BRIGHT ‘GUARDIANS’ SEQUEL ADDS ZIP TO THE FRANCHISE
New on Blu-ray
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 Disney/Buena Vista DVD, $26.99; Blu-ray, $39.99; 4K, $44.98; also available on VOD
The interstellar superheroics of the original “Guardians of the Galaxy” become even brighter and zippier in the sequel, which puts Chris Pratt’s Peter “Star-Lord” Quill in touch with his long-lost father, a planet-sized immortal named Ego (perfectly personified by Kurt Russell). A subplot involving Quill’s old space-pirate buddies brings Sylvester Stallone into the fold as a veteran Ravager, making the picture feel even more like a classic adventure. Though less surprising than the first film, “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2” is more visually inventive, stringing together one eyepopping set piece after another. It’s blockbuster moviemaking at its best. Special features: Commentary by director James Gunn, deleted scenes, a gag reel and extensive behind-the-scenes featurettes
VOD
Bushwick Available Aug. 25
On a seemingly ordinary day in Brooklyn, a college student named Lucy (Brittany Snow) emerges from the subway to find that the borough’s been invaded by masked soldiers from some undetermined army. She quickly meets up with a helpful, burly stranger (Dave Bautista) and together they try to scramble to safety while piecing together what the heck has happened. Shot in a way that approximates a single take, “Bushwick” is a cleverly constructed and pulsepounding exercise in lowbudget dystopian action with unexpected contemporary political resonances. It’s the kind of thoughtful, stylish B-movie that genre fans will embrace.
TV set of the week
The Walking Dead The Complete Seventh Season Starz/Anchor Bay DVD, $70.98; Blu-ray, $80.99
The controversial seventh season of AMC’s zombie epic began with the death of two major characters and ended with the suicide of a third. In between, the show amped up the violence and despair to a greater degree than it ever had before. But it also introduced cool new characters like King Ezekiel (and his pet tiger!) and the gun-toting feminists of the Oceanside colony. More importantly, last year set up what should be an action-packed Season 8, as the various human factions wage “all out war” to determine who’s going to control the scant resources of a land infested with the undead. In the long run, warts and all, the 16 episodes contained in “The Walking Dead: The Complete Seventh Season” set may turn out to be pivotal for the entire series. Special features: Commentary tracks, deleted scenes, and featurettes
From the archives
Whale Rider: 15th Anniversary Edition Shout Select Blu-ray, $22.97
It’s hard to believe it’s been 15 years since writer director Niki Caro’s sleeper hit, introducing the world to Keisha Castle-Hughes. The novice starlet plays Pai, a 12year-old Maori girl who stakes her claim to be leader of her tribe over the objections of her grandfather, who prefers to preserve the patriarchy. A mix of distinctive cultural detail with magical realism, “Whale Rider” is fascinating and uplifting — a tale of tribal tradition and female empowerment that’s like a live-action model for Disney’s “Moana.” Special features: A Caro commentary, deleted scenes and featurettes
Three more to see
Kill Switch Lionsgate DVD, $19.98; Blu-ray, $24.99; also available on VOD La Poison Criterion Blu-ray, $39.95 Sid & Nancy Criterion DVD, $29.95; Blu-ray, $39.95