DVD and Blu-ray Releases for May 5th, 2020

May 6, 2020

Elvira: Mistress of the Dark

It’s a sad week for DVDs / Blu-rays as there are no top-notch first-run releases. Gretel and Hansel is the biggest and the best first-run release on this week’s list, but its DVD / Blu-ray don’t have enough extras to be a Pick of the Week contender. Likewise, The Lodge is amazing, but its DVD / Blu-ray have no extras… Is Elvira: Mistress of the Dark really the Pick of the Week? It came out last week, but the screener was late, so it is the best release on this week’s list.


Arkansas - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray - Rent from Redbox: DVD
Video on Demand
We talked about this film on Friday when it had no reviews. Now it has two dozen reviews, but they are thoroughly mixed, so its chances on the home market haven’t improved.

Bloodshot - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD, Blu-ray Combo Pack, or 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack
Video on Demand
This was supposed to be the beginning of a new cinematic universe, but those plans ended even before it was released in theaters. Granted, it was hit hard by Covid-19, but even so, its reviews would have likely hurt box office numbers under the best of circumstances. The extras are not bad, given its box office numbers, but that’s damning it with faint praise.


Elvira: Mistress of the Dark

Elvira: Mistress of the Dark: Special Edition - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
Elvira: Mistress of the Dark hit theaters in the late 1980s and, when it did so, it wasn’t able to win over critics and was mostly ignored by moviegoers. It did become a bit of a cult hit on the home market and now more than 30 years later, it is getting a special edition Blu-ray release. Does it deserve its Cult Classic status? If so, does the Blu-ray do it justice? Read my review to find out.


Gretel and Hansel - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Video on Demand
There was an absolute flood of low-budget horror films to come out this year, and only one of them did well in theaters. Sadly, this isn’t that film. On the other hand, its reviews are solid and it is worth checking out. It should come as no surprise that there are almost no extras on the Blu-ray, but it is still worth picking up for fans of the genre.

I Still Believe - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray Combo Pack
Video on Demand
A mediocre movie that was absolutely destroyed at the box office by Covid-19.

The Jesus Rolls - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Video on Demand
A completely unnecessary sequel to The Big Lebowski. By the way, isn’t the lead character of this movie a child molester? Or am I misremembering that part of the original movie?

The Lodge - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray - Rent from Redbox: DVD
One of the best horror movies to come out this year. It also did really well at the box office for a horror film in limited release. Unfortunately, it didn’t do well enough to get any extras on the DVD / Blu-ray. It is still worth picking up, but it is not a Pick of the Week contender.

Ordinary Love - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD
Video on Demand
Liam Neeson and Lesley Manville play a married couple dealing with the wife’s cancer diagnosis. The reviews are great, but it went nowhere in theaters and it is only getting a DVD release this week. It is still worth picking up, but it is not a Pick of the Week contender.

Tomorrow’s Children / Child Bride - No Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
Two infamous exploitation flicks. In fact, the MST3K crew stated that Child Bride was the one film that they got lots of requests for that they refused to riff, because of the subject matter.


TV on DVD Releases - Buy from Amazon:
Baptiste: Season One - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD
Gunsmoke: The Complete Series - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD
Gunsmoke: The Final Season - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD
Home by Spring - No Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD
Humans: Complete Collection - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
NOVA: Polar Extremes - No Reviews Buy from Amazon: DVD
Ray Donovan: Season Seven - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Subscription Streaming
Red vs. Blue: Singularity - No Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
Gunsmoke finished its DVD run this week. All 20 seasons have now been released individually and there’s even a full series box set for just over $200.


Blu-ray Releases - Buy from Amazon:
After War Gundam X: Collection 2 - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
Better Days - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
Black Clover: Season 2, Part 4 - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
Brighton Rock - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
Eric Rohmer’s Six Moral Tales - No Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
Exorcism at 60,000 Feet - No Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
Greed - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
The House in Between - No Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
An Inspector Calls - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Me, Natalie - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
A Thousand Clowns - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Women Make Film: A New Road Movie Through Cinema - No Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
There are a lot of older films that stand out, as well as a couple of collections that I’m interested in. On the other hand, there’s nothing that looks like a must-have with a lot of potentially great releases, but nothing spectacular.


4K Ultra HD Releases - Buy from Amazon:
47 Ronin Reviews - Buy from Amazon: 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack
This film was hated by critics and bombed in theaters. It is selling better on 4K than I would have normally expected; however, this has a lot to do with the lack of real competition.


C.S.Strowbridge

Filed under: DVD and Blu-ray Releases, Home Market Releases, The Jesus Rolls, Bloodshot, Ordinary Love, Arkansas, Gretel & Hansel, The Lodge, I Still Believe, Shao Nian De Ni, Greed, Exorcism at 60,000 Feet, The House in Between, Home by Spring, Women Make Film: A New Road Movie Through Cinema, Liam Neeson, Lesley Manville