Review Category: DVD/Blu Ray

DER PASS

DER PASS / CERT: 18 / CREATORS: CYRILL BOSS, PHILIPP STENNERT / STARRING: JULIA JENTSCH, NICHOLAS OFCZAREK, FRANZ HARTWIG / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW

High in the snow-topped Alps, a corpse is discovered straddling the border of Germany and Austria. The body has been deliberately staged and is found clutching hair from a horses’ tail. Two detectives are assigned to the case, the ambitious young German Ellie Stocker (Jentsch), and the dishevelled, world-weary Austrian Gedeon Winter (Ofczarek). Not only are they from two different countries, with one in the twilight of his career and the other commencing hers, but Stocker is a country girl, used to its ways and customs, whilst the city and its violence has taken its toll on Winter.

Winter is only too happy for the Germans to take on the case entirely, but when more crime scenes are discovered following the same modus operandi with more overt pagan trappings, and recordings of the victims final moments are sent to a reporter, Winter takes more of an interest. Winter and Stocker are soon drawn into the dark world of the Celtic wood god Cernunnos, the Green Man, pagan rites and Krampus.

Der Pass is yet another reworking of the hit Scandi-Noir drama The Bridge, but the similarities between the shows are confined to the body being found on the border between two countries. From there Der Pass becomes its own beast. Comprising of eight episodes, the first four delve deeply into pagan lore and how, even in this technological age, pagan customs can still exert a tight hold in rural communities. The second act diverges into a more generic police procedural drama, albeit a well-executed one. It could be viewed that the first act is in fact Ellie’s story, as she was raised in the country, but as the hunt for the killer continues she becomes more jaded.

The second act is Winter’s story. As the case develops he becomes more invested, more resolute, revealing the sort of policeman he once was. He wants to see justice done. It’s a juxtaposition that, while seemingly obvious that both characters would take on each other’s traits, works well. That is down to the excellent performances of Julia Jentsch and Nicholas Ofczarek. There is a tangible chemistry between them, and if this had been an American network show you’d be sure the chemistry would be sexual. Not so here. There is never a hint of any attraction between Stocker and Winter, only a growing mutual respect and admiration.

The cinematography is gorgeous capturing both the stark beauty and harshness of the snow-covered mountain forests, whilst the urban scenes are suitably bleak and drab.

The series has been granted a second season, and as the first ended on a cliffhanger with regards to a characters arc, it will be interesting to see where it will go.

ANGEL HEART

ANGEL HEART / CERT: 18 / DIRECTOR & SCREENPLAY: ALAN PARKER / STARRING: MICKEY ROURKE, ROBERT DE NIRO, LISA BONET / RELEASE DATE: 14TH OCTOBER

Angel Heart belongs to a group of films which failed to find an audience back in the 80s, thanks in part to reviews which suggested that they were all style and no content, films such as The Hunger and Blade Runner. Like those films, Angel Heart is a striking visual experience, a noirish thriller in which the cinematography and production design play as significant a role as the script and performances. And, like those films, it’s now considered to be something of a genre classic. It’s an obvious choice for 4K restoration, and this new release provides a great chance to see the film in all its glorious, sweaty, bloody, hot, cold and sordid detail.

Micky Rourke, at the height of his attractiveness as a dangerous, unpredictable screen presence, stars a 1950s private dick, hired by the elegant and mysterious Robert De Niro to find a missing man who owes him a debt. But a trail of grisly murders takes Rourke across New York and New Orleans, deep into the southern heartland of voodoo territory until the supernatural elements that have been leading events hurtle Rourke towards a hellish climax.

While what’s actually going on in Angel Heart doesn’t take Hercule Poirot to figure out – you’ll see the twist coming a mile off – the journey towards it is a thrilling, twisty, superbly-composed one. The film simply looks stunning, director Alan Parker allowing every noir opportunity and cliche into his visual palette. Parker has always been a strong visual storyteller, much like his contemporaries the Scott brothers, and never mores than in Angel Heart.

As a horror film, it’s not exactly terrifying but it still grips, the detective elements of the story and the array of interesting characters propelling you along. Rourke, De Niro and a young Lisa Bonet are superb (one particularly effective scene mixing sex, blood and violence ran into considerable censorship trouble back in the day), making Angel Heart an essential part of any genre fan’s collection.

With this new release comes a host of extras, only a few offering anything new from previous releases. There are a tiny number of glimpses behind the scenes plus a stills gallery, a curious documentary about voodoo, and, best of all, a commentary from Parker plus a lovely recent interview with him. Parker hasn’t made a film since 2003 so it’s safe to say he’s retired. This new release of provides the chance to evaluate where Angel Heart sits within his impressive cannon – from hits like Bugsy Malone, Midnight Express, Fame and The Commitments to smaller works of great beauty like Shoot the Moon and Birdy (why does nobody talk about that film any more?).

Angel Heart sits somewhere in the middle of Parker’s career and proves, quite literally, that with this director, the devil really is in the detail.

VHS NASTY

VHS NASTY / CERT: TBC /DIRECTOR: TONY NEWTON / STARRING: NATHAN HILL, SHAWN C. PHILLIPS, TONY NEWTON, JASON FIGGIS, MATHEW FISHER, PETER GODDARD / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW

Low-budget talking head documentaries about the golden age of video are ten a penny these days, but this third entry into the VHS Lives series is an entertaining and enlightening journey through the most controversial time in British film history.

The history of the video nasties is covered in a brief voice over to start the film, before we get to the interviews, which are mainly from indie filmmakers, but there are some well-known faces such as Phillips and an audio contribution from Troma’s Lloyd Kaufman. Reminisces from those involved mostly follow the same path: how they became aware of these films and what titles are their favourites and which are the ones they avoid. From the latter topic, the general consensus is that Faces of Death and Cannibal Holocaust go too far, even if the former is mostly faked, as several of the pundits point out.

The topic of censorship is debated also, and while classification is one thing, no one wants their films butchered beyond recognition, such as happened when the Video Recordings Act came into force in 1984. Kaufman’s claim that The Toxic Avenger was only 40 minutes long when released in the UK is an amusing exaggeration, the point stands that some films were stripped of their (literal) guts when they were resubmitted to the BBFC. No one disputes that they should have age guidelines and restrictions of illegal activity, which is good to know.

As is usual with documentaries such as this, any clips from the films come from trailers, so quality is variable. The clip choices are good, though, and not overused. Some of the information is repeated from several of the participants, which can be expected with the personal nature of comments. Viewers who remember the early ‘80s will be nodding in agreement with some of the tales of trading pirated versions of the films and purchasing bootleg copies of banned titles. For those who weren’t there, it’s a decent education on a time then our favourite movies were outlawed.

VHS Nasty isn’t the final word on the subject, but is certainly a fun watch and confirms that without the turbulent time in cinema history, there would not be the breed of inventive filmmakers and a lot of mediocre and frankly rubbish movies would have been long forgotten.

UCHO (THE EAR)

UCHO (THE EAR) / CERT 12 / DIRECTOR: KAREL KACHYNA / SCREENPLAY: KAREL KACHYNA, JAN PROCHAZKA / STARRING: RADOSLAV BRZOBOHATY, JIRINA BOHDALOVA / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW

Everything you do and say is probably being monitored; if not by GCHQ, the NSA or some other shadowy government agency, then certainly by Alexa, Siri, or whatever cute name they’ll no doubt give that bit of Facebook wizardry that gives you adverts for things you’ve been talking about seconds before. This is all our own doing, of course, and it’s an unfortunate part of living in a connected world, a trade-off for having our devices know us better than we know ourselves.

Imagine, though, that this was thrust upon you. Imagine that you were happily living a simple life in eastern Europe only to wake up one day and find yourself being ground under the jackboot of authoritarian Communism (or, alternatively, enjoying the benefits that can only be achieved by truly working towards an international Socialist workers’ paradise). Imagine that everyone could be a possible state informant, and that nowhere was safe from the eyes – and especially the ears – of the Party.

This is where Ucho finds us, in the Czechoslovakia of the late 1960s, after a softening of Soviet influence during the Prague Spring brought swift reprisals from Moscow, with tanks rolling into Prague and any liberal reforms rolled back with them. Ucho’s principals are Ludvik, a high-ranking official in the Czech Communist Party, and his wife Anna. Returning home from a function, they discover that their home has been broken into, with their spare keys missing and the phones lines dead. Suspecting they are under surveillance by Ludvik’s bosses, they descend into a spiral of paranoia, which exposes the frailties of their relationship and their personalities.

Ucho was the penultimate collaboration from Czech New Wave filmmakers Karel Kachyňa and Jan Procházka, previously best known for coming of age dramas with a psychological edge. Although Ucho is primarily a political film – its thinly-veiled criticism of the Czech government would see it banned before release – it is its deeply personal nature that makes it such an engaging drama and valuable slice of social history.

It’s very easy to take an overview of this period of European history, especially now that it’s been consigned to the past (although whether what we have now is any better is… well…), but Ucho reminds us that people just like us were caught up in circumstances not of their making – although just what Ludvik might have done to raise to his position within the Prague hierarchy is open to question.

The sanctity of their home and the quiet life they’ve built for themselves is further thrown into chaos by a late night visit from some of Ludvik’s comrades, and from there the story takes a turn. Radoslav Brzobohatý, as Ludvík, and Jiřina Bohdalová, as Anna, are superb in a genuinely funny and unsettling portrait of life under observation.

The Blu-ray from Second Run contains some fascinating extras, with a filmed introduction from critic Peter Hames and a commentary by The Projection Booth podcast, as well as a brilliantly unnerving short film from 1969 by Czech filmmaker Vlastimil Venclík.

Special features: Filmed introduction, commentary from The Projection Booth podcast, short film The Uninvited Guest, illustrated booklet

FRIGHT (1971)

FRIGHT (1971) / CERT: 18 / DIRECTOR: PETER COLLINSON / SCREENPLAY: TUDOR GATES / STARRING: SUSAN GEORGE, IAN BANNEN, HONOR BLACKMAN, DENNIS WATERMAN, JOHN GREGSON / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW

An atmospheric thriller from the past, Fright has returned once again to haunt our homes. Directed by Peter Collinson (The Italian Job) and starring an ensemble of notable names from a bygone era, Fright is what one can only describe as an underrated proto-slasher that’s bursting with real ingenuity from start to finish. Released seven years before Halloween, many have deemed Fright as a trendsetter for introducing the ‘terrorised babysitter formula’ to the horror genre. Almost 50 years later, the film still holds up today thanks to some real flair behind the camera and a beautiful restoration.

Susan George is in the leading role as a young babysitter who is tormented by her employer’s deranged ex-husband who has escaped from a mental institution. Terrified and fighting for her life, she’s put through a terrifying experience that seems as if it has been ripped from a nightmare. A visually gorgeous film with a setting that’s bursting with character, Collinson has been able to create an environment that not only looks lived in but feels well and truly alive. The atmospheric nature of the film plays a big part throughout with the occasional jump scare alerting viewers to the events that slowly unfold. These moments feel less obnoxious when compared to modern-day standards as they feel earned thanks to the slow build-up and situational circumstances these moments take place.

Having previously directed The Penthouse a few years prior, this wasn’t Collinson’s first foray into horror and it shows as his direction is nothing short of superb with some imaginative shots elevating the tension in all the right places. With a star-studded cast which includes the likes of Honor Blackman (Goldfinger), Ian Bannen (The Flight of the Phoenix) and Dennis Waterman (The Sweeney), there’s certainly no shortage of talent on screen with each of the actors nailing their respective roles appropriately. The script by Tudor Gates does a great job at fleshing out the characters whilst instilling a foreboding sense of trepidation for a thrillingly tense affair. It’s a shame however that things begin to falter towards the end as it gets a little bogged down with some clunky dialogue and a somewhat unfulfilling ending.

With a strong cast, a decent script and some solid directing, Fright still manages to be an effective horror which will be able to give most modern films a run for their money. Although the gore may be lacking there’s certainly no shortage of terror as Collinson proves that one doesn’t have to rely on blood and guts to fill viewers with fear. A deceptively dark thriller which wastes no time in getting into the thick of the action, this is a must-watch for fans of British cinema.

THE DOCTORS: THE PAUL MCGANN YEARS

THE DOCTORS: THE PAUL MCGANN YEARS / CERT: E /STARRING: PAUL MCGANN, SOPHIE ALRFED, DAPHNE ASHBROOK, YEE JEE TSO, ERIC ROBERTS, PHILLIP SEGAL, GEOFFREY SAX / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW

It’s terrifying to think that it’s now nearly a quarter of a century since the Doctor Who TV movie, in which Paul McGann played the eighth incarnation of the once much-beloved TV Time Lord, debuted on American and British television. The feature-length film, always a backdoor pilot for a proposed new TV series, briefly reignited in fans hopes that the show, which had fallen so heavily out of favour in the 1980s, could be successfully reborn for a new generation. But this was to be a false dawn; the film was a bit of a dog’s dinner, the victim of too many creative interests pulling in too many different directions and poor scheduling in America (where it was pitched against the series finale of hugely popular sitcom Roseanne) killed its prospects stone dead even before it attracted an impressive nine million viewers in the UK. Over the years – especially until the show’s rather more successful British reinvention in 2005 – the film has been studied, reviewed, dissected, taken apart and put back together again and again to the point that there’s surely little more that can be said about this interesting hiccup in Doctor Who’s long history. What on earth, you might ask, could possibly justify two DVDs and six hours of your time in this new Koch Media release from the archives of Reeltime Pictures? Quite a bit, as it turns out…

All the major players in what, with hindsight, was always a project doomed to failure, have been rounded up over the years and allowed to talk at length about their careers and their brief time in the Doctor Who Universe. The USP of this particular release, though, is the brand new interview with Paul McGann, the ill-starred Eighth Doctor himself. Recorded last year, McGann is interview by his friend Sophie Aldred (Ace from the last couple of years of the ‘classic’ series) backstage at a convention and it’s an interesting, laidback piece, McGann wandering through his career and spending some time discussing the making of the movie, touching upon his own reluctance to take on the role in the first place and his sense of relief when it wasn’t picked up for a series. The passing of time and his involvement with both audio dramas and the character again on TV (courtesy of the 50th anniversary online mini-episode Night of the Doctor) have done much to rehabilitate the actor’s attitude towards the character and the series; he’s now very comfortable in the Time Lord skin that no actor who plays the part can ever really shed, and is clearly now very warmly disposed towards a character he played on TV for not much more than sixty minutes and his place in its ongoing legacy.

Elsewhere on this collection we find archive interviews with Yee Jee Tso (who played street runner Lee in the movie) and the Eighth Doctor’s erstwhile ‘companion’ Grace (Daphne Ashbrook) who scandalised fandom as the first woman to indulge in a bit of tonsil tennis with the previously-chaste time traveller. Chats with producer Philip Segal, who worked long and hard to bring the show back, only to find his dreams torn apart by interfering studios, and director Geoffrey Sax, are workmanlike but enjoyable but there’s endless fun to be had in a more recent chat with Master actor Eric Roberts. Interviewed by his wife Eliza in their own home, Eric is, to put it politely, away with the fairies, often utterly disinclined to directly answer the question he’s being asked and frequently quite bemused by the whole process.

The TV movie could have been a final full stop to the Doctor Who story. History tells us that bigger and far better was to come in the new millennium but this handy, welcome DVD set reminds us of a part of the show’s history that has been unjustly overlooked and commemorates the work of those who battled against adversity and apathy to breathe new life into a character whose day, it was generally believed, had been and gone.

ADVENTURE TIME: SEASONS 1-4

BD, DVD | CERT: PG | CREATED BY: PENDLETON WARD | STARRING: JEREMY SHADA, JOHN DIMAGGIO, HYNDEN WALCH, TOM KENNY | RELEASE DATE: OCTOBER 21ST

Adventure Time is like no other animated series. Not quite made for kids but not quite made for adults either, the show treads a wafer-thin line of inappropriate content blended with teen emotions, surreal imagery, and adult philosophy. The result is a weird, insightful and intoxicating experience featuring iconic music, memorable multi-dimensional characters and huge heart that sits in the midst of it all.

The first four seasons are included here, the first of which goes a long way towards the world-building, introducing the characters one by one (it’s insane to think that BMO doesn’t even show up until practically the end. Season 2 and 3 pushes their adventures more while focussing on Finn’s confusion over his emotional relationships, while Season 4 begins to properly lay the groundwork for the mythology that begins to unfold.

All episodes (with the exception of Season 1 which only has five) come with an optional commentary track from the creator and various cast members. While the excess of voice cast doing their characters can make it pretty hard to follow occasionally, their energy and genuine love for the show is compelling and just as insane as the show itself.

Season 1 also provides featurettes including Behind the Scenes (from creator Pendleton Ward which manages to be just as wacko as the show), Behind the Behind the Scenes (which is even more hilariously stupid), and Adventure Time Music with Casey + Tim, exploring the creative symbiotic relationship of the two composers. Animatics are available for four episodes, featuring a plethora of creatives talking us through the crudely animated storyboards. Finally a Music Video featuring a weird real-life Adventure Time battle, Finndemonium feature (looking at the devoted fan base), and the two-minute mini-episode The Wand wrap things up.

Season 2 adds The Crew of Adventure Time, interviewed by Pendleton Ward during which he films their reactions to an unseen video clip. That we never see what they see is infuriating, but then that’s kind of the point.

Season 3 gives us an Alternate Adventure Time Intro by Screen Novelties created entirely in LEGO which is pretty cool, along with the fascinating How an Idea Becomes Adventure Time which explores the creators’ creative process.

Finally, Season 4 gives us a look at Distant Bands: The Music of Adventure Time which is a glorious 20-minute journey into the show’s best music and how it came about.

While it would have been great to have had more insight into the show’s beginnings, this is still well above and beyond what most fans would be expecting and really speaks to the maturity of the audience that Adventure Time enjoys. This box set is so Math it’s practically Algebraic!

VALENTINE: THE DARK AVENGER

In the fictional city of Batavia, crime is at an all-time high. No matter where you turn, crime is there rearing its ugly head until one day, a vigilante rises in the form of Valentine: The Dark Avenger.

Now, to be clear, this 2017 Indonesian take on the blockbuster genre is nothing to do with Marvel or DC, but instead based on Indonesia’s own superhero series by Skylar Comics and comes from their own production company.

This film tells the origin story of the studio’s most popular hero, Valentine. After losing her father who was murdered a few years prior, Srimaya (Estelle Linden), who is also an expert in hand-to-hand combat, tries to get by with her mother and brother as a waitress whilst also dreaming of being an actress. Bono (Matthew Settle) a film director is looking for a leading lady to star as Valentine the Vigilante in his movie that keeps getting palmed off by studio directors. When he comes across Srimaya in her restaurant as she destroys sexually abusive thugs, a relationship is born. In order for him to sell the idea, he gets Srimaya to battle local thugs and films it to put online in a bid to gain viral status (at this point, think Bowfinger meets Kick-Ass) until they get tangled into a bigger picture of the sinister Shadow and his henchwomen.

Even though the film lacks the juggernaut budget of that of other superhero movies, this is a solid attempt at creating something fun and enjoyable. It is competently directed with crisp and clear framing and in some cases has the sheen that you expect from western films of this ilk and although the CGI lacks in areas, it never full detracts that audience from the film but instead possesses a kind of unique charm making it seem a tad more like an actual comic book come to life as some scenes pop off the screen.

With the film being made in Indonesia, one would assume that the title is subtitled, but instead, is completely dubbed in English by the cast – this is quite jarring in places, especially when, in the films more sombre scenes, the voice acting didn’t quite line up to what was on screen. In terms of the action set pieces, the choreography was solid and fast-paced, but musical and sound choices meant that the fights lacked any real vigour. The stylistic choice to have multiple cuts and quick zooms also detracted from some of the key battle sequences.

To its detriment, these issues, along with a messy third act and a twist that is very predictable and popular in these kinds of stories, may alienate a large viewing audience mostly, one would assume, from the west. However, in terms of ambition and style on a low budget, the filmmakers must be commended on trying their best and it’s clear to see that all involved were having a lot of fun during its production and has given birth to a fantastic actress in Linden who stole the show throughout.

THE FLASH – SEASON 5

SUPERGIRL / CERT: 15 / SHOWRUNNER: TODD HELBING / STARRING: GRANT GUSTIN, CANDICE PATTON, DANIELLE PANABAKER, CARLOS VALDES, TOM CAVANAGH, JESSICA PARKER KENNEDY / RELEASE DATE: SEPTEMBER 23RD

Special Features: Villains: Mode of Persuasion / Two featurettes / Deleted scenes / Gag reel

With Nora West-Allen (Kennedy) – the daughter of Barry Allen (Gustin) and Iris West (Patton) – arriving from the future to leave jaws agape at the end of the previous season, The Flash’s fifth year sees Barry and Iris having to get to grips with being parents, while a whole host of nefarious metahumans continue to cause chaos in Central City. Not just that, though, for the villainous Cicada (Chris Klein) is on the scene as the season’s big bad. Said villain has a hatred for metahumans, and just so happens to have the unique ability to strip such superpowered sorts of their own unique abilities.

Having seen The Flash serve up some utterly fantastic villains over its run to date, sadly Cicada ranks as likely the worst season-long ‘big bad’ to date for the series. Whether it’s Chris Klein’s cringe-inducing delivery or the way that the character’s arc was all a bit so-so, Cicada just ended up feeling bland for the most part.

Fortunately, while the overarching villain of the season may have been a major misstep, the character of Nora West-Allen was a fantastic addition to The Flash’s fifth season. Jessica Parker Kennedy played the future daughter of Barry and Iris brilliantly, and she quickly becomes one of the season’s most enjoyable characters as her arc takes her on a roller coaster of a journey. Likewise, the arrival of their daughter in the present day means that Barry and Iris have their own emotional ups and downs, particularly in how Nora idolises her father while being resentful towards her mother. As such, the relationship between Barry and Iris actually takes a little bit of a backseat at times, with the spotlight being more on the duo’s roles as parents.

With the addition of Nora West-Allen, that also means that we get to see and hear all about the future – and fans of superhero shows tend to always love to see what could be lying down the line. That glimpse into the future is always fun in The Flash, and it’s just one hugely enjoyable element of Season 5. And it’s fun that likely best sums up the majority of the show’s fifth season.

For the first time in a couple of seasons, The Flash seems to have a renewed energy and sense of fun. Characters such as Ralph Dibny (Hartley Sawyer) and Cecile (Danielle Nicolet) now feel pivotal to Team Flash, while Tom Cavanagh arguably steals the show with yet another different take on Harrison Wells – this time Sherloque Wells of Earth-221.

All in all, it’s another good season in the books for The Flash – but you can’t help but think the season could’ve have been so much more if there was a genuinely engaging villain at the centre of the action.

Rounding out this home release, the Villains: Mode of Persuasion offering is a delightful addition that offers a look at some of the greatest rogues recently seen across the various DC TV shows. Other than that, the bloopers are as entertaining as they always are, and the other featurettes are a decent watch.

SUPERGIRL – SEASON 4

SUPERGIRL – SEASON 4 / CERT: 15 / SHOWRUNNER: ROBERT ROVNER, JESSICA QUELLER / STARRING: MELISSA BENOIST, MEHCAD BROOKS, CHYLER LEIGH, KATIE McGRATH, DAVID HAREWORD / RELEASE DATE: SEPTEMBER 23RD

Special Features: Villains: Mode of Persuasion / Two featurettes / Deleted scenes / Gag reel

For its three previous seasons, The CW’s Melissa Benoist-headlined Supergirl has gone from strength to strength and made itself a must-watch show for many a genre fan. With the series’ fourth season now hitting home release, does Benoist’s Kara Zor-El continue to soar or is it a crash landing for the series’ most recent output?

To put it out there from the get-go, Supergirl’s fourth season is an absolute triumph with so many intertwining story threads coming together in a way that is truly masterful. Firstly, there’s the strained relationship between Supergirl and the US government as pressure is put on Kara to reveal her identity to the world. Then there’s Agent Liberty (Sam Witwer) leading an anti-alien movement that begins to split the general public. But not just that, for Supergirl’s fourth year also manages to deliver TV’s first transgender superhero with Nicole Maines’ Nia Nal, has Chyler Leigh’s Alex Danvers desperately trying to adopt, delivers an all-powerful Supergirl clone, tests friendships, looks as political corruption – and that’s without even mentioning Jon Cryer as a pitch-perfect, scenery-chewing, fantastically-devious Lex Luthor.

Since the inception of the shared Arrowverse realm, fans have been treated to some fantastic seasons across the various shows of this world. When all is said and done, though, Supergirl’s fourth season is right up there as one of the best seasons of television served up in recent memory.

Using the platform of the Maid of Might and a superhero show to dish up social commentary and turn the spotlight on very real issues such as immigration, political propaganda, sexuality, and gender identity, Supergirl never ceases to amaze with its reach and its message. The minds behind the series deserve huge praise for how well they handle such issues in a way that is both respectful yet hard-hitting when needed, and the on-screen talent are just so, so good by this point in the game.

Faces both old and new are all on fine form throughout Season 4 of Supergirl, and each and every character of note is given plenty of time to let their own particular arcs breathe in a way that feels natural and never rushed. To handle such a vast ensemble so well? Again, nothing short of exemplary and damn impressive. And it’s such attention, delicate storytelling, and outright vision that continues to make Supergirl one of most pleasing and poignant shows on TV.

Also included on this release, we’ve got the marvellous Villains: Mode of Persuasion offering that shines the spotlight on the various villains recently across a host of DC TV shows, plus a few other fun and engaging pieces that round out a brilliant overall package for fans of the Girl of Steel and her world.