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DISCussion: New on DVD and Blu-ray (3.10.15)

"New on DVD and Blu-ray this week!"
Another fairly slow week for DVD's, as the stragglers from 2014 trickle in. One of Robin Williams' final performances is featured in the new on DVD Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb, and we have the 50th Anniversary edition of The Sound of Music. Choosing to go a different, more independent route this week, we have chosen Alex Ross Perry's Listen Up Philip as our Recommendation of the Week. New Release Listen Up Philip – (DVD, and Instant) Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb – (Blu-ray, DVD, and Instant) The Low Down – (DVD, and Instant) Pioneer – (Blu-ray, DVD, and Instant) Re-release: The Sound of Music (1965) – (50th Anniversary Blu-ray) The Soft Skin (1964) – (Criterion Blu-ray)   New on DVD Listen Up Philip – (DVD, and Instant) *Recommendation of the Week* Directed and written by Alex Ross Perry Starring: Elisabeth Moss, Jason Schwartzman, Jonathan Pryce As Philip (Schwartzman) anxiously awaits the release of his second novel, life begins to get the better of him. A crumbling relationship with a photographer girlfriend (Moss), the overcrowding and gentrification of his beloved home city, and his own half-assed book promotion cloud his life. A respite from his anger comes in the form of a furlough to an isolated vacation house, wherein Philip can finally bask in narcissistic solitude. Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes): 84% (Very Good) Metacritic: 76 (Very Good) IMDB: 6.7 (Good) Entertainment Fuse: 8.5/10 DISC DETAILS Special Features: Behind the scenes; “Featurette” a three-minute glorified trailer; deleted scenes; book covers – covers of Philip's fictional books; Director commentary Amazon: $14.95 (DVD); $0.99/$7.99 (Instant Rent/ Buy/ Prime Instant) Score (DVDTalk.com): Content: 4 stars(out of 5); Video: 4 stars; Audio: 3.5 stars; Extras: 2.5 stars; Replay: 3 stars. Highly Recommended.   New on DVD Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb – (Blu-ray, DVD, and Instant) Directed by Shawn Levy Written by David Guion (screenplay and story), Michael Handelman (screenplay and story), Mark Friedman (story), and Thomas Lennon (characters), and Robert Ben Garant (characters) Starring: Robin Williams, Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson The third in the Night at the Museum franchise finds the museum's unique band of characters and exhibits transplanted across the pond to London. When the magic tablet that brings all the characters to life begins to deteriorate, Larry (Stiller) seeks out Ahkmenrah's (Rami Malek) father at the London museum to restore its life-giving powers. Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes): 49% (Bad) Metacritic: 47 (Bad) IMDB: 6.4 (Good) DISC DETAILS Amazon: $19.99 (Blu-ray); $14.95 (DVD); $3.99/$12.99 (Instant Rent/ Buy)   New on DVD The Low Down – (DVD, and Instant) Directed by Jeff Preiss Written by Amy Albany (memoir and screenplay) and Topper Lilien (screenplay and writer) Starring: John Hawkes, Elle Fanning, Glenn Close Amy Albany's (Fanning) memoir of her father, Joe Albany (Hawkes), a jazz pianist in the throws of a declining career and heroin addiction. Beautiful performances from Hawkes and Close (as Joe's mother) define the somewhat melodramatic and underdeveloped biography. Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes): 51% (Rotten) Metacritic: 58 (Okay) IMDB: 6.5 (Good) Entertainment Fuse: 8.0/10 DISC DETAILS Amazon: $22.79 (DVD); $3.99/$9.99 (Instant Rent/ Buy)   New on DVD Pioneer – (Blu-ray, DVD, and Instant) Directed by Erik Skjoldbjærg Written by Nikolaj Frobenius, Hans Gunnarsson, Cathinka Nicolaysen, Erik Skjoldbjærg, and Kathrine Valen Zeiner Starring: Wes Bently, Aksel Hennie, Stephen Lang Pioneer is a deep-sea thriller set during the early days of the 1980's Norwegian oil boom. When the headstrong Petter (Hennie) is tasked with laying down a pipeline on the ocean floor, he begins to lose sight of his place in the mission. A tragic accident and subsequent cover-up, begin to unravel his faith in the plan. Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes): 53% (Rotten) Metacritic: 58 (Okay) IMDB: 6.0 (Good) DISC DETAILS Amazon: $14.99 (Blu-ray); $21.99 (DVD); $6.99/$12.99 (Instant Rent/ Buy)   Re-release: New on DVD The Sound of Music (1965) (50th Anniversary Blu-ray) Directed by Robert Wise Written by George Hurdalek (with the partial use of ideas by), Howard Lindsay (from the stage musical book by), Russel Crouse (from the stage musical book by), Ernest Lehman (screenplay), Maria von Trapp (book "The Story of the Trapp Family Singers") (uncredited) Starring: Julie Andrews, Christopher Plummer, Eleanor Parker The classic musical turns 50 this year in spectacular fashion. After an Academy Awards ceremony lead by Julie Andrews, and a medley of the songs by Lady Gaga, the seminal musical is getting re-released in an “Ultimate Collector's Edition” Blu-ray. Remastered in 1080p, with 7.1 DTS-HD sound, The Sound of Music is getting the treatment it deserves. Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes): 85% (Very Good) IMDB: 8.0 (Excellent) Entertainment Fuse: 10/10 DISC DETAILS Special Features: Feature Film Remastered in 1080p Hi-Def with 7.1 DTS-HD Sound; Your Favorite Things: An Interactive Celebration — All-New Immersive Viewing Experience with Behind-the-Scenes Images, On-Screen Lyrics, Trivia Track and Location Quiz; Music Machine Sing-Along; Audio Commentaries with Julie Andrews, Christopher Plummer and Director Robert Wise; Musical Stages: Creating The Sound of Music, an All-New Interactive “Backlot Tour” with In-Depth Featurettes on the Songs, the Stage Show & Movie, the Film and Sound Restoration and the Real-Life von Trapp Family; A City of Song — Virtual Map of Filming Locations in Salzburg, Austria; Vintage Rodgers & Hammerstein and The Sound of Music Programs Screen Tests, Rare Treasures, Interviews, Photo Galleries & More; Hour-long documentary “The Sound of a City: Julie Andrews Returns to Salzburg”; Feature Film In Standard Definition; Optional Sing-Along Track; Music Machine Sing-Along; The Sound of Music Tour – A Living Story; Exclusive 50th Anniversary Soundtrack (featuring a selection of international performances of SOM musical favorites) Amazon: $29.96 (50th Anniversary Blu-ray)   New on DVD The Soft Skin (1964) – (Criterion Blu-ray) Directed by François Truffaut Written by François Truffaut (original scenario) and Jean-Louis Richard (original scenario) Starring: Jean Desailly, Françoise Dorléac, Nelly Benedetti Truffaut's brilliant succession to Jules et Jim follows literary scholar Pierre Lachenay (Desailly) as he begins an affair with a beautiful young stewardess. As the affair begins to grow into love, Truffaut's film dives into a tense Hitchcockian drama, leading to an incredible conclusion. Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes): 91% (Excellent) Metacritic: 78 (Very Good) IMDB: 7.6 (Very Good) DISC DETAILS Special Features: High-definition digital restoration, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray; Audio commentary by screenwriter Jean-Louis Richard and François Truffaut scholar Serge Toubiana; New video essay by filmmaker and critic Kent Jones; Monsieur Truffaut Meets Mr. Hitchcock, a 1999 documentary by film historian Robert Fischer; Interview with Truffaut from 1965 about the film; New English subtitle translation; PLUS: An essay by critic Molly Haskell Amazon: $27.59 (Criterion Blu-ray)

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