New to View: Sept. 10

By Bob Bloom The following titles are being released on Tuesday, Sept. 10, unless otherwise noted: Aladdin (Blu-ray + DVD + digital) Details: 2019, Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment Rated: PG, action and danger The lowdown: This live-action remake of the Disney animated classic tries hard but cannot quite reach the magical heights of its animated predecessor. The main problem is that the frenetic and maniacal vocal performance of Robin Williams’ Genie from the original casts a huge shadow over this version. And while Will Smith brings his own energy to the role, it still pales in comparison with Williams. And some of the tinkering done in director Guy Ritchie’s remake also fails to ring true — especially the new, politically correct version of Princess Jasmine, who is shown as a champion of the downtrodden and an independent-spirited young woman. Overall, this remake is entertaining, but cannot recapture the charming spirit of its predecessor. Critics thought so as well, giving the movie a 57 percent fresh rating at Rottentomatoes.com. Technical aspects: Blu-ray: 1080p high definition, 2.39:1 widescreen picture; English 7.1 DTS-HD Master Audio and 2.0 descriptive audio and French and Spanish 5.1 Dolby digital; English SDH, Spanish and French subtitles; DVD: 2.39:1 widescreen picture; English, French and Spanish 5.1 Dolby digital and English 2.0 descriptive audio; English SDH, French and Spanish subtitles. Don’t miss: Bonus materials include a blooper reel, deleted scenes, a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the movie, a featurette on star Mena Massoud as we follow his journey as Aladdin, featurettes on Smith and Ritchie and three music videos.

Aladdin: The Walt Disney Signature Collection (Blu-ray + DVD + digital) Details: 1992, Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment Rated: G The lowdown: This reissue of Disney’s animated feature — released at the same time as the new live-action version — just highlights how much better this feature is in comparison to its remake. The movie’s continued popularity and strength rests on the foundation of Robin Williams’ ad-libs and dazzling vocal gymnastics as the Genie. Almost as good is Gilbert Gottfried as the evil Jafar’s pet parrot, Iago. The animation also captures the colorful and exotic palaces and landscapes that brings this Arabian fairy tale to life. The movie, which garnered a 94 percent fresh rating at Rottentomatoes.com, is a timeless and entertaining extravaganza. Technical aspects: Blu-ray: 1080p high definition, 1.66:1 widescreen picture; English 7.1 DTS-HD Master Audio and 2.0 descriptive audio and French and Spanish 5.1 Dolby digital; English SDH, French and Spanish subtitles; DVD: 1.66:1 widescreen picture; English, French and Spanish 5.1 Dolby digital and English 2.0 descriptive audio; English SDH, French and Spanish subtitles. Don’t miss: Among the extras is a sing-along mode option to watch the film, an alternate ending, a featurette on Scott Weinger as the voice of Aladdin, a look at the cast in the recording booth and classic bonus offerings from earlier releases, including Williams’ Genie outtakes.

Booksmart (Blu-ray + digital) Release date: Sept. 3 Details: 2019, Fox Home Entertainment Rated: R, sexual content, language, drug use, drinking The lowdown: This fresh and original teen comedy centers on best friends and academic superstars Amy (Kaitlyn Dever) and Molly (Beanie Feldstein), who realize that spending all their time in studies caused them to miss out on all the fun associated with high school. On the eve of graduation, they decide to make up for lost time with a wild, adventurous night. This is a coming-of-age story that is a notch above the usual fare offered in such movies. The movie, directed by Olivia Wilde, touches on such themes as friendship, sexuality and expectations. Wilde’s directorial debut was highly praised by critics, who gave the movie an impressive 97 percent fresh rating at Rottentomatoes.com. Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 2.39:1 widescreen picture; English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio and 5.1 descriptive audio; English SDH and Spanish subtitles. Don’t miss: Bonus options include a featurette on the making of the movie, a behind-the-scenes look at the film’s dance fantasy, a look at the production design and costuming, deleted scenes and a commentary track with Wilde.

Hesburgh Details: 2019, Music Box Films Rated: Not rated The lowdown: Fr. Theodore Hesburgh was a man of the cloth who wore many hats. Hesburgh is best known as the president of the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, IN, a position he held for 35 years. But he was so much more: A theologian, educator, facilitator, confidant, mediator, rebel, reformer and activist. Over the years, Hesburgh interacted with presidents, popes, captains of industry and his beloved Notre Dame students. Patrick Creadon’s 104-minute documentary looks at the life of this remarkable man who, at the age of 6, heard the calling for the priesthood. One of the major strengths of “Hesburgh,” which was written by William Neal, Nick Andert and Jerry Barca, is depicting the clergyman’s ability to connect with people. As the movie explains, it was hard for a man who had taken a vow of poverty to learn how to ask people for money — but Hesburgh was so adept at socializing and making people feel at ease — that he exceeded expectations. Along the way, he acquired such powerful friends as President Dwight D. Eisenhower, Martin Luther King Jr., David Rockefeller and President Bill Clinton. Hesburgh also was involved in social activism, including civil rights and the anti-war movement. He was an inspirational figure who reached across many religions and cultures to help better humanity. The documentary was enjoyed by critics, who gave it an 81 percent fresh rating at Rottentomatoes.com. Technical aspects: 1.85:1 widescreen picture, English 5.1 Dolby digital; English SDH subtitles. Don’t miss: Extras include extended and bonus interviews and speeches at Notre Dame by President Eisenhower and Martin Luther King Jr.

The Alienist Details: 2018, TNT-Warner Home Entertainment Rated: TV-MA, language, sex, violence The lowdown: This TNT miniseries is a psychological thriller based on the novel by Caleb Carr. Daniel Bruhl portrays Dr. Laszlo Kreitzler, an “alienist,” a new and controversial field for treating mental illness. His talents are needed in New York City during its “Gilded Age” because of a series of ritualistic mutilation killings of young boys, most of whom are prostitutes. Kreitzler is aided by newspaper reporter-illustrator John Moore (Luke Evans) and police secretary Sarah Howard (Dakota Fanning), who hopes to become the city’s first female police detective. The three-disc set features all 10 episodes of the historical saga, set in late 19th-century New York. The movie also looks at how class distinction and prejudice and a desire to protect those in privilege hinder the investigation into the murders. Technical aspects: 1.78:1 widescreen picture; English 5.1 Dolby digital; English SDH subtitles. Don’t miss: Supplemental materials include featurettes that look at the filming in Budapest, the making of the series and behind-the-scenes of each episode.

Hawaii Five-0: The Ninth Season Details: 2018-19, CBS DVD-Paramount Home Entertainment Rated: Not rated The lowdown: This six-disc set, featuring all 24 ninth-season episodes of this action-packed series, finds Detective Steve McGarrett (Alex O’Loughlin), Detective Danny “Danno” Williams (Scott Caan) and the rest of the Five-0 team fighting crime on the islands. The season sees McGarrett returning to Oahu after Hawaii’s former governor persuades him to lead a new crime-fighting team. McGarrett accepts, but on his own terms — no rules, no red tape and the no-questions-asked authority to track criminals in his own way. Among the cases facing the team is a cold case, seeking a cybercriminal, finding a mole in the CIA, stopping the killing spree of a serial SEAL assassin or closing a meth lab secreted in a B&B. The episodes also feature some family issues involving “Danno” and the team’s superior, Capt. Lou Grover (Chi McBride). Guest stars include Joan Collins, Gladys Knight and Oscar-winner Louis Gossett Jr. Technical aspects: 16:9 full-screen picture; English 5.1 Dolby digital; English SDH subtitles. Don’t miss: Extras include a celebration of the show’s 200th episode, an overview of the season, a behind-the-scenes look at the creation of the Thanksgiving episode, a gag reel and deleted and extended scenes.

SEAL Team: Season Two Details: 2018-19, CBS DVD-Paramount Home Entertainment Rated: Not rated The lowdown: Master Chief Jason Hayes (David Boreanaz) and the rest of Bravo Team return for their second season of protecting the United States by accepting dangerous missions anywhere they are asked to go. This five-disc set features all 22 episodes that not only look at the missions of the Bravo Team members, but their impact on the SEALs personal lives and those of their families. The SEALs venture to Saudi Arabia and Mexico to battle drug cartels and extremists targeting the nation. The series highlights the patriotic dedication of the SEAL team. Technical aspects: 16:9 full-screen picture; English 5.1 Dolby digital; English SDH subtitles. Don’t miss: Bonus materials include a look at how season two was a turning point for the series, a behind-the-scenes look at filming in Puerto Rico, a look at the props used in the series, a gag reel and deleted and extended scenes.

Scars of Dracula (Blu-ray) Details: 1970, Scream Factory Rated: R, graphic violence, sexual situations, nudity The lowdown: Christopher Lee returns for his fifth outing as Count Dracula in this Hammer Films production. One of the interesting aspects of this feature is that Lee’s Dracula has more dialogue since his initial appearance in 1958’s “Horror of Dracula.” The movie breaks the continuity that had existed from the previous films since in “Taste the Blood of Dracula,” the count was destroyed in a London-area church, and in this film, he is resurrected in his own castle. The movie also offers more violence and blood than previous outings. It is rather plodding, but held together by the magnetic Lee, who brings a charming menace to this reincarnation of the vampire. Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 1.85:1 and 1.66:1 widescreen picture; English DTS-HD Master Audio monaural; English subtitles. Don’t miss: Extras include a look inside the movie and two commentary tracks.

The Mad Adventures of “Rabbi” Jacob (Blu-ray) Details: 1973, Film Movement Classics Rated: G The lowdown: This French farce, co-written and directed by Gérard Dury, stars Louis de Funés, a popular French comedian of the era, as a blustering and bigoted factory owner, Victor Pivert, who is taken hostage by Arab rebel leader Mohammed Larhi Slimane (Claude Giraud). To elude the police, as well as assassins from Slimane’s country, the pair dress up as rabbis. Adding to the confusion, the police believe Pivert is a murderer. Pivert ends up posing as the popular Rabbi Jacob, a beloved figure who is returning to France after 30 years in the United States. The farce also finds Pivert’s dentist-wife believing he is leaving her for another woman, their daughter who is soon to be married and a Parisian neighborhood eagerly awaiting to give a hero’s welcome to the real Rabbi Jacob (Marcel Dario). This movie was highly acclaimed, earning a best foreign film nomination from the 1974 Golden Globes and being proclaimed one of the funniest movies of the year by the National Board of Review. Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 1.66:1 picture; English, French, Hebrew, Yiddish and Arabic monaural; English subtitles. Don’t miss: Extras include an interview with co-screenwriter Daniélle Thompson and an essay about the movie.

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Concert Details: 2010-17, Time Life Rated: Not rated The lowdown: Rock fans will enjoy this 11-disc set that features 164 performance from Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ceremonies from 2010 to 2017. Inductees from those years included Simon & Garfunkel, Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, U2, Joan Jett & the Blackhearts, Rush, John Fogarty, Pearl Jam, Ringo Starr, Alice Cooper, Cheap Trick and Chicago. Among the performances featured in the set are Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band, Billy Joel, Jeff Beck, U2, Cooper, Crosby, Stills & Nash, Heart, James Taylor, Mick Jagger, Journey and Metallica. The set is comprised of three separate collections: Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Concert — Encore (2010-2013), Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Concert (2014-2017) and the complete 25th Anniversary Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Concerts from 2009. The set also includes induction ceremony speeches, some of which may bring you to tears. This is a set rock fans can embrace, and with more than 160 performances, you can’t go wrong. Don’t miss: Extras include collectible booklets and a 26-page collector’s edition of “Rolling Stone” with behind-the-scenes stories of the 25th Anniversary Hall of Fame concerts.

Canal Street Release date: Sept. 1 Details: 2019, Cinedigm-Smith Global Media Rated: PG-13, bloody images, mature themes, drug use, teen partying The lowdown: This is a faith-inspired thriller about a young man who becomes a suspect in the death of a classmate. The youth is defended by his father, an up-and-coming lawyer from the slums of Chicago, who battles an overzealous prosecutor and an outraged public to find the truth and exonerate his son. The movie is sincere, but uneven. Technical aspects: Widescreen picture; English 5.1 Dolby digital; English SDH subtitles. Don’t miss: Extras include a behind-the-scenes featurette, a look at the cast as well as the movie’s music.

The Third Wife Details: 2019, Film Movement Rated: R, sexual content The lowdown: This historical drama set in late 19th-century Vietnam, centers on May, a 14-year-old, who becomes the third wife of a wealthy landowner. May soon learns that the only way to gain status and security is to become pregnant and give her new husband a son. Soon, May is pregnant, but she also feels a growing attraction to Xuan, her husband’s second wife. May soon learns that her options are limited in her restrictive world. Those who enjoy Third World cinema will find the film an interesting exercise. Technical aspects: 1.49:1 picture; Vietnamese 5.1 Dolby digital; English subtitles. Don’t miss: Extras include an interview with the film’s director, Ash Mayfair, a commentary track with Mayfair and a short film by the director.

Other titles being released on Tuesday, unless otherwise indicated: Adventures of Dally and Sparky (Sony Pictures Home Entertainment) Bathroom Stalls and Parking Lots (DVS & VOD) (Breaking Glass Pictures) HELLmington (DVD & VOD) (Uncork’d Entertainment) Investigation 13 (DVD & VOD) (Uncork’d Entertainment) Mayday (DVD & digital download & VOD) (Lionsgate Home Entertainment)

FOR KIDS Paw Patrol: Ready, Race, Rescue (Nickelodeon-Paramount Home Entertainment)

DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, STREAMING or VOD Anna (Lionsgate Home Entertainment) The Parting Glass (Sony Pictures Home Entertainment) Shaft (Warner Home Entertainment) Yesterday (Universal Studios Home Entertainment) Cargo (Artist Rights Distribution, Sept. 13) D-Day (Cinedigm, Sept. 13) The Weekend (Lionsgate Home Entertainment, Sept. 13) My Life Is Murder, Episode 8 (Acorn TV, Sept. 16) Taken Down, Series 1 (Acorn TV, Sept. 16)

I am a founding member of the Indiana Film Journalists Association. I review movies, Blu-rays and DVDs for ReelBob (ReelBob.com), The Film Yap and other print and online publications. I can be reached by email at bobbloomjc@gmail.com. You also can follow me on Twitter @ReelBobBloom and on Facebook. My movie reviews also can be found at Rottentomatoes: www.rottentomatoes.com.