Here are the best recent home video releases:
Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders
Adam West and Burt Ward, who starred in the iconic 1960s "Batman" TV show, return to voice Batman and Robin in this intentionally campy animated remake, which brings back everything wonderful, awful and wonderfully awful you remember about the old show. A delightful nostalgia trip, this is so good that you hope it's the start of a continuing series of films. Extras in the Blu-ray/DVD/digital copy combo include a featurette on the rogues gallery and the voice actors who returned to deliver voice performances.
Finding Dory (Digital)
Available digitally two weeks before it hits disc, "Finding Dory" is Pixar in top form, bringing back the "Finding Nemo" voice cast and shifting the focus to the forgetful blue tang voiced by Ellen DeGeneres. The plot cleverly and profoundly makes a profound twist on Dory's short-term amnesia -- which was played for laughs in the original -- by exploring the horror, shame and eventual triumph of living and thriving with mental illness. For my full review of the movie, click here. Extras include deleted scenes, filmmaker commentary and a slew of featurettes, including looks inside the visuals, characters and key moments in the film.
Independence Day: Resurgence
This long-distance sequel comes 20 years after the original, and largely fails to reignite the excitement and scale of the alien invasion spectacle. Many of the old cast members return, including Jeff Goldblum and Bill Pullman, joined by newcomers Liam Hemsworth, Maika Monroe and Jessie Usher. While the special effects are as impressive as ever -- especially in 4K -- the story is slow and stretched, making for a surprisingly dull affair. For my full review of the film, click here. Extras in the 4K/Blu-ray/digital combo include deleted scenes, filmmaker commentary and a slew of background featurettes.
Star Trek Beyond
Taking more of an action-oriented angle than the first two films in the rebooted franchise, Kirk (Chris Pine) and Spock (Zachary Quinto) face off against a mysterious villain played by the stone-cold Idris Elba. While traditional fans may wince at the "Star Wars"-like visuals and beats of the movie, action fans will appreciate the nonstop pacing. Extras in the Blu-ray/digital copy combo include deleted scenes, a gag reel and loads of background featuretted that dissect important characters and sequences.
Studios provided screeners for review.
