Now Available to Own: Maggie, House of Cards, Slow West, and More

Brace your bank accounts, it’s time to see what’s Now Available to Own for the week of July 7, 2015. Every Tuesday we run down new movie, television, and video game releases that you can enjoy in the comfort of your own home, as well as some slick deals that can save you some coin. New on shelves this week are Maggie, House of Cards, Slow West, and more.

Movies on Blu-ray

Maggie (Henry Hobson) Rated PG-13 [95 min] – A teenage girl in the Midwest becomes infected by an outbreak of a disease that slowly turns the infected into cannibalistic zombies. During her transformation, her loving father stays by her side. Starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Abigail Breslin, Joely Richardson, and Laura Cayouette (Watch the trailer)

You won’t find Arnold in too many indie films, but from what he brings in Maggie, I want more. Too often do we see the gun-toting badass we know Schwarzenneger can be, but this softer, more dramatic side of the actor is fantastic as well. The movie itself doesn’t quite all add up – the pacing is a bit slow and the movie feels stretched thin – but it’s a solid concept.

Special features include:

“Making Maggie” Featurette
Deleted Scene
Cast & Crew Interviews
Audio Commentary with Director Henry Hobson

Slow West (John Maclean) Rated R [84 min] – Slow West follows a 16-year-old boy on a journey across 19th Century frontier America in search of the woman he loves, while accompanied by mysterious traveler Silas. Starring Kodi Smit-McPhee, Michael Fassbender, and Ben Mendelsohn

Not your ordinary Western, Slow West dials in some quirky indie personality that doesn’t quite deliver on its promise. There are some fun moments, but the movie doesn’t feel as cohesive as we need it to be. (Read my full review)

Special features include:

“On Strange Land: Making Slow West” featurette
Deleted Scenes

Kill Me Three Times (Kriv Stenders) Rated R [90 min] – Professional hit-man Charlie Wolfe finds himself in three tales of murder, blackmail and revenge after a botched contract assignment. Starring Simon Pegg, Teresa Palmer, and Alice Braga

Despite a kooky performance by Simon Pegg, Kill Me Three Times is terribly bland and mostly uninteresting. There’s so many twists and turns the plot wants to take you on, but none of them are rewarding or built up well enough to care.

Special features included are:

Behind the Scenes
AXS TV: A Look At Kill Me Three Times
Theatrical Trailer

Absolution (Keoni Waxman) Rated R [96 min] – When a contract killer (Steven Seagal) encounters a girl on the run from a mob boss (Vinnie Jones) with powerful political ties, he is torn between protecting the girl, and remaining loyal to the government agency that hired him for the mission. Starring Steven Seagal, Byron Mann, and Howard Dell

It’s a Steven Seagal movie. You kind of know what you’re getting yourself into. The film is cheap, and Seagal’s goatee is only but one offender of great action films. There’s nothing interesting said or inspired by Absolution.

Special features include:

“Behind the scenes of Absolution” featurette
Cast Interviews
Audio Commentary with Co-Writer/Director Keoni Waxman, Actor Josh Barnett and Producer Binh Dang

5 Flights Up (Richard Loncraine) [Limited] Rated PG-13 [92 min] – A long-time married couple who’ve spent their lives together in the same New York apartment become overwhelmed by personal and real estate-related issues when they plan to move away. Starring Diane Keaton, Morgan Freeman, Cynthia Nixon, and Carrie Preston

Haven’t seen it. Supposedly it’s decent.

No special features included

Woman in Gold (Simon Curtis) Rated PG-13 [109 min] – Maria Altmann, an octogenarian Jewish refugee, takes on the government to recover artwork she believes rightfully belongs to her family. Starring Helen Mirren, Ryan Reynolds, Daniel Brühl, and Katie Holmes

Haven’t seen this one either, I’ve heard good things, but the story didn’t interest me.

Special features include:

The Making of Woman in Gold
Feature commentary with Director Simon Curtis and Producer David M. Thompson
Stealing Klimt Documentary Trailer
Neue Galerie New York Press Conference

TV Show Releases

House of Cards: The Complete Third Season (Beau Willimon) Rated TV-MA [50 min] – A Congressman works with his equally conniving wife to exact revenge on the people who betrayed him. Starring Kevin Spacey, Michael Gill, Kate Mara, and Robin Wright

I’m sorry. I haven’t seen this yet, but I’m working up to it!

Special features include:

“Backstage Politics: On the Set of House of Cards”- An extensive behind-the-scenes look into the creation of House of Cards, Season 3.
“A Death in New Mexico” – A featurette that chronicles the surprising Chapter 39 (Blu-ray exclusive featurette)