By ANGELA DAWSON
Front Row Features
Movies
Here Today (Comedy)
Billy Crystal and Tiffany Haddish star in the comedy “Here Today,” arriving on Blu-ray and DVD Tuesday Aug. 3, from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment.
When veteran comedy writer Charlie Burnz (Crystal) meets New York singer Emma Payge (Haddish), they form an unlikely yet hilarious and touching friendship that kicks the generation gap aside and redefines the meaning of love and trust.
Bonus features including an audio commentary with Crystal, who also directed and co-wrote the film, Haddish and co-writer Alan Zweibel, who wrote the short story “The Prize,” on which the film is based, as well as interviews with the filmmakers and cast.
Luca (Animated Adventure)
Escape to the beautiful Italian seaside town of Portorosso when Disney and Pixar’s “Luca” arrives on digital, 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray and DVD Tuesday Aug. 3.
Set in a seaside town on the Italian Riviera, “Luca” is a coming-of-age story about a young boy experiencing an unforgettable summer. Luca shares his amazing adventures with his friend Alberto, but their fun is threatened by a deeply held secret: They’re sea monsters from a world below the water’s surface.
The voice cast includes Jacob Tremblay, Jack Dylan Grazer, Emma Berman, Saverio Raimondo, Maya Rudolph, Marco Barricelli and Jim Gaffigan. The release touts a variety of bonus features including never-before-seen featurettes, deleted scenes and two alternate openings.
“Luca” is directed by Enrico Casarosa from a screenplay by Jesse Andrews and Mike Jones.
Lucky (Thriller)
RLJE Films, a unit of AMC Networks, and Shudder, AMC Networks’ premium service for horror, thriller and the supernatural, will release “Lucky” on VOD, Digital HD and DVD Tuesday Aug 3.
Directed by Natasha Kermani (“Imitation Girl,” “Shattered”) and written by Brea Grant (“12 Hour Shift”), “Lucky” stars Grant along with Dhruv Uday Singh (“Good Trouble”), Kausar Mohammed (“What Men Want”), Hunter C. Smith (“Alien Expedition”) and Kristina Klebe (“Hellboy”).
Life takes a sudden turn for May (Grant), a popular self-help book author, when she finds herself the target of a mysterious man with murderous intentions. Every night without fail, he comes after her, and every day the people around her barely seem to notice. With no one to turn to, May is pushed to her limits and must take matters into her own hands to survive and to regain control of her life. Bonus features include a filmmakers’ commentary and a behind-the-scenes photo gallery.
RLJE Films will release “Lucky” on DVD for a suggested retail price (SRP) of $27.97.
Séance (Horror)
RLJE Films and Shudder also will release “Séance” on DVD and Blu-ray Tuesday Aug. 3.
Written and directed by Simon Barrett (“You’re Next,” “The Guest”), “Séance” stars Suki Waterhouse (“Assassination Nation,” “The Divergent Series: Insurgent”), Madisen Beaty (“Once Upon a Time … In Hollywood,” “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”), Ella-Rae Smith (“Into the Badlands”, “Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw”), Inanna Sarkis (“After” franchise), Seamus Patterson (“Channel Zero,” “Run This Town”) and Marina Stephenson-Kerr (“Channel Zero”, “Cult of Chucky”).
Camille Meadows (Waterhouse) is the new girl at the prestigious Edelvine Academy for Girls. Soon after her arrival, six girls invite her to join them in a late-night ritual, calling forth the spirit of a dead former student who reportedly haunts their halls. But before morning, one of the girls is dead, leaving the others wondering what they may have awakened.
“Séance” will be available on DVD for $27.97 (SRP) and on Blu-ray for $28.96 (SRP).
Tailgate (Psychological Thriller)
Buckle up for thrills as one family ‘s road trip turns into a terrifying nightmare in “Tailgate,” arriving on DVD Tuesday Aug. 3, from Film Movement.
An Official Selection at FrightFest and the Sitges Film Festival, this nail-biting thriller will be available exclusively at Walmart.
Hans, his wife and two young children, hit the highway on a trip to visit family. After getting stuck behind a slow-moving van, Hans recklessly starts to antagonize the eerily stoic driver, blaring his horn and riding his bumper. Little does he realize that he’s just crossed the wrong motorist—a deranged madman who sets out to teach Hans a lesson he’ll not soon forget. Lured into an alarming game of vehicular cat and mouse, a simple family road trip turns into a deadly obstacle course in this nerve-wracking thriller.
“Tailgate” will be available on DVD for $24.95 (SRP).
Those Who Wish Me Dead (Psychological Thriller)
Uncover the truth when “Those Who Wish Me Dead” arrives on Blu-ray and DVD Tuesday Aug. 3.
The film is directed by Oscar nominee Taylor Sheridan and stars Oscar winner Angelina Jolie (“Girl, Interrupted,” “Mr. & Mrs. Smith”) and Nicholas Hoult (“X-Men” franchise), from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment.
Jolie stars as Hannah, a smoke jumper reeling from the loss of three young lives she failed to save from a fire. When she comes across a bloodied and traumatized 12-year-old boy, the two set out together to cross miles of thick forest. Braving deadly lightning storms that challenge even Hannah’s well-honed survival skills, they’re unaware of the true dangers they face as they’re hunted by two killers while a massive fiery blaze heads straight for them.
“The Blu-ray, available for $35.99 (SRP), contains a making-of “Those Who Wish Me Dead” and the DVD, available for $28.98 (SRP), includes a “Those Who Wish Me Dead” first look.
The film also is available via Premium Digital Ownership for $24.99 and for a 48-hour rental via PVOD for $19.99 (SRP). The title will be available on participating digital platforms where you purchase and rent movies.
The Transformers: The Movie (Animation)
Experience “The Transformers: The Movie” like never before. In celebration of the film’s 35th anniversary, the popular animated feature is available for the first time on 4K UHD + Blu-ray Limited Edition Steelbook, from Shout! Factory.
The movie has been meticulously re-restored from a cleaner-than-ever, brand-new 4K transfer of the original 35mm film elements. Fans now can immerse themselves in this thrilling animated adventure with stunning picture quality for the optimal home entertainment experience, in 4K UHD for the first time.
Having captured a special place in the hearts of millions, it has been a staple in the pop culture zeitgeist since it premiered in theaters 35 years ago on Aug. 8, 1986. Featuring memorable characters—the heroic Autobots, villainous Decepticons and Unicron, thrilling action and a heartfelt storyline, “The Transformers: The Movie” is a cultural touchstone that spans generations. Beloved by legions of fans, this full-length animated adventure boasts the voice talent of Orson Welles in his final voice acting role and an all-star voice cast that includes Peter Cullen, Eric Idle, Casey Kasem, Judd Nelson, Leonard Nimoy, Robert Stack and Frank Welker.
The set comes with highly collectible Steelbook packaging that features striking new key art by celebrated comic artist Matt Ferguson, an all-new 4K transfer of the movie in widescreen with HDR, Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos, the film in HD full frame on Blu-ray, immersive bonus content including never-before-seen feature-length storyboards, plus four exclusive art cards.
Under the Stadium Lights (Drama)
Milo Gibson (“Hacksaw Ridge”) and Laurence Fishburne (“The Matrix”) star in “Under the Stadium Lights,” available on DVD Tuesday Aug. 3, from Paramount Home Entertainment.
In this inspirational true story of a small-town high school football team who beat all the odds to win their state championship. After a crushing defeat ended their prior season, everyone counted the Abilene Eagles out of title contention. Facing doubts and personal challenges both on and off the field, it will take the guidance of their team chaplain (Gibson) and a surrogate father figure (Fishburne) for them to realize what they can achieve when they stand united as a team. In this uplifting underdog story, the Abilene Eagles will once again soar in an incredible comeback that will be forever remembered in sports history. The film is directed by Todd Randall from a screenplay by John Collins, Chad Mitchell, Al Pickett and Hamid Torabpour.
“Under the Stadium Lights” also can be seen in select theaters and is available on Digital and On Demand.