DISCussion: New on DVD and Blu-ray (4.15.2014)
The classic Film Noir crime movie Touch of Evil is Entertainment Fuse's Recommendation of the Week. The Blu-ray re-release contents variety of commentaries and a Ultraviolent copy for your portable devices.
First Release
- Philomena (DVD and Blu-ray)
- The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (2013) (DVD and Blu-ray)
- The Invisible Woman (DVD and Blu-ray)
- Great Expectations (2012) (DVD and Blu-ray)
- Confession of Murder (DVD and Blu-ray)
- The Legend of Hercules (DVD and Blu-ray)
- Ride Along (DVD and Blu-ray)
- The Nut Job (DVD and Blu-ray)
Re-Release
- Breaking the Waves (1996) (Blu-ray)
- Touch of Evil (1958) (Blu-ray)
- Double Indemnity (1944) (Blu-ray)
- Mallrats (1995) (Blu-ray)
- Reality Bites (1994 (Blu-ray)
Touch of Evil (1958) (Blu-ray) *Recommendation of the Week*
Directed by Orson Welles
Written by Orson Wells (screenplay), Whit Masterson (novel 'Badge of Evil')
Starring: Charlton Heston, Orson Welles, Janet Leigh, Joseph Calleia
Touch of Evil is considered to be one of the best movie in the film noir genre, a crime thriller set in a US-Mexico border town where a bomb explodes in Mexico and kills someone on the American side. Mexican narcotics officer, Miguel "Mike" Vargas (Charlton Heston) and American Police Captain Hank Quinlan (Orson Welles) investigate the crime, but Vargas soon suspects corruption on the American side of the border.
Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes): 95% (excellent)
Entertainment Fuse Score: 8.8/10
DISC DETAILS
DVD Special Features: Digital Copy of Touch of Evil (Subject to expiration. Go to NBCUCodes.com for details.); Includes UltraViolet (Subject to expiration. Go to NBCUCodes.com for details.); Bringing Evil to Life; Evil Lost and Found; Theatrical Trailer; Reconstructed Version Commentary with Charlton Heston, Janet Leigh, and Reconstruction Producer Rick Schmidlin; Reconstructed Version Commentary with Reconstruction Producer Rick Schmidlin; Theatrical Version Commentary with Writer/Filmmaker F.X. Feeney; Preview Version Commentary with Orson Welles Historians Jonathan Rosenbaum and James Naremore
Amazon Price: $20.86 (Blu-ray)
The British drama-comedy Philomena and Ben Stiller's version of The Secret Life of Walter Mitty are big new releases of the week and Ralph Fiennes stars in two Dickensian dramas. Lars von Trier's Breaking the Waves and the classic movie Double Indemnity are being re-released.
Philomena (DVD and Blu-ray)
Directed by Stephen Frears
Written by Steve Coogan, Jeff Pope (screenplay), Martin Sixsmith (book 'The Lost Child of Philomena Lee')
Starring: Judi Dench, Steve Coogan
Philomena was nominated for four Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Actress and Best Adapted Screenplay. Based on Martin Sixsmith's book The Lost Child of Philomena Lee Steve Coogan stars as the British journalist and former Government Advisor who becomes involved with the case of Philomena Lee (Judi Dench), an Irish women forced into a Magdalene Asylum when she has a child out of wedlock. Together the pair go to Washington D.C. to find her long lost son.
Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes): 92% (excellent)
Metacritic Rating: 76/100 (very good)
Entertainment Fuse Score: 7.8/10 (read our review)
DISC DETAILS
DVD Special Features: A conversation with Judi Dench; The real Philomena Lee; Q&A with Steve Coogan; Feature commentary with Steve Coogan and Jeff Pope
Amazon Price: $14.99 (DVD),
$16.99 (Blu-ray)
Score (DVDTalk.com): Content 4 stars, Video 4.5 stars, Audio 4.5 stars, Extras 2.5 stars, Replay 4 stars (out of 5). Highly Recommended.
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (2013) (DVD and Blu-ray)
Directed by Ben Stiller
Written by Steve Conrad (screeplay), James Thurber (short story)
Starring: Ben Stiller, Kristen Wiig, Shirley MacLaine, Adam Scott, Kathryn Hahn, Sean Penn
The 2013 version of The Secret Life of Walter Mitty is the second adaptation of James Thurber's story story and the fifth directional effort from Ben Stiller. Stiller stars as the title character, the photo editor of Life Magazine, a man who is unable to ask out the coworker Cheryl (Kristen Wiig) and suffers from vivid daydreams. But when Life is overtaken by another company the new ownership plans to turn the magazine into an all-digital outlet. When he cannot find the photo from star photographer Sean O'Connell (Sean Penn) which was meant to be the final cover Walter goes on a globetrotting mission to find him and the photo..
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty is movie filled with product placement.
Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes): 49% (average)
Metacritic Rating: 54/100 (average)
Entertainment Fuse Score: 6.0/10
DISC DETAILS
DVD Special Features: Closed Caption; The look of Life; Sights and sounds of production; The music of Walter Mitty; Still gallery
Additional Blu-ray Special Features: Deleted, extended & alternate scenes; The look of Life; Pre-viz; Music video: "Stay Alive" by José González
Amazon Price: $14.99 (DVD),
$19.99 (Blu-ray)
The Invisible Woman (Blu-ray)
Directed by Ralph Fiennes
Written by Abi Morgan (screenplay), Claire Tomalin (book 'The Invisible Woman: The Story of Nelly Teman and Charles Dickens')
Starring: Ralph Fiennes, Felicity Jones, Kristen Scott, Thomas, Tom Hollander
The Invisible Woman is Ralph Fiennes' second directional effort, a movie focusing on Charles Dickens' (Fiennes) affair with a much younger woman, Nelly Ternan (Felicity Jones).
Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes): 76% (very good)
Metacritic Rating: 75/100 (very good)
DISC DETAILS
DVD Special Features: Commentary with Ralph Fiennes & Felicity Jones; On the red carpet at the Toronto Premiere; SAG Foundation Conversations with Ralph Fiennes & Felicity Jones; Toronto International Film Festival press conference
Amazon Price: $24.99 (Blu-ray)
Score (DVDTalk.com): Content 2.5 stars, Video 3 stars, Audio 4 stars, Extras 2.5 stars, Replay 2 stars (out of 5). Rent It.
Great Expectations (2012) (DVD and Blu-ray)
Directed by Mike Newell
Written by David Nicholls (screenplay), Charles Dickens (novel)
Starring: Jeremy Irvine, Robbie Coltrane, Holliday Grainger, Helena Bonham Carter, Ralph Fiennes
The other Dickensian release of the week is 2012 adaptation of Great Expectations from director Mike Newell (Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire). Featuring an all-star British cast including Helena Bonham Carter, Ralph Fiennes and Robbie Coltrane Great Expectations stars Jeremy Irvine (War Horse) as Pip, an orphan boy who is inherits a fortune from a mysterious benefactor. But Miss Havisham (Bonham Carter) sets out to prevent Pip from finding his true love.
Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes: 66% (good)
Metacritic Rating: 60/100 (good)
DISC DETAILS
DVD Special Features: Closed Caption; Great Expectations: premiere; Trailer
Amazon Price: $19.53 (DVD), $25.49 (Blu-ray)
Confession of Murder (DVD and Blu-ray)
Directed by Jeong Byeong-gil
Written by Jeong Byeong-gil, Jeong Byeong-sik, Kim Dong-gyoo, Lee Yeong-jong, Hong Won-chan
Starring: Jung Jae-young, Park Si-hoo
From South Korea is the crime thriller
Confession of Murder about Choi Hyeong-goo (Jung Jae-young), a police detective investigating the murders of 10 women from 1986 to 1990. After the 15-year statute of limitations expires a young man Lee Doo-seok (Park Si-hoo) releases a book confessing to the murders. The father of a missing victim, Lee Du-sok (Park Shi-hoo) wants revenge and Choi suspects the killer is someone else.
DISC DETAILS
DVD Special Features: Behind the Scenes; Interviews; Trailer
Amazon Price: $22.98 (DVD), $9.96 (Blu-ray)
Score (DVDTalk.com): Content 3.5 stars, Video 4.5 stars, Audio 4.5 stars, Extras 1 stars, Replay 3 stars (out of 5). Recommended.
The Legend of Hercules (DVD and Blu-ray)
Directed by Renny Harlin
Written by Daniel Giat, Giulio Steve, Renny Harlin, Sean Hood
Starring: Kellan Lutz, Gaia Weiss, Scott Adkins, Roxanne McKee, Liam Garrigan, Liam McIntyre, Johnathon Schaech, Rade Šerbedžija
Oh how the mighty have fallen: Renny Harlin was one of the premier action directors of the 90s, making movies like
Die Hard 2: Die Harder,
Cliffhanger and
The Long Kiss Goodnight. Now his fantasy movie
The Legend of Hercules is considered a leading contender to be one of the worst movies of 2014.
Kellan Lutz from the Twilight series takes on the role of the famous Greek Demi-God, the son of Zeus who was sold into slavery and has to fulfill a prophesy to overthrow his tyrannical step-father King Amphitryon (Scott Adkins, The Expendables 2).
Brett Ratner and Dwayne Johnson have little to worry about when their "Hercules" movie comes out.
Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes): 3% (awful)
Metacritic Rating: 22/100 (very bad)
DISC DETAILS
DVD Special Features: Audio Commentary; The Making of The Legend of Hercules
Amazon Price: $14.96 (DVD), $22.96 (Blu-ray)
Ride Along (DVD and Blu-ray)
Directed by Tim Story
Written by Greg Coolidge, Jason Mantzoukas, Phil Hay, Matt Manfredi (screenplay), Greg Coolidge (story)
Starring: Ice Cube, Kevin Hart, John Leguizamo, Bruce McGill, Tika Sumpter, Laurence Fishburne
The comedy movie
Ride Along was the first movie of 2014 to make over $100 Million in the United States. It is also considered one of the worst. Ben Barber (Kevin Hart,
Grudge Match) is a fast-talking security officer who tries himself prove to his girlfriend's brother, Detective James Payton (Ice Cube) so he can marry her. To scare him off James takes Ben on a 24 hour ride along.
Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes): 18% (awful)
Metacritic Rating: 41/100 (poor)
DISC DETAILS
DVD Special Features: Gag Reel; It Was a Good Day – On the Set of Ride Along; Atlanta: The Character; Feature Commentary with Director Tim Story
Additional Blu-ray Special Features: Digital Copy of Ride Along (Subject to expiration. Go to NBCUCodes.com for details.); Includes UltraViolet (Subject to expiration. Go to NBCUCodes.com for details.); Alternate Ending; Deleted Scenes; Alternate Take; Kev & Cube’s Wild Ride; You Gonna Learn Today; Anatomy of the Big Blast; An Explosive Ride
Amazon Price: $17.99 (DVD),
$19.99 (Blu-ray)
Score (DVDTalk.com): Content 4.5 stars, Video 5 stars, Audio 5 stars, Extras 3.5 stars, Replay 2 stars (out of 5). Recommended.
The Nut Job (DVD and Blu-ray)
Directed by Peter Lepeniotis
Written by Lorne Cameron, Peter Lepeniotis (screenplay), Peter Lepeniotis (story), Peter Lepeniotis (short story)
Starring: Will Arnett, Brendan Fraser, Gabriel Iglesias, Liam Neeson, Katherine Heigl
2014 has produced movies like The Lego Movie and Mr. Peabody & Sherman, so we have to be reminded that bad animated movies like The Nut Job still exist, telling the story of one squirrel who raids a nut shop for food, but finds out the shop is the front for a group of bank robbers.
Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes): 11% (awful)
Metacritic Rating: 36/100 (poor)
DISC DETAILS
DVD Special Features: Animated Shorts
Additional Blu-ray Special Features: Digital Copy of The Nut Job (Subject to expiration. Go to NBCUCodes.com for details.); Includes UltraViolet (Subject to expiration. Go to NBCUCodes.com for details.); Deleted Scenes; Storyboards; The Great Nut Heist; End Credits Sequence
Amazon Price: $17.99 (DVD),
$22.96 (Blu-ray),
$29.96 (3D Blu-ray)
Breaking the Waves (1996) (Blu-ray)
Directed by Lars von Trier
Written by Lars von Trier, Peter Asmussen
Starring: Emily Watson, Stellan Skarsgård, Katrin Cartlidge, Jean-Marc Barr, Udo Kier
Breaking the Waves is one of Lars von Trier's best known movies and earned its star Emily Watson an Oscar nomination for playing Bess, a simple woman in religious village Scottish Highlands who cares who her husband, Jan (Stellan Skarsgård) who is paralysed after a oil rig accident.
Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes): 86% (excellent)
Metacritic Rating: 76/100 (good)
Entertainment Fuse Score: 10/10
DISC DETAILS
DVD Special Features: Selected-scene Audio Commentary featuring von Trier, Editor Anders Refn, and location scout Anthony Dod Mantle; New interview with filmmaker and critic Stig Björkman; New interviews with actors Emily Watson and Stellan Skarsgård; Interview from 2004 with actor Adrian Rawlins; Excerpts from Watson's audition tape, with Commentary by von Trier; Deleted scene featuring the late actor Katrin Cartlidge; Cannes Film Festival promotional clip; Trailer; Plus: A booklet featuring an essay by critic David Sterritt and an excerpt from the 1999 book Trier on von Trier
Amazon Price: $24.99 (Blu-ray)
Score (DVDTalk.com): Content 4.5 stars, Video 4.5 stars, Audio 4 stars, Extras 4.5 stars, Replay 4.5 stars (out of 5). DVD Talk Collector Series.
Double Indemnity (1944) (Blu-ray)
Directed by Billy Wilder
Written by Billy Wilder, Raymond Chandler (screenplay), James M. Cain (novella)
Starring: Fred MacMurray, Barbara Stanwyck, Edward G. Robinson
Billy Wilder had a great career as a director, including making the film noir flick Double Indemnity about insurance salesman Walter Neff (Fred MacMurray) who is convicted by one of his clients, Phyllis Dietrichson (Barbara Stanwyck) to help her murder her husband after getting him sign a Double Indemnity policy.
Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes: 96% (excellent)
Entertainment Fuse Score: 9.3/10
DISC DETAILS
DVD Special Features: Digital Copy of Double Indemnity (Subject to expiration. Go to NBCUCodes.com for details.); Includes UltraViolet (Subject to expiration. Go to NBCUCodes.com for details.); Introduction by Robert Osborne; Shadows of Suspense; Double Indemnity (1973) TV Movie; Theatrical Trailer; Commentary with Film Historian Richard Schickel; Commentary with Film Historian/Screenwriter Lem Dobbs and Film Historian Nick Redman
Amazon Price: $20.86 (Blu-ray)
Mallrats (1995) (Blu-ray)
Written and directed by Kevin Smith
Starring: Shannen Doherty, Jeremy London, Jason Lee, Claire Forlani, Priscilla Barnes, Michael Rooker
After the success of Kevin Smith's debut movie
Clerks he followed it up with the comedy
Mallrats about two slackers who are dumped by their girlfriends on the same day so plan to get over it by spending the day at the mall.
Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes): 54% (average)
Metacritic Rating: 41/100 (poor)
Entertainment Fuse Score: 6.8/10
DISC DETAILS
DVD Special Features: Digital Copy of Mallrats (Subject to expiration. Go to NBCUCodes.com for details.); Includes UltraViolet (Subject to expiration. Go to NBCUCodes.com for details.); Deleted Scenes; Outtakes; Cast Interviews from Original Set; Erection of an Epid: The Making of Mallrats; Q&A with Kevin Smith; View Askew's Look Back at Mallrats; Mallrats: The Reunion; "Build Me Up Buttercup" Music Video by The Goops, Directed by Kevin Smith; Archival Easter Eggs; Theatrical Trailer; Theatrical Version Commentary with Kevin Smith, Ben Affleck, Jason Lee, Jason Mewes, Scott Mosier, and Vincent Pereira; Extended Edition Introduction by Director Kevin Smith
Amazon Price: $12.99 (Blu-ray)
Reality Bites (1994) (Blu-ray)
Directed by Ben Stiller
Written by Helen Childress
Starring: Winona Ryder, Ethan Hawke, Ben Stiller, Janeane Garofalo, Swoosie Kurtz, Joe Don Baker, John Mahoney
As well as The Secret Life of Walter Mitty his directional feature debut Reality Bites has earned a re-release, a comedy about a group of college graduates struggling with life and romance in Houston.
Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes): 65% (good)
Entertainment Fuse Score: 6.0/10
DISC DETAILS
DVD Special Features: Digital Copy of Reality Bites (Subject to expiration. Go to NBCUCodes.com for details.); Includes UltraViolet (Subject to expiration. Go to NBCUCodes.com for details.); Deleted Scenes; Reality Bites Retrospective; Lisa Loeb: Stay; Music Video "Stay" (I missed you)" by Lisa Loeb; Feature Commentary with Actor/Director Ben Stiller and Writer Helen Childress; Theatrical Trailer
Amazon Price: $15.78 (Blu-ray)