This weeks DVDs begin on the road:

DVDs and streaming for Sept. 1 by Boo Allen

This week, we begin on the road:

Mad Max: Fury Road (***1/2)

With this adrenaline-fueled production, director George Miller returns to the franchise he began in 1979. In this latest version filled with the latest effects and computer imaging, Miller again renders a bleak view of a post-apocalyptic world filled with outlandish creations and chaotic action. Tom Hardy stars as the titular Max, a stranded warrior in the Australian desert. And Charlize Theron plays Imperator Furiosa, a soldier in the army of the evil ruler of a society bereft of water and gasoline. The plot from a trio of writers has numerous twists, but it can be summed up simply: the Imperator has escaped with five beautiful young women in an attempt to free them, and she is being chased by several armies filled with cartoonish villains riding even more cartoonish vehicles. After an initial confrontation, the now-pursued Max joins Imperator. From there, it’s almost entirely out on the road as various armies fight against each other in a series of spectacular sequences. Director Miller made cinematic history and influenced action films for decades in his original. Now, he has followed up admirably with this effort that seamlessly mixes gripping action, breath-taking stunt work, special effects, and impressive computer imaging.

Rated R, 120 minutes.

Extras: six “making of” featurettes, including the 24 minute “Maximum Fury: Filming Fury Road.” The 23 minute “Mad Max: Fury on Four Wheels” examines the cars and souped-up vehicles. The 11 minute “The Five Wives: So Shiny, So Chrome” highlights the supermodels and actresses who play the freed hostages. The four minute “Fury Road: Crash and Smash” gives a look at the film’s expert driving and effects-free stunts. Plus: 15 minutes on “The Tools of the Wasteland,” and three deleted scenes totaling around four minutes.

The Hunger (**1/2)

On demand Warner Archives brings to Blu-ray this first feature film from director Tony Scott (Top Gun, True Romance, Crimson Tide). The stylish vampire tale has gained well deserved notoriety and caché since its release, mainly because the two main actors, Catherine Deneuve and Susan Sarandon, have graduated from minor icons to full canonization. Scott bathes his beauties, and everyone, in dark shadows and extreme close-ups as Deneuve plays Miriam Blaylock, married to John Blaylock (David Bowie). She of course has been around forever, but John, alas, is quickly deteriorating before our eyes. Enter Sarah Roberts (Sarandon), an expert on aging and someone who catches the eye of the perfidious Miriam. Before long, Miriam seduces Sarah in a steamy scene for 1983. Eventually, Scott renders several blood-soaked sequences more titillating than scary. But that’s o k too.

Rated R, 97 minutes.

Extras: commentary from Sarandon and Scott.

The Beginner’s Bible: volume three

This latest edition of the kids’ animated series, with theme song from Kathie Lee Gifford, offers three well known Biblical stories: “The Story of Jesus and His Miracles,” “The Story of the Good Samaritan,” and “The Story of the Prodigal Son.”

Not rated, 90 minutes.

And, finally, from this week’s TV arrivals:

Scorpion—season one

Geekdom receives its due in this fun action series created by Nick Santora. Using a familiar formula of gathering genius misfits to form a team, the series features a group of young whiz-kids who have been recruited by Homeland Security agent Cabe Gallo (Robert Patrick) to weekly thwart impending disasters, crimes, murders, terrorist plots and various misdeeds. That is, a special response team. Elyes Gabel stars as requisite computer genius and team leader Walter O’Brien. To help Walter meet the weekly challenges, he recruits psychologist and behaviorist Toby (Eddie Kaye Thomas), engineering and mechanical expert Happy (Jadyn Wong), and ace mathematician and statistician Sylvester (Ari Stidham). Katharine McPhee plays Paige, the waitress summarily recruited because her young son Ralph (Riley B. Smith) is a genius. In the season, they uncover a CIA mole, prevent a massive airline catastrophe, capture escaped convicts, ward off a deadly virus, visit Las Vegas on a personal assignment, go undercover on a cruise ship, take a witness on the run, and more. Twenty-two episodes, including the pilot (directed by Justin Lin), arrive on five Blu-ray, six DVD, discs, with an extra disc of supplements available on a promotion.

Not rated, 15 hours, 16 minutes.

Extras: commentaries, cast and crew interviews in the 15 minute featurette “Building Team Scorpion,” a five minute featurette on the stunts and special effects in the first episode in “Chasing the Plane,” a two minute featurette on “When Hetty Meet Scorpion,” a five minute gag reel, a 20 minute “making of” featurette, 11 minutes on the stunts, a brief six part interview “Inside the Brain” with Eddie Kaye Thomas, 15 minutes to “Meet Team Scorpion,” approximately ten deleted scenes, and more.

The Hee Haw Collection

This once-popular series began on CBS in 1969 and ran briefly before being syndicated in 1971. Roy Clark and Buck Owens hosted the entertainment show that featured the era’s most prominent country singers. Five new-to-DVD episodes arrive on three discs along with generous supplements. Talents delivering performances include Roy Clark, Lulu Roman, Charlie McCoy, and many others, as well as various comedy acts.

Not rated, 369 minutes.

Extras: additional interviews with Jim and John Hager, Lulu Roman, Roy Clark, George Lindsey, and others.

Also on DVD and streaming: Backcountry, Dior and I, Good Kill, I’ll See You in My Dreams, That Sugar Film.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2872462/?ref_=nv_sr_1

Mistress America (**1/2 ) rated R, 84 minutes, opens Friday, August 28 at Landmark Magnolia and Angelika Plano

Eighteen year-old Tracey (Lola Kirke) moves to New York City at attend college. She hooks up with Brooke (Greta Gerwig), whose father is about to marry Tracey’s mother. The flamboyant, non-stop Brooke shepherds Tracey through various chaotic adventures like a latter-day “Auntie Mame.” It’s amusing and even fun at times, while never adding up to much before all the characters eventually turn annoying. Noah Baumbach directed and co-wrote the script with Gerwig.

Meru (***) rated R, 87 minutes, Opens Friday, August 28 at Dallas and Plano Angelika

Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and noted mountain climber Jimmy Chin directed this gripping documentary about an ascent to the notorious Shark’s Fin on India’s Mount Meru. The film covers two attempts, a failed one in 2008 and then another attempt in 2011 by the same trio of climbers—Chin, Conrad Anker, and Renan Ozturk