Writer/Director Ritchie Greer's Weekend Warriors Makes Its DVD Debut On Aug. 09 From Mill Creek Entertainment

Mill Creek Entertainment has tabbed Aug. 09 for the DVD debut of writer/director Ritchie Greer’s thriller-with-a-twist, Weekend Warriors.

In what proves to be a bit of foreshadowing, we are introduced to Scottie (Jack Gross — Courageous Love, Masha Time!), a high school kid, who is a bit of a nerd, but has his limits when it comes to getting pushed around … he takes on his tormentor at school.   It matters little that he wins or loses this opening tussle, the point is, he will fight back.

Joey (Jason London — Dazed and Confused, The Rage: Carrie 2), his uncle, suggests that a weekend camping trip with his fun-loving buddies might just be the break that Scottie needs.   So, with his little sister, Jamie (Juliet Rusche — Heaven, Who Wants Me Dead?), in tow, the trio are off for a weekend “camping” trip in the nearby woods.

Now Joey’s idea of a weekend camping trip and what you might think is a weekend camping trip are two very different things.   His friends are actually an ultimate paintball warrior “clan,” headed by Wesley (Daniel de Weldon — Anonymous 616, Badland Wives), who is a sociopath … and is having a difficult time differentiating paintball fun with the real thing, combat.   And, he is none too pleased that these small fry are invading his turf!

Wesley’s main squeeze, Amy (Pilot Paisley-Rose), is part sex-toy, part punching bag and with her along on the “camping” trip that’s all the catalyst you need to send Wesley over to the dark side.      

It becomes clear early-on that Joey has done something incredibly stupid by bringing along his niece and nephew to this paintball armageddon.   These “fun-loving” campers are all thugs and they are led by a crazed maniac, who soon becomes convinced that Joey his having his way with Amy.   Snap!  

Wesley murders Joey and now the “hunt” is on for the two witnesses … this little paintball wargame has suddenly turned into a human hunt.  How on earth can a nerdy high school kid and his little sister survive these “weekend warriors?”   Remember the foreshadowing?   Perhaps they will, perhaps not, but filmmaker Ritchie Greer has set up a neat little thriller that will keep you guessing if Scottie and Jamie survive their “camping” weekend (and there’s more out there in the woods than just thugs) … Aug. 09 to find out the endgame when Mill Creek Entertainment rolls out the DVD of Weekend Warriors.

 

 

 

MVD Entertainment Group Bestows Marquee Collection Status On John Candy's Canadian Bacon • Blu-ray Available On Sept. 13

The Marquee Collection will be getting a new Blu-ray member on Sept. 13.  So says MVD Entertainment Group that writer/director Michael Moore’s only non-doc film production, the 1995 comedy, Canadian Bacon, starring John Candy and Alan Alda, along with Kevin Pollak, Rip Torn and Steven Wright.

Moore, known for his provocative documentaries (Oscar-winner for Bowling for Columbine), not only wrote and directed Canadian Bacon, but produced as well.  A comedy, a satire, whatever you prefer, and blessed with a terrific cast, we find that the military industrial complex needs to boost revenues and so they team up with a low-approval president (played by Alan Alda) to start a “cold war” with Canada.

A lot of noise, but little else, that is until a local sheriff (Candy) offends Canadian beer at a hockey game!   The cooked-up war with our neighbor to the north might just be happening right before our eyes as a result of this unprovoked aggression.

Be sure to check out the Blu-ray debut on Sept. 13.

 

 

 

 

Unearthed Films Looks To Oct. 11 As The Street Date For A New Blu-ray Edition Of Director Martin Campbell's No Escape

Unearthed Films, with sales and distribution expertise provided by MVD Entertainment Group, has locked into Oct. 11 as the street date for a newly-minted Blu-ray edition of director Martin Campbell’s 1994 film adaption of Richard Herley’s dystopian novel, “The Penal Colony,” which was released theatrically as No Escape.

It’s the future.   Well, the 2022 future (ironically) that was envisioned in 1994 when the film arrived in theatres.   In any case, Marine Captain J. T, Robbins (played by the late Ray Liotta) has assassinated his former commanding officer and has been sentenced to prison.

However, the prison structure of the future — 2022 — is built along the lines of filmmaker John Carpenter’s 1981 film, Escape from New York (with was set in the future of 1997), where the condemned are sent to an island prison colony from which there is no escape.  After a little run-in with prison warden (played by Michael Lerner), Robbins is sent to Absolom, where there are no guards, the prisoners run the “asylum.”

Since they’ve been at it for some time now, the prison colony has divided itself into two warring camps, “The Insiders,” which are the brains, who have set up little guilds of craftsmen and thus try to make the most of a bad thing.   The other group are basically the thugs, who call themselves “Marek’s Men,” who are led by Walter Marek (Stuart Wilson — Wetherby, Lethal Weapon 3, Vertical Limit).

Our hero finds himself in the hands of Marek, who seems to enjoy combat-to-the-death amusements and it seems certain that Robbins will be on the menu, but he manages to escape.   Is that a good thing or a bad thing?  

In any case, he ends in “The Insiders” encampment, which is run by “The Father” (played by genre-fan favorite Lance Hendrickson).   Robbins has no plans on staying … escape from the island is his goal.   But Marek has other ideas … war with “The Insiders” for total dominance of this hell on earth!!

Bonus goodies include two newly-prepared featurettes — “Welcome to the Future: The Sci-Fi Worlds of Gale Anne Hurd” and “Penal Colony: Writing to Escape” — plus vintage making-of featurettes and an alternate intro to the film. 

 

 

 

 

Critical Mass Selects Aug. 26 For The Blu-ray Debut Of Miyako Mizuno's Stepmother's Sin

Critical Mass will be teaming up with Bayview Entertainment on Aug. 26 for the Blu-ray debut of Japanese anime filmmaker Miyako Mizuno’s two-part presentation, Stepmother’s Sin.

Yusuke Yagami (voiced by Masazaku Oonishi in the original Japanese and by Dan Green in the English-dubbed version) has been hurt deeply by his father’s cheating on his mother.   Divorce followed and now Yusuke spends his time with his equally destructive cousin, Mio (Keiko Sonoda and Kat Van Damn), but all that is about to change!!

Without breathing a word about it, his father has remarried and suddenly Yusuke has a new stepmother, Misako (Tomomi Tashiro and Lynna Lewis) … and a new stepsister, Shiina (Mie Yoshida and Veronica Lake), as well.   It is time to get even and that means seduction, betrayal and the blowing away of taboos.

Stepmother’s Sin is presented in both in Japanese, with English subtitles, or with the English dubbed audio option, plus there are storyboards, character sketches and an extensive art gallery.

 

 

 

 

 

Yellowstone 1883: A Yellowstone Original Story From Paramount Home Entertainment On Aug. 30

Paramount Home Entertainment announced this past week that Taylor Sheridan’s prequel to Yellowstone, 1883: A Yellowstone Original Story, starring Sam Elliott, Tim McGraw and Faith Hill, will be making the transition from the Paramount+ streaming platform to the home entertainment packaged media marketplace as both DVD and Blu-ray product offerings on Aug. 30.

All ten episodes are included in three-disc SKU configurations.

Bonus features include a “Behind the Story” for each episode, plus four featurettes — “A Land of Peril & Wonder: The Journey of 1883,” “From Cast to Cowboys: Creating the Pioneer Spirit,” “1883: The Road West” and “Inside 1883.”

 

 

 

Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Preps The Blu-ray Debut Of The Frisco Kid For Delivery On July 12

Warner Bros. Home Entertainment announced its new-to-Blu-ray selections — culled from its vast film library — for the month of July this past week.  

Topping the list is the July 12 Blu-ray debut of director Robert Aldrich’s 1979 Western comedy, The Frisco Kid, starring Gene Wilder as the new Rabbi, Avram Belinski, who has been dispatched from Poland to serve the eagerly awaiting congregation in San Francisco.  

Way in over his head, Avram is quickly scammed by the Diggs brothers (George DiCenzo — Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Back to the Future … and the late William Smith — Red Dawn, Invasion of the Bee Girls, Piranha, Angels Die Hard) and their murderous accomplice, “Mr. Jones” (Ramon Bieri — Sorcerer, The Andromeda Strain).

Stranded in Pennsylvania and a long way from San Francisco, Avram makes the best of it and eventually meets up with an outlaw by the name of Tommy Lillard (played by Harrison Ford), who befriend the helpless Rabbi and says that he will help him get to San Francisco.   They have several life-and-death adventures along the way.

As they near their destination, they have a deadly encounter with the Diggs brothers and “Mr. Jones,” which puts Avram, who has now toughened up and can easily pass for an accomplished cowboy, in something of a bind.   How can he fulfill his mission as the new Rabbi if he has gunned a man down?

Not to worry, there is a happy ending, with Avram meeting his future bride, Rosalie (Penny Peyser — The In-Laws) and Tommy might just be a reformed outlaw thanks to Avram (or maybe not).

Also making a Blu-ray debut in July (the 19^th) is director Vincent Sherman’s 1949 film release of Adventures of Don Juan, starring Errol Flynn in the title role.   This is a new 4K scan from the original Technicolor nitrate negatives, which means that it should be absolutely gorgeous.

Bonus features include a vintage commentary with filmmaker Vincent Sherman, who is joined by film historian Rudy Behlmer, a vintage newsreel from the period, the theatrical cartoon titled Hare Splitter and two short films.

 

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment Sends Director Kay Cannon's Cinderella Home In A Flash

Director Kay Cannon’s romantic musical presentation of the classic fairytale, Cinderella, came roaring home as a two-SKU product selection from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment this week (street date, June 21).

Originally destined for a theatrical rollout, with songstress Camila Cabello starring as Cinderella, the film production got caught up a Covid maelstrom and ended as direct-to-streaming entry.

Being released are stand-alone DVD and Blu-ray editions.

The only bonus feature for Cinderella is a gag reel.