New streaming, on-demand highlights September 25-October 1, 2023
SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) — It's one of those weeks where there's a new release to match whatever mood I might be in. We have obscure superheroes in "Blue Beetle," a vacation's worth of Greek culture in "My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3," a racecar biopic in "Gran Turismo," an animated fantasy in “Lonely Castle in the Mirror,” a Scooby-Doo and DC mashup in “Scooby-Doo! and Krypto, Too!,” and braindead undead in “Gangnam Zombie.” And that only covers half of the notable digital releases coming to your favorite online retailers.
The Blu-ray and DVD releases offer a similar selection that includes the animated features “Elemental” and “Ruby Gillman Teenage Kraken,” the sci-fi/superhero comedy of “Loki: The Complete First Season,” a bunch of horror including “Insidious: The Red Door,” “Mayfair Witches” (featuring the lovely Alexandra Daddario, who was kind enough to put up with me for five or so minutes this weekend), Dario Argento’s “Tenebrae” in 4K, and a Halloween film with Jamie Lee Curtis with a side of psychedelic David Bowie, the third season of Tom Clancy’s “Jack Ryan” and the 20th anniversary of “School of Rock.”
Too many movies worth watching and not enough time to see them all.
Blue Beetle
Studio Synopsis:Recent college grad Jaime Reyes returns home full of aspirations for his future, only to find that home is not quite as he left it. As he searches to find his purpose in the world, fate intervenes when Jaime unexpectedly finds himself in possession of an ancient relic of alien biotechnology: the Scarab. When the Scarab suddenly chooses Jaime to be its symbiotic host, he is bestowed with an incredible suit of armor capable of extraordinary and unpredictable powers, forever changing his destiny as he becomes the Super Hero Blue Beetle.
My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3
Studio Synopsis:From writer and director Nia Vardalos, the worldwide phenomenon "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" is back with a brand-new adventure. Join the Portokalos family as they travel to a family reunion in Greece for a heartwarming and hilarious trip full of love, twists and turns. Opa!
Gran Turismo
Studio Synopsis: Based on the unbelievable true story of a team of unlikely underdogs – a struggling working-class gamer (Archie Madekwe), a failed former racecar driver (David Harbour), and an idealistic motorsport executive (Orlando Bloom). Together, they risk it all to take on the most elite sport in the world. "Gran Turismo" is an inspiring, thrilling, and action-packed story that proves that nothing is impossible when you're fuelled from within.
Lonely Castle in the Mirror
Studio Synopsis:Shy outcast Kokoro has been avoiding school for weeks when she discovers a portal in her bedroom mirror. She reaches through and finds herself transported to an enchanting castle where she is joined by six other students. When a girl in a wolf mask explains that they have been invited to play a game, the teens must work together to uncover the mysterious connection that unites them. However, anyone who breaks the rules will be eaten by a wolf.
Head Count
Studio Synopsis:A gun is pointed to Kat’s head. It’s his gun. Or at least it was after he escaped a chain gang and stole it. Luckily for him though, it’s not fully loaded. But how many bullets are left? He can’t quite remember. And now, with an unknown assailant pulling the trigger, Kat is forced to recall exactly what happened to each bullet. As the empty rounds click away, memories of wild animal attacks, run-ins with an impulsive police officer, a down-to-earth arms dealer, and his ex-lover come flooding back. As the pressure mounts, Kat must figure out how many rounds are left and try to devise a plan to escape one more time.
Gangnam Zombie
Studio Synopsis:Soon after previously normal people begin viciously attacking other citizens in Seoul’s wealthy Gangnam district, the zombie population grows exponentially and spreads throughout the region. Now, long after injuries forced him to quit the national taekwondo team, an elite former athlete is given one more opportunity to use his talent on behalf of his country as he takes on one final match—this time, against terrifying hordes of the undead.
Scooby-Doo! and Krypto, Too!
Studio Synopsis:The world's greatest heroes, DC’s Justice League, have mysteriously vanished and a terrifying phantom has taken up residence in The Hall of Justice. Now it's up to the world's greatest super sleuths, Scooby and the gang, to solve the mystery and save our heroes ... with a little help from their new pal Krypto the Superdog!
Deliver Us
Studio Synopsis:When a nun in a remote convent claims immaculate conception, the Vatican sends a team of priests to investigate. Concerns grow that an ancient prophecy is about to be fulfilled: that a woman will give birth to twin boys - one the Messiah, the other the Anti-Christ - and the ensuing battle will determine the fate of the world.
Dancing in the Dust
Studio Synopsis:Shortly following their impulsive wedding, the naive, young Nazar is pressured by his family into divorcing his new wife, Reyhane, after rumors circulate of her mother's possible sex-work. Still deeply in love, he insists on paying back Reyhane's marriage dowry despite his insolvency. Nazar is soon on the run from creditors and finds himself hiding out in the desert where he meets a taciturn old snake hunter. Much to the man's chagrin, Nazar insists on working with the hunter until he earns enough money to return to the city and make good on his mistakes. "Engrossing and eye-catching" (Variety), Farhadi's debut feature "Dancing In The Dust" ultimately reveals itself to be a tale of love, sacrifice, and redemption
Dreamin' Wild
Studio Synopsis:"Dreamin’ Wild," the true story of love and redemption, is about what happened to singer/songwriter Donnie Emerson and his family when the album he and his brother recorded as teens was rediscovered after thirty years of obscurity and was suddenly hailed by music critics as a lost masterpiece. While the album’s rediscovery brings hopes of second chances, it also brings long-buried emotions as Donnie, his wife Nancy, brother Joe, and father Don Sr. come to terms with the past and their newly found fame.
Speed is Expensive
Studio Synopsis:"Speed is Expensive' brings to the screen one of the most dramatic stories in automotive history – the rise and fall of designer Philip Vincent. His motorcycles set more speed records during the 1940’s and 50’s than any other manufacturer. Some Vincent models now sell for over $1 million, and owners include Brad Pitt and Ryan Reynolds. Yet when Vincent passed away in 1979, he was largely unrecognised, penniless, and living in council housing in West London.
Blu-ray & DVD Highlights
Elemental
Studio Synopsis: An original feature film set in Element City, where residents of Fire, Water, Earth and Air live together. The story introduces Ember, a tough, quick-witted and fiery young woman, whose friendship with a fun, sappy, go-with-the-flow guy named Wade challenges her beliefs about the world they live in. Directed by Peter Sohn (“The Good Dinosaur,” “Partly Cloudy” short), and produced by Denise Ream (“The Good Dinosaur,” “Cars 2”), Elemental features a screenplay by John Hoberg, Kat Likkel and Brenda Hsueh, and stars the voices of Leah Lewis and Mamoudou Athie as Ember and Wade.
Loki: The Complete First Season 4K UHD
Studio Synopsis:Marvel Studios’ Loki features the God of Mischief as he steps out of his brother’s shadow. Set after the events of "Avengers: Endgame," this action-packed, time-defying thriller stars Tom Hiddleston as the title characters with Owen Wilson as agent Mobius.
Ruby Gillman: Teenage Kraken
Studio Synopsis:Dive into the turbulent waters of high school with this heartwarming action comedy about a shy teenager who discovers that she’s part of a legendary royal lineage of mythical sea krakens and that her destiny, in the depths of the oceans, is bigger than she ever dreamed. Learning to be an all-powerful sea creature while hiding among humans is hard enough for Ruby, but to make matters worse, her super popular new bestie, Chelsea, is secretly a mermaid! Mermaids have been battling the krakens for eons to rule the ocean, but Chelsea has come to land to finally put an end to that conflict. However, when Chelsea double-crosses her, Ruby will ultimately need to embrace who she is and GO BIG to protect those she loves most.
Insidious: The Red Door
Studio Synopsis: The original cast from the horror franchise is back for the final chapter of the Lambert family’s terrifying saga, with Patrick Wilson (also making his directorial debut), Ty Simpkins, Rose Byrne and Andrew Astor. To put their demons to rest once and for all, Josh and a college-aged Dalton must go deeper into 'The Further' than ever before, facing their family’s dark past and a host of new and more horrifying terrors that lurk behind the door.
Interview with the Vampire: Season 1
Studio Synopsis:In the year 2022, the vampire Louis de Pointe du Lac lives in Dubai and seeks to tell the story of his life or afterlife to renowned journalist Daniel Molloy. Beginning in early 20th-century New Orleans, Louis' story follows his relationship with the vampire Lestat du Lioncourt and their formed family, including teen fledgling Claudia. Together, the vampire family endures immortality in New Orleans and beyond. As the interview continues in Dubai, Molloy discovers the truths beneath Louis' story.
Mayfair Witches: Season 1
Studio Synopsis:Based on Anne Rice’s Lives of the Mayfair Witches, Mayfair Witches is an exploration of female power and the mortal implications of our decisions. Mayfair Witches focuses on an intuitive young neurosurgeon (Alexandra Daddario) who discovers that she is the unlikely heir to a family of witches. As she grapples with her newfound powers, she must contend with a sinister presence that has haunted her family for generations.
Halloween H20 4K UHD Steelbook
Studio Synopsis: Oscar winner Jamie Lee Curtis returned as Laurie Strode in 1998 for a terrifying reunion with Michael Myers, 20 years after the original "Halloween." Now the dean of a Northern California private school with an assumed name, Laurie must face the horrifying events of her past as the life of her own son hangs in the balance.
Tenebrae 4K UHD
Studio Synopsis:As mystery writer Peter Neal (Anthony Franciosa) is promoting his newest novel "Tenebrae," a serial killer begins to murder their victims in the very manner Neal describes in his book. As those around him are being picked off one by one and the police look at Neal as the sole suspect, the author must investigate and find the murderer himself before he’s either killed or framed for the murders. Featuring performances by Franciosa, John Saxon, Daria Nicolodi, and John Steiner makes "Tenebrae" an all-star murder mystery not to be missed, with Argento at his very best.
I Still Know What You Did Last Summer
Studio Synopsis: Jennifer Love Hewitt, Freddie Prinze, Jr., Brandy, and Mekhi Phifer star in the screamer sequel to the blood-chilling box office hit, "I Know What You Did Last Summer." Remember Ben Willis? He's the fisherman who killed the boy who was driving the car when it went off the road in the fatal accident that killed his daughter Sara ... he's the man in the slicker with a hook in his hand ready to exact bloody justice ... well, he's back. It's hard to forget a man who refuses to die.
Moonage Daydream
Studio Synopsis:Brett Morgen explodes the conventions of the music documentary in this ecstatic voyage through the creative and spiritual universe of rock iconoclast David Bowie, featuring never-before-seen footage and soulful narration by Bowie himself.
Jack Ryan: Season Three
Studio Synopsis: Based on Tom Clancy's novels. In Season 3, Jack (John Krasinski) is tipped off that the Sokol Project, a secret plan to restore the Soviet Empire, is being resurrected more than 50 years after it was thought to have been shut down. Jack embarks on a mission to confirm the intelligence, but things quickly go awry.
School of Rock Steelbook
Studio Synopsis:The uproariously funny film stars Jack Black as Dewey Finn, a hell-raising guitarist with delusions of grandeur. Kicked out of his band and desperate for work, Dewey impersonates a substitute teacher and turns a class of fifth grade high-achievers into high-voltage rock and rollers. The film boasts a sensational ensemble cast, including Joan Cusack, Sarah Silverman, Amy Sedaris, Mike White, and a host of talented young actors, including Miranda Cosgrove, who made her feature debut in the film.
La Bamba
Studio Synopsis:The brief but incandescent life of rock-and-roll trailblazer Ritchie Valens, the 1950s California teenager who rose from his farm-working roots to chart-topping fame, is immortalized in this enthralling biopic from Luis Valdez, the father of Chicano cinema.
The Girl from Rio 4K UHD
Studio Synopsis:The only thing super-villain vixen Sumuru (Shirley Eaton, "Goldfinger") lusts for above all else is the power to control men. Her plan to dominate the male species – and the world – with an army of superhuman women is foolproof. Or so one thinks. Sumuru didn’t count on Jeff Sutton (Richard Wyler, "The Bounty Killer") and the $10 million he stole from crime boss Sir Masius (Academy Award winner George Sanders, "All About Eve") as being the perfect recipe for disaster. In the tradition of "Danger Diabolik," "Our Man Flint," "The Wrecking Crew" and other Swinging 60’s Mod classics, "The Girl From Rio," is everything you’d expect from notorious director Jess Franco – the sex, the adventure, the fun!
Suburra
Studio Synopsis:Based on real-life events of the Mafia Capitale that occurred in 2011, "Suburra" A follows the attempts to turn a small-town – owned by the Capitale – into the Las Vegas of Italy. Corruption, triple-crossing, blackmailing, and murder all follow as politician Filippo Malgradi’s (Pierfrancesco Favino) plans to help a Mafia boss known as Samurai (Claudio Amendola) turn upside-down when Malgradi is involved with the death of a sex worker. An all-out war happens as Malgradi and others fight for their slice of power and money.