What's New on TV, Netflix, Digital, and DVD/Blu-ray This Week: June 27-July 3
At a loss for what to watch this week? From new TV, we've got you covered.
New on DVD and Blu-ray
"Kung Fu Panda 3"
Join the ultimate band of kung fu pandas for the June 28 DVD/Blu-ray release of this blockbuster family film. An all-star vocal cast -- Jack Black, Bryan Cranston, Dustin Hoffman, Angelina Jolie, J.K. Simmons, Jackie Chan, Seth Rogen, Lucy Liu, David Cross, and Kate Hudson -- combine for the third film in the franchise, following Po, his long-lost father, a bunch of adorable new panda friends, and a supernatural villain. The "Awesome Edition" bonus features include two all-new shorts, the sing-along "Everybody Loves a Panda Party," "Po's Posters of Awesomeness," "Panda Paws," "Make a Panda Party Paper Pal," "Play Like a Panda," "The Origin of 'Skadoosh,'" and "Faux Paws Deleted Scenes."
"Eye in the Sky"
Colonel Katherine Powell (Helen Mirren) runs a top secret drone operation to capture terrorists in Kenya; when she discovers the targets are planning a suicide bombing, the mission escalates from "capture" to "kill." But when pilot Steve Watts (Aaron Paul) is about to engage, a 9-year-old girl enters the kill zone, launching an ethical debate over "collateral damage" and the implications of modern warfare. The film is out on Blu-ray, DVD, and On Demand June 28, featuring two in-depth featurettes. FYI, this was the great Alan Rickman's final on-screen performance, so consider watching it in his honor.
Here's the trailer:
"Whiskey Tango Foxtrot"
Tina Fey heads an all-star cast (Margot Robbie, Martin Freeman, Billy Bob Thornton, Alfred Molina) in this satirical war film based on real-life reporter Kim Barker's memoir about covering conflict in the Middle East. The movie comes out on Blu-ray, DVD, and On Demand June 28, with more than 45 minutes of bonus features, including a making-of featurette, details on the real Kim Barker, and more.
New Video on Demand, Rental Streaming, and Digital
"Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice"
Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill, and Gal Gadot are available for download this week: Zack Snyder's superhero faceoff arrives on Digital HD June 28, ahead of the Blu-ray and DVD releases July 19. Both the theatrical cut and the Ultimate Edition -- with 30 minutes of new footage in an extended R-rated cut -- will be available in this week's digital release.
Here's the new trailer for the Ultimate Edition:
"Confirmation"
Head back to the early '90s with Kerry Washington and Wendell Pierce as they revive the contentious Supreme Court nomination hearings pitting Anita Hill v Judge Clarence Thomas. Watch the powerful drama -- exploring sexual harassment, victims's rights, and race relations -- when it arrives on Digital HD on Monday, June 27; the release includes discussions with Washington and Pierce on the historical impact of the hearings, plus a "Character Spot" with cast members discussing their characters.
"Suffragette" (HBO Now)
HBO Now has a bunch of theatrical premieres coming in July, including "Jem and the Holograms" and "Vice" on July 1, "Suffragette" (with Carey Mulligan and Meryl Streep) on July 2, and "Blackhat" (with Chris Hemsworth) on July 3. There's also a long list of titles being added to the streaming service on July 1, so check out the full roundup.
This week marks the start of a new month, and you know what that means -- a ton of new titles are being added to Netflix as of July 1, and plenty of titles are going out the door. Some of the new additions include all three "Back to the Future" movies and the four "Lethal Weapon" movies. There are also some cool original series arriving this week...
"Marcella" Season 1 (Netflix Original)
Anna Friel stars in this British crime series that started airing in the U.K. in April and arrives on Netflix July 1. Friel's former detective Marcella Backland is devastated when her husband leaves her and their two children. She ends up returning to the murder squad after 12 years away, but the serial killer she once investigated may be back, too. The series co-stars a who's who of British TV, including "Downton Abbey" alum Laura Carmichael and "Game of Thrones" alum Harry Lloyd.
"Marco Polo" Season 2 (Netflix Original)
Power has a price. The 10 episodes of "Marco Polo" Season 2 arrive on Netflix July 1. Check out the trailer below to see the escalating battle for the Mongol empire.
"A Very Secret Service" Season 1 (Netflix Original)
You don't have to wait for July to start streaming a new series. Here's the synopsis for this French series, available June 30: "At the height of the Cold War in 1960, André Merlaux joins the French Secret Service and contends with enemies both foreign and bureaucratic."
TV Worth Watching
"The Great British Baking Show" (Friday on PBS at 9 p.m.)
The most magically delicious competition show -- always sweet, never bitter -- returns July 1! This season already aired last year in the U.K. (as Series 6), but it's just Season 3 to the PBS audience. In Friday's premiere, 12 amateur bakers attempt to make Madeira cake, frosted walnut cake, and black forest gateau. Also, we're guessing, judges Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood will offer some frosty glares of disapproval, and hosts Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins will present some quality "walnut" innuendo.
"Zoo" (Tuesday on CBS at 9 p.m.)
Here's what you can expect from the special two-hour premiere of "Zoo" Season 2, which includes episodes titled "The Day of the Beast" and "Caraquet": Following the dramatic shift in violent animal behavior, the team attempts to rescue Jamie and the leopard whose DNA may hold the key to curing the animal crisis. Also, the team discovers a shocking mutation that threatens the life of one of their own."
"Frontline: Policing the Police" (Tuesday on PBS at 10 p.m.)
This new documentary takes viewers inside the police department in Newark, N.J., which Frontline describes as "a poor city plagued by violent crime, where the victims and perpetrators are usually black, and the police force itself is largely black and Latino." The special examines the challenges of trying to change how officers operate in this community after decades of mutual mistrust. You can check out the intriguing doc on PBS June 28 or online at pbs.org/frontline/film/policing-the-police.
Want more stuff like this? Like us on Facebook.