DISCussion: New on DVD and Blu-ray (5.12.15)

With some fabulous re-releases - including a timely Jurassic Park box set - this week's home-video fare is skewed toward an older group of films. However, an Oscar Winning performance from Julianne Moore won us over, and earned Richard Glatzer's Still Alice the title of Recommendation of the Week. New Release: Still Alice – (Blu-ray, DVD and Instant) Mortdecai – (Blu-ray, DVD and Instant) Blackhat – (Blu-ray, DVD and Instant) Re-Release Wet Hot American Summer (2001) – (Blu-ray) Jurassic Park Collection – (Blu-ray Box Set) Make Way for Tomorrow (1937) – (Criterion Blu-ray)   Still Alice – (Blu-ray, DVD and Instant) *Recommendation of the Week* Directed by Richard Glatzer and Wash Westmoreland Written by Lisa Genova (novel), Richard Glatzer (screenplay), and Wash Westmoreland (screenplay) Starring: Julianne Moore, Alec Baldwin, Kristen Stewart The heartbreaking story of the dehumanizing effects of early-onset Alzheimer's came to be the late Richard Glatzer's final film. Featuring a stunning, Oscar winning performance from Julianne Moore, and a commendable turn from Kristen Stewart, Still Alice is a profoundly moving feature. Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes): 89% (Very Good) Metacritic: 72 (Very Good) IMDB: 7.5 (Very Good) Entertainment Fuse: 8/10 (Read our Review) DISC DETAILS Amazon: $19.99 (Blu-ray); $16.99 (DVD); $4.99/$13.99 (Instant Rent/ Buy)   Mortdecai – (Blu-ray, DVD and Instant) Directed by David Koepp Written by Eric Aronson (screenplay) and Kyril Bonfiglioli (novel) Starring: Johnny Depp, Gwyneth Paltrow, Paul Bettany Damn, what a dumb movie. As one of the few people to actually not hate Mortdecai, I am left with only a pleasant memory of stupid moustache and Paul Bettany sex jokes. A mix of Mr. Bean and 21/22 Jump Street, Mortdecai is a garishly bad movie that knows exactly what it is. Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes): 13% (Detestable) Metacritic: 27 (The Worst) IMDB: 5.5 (Okay) Entertainment Fuse: 6/10 (Read our Review) DISC DETAILS Amazon: $12.98 (Blu-ray); $12.93 (DVD); $4.99/$9.99 (Instant Rent/ Buy)   Blackhat – (Blu-ray, DVD and Instant) Directed by Michael Mann Written by Morgan Davis Foehl Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Viola Davis, Wei Tang Michael Mann's latest action-packed cyber crime thriller failed to connect with critics and audiences alike. As a convicted hacker, Nick Hathaway (Chris Hemsworth) is sprung from prison by the government in order to assist with bringing down an international hacking ring. Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes): 33% (Very Bad) Metacritic: 51 (Bad) IMDB: 5.4 (Okay) Entertainment Fuse: 6.8/10 (Read our Review) DISC DETAILS Amazon: $19.97 (Blu-ray); $16.99 (DVD); $4.99/$14.99 (Instant Rent/ Buy)   Wet Hot American Summer (2001) – (Blu-ray) Directed by David Wain Written by Michael Showalter and David Wain Starring: Michael Showalter, Janeane Garofalo, David Hyde Pearce David Wain's irreverent summer camp parody features some of the brightest minds in improvisational comedy, and a truly bizarre Bradley Cooper. The cult classic comedy has such a following that it was picked up for a Netflix television series, complete with most of the original cast. Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes): 31% (Completely Wrong) Metacritic: 42 (58 points shy of correct) IMDB: 6.7 (Not High Enough) Entertainment Fuse: 10/10 DISC DETAILS Amazon: $13.49 (Blu-ray)   Jurassic Park Collection – (Blu-ray Box Set with HD Digital Copies) Directed by Steven Spielberg (Jurassic Park and The Lost World) and Joe Johnston (Jurassic Park III) Written by Michael Crichton (novel) and various others Starring: Jeff Goldblum, Sam Neill, Laura Dern The incredible saga that enthralled a generation has been lovingly restored and is being re-released on Blu-ray just in time for the upcoming Jurassic World franchise continuation next month. Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes): 93% / 52% / 49% (Excellent to Poor) Metacritic: 68 / 59 / 42 (Good to Bad) IMDB: 6.7 (Not High Enough) Entertainment Fuse: 8-3-5/10 DISC DETAILS Amazon: $53.98 (Blu-ray Box Set)   Make Way for Tomorrow (1937) – (Criterion Blu-ray) Directed by Leo McCarey Written by Viña Delmar (screenplay), Josephine Lawrence (based on novel by), Helen Leary (play), Nolan Leary (play), and Leo Robin (poem: “Are You Afraid”) Starring: Victor Moore, Beulah Bondi, Fay Bainter When an elderly couple lose their home, they are forced to separate and move in with their begrudging children. Life apart is unlike anything they have ever experienced and the waning support from their aloof children only serves to make things worse. A devastating look at love at the end of life, Make Way for Tomorrow is an absolutely gut wrenching, beautiful film. Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes): 100% (Superb at 12 reviews) IMDB: 8.2 (Excellent) Entertainment Fuse: 9/10 DISC DETAILS Special Features: High-definition digital restoration, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack; Tomorrow, Yesterday, and Today, a 2009 interview with filmmaker Peter Bogdanovich about the career of director Leo McCarey and Make Way for Tomorrow; Interview from 2009 with critic Gary Giddins about McCarey’s artistry and the political and social context of the film; PLUS: A booklet feauring essays by critic Tag Gallagher and filmmaker Bertrand Tavernier, as well as an excerpt from film scholar Robin Wood’s 1998 piece “Leo McCarey and ‘Family Values’” Amazon: $27.99 (Criterion Blu-ray)