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DISCussion: New on DVD and Blu-ray (10.14.14)

"New on DVD and Blu-ray this Week!"
There are some heavy-hitting directors in the mix for this edition, with releases that are new on DVD from Roman Polanski, John Ford and an Eight-movie box set from Steven Spielberg. Yet we have crowned Bryan Singer the victor, with this week's Recommendation of the Week being X-Men: Days of Future Past. New Release: X-Men: Days of Future Past – (Blu-ray, DVD and Instant) Mr. Peabody and Sherman – (Blu-ray, DVD and Instant) Venus in Fur – (DVD and Instant) Whitey – (Blu-ray, DVD and Instant) Chinese Puzzle – (Blu-ray and Instant) Mystery Road – (Blu-ray, DVD and Instant) Re-Release: My Darling Clementine (1946) – (Criterion Blu-ray) Steven Spielberg Director’s Collection   New on DVD X-Men: Days of Future Past – (Blu-ray, DVD and Instant) *Recommendation of the Week* Directed by Bryan Singer Written by Simon Kinberg (screenplay and story), Jane Goldman (story) and Matthew Vaughn (story) Starring: James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Hugh Jackman, Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, Jennifer Lawrence, Nicholas Hoult Returning to helm the X-Men franchise, Director Bryan Singer lends his signature touch to this compelling, and wholly-entertaining continuation of the saga. With a cohesive storyline set in the always-hilarious 1970's, Singer's X-Men serves as a complete reboot for the franchise. Based in a bleak and apocalyptic future, Professor Xavier (Stewart) enlists the help of Kitty Pryde (Ellen Page) to send Logan/ Wolverine's (Jackman) mind into the past in order to repair a rift between himself and Magneto (McKellen). Logan inhabits the body of his groovy 70's self, and sets about preventing the annihilation of the mutant race. Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes): 91% (Excellent) Metacritic: 74 (Very Good) IMDB: 8.2 (Excellent) Entertainment Fuse: 9.2/10 (Read our Review) DISC DETAILS Amazon: $17.99(Blu-ray); $14.99 (DVD); $3.99/$12.99 (Instant Rent/ Buy)   New on DVD Mr. Peabody and Sherman – (Blu-ray, DVD and Instant) Directed by Rob Minkoff Written by Jay Ward (based on the series produced by), Craig Wright (screenplay), Robert Ben Garant (additional dialogue), Thomas Lennon (additional dialogue) and Michael McCullers (additional screenplay materials) Starring: Ty Burrell, Max Charles, Stephen Colbert, Ariel Winter Mr. Peabody (Burrell) is a genius inventor, business mogul, Olympian and a talking dog. When his adopted son, Sherman (Charles) creates a rift in time, they must work to correct the space-time continuum. Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes): 79% (Good) Metacritic: 59 (Okay) IMDB: 7.0 (Good) DISC DETAILS Amazon: $19.99(Blu-ray); $14.99 (DVD); $3.99/$12.99 (Instant Rent/ Buy)   New on DVD Venus in Fur – (DVD and Instant) Directed by roman Polanski Written by David Ives (play and screenplay), Roman Polanski (screenplay) and Leopold von Sacher-Masoch Starring: Emmanuelle Seigner, Mathieu Amalric Famed director Roman Polanski's adaptation of the Tony Award-winning play by David Ives. A director is convinced by an unknown woman that she would be a perfect fit for a role in his new stage production. Becoming obsessively enthralled by her erotic magnetism, the director becomes a slave to her whims. Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes): 92% (Excellent) Metacritic: 69 (Good) IMDB: 7.2 (Very Good) DISC DETAILS Amazon: $22.98 (DVD); $3.99/$14.99 (Instant Rent/ Buy)   New on DVD Whitey – (Blu-ray, DVD and Instant) Directed by Joe Berlinger Starring: Stephen Rakes, James “Whitey” Bulger, Tommy Donahue A documentary feature profiling the Boston-based Gangster, James Bulger. Number two on the FBI's Most Wanted list, Berlinger explores the corruption and federal collusion that allowed Bulger's reign to continue. Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes): 77% (Good) Metacritic: 74 (Very Good) IMDB: 6.7 (Good) DISC DETAILS Amazon: $26.98 (Blu-ray); $22.93 (DVD); $3.99/$14.99 (Instant Rent/ Buy)   New on DVD Chinese Puzzle – (Blu-ray and Instant) Directed and written by Cédric Klapisch Starring: Romain Duris, Audrey Tautou, Cécile De France A middle-aged man's life becomes complicated when the mother of his children moves to New York. Unable to accept them growing up without a father, he decides to move as well. Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes): 75% (Good) Metacritic: 64 (Good) IMDB: 7.1 (Very Good) DISC DETAILS Amazon: $22.48 (Blu-ray); $3.99/$12.99 (Instant Rent/ Buy)   New on DVD Mystery Road – (Blu-ray, DVD and Instant) Directed and written by Ivan Sen Starring: Aaron Pedersen, Hugo Weaving, Ryan Kwanten An Aboriginal Australian detective returns to his home in order to solve the mystery surrounding a murder of an indigenous girl. Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes): 91% (Excellent) IMDB: 6.4 (Good) DISC DETAILS Special Features: Two “Making of” features, “The Story” and “High Profile Cast” with interviews and behind-the-scenes footage; A series of raw interviews with the cast; trailers Amazon: $17.98 (Blu-ray); $15.78 (DVD); $3.99/$9.99 (Instant Rent/ Buy) Score (DVDTalk.com): Content: 3 stars(out of 5); Video: 4.5 stars; Audio: 4.5 stars; Extras: 1.5 stars; Replay: 2.5 stars. Rent It.   New on DVD My Darling Clementine (1946) – (Criterion Blu-ray) Directed by John Ford Written by Sameul G. Engel (screenplay), Winston Miller (screenplay), Sam Hellman (from a story by) and Steuart N. Lake (based on a book by) Starring: Henry Fonda, Linda Darnell, Victor Mature Legendary director, John Ford's retelling of the storied shootout at OK Corral. Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes): 100% with 25 reviews (Amazing) IMDB: 7.8 (Very Good) DISC DETAILS Special Features: 4K digital restoration of the theatrical release version of the film, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray; High-definition presentation of the 103-minute prerelease version of the film; Audio commentary featuring John Ford biographer Joseph McBride; Interview with western historian Andrew C. Isenberg about the real Wyatt Earp; Comparison of the two versions by film preservationist Robert Gitt; Video essay by Ford scholar Tag Gallagher; Bandit’s Wager, a 1916 silent western short costarring Ford and directed by his brother, Francis Ford, featuring new music composed and performed by Donald Sosin; NBC television reports from 1963 and 1975 about the history of Tombstone and Monument Valley; Lux Radio Theatre adaptation from 1947 starring Henry Fonda and Cathy Downs; Trailer; PLUS: An essay by critic David Jenkins Amazon: $34.99 (Criterion Blu-ray) Score (DVDTalk.com): Content: 4.5 stars(out of 5); Video: 4.5 stars; Audio: 4 stars; Extras:4.5 stars; Replay: 4.5 stars. DVD Talk Collector Series.   New on DVD Steven Spielberg Director’s Collection – (Blu-ray) Duel – (1971) RT: 86% | MC: N/A| IMDb: 7.7| EF: 9/10 The Sugarland Express – (1974) RT: 92%| MC: N/A| IMDb: 6.8| EF: 9/10 Jaws – (1975) RT: 98%| MC: 79| IMDb: 8.1| EF: 9/10 1941 – (1979) RT: 32%| MC: N/A| IMDb: 5.9| EF: 7.5/10 E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial – (1982) RT: 98%| MC: 94| IMDb: 7.9| EF: 10/10 Always – (1989) RT: 64%| MC: 50| IMDb: 6.4| EF: 9/10 Jurassic Park – (1993) RT: 93%| MC: 68| IMDb: 8.0| EF: 10 (Possibly an 11 from Mitchel Broussard)/10 The Lost World: Jurassic Park – (1997) RT: 52%| MC: 59| IMDb: 6.4| EF: 7.5/10 DISC DETAILS Amazon: $91.99 (Blu-ray)

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