By ANGELA DAWSON

Front Row Features

Movies

Time Freak

A heartwarming comedy about the lengths one man will go to get the girl of his dreams, “Time Freak” arrives on Blu-ray (plus Digital), DVD, and Digital Tuesday Jan. 8 from Lionsgate. The film currently is available On Demand.
Based on the 2011 Oscar-nominated live-action short film of the same name, “Time Freak” stars Asa Butterfield (“Hugo,” “Ender’s Game”), SAG award nominee Sophie Turner (“Game of Thrones”) and Skyler Gisondo (“The Amazing Spider-Man”).

Stillman (Butterfield), a physics genius recently dumped by his girlfriend Debbie (Turner) wonders whether he could win back the love of his life if he could only turn back time. So, after creating a timeline of their romance and a machine to rewind the past, he and his friend Evan (Gisondo) set off to right every mistake he made with Debbie. But as this fantasy comedy proves, there are some mistakes that simply can’t be fixed by science.

Writer-director Andrew Bowler, who also made the short film version, and producers Raymond Mansfield, Matthew Rhodes, and executive producer Gigi Causey provide commentary as part of the extras. Additionally, the Blu-ray and DVD include the original short film on which the feature is based; the featurette “Making Time Freak” and a trailer gallery. The “Time Freak” Blu-ray and DVD will be available for the suggested retail price (SRP) of $21.99 and $19.98, respectively.

The Oath

The timely dark comedy “The Oath” arrives on DVD and On Demand Tuesday Jan. 8 from Lionsgate.

When high-strung Chris (Ike Barinholtz, “The Mindy Project”) and his more levelheaded wife Kai (Tiffany Haddish, “Night School”) learn that citizens are being asked to sign a loyalty oath, their refusal to sign—along with the arrival of two government agents (John Cho, “Searching” and Billy Magnussen, “Game Night”)—sends an already tense holiday dinner completely off the rails.

The comedy also stars Nora Dunn (“Saturday Night Live”), Jon Barinholtz (“Superstore”), Meredith Hagner (“Search Party”) and Carrie Brownstein (“Portlandia”). From the producers of “Get Out” and “BlacKkKlansman,” and written and directed by Ike Barinholtz in his feature directorial debut, “The Oath” DVD will be available for $19.98 (SRP).

Bent

The historic 1997 drama “Bent” arrives on DVD Tuesday Jan. 8.

Set amidst the decadence and terror of pre-war Germany, “Bent” is a harrowing yet inspirational tale of struggle against oppression, based on the landmark play by Martin Sherman.

A chance encounter at a Berlin nightclub exposes Max (Clive Owen, “Children of Men”) and his partner Rudy (Brian Webber) as homosexuals during the “Night of the Long Knives” purge. After two years on the run, they are captured and put on a train to the concentration camp Dachau, where Rudy is savagely beaten to death. Inside the camp, Max finds the will to survive through the help of a fellow prisoner, Horst (Lothaire Bluteau), and the two men develop an unbreakable bond.

The film also stars Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (“Game of Thrones”), Paul Bettany (“Solo: A Star Wars Story,” the “Avengers” franchise), Jude Law (“The Talented Mr. Ripley”) and Rachel Weisz (“The Favourite”).

Winner of the Prix de la jeunesse (Award of the Youth) at Cannes Critics’ Week in 1997, “Bent” has been digitally restored for optimal home entertainment viewing. Bonus features include cast and crew interviews, Jagger’s “Streets of Berlin” music video, behind-the-scenes footage and more. The Blu-ray and the DVD are available for $39.95 and $29.95 (SRP), respectively.

Kusama: Infinity

Spotlighting world-renowned artist Yayoi Kusama, “Kusama: Infinity” arrives on DVD Tuesday Jan. 8 from Magnolia Home Entertainment.

Through Kusama’s own accounts, this riveting documentary explores her journey into the world of art, beginning with her conservative upbringing in Japan to the milestones and triumphs that transformed her career.

Director Heather Lenz (“Intertwined Lives”) offers a rare glimpse into Kusama’s six-decade career and the pivotal moments that led to her success. Yayoi Kusama overcame impossible odds to bring her radical artistic vision to the world stage.

For decades, Kusama’s work pushed boundaries that often alienated her from both her peers and those in power in the art world. Kusama was an underdog with everything stacked against her: the trauma of growing up in Japan during World War II, life in a dysfunctional family that discouraged her creative ambitions, sexism and racism in the art establishment, mental illness in a culture where that was particularly shameful and even continuing to pursue and be devoted to her art full time on the cusp of her 90s. In spite of it all, Kusama has endured and has created a legacy of artwork that spans the disciplines of painting, sculpture, installation art, performance art, poetry and literary fiction.

After penning an open letter to established artist Georgia O’Keeffe for guidance, O’Keeffe suggested Kusama risk everything to move to New York City and make a name for herself. Taking O’Keeffe’s advice, the young creator hit the art world running. Entrancing art enthusiasts with her signature polka dots, Kusama brought light to the industry, while frequently shaking up the established norms.

After more than six decades, Kusama is finally receiving the overdue recognition of audiences around the globe with her installation “Infinity Mirrored Rooms,” which is being viewed by art lovers in record numbers. She continues to create new work every day.

The “Kusama: Infinity” DVD will be available for the suggested retail price (SRP) of $26.98. “Kusama: Infinity” also is available now on Digital HD via iTunes, Prime Video, FandangoNOW, Google Play and additional digital retailers.

Hell Fest

Experience a terrifying celebration of the horror genre when “Hell Fest” arrives on 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack (plus Blu-ray and Digital), Blu-ray Combo Pack (plus DVD and Digital), DVD and On Demand Tuesday Jan. 8 from Lionsgate.

A group of friends are bound for a horror-themed Halloween event at a local amusement park—a sprawling labyrinth of rides, games and mazes that travels the country and happens to be in town. But for one visitor, the ghoulish carnival of nightmares is not the attraction, it is a hunting ground. On the night the friends attend, a masked serial killer turns the amusement park into his own playground, terrorizing attendees while the rest of the patrons believe that it is all part of the show. The body count and frenzied excitement of the crowd continues to rise throughout the night and the group of friends will have to fight for their survival.

From producer Gale Anne Hurd, an executive producer of AMC’s “The Walking Dead,” executive producer Tucker Tooley (“Limitless,” “Den of Thieves”), and directed by Gregory Plotkin (editor of “Get Out” and director of “Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension”), “Hell Fest” takes viewers on a terrifying ride. The scary slasher film stars Amy Forsyth (“The Path,” “Defiance”), Reign Edwards (“Snowfall,” “MacGyver”), Bex Taylor-Klaus (“Scream: The TV Series,” “Arrow”) and the legendary Tony Todd (“Candyman,” “Night of the Living Dead”). The story is by William Penick, Christopher Sey and Stephen Susco, and the screenplay was written by Seth M. Sherwood, Blair Butler and Akela Cooper.

Go behind the scenes of this horror adventure with an exclusive, never-before-seen featurette, “Thrills and Kills: Making Hell Fest.” Experience four times the resolution of Full HD with the 4K Ultra HD combo pack, which includes Dolby Vision HDR, bringing entertainment to life through ultra vivid picture quality.

The Hell Fest 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack, Blu-ray Combo Pack and DVD will be available for $42.99, $39.99, and $29.95 (SRP), respectively.

Pegasus: Pony with a Broken Wing 

“Pegasus: Pony with a Broken Wing” arrives on DVD, Digital and On Demand Tuesday Jan. 8 from Lionsgate.

It’ll take a miracle to save the Killian family’s ranch but miracles come in all shapes and sizes. Just as a greedy developer (Tom Arnold, “True Lies”) plans to take over their ranch, tween girl Sydney Killian (Eliza Jarrett) and a neighbor boy find a mysterious pony with an injured wing. As they secretly heal the creature, they find the pony’s magical powers could change their fortunes forever. This charming family adventure also stars Charisma Carpenter (“The Expendables” franchise) and Jonathan Silverman (“Weekend at Bernie’s”).

Awarded the Dove Seal of Approval for all ages, this live-action fantasy adventure will be available on DVD for $14.98 (SRP). It also will be available on Digital and On Demand.

An Evening with Beverly Luff Linn

Universal Pictures Home Entertainment Content Group will release “An Evening with Beverly Luff Linn” on DVD and Blu-ray Tuesday Jan. 8.

Directed by Jim Hosking (“The Greasy Strangler”) and co-written by Hosking and David Wike (“Hitch”), the offbeat romantic comedy stars indie-darling Aubrey Plaza (“Ingrid Goes West,” “Parks and Recreation”), Emile Hirsch (“Into the Wild,” “The Girl Next Door”), Jemaine Clement (“What We Do in Shadows,” “Flight of the Conchords”), Matt Berry (“Christopher Robin,” “Disenchantment”) and Craig Robinson (“Hot Tub Time Machine,” “The Office”).

Lulu Danger’s (Plaza) unsatisfying marriage takes a turn for the worse when a mysterious man from her past comes to town to perform an event called “An Evening with Beverly Luff Linn; For One Magical Night Only.”

TV

Castle Rock

The complete first season of Stephen King’s “Castle Rock” is available on 4K Ultra HD ($44.98 SRP), Blu-ray ($29.98 SRP) and DVD ($24.98 SRP) Tuesday Jan. 8 from Warner Bros Home Entertainment.

The small rural town of Castle Rock is carved out of the deepest woodland in Maine, in which many of acclaimed, best-selling author’s most-loved works of fiction come to life.

The first season of the J.J. Abrams-produced TV series follows Henry Deaver (Andre Holland, “American Horror Story”), a Death Row attorney who returns to his hometown in Maine, after he receives an anonymous phone call from the infamous Shawshank State Penitentiary. The call is about a nameless young man (Bill Skarsgard, “It”) who is found locked in an underground cage that’s located in a long-abandoned cell block beneath the prison. Upon his discovery, the mysterious young man, with a sinister and unnerving presence, whispers Henry’s name. Curious about how and why someone left this boy imprisoned, Henry is drawn into the case and attempts to help him. But there are reasons why “The Kid” was imprisoned.  And reasons why he should never be set free.

Permeated with a sense of foreboding and dread, the haunting small town is not willing to let Henry leave. Aside from now having to deal with the strange young man found in the prison, Henry is faced with the fact that his adoptive mother (Sissy Spacek, “Carrie”), who lives in Castle Rock with retired Sheriff Alan Pangborn (Scott Glenn, “The Right Stuff,” “The Hunt for Red October”), is struggling with the onset of dementia. Reluctantly, Henry stays to figure out just who “The Kid” is and how he wound up imprisoned under such appalling circumstances.

The horror series also stars Melanie Lynskey (“Two and a Half Men”) as Molly Strand, Jane Levy (“Suburgatory,” “Shameless”) as Jackie Torrance and recurring guest star Terry O’Quinn (“Lost”) as Shawshank’s Warden Dale Lacey.

The set includes all 10 episodes of the series’ debut season along with exclusive bonus features. The 4K Ultra HD release will include Blu-ray as well as a Digital Copy of the series. The Blu-ray release will feature a Digital Copy of the series. The first season also is now available to own on Digital. Consumers can enjoy all 10 episodes in high definition and standard definition (retail $24.99/$18.99) along with never-before-seen bonus content.

Having first premiered last July on Hulu, “Castle Rock” has been picked up for a second season on Hulu. The series was created by Sam Shaw (“Manhattan, Masters of Sex) and Dustin Thomason (Manhattan,” “Lie to Me”) who serve as executive producers along with King, J.J. Abrams, Ben Stephenson (“Westworld”), Mark Lafferty (“Genius,” “White Collar”) and Liz Glotzer (The Good Fight, The Shawshank Redemption). The series is from Bad Robot Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television.