Victoria, season one
Jenna Coleman ("Doctor Who") stars as the spirited English queen, who ascends to the throne in 1837 at the vulnerable age of 18. Controlling relatives plot to usurp her power, forcing her to grow up quickly and rely on the kindly advice of her charming prime minister, Lord Melbourne. Rufus Sewell plays the older man halfway between father figure and romantic interest. This compelling British series, which began airing Jan. 17 on PBS' "Masterpiece," aims for "Downton Abbey" fans, adding subplots involving distinctly good and bad servants. But these back-room tussles don't serve viewers well. They just slow the momentum of this classic story about a sheltered young woman battling to prove herself worthy of her imposing new title. This home-video release contains the longer U.K. version. TV-PG. Eight episodes, 415 minutes. Extras: three interviews and two featurettes. From PBS Home Video. Released Jan. 31 on DVD and Blu-ray.
Masterminds
A bored armored-truck driver (Zach Galifianakis) allows himself to be drawn into an ill-conceived bank robbery scheme by a woman he has a crush on (Kristen Wiig) and her friend (Owen Wilson). This 2016 crime caper comedy, based on an actual 1997 robbery, should have been funnier, considering the talented cast, including Jason Sudeikis and Ken Marino, and the eccentric director, Jared Hess ("Napoleon Dynamite"). But it flopped at the box office, probably because it tried to be a farce, which is a challenge for a film based on a true story. PG-13, 94 minutes. From Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment. Released Jan. 17 on digital HD and Jan. 31 on DVD and Blu-ray.
Pinocchio
The 1940 animated children's classic about the puppet who longs to be a real boy is the latest film to join the Walt Disney Signature Collection. These deluxe home-video releases include hours of new and old bonus features. This one boasts previously unseen footage of Walt himself working on the production of "Pinocchio," and a recently restored 1927 short, "Oswald the Lucky Rabbit." Though not a box-office success initially, failing to equal "Snow White," "Pinocchio" won two Oscars, including best original song for "When You Wish Upon a Star," and since has gained general acclaim as one of Disney's all-time best. From Walt Disney Studios. Released Jan. 31 on Blu-ray.
Jack Reacher: Never Go Back
Tom Cruise goes back to the role he originated in his 2012 action thriller "Jack Reacher." He plays a noncommunicative former military police officer still seeking justice, though now always on his own terms as he wanders around the country. The films are based on Lee Child's best-selling book series. Cobie Smulders co-stars and Edward Zwick directs this workmanlike October release. PG-13. From Paramount. Released Jan. 31 in a Blu-ray Combo Pack.
Ballers, season two
Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson plays a retired pro football star struggling to make it in a new career as a financial manager in Miami in this HBO sitcom. When "Entourage" ended, many of the people working on it came aboard this male-oriented show, which co-stars John David Washington, Omar Miller, Rob Corddry, Troy Garity and Arielle Kebbel. TV-MA, 358 minutes. From HBO Home Entertainment. Released Jan. 31 on DVD and Blu-ray.
Poltergeist II: The Other Side and Poltergeist III, collector's edition
Steven Spielberg co-wrote the wonderfully scary 1982 ghost thriller "Poltergeist," which spawned the catchphrase "They're heeeere." A number of lesser sequels followed that were neither here nor there. Part two, from 1986, actually brings back the main original cast: Craig T. Nelson, JoBeth Williams, Heather O'Rourke and Oliver Robins. They play the unlucky Freeling family, whose suburban home was utterly destroyed at the end of the first film. In the sequel, they find out that moving to a new residence isn't quite sufficient to escape the evil spirits haunting them. While a big step down from the original, round two did earn an Oscar nomination for visual effects. In part three, from 1988, O'Rourke returns as the young clairvoyant girl Carol Ann. She is sent to live with her aunt and uncle, played by Tom Skerritt and Nancy Allen in a Chicago high-rise. Did you know that apartment buildings can be haunted, too? These two sequels are available under separate cover with tons of extras. From Shout Factory. Released Jan. 31 on Blu-ray.
Danny Says
Punk rock pioneer Danny Fields wasn't in a band, he just influenced a lot of them. This 2015 biodoc tells how he rose from magazine editor to music industry publicist, author and manager of the Ramones. Along the way, he signed MC5 and Iggy Pop and the Stooges and worked with Jim Morrison and the Velvet Underground. The film interviews music legends Alice Cooper, Judy Collins and others about Fields' enormous impact on the music of the 1960s through 1980s. Unrated, 103 minutes. From Magnolia Home Entertainment. Released Jan. 31 on DVD and Digital HD.
Gimme Danger
Akron native Jim Jarmusch wrote and directed this concise 2016 documentary about seminal punk rock band The Stooges, led by rock icon Iggy Pop. R, 108 minutes. From Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. Released Jan. 31.
Doctor Who: The Power of the Daleks
An ill-advised archive purge in 1974 destroyed the master negatives of this classic "Doctor Who" episode from 50 years ago, and no copies remain. That didn't stop the British science-fiction show's true believers. This new animated version uses original audio recordings, photos and film clips to re-create the Doctor's first regeneration, in six parts, as Patrick Troughton takes over the title role from William Hartnell. From BBC Home Entertainment. Released Jan. 31.
Flight 313: The Conspiracy
This 2015 thriller about plane-crash coverups was released in theaters with the murky title "A Dark Reflection." It stars Georgina Sutcliffe and Marina Sirtis from "Star Trek: The Next Generation." From Monarch Home Entertainment. Released Jan. 24 on DVD.
Email Chris Ball at cball@plaind.com
On Twitter @ChrisBall99
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