The Best New Blu-Ray Releases: Prey, Insidious: The Red Door, And More

There have been more than a few "Predator" sequels, and while I'd argue that most of them have their moments, I think it's fair to say that none of them get close to the original. With one notable exception: "Prey," Dan Trachtenberg's stripped-down prequel that takes a simple but bold approach. "Prey" transports us back to 1719 and introduces us to Naru (Amber Midthunder), a Comanche who wants to become a great hunter/warrior. She'll have her chance when a friggin' Predator crash-lands nearby. Like Arnold Schwarzenegger's Dutch in the first film, Naru will have to use her wits, and some homemade weaponry, to best the beast. And oh yeah, I should mention that Naru has a very good dog, and — spoilers — the dog lives. "Prey" is an excellent sci-fi action pic and an excellent "Predator" movie, one that shows that simple is best. And thankfully, the film now has a physical release — something that doesn't happen often for movies dumped onto streaming. 

Special features:

• Making of Prey: Step behind the scenes of Prey as the cast and crew explore the genesis of the project, how they gave authenticity to the story, the intense physical training the cast endured, and the effects work that brought the iconic Predator back to the screen.
• Prey FYC Panel With Cast & Crew: Go deeper into Prey with a lively panel discussion featuring director Dan Trachtenberg, actor Amber Midthunder, producer Jhane Myers, director of photography Jeff Cutter, film editor Angela M. Catanzaro and creature effects designer Alec Gillis.
• Alternative Opening Scene: Check out a scene that didn't make the cut with commentary by Dan Trachtenberg.
• Deleted Scene: Big Warrior, Little Warrior: Check out a scene that didn't make the cut with commentary by Dan Trachtenberg.
• Deleted Scene: Treetop Chase (pre-vis): Check out a scene that didn't make the cut with commentary by Dan Trachtenberg.
• Audio Commentary: Play Movie With Audio Commentary By Dan Trachtenberg, Amber Midthunder, Jeff Cutter & Angela M. Catanzaro.

"Elemental" has had itself a surprising run at the box office. Its opening weekend was weak, leading many to write it off as a failure. But the film eventually found an audience. With all that in mind, I wish I could sit here and tell you this is some unsung masterpiece from Pixar, but ... it's really not. In truth, I found it to be one of their weaker entries. The story is set in a world where elements — earth, fire, water, etc. — are living beings. Two such elements, a fire-person named Ember and a water-person named Wade, meet-cute and form a bond. But can fire and water fall in love?! That's crazy ... unless! Look, it's a cute idea, but the film just never clicks. There's a better movie lurking here; an immigrant story about Ember's family. But the film's insistence on focusing on romance hurts things, even though voice actors Leah Lewis (Ember) and Mamoudou Athie (Wade) make for likable protagonists. 

Special 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.

Deleted Scenes

Director Peter Sohn introduces five scenes that are storyboarded, set to music, timed, and voiced, but are not included in the final version of Elemental.

• Intro Ember – An alternate opening in which our hero Ember helps a newly immigrated Fire family navigate through, and acclimate to, Element City. Scene introduced by director Peter Sohn.
• Mom Rejects Wade – Ember's traditional parents learn that she's enamored with watery Wade...and it doesn't go well. Scene introduced by story supervisor Jason Katz.
• Dante Challenge – In an attempt to keep Ember apart from Wade, Bernie tasks her with finding a place to live for newcomer Dante, who Wade finds himself rather enamored with. Scene introduced by story artist Nira Liu.
• Brook Dinner – Ember joins Wade for dinner at his home, in this abandoned storyline in which Wade's mother, Brook, is revealed to be the villain diverting water into Firetown. Scene introduced by story artist Anna Benedict.
• Beach Proposal – Sharing a tender moment on the beach, Ember and Wade propose marriage to each other. Scene introduced by story artists Yung-Han Chang and Le Tang.

Audio Commentary

• Elemental Filmmaker Commentary – Join director Peter Sohn, supe tech Sanjay Bakshi, supervising animator Mike Venturini, and directing animator Gwendelyn Enderoglu as they provide insight into the making of this remarkable animated feature while you watch it.

Based very, very loosely on a short story by Stephen King, "The Boogeyman" is an effective little chiller. It's also a very dark movie, literally— the characters would all probably be better off if they turned the damn lights on. In "The Boogeyman," the Harper family is grieving following a death in the family. As if that weren't bad enough, there's a vicious monster lurking in the shadows, feeding on misery and fear (and also people). Grief triggering trauma triggering horror is a common trope, and I kind of wish films would start moving away from it for a little while. Still, director Rob Savage milks the film's premise for all its worth and manages to scrounge up some creepy set pieces involving shadows, darkness, and the dimmest of lights. It's nowhere near as disturbing as the King story that inspired it, but it does the trick. 

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. Join the cast for some lighthearted fun in the outtakes.