Movies

Dreamin’ Wild (Biography, Drama, Music)

The musical biography “Dreamin’ Wild” arrives on Digital and On Demand platforms Tuesday, Sept. 26, from Lionsgate.

“Dreamin´ Wild” is an album that the brothers Donnie (Academy Award winner Casey Affleck, “Manchester by the Sea”) and Joe (Walton Goggins, “Justified”) Emerson recorded as teenagers in 1979 without much commercial success. Almost 30 years later, the brothers are surprised to learn from music executive Matt Sullivan (Chris Messina, “Argo”) that the album has been embraced by a new generation of fans, and that critics are calling it a masterpiece of teenage artistic expression. But Matt’s passion for the brothers’ music crashes into the ghosts of musical prodigy Donnie’s past and the complexities of his present life as a father and struggling business owner with his wife, Nancy (Emmy nominee Zooey Deschanel, “New Girl”). Music, love, family, guilt and the unforeseen burden of resurfaced dreams intertwine in this captivating true story.

Gangnam Zombie (Horror)

The South Korean horror film “Gangnam Zombie” debuts on Blu-ray, DVD and Digital Tuesday, Sept. 26, from Well Go USA Entertainment.

Soon after previously normal people begin viciously attacking other citizens in Seoul’s wealthy Gangnam district, the zombie population grows exponentially and spreads throughout the region. Now, long after injuries forced him to quit the national taekwondo team, an elite former athlete is given one more opportunity to use his talent on behalf of his country as he takes on one final match — this time, against terrifying hordes of the undead.

Directed by Lee Su-seong (“House with a Good View”), “Gangnam Zombie” stars Ji Il-ju (“Blades of Blood”), Park Ji-yeon (“Death Bell 2: Bloody Camp”) from the chart-topping girl group T-ara and Cho Kyung-hoon (“North Korean Guys”). The film is presented in Korean with optional English subtitles.

Halloween H20: 20 Years Later (Horror, Thriller)

Get ready for horror season with “Halloween H20: 20 Years Later,” debuting as a limited-edition 4K Ultra HD SteelBook Tuesday, Sept. 26, from Paramount Home Entertainment.

Academy Award winner Jamie Lee Curtis (“Everything Everywhere All At Once”) returned as Laurie Strode in 1998 for a terrifying reunion with Michael Myers, 20 years after the original “Halloween.” Now the dean of a Northern California private school with an assumed name, Laurie must face the horrifying events of her past as the life of her own son hangs in the balance.

Directed by Steve Miner (“Friday the 13th Part 2 and III”) and written by Debra Hill (“Halloween”), John Carpenter (“Halloween”) and Robert Zappia (“Prey for the Devil”), “Halloween H20: 20 Years Later” features a sensational supporting cast, including Josh Hartnett (in his feature film debut), Michelle Williams, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Adam Arkin, LL Cool J and horror icon (and mother of Jamie Lee Curtis) Janet Leigh. Leigh was of course famous for her starring role in Alfred Hitchcock’s “Psycho,” and “Halloween H20: 20 Years Later” makes multiple allusions to the classic thriller.

The limited-edition 25th Anniversary 4K Ultra HD SteelBook features the remastered film in stunning 4K Ultra HD and access to a Digital copy of the film. Presented with haunting original artwork, the collectible SteelBook is the perfect addition to any horror fan’s collection.

I Still Know What You Did Last Summer (Horror, Mystery, Thriller)

In celebration of its 25th anniversary this year, “I Still Know What You Did Last Summer” debuts on 4K Ultra HD Tuesday, Sept. 26, from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment.

Jennifer Love Hewitt (“Party of Five”), Freddie Prinze, Jr. (“She’s All That”), Brandy (“Moesha”) and Mekhi Phifer (“8 Mile”) star in the screamer sequel to the blood-chilling box office hit, “I Know What You Did Last Summer.” Remember Ben Willis (Muse Watson, “Something to Talk About”)? He’s the fisherman who killed the boy who was driving the car when it went off the road in the fatal accident that killed his daughter, Sara. He’s the man in the slicker with a hook in his hand ready to exact bloody justice — well, he’s back. It’s hard to forget a man who refuses to die.

The 4K Ultra HD disc includes the feature scanned from the original camera negative and presented in 4K resolution with Dolby Vision, approved by director Danny Cannon (“Judge Dredd”). Additionally, it features all-new Dolby Atmos audio + 5.1 as well as an all-new commentary by Cannon and the featurette “He Still Knows What You Did: An Interview with Muse Watson.” The Blu-ray disc included in the release features the film in high definition with 5.1 audio plus three previously released special features: a making-of featurette, the music video “How Do I Deal” performed by Jennifer Love Hewitt and the movie’s theatrical trailer.

Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken (Animation, Action, Adventure)

DreamWorks Animation’s coming-of-age aquatic adventure “Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken” swims onto Blu-ray and DVD Tuesday, Sept. 26, from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment. The movie is also now available to own on Digital.

Dive into the turbulent waters of high school with this heartwarming action comedy about a shy teenager who discovers that she’s part of a legendary royal lineage of mythical sea krakens and that her destiny, in the depths of the oceans, is bigger than she ever dreamed. Learning to be an all-powerful sea creature while hiding among humans is hard enough for Ruby (voiced by Lana Condor, “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before”), but to make matters worse, her super popular new bestie, Chelsea (voiced by Annie Murphy, “Schitt’s Creek”), is secretly a mermaid! Mermaids have been battling the Krakens for eons to rule the ocean, but Chelsea has come to land to finally put an end to that conflict. However, when Chelsea double-crosses her, Ruby will ultimately need to embrace who she is and go big to protect those she loves most.

“Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken” includes more than an hour of bonus content to keep viewers entertained on Blu-ray, DVD and Digital, including three deleted scenes with introductions by co-director Faryn Pearl; a “Make Your Own Aquarium” how-to video; interviews with the cast and crew; five character drawing tutorials — Ruby Gillman, Kraken Ruby, Grandmamah, Chelsea Van Der Zee and Mermaid Chelsea — with head of story Glenn Harmon; and a feature commentary with director Kirk DeMicco, co-director Faryn Pearl, producer Kelly Cooney Cilella, head of character animation Carlos Fernandez Puertolas and head of cinematography, layout Jon Gutman. Additional extras include “Squad Solidarity: Adventures in ADR,” “The Kraken: Myth or Monster,” “Meet the ‘Gillman’ Cast,” “The Kraken Krew: Meet the Humans Behind the Gillmans,” “Prom Stories” and “Super Sea Girl Besties.”

School of Rock (Comedy, Music)

Celebrate the 20th anniversary of the comedy classic “School of Rock” with a collectible, limited-edition Blu-ray SteelBook, arriving Tuesday, Sept. 26, from Paramount Home Entertainment.

Directed by acclaimed filmmaker Richard Linklater (“Dazed and Confused”) and written by Mike White (“The White Lotus”), “School of Rock” arrived in U.S. theaters on Oct. 3, 2003, and remained the No. 1 film in the country for 10 weeks straight.

The uproariously funny film stars Jack Black (“Nacho Libre”) as Dewey Finn, a hell-raising guitarist with delusions of grandeur. Kicked out of his band and desperate for work, Dewey impersonates a substitute teacher and turns a class of fifth grade high-achievers into high-voltage rock and rollers. The film boasts a sensational ensemble cast, including Joan Cusack, Sarah Silverman, Amy Sedaris, Mike White and a host of talented young actors, including Miranda Cosgrove, who made her feature debut in the film.

The limited-edition Blu-ray SteelBook includes access to a Digital copy of the film and nearly an hour of legacy bonus content, including a commentary track by Richard Linklater and Jack Black, a “Kids’ Kommentary” and the “School of Rock” music video. Additional extras include “Lessons Learned on ‘School of Rock,’” “Jack Black’s Pitch to Led Zeppelin,” “Kids’ Video Diary: Toronto Film Festival,” “MTV’s Diary of Jack Black,” “Dewey Finn’s History of Rock” and the movie’s theatrical trailer.

Slava Ukraini (Documentary)

The French/Ukrainian documentary “Slava Ukraini” is now available to own on DVD from Cohen Media Group.

One year after the beginning of the war in Ukraine, philosopher Bernard-Henri Levy (“The Will to See”) takes viewers to the heart of the conflict through a war diary made during the second half of 2022. From Kharkiv, in the Donbass, to Kherson, in the aftermath of the city’s liberation, “Slava Ukraini” bears witness to the ravages of war through the testimonies of soldiers, chronicles of the front and portraits of civilians, and shares with audiences the struggle of the Ukrainian people.

Bonus features on the release include a Q&A with Bernard-Henri Levy at the Quad Cinema in New York City moderated by Alessandra Stanley, co-founder of the weekly newsletter Air Mail, and the film’s theatrical trailer. The movie is presented in English, French and Ukrainian with English subtitles.

TV Shows

Star Trek: Prodigy: Season 1, Episodes 11-20 (Animation, Action, Adventure)

Prepare for epic adventures throughout the cosmos when “Star Trek: Prodigy: Season 1, Episodes 11-20” lands on Blu-ray and DVD Tuesday, Sept. 26, from Paramount Home Entertainment and CBS Home Entertainment.

In the remaining “Star Trek: Prodigy: Season One” episodes, as the hopeful crew makes their way toward Starfleet, their dreams are threatened when they discover the U.S.S. Protostar harbors a weapon designed to tear the United Federation of Planets apart. To make matters worse, the U.S.S. Dauntless is on a manhunt for the Protostar as the real Vice Admiral Janeway is eager to uncover what happened to her missing former First Officer Chakotay. With these two ships on a collision course and destruction on the horizon, the fate of the Alpha Quadrant hangs in the balance.

The two-disc set includes three new in-depth featurettes — “The Odyssey of ‘Prodigy,’” “Producing ‘Prodigy:’ The Planets” and “Producing ‘Prodigy:’ The Ships” — with more than 45 minutes of content revealing how the “Star Trek” heritage shapes “Prodigy’s” characters, story and settings. Four collectible character cards featuring Murf, Jankom-Pog, Zero and Drednok are also included with the release for a limited time.

If you love zombie movies, have we got a giveaway for you! Front Row Features is giving away a copy of “Gangnam Zombie” on Blu-ray to three lucky readers just in time for Halloween. If moving musical dramas are more your thing, we’re also giving away a Digital copy of the biography “Dreamin’ Wild” to two lucky readers. To enter the contests, simply email socalmovieeditor@aol.com by Oct. 2 with the title of which movie you want to win in the subject line for your chance to win. Good luck!