Are you looking for something to help you take your mind off the sweltering heat? Wimbledon not your cup of tea? Trying to find ways to keep the kids entertained during the first couple of weeks of the school holidays? Then here’s a brief guide on what to watch on DVD/Blu-ray during the month of July.
 Chappie
Released 6th of July
Blu Ray / DVD
From Neil Blomkamp, the mastermind of such modern-day science fiction classics (District 9, Elysium) comes his most offbeat and heartfelt movie yet.
Set in a futuristic Johannesburg, a mechanised police force patrols the streets and deals with lawbreakers — but now, the people are fighting back. When one police droid is stolen and given new programming, he acquires the ability to feel and think for himself. While the robot, dubbed “Chappie (Sharlto Copley),” puzzles out human behavior, the authorities begin to see him as a danger to mankind and order; they will stop at nothing to ensure that Chappie is the last of his kind.
Featuring this years most out their performance from South Africa’s hip hop duo Die Atwood; Chappie, on paper, may appear to be another run of the mill, science fiction, action films that are released a dime a dozen with explosions and robots-a-plenty. However Copleys performance as the incredibly innocent and childlike Chappie really offers something that is rarely seen in a science-fiction film, a human heart. Although met with somewhat iffy critical reception at the time of release, Chappie is defiantly for those who are looking for something a little off-kilter and oddball.
Focus
Released 6th of July
Blu Ray / DVD
 A sleeper hit at it time of release, this sleek and sexy con film stars Will Smith as Nicky, a veteran con artist, who takes a novice, named Jess (Margot Robbie) under his wing. While Nicky teaches Jess the tricks of the trade, the pair become romantically involved; but, when Jess gets uncomfortably close, Nicky ends their relationship. Three years later, Nicky is in Buenos Aires working a very dangerous scheme when Jess — now an accomplished femme fatale — unexpectedly shows up. Her appearance throws Nicky for a loop at a time when he cannot afford to be off his game.
Although a little clunky around the edges; there’s not denying that the chemistry between its two stars it’s absolutely intoxicating and shows a good sign for their next team up in David Ayer’s new superhero film ‘Suicide Squad’ where the two are again suspected to play lovers.
The Tale Of Princess Kaguya
Released July 13th
Blu Ray / DVD
For those who like their animation more sophisticated, this month sees the release of the latest film but Japanese anime powerhouse Studio Ghibli. Â The Tale Of Princess Kaguya tells the story of a tiny nymph found inside a bamboo stalk grows into a beautiful and desirable young woman, who orders her suitors to prove their love by completing a series of near-impossible tasks.
Much like the studios previous efforts The Tale of Princess Kaguya is an astoundingly beautiful animated film, beloved and awe inspiringly beautiful, the tale of princess Kaguya should impress old and young and serves as a wonderful substitute for all of the CGI animated films that dominates cinemas around the UK.
Home
Released July 20th
Blu Ray / DVD
Speaking of Hollywood animation. Home is the latest CGI release from DreamWorks animation studios, who in the past has brought us such masterpieces as How To Train Your Dragon, Kung Fu Panda and Shrek.
After a hive-minded alien race called the Boov conquer the Earth, they relocate the planet’s human population — all except for a little girl named Tip (Rihanna), who’s managed to hide from the aliens. When Tip meets a fugitive Boov called Oh (Jim Parsons), there’s mutual distrust. However, Oh is not like his comrades; he craves friendship and fun. As their distrust fades, the pair set out together to find Tip’s mother, but unbeknown to them, the Gorg — enemies of the Boov — are en route.
Despite is slightly dark and macabre synopsis, the film couldn’t be father from this description. Home is a film that tenders to the very young, Although there’s nothing necessarily wrong with that. Oh is loveable clumsy and bouncy and although his tendency to get his words in a sentence jumbled up (a problem that this writer suffers from time to time) can be a little grating for those above the age of ten, younger audiences will be entertained by this bright and colourful roller-coaster ride, serving as a perfect way to keep their minds engaged and interested during those rainy summer holiday days.
A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night
Released July 27th
Blu Ray / DVD
An indie darling and one of this years most talked about festival films, ‘A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night’ is a Iranian/American horror film directed by newcomer Ana Lily Amirpour. Set in a fictitious town of Bad City, a place where drugs, crime and danger lurk around every corner; a place where the town’s people are being unexpectedly being stalked and haunted by a lonesome vampire who is just looking for acceptance.
In this writers opinion, this as close as a film has come to recreating the neon sleazy and dingy underbelly that director Nicholas Winding Refn created and masted so perfectly in his breakout hit Drive. The cast and crew, all unknowns, deliver in this hauntingly slow and dramatic tale of supernatural love and western ideology and fears. Although it may be hard to find ‘A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night’ is defiantly one you should hunt down if you’re looking for one of the  most engrossing and complex films of the year.
Re-Release of the month:
X-Men: Days Of Future Past – The Rouge Cut
Released 13th of July
Blu Ray / DVD
I like many of you absolutely loved last years X-Men: Days Of Future Past. It reinvented and rejuvenated the X-Men Cinematic Universe that had, lets all be honest, been pants for a good period of time. Mixing casts from the original trilogy and the rebooted X-Men: First Class, giving us the most engaging story since X2 back in 2004 and delivering big scale and great hollywood blockbuster action almost from the opening scene.
With this new release Director Bryan Singer promises not only oodles of additional footage that was cut from the films lengthy theatrical running time, but, also states that this cut of the film is “… not just an extended edition of X-Men: Days Of Future Past, but an all-new version of the film.”.
Hopefully this new cut will deliver just that, and will tide us X-Men fans over until next years sequel X-Men: Apocalypse.
For more news, reviews and previews of all upcoming cinematic and home releaeses keep checking back to Film and TV Now.
