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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Tarantino has a way with words in violent ‘Hateful Eight’

Sean Axmaker

What’s new for home viewing on video-on-demand and Netflix, Amazon Prime, and other streaming services.

Pay-Per-View / Video-On-Demand

The mercenary characters of Quentin Tarantino’s post-Civil War Western “The Hateful Eight” are violent, racist, and cruel, but they sure have a way with words and Tarantino knows how to spin a dark yarn. Samuel L. Jackson, Walton Goggins, Kurt Russell, and Jennifer Jason Leigh have a lot fun with their performances. Rated R for violence, language, and nudity. Also on DVD and Blu-ray.

Concussion” stars Will Smith as the real-life forensic pathologist who fought the NFL over his findings involving brain damage caused by repeated head trauma. PG-13. Also on DVD and Blu-ray.

Also new: the R-rated animated film “Anomalisa,” the pointless action movie remake “Point Break” (PG-13; available in 3-D in select systems); and the thriller “Exposed” with Keanu Reeves (R).

Available same day as select theaters nationwide is “Born to Be Blue,” starring Ethan Hawke as jazz legend Chet Baker. R.

Netflix

Ashton Kutcher and Danny Masterson are estranged brothers who reunite to run the family ranch with their father (Sam Elliott) in the new Netflix original comedy series “The Ranch.” 10 episodes.

New movies this month include Oscar winners “Mystic River” (2003) from Clint Eastwood (R), “Erin Brockovich” (2000) with Julia Roberts (R), and “The Right Stuff” (1983) with Sam Shepard and Ed Harris (PG); family-friendly storybook fantasy “The Princess Bride” (1987) (PG); “The Shawshank Redemption” (1994) with Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman (R); and the Hollywood-noir classic “Sunset Boulevard” (1950) with William Holden and Gloria Swanson.

Amazon Prime Video

The colorful and clever 21st century revival of the British time-travel adventure “Doctor Who” is streaming once again. Amazon has the first eight seasons featuring Christopher Eccleson, David Tennant, Matt Smith, and Peter Capaldi as The Doctor. The spin-off “Torchwood” is also available.

Newly-added films: the Coen Bros.’s one-of-a-kind stoner-Zen comedy “The Big Lebowski” (1998) with Jeff Bridges and John Goodman (R); Tim Burton’s big-screen comic book “Batman” (1989) with Michael Keaton and Jack Nicholson (PG-13); and the ’80s comedies “Risky Business” (1983) with Tom Cruise and “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” (1986) with Matthew Broderick.

Hulu

The new Hulu original series “The Path” stars Aaron Paul (“Breaking Bad”) as a man disillusioned with the cult-like religion that has dominated his life. The first two episodes are now available, new episodes arrive each Wednesday.

More streaming TV: Hulu now has nine seasons of the animated “Curious George,” a favorite among young kids, while the raunchy spy spoof “Archer: Season 6” offers animated fun for adults.

On disc

On DVD: “The Hateful Eight,” “Concussion,” “Point Break,” “The Primary Instinct,” “Humans: Season One”

At Redbox: “The Hateful Eight,” “Concussion,” “Creed,” “The Danish Girl,” “Legend”

Sean Axmaker is a Seattle film critic and writer. His reviews of streaming movies and TV can be found at http://streamondemandathome.com.