BLUE BEETLE. (DVD Artwork). ©Warner Bros. Home Entertainment.
Movies
Blue Beetle (Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi)
The action-packed, modern origin story that takes a fresh look at the superhero genre, “Blue Beetle” arrives on 4K UHD, Blu-ray and DVD Tuesday, Oct. 31, from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment. The film is also now available to purchase on Digital.
Recent college grad Jaime Reyes (Xolo Maridueña, “Cobra Kai”) returns home full of aspirations for his future, only to find that home is not quite as he left it. As he searches to find his purpose in the world, fate intervenes when Jaime unexpectedly finds himself in possession of an ancient relic of alien biotechnology: the Scarab. When the Scarab suddenly chooses Jaime to be its symbiotic host, he is bestowed with an incredible suit of armor capable of extraordinary and unpredictable powers, forever changing his destiny as he becomes the superhero Blue Beetle.
Written by Gareth Dunnet-Alcocer (“Miss Bala”) and based on characters from DC, “Blue Beetle” also features Academy Award winner Susan Sarandon (“Dead Man Walking”), George Lopez (“Lopez vs. Lopez”), Adriana Barraza (“Rambo: Last Blood”), Damían Alcázar (“Narcos”), Elpidia Carrillo (“Mayans M.C.”), Bruna Marquezine (“God Save the King”), Raoul Max Trujillo (the “Sicario” films), Belissa Escobedo (“Hocus Pocus 2”) and Harvey Guillén (“What We Do in the Shadows”). The 4K UHD, Blu-ray and Digital releases include the four-part documentary “Blue Beetle Generations” that details the journey the movie’s actors and filmmakers faced bringing Blue Beetle to the big screen for the first time as well as the two-part featurette “Scarab Vision” and the fun featurette “Blue Beetle’s Nana Knows Best.”
A Haunting in Venice (Crime, Drama, Horror, Mystery)
Agatha Christie’s legendary Hercule Poirot returns in a terrifying tale when “A Haunting in Venice” arrives on Digital Tuesday, Oct. 31, from Disney Media & Entertainment Distribution. The film will also be available to stream on Hulu on Oct. 31 and arrives on Blu-ray and DVD Tuesday, Nov. 28.
Based on the 1969 Agatha Christie novel “Hallowe’en Party,” “A Haunting in Venice” is set in eerie, post-World War II Venice on All Hallows’ Eve and is a terrifying mystery featuring the return of the celebrated sleuth, Hercule Poirot. Now retired and living in self-imposed exile in the world’s most glamorous city, Poirot reluctantly attends a séance at a decaying, haunted palazzo. When one of the guests is murdered, the detective is thrust into a sinister world of shadows and secrets.
Reuniting many of the filmmakers behind 2017’s “Murder on the Orient Express” and 2022’s “Death on the Nile,” “A Haunting in Venice” is directed by Kenneth Branagh with a screenplay by Oscar nominee Michael Green (“Logan”). A brilliant acting ensemble portrays a cast of unforgettable characters, including Branagh (“Hamlet”), Kyle Allen (“Rosaline”), Camille Cottin (“Call My Agent”), Jamie Dornan (“Fifty Shades of Grey”), Tina Fey (“30 Rock”), Jude Hill (“Belfast”), Ali Khan (“6 Underground”), Emma Laird (“Mayor of Kingstown”), Kelly Reilly (“Yellowstone”), Riccardo Scamarcio (“Caravaggio’s Shadow”) and recent Oscar winner Michelle Yeoh (“Everything Everywhere All at Once”). Bonus features on the Digital and Blu-ray releases include 11 deleted scenes — “Morning Routine,” “The Doge’s Palace,” “Halloween Party Extended,” “Desdemona’s Warning,” “Children’s Story,” “Poirot Needs Air,” “Guarding the Gates,” “Secret Doorway Extended,” “Ferrier’s Shouts,” “Poirot Pauses for Thought” and “Journey Home” — and the behind-the-scenes featurette “Murder, Death and Haunting.”
Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One (Action, Adventure, Thriller)
The edge-of-your-seat, nonstop thrill ride “Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One” debuts on 4K Ultra HD SteelBook, 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray and DVD Tuesday, Oct. 31, from Paramount Home Entertainment. The film is also now available to own on Digital.
Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise, “Jerry Maguire”) and his IMF team embark on their most dangerous mission yet: to track down a terrifying new weapon that threatens all of humanity before it falls into the wrong hands. With the fate of the world at stake, a deadly race around the globe begins. Confronted by a mysterious, all-powerful enemy, Ethan is forced to consider that nothing can matter more than his mission — not even the lives of those he cares about most.
Fans who purchase the film on Digital, Blu-ray and 4K Ultra HD can go even deeper into the mission with extensive, action-packed bonus content. Viewers can get an inside look at how Tom Cruise and the filmmaking team pulled off multiple breathtaking stunts, including one of the biggest stunts in cinema history where Cruise launches a motorcycle off of a cliff; go behind the scenes of the exotic filming locations in Abu Dhabi, Venice and Rome; and see some of the breathtaking, never-before-seen footage that didn’t make the final cut of the film in a Deleted Scenes Montage. There’s also an in-depth feature commentary track by director Christopher McQuarrie (“Jack Reacher”) and editor Eddie Hamilton (“Top Gun: Maverick”) and the editorial featurette “The Sevastopol” where McQuarrie and Hamilton take viewers through the film’s intense opening scene.
My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3 (Comedy, Drama, Romance)
The Portokalos family is back in “My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3,” available on Digital, Blu-ray and DVD Tuesday, Oct. 31, from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment.
Written and directed by Academy Award nominee Nia Vardalos (“My Big Fat Greek Wedding”), “My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3” follows the Portokalos family to Greece for their grandest adventure yet. When Toula (Vardalos) plans a trip to Greece to honor her late father Gus’ (Michael Constantine, “The Juror”) final wish, the family’s reunion becomes complicated with the reveal of a deep family secret. With nonstop laughter at every twist and turn, the highly anticipated third installment of the franchise brings a heartwarming reunion that honors the essence of what makes the original so unique.
“My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3” also stars John Corbett (“Sex and the City”), Louis Mandylor (“NCIS”), Elena Kampouris (“My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2”), Gia Carides (“My Big Fat Greek Wedding”), Joey Fatone (“My Big Fat Greek Wedding”), Maria Vacratsis (“Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again”), Elias Kacavas (“Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin”), Lainie Kazan (“Beaches”) and Andrea Martin (“Only Murders in the Building”). Bonus features on the release include a gag reel, deleted and extended scenes, a feature commentary with Vardalos, an extended take of the wedding drum song and two behind-the-scenes featurettes: “On Set with Nia Vardalos” and “Opa! The Making of ‘My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3.’”
Paramount Scares Vol. 1 (Horror)
Just in time for Halloween, “Paramount Scares Vol. 1” — Paramount Home Entertainment’s inaugural, limited-edition collection of chilling films — is now available to own on 4K Ultra HD.
Fans can plumb the depths of the horror genre with the collectible box set, featuring five unforgettable movies all in eye-popping 4K Ultra HD. Housed in deluxe packaging, each of the films is presented in a special sleeve with artwork exclusive to the collection. Movies in the box set include a newly remastered 4K Ultra HD version of the iconic 1968 classic “Rosemary’s Baby” to time with its 55th anniversary this year; 1989’s “Pet Sematary,” 2019’s “Crawl,” 2022’s “Smile” and a mystery fan favorite that makes its 4K Ultra HD debut with the release of the collection.
More than 4 hours of legacy special features are also included with the release, including such can’t-miss extras as “‘Rosemary’s Baby’ — A Retrospective;” a commentary by director Mary Lambert for “Pet Sematary;” deleted and extended scenes plus an alternate opening for “Crawl;” and the original short “Laura Hasn’t Slept” for “Smile,” with introduction by director Parker Finn.
Additionally, the “Paramount Scares Vol. 1” limited-edition 4K Ultra HD box set boasts collectible items, including an exclusive, full-size Fangoria magazine produced especially for the release. This special edition of the celebrated publication — “first in fright” since 1979 — features a curated selection of new and classic articles from the magazine’s archives. The box set also includes a Paramount Scares enamel pin, unique stickers and access to Digital copies of all five films.
TV Shows
The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet: The Complete Season Thirteen and Fourteen (Comedy, Drama, Family)
Complete your collection of remastered “The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet” DVDs with “The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet: The Complete Season Thirteen” and “The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet: The Complete Season Fourteen,” now available from MPI Media Group.
For a record-breaking 14 seasons and 435 episodes, “The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet” aired on ABC-TV from 1952 through 1966, becoming one of the most cherished cultural touchstones of the 20th century. The gentle humor of the prolific and popular sitcom was brought to the screen by the real-life Nelson family: Ozzie and wife Harriet with their sons David and Rick, all portraying themselves in a trend-setting blend of fact-meets-fiction comedy decades before “Seinfeld” and other semi-reality-based shows.
“The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet” humorously chronicled the daily lives of the Nelson family as David and Ricky grew up before millions of weekly viewers. For the very first time, in association with the Nelson family, the entire series has been digitally restored with complete episodes from the original film negatives for superior picture quality.
“The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet: The Complete Season Thirteen” contains all 25 full, fun-filled episodes on three discs, including rare adventures not seen on television in decades. Lyle Talbot and Mary Jane Croft appear as Ozzie and Harriet’s best friends Joe and Clara Randolph, along with classic television and film guest stars Billy Mumy, Mamie Van Doren, Kent McCord, Sheila James, Bob Eubanks, Jimmy Hawkins and Frank Cady.
“The Complete Season Fourteen,” meanwhile, features 26 full, fun-filled episodes from the final year of “The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet,” including 25 of the rarely seen color adventures. Lyle Talbot and Mary Jane Croft appear once again as Ozzie and Harriet’s best friends Joe and Clara Randolph, along with such classic television and film guest stars as Kent McCord, Jeannine Riley, Reta Shaw, Elvia Alman, Barbara Stuart, Paul Hartman, Audrey Christy and Darby Hinton.
Brothers in Arms: WWII & Vietnam in HD (Documentary, History, War)
Sights and sounds of the battlefield are brought to life in “Brothers in Arms: WWII & Vietnam in HD,” now available on DVD from Lionsgate.
See the epic battles of the 20th century through the eyes of the brave soldiers who fought two of the most pivotal wars in world history with these two acclaimed docuseries from The History Channel. Award-winning “WWII in HD” and “Vietnam in HD” provide stunning narratives of these seminal moments in time as told through dozens of soldiers’ moving personal accounts from the trenches, with evocative interviews brought more vividly to life by voiceovers from actors Edward Burns, Kevin Connolly, Zachary Levi, Ron Livingston, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Rob Lowe, James Marsden, LL Cool J and more. Breathtaking visuals with auditory enhancements create an unforgettable visceral experience.
Special features on “WWII in HD” include character profiles and two behind-the-scenes featurettes: “Finding the Footage” and “Preserving the Footage.”
The Presidential Legacy Collection: Theodore Roosevelt & FDR (Biography, History)
The History Channel brings history-shaping presidential legacies to life with “The Presidential Legacy Collection: Theodore Roosevelt & FDR,” now available on DVD from Lionsgate.
Executive produced by world-renowned historian and Pulitzer Prize-winning, bestselling author Doris Kearns Goodwin along with Leonardo DiCaprio and Bradley Cooper, these acclaimed History Channel miniseries explore the era-defining, indelible impact of two of America’s most iconic presidents. Rufus Jones (“W1A”) stars as Theodore Roosevelt in both series, with Christian McKay (“Me and Orson Welles”) portraying Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Alice Bounsall (“The Lehman Trilogy”) portraying Eleanor Roosevelt in the “FDR” miniseries.
Featuring expert commentary, dramatic live-action sequences, rich archival material and never-before-seen documents, “The Presidential Legacy Collection: Theodore Roosevelt & FDR” charts the challenging, inspiring journeys that shaped the lives and presidencies of these two towering figures.
If you’re a fan of the “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” franchise, keep on reading! Front Row Features is giving away a Digital copy of “My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3” to two lucky readers. To enter the contest, simply email socalmovieeditor@aol.com by Nov. 6 with your favorite moment from the films in the body of the email for your chance to win. Good luck!
