Home Market Releases for August 20th, 2019

August 21, 2019

I don’t like awarding the Pick of the Week to films only coming out on Video on Demand, but John Wick: Chapter 3 — Parabellum is the best release of the week and it isn’t even particularly close.

American Gods: Season 2 - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Video on Demand
Usually, a show’s second season has a better Tomatometer Score than the first season, because critics who didn’t like it the first time around don’t bother reviewing it the second season. That’s not the case here. Here the reviews fell from 92% positive to just under 60% positive, below the overall positive level. I loved the first season, but I didn’t get a chance to watch this one. Given its reviews, I’m not upset about that.

The Biggest Little Farm - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Video on Demand
This is one of the biggest documentary hits of the year and it also earned some of the best reviews. The reviews are not award-worthy, but it is still absolutely worth picking up. Although I am annoyed by some descriptions saying the film promotes farming without the use of chemicals. ... Water is a chemical. And don’t get me started on the nature good / science bad fallacy. ... Anyhoo, the lack of substantial extras keeps the DVD / Blu-ray from being a Pick of the Week contender.

Blue Bloods: The Ninth Season - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD
This show is never going to end. It’s performance in the ratings isn’t stellar, but it is solid and predictable, which is what a network wants these days.

BrightBurn - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD, Blu-ray Combo Pack, or 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack
I was looking forward to this film, but the reviews were mixed and many critics complained about the style of violence in the film, as it was particularly brutal against women and that’s not something I’m interested in. There are plenty of extras on the DVD / Blu-ray, so if you enjoyed the movie, it is worth picking up.

Brooklyn Nine-Nine: Season Six - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD
I’m always surprised when this show gets renewed. I’m not saying it is a bad show; in fact. It is one of the best sitcoms on TV right now. However, its ratings have never been impressive and it always seems to be on the edge of being canceled.

Cruising - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
Amazon has this as an audio CD. I reported the error last week and they still haven’t fixed it. I’m not surprised, as they’ve never fixed an error I’ve reported.

A Dog’s Journey - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray Combo Pack
Video on Demand
One of three talking dog movies to come out this year. Needless to say, this was too many, as none of them really lived up to expectations. This one also earned merely mixed reviews, which didn’t help.

The Hustle - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray Combo Pack
Video on Demand
A gender-flipped remake of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, which is one of my favorite movies of all time. Can it live up to its predecessor? Or should fans of con movies look elsewhere? Read our review to find out.

Mayans M.C.: Season 1 - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD
Video on Demand
A spin-off of Sons of Anarchy. It’s not as good as the original, at least not yet, but it could grow into a great show.

NCIS: New Orleans: The Fifth Season - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD
Video on Demand
I’ve grown tired of this genre and even shows I used to watch no longer interest me.

The Sun is Also a Star - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Video on Demand
This is one of too many wide releases that missed expectations this year. The reviews are merely mixed, which is still better than its box office numbers. If you like the cast and / or genre, then it is worth a rental, but that’s it.

The Walking Dead: Season 9 - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Video on Demand
Seasons seven and eight were way off the show’s peak quality and this hurt already dropping ratings. Season nine’s reviews are better, but the ratings are the lowest they’ve ever been. I don’t think it will last much longer.

The Witches - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
I loved this movie when I first saw it and I’m not alone, as it has 100% positive reviews on Rotten Tomatoes. Then I found out the author, Roald Dahl, was super anti-Semitic and this story in particular can be seen as an allegory for Jews. Yikes. I hope I can separate the artist from their art, because it is a great movie, but that might not be possible anymore.

Blu-ray Releases - Buy from Amazon:
The 4D Man: Special Edition - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Akio Jissoji: The Buddhist Trilogy: Limited Edition - No Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
Arrow: Season Seven - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Billy the Kid vs. Dracula - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
The Buster Keaton Collection: Volume 3 - No Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Dinosaurus!: Special Edition - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray Combo Pack
Free! Dive to the Future: The 3rd Season: Limited Edition - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
Horror of Frankenstein - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
I Trapped the Devil - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Keijo!!!!!!!!: The Complete Series - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
Last Year at Marienbad - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Lego DC: Batman — Family Matters - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Magnificent Obsession: The Criterion Collection - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
Orphen - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: SD on Blu-ray
Ronja, The Robber's Daughter: The Complete Series - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
Sweet Charity - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
Uncle Tom’s Cabin - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
Waiting In The Summer - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
Last Year at Marienbad is arguably the best choice here, but it is also rarely a mistake to grab a Criterion Collection release, so Magnificent Obsession is also of interest.

3D Blu-ray Releases - Buy from Amazon:
There are no 3D releases this week, but there is one next week.

4K Ultra HD Releases - Buy from Amazon:
There is also no 4K releases this week, but there are some next week.

TV on DVD Megasets - Buy from Amazon:
The Streets of San Francisco - No Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD
Pokemon Diamond & Pearl - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD
The Streets of San Francisco is my pick here.

Video on Demand - Buy from Amazon:
Booksmart - Reviews - Video on Demand
Canal Street - Reviews - Video on Demand
John Wick: Chapter 3 — Parabellum - Reviews - Video on Demand
Ma - Reviews - Video on Demand
Men in Black: International - Reviews - Video on Demand
Men in Black: International - Reviews - Video on Demand (With Bonus Features)
The Tomorrow Man - Reviews - Video on Demand
The screener for John Wick: Chapter 3 — Parabellum is already on its way and I can’t wait to see it. The only other secondary VOD release I’m interested in this week is Booksmart.

C.S.Strowbridge

Filed under: DVD and Blu-ray Releases, Home Market Releases, Men in Black: International, The Hustle, John Wick: Chapter 3 — Parabellum, The Sun is Also a Star, A Dog’s Journey, Booksmart, The Biggest Little Farm, BrightBurn, Canal Street, The Tomorrow Man, MA, I Trapped the Devil, Lego DC: Batman — Family Matters, Magnificent Obsession, Horror of Frankenstein, Roald Dahl