This Week in Blu-ray / DVD Releases: Mad Max Fury Road, Backcountry

By John Law

September 1st 2015, 12:01am

This Week: The epic return of Mad Max, the bad news bear of Backcountry, and some Star Wars to get you by until December. Also: Boxed set season is in full swing.

► Only fitting the summer’s best movie comes to blu-ray as summer comes to an end. MAD MAX: FURY ROAD was an old school blast that buried all doubts about rebooting the legend. Here was a genuine oddity – a movie that was such a throwback, it felt completely different from most modern action movies. Having George Miller back was key, directing with the same steady hand that changed action movies forever with ‘The Road Warrior,’ but huge props to the grim ‘n dirty script and two perfectly understated performances from Tom Hardy and Charlize Theron. Blu-ray comes with several featurettes but unfortunately no Miller commentary. Also, the rumored black and white version – with alternate soundtrack – is not included.

► Somewhat based on a true story, the woodsy thriller BACKCOUNTRY finds a bickering couple (Jeff Roop and Missy Peregrym) setting up tent in the Canadian wilderness for a weekend. At first, they think a weird drifter (Eric Balfour) will be a problem, but he’s nothing compared to the pissed off black bear who starts stalking them. Nice atmosphere and plenty of tense pay-offs from Montreal director Adam MacDonald. He joins Roop and Peregrym for commentary in the extras.

► Can’t wait until December? The CGI series STAR WARS REBELS should scratch that itch. Set 14 years after the events of ‘Revenge of the Sith’ and five years before ‘A New Hope,’ it follows a group of outcasts all burned by the Galactic Empire who take on missions against the growing threat with their freighter starship. The original trilogy is well represented, with appearances by Lando, the droids, and – in the series finale – Darth Vader.

► It’s a sad fact Glen Campbell will be leaving us soon, and James Keach’s tearjerker documentary GLEN CAMPBELL: I’LL BE ME is going to get a lot more attention. It documents Campbell’s 2011 farewell tour after his Alzheimer’s diagnosis, which was supposed to be just five weeks but went an astounding year-and-a-half and 151 sold out shows. Interviews include Bruce Springsteen, Paul McCartney and Steve Martin.

► A Top 10 show right out of the gate for CBS, MADAM SECRETARY has Tea Leoni as a former CIA analyst and current college professor who is asked by the president to be the nation’s new Secretary of State. Her unorthodox method of dealing with foreign threats soon puts her at odds with the Chief of Staff. Being groomed as CBS’s next ‘The Good Wife,’ but it’s nowhere near those lofty heights yet. DVD extras include a making-of doc, deleted scenes, and select commentary.

► Always under the radar when discussing TV’s best comedies, THE LEAGUE has brought the funny from its first episode. Season 6 finds the fantasy football gang doing their draft at a funeral, an escape from a mental hospital, and Andre and Russell opening a wine bar. Through it all, Jason Mantzoukas as Rafi remains one of the most flat-out hilarious characters on TV. The seventh and final season starts next week.

► Betrayals, broken hearts, bad boyfriends…is it any surprise NASHVILLE is like a hurtin’ country song? Connie Britton is the aging star, Hayden Panettiere is the young upstart, and Season 3 brings the usual bickering and backstabbing, along with a cliffhanger straight out of ‘Dynasty’ to end the season. The music’s as good as ever, though, and ratings went up this season. It returns Sept. 23.

► The original HAWAII FIVE-O ran for 12 seasons. The reboot is now up to 5 seasons, and is actually getting more popular. Season 5 saw ratings spike, and it finished #20 for the year. And it works for the same reasons the original did – great scenery, plots which follow the CBS template to a tee, and plenty of beefcake. This time around, Danny (Scott Caan) scrambles to save his kidnapped brother, while McGarrett (Alex O’Loughlin) takes another crack at his late father’s last unsolved case. It all ends on a ‘24’ note as the gang deals with a nuke in Waikiki. Ridiculous? You bet. Season 6 is coming anyway Sept. 25.

Also out this week: