By ANGELA DAWSON

Front Row Features

Movies

American Pie Presents: Girls’ Rules

“American Pie Presents: Girls’ Rules,” the latest installment in the long-running comedy franchise, arrives on DVD and Digital Tuesday Oct. 6, from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment.

It’s senior year at East Great Falls and Annie (Madison Pettis; “The Fosters,” “Cory in the House”), Kayla (Piper Curda; “A.N.T. Farm”), Michelle (Natasha Behnam; “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend,” “One Night”), and Stephanie (Lizze Broadway; “Splitting Up Together”) decide to finally harness their girl power and band together to get what they want their last year of high school. The boys won’t know what hit them when these sassy sweethearts are calling the shots. Wild parties, sexy adventures and a Stifler bring the heat in this hot new slice of “American Pie,” which began with the 1999 comedy starring Jason Biggs.

Created Equal: Clarence Thomas in His Own Words

Michael Pack’s documentary “Created Equal: Clarence Thomas in His Own Words,” about the conservative justice on the U.S. Supreme Court, will be available On Demand and on digital VOD Tuesday Oct. 6, via Manifold Productions.

Thomas was nominated by President George H. W. Bush in 1991 to succeed Thurgood Marshall, and became the second African American to serve on the Court. A controversial figure—loved by conservatives, reviled by liberals—few know much more about the man than the headlines and the recollections of his contentious confirmation battle with Anita Hill.

With unprecedented access, the producers interviewed Justice Thomas and his wife, Virginia, for over 30 hours of interview time, over many months. Justice Thomas tells his entire life’s story, looking directly at the camera, speaking frankly to the audience. After a brief introduction, the documentary proceeds chronologically, combining Justice Thomas’ first person account with a rich array of historical archive material, period and original music, personal photos, and evocative recreations. Unscripted and without narration, the documentary takes the viewer through Justice Thomas’ complex and often painful life, dealing with race, faith, power, jurisprudence, and personal resilience. This is a must-see documentary, no matter what your political ideology is.

Invincible Dragon

China’s next-level action superstar Max Zhang (“Ip Man 3,” “Master Z: Ip Man Legacy”) ignites the screen in the pulse-pounding action-adventure epic “Invincible Dragon,” exploding onto Digital, Blu-ray and DVD Tuesday Oct. 6, from Well Go USA Entertainment.

When a brilliant but trigger-happy detective (Zhang) is outsmarted by a serial killer, he pays a high price for his momentary lapse in judgment. Robbed of both his fiancée and his job, he soon spirals out of control and goes back to what he knows best: fighting. Unbeknownst to him, a serendipitous reunion with an old rival (Brazilian mixed martial artist Anderson Silva) may be the key to unlocking the truth about his fiancée’s disappearance—and to apprehending the killer.

Director Fruit Chan (“The Midnight After”) assembled a dynamic supporting cast, including champion UFC fighter Anderson Silva (“Never Surrender,” “Tapped Out”), Kevin Cheng (“Master Z: The Ip Man Legacy”) and Stephy Tang (“The Empty Hands”) for Zhang.

“Invincible Dragon” will be available on Blu-ray for the suggested retail price (SRP) of $29.98 and on DVD for $24.98 (SRP).

The Blue Eyes

Just in time for the Halloween, the terrifying horror movie “The Blue Eyes” arrives on DVD/Digital Tuesday Oct. 6, from Indiepix Films.

Karen Fisher (Allison Case, “The Sinner”, “The Young Pope”) and Paul Henderson (Zachary Booth, “The Family”, “Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist”), play a young American couple who travel to Chiapas, Mexico for a vacation. While there, they have a run-in with Yaxte (Ariel Award winner Ofelia Medina, “Frida”), a mysterious shape-shifting witch. Soon, the couple is beset by stray dogs, hallucinations, fevers, nightmares and earthly temptations, and a wedge is driven deep between them. The couple endeavors to escape their strange encounters with the supernatural but are the sins of their forbears to blame for a terrifying Mayan curse?

This artful thriller was written and directed by New York-based Mexican director Eva Ardijis (“Narcos: Mexico”, “Chuy, the Wolfman”) and was shot entirely on location in Chiapas.

“The Blue Eyes” will be available on DVD/Digital for $24.95 (SRP).

The Harvest

“The Harvest,” a verite documentary about cryptocurrency, arrives on DVD and Digital Tuesday Oct. 6, from Indiepix Films.

Once part of the Soviet Union, Georgia’s past collides with the future in this exquisitely filmed observational documentary from filmmaker Misho Antadze (“Shevchenko,” “The Many Faces of Comrade Gelovani”).

In the ancient countryside, Georgia is slowly making its way into the 21st century as the second largest exporter of bitcoins. In the region of Kakheti, just east of the capital city of Tbilisi, some 15 percent of the world’s cryptocurrency is mined, or “harvested” in a country that not long ago suffered daily power outages. And while bees still buzz in the flowery fields of the Gombori Pass, a louder buzzing is heard from the space-age machines that crackle and whir from their neon lit hives housed in empty villas, ushering in a new and thriving form of capitalism.

Antadze also pulls back the curtain on the computer banks, in which so many of the rapid-fire, complex algorithms are solved. A hitherto hidden industry is fully visualized, with the motherboards, cooling fans and luminescent cabling of these noisy hives of virtual activity getting their big screen debut.

Once only home to vines and fruit, the rural Kakheti wine region sees the boundary between the natural and the virtual virtually eradicated. Cows placidly graze alongside satellite dishes in a bizarrely bucolic lunar-like landscape and dairy farms and server farms coexist. And as ruminations both droll and profound emerge among the intersections of pastoral rhythms and algorithms, fluid camerawork deftly dices the old and the new in long takes that picture placid protagonists working on the countryside or on computers, unaware that the landscape is changing – both literally and figuratively.

“The Harvest” will be available on DVD/Digital for $24.95 (SRP).

The Pale Door

RLJE Films, a unit of AMC Networks, along with Shudder, AMC Networks’ premium service for horror, thriller and the supernatural, will release the horror/western film “The Pale Door” Tuesday Oct. 6 on DVD and Blu-ray.

In this hybrid western and witches film, the Dalton gang find shelter in a seemingly uninhabited ghost town after a train robbery goes south. Seeking help for their wounded leader, they are surprised to stumble upon a welcoming brothel in the town’s square. But the beautiful women who greet them are actually a coven of witches with very sinister plans for the unsuspecting outlaws—and the battle between good and evil is just beginning.

Directed by Aaron B. Koontz (“Scare Package”) who also co-wrote the script with Cameron Burns (“Camera Obscura”) and Keith Lansdale (“Creepshow”), “The Pale Door” stars Devin Druid (“13 Reasons Why”), Zachary Knighton (“Happy Endings”), Noah Segan (“Knives Out”), Stan Shaw (“The Monster Squad”), Pat Healy (“Cheap Thrills”), Bill Sage (“We Are What We Are”), Melora Walters (“PEN15,” “Magnolia”) and Natasha Bassett (“Hail, Caesar!”).

“The Pale Door” will be available on DVD for $27.97 (SRP) and on Blu-ray for $28.97 (SRP).

The Secret Garden

What can only be described as the most beautifully cinematic film you’re likely to see this year is “The Secret Garden,” arriving on Blu-ray and DVD Tuesday Oct. 6, from STX Entertainment and Universal Pictures Home Entertainment. The film already is available on Digital.

The family-friendly drama is a new take on the beloved classic novel of the same name written by Frances Hodgson Burnett. Set in England during a new time period in 1947, the film follows a young orphan girl who, after being sent to live with her uncle, discovers a magical garden on the grounds of his estate. It stars Colin Firth (“Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again,” “Bridget Jones’s Baby”), Julie Walters (“Mary Poppins Returns,” “Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again”) and Dixie Egerickx (“The Little Strangers”).

Included on the Blu-ray and DVD are featurettes on the characters, how the story was taken from concept to reality, a page-to-screen explanation and more.

The Tax Collector

“The Tax Collector,” an action thriller from RLJE Films, arrives on Blu-ray, DVD and UHD Blu-ray Steelbook Tuesday Oct. 6.

Written and directed by David Ayer (“Fury,” “Suicide Squad”), the gritty drama stars Bobby Soto (“The Quarry,” “A Better Life”) as David and Shia LaBeouf (“Honey Boy,” “Fury”) as Creeper, “tax collectors” for the crime lord Wizard, collecting his cut from the profits of local gangs’ illicit dealings. But when Wizard’s old rival returns to Los Angeles from Mexico, the business is upended, and David finds himself desperate to protect what matters more to him than anything else: his family.

“The Tax Collector” will be available with additional deleted scenes on the UHD/Blu-ray Steelbook for $35.97 (SRP), on Blu-ray for $29.97 (SRP) and on DVD for $29.96 (SRP.

Valley Girl

Experience the awesomest love story ever told when “Valley Girl” arrives on Blu-ray and DVD Tuesday Oct. 6, from Metro Goldwyn Mayer’s Orion Pictures and Warner Bros. Home Entertainment.

Directed by Rachel Lee Goldenberg, the film is a musical romantic comedy adaptation of the 1983 film by the same name.

From Metro Goldwyn Mayer’s Orion Pictures, the film stars Jessica Rothe (“Happy Death Day,” “La La Land”) as Julie Richman, Josh Whitehouse (“The Knight Before Christmas”) as Randy, Mae Whitman (“The Perks of Being a Wallflower,” “Scott Pilgrim Vs. the World”) as Jack and Judy Greer (“13 Going on 30,” “Ant-Man”) as Diana. “Valley Girl” was directed by Goldenberg from a screenplay by Amy Talkington. The film was produced by Matt Smith and Steven J. Wolfe.

The Blu-ray of “Valley Girl” features a Blu-ray disc with the film in hi-definition as well as a Digital version of the movie.

Yummy

RLJE Films, a unit of AMC Networks, has picked up select rights to “Yummy” from Shudder, AMC Networks’ streaming service for horror, thriller and the supernatural. “Yummy” will be released Tuesday Oct. 6, on VOD, Digital HD, DVD and Blu-ray.

While waiting for his girlfriend to come out of surgery, Michael stumbles upon a terrified young woman, gagged and strapped to an operating table; she is the result of an experimental rejuvenation treatment. Offering to help her escape, he removes her restraints but soon realizes he’s just unleashed a virus that will turn the entire hospital into bloodthirsty zombies.

Directed by Lars Damoiseaux (“Undercover”) who co-wrote the script with Eveline Hagenbeek (“Rokjesdag”), the film stars Maaike Neuville (“The Twelve”), Bart Hollanders (“Callboys”), Benjamin Ramon (“Etre”) and Clara Cleymans (“Tegen de sterren op”).

“Yummy” will be available on DVD for $27.97 (SRP) and on Blu-ray for $28.97 (SRP).

TV Shows

Balthazar: Series 2

Acorn TV features the DVD debut of the darkly charming French forensic procedural, “Balthazar: Series 2,” Tuesday Oct. 6.

Similar in theme to American forensic favorites such as “Castle,” “The Mentalist” and “Bones,” “Balthazar” stars Tomer Sisley (“Messiah,” “We’re the Millers”) as eccentric but endearing forensic pathologist Raphaël Balthazar. With unconventional methods and a shrewd sense of humor, Balthazar has a knack for uncovering the secrets of the dead. But there’s one case that continues to haunt him—the murder of his wife over a decade ago.

Compiled on a three-disc DVD set, “Balthazar: Series 2” previously premiered exclusively on Acorn TV in April. AMC Networks’ Acorn TV is North America’s most popular and largest streaming service featuring high-quality television from Britain and beyond.

One of the 10 highest-rated dramas in France in 2018, this season Balthazar and Chief Inspector Hélène Bach (Hélène de Fougerolles, “Le Secret d’Elise”) face a week-old body found among corpses from the Middle Ages, a man who died from a new strain of the bubonic plague, a triple homicide during a camping trip, and more.

The relationship between Balthazar and Bach is also starting to evolve. Between a new romance for him, marital problems for her, as well as intimacy and tensions, the duo is tested more than ever before as the investigation into the death of Lise, Balthazar’s wife who was murdered over 12 years ago, takes a turn. They embark on a hunt for the culprit to prevent him from gaining new victims. Who is this mysterious killer? How does he choose his victims? Will Balthazar be able to face the ghosts of his past and come out unscathed?

The “Balthazar: Series 2” DVD box set will be available for $59.99 (SRP).

Double Cross

The exhilarating action-packed original UMC Original series “Double Cross,” arrives on DVD Tuesday Oct. 6.

Erica and Eric Cross are the “Wonder Twins” who decide to take matters into their own hands after a sudden rise in sex trafficking in their neighborhood. Haunted by their past, the twins set down a path of their unique brand of vigilantism. As twins, the Crosses share an unbreakable bond and are deadly to anyone who crosses their path. The series stars fitness guru Jeff Logan and Ashley A. Williams (“His, Hers, & The Truth,” Black Boots”) as Eric and Erica, respectively. The series also stars Darrin Dewitt Henson (“Soul Food”), Jasmine Burke (“Star,” Saints & Sinners”) and Tremayne Norris (“Games People Play”).

Having premiered on AMC Networks’ UMC, the six episodes are gathered on this DVD collection, and will be available for $16.96 (SRP).

Eli Roth’s History of Horror: Season 1

RLJE Films will release the documentary/horror series “Eli Roth’s History of Horror: Season 1” Tuesday Oct. 6, on DVD and Blu-ray. The series originally aired on AMC Networks in 2018 as part of the AMC Visionaries series.

Award-winning horror film director, writer, producer and actor Eli Roth brings together the masters of horror—the storytellers and stars who define the genre—to explore its biggest themes and reveal the inspirations and struggles behind its past and present. Each one-hour episode will take viewers on a chilling exploration of how horror has evolved through the years and examine the genre’s impact on society as well as delving into how horror maintains its fan base and why audiences are addicted to fear.

The “Eli Roth’s History of Horror: Season 1” DVD and Blu-ray includes more than two hours of bonus features consisting of five featurettes and extended interviews with Stephen King, Edgar Wright, Quentin Tarantino, Diablo Cody, Roger Corman, John Landis and Joe Dante.

The docuseries is directed by Award-winning horror film director Eli Roth (“Cabin Fever,” “The Green Inferno”) and written by Kurt Sayenga (“Breakthrough,” “Origins: The Journey of Humankind”), and features interviews with the who’s who of horror movies and television, including Author Stephen King (“Creepshow,” “The Shining”), Quentin Tarantino (“Once Upon a Time… In Hollywood,” “Kill Bill” franchise), Greg Nicotero (“The Walking Dead,” “Watchmen”), Rob Zombie (“House of 1000 Corpses,” “Guardians of the Galaxy”), Linda Blair (“The Exorcist”), Slash (guitarist in Guns N’ Roses), Robert Englund (“A Nightmare on Elm Street”), Tippi Hedren (“The Birds,” “Marnie”), Haley Joel Osment (“The Sixth Sense”), Elijah Wood (“The Lord of the Rings” trilogy), and David Arquette (“Scream” franchise).

RLJE Films will release “Eli Roth’s History of Horror: Season 1” on DVD for $34.97 (SRP) and Blu-ray for $39.98 (SRP).

 We could all use a little pulse-pounding action in our mundane quarantine lives. That’s why Front Row Features is giving away a copy of the action-packed movie “Invincible Dragon” on Blu-ray to three lucky readers. To enter the contest, simply email socalmovieeditor@aol.com by Oct. 12 for your chance to win. Good luck!