Filmmaker Bill Condon (“Dreamgirls”) scores an unexpected triumph with “Beauty And The Beast” (2017, Disney, PG, $30), the superb live-action revamping of the beloved 1991 animated hit.
A terrific Emma Watson is the lynchpin of this lavish musical romance which follows the adventures of a young woman who manages to see past the outward appearance of a cursed Prince (Dan Stevens) to discover the generous soul lurking beneath.
Just about everything works from the new songs by Alan Menken to the fresh interpretations of familiar characters by Ian McKellen, Emma Thompson and Luke Evans to the first-ever appearance of a gay character (Josh Gad) in a Disney movie. This “tale as old as time” sparkles anew. Extras: featurettes, deleted songs and music video.
Also New To DVDThe Ticket (2016, Shout Factory, unrated, $20): “Downton Abbey’s” Dan Stevens proves his considerable range in this cautionary tale about a blind man who regains his sight. Rather than doing good things with his life, Stevens turns into a heel who leaves his loving wife (Malin Akerman) for a work crush (Kerry Bishe) and comes up with a business venture to scam poor folks out of their homes. Even when “The Ticket” tries too hard, it remains filled with big themes and deep thoughts. And Stevens, to his credit, keeps you rooting for a character even after he’s plunged himself into a moral darkness. Extras: commentary by director Ido Fluk.
The Sense of An Ending (2017, Lionsgate, PG-13, $20): The quiet existence of shop owner Tony Webster (Jim Broadbent) is upended when he’s forced to confront secrets from his past involving his first love (Charlotte Rampling). Based on Julian Barnes’ acclaimed novel, the movie is a wonderful showcase for Broadbent who manages to infuse everyday dread and humor into his portrait of a man lamenting his unlived life. Michelle Dockery doesn’t have much to do as Broadbent’s daughter but Rampling beautifully illuminates the small role of a woman who isn’t quite who she appears to be. Extras: featurettes.
Land Of Mine (2016, Sony, R, $28): An Oscar nominee for Best Foreign Language Film, this stunner from Denmark is set in the aftermath of World War II as German POWs are dispatched to the Danish coast to clear land mines set by Nazis. Initially, the ranking Danish officer (Roland Moller) has nothing but hatred for the Germans but he eventually comes to see the young men as human beings. You’d have to be made of stone not to be moved by the plight of the defeated soldiers, many of whom are malnourished and filled with false hopes. Without a jot of sentimentality, director Martin Zandvliet stresses how vital even the simplest act of kindness can be. Extras: featurette.
Martin Scorsese’s World Cinema Project No. 2 (1966-2000, Criterion, unrated, $125): Who better than Scorsese to curate a boxed set which rescues six movies from obscurity? The features include everything from a cutting-edge documentary from Thailand (“Mysterious Object at Noon”) to a relationship drama from Taiwan (“Taipei Story”). The highlight of the set is “Insiang,” an unforgettable melodrama about a slum-dwelling teenager (Hilda Koronel) who is sexually assaulted by her mother’s boyfriend. Betrayed by those around her, Insiang plots her revenge. The first Filipino picture to be shown at Cannes, “Insiang” is about the ways that crushing poverty twists the souls of those who endure it. Extras: featuretttes and intros by Scorsese.
The Sheik (1921, Kino, unrated, $30): If you’re curious about the appeal of Rudolph Valentino, Hollywood’s first male sex symbol, check out this newly-restored silent film which captures the actor at the height of his powers. Set in the deserts of Arabia, the action revolves around an English woman named Lady Diana (Agnes Ayres) who is kidnapped by a dashing Sheik (Valentino) and taken away to his gaudy lair. Initially, Valentino’s appeal is hard to figure out but he grows on you, just as the Sheik begins to win over Lady Diana. Extras: featurettes and commentary track.
The Stone Killer (1973, Twilight Time, R, $30): A year before director Michael Winner and Charles Bronson teamed up for “Death Wish,” they shot this inner-city actioner about a tough cop who must unravel a complicated plot involving a mafia don (Martin Balsam) looking to avenge the long ago deaths of his fellow Sicilians. The twist is that Balsam enlists Vietnam vets to do the killings. The script does little to humanize Bronson’s character; he doesn’t even have a love interest. But the action scenes, particularly a chase through a street fair and a shoot-out in a desert hideaway, possess real panache. Extras: commentary.
Blackmail (1939, Warner Archive, unrated, $20): Running only 80 minutes, this taut potboiler is about a good man’s attempts to outrun his shady past. Edward G. Robinson stars as a fugitive-turned-family man who puts out oil-field fires for a living. After heroically tamping down a blaze, Robinson is spotted by an blackmailer (Gene Lockhart) who threatens to send Robinson back to the chain gang if he doesn’t pay up. The film’s surprise twists and turns will keep your watching even if its happy ending feels a bit rushed and contrived. Extras: none.
Joan of Arcadia: The Complete Series (2003-2005, Paramount, unrated, $36) All twelve episodes of this unusual series are included in a 12-disc boxed set that’s bursting with special features. Amber Tamblyn stars as the title character, a teenager who reluctantly moves with her folks (Mary Steenburgen, Joe Mantegna) and siblings to the small town of Arcadia. Soon after her arrival, Joan finds herself talking to God in the form of random strangers who give her assignments to help people around her. Can she make it through adolescence and find meaning in her encounters with the Supreme Being? Extras: commentaries and featurettes.
Strawberry Shortcake, Dance Berry Dance (2017, Fox, unrated, $15): Chances are your kids will want to dance along with these four episodes from the series about Strawberry Shortcake and her music-loving pals. From the invention of “groove booties” to surviving a puppy-video-gone-viral, the gals band together to find the right rhythm. Join in all the twirly-whirly excitement as Strawberry and company show viewers how to have to a dance-tastic good time. Extras: none.
