DISCussion: New on DVD and Blu-ray (3.3.15)

A relatively short list of films are new on DVD this week, however, an oddly-timed March 6th release of The Hunger Games: Mockingly Part 1, provided stiff competition for our multiple-Oscar-nominated Recommendation of the Week, Foxcatcher. New Release:  Foxcatcher – (Blu-ray, DVD and Instant) Life Partners – (Blu-ray, DVD and Instant) The Captive – (Blu-ray, DVD and Instant) The Last of Robin Hood – (Blu-ray, DVD and Instant) The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 - Release Date 3/6 (Blu-ray, DVD and Instant) Re-Release: Musicals 4-Movie Collection – (Blu-ray Combo Pack)   Foxcatcher – (Blu-ray, DVD and Instant) *Recommendation of the Week* Directed by Bennett Miller Written by E. Max Frye and Dan Futterman Starring: Channing Tatum, Steve Carell, Mark Ruffalo Foxcatcher is the dark and twisted (true) tale of billionaire heir John E. du Pont, and his obsessive desires to build the world's foremost wrestling facility. Hiring Olympic-hopeful Mark Schultz (Tatum) to begin recruiting wrestlers for the 1988 Seoul Games, Schultz and du Pont's lives soon descend into madness. An overbearing, and incredibly spoiled mama's boy, du Pont is kept at a distance from the viewer, a looming shadow with which Miller slowly engulfs his film. Nominated for five Academy Awards, Foxcatcher was considered to be one of the best films of 2014. Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes): 88% (Very Good) Metacritic: 81 (Excellent) IMDB: 7.2 (Very Good) Entertainment Fuse: 8.5/10 DISC DETAILS Amazon: $19.95 (Blu-ray); $17.96 (DVD); $4.99/$13.99 (Instant Rent/ Buy)   The Hunger Games:  Mockingjay Part 1 – (Blu-ray, DVD and Instant) **Release Date March 6^th** Directed by Francis Lawrence Peter Craig (screenplay), Danny Strong (screenplay), Suzanne Collins (adaptation and novel Mockingjay) Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth Part one of the bifurcated final entry in the Hunger Games trilogy, Mockingjay Part 1 finds Katniss (Lawrence) as the figurehead of a growing movement to overthrow the government. Having destroyed the titular “Hunger Games” in the previous novel/film, Katniss must rise up and fight for everything she holds dear. Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes): 65% (Fresh) Metacritic: 64 (Good) IMDB: 7.0 (Very Good) Entertainment Fuse: 7/10 (Read our Review) DISC DETAILS Amazon: $Price N/A; ; $4.99/$14.99 (Instant Rent/ Buy)   Life Partners – (Blu-ray, DVD and Instant) Directed by Susanna Fogel Written by Susanna Fogel and Joni Lefkowitz Starring: Leighton Meester, Gillian Jacobs, Adam Brody Sasha (Meester) and Paige (Jacob) have been best friends for so long, people are starting to assume that they are a couple. After Paige meets Tim (Brody), things get “complicated” when the two stop hanging out as much. In a struggle between love and friendship, Paige and Sasha must work to strike a balance, or become faced with the possibility of destroying both. Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes): 60% (Fresh) Metacritic: 57 (Okay) IMDB: 6.1 (Good) DISC DETAILS Amazon: $20.99 (Blu-ray); $12.96 (DVD); $3.99/$12.99 (Instant Rent/ Buy)   The Captive – (Blu-ray, DVD and Instant) Directed by Atom Egoyan Written by Atom Egoyan (screenplay and story) and David Fraiser (screenplay) Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Scott Speedman, Rosario Dawson When Matthew (Reynolds) and Tina's (Mireille Enos) daughter, Cassandra, goes missing without a trace, their lives are destroyed. The police are unable to assist, and the case remains open for 8 years. When Matthew and Tina start receiving mementos from Cassandra's childhood, it appears that someone is reaching out to tell them that their daughter might still be alive. Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes): 27% (Very Bad) Metacritic: 36 (Very Bad) IMDB: 5.9 (Okay) DISC DETAILS Amazon: $17.88 (Blu-ray); $13.98 (DVD); $3.99/$12.99/Prime Instant (Instant Rent/ Buy)   The Last of Robin Hod – (Blu-ray, DVD and Instant) Directed and written by Richard Glatzer and Walsh Westmoreland Starring: Kevin Kline, Dakota Fanning, Susan Sarandon This poorly-received biopic profiles the last days of Hollywood's beloved Robin Hood, Errol Flynn. Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes): 29% (Very Bad) Metacritic: 46 (Bad) IMDB: 5.6 (Okay) DISC DETAILS Amazon: $19.99 (Blu-ray); $13.99 (DVD); $4.99/$14.99 (Instant Rent/ Buy)   Re-Release: Musicals 4-Movie Collection – (Blu-ray Combo Pack) Recently restored and released from the Warner Brothers archives, come four incredible musicals from the 1950's that helped to define the genre. From the legendary Fred Astaire in The Band Wagon and the seminal Singin' in the Rain, to the delightful charms of Howard Keele in Kiss Me Kate and Calamity Jane, this set if perfect for lovers of the musical genre. The Musicals: The Band Wagon (1953): RT: 100%; IMDb: 7.6 Calamity Jane (1953): RT: 67%; IMDb: 7.3 Kiss Me Kate (1953): RT: 90%; IMDb: 7.3 Singin’ in the Rain (1952): RT: 100%; IMDb: 8.4 DISC DETAILS Amazon: $26.44 (Blu-ray Combo Pack)