Home Market Releases for June 21st, 2016

June 20, 2016

Fantastic Planet

There are two wide releases coming out this week, My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 and The Divergent Series: Allegiant, although the latter is only coming out on Video on Demand. Neither of these are big releases and it only gets much worse from there. There wasn't a lot of competition for Pick of the Week, but I went with Fantastic Planet: Criterion Collection. It's a classic, but it is also a French Surrealist animated film, so that will limit its target audience.

The Brothers Grimsby - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray Combo Pack
Video on Demand
The latest from Sacha Baron Cohen bombed. Its reviews are not good, but they are certainly better than its box office performance was. I would suggest a rental, but only if you like Sacha Baron Cohen's previous films.


Embrace of the Serpant - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
One of the best movies to come out this year and it even earned an Oscar nomination for Best Foreign-Language Film. It earned $1 million in theaters, which is good for a limited release. It is certainly worth picking up and even a Pick of the Week contender, which is rare for foreign-language films.


Fantastic Planet: Criterion Collection - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
A French animated film from the 1970s. This film is widely considered a classic, a surreal classic. Extras include a short film, also by Rene Laloux and Roland Topor, a 2009 documentary on Laloux, a 1974 TV special on Topor, archival interviews, and more. Definitely worth picking up and a Contender for Pick of the Week.

The Hollow Crown: The Wars of the Roses - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
This is a three-part, six-hour British historical drama. The reviews for the first season are unanimously positive, but the extras are weak with just a making of featurette and deleted scenes for all three parts. Even so, it is worth picking up, but it isn't a contender for Pick of the Week.

How to Get Away with Murder: Season 2 - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray Combo Pack
Viola Davis has won an Emmy and two SAGs for her lead performance in this TV series. The reviews for the first season were excellent. However, while season two's Tomatometer Score is technically better, the number of critics reviewing the season went from over 50 to just 5 to 7 an episode, so perhaps put an asterisk next to its Tomatometer Score. The only extras are some outtakes and deleted scenes. It is worth picking up, but not a contender for Pick of the week.

King Georges - Buy from Amazon: DVD
A documentary about Georges Perrier, who ran the most famous French restaurant in Philadelphia. He decided to retire, only actually retiring turned out to be a lot more difficult that he anticipated. The reviews are unanimously positive, so if you like documentaries, check it out.

Knight of Cups - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Video on Demand
This film has a great cast, and it is written and directed by Terrence Malick; however, it only earned mixed reviews and struggled in limited release. I guess if you are a fan of the director's previous work, then it is worth a rental, but that's about it.

Last of the Summer Wine: Vintage 2006 - Buy from Amazon: DVD
I've mentioned this record-breaking show about a dozen times in the past. I've long since run out of things to say about it.

Midnight Special - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Video on Demand
This film was supposed to open in wide release, but it got demoted to limited release just before it came out. Its reviews were excellent and it started out amazingly. However, when it tried to expand, it fell apart. There are only two featurettes on the DVD and Blu-ray, so while it is worth picking up, it is not Pick of the Week contender.

My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray Combo Pack
Video on Demand
The original film, My Big Fat Greek Wedding was a record-breaking hit when it came out in 2002. Making a sequel makes sense, but waiting more than a decade might have been a mistake, as it only made a fraction of what the original earned. That said, earning nearly $100 million worldwide on an $18 million budget isn't a bad run. Audiences did like it more than critics did, but it is still weak for a romantic comedy. Extras include a making of featurette, cast retrospective, and outtakes. If you liked the movie, it is worth picking up. If you liked the first one, but didn't see the second, it is worth a rental.

Wallander: Season Four - Buy from Amazon: DVD
Kenneth Branagh stars in this British murder mystery show. Long-time readers might know what's coming next. The reviews are amazing, but the price-per-minute is just too high for a TV on DVD release. If you consider them three 90-minute TV movies, then the price is more acceptable.


The Wave - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Video on Demand
A Norwegian disaster movie. I put in a request for a screener, but it hasn't arrived yet. I really hope it gets here, because the reviews are excellent.

Workaholics: Season 6 - Buy from Amazon: DVD
This show has been renewed for a seventh season, which I assume will begin next January. However, looking at the ratings for season six, I expect season seven will be its last.

Blu-ray Releases:

99 River Street - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
The Crush - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
Doctor Who: The Complete First Series - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
If it is Tuesday, This Must be Belgium - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
The Unsinkable Molly Brown - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
99 River Street is the only secondary Blu-ray release I'm remotely interested in.

4K Releases:
No 4K releases this week.

Video on Demand:
The Divergent Series: Allegiant - Reviews - Video on Demand
Everybody Wants Some!! - Reviews - Video on Demand
Jessica Darling's It List - Reviews - Video on Demand
Miracles from Heaven - Reviews - Video on Demand
Everybody Wants Some!! is clearly the best VOD release this week, but I think it is good enough to wait to buy on Blu-ray. On the other hand, Miracles from Heaven feels like a good VOD release.

Filed under: DVD and Blu-ray Releases, Home Market Releases, La planète sauvage, Knight of Cups, The Divergent Series: Allegiant, The Brothers Grimsby, Midnight Special, My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2, Miracles from Heaven, Everybody Wants Some, El abrazo de la serpiente, Jessica Darling's It List, Sacha Baron Cohen, Kenneth Branagh, Viola Davis, Terrence Malick, Georges Perrier, René Laloux, Roland Topor