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Movies

On Demand DVD New Releases June 3-9

On Demand DVD New Releases June 3-9: Bruce Willis is back as John McClane in A Good Day to Die Hard — this time, he’s on a mission to help his son. Zombies are looking for love in Warm Bodies and Jason Bateman seeks an Identity Thief (Melissa McCarthy).  Escape From Planet Earth (3-D) In this animated adventure, astronaut Scorch Supernova (voice of Brendan Fraser) answers an SOS from a notoriously dangerous planet only to find himself caught in a fiendish trap. It’s up to his quiet, by-the-book brother Gary (voice of Rob Corddry) to save him. Also features the voice of William Shatner […]

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Movies

On Demand DVD New Releases May 27-June 2

On Demand DVD New Releases May 27-June 2: This week brings a bunch of under-the-radar films and documentaries Alpha Earth Chaos reigns as alien ships attack Earth. A riot breaks out on the last surviving human ship, resulting in it crashing on an uncharted planet. While the survivors attempt to survive the hostile environment and find a way back to Earth, they are attacked by a pack of ruthless aliens.  Adrian Paul, Richard Grieco 5/28 Baby Mama’s Club James, a consummate womanizer, and Randall, a devoted husband, are unlikely best friends. But when Randall becomes a father for the first time […]

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Drama

VOD Spotlight: Side Effects

Side Effects was shot primarily on location in and around New York City, which director Steven Soderbergh says can be intimidating. “There are so many iconic New York movies. I decided that the important thing was to make the locations organic to this movie. The narrative is the priority. That doesn’t mean we didn’t look for locations that were interesting and different, but I don’t go anywhere one of the characters hasn’t been.”  With that in mind, some of the locales that were chosen for filming definitely come under the heading of “gritty.” At Manhattan Psychiatric Center the filmmakers shot […]

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Movies

On Demand DVD New Releases May 20-26

On Demand DVD New Releases May 20-26. This week’s features include Arnold Schwarzenegger’s return to the big screen, The  Last Stand, and a film that director Steven Soderbergh claims is his last, Side Effects. Other familiar faces on the list this week include Jeremy Irons in Beautiful Creatures, Camilla Belle and Andy Garcia in Open Road, and Jennifer Lopez, Michael Chiklis, and Jason Statham in Parker. Beautiful Creatures This supernatural romance, based on the best-selling young-adult fantasy series, takes place in a Southern town where dark secrets are about to come out, as a young man finds he can’t fight his attraction to a […]

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Movies

On Demand DVD New Releases May 13-19

Cloud Atlas is certainly the most ambitious of this week’s titles. With a budget of over $100,000,000, the film is one of the most expensive independent films made to date. Nominated for a Golden Globe award, the film involves cast members playing multiple roles, covering different time periods, races and even sexes, and was shot with two separate but parallel filming units, with unique crews for each. On Demand DVD New Releases May 13-19 Back to 1942 A deadly drought in 1942 takes its toll on central China’s Henan province during the war against Japan. Tim Robbins, Adrien Brody, Daoming Chen (NR, 2:15) […]

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Horror

VOD Spotlight: This “Mama” Is A Monster Of A Mother

Casting Mama’s title character was a critical decision for the filmmakers. Director Andy Muschietti had seen Javier Botet in the Spanish horror film [Rec] and recognized the actor as perfect for the part of the spectral creature who haunts the film. (No spoilers here, if you want to see how perfect Botet is for the part, you’ll have to see the movie!) Standing an astonishing 6 1/2 feet tall — with uncommon body features and physical abilities corresponding to his measurements — Botet moves delicately, deliberately and terrifyingly as Mama. Producer and screenwriter (and sister to the director) Barbara Muschietti […]

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Movies

On Demand DVD New Releases May 6-12

On Demand DVD New Releases May 6-12  The big films this week are Jack Reacher, Mama and Safe Haven, but that’s just three of the titles debuting in this busy week. Lots of familiar faces in this crop of titles, including Parker Posey (And Now a Word From Our Sponsor), Daryl Hannah and Michael Madsen (Garbage), Al Pacino and Christopher Walken (Stand Up Guys) and Hugh Laurie and Catherine Keener (The Oranges). Hollywood to Dollywood  In this documentary, twin young men from North Carolina on a quest to meet their idol Dolly Parton find more than they bargained for in […]

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Drama

Jennifer Lawrence shines in “Silver Linings Playbook”

Jennifer Lawrence had a very good 2012: The Oscar she won for Best Actress for her performance in Silver Linings Playbook was just one of more than 40 nominations and awards (for Silver Linings Playbook and her other lead role, in The Hunger Games) that came her way. In Silver Linings, Lawrence gives an honest and heartfelt portrayal of a woman dealing with depression who befriends a man struggling with bipolar disorder (Bradley Cooper). The film follows their flawed journey to find happiness. Lawrence, age 22, was the second youngest actress to win a Best Actress Oscar, leaving her many […]

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Movies

On Demand DVD New Releases April 29-May 5

On Demand DVD New Releases April 29-May 5: Act Naturally  When two estranged step-sisters learn of their father’s untimely death on a business trip, they must travel cross-country to claim his remains. Upon arriving at their father’s destination, the girls are shocked to discover he had been leading a double life as the proprietor of a nudist resort, which is now the girls’ inheritance.  Katie  L. Hall, Liz Lytle, Susan May Pratt (NR, 1:30) 4/30  Broken City An ex-cop seeks revenge and redemption after he is framed by the city’s all-powerful mayor. Mark Wahlberg, Russell Crowe, Catherine Zeta-Jones (R, 1:49) 4/30 The […]

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Comedy

VOD Spotlight: A Haunted House

A Haunted House spoofs the horror genre and targets hits like Paranormal Activity, The Devil Inside, Sinister, The Possession and other “found footage” films with the story of a couple, Malcolm (Marlon Wayans) and Kisha (Essence Atkins), who have just moved into their dream home. Unfortunately, they are not alone. There’s a demon present who quickly takes possession of Kisha. Malcolm, determined to keep his relationship — and more importantly, his sex life — on track, turns to a priest, a psychic and a team of modern-day ghost-busters for help. A Haunted House was cowritten by Wayans, star of In […]