New on DVD: In ‘Antlers,’ legendary monster haunts town

A gory horror film about an Indigenous myth concerning an ancestral creature tops the DVD releases for the week of Jan. 4.

“Antlers”: Keri Russell and Jesse Plemons star as adult siblings living in rural Oregon who become involved with a troubled student harboring a dark secret and unwittingly unleash an ancient evil.

Directed by Scott Cooper, the movie “is an adaptation of an Indigenous First Nations myth, the tale of the wendigo, which is described by the former sheriff Warren Stokes (played by Canadian First Nations actor Graham Greene),” writes Tribune News Service critic Katie Walsh in her review. “This mythical creature offers the opportunity for shockingly gory body horror, and in ‘Antlers,’ it’s also used as a metaphor for the social ills that plague this town.”

Also new on DVD

“Black Friday”: Horror comedy about toy store employees preparing for an onslaught of holiday shoppers who must confront hordes of a different sort after a meteor strike results in an alien parasite infecting the town’s residents. Stars Devon Sawa, Michael Jai White and Bruce Campbell.

“The Superdeep”: In this Shudder original film, a small team is sent to investigate the mysteries of the world’s deepest borehole, discovering a secret that could imperil the world.

“The Djinn”: A boy who cannot speak, left alone in a new apartment by his father, finds a book of spells and summons a djinn to grant one wish, setting in motion a night of terror.

“Zeros and Ones”: Abel Ferrara wrote and directed this action thriller starring Ethan Hawke as an American soldier in Rome trying to thwart a terrorist attack.

“Ida Red”: Melissa Leo stars as an imprisoned (and terminally ill) crime boss who turns to her son, played by Josh Hartnett, to pull off one last heist to regain her freedom.

Digital HD

“A Mouthful of Air”: Adapting her own novel, Amy Koppelman wrote the screenplay and directed this drama, which stars Amanda Seyfried as a bestselling children’s author who writes about unlocking childhood fears.