ROUND UP
The lack of any bonuses on IN THE EARTH (Blu-ray/DVD, out now) is disappointing, but we’ll let Ben Wheatley off, given that he shot it during lockdown. When Joel Fry’s scientist treks into the forest to find an old colleague, he finds her researches into crop growth have veered onto a new path: communicating with nature via lights and sounds. We said: “Psychedelic, both in the visual and the philosophical sense… If only all filmmakers who go green were capable of producing something so beguilingly idiosyncratic.” Horror sequel ESCAPE ROOM: TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS (Blu-ray/ DVD/download/VOD, out now) sees another bunch of strangers pitted against a series of deadly escape rooms, only this time they’ve all been through this before. The home ent release includes both the theatrical release and an extended cut that’s eight minutes longer, with an alternate beginning and ending. We said: “A ‘more of the same’ film… While there are stabs at developing the mythos, these are truly halfhearted.” DreamWorks’ animated caveman clan return in THE CROODS: A NEW AGE (Blu-ray/ DVD/download). This time out they stumble on a walled-in paradise cultivated by the sophisticated Betterman clan. Can they adapt to a new lifestyle? We said: “The answers won’t surprise you, but at least some of the OTT set-pieces are lively enough.” Extras include two new Croods shorts, director’s commentary, and kid-friendly stuff like pieces on how to make “Stone Age snacks”.