Ashfall (2019)
Here's a look at the new films and TV series' out now on streaming, Blu-ray and more.
Ashfall (MPI Media)
Newscasters announce that North Korea is in the final stage of nuclear disarmament but the ominous music signals that the happy ending is two hours away. A hit in East Asian box offices, Ashfall (2019) is a South Korean catastrophe thriller in which a volcanic eruption triggers a sequence of earthquakes 7.8 and up on Richter scale. Seoul sends a commando team into Kim Jung-un land to secure a nuclear warhead and detonate it under the volcano to halt the eruptions, but there are traitors, Chinese gangsters and American troops to contend with. The SFX are unconvincing but they do convey an idea of what might happen if a major quake starts to shake a high-rise city. Out on Blu-ray, Ashfall is populated by likeable characters. (David Luhrssen)
“Berlin Babylon Seasons 1 & 2” (Kino Lorber)
Berlin in the 1920s remains a touchstone for modernism, a fascination for anyone interested in the trajectory of painting, film and music in the 20th century. The Netflix series “Berlin Babylon”—out now on Blu-ray—plays on that fascination with the city during the Weimar era. The team behind the German production—based on the crime novels of Volker Kutscher—is headed by the internationally acclaimed writer-director Tom Tykwer (Run Lola Run). The plot is as complicated as one of those increasingly rare Tolstoyan novels that try to encapsulate an entire time and place within its covers. That’s to say, “Berlin Babylon” is almost as dense with events and unanticipated turns as life itself. (David Luhrssen)
“Bonanza: The Official Eleventh Season Volumes 1 & 2” (CBS DVD)
Was there an “unofficial” series in “Bonanza’s” long run? Rivaled only by “Gunsmoke,” “Bonanza” was a consistent presence year after year on prime-time television. Westerns were TV staples during the 1960s, but “Bonanza” stood apart as a single-parent family drama. The redoubtable Lorne Greene, as patriarch Ben Cartwright, and his three sons were endowed with unique personalities. “Bonanza” was among the first shows shot in color, taking advantage of the forested scenery of its Lake Tahoe location. It was still in TV’s top-five for ratings during Season 11 (1969-1970), which includes guest stars such as Bruce Dern and Tom Bosley, and only began to slip in Season 12. (David Luhrssen)
The Craft: Legacy (Streaming October 28, on FandangoNOW & VUDU)
Three high school girls recruit a fourth to complete their coven. Released by Blumhouse Productions—just in time for Halloween—this sequel appears 24 years after the original. Writer-director Zoe Lister-Jones sought to “magically” address the concerns of high school girls. She told journalists she used a Canadian witch to oversee authentic spells as part of “...making sure that everyone feels safe in the spells that they’re casting even though we're just making a movie.” She might consider casting a spell over viewers because Rotten Tomatoes shows they rated the original The Craft a mere 3.65 out of 10. (Lisa Miller)
Holidate (Streaming October 28, on Netflix)
When attending family gatherings, Sloane (Emma Roberts) bristles at questions centered around her lack of a boyfriend. A ready solution appears when she meets Jackson (Luke Bracey), whose American career leaves him separated from his Australian family during holidays and happily agreeing to become her holiday "plus one." Neither character is looking for love, so when romantic feelings surface between them, Sloane worries it will threaten their “holidate” status. Hope Santa gifts this pair with sufficient chemistry to carry them from the land of cute into the realm of true love. (Lisa Miller)
