What's New on TV, Netflix, Digital, and DVD/Blu-ray This Week: July 24-30
At a loss for what to watch this week? From new TV, we've got you covered.
New on DVD and Blu-ray
"Gifted"
When he's not fighting bad guys as Captain America, Chris Evans likes to do smaller films like this one. In "Gifted," Evans plays Frank, a single man dedicated to raising his child prodigy niece Mary (Mckenna Grace). Their happy, simple life is threatened when Mary's grandmother (Lindsay Duncan) makes other plans for Mary's gifts. Jenny Slate and Octavia Spencer co-star in the film, which is out on Blu-ray and DVD Tuesday, July 25. Special features include several deleted scenes; and behind-the-scenes featurettes on the story, cast, math, director's method, and filming location.
Check out this exclusive deleted scene called "Do You Blame Yourself?" with Mary talking to Pat Golding (Julie Ann Emery) about her late mother:"Ghost in the Shell"
In this sci-fi thriller -- out July 25 on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, DVD, and On Demand -- Scarlett Johansson's Major is a human mind inside an artificial body, fighting to unravel the mystery of her true self and get revenge against the corporation she was built to serve. Blu-ray bonus content includes the featurettes "Hard-Wired Humanity: Making Ghost in the Shell," "Section 9: Cyber Defenders," and "Man & Machine: The Ghost Philosophy." Head here for a video going inside WETA Workshop to learn how they did the prosthetics, props, and costumes.
"The Final Master"
This martial arts action drama, out on DVD and Blu-ray July 25, is set in 1930s China as Chen, the last Wing Chun master, arrives in Tianjin to expand his kung fu. His ambition gets him entangled in a power struggle between Tianjin's martial arts Grandmaster, a dominant underworld Madam, and the town's military leaders. Extras include featurettes on the director, Haofeng Xu, and the weapons. Check out the trailer:"The Boss Baby"
Alec Baldwin voices the new Boss Baby brother of 7-year-old Tim Templeton in this animated comedy from the director of the "Madagascar" franchise. Steve Buscemi, Jimmy Kimmel, Lisa Kudrow, Miles Bakshi, and Tobey Maguire also led their voices to the movie, which is out on DVD and Blu-ray July 25. The "Boss Baby Special Edition" is packed with bonus features, including an new "Mini Adventure" featuring Baby Boss and Tim. There are also featurettes, deleted scenes, and more.
"Black Butterfly"
Antonio Banderas, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, and Piper Perabo star in this dark adaptation of a French thriller, out on Blu-ray and DVD July 25. As a serial killer's latest slaying shakes up a remote Colorado town, desperate writer Paul (Banderas) offers drifter Jack (Meyers) shelter at his isolated cabin. Does Jack's violent behavior make him a suspect in the murders menacing the area? It might not be that simple. Special features include commentary with director Brian Goodman and co-writer Marc Frydman, and the featurette "Black Butterfly: Backstage."
New Video on Demand, Rental Streaming, and Digital
"King Arthur: Legend of the Sword"
Camelot awaits! Guy Ritchie takes on the classic Excalibur myth, following King Arthur's (Charlie Hunnam) journey from the streets to the throne, in this action film available for digital streaming and download on July 25, and on Blu-ray/DVD August 8. When the child Arthur's father is murdered, Arthur's uncle Vortigern (Jude Law), seizes the crown. With no idea who he truly is, Arthur comes of age in the back alleys of the city. But once he pulls the sword from the stone, his life is turned upside down and he is forced to acknowledge his true legacy. There are several behind-the-scenes bonus features on the cast, story, stunts, legends, and filming in scenic Scotland.
"Snatched"
Goldie Hawn and Amy Schumer do seem like they could be mother and daughter, and they would get into shenanigans on an exotic vacation together. Watch their characters's disastrous adventure when the comedy arrives on Digital HD July 25 and on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, and DVD August 8. The home release will come with deleted, extended, and alternate scenes, director commentary from Jonathan Levine, and a gag reel.
"The Last Tycoon" (Amazon Original)
A lot of folks picked up new Amazon Prime memberships in the last month, and you can keep putting them to good use by trying out some new original series and movies. This Amazon original drama series, ready for streaming or download July 28, is based on the F. Scott Fitzgerald novel. Follow Hollywood's first wunderkind studio executive in the 1930s, Monroe Stahr, and his power struggle with his mentor and current head of the studio, Pat Brady.
"Who the F**k Is That Guy?"
This documentary, in theaters and available on VOD and iTunes July 25, explores the life of Michael Alago, a gay Puerto Rican kid from Brooklyn who went on to shape and reinvent the world's musical landscape -- first as a 19-year-old talent booker at the legendary Ritz nightclub in New York City and then as a 24-year-old A&R exec who signed Metallica and White Zombie, and worked with other notable artists including Nina Simone, John Lydon, and Cyndi Lauper. The doc features Michael Alago, Cyndi Lauper, John Lydon, James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich, Eric Bogosian, Dito Montiel, Rob Zombie, and Jerry Brandt.
"The Incredible Jessica James" (Netflix Original)
Netflix will be dropping a heap of new titles on August 1, but July still has some titles to check out. In this original film, ready for streaming Friday, July 28, Jessica Williams ("The Daily Show") stars as an aspiring playwright in New York City struggling to get over a recent breakup. She's pressured to go on a date with the recently divorced Boone (Chris O'Dowd) and the unlikely duo discover how to make it through the tough times in a social media obsessed post-relationship world.
"The Adventures of Puss in Boots" Season 5 (Netflix Original)
Puss in Boots from DreamWorks Animation's "Shrek" is back for its fifth season (!) this Friday, July 28. So grab a saucer of milk, and get ready to lap up every episode with your kids.
"Daughters of Destiny" Season 1 (Netflix Original)Netflix is on a roll with its fascinating, informative documentaries, and "Daughters of Destiny" continues that legacy. Here's the streaming site's synopsis for the doc, which is available July 28: "Since 1997, the Shanti Bhavan school has provided free education for some of India's most impoverished and underrepresented children – the "poorest of the poor." In "Daughters of Destiny: The Journey of Shanti Bhavan," director Vanessa Roth tells viewers the unforgettable story of a school that has changed countless lives for the better. With any luck, it might even inspire others to do the same."
TV Worth Watching
"Room 104" (Friday on HBO at 11:30 p.m.)
Get your key from the front desk and check into the Duplass Brothers' new half-hour anthology series, which starts its 12-episode season July 28. As the title suggests, the show is set in a single room in an average American hotel, telling a different story each week about the various people who pass through. Here's the synopsis for the first episode, titled "Ralphie": "Things go horribly awry when a babysitter (Melonie Diaz) arrives at Room 104 to watch an unusual boy named Ralph (Ethan Kent)."
"Midnight, Texas" Season 1 (Monday on NBC at 10 p.m.)
In this new series based on the books by "True Blood" author Charlaine Harris, a powerful psychic on the run decides to hide out in the small, sleepy own of Midnight, Texas, and discovers the community is a mysterious safe haven for outsiders -- supernatural and human.
"Teen Wolf" Season 6B (Sunday on MTV at 8 p.m.)
"Teen Wolf" moves to a new night for the second half of its final season. The 10 episodes ahead start with Episode 11, "Said the Spider to the Fly": "As Scott readies Beacon Hills for his imminent departure, a mysterious presence breaks out of Eichen House."
"Somewhere Between" Season 1 (Monday on ABC at 10:01 p.m.)
This new suspense thriller, a remake of a Korean TV series, follows San Francisco news producer Laura Price (Paula Patton), who somehow knows that her daughter will be murdered by the serial killer on the loose, and she travels back in time "Groundhog Day"-style to try and prevent it from happening. The series premieres with "For One to Live" on July 24.
"Diana, Our Mother: Her Life and Legacy" (Monday on HBO at 10 p.m.)
The life and work of Diana, Princess of Wales, is celebrated in the 20th year since her tragic death in this documentary featuring candid interviews with her sons William and Harry, aka HRH The Duke of Cambridge and HRH Prince Harry.
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