The Corner Penthouse

Join me as I do a quick review round-up for the best of this month's new home video releases...

All of the items below have already been released and are available for purchase from Amazon at the links provided. The Corner Penthouse will earn a very tiny commission from your purchase using these links.



• BUY IT: Blu-ray.

• VIDEOS: Trailer #1, Trailer #2.

• SYNOPSIS: When widowed astronomer Steve Mills (Dan Aykroyd) inadvertently causes a gravitational disruption in deep space, a race of hyper-advanced alien lifeforms sends one of their own to investigate, disguised in the alluring human form of Celeste (Kim Basinger). Tasked with seducing the lovelorn Steve in a bid to gain access to his scientific research, Celeste finds herself falling for the man she's been sent to swindle. But they've not counted on Steve's young daughter Jessie (Alyson Hannigan), who's none too thrilled by the prospect of a new mother - especially not one from another planet.

• SPECIAL FEATURES: Audio Commentary by critic Bryan Reesman. Cosmetic Encounters: Directing My Stepmother is An Alien (14:08) - A new audio interview with director Richard Benjamin that plays to stills and scenes from the film. Original Trailer (0:32) - Looks to actually be a TV spot. Image Gallery.

• RATING: PG-13.

• NOTES: Includes an illustrated collector's booklet featuring new writing on the film by Amanda Reyes. The reversible case artwork features original and newly commissioned artwork by Colin Murdoch on one side, and the original poster art on the other.

• CREDIT: This item has been provided by Arrow Video for review on this site.



• BUY IT: Blu-ray, DVD.

• VIDEOS: Teaser Trailer, Trailer, Character Trailer.

• SYNOPSIS: In 2006, American federal agent Leon S. Kennedy (Nick Apostolides) is invited to the White House to investigate a hacking incident. During the investigation, he encounters a horde of zombies in a mysterious attack against the President. Meanwhile, TerraSave staff member Claire Redfield (Stephanie Panisello) uncovers a strange image drawn by a young boy in a country she visited. Haunted by this drawing, which appears to be of a victim of viral infection, Claire starts her own investigation. Claire visits the White House and has a chance reunion with Leon. Together, Leon and Claire investigate the connection between the White House attack and strange drawing and uncover a threat that will shake the nation to its very core.

• SPECIAL FEATURES: The Making of Resident Evil: Infinite Darkness (34:59) - A look at the production with comments from writers, animators, voice actors, and motion-capture performers. Presented in English and Japanese, with optional English subtitles.

• RATING: Not Rated (would be PG-13 if rated).

• NOTES: This is a four-part mini-series that premiered on Netflix on July 8, 2021. When taken together, it could be considered a 100-minute CGI-animated feature film, which would be the fourth in the franchise after Resident Evil: Degeneration (2008), Resident Evil: Damnation (2012), and Resident Evil: Vendetta (2017) - which are all available together in this Blu-ray set. Of course, there's also the six-film live-action film series starring Milla Jovovich, which is available on 4K UHD, Blu-ray, and DVD. Finally, the 2021 Welcome to Raccoon City film will soon be out on 4K UHD, Blu-ray, and DVD.

• CREDIT: This item has been provided by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment for review on this site.



• BUY IT: Blu-ray (Steelbook).

• VIDEOS: Trailer.

• SYNOPSIS: Colonel Guile (Jean-Claude Van Damme) leads an international strike force against the mad General M. Bison (Raul Julia), who in a bid for world domination, takes dozens of relief workers hostage and gives the world only 72 hours to respond to his twisted demands. In that time, Guile must find the captives and confront Bison in an electrifying battle for the fate of the free world. Along the way Guile recruits intelligence officer Cammy (Kylie Minogue), reporter and martial arts expert Chun-Li (Ming-Na Wen), two young con men Ken (Damian Chapa) and Ryu (Byron Mann), and a sumo wrestler E. Honda (Peter Navy Tuiasosopo).

• SPECIAL FEATURES: Audio Commentary by writer/director Steven E. de Souza, which was recorded in 1995 for the movie's laserdisc release. Operation Shadaloo: Making Street Fighter (19:58) - A 2020 interview with writer/director Steven E. de Souza. I Will Crush You: Ken vs. Chapa (11:18) - A 2020 interview with actor Damian Chapa. Game Over: Scoring Street Fighter (10:08) - A 2020 interview with composer Graeme Revell. It Was Tuesday: Producing Street Fighter (5:19) - A 2020 interview with producer Ed Pressman. The Strongest Woman in the World: Ming-Na vs. Chun Li (8:00) - A 2020 interview with actress Ming-Na Wen. Ultimate Badass: JCVD at Universal (11:49) - A 2020 interview with author David J. Moore. Attack Me If You Dare: Game vs. Film (10:32) - A 2020 interview with Street Fighter game historian Oliver Harper. The Making of Street Fighter (5:55) - A short EPK-style featurette with on-set interviews. Outtakes (3:08) - A selection of B-roll footage. Deleted Scenes (2:09) - Two scenes with no identifying titles. Crisis in Shadaloo (3:46) - The full version of the opening news report from Chun Li without the music, credits, and cuts to other footage. Archives (2:09) - These are three bits of video game footage shown back-to-back. On the 2009 Universal Blu-ray/DVD, the first and last videos were in the "Video Game Sequences" section, and are clips of Guile fighting Bison from "Super Street Fighter II" (0:33) and "Street Fighter: The Movie Game" (0:46). The middle video was in the "Archives" section and was named "Arcade Movie Game Trailer" (0:51). For whatever reason, Mill Creek decided to put them all together under "Archives" instead of calling it "Video Game Footage", and they screwed up the ordering of the three videos. Theatrical Trailers (1:33, 2:01) - The first is the theatrical trailer, the second are three TV Spots.

• RATING: PG-13 for non-stop martial arts and action violence.

• NOTES: The Steelbook packaging features new artwork of the characters on the front, while the back is a reproduction of the "M. Bison Bonaparte" painting in Bison's bedroom from the scene where he attempts to seduce Chun-Li. The inside artwork is a photo of Guile and Cammie on the left and M. Bison on the right. As a surprise, the bottom edge of the Steelbook features quotes from Guile ("Are you man enough to fight me?") and M. Bison ("All humanity shall bow to me"). A clear slipsleeve goes over the Steelbook, adding the credits and title over the front, and the specs on the back. As an extra treat, Mill Creek went above and beyond by including a PACK-IN ITEM: a collectible Bison Dollar stored in a sleeve. While Mill Creek ported over a healthy amount of the special features from Universal's 2009 "Extreme Edition" DVD, they did not port over all of the still image galleries. These are the seven missing galleries: "Recruiting Center" (Bison propaganda posters), "Publicity Stills" (1:06), "Concept Drawings by Nikita Knatz" (0:32), "On the Street Fighter Set" (0:40), "Ad Campaigns" (0:28), "Trading Cards" (0:16), and "Toys and Tie-Ins" (0:08). To me, those are not an acceptable loss, so I'll have to keep my "Extreme Edition" DVD. The other three items that were not ported over - "Street Fighter IV Game Trailer" (3:08), "Street Fighter IV Game Teaser Trailer" (0:36), and "Street Fighter IV Anime Trailer" (3:12) - are an acceptable loss since they were just advertising for then-current non-movie-related products. (NOTE: In order to get all of the still images in their proper presentation, buy the Extreme Edition DVD as an addition to Mill Creek's Blu-ray. AVOID Universal's "Extreme Edition "Blu-ray (I won't link to it), as ALL still images on it are presented incorrectly. The storyboards and "Recruiting Center" images are stretched from 4:3 to 16:9, and all of the galleries in the "Archives" section have the images placed in a very tiny window inside a HD frame. Whereas, the DVD shows them all in their original 4:3 fullscreen aspect ratio (as they were originally shown on laserdisc in 1995).  None of the galleries on the Blu-ray are in HD fullscreen, so it gains *nothing* over the DVD.) For the sake of being 100% complete (for those of you who want every possible special feature), the Region B Blu-ray from 88 Films includes two 2020-recorded interviews with Audi Sorlie & John Linneman of Digital Foundry, and Byron Mann (Ryu in the film), as well as a second commentary track with Sorlie and Linneman (as per the info at DVD Compare). All other content on that disc can be found on Mill Creek's disc, and you'll need a region-free player in order to play it, so it's up to you if that extra little bit of content is worth the higher cost of an import release. Finally, I'd be remiss if I didn't point out that there was another live-action Street Fighter movie 15 years later: Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li (2009). Sadly, instead of getting Ming-Na to reprise the role, Kristin Kreuk plays a younger Chun-Li. If you want it, it's available on Blu-ray in a 2-Disc Edition (with expired Digital Copy disc) and a 3-Disc Special Edition (with expired Digital Copy disc and "Round One: Fight" animated comic DVD).

• CREDIT: This item has been provided by Mill Creek Entertainment for review on this site.



• BUY IT: Blu-ray.

• VIDEOS: Avatar Show Opening, Korra Show Opening.

• SYNOPSIS: Avatar: The Last Airbender (2005-2008) follows the adventures of Aang (Zach Tyler Eisen) and his friends, who must save the world by defeating Fire Lord Ozai and ending the destructive war with the Fire Nation. The Legend of Korra (2012-2014) follows the journey of Avatar Korra (Janet Varney), a 17-year-old girl striving to live up to the legacy of her predecessor Avatar Aang, while using her mastery of all four elements to confront political and spiritual unrest in a modernizing world.

• SPECIAL FEATURES: AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER: Audio Commentary on 22 episodes. Behind the Scenes Kung Fu Featurette (4:38) - Martial Arts Expert Sifu Kisu discusses the martial arts styles that direct the show. Credits (0:53) - Show credit sequence. The Making of Avatar: From Real Life to Animation (3:59) - Creators Michael DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko act out some moments from the show. Behind the Scenes: The Voices of Avatar (4:35) - The voice acting process. Ask the Creators Featurette (3:05) - Series Creators Michael DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko answer a few questions. Original Uncut Animatic: Episode #15: Bato of the Water Tribe (24:36) - The entire episode presented in storyboard form with the finished episode playing in a small window in the bottom-right corner. Behind the Scenes with the Avatar Cast & Crew (3:16) - Cast and crew interviews. Avatar Pilot Episode with Audio Commentary - Co-Creators Mike DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko speak atop a full episode test animation. The Making of Avatar: Inside the Sound Studios (6:13) - A discussion of the show's sound elements. The Making of Avatar: Inside the Korean Animation Studios (25:53) - A tour of the JM animation studio. Partially in Korean with English subtitles. Original Uncut Animatic: Episode #21: The Avatar State (24:38) - The entire episode presented in storyboard form with the finished episode playing in a small window in the bottom-right corner. Interview with Creators and M. Night Shyamalan (10:18) - Co-Creators Mike DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko sit down with the filmmaker to discuss the animated show and Shyamalan's film. The Essence of Bending with Bryan Konietzko and Sifu Kisu (9:23) - How real martial arts are integrated into the show. Avatar Super Deformed Shorts (480i) - Short films done in Chibi-style, inclduing "Bending Battle" (3:56), "Swamp Skiin' Throwdown" (4:06), and "School Time Shipping" (4:10). Escape from the Spirit World: Animated Graphic Novel (13:11) - An animated graphic novel with music but only on-screen text-based dialogue. The Women of Avatar: The Last Airbender (18:47) - An exploration of the powerful women in the show, including Katara, Toph, and Azula. Book 3 Finale Pencil Test Animation (11:18) - Co-Creators Bryan Konietzko and Mike DiMartino introduce early production drawings. Into the Fire Nation at San Diego Comic-Con (36:31) - A panel of Avatar voice cast and crew discuss the show. THE LEGEND OF KORRA: Audio Commentary on every episode. Creator's Favorite Scenes: Animatics - Animatics for scenes in "Welcome to Republic City", "The Revelation", "The Voice in the Night", "The Spirit of Competition", "And the Winner Is...", "When Extremes Meet", "Turning the Tides" and "Endgame" with a picture-in-picture window showing the scene's finalized animation. The Legend of Puppetbender Presents The Making of a Legend: The Untold Story, Part I (6:01) - The cast and crew take jabs at one another by way of felt-puppet avatars. Scene Bending - Animated storyboards presented alongside the final animation for scenes from "Rebel Spirit", "The Southern Lights", "Civil Wars Part 1", "Civil War Part 2", "Peacekeepers", "Beginnings Part 1", "Beginnings Part 2", "The Guide", "A New Spiritual Age", "Night of a Thousand Stars", "Harmonic Convergence", "Darkness Falls" and "Light in the Dark". Kindred Spirits: Tenzin's Family (5:16) - DiMartino and Konietzko discuss the siblings rivalries, quirks and conflicts that make Tenzin's bickering extended family the entertaining trio they are. Inside the Book of Spirits (9:09) - A behind-the-scenes overview of Season 2. The Re-Telling of Korra's Journey (33:42) - A lengthy review of Korra's journey thus far, as narrated by Tenzin (J.K. Simmons) and compiled from the series' first season. Feuding Spirits: Korra's Family (5:07) - Korra's parents, uncle and water-bending cousins are discussed by DiMartino and Konietzo. The Spirit of an Episode - These are 13 short behind-the-scenes featurettes for every episode in Book 3. Kuvira vs. Prince Wu (1:41) - An extended Nick promo. Republic City Hustle (2:52, 3:19, 3:39) - A 3-part animated short about Mako and Bolin's childhood. Legend of Korra: New York Comic-Con Panel Featurette (34:43) - The complete panel from the 2014 New York Comic-Con with guests Michael DiMartino, Bryan Konietzko, Janet Varney, David Faustino, and P.J. Byrne. The Legend of the Puppetbender Presents The Making of a Legend: The Untold Story, Part II (7:47) - The second puppet-starring tongue-in-cheek behind-the-scenes featurette. BONUS DISC: Auditory Exploration with the Avatarverse Creators (38:55) - Teleconferenced (Zoom) interviews with creators Mike DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, along with other members of the crew. A Conversation with Janet Varney and Dante Basco – Hosts of the Avatar: Braving the Elements Podcast (46:29) - Janet Varney (voice of Korra) and Dante Basco (voice of Zuko and General Iroh) sit down in-person for a chat about the two series and their podcast about it.

• RATING: Not Rated (would be PG if rated).

• NOTES: This set includes all 61 Avatar episodes (three seasons) on nine discs, and all 52 Korra episodes (four seasons) on eight discs. Avatar is presented in a 1.33:1 aspect ratio (blackness on the sides), Korra in presented in a 1.78:1 aspect ratio (16:9 fullscreen). All of the series discs are the same ones that have been released previously. The bonus disc and the eight art cards are new. Also, to my knowledge, this is the first time that both series have been released together. If you already own both of these series on Blu-ray, it will be up to you to decide if the bonus disc and art cards are worth the re-purchase. If you don't have either series, this is definitely the set to buy! Finally, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention M. Night Shyamalan's The Last Airbender (2010) live-action film, since the filmmaker is the subject of one of the Avatar featurettes. If you want that film, it is available on Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack and Blu-ray (alt Blu-ray listing).

• CREDIT: This item has been provided by Paramount/Nickelodeon Home Entertainment for review on this site.

If you're looking for more cool stuff to buy, check out all of the other items I've reviewed over the years. I'm sure you'll find something you'll love.