonio Banderas).
Description and score provided by Metacritic.
“Directed by Patrick Hughes, this comic book-energy spy adventure, gorgeously captured by cinematographer Terry Stacey and keenly scripted with barbed laden dialogue from Tom O’Connor, Brandon Murphy, and Phillip Murphy, is heavy on blood, guts, action, and star power.” – Carla Renata, RogerEbert.com
“Perhaps it’s out of date, but if anybody can make the ‘Latin Spitfire’ stereotype cool, funny and scary again, it’s Hayek, who all but takes over the movie with her loud, brassy and delusional confidence.” – Roger Moore, Movie Nation
“The sticking point for some will be the bone-crunching violence, of which there’s A LOT. But if you can stomach that, then this ticks that dumb-fun summer-movie box nicely.” – James Mottram, Total Film
Available Formats [8/17]:
Blu-ray / DVD Combo Pack
The Truffle Hunters
Deep in the forests of Piedmont, Italy, a handful of men, seventy or eighty years young, hunt for the rare and expensive white Alba truffle—which to date has resisted all of modern science’s efforts at cultivation. They’re guided by a secret culture and training passed down through generations, as well as by the noses of their cherished and expertly-trained dogs. They live a simpler, slower way of life, in harmony with their loyal animals and their picture-perfect land, seemingly straight out of a fairy tale. They’re untethered to cell phone screens or the Internet, opting instead to make their food and drink by hand and prioritizing in-person connections and community.
The demand for white truffles increases year after year, even as the supply decreases. As a result of climate change, deforestation, and the lack of young people taking up the mantle, the truffle hunters’ secrets are more coveted than ever. However, as it soon becomes clear, these ageing men may just hold something much more valuable than even this prized delicacy: the secret to a rich and meaningful life.
Description and score provided by Metacritic.
“This endearing, thoroughly entertaining movie might be what we all need right now: An invitation to stop and smell the roses — or, if you’re lucky, their far less showy fungal cousins.” – Ann Hornaday, Washington Post
“A cinematic delicacy as rare as the truffle itself.” – Katie Walsh, Chicago Tribune
“Any good documentary teaches you how to pay attention to something, which is why this one feels like such an overwhelming experience: It teaches you to pay attention to the world, all of it all at once.” – Helen Shaw, Vulture
Available Formats [8/17]:
DVD
The Water Man
Gunner (Lonnie Chavis) sets out on a quest to save his ill mother (Rosario Dawson) by searching for a mythic figure who possesses the secret to immortality, the Water Man. After enlisting the help of a mysterious local girl, Jo (Amiah Miller), they journey together into the remote Wild Horse forest — but the deeper they venture, the stranger and more dangerous the forest becomes. Their only hope for rescue is Gunner’s father (David Oyelowo), who will stop at nothing to find them.
Description and score provided by Metacritic.
“From the get-go, we have a pretty good sense of where The Water Man will take us, and while there are a few small surprises along the way, the real delight is the journey itself and how the real bond of a family is stronger than any monsters lurking in the dark.” – Richard Roeper, Chicago Sun-Times
“The directorial debut from David Oyelowo is a rewarding, (older) family-friendly adventure which packs some crisply executed moments of nail-biting peril into a moving story which deals with grief, loss and newly forged friendships.” – Wendy Ide, Screen Daily
“Amid the excitement — those bugs, a pack of wild horses, a looming forest fire — the film finds room to explore bigger issues, like living life to the fullest even when death is inevitable, and the fact that the toughest-acting kids are often the most vulnerable.” – Alonso Duralde, The Wrap
Available Formats [8/17]:
DVD
A Discovery of Witches: Season 2
Matthew and Diana search for the Book of Life and a powerful witch teacher to help her control her powers in the past as the Congregation seeks clues on the pair’s disappearance.
Description provided by Metacritic.
“If you are seeking some harmlessly enjoyable escapism from real life, and brooding vampire love stories are your cup of tea, I would recommend switching off the real world peril for a while and checking out some fantasy peril instead.” – Hannah Sole, Panjiba
“Matthew Goode and Teresa Palmer are eerily masterful, and they now get to timeshift!” – Euan Ferguson, Observer
“Goode seems right at home in the Elizabethan trappings of Season 2, which enables him to bring out new shades of Matthew that range from an intense darkness, to perhaps more surprisingly, a bit of levity.” – Cynthia Vinney, CBR
Available Formats [8/17]:
DVD
The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It
The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It reveals a chilling story of terror, murder and unknown evil that shocked even experienced real-life paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren. One of the most sensational cases from their files, it starts with a fight for the soul of a young boy, then takes them beyond anything they’d ever seen before, to mark the first time in U.S. history that a murder suspect would claim demonic possession as a defense.
Description and score provided by Metacritic.
“The film is chilling, balancing its actually scary horror with a lot of heart, advancing the Warrens’ story and providing audiences with a change of pace from their usual cases.” – Mae Abdulbaki, Screen Rant
“The Devil Made Me Do It opens with a disturbing sequence, set in 1981, that stands as the scariest part of the supernatural saga to date. That’s not to say that the nearly two hours that ensue are devoid of tension and well-paced jump scares, but the sheer chaos and malevolence on display right out of the gate are unmatched elsewhere.” – Carlos Aguilar, The Wrap
“In this new Conjuring, every scene of demonic possession, every demonic hallucination, and every underworld visit and visitation land with unsettling impact. These are, in a sense, action scenes, and they’re creepy, chilling and very well done.” – Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle
Available Formats [8/24]:
DVD
Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway
Bea, Thomas, and the rabbits have created a makeshift family, but despite his best efforts, Peter can’t seem to shake his mischievous reputation. Adventuring out of the garden, Peter finds himself in a world where his mischief is appreciated, but when his family risks everything to come looking for him, Peter must figure out what kind of bunny he wants to be.
Description and score provided by Metacritic.
“This superior sequel serves as both a meta-commentary on his humbling past antics and a pivotal point for the eponymous protagonist. It’s an astute, entertaining, light-hearted mix of slapstick and self-reflexive humor commingling with enlightened, sharp sentiments about individualism and commercialism (the latter of which Potter herself wrestled with, and eventually pioneered).” – Courtney Howard, Variety
“It’s no Paddington 2, but Peter Rabbit 2 works well thanks to a mocking sense of self and a strong second half.” – Ian Freer, Empire
“With its human relations a bit dicey, the movie lives or dies by the cuteness of its CG animals. Fortunately, it probably will never stop hitting the cute button inside us simply to see rabbits scurry-hopping with earnest little faces. The cinematic technology’s growth is remarkable.” – Michael Ordona, Los Angeles Times
Available Formats [8/24]:
Blu-ray / DVD Combo Pack
In the Heights
Lights up on Washington Heights… The scent of a cafecito caliente hangs in the air just outside of the 181st Street subway stop, where a kaleidoscope of dreams rallies this vibrant and tight-knit community. At the intersection of it all is the likeable, magnetic bodega owner Usnavi (Anthony Ramos), who saves every penny from his daily grind as he hopes, imagines and sings about a better life.
Description and score provided by Metacritic.
“[A] fun time at the movies, and exactly the ray of bright, vibrant sunshine we all need more of right now.” – Sean Farrell, AFPL Journal
“It feels like summer on film – the thing radiates Factor 50 good vibes, and boasts a cast so preposterously attractive, and with such sweltering chemistry, that a couple of hours in their company may make you feel as if you’ve had a holiday fling by osmosis.” – Robbie Collin, The Telegraph
“Like a cool lemon ice on a blistering summer day, In the Heights feels like a reward.” – Ty Burr, Boston Globe
Available Formats [8/31]:
DVD
Murdoch Mysteries: Series 14
In the 1890s, William Murdoch uses radical forensic techniques for the time, including fingerprinting and trace evidence, to solve some of the city’s most gruesome murders.
Description provided by IMDb.