Disclaimer: Warner Bros. Home Entertainment requests we note that it provided a free copy of “I Am the Night” and “Batman vs. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles”. The opinions I share are my own.
“South Park is back for its incredible 22nd season! Join Stan, Kyle, Cartman, Kenny, and the residents of everyone’s favorite little mountain town as they contend with the vaping epidemic, Cartman’s anxiety disorder, the rise of Amazon, and the fact that they didn’t take the threat of ManBearPig cereal seriously enough the first time around.” — from Paramount
South Park: The Complete Twenty-Second Season is now out on DVD and Blu-ray, which have all ten episodes of Season 22 along with “mini commentaries” on all episodes from show creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone plus some deleted scenes. The DVD is available on Amazon for $19.99 and the Blu-ray for $26.97. You can also get the season digitally on both Amazon and iTunes, but at a price of $24.99 on both (with no bonus features), the better option price-wise is to snag the DVD.
“Starring John Krasinski (“Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan”), James Badge Dale (World War Z) and Pablo Schreiber (“Orange is the New Black”), 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi tells the incredible true story of six elite ex-military operators who fought to protect the CIA against overwhelming odds when terrorists attacked a U.S. diplomatic compound on September 11, 2012.” — from Paramount
13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi is now out on DVD and Blu-ray and boasts over an hour of bonus content. Extras include a featurette covering the events leading up to September 11th and 12th in Libya, a feature on Benghazi’s “secret soldiers”, a behind-the-scenes special, coverage of the movie’s premiere in Arlington, TX, and a short “in memoriam” reel. The DVD, Blu-ray, and 4K UHD options are all available now on Amazon (priced at $5.99, $9.99, and $15.29 respectively).
“When CIA analyst Jack Ryan stumbles upon a suspicious series of bank transfers his search for answers pulls him from the safety of his desk job and catapults him into a deadly game of cat and mouse throughout Europe and the Middle East, with a rising terrorist figurehead preparing for a massive attack against the U.S. and her allies.” — from Paramount
Jack Ryan: Season One is now available on DVD, which includes all eight episodes of the first season. Extras are limited to just some deleted scenes (disappointing considering all that could have been done with commentary, interviews, featurettes on special effects, the “Ryanverse”, etc.). You can get the DVD for $19.43 or the Blu-ray for $26.17. However, the series is available on Amazon Prime (even the 4K version is free there), so unless you’re just dying to have it in hard copy format, you should probably go that route if possible due to the lack of bonus features.
“Inspired by true events, I Am the Night tells the gripping story of Fauna Hodel (India Eisley), a teenage girl who is given away at birth, and grows up outside of Reno, Nevada. Fauna lives more-or-less comfortably with the mysteries of her origin, until one day she makes a discovery that leads her to question everything. As Fauna begins to investigate the secrets of her past, she meets a ruined reporter (Pine), haunted by the case that undid him. Together, they follow a sinister trail that swirls ever closer to an infamous Los Angeles gynecologist, Dr. George Hodel (Jefferson Mays), a man involved in some of Hollywood’s darkest debauchery and possibly its most infamous unsolved crime.” — from Warner Brothers
I am the Night is currently available on DVD and Blu-ray, both of which feature all six episodes of the limited series. Bonus features include the Black Dahlia Murder documentary “Myths from inside the Snowden House”, short (2-4 minutes) discussions from the cast and creators about each episode, mini featurettes on the topic of identity in the series, examinations of the characters (and their real-life inspirations), and the 1960s look of the series (enhanced by it being produced on 35mm film). Hulu members can watch the miniseries as part of their subscription, and anyone else can grab it on Amazon on DVD for $22.99 or on Blu-ray for $26.97.
“Magnum P.I. is a modern take on the classic series centering on Thomas Magnum, a decorated former Navy SEAL who, upon returning home from Afghanistan, repurposes his military skills to become a private investigator. A charming rogue, an American hero and a die-hard Detroit Tigers fan, Magnum lives in a guest cottage on Robin’s Nest, the luxurious estate where he works as a security consultant to supplement his P.I. business. The “majordomo” of the property is Juliet Higgins, a beautiful and commanding disavowed MI:6 agent whose second job is to keep Magnum in line, with the help of her two Dobermans. When Magnum needs back-up on a job, he turns to his trusted buddies and fellow POW survivors, Theodore “TC” Calvin and Orville “Rick” Wright. With keys to a vintage Ferrari in one hand, aviator sunglasses in the other, and an Old Düsseldorf longneck chilling in the fridge, Thomas Magnum is back on the case!” — from CBS
Magnum PI: Season 1 is now available on DVD, which features all twenty episodes from the premiere season along with a handful of extras. Bonus content includes a behind-the-scenes featurette on the pilot episode “I Saw the Sun Rise”, interviews with the show’s writers, producers, cast, and crew, a look at the (live orchestra) recording of the theme song, a talk with new cast members Amy Hill and Tim Kang, a glimpse at a photo shoot for Watch! Magazine with the show’s star Jay Hernandez, deleted scenes, and a gag reel. Subscribers to CBS All Access can watch the season as part of their membership; other digital options include iTunes and Amazon ($19.99 from both with no bonus features). The DVD is out on Amazon for $39.96, so it’s up to you to decide if the bonus features are worth doubling the price you’d otherwise get going the digital route.
“25 years later, Forrest Gump remains a treasured cinematic classic that is beloved and quoted the world over. Tom Hanks gives an astonishing performance as Forrest, an everyman whose simple innocence comes to embody a generation. Alongside his mamma (Sally Field), his best friend Bubba (Mykelti Williamson), his commanding officer Lieutenant Dan (Gary Sinise), and his favorite girl Jenny (Robin Wright), Forrest has a ringside seat for the most memorable events of the second half of the 20th century.” — from Paramount
The newly re-mastered Blu-ray of this classic film is now available, currently priced at only $9.99 on Amazon. It features over 3 hours of bonus content (all previously released in other versions), including commentaries by Robert Zemeckis, Steve Starkey, Rick Carter, and Wendy Finerman, featurettes on the film’s special effects and sound, makeup, and production design, screen tests, and more. If you already own one of the previous releases, Forrest Gump: The 25th Anniversary Edition doesn’t offer much beyond the new re-mastering, but if you’ve been holding out to add it to your library, this set is pretty sweet.
“Set in an affluent Chicago suburb in the summer of 1976, Swingtown lunches viewers back to a time when sexual experimentation, freedom of expression, and women’s liberation had just begun to trickle down to the American suburbs. When Susan and Bruce Miller move their family to a lakeside estate, they find themselves intrigued by the open marriage of their alluring and sophisticated new neighbors, Tom and Trina Decker. What follows is an unexpected and eye-opening summer filled with disco clubs, key parties, and neighborhood intrigue. But as unconventional and intimate connections are forged, insecurity begins to chip away at the foundation of Bruce and Susan’s marriage, as well as their longstanding friendship with conservative couple Roger and Janet Thompson. Featuring a high-energy period-perfect soundtrack along a rich and moving score, Swingtown is a provocative exploration of love and trust, as two generations of friends and neighbors seek out their better selves during America’s most culturally transformative decade.” — from CBS
Swingtown: The First Season is now out on DVD, which has all thirteen episodes of Season One along with a fair amount of bonus features. Extras include a featurette on the show’s historical influences (including revolutionary movements connected with sexual norms, feminism, and the Watergate scandal), a making-of special with interviews from cast and crew about the show’s production, audio commentaries from executive producers Mike Kelley and Alan Poul on two of the episodes, a gag reel, and deleted scenes. The DVD is available now on Amazon for $38.47, but with the entire season available digitally on both Amazon and iTunes for only $9.99 (with no extras), it’s worth considering if having a hard copy and / or bonus features is worth the almost $30 difference on this one.
“Batman vs. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles finds Gotham City reaching new levels of danger when Shredder joins forces with Ra’s al Ghul to enact a nefarious plan – leading to the team-up of the Dark Knight and the Turtles to combat the combined might of the Foot Clan and League of Assassins! Batman vs. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles features an all-star cast led by Troy Baker (Batman: Arkham Origins, The Last of Us) as the voice of both Batman and the Joker – making Baker the first actor to ever play both roles in the same film. Opposite Baker are the Ninja Turtles themselves – Emmy Award/Golden Globe Award/SAG Award winner Darren Criss (American Crime Story: The Assassination of Gianni Versace, Glee) as Raphael, Kyle Mooney (Saturday Night Live) as Michelangelo, Baron Vaughn (Grace and Frankie) as Donatello, and Eric Bauza (Looney Tunes Cartoons, The Woody Woodpecker Show) as Leonardo.” — from Warner Brothers
Batman vs. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is now available on Blu-ray and 4K UHD. Both formats include over forty minutes of bonus content, sporting two featurettes with input from the production team and voice artists covering the joining of the two franchises (and comparing it with other team-ups in the world of comics), the fight sequences, and story boarding as well as a 10-minute sneak peak at the upcoming DC Universe movie Batman: Hush. The Blu-ray set is available on Amazon for $14.99 and the 4K UHD set is available for $19.99.
“Broad City stars series creators Abbi Jacobson and Ilana Glazer, whom The Hollywood Reporter called “the true voices of their generation.” The pair navigate their 20s in New York in “an ingenious love letter to friendship and the city” (New York Times) through hilarious and outrageous antics. The show’s many guest stars have included Fred Armisen, Amy Sedaris, Seth Rogen, RuPaul, Kumail Nanjiani, Kelly Ripa, Jane Curtin, Fran Drescher, Amy Ryan, Aidy Bryant, Whoopi Goldberg, Cynthia Nixon, Seth Green, Tracee Ellis Ross, Hillary Clinton, Tony Danza, Wanda Sykes, and more.” — from Paramount
Broad City: The Complete Series will be available on DVD on July 9th. The set houses all five seasons of the series and a host of bonus features, including video commentary on select episodes, behind-the-scenes featurettes, “Body by Trey” videos, deleted and extended scenes, outtakes, and more. The set is available for pre-order on Amazon, currently priced at $43.27
