“Sing Sing” takes viewers into the prison experience, but it’s not the usual offering of hard men playing games of respect and violence while behind bars. There’s a more sensitive story to be found here concerning the Rehabilitation Through the Arts organization, which offers inmates a chance to explore different sides of themselves through the stage, participating in the creation and performance of plays. Co-writer/director Greg Kwedar (who co-scripted “Jockey”) examines this odyssey of the mind and body with care for the characters, moving away from cliché to understand the people beyond the crimes, especially when placed in a situation where emotional intimacy is encouraged from participants who’ve lived most of their lives in a state of fear. “Sing Sing” takes chances with acting and tone, and it mostly hits the mark, with Kwedar (and co-writer Clint Bentley) using a real world organization, giving it dramatic highs and lows, sending viewers on a journey of profound feelings. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

“Longlegs” is the fourth film from Osgood Perkins (son of actor Anthony Perkins), and it remains firmly in line with the rest of his oeuvre, including his last endeavor, 2020’s “Gretel & Hansel.” Osgood has a very specific way of making movies, and he’s not in the mood to deviate from his obsessions, with his latest another descent into slow-burn horror with deliberate framing, aiming to generate a nightmare visually without much of a story to back up what’s meant to be creeping intensity. “Longlegs” is more of the same from Perkins, with this odyssey into evil not dense enough to overwhelm audiences, finding the screenplay offering limited darkness and lukewarm mystery before it eventually reveals itself, and what’s here is…a bit goofy. It’s also the rare picture that doesn’t benefit from the presence of Nicolas Cage, who appears in a small role, bringing his usual eccentricity with him, and it manages to make something that’s desperate to disturb into something that’s hard to take seriously, finding Perkins in no hurry to restrain what’s become expected broadness. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Tyler Perry has always made ridiculous movies, but he pushed his luck with last February’s “Mea Culpa,” an “erotic” thriller that quickly slid past heat and went right to absurdity. Perhaps Perry’s fanbase is happy with such lunacy (though even that’s up for debate, as the faithful rejected “Mea Culpa” as well), and the helmer is in no mood to creatively challenge himself, returning to pure ludicrousness with “Divorce in the Black.” As with previous Perry melodramas, the new film offers an uneasy blend of God and violence, doing what it can to trivialize abusive relationships while remaining close to the helmer’s recent interest in softcore sex scenes. “Divorce in the Black” is a baffling viewing experience, and while it opens with a comfortable sense of theatrical nonsense, it quickly dissolves into tediousness. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

“Fly Me to the Moon” marks the screenwriting debut of Rose Gilroy, daughter of actress Rene Russo and writer Dan Gilroy, who’s written such features as “Nightcrawler,” “Velvet Buzzsaw,” and “Roman J. Israel, Esq.” She’s also the niece of Tony Gilroy, creator of “Andor.” It’s fairly safe to assume Rose Gilroy understands how Hollywood works, and this comfort with formula is easily spotted in “Fly Me to the Moon,” which endeavors to blend Space Race suspense with a romantic story of opposites attracting, peppered with a bit of government conspiracy elements, and topped off with an overview of tortured pasts. It’s a bit of everything, but doesn’t really amount to anything too memorable, with director Greg Berlanti (“Life as We Know It,” “Love, Simon”) fighting to find the tone of the picture as it moves unsteadily from comedy to tragedy. It’s meant to be easily digestible with a certain broadness to keep it accessible, but Gilroy loses the battle of balance, making for an uneven and somewhat bewildering movie. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Laurent Bouzereau, the man responsible for some of the finest documentaries to be found on home video releases dating back to the laserdisc age, is clearly a fan of Faye Dunaway. The legendary actress is handed the spotlight treatment in “Faye,” with Bouzereau working his way through the highlights of her career and the tempestuousness of her private life. He’s aiming to humanize Dunaway in a manner Hollywood has refused to do, electing to scrape way her somewhat villainous reputation to better understand the determination that drives her creativity and life choices. “Faye” isn’t a completely complex inspection of a sophisticated woman, but Bouzereau does excellent work understanding the Faye Dunaway experience as it once was and how it stands today. There’s more here than just “Mommie Dearest” memories, with Dunaway taking some control of her story, explaining all the facets of her personality and push to challenge herself. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

In 2017, the New York Times published an article about comedian Louis C.K. and the stories concerning his history of exposure and sexual activity with women working with or for him. The writing went through years of rumors and accusations, highlighting Louie’s disregard for others and his predatory behavior, growing comfortable with abuses in power. For those in the world of stand-up comedy, the revelations were no revelations at all, as Louie’s behavior was often whispered about. As a documentary, “Sorry/Not Sorry” (which is an extension of the original article) isn’t interested in relitigating the allegations, partially because Louie previously admitted his guilt. What directors Cara Mones and Caroline Suh are mostly concerned with are the women involved in the mess, giving them a chance to share their perspectives and intimate tales, reclaiming the reality of what went down between them and a popular comedian who retained little regard for personal or professional boundaries in the pursuit of sexual satisfaction. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Producers want musician and band bio-pics, as there’s money to the be made from devoted fans and, for some of these releases, a sweet hit of nostalgia also drives ticket sales. “Girl You Know It’s True” doesn’t exactly check any of those boxes, exploring the saga of Milli Vanilli, tracking the rise and fall of performers Rob Pilatus and Fab Morvan. In 1989, the men managed to become one of the hottest acts in the music business, turning into a global sensation with their distinctive style and succession of hit singles. These were songs they didn’t actually sing, becoming the face for producer Frank Farian and his team of session musicians, carrying a lie that burned them in many ways. Writer/director Simon Verhoeven (“Friend Request”) looks to return to the heat of the moment with “Girl You Know It’s True,” which is extremely sympathetic to Pilatus and Morvan, depicting them as excitable guys caught up in the temptations of fame. The reality of this adventure is up for debate, but Verhoeven’s feature plays the complex situation much too simplistically. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

The world of “Despicable Me” is big business for Illumination, putting the animation studio in play as a major contender in the global box office race. However, it’s been some time since Gru and his expanding family was in motion, with the last chapter, “Despicable Me 3,” released in 2017. There was a prequel of sorts in 2022’s “Minions: The Rise of Gru,” but “Despicable Me 4” looks to put the series back into drive, giving Gru more mouths to feed, enemies to battle, and students to teach. And, of course, the Minions are right behind him. Directors Chris Renaud and Patrick Delage have an opportunity with the third sequel to keep developing the world of Gru and his family responsibilities, but “Despicable Me 4” pulls everything apart. It goes the individual adventure route with all the characters, which doesn’t offer inspired comedy, and villainy is lacking in the feature, as too much is competing for screen time. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

30 years is a long time to wait for a “Beverly Hills Cop” sequel, but perhaps the insane success of “Top Gun: Maverick” is to thank for the resurrection of Axel Foley. Audiences seem to be in the mood for the return of screen heroes from the 1980s, and “Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F” is more than happy to remind viewers of the charms found in the first three chapters of this series. Nostalgia drives much of the new sequel, with director Mark Molloy (making his debut after years making commercials) in charge of making sure the action is intense and the comedy stays mostly alert. It’s not an entirely fresh offering of Foley-led mischief, but “Axel F” delivers a satisfying return for the character and his crime-busting, quip-launching ways. Murphy is awake and the supporting cast helps the cause, giving the movie some snap as it tries to balance the needs of a modern actioner with the hits of nostalgia the public loves these days. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Family frustrations and parental disappointment fuel the antagonisms of “Mother, Couch.” It’s an adaptation of a Jerker Virdborg novel, with writer/director Niclas Larsson tasked with creating a pressure cooker experience for the picture, which explores tensions among family members as a crisis breaks out at a furniture store. The material deals with dysfunction and estrangement, often in a bizarre manner, but there are certain truths about sibling relationships that help to ground the movie in some form of authenticity. The story ultimately walks away from reality, but when Larsson focuses on a buzzing negative energy, “Mother, Couch” holds attention, generating a level of nervousness that’s supported by strong editing and performances. There’s plenty of itchiness to the feature, but for those willing to stick with the oddity and intensity of the journey, moments of clarity manage to emerge. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

It’s become clear that Hollywood doesn’t exactly know what to do with Emma Roberts. She’s had some success on television, participating in the “American Horror Story” series, but her film work hasn’t connected, trying her luck with romantic comedies (“Maybe I Do”), horror (“Abandoned”), and superhero cinema (“Madame Web”). Roberts goes for a very specific vibe in her latest endeavor, “Space Cadet,” with writer/director Liz W. Garcia (“The Lifeguard”) trying to make a Goldie Hawn comedy with the actress, who’s tasked with playing a character born with a fuzzy personality that often obscures her fierce intelligence, forced into a challenging situation of self-esteem. Roberts does well in the part, offering cheery broadness in “Space Cadet,” which is an entertaining, but not remarkable feature that’s light on laughs, but has a certain charm when viewed with lowered expectations. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

“Boneyard” is “inspired by true events,” which is Hollywood code for “only a fraction of this story is rooted in reality.” The case in question is the West Mesa Murders, where, in 2009, an investigation commenced after the discovery of 11 dead women buried near Albuquerque, New Mexico. Screenwriters Hank Byrd, Vincent E. McDaniel, Koji Steven Sakai, and Asif Akbar (who also directs) attempt to turn real-world misery into a serial killer story of sorts, creating multiple law enforcement and mentally ill perspectives as they invent the details of all the deaths. Perhaps “Boneyard” was created with the utmost respect in mind for the victims (the picture is dedicated to them), but Akbar is also tasked with generating B-movie exploitation with the film, making sure to keep the viewing experience grubby, which diminishes any noble intent. The feature seems rather clueless when it comes to good taste and performances, leaving viewers with a limp whodunit. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com