A wickedly likable comedy courtesy of Jane Austen
New on Blu-ray
Love & Friendship Sony DVD, $25.99; Blu-ray, $30.99; also available on VOD
Writer-director Whit Stillman brings his dry wit and zippy style to an obscure Jane Austen novella with this comedy of manners about one wonderfully wicked socialite. Kate Beckinsale sparkles as Lady Susan, a penniless widow who leverages her late husband’s name to secure shelter and position for herself and her marriageable daughter. By turning family members against one another and toying with men’s affections, Susan disrupts one household after another, and Stillman captures it all in a series of short, funny scenes set in beautiful old English mansions. This is one of the year’s most likable films, suitable for any fans of costume dramas and classic literature. Special features: A behindthe-scenes featurette
VOD
For the Love of Spock Available Sept. 9
When “Star Trek” went from being a network TV washout to a syndicated fanfavorite in the early ’70s, star Leonard Nimoy had such mixed feelings about the phenomenon that he wrote an autobiography called “I Am Not Spock.” Later, he embraced the widespread passion for the show and wrote a follow-up, “I Am Spock.” And now Nimoy’s son, Adam, has paid homage to his late father in this documentary, a loving but cleareyed look at the actor’s life and career — with a focus on the Nimoy family’s evolving feelings toward a demanding, once-in-a-lifetime role. The result is a film that should appeal to “Star Trek” fans but also to anyone seeking insight into the private life of an iconic figure.
TV set of the week
All the Way HBO DVD, $14.98; Blu-ray, $19.98
Bryan Cranston won a Tony Award for playing Lyndon Johnson in Robert Schenkkan’s play “All the Way,” about how the president worked with Martin Luther King Jr. and against some of his fellow Southern Democrats to pass the 1964 Civil Rights Act. And Cranston may win an Emmy this month for reprising the role in HBO’s film version. Like the play, the TV movie digs deep into the politics of its times, considering how “the racial issue” fractured longtime allies, and how even King (played by Anthony Mackie) and his colleagues debated the best way to advance their goals without selling out. This is a fascinating, complex picture and a reminder that our current tumultuous period of American history is far from the only time the nation has been deeply divided. Special features: A featurette about LBJ, and another about Cranston’s makeup.
From the archives
The Iron Giant: Signature Edition Warner Bros. Blu-ray, $14.97; Collector’s Edition, $74.99
Before director Brad Bird made the Pixar classics “The Incredibles” and “Ratatouille,” he helmed an adaptation of Ted Hughes’ children’s book “The Iron Giant” that’s since become a cult classic — even though in summer 1999 it was a significant box office flop. The story of a savvy small-town kid and the alien robot he befriends, “The Iron Giant” is both an exciting science-fiction adventure and an homage to the moral simplicity and enduring inspiration of old comic books and movies. The long-demanded Blu-ray edition does justice to the last great featurelength animated film of the 20th century, adding good supplemental materials to a film that still has the power to enchant and to move. Special features: Bird commentary track, additional scenes and a comprehensive retrospective documentary.
Three more to see A Bigger Splash
20th Century Fox DVD, $29.98; Blu-ray, $39.99; also available on VOD)
Money Monster
Sony DVD, $30.99; Blu-ray, $34.99; also available on VOD
Now You See Me 2
Lionsgate DVD, $29.95; Blu-ray, $39.99; 4K, $42.99; also available on VOD