Clad in leather and toting all kinds of heavy artillery, Alice (Milla Jovovich) and Claire (Ali Larter ) are such a lethal pair of zombie-killers that you can’t help but wish that “Resident Evil: The Final Chapter” (2017, Sony, R, $30) was a movie worthy of all that bad-assery.
Bringing Alice back to Raccoon City so she can track down a cure for the T-virus and obliterate the bad guy (Iain Glen) is nifty plotting but the movie is so manic, it’s hard to enjoy.
The action scenes, in particular, are over-edited to the point of incoherence. Still, the few scenes that aren’t filled with jittery cuts are kinda-sorta fun as the gals risk their lives to save the world. Extras: featurettes.
Also New To DVDBetween Us (2016, IFC, unrated, $25): Together for six years, Dianne (Olivia Thirlby) and Henry (Ben Feldman) don’t realize they’re drifting apart until their family members begin urging them to move to a nicer apartment in an upscale part of town. Largely set over the course of one long boozy night, “Between Us” finds the couple testing the boundaries of their relationship as he pursues a musician (Analeigh Tipton) and she hooks up with a performance artist (Adam Goldberg). “Between Us” is a real gem thanks to the pitch-perfect performances and filmmaker Rafael Illingworth’s clear-eyed empathy for all of his characters. Extras: none.
Lovesong (2016, Strand, unrated, $28): Timing is everything in a love affair. That’s one of the lessons of this delicate drama about college besties Mindy (Jena Malone) and Sarah (Riley Keough) who are aching to be more to than just friends. Director So Yong Kim creates a lovely sense of intimacy as the women struggle to communicate their complicated feelings. And the performances couldn’t be better, with Keough, in particular, bringing a beleaguered grace to the role of a housewife attempting to keep the love of her life from slipping away. Extras: none.
Bwoy (2016, Breaking Glass, unrated, $22): Desperate for a human connection, a closeted credit counselor (Anthony Rapp) begins an online affair with an impoverished Jamaican man (Jimmy Brooks). It’s a real tribute to the skills of director John G. Young that despite the fact that much of the action takes place via Skype calls, “Bwoy” never feels static or claustrophobic. In fact, the lo-fi drama winds up being a surprisingly effective look at the ways that loneliness can spiral into despair and lust can lead to obsession. Extras: featurette.
Marjorie Morningstar (1958, Kino, unrated, $20): Newly mastered in high-definition from a 4K scan, this lovely adaptation of Herman Wouk’s novel remains one of the most under-appreciated movies of the 1950s. Natalie Wood stars as a teenager swept off her feet by an older songwriter (Gene Kelly) during a season of summer stock. For the next few years, as he struggles to prove himself on Broadway and she defies her parents to support him, their on-again, off-again relationship both nourishes and depletes them. Remarkably modern about sexual politics, the film is something of a love letter to the tangled ties of first love. “Marjorie” captures the joy of romance without ever forgetting the pain. Extras: none.
Two For The Road (1964, Twilight Time, unrated, $30): Stanley Donen’s dramedy might examine a marriage under siege but thanks to the charming turns by Albert Finney and Audrey Hepburn as well as the sparkling Henry Mancini score, the end result is a picture of undeniable charm. Bickering couple Hepburn and Finney take a vacation to try and work things out. In the process, they flashback to other trips, including the one in which they met and fell in love. The new-to-Blu-ray “Two For The Road” covers familiar ground yet it bristles with charged emotion. You can’t take your eyes off of it. Extras: commentary tracks.
Streets Of Fire – Collector’s Edition (1984, Shout Factory, $30): Set in a world that feels both futuristic and 1950s-ish, this neon noir pivots on the kidnapping of a rock star (Diane Lane). To the rescue come her conflicted former flame (Michael Pare), her current boyfriend (Rick Moranis) and a tough-as-nails mercenary (Amy Madigan.) Director Walter Hill keeps it moving along with plenty of explosive set pieces as well as Ry Cooder’s pulsating score. But, thanks to the curiously one-note characters as well as some stiff performances, it’s tough to warm up to this rock ‘n’ roll fable. Extras: featurettes and music videos.
Ride The High Country (1962, Warner Archive, unrated, $20): Directed by Sam Peckinpah, this wonderful western unreels the saga of two old-timers (Joel McCrea, Randolph Scott) nearing the end of their lives. The pals have been hired to guard a gold shipment. While McCrea wants to do his job, Scott longs to steal the treasure for himself. Along the way, the pair help rescue a mistreated bride (Mariette Hartley) and engage in a handful of shoot-outs. As much about aging and the loss of Old West ideals as it is a redemption story, “Ride The High Country” is a journey into magnificence. Extras: commentaries and featurette.
Inside Amy Schumer – Season Four (2016, Paramount, unrated, $23): With the possible exception of the women from “Broad City,” no one unearths more humor in issues of sexuality and gender than Schumer whose Comedy Central series keeps getting better and better. Granted, not every skit works. But most of the bits are hilarious, particularly a “Housewives,” a short but sweet “Game of Thrones” take-off and parody and a “Katfish” riff in which Amy doubts she’s really online-dating Jake Gyllenhaal. Extras: outtakes and featurettes.
Witness For The Prosecution (2016, Acorn, unrated, $35): Long before M. Night Shyamalan perfected the art of the twist ending, Agatha Christie was dishing out beautifully crafted mysteries which frequently pulled the rug out from under viewers. Such is the case with this mystery starring Toby Jones as a defense attorney who agrees to represent a former solider (Billy Howle) accused of murdering a wealthy heiress (Kim Cattrall.) Andrea Riseborough digs into the role of Howle’s actress-girlfriend with such relish that she almost makes you forget how good Marlene Dietrich was in the classic Billy Wilder adaptation. Extras: featurette.
