What Should you be Streaming?

As summer movies are winding down, some slip through the cracks. While I have seen plenty, that does not mean everything could be reviewed.  To make up for lost content this article will be breaking down several digital releases.  This behemoth will also break down the bonus features included, and if they are worth your time. Happy reading!


Elemental



You can read my review of Pixar’s latest film here. The story tells of the world of Element City and the inhabitants of different sections. It’s a story that some deemed as overly simplistic, and not up to Pixar’s standard. In actuality, its simple message makes it deliver one of the studio's deepest films to date.  Wade (Mamoudou Athie) and Ember (Leah Lewis) are the equivalent of star-crossed lovers. Both are mutually attracted to each other but have the pressure to live up to their family's ambitions.  The characters remain heartfelt, but it's the special features that won me over in this film.  The featurettes titled “Paths to Pixar: The Immigrant Experience,” and “Next Stop: Element City” highlight director Peter Sohn’s vision.  As a child of immigrants, (like Ember in the film) the story became quite moving. Sohn made a film that was a love letter to the immigrant life (and his personal life), and the results were bountiful.



Elemental Bonus Features

Short Film

Carl’s Date – Written and directed by Academy Award® nominee and Emmy® Award winner Bob Peterson and produced by Kim Collins, this all-new short, “Carl’s Date,” finds Carl reluctantly agreeing to go on a date with a lady friend —but admittedly with no idea how dating works these days. Ever the helpful friend, Dug steps in to calm Carl’s pre-date jitters and offer some tried-and-true tips for making friends — if you’re a dog. “Carl’s Date” opened in theaters in front of Disney and Pixar’s Elemental.

Featurettes

Ember and Wade – Take a deeper look at the development of main characters Ember and Wade, from early designs to final effects, and learn how the complex work of the technical and character teams brought these characters to life.



Next Stop: Element City – Explore how Element City is built to accommodate its different inhabitants. Director Peter Sohn and crew members share insights about the evolution of the designed world, as well as some of the research that inspired its unique look.



Paths to Pixar: The Immigrant Experience – Hear from first-generation filmmakers on the Elemental crew as they share their journeys to Pixar. Discover how Elemental’s real-world themes of sacrifice and identity, amongst many others, reflect or diverge from their own lived experiences.

Asteroid City



Wes Anderson films are the equivalent of Russian nesting dolls. Each one is more intricately layered than the next. Asteroid City is arguably Anderson’s most detailed film to date, thanks to its premise. Set in the retro-futuristic 1950s, a TV host (Bryan Cranston) introduces a televised introduction of the play, Asteroid City, written by Conrad Earp (Edward Norton). The play follows a “junior star-gazer” competition and has a smart meta-commentary on the actors in the play.  That might sound convoluted, but the results work under Anderson’s watchful eye. Featurettes such as “The Making of Asteroid City” and “Desert Town” showcase the fun on an Anderson set. The actors love his weirdly invented world which makes the eccentricities have meaning.   Its meta layers create a story that is one of Anderson’s very best films to date. 





Asteroid City Special Features:

  • The Making of Asteroid City – With Wes Anderson as your guide, take a personal tour behind the scenes of “Asteroid City” and get insider’s access into set creation, performer preparation, music rehearsals and more.

  • Desert Town – Wes Anderson pulls back the curtain on the creation of Asteroid City with an intimate look at what goes into building a town in the middle of a desert and bringing its quirks to life.

  • Doomsday Carnival (Digital, Blu-ray™, DVD Exclusive) – Go even further inside Asteroid City as period costumes, classic cars, and camera tricks combine to create a bustling midway of carnival rides and lookie-loos anticipating an alien arrival.

  • Montana and Ranch Hands – Witness a quiet prayer evolve into a hand-clapping country hoedown as the film’s fictional band inspires a sudden dance number through their banjo, bass, and washboard.
  • The Players (Digital, Blu-ray™, DVD Exclusive) – Go behind-the-scenes with the stars of Asteroid City.

  • The Alien (Digital Exclusive) – Designers come up with the concept and Jeff Goldblum suits up in the costume to create the captivating look and mesmerizing movements of the movie’s extraterrestrial creature.
  • The Roadrunner (Digital Exclusive) – Get a peek at the planning, puppeteering, and careful camera positioning that animates an artificial animal with scene-stealing personality.



The Boogeyman



The Boogeyman follows the Harper family, Sadie (Sophie Thatcher), Sawyer (Vivien Lyra Blair), and Will (Chris Messina). Dealing with the loss of their mother, Sadie, and Sawyer begin to be plagued by the sadistic Boogeyman. Trying to get Will to pay attention, the family starts a fight for their lives.  There are only two bonus features, which may disappoint those looking for more behind-the-scenes info.  Regardless, those looking for a spooky night in should look no further. The Boogeyman has plenty of chills and thrills to go around for viewers.

The Boogeyman Special Features

  • Into the Darkness Featurette - Open the door into the dark world of The Boogeyman as the cast and crew share how the terrifying tale, based on Stephen King’s classic short story, was crafted.

  • Outtakes - It’s not all just jump scares and bumps in the night




Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny



Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny was met with a divisive response upon release.  While I enjoyed the film, it wasn’t as beloved by viewers as they wanted. Opinions aside there is plenty of enjoyment in this final adventure’s home release. Especially with the bonus features, it will make diehard Indy fans happy. As a big Indy fan myself, these jam-packed special features made me enjoy the film even more. The five-part “making of” featurette was a particular standout, showing Mangold’s reverence for this material. The third act is still sloppy in places, but these bonus features certainly make those issues go down easy. 




Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny Special Features:

  • Chapter 1 – Prologue – Harrison Ford leaps back into action as Indiana Jones! Journey to 1944 as this featurette reveals the filmmakers, characters, stunts, locations, and incredible visual effects that make up the thrilling opening of Dial of Destiny!

  • Chapter 2 – New York – Blast off to adventure as James Mangold showcases the re-creation of 1969 Manhattan for the Moon Parade chase. This featurette spotlights Helena (Phoebe Waller-Bridge) as John Williams conducts his beautiful new theme for this compelling character.

  • Chapter 3 – Morocco – The man in the hat is back! Explore Morocco as this featurette breaks down the white-knuckle stunts of the medina tuk-tuk chase and hotel brawl. Meet Teddy (Ethann Isidore), Indy’s precocious new ally in the hunt for the dial!

  • Chapter 4 – Sicily – Meet Renaldo (Antonio Banderas) as he guides our heroes on a perilous underwater treasure hunt! Catch up with Harrison Ford and Phoebe Waller-Bridge on location in Sicily and explore the caverns, traps, and bugs surrounding Archimedes’ tomb!

  • Chapter 5 – Finale – This featurette breaks down the thrilling climax to the Indiana Jones series. Cast and filmmakers James Mangold, Kathleen Kennedy, Frank Marshall, John Williams, Steven Spielberg, and Harrison Ford bid farewell to one of the greatest heroes of all time.”



The Little Mermaid




 The Little Mermaid was a surprise hit upon its theatrical release.  Besides Halle Bailey’s magnificent lead performance, this home release is loaded with fun and insightful bonus features. There are plenty of behind-the-scenes vignettes including a five-part documentary on the filmmaking process. For film fans or Disney fans, this might be a personal favorite feature.   A particular highlight in my watch is the film’s sing-along version. With its brightly colored subtitles,  it is a perfect watch for a family movie night! First-time watchers or OG original fans should enjoy the film and the strong motivation of those involved to make the best adaptation possible. 


The Little Mermaid Special Features

  • Sing Along Version – Sing along with your favorite songs while watching the movie with on-screen lyrics.

  • Hotter Under The Water – Discover how director Rob Marshall and his team brought the story of The Little Mermaid to life with this documentary in five chapters:

  • A Tale Of The Bottomless Blue – Join Rob Marshall on the set of one of the most ambitious and challenging films he's ever directed.


  • I Know Something’s Starting Right Now – Join cast members Halle Bailey, Melissa McCarthy, Jonah Hauer-King and more and learn how they were cast in the film and what it was like to bring director Rob Marshall's vision to life.


  • Down Where It’s Wetter – Dip your toes into the virtual ocean and learn about how the breathtaking underwater world was created with visual effects, imagination and a lot of talented artists.


  • Explore That Shore Up Above – From Prince Eric’s castle to the beach, explore the above-the-sea locations and the elaborate production design behind them.


  • Do What The Music Say – Discover how legendary composer Alan Menken teamed up with Lin- Manuel Miranda to write new songs to accompany the original classics


Song Breakdowns

  • Wild Unchartered Waters – Prince Eric, played by Jonah Hauer-King, gets his own song, written by Alan Menken and Lin-Manuel Miranda. Go behind the song, from the writing to the recording, to the filming on a practical ship.


  • Under the Sea – Get a first-hand look at how professional dancers helped bring director Rob Marshall's vision to life as they stood in for the various animated sea creatures that sing and dance in this showstopping number.


  • Kiss The Girl – Float along and get a frog's-eye view of the beautiful set built to film the live-action version of this classic song.


  • Poor Unfortunate Souls – Join Melissa McCarthy (Ursula) as she takes us on the journey of making her character's signature song.


Featurettes

  • The Scuttlebutt On Sidekicks – Dive in and meet Sebastian, Flounder and Scuttle, who not only have their own song, "The Scuttlebutt," but also fresh looks as they work hard to make sure Ariel and Eric kiss before Ursula's deadline.

  • Passing The Dinglehopper – Ariel met Ariel when Halle Bailey worked with Jodi Benson — the voice of Ariel in the original animated movie — who appears in a clever cameo in the live-action film.


  • Bloopers – Laugh along with the cast as they have the time of their lives making The Little Mermaid.

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