One of 2013's best indie movies, The Way, Way Back is coming out on DVD and Blu-ray and is our Recommendation of the Week.
First Release
- The Conjuring (DVD and Blu-ray)
- Only God Forgives (DVD and Blu-ray)
- Before Midnight (DVD and Blu-ray)
- The Way, Way Back (DVD and Blu-ray)
- The Internship (DVD and Blu-ray)
- I Give It a Year (DVD and Blu-ray)
Re-Release
- John Cassavetes: Five Films (Blu-ray)
- The Bruce Lee Legacy Collection (Blu-ray)
- The Uninvited (1944) (DVD and Blu-ray)
The Way, Way Back (DVD and Blu-ray) *Recommendation of the Week*
Written and directed by Nat Faxon, Jim Rash
Starring: Steve Carrell, Toni Collette, Allison Janney, AnnaSophia Robb, Sam Rockwell, Rob Corddy, Amanda Peet, Liam James
The Way, Way Back is an indie comedy-drama with a massive ensemble cast and was one of the hits of 2013's Sundance Film Festival. The Way, Way Back is a coming of age story about Duncan (Liam James, Psych), a 14-year-old boy who is goes with his mum and her new boyfriend on a summer vacation where he forms an unlikely friendship with Owen (Sam Rockwell), gets a job at a water park and develops a crush on Susanna (AnnaSophia Robb, Bridge to Terabitihia).
Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes): 85% (excellent)
Metacritic Rating: 67/100 (good)
Entertainment Fuse Score: 7.8/10
DISC DETAILS
Amazon Price: $17.99 (DVD), $21.99 (Blu-ray)
A number of big movies are out on DVD and Blu-ray this week with highlights being the horror flick The Conjuring, Nicolas Refn Winding's Only God Forgives and independent movie Before Midnight. Two major box-sets are coming out on the re-release front.
The Conjuring (DVD and Blu-ray)
Directed by James Wan
Written by Chad Hayes, Carey Hayes
Starring: Patrick Wilson, Vera Farmiga, Ron Livingston, Lili Taylor
The Conjuring is consider the premier horror movie of 2013, earning great praise from critics and audiences. Directed by James Wan (Saw, Insidious) The Conjuring follows husband-and-wife team of ghost hunters Ed (Patrick Wilson, Watchmen) and Lorraine Warren (Vera Farmiga, The Departed) who are hired by the Perron family to get rid of dark presence in their farm house. But this threat is even beyond the Warren's expertise.
Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes): 87% (excellent)
Metacritic Rating: 68/100 (good)
Entertainment Fuse Score: 8.8/10 (read our review)
DISC DETAILS
DVD Special Features: Scaring The "@$*%" Out Of You
Amazon Price: $14.99 (DVD), $22.99 (Blu-ray)
Only God Forgives (DVD and Blu-ray)
Written and directed by Nicolas Winding Refn
Starring: Ryan Gosling, Kristan Scott Thomas, Vithaya Panringarm
Only God Forgives was Nicolas Winding Refn and Ryan Gosling's eagerly anticipated follow-up to their critically praised team up in Drive. Only God Forgives was a must more divisive movies with critical reviews ranging from loving it to loathing it and it was booed at the Cannes Film Festival.
Julian (Gosling) is an American man who runs a underground boxing club and drug smuggling operation in Bangkok when his brother is murdered and his mother, Crystal (Kristen Scott Thomas) demands revenge. But Julian also has to battle a mysterious ex-police detective, Lt. Chang (Vithaya Pansringarm).
Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes): 40% (poor)
Metacritic Rating: 37/100 (poor)
Entertainment Fuse Score: 6.5/10 (read our review)
DISC DETAILS
Amazon Price: $12.96 (DVD), $17.96 (Blu-ray)
Score (DVDTalk.com): Content 3 stars, Video 4.5 stars, Audio 4.5 stars, Extras 2.5 stars, Replay 2.5 stars (out of 5). Rent It.
Before Midnight (DVD and Blu-ray)
Directed by Richard Linklater
Written by Richard Linklater, Ethan Hawke, Julie Delpy (screenplay), Richard Linklater, Kim Krizan (characters)
Starring: Ethan Hawke, Julie Delpy
Richard Linklater made his name with Before Sunrise, indie romantic drama starring Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy. Before Midnight is the second sequel in the series and one of the most highly praised movies of 2013.
Jesse (Hawke) and Céline (Delpy) have been together for 20 years, married and have two young children, living in Paris. Whilst on vacation in Greece, Jesse ends up spending time with his teenage son whilst Céline considers a career change after her husband's success as a author.
Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes): 98% (excellent)
Metacritic Rating: 94/100 (excellent)
Entertainment Fuse Score: 10/10
DISC DETAILS
DVD Special Features: Commentary with Ethan Hawke, Julie Delpy and Richard Linklater; Revisiting Jesse & Céline; Q&A with Ethan Hawke, Julie Delpy and Richard Linklater
Amazon Price: $17.99 (DVD), $22.99 (Blu-ray)
The Internship (DVD and Blu-ray)
Directed by Shawn Levy
Written by Vince Vaughn, Shawn Levy (screenplay), Vince Vaughn (story)
Starring: Vince Vaughn, Owen Wilson
Wedding Crashers Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson reunite for The Internship, a two hour commercial for Google as two salesman lose their jobs and have to change careers, battling younger, more technology savvy interns for the once in a lifetime opportunity to work for the glorious Google, a company that refuses to pay its taxes in the UK.
Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes: 35% (poor)
Metacritic Rating: 42/100 (poor)
Entertainment Fuse Score: 4.0/10
DISC DETAILS
Amazon Price: $14.99 (DVD), $21.99 (Blu-ray)
I Give It a Year (DVD and Blu-ray)
Written and directed by Dan Mazer
Starring: Rose Byrne, Rafe Spall, Anna Faris, Simon Baker, Stephen Merchant, Minnie Driver, Jason Flemyng, Olivia Colman
Best known for writing Borat and Brüno Dan Mazer made his directional debut with the anti-rom-com I Give It a Year. Josh (Rafe Spall, Anonymous) and Nat (Rose Byrne, Bridesmaid) are a young couple who are six month relationship get married. But after nine months of Holy Matrimony their marriage is on the rocks as they have little in common and see more suitable partners in the form of Americans Chloe (Anna Faris) and Guy (Simon Baker, The Mentalist).
Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes): 55% (average)
Metacritic Rating: 50/100 (average)
Entertainment Fuse Score: 6.8/10
DISC DETAILS
DVD Special Features: Blooper reel; Outtakes; The Doves; Deleted/extended scenes; Making of I Give It A Year: relationships & marriages; Making of I Give It A Year: The characters; Cast and crew interviews
Amazon Price: $16.93 (DVD), $26.98 (Blu-ray)
John Cassavetes: Five Films (DVD and Blu-ray)
Shadows (1959)
Written and directed by John Cassavetes
Starring: Ben Carruthers, Leila Goldoni, Hugh Hurd, Anthony Ray
Faces (1968)
Written and directed by John Cassavetes
Starring: John Marley, Gena Rowlands, Lynn Carlin, Seymour Cassel, Fred Draper, Val Avery, Dorothy Gulliver
A Woman Under the Influence (1974)
Written and directed by John Cassavetes
Starring: Gena Rowlands, Peter Falk
The Killing of a Chinese Bookie (1976)
Written and directed by John Cassavetes
Starring: Ben Gazzara, Timothy Agoglia Carey, Seymour Cassel
Opening Night (1977)
Written and directed by John Cassavetes
Starring: Gena Rowlands, Ben Gazzara, Joan Blondell, Paul Stewart, Zohra Lampert, John Cassavetes
From the Criterion Collection this week is a five movie boxset of John Cassavetes', a theater actor turned successful indie writer-director with his movies ranging from romances to crime stories.
Shadows (1959)
Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes): 100% (excellent)
Faces (1968)
Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes): 88% (excellent)
A Woman Under the Influence (1974)
Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes): 94% (excellent)
The Killing of a Chinese Bookie (1976)
Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes): 81% (very good)
Opening Night (1977)
Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes): 95% (excellent)
DISC DETAILS
DVD Special Features: High-definition digital restorations of all five films; Uncompressed monaural soundtracks; High-def restoration of the 1978 version of The Killing of a Chinese Bookie; A Constant Forge: The Life and Art of John Cassavetes (2000); Interviews with actor Lelia Goldoni and Seymour Cassel about Shadows; Silent footage from the Cassavetes-Lane Drama Workshop; Restoration demonstration for Shadows; Alternate eighteen-minute opening sequence for Faces; Episode of the French television series Cineastes de notre temps; Making "Faces," a 2004 documentary; Al Ruban on Lighting and Shooting "Faces," a new program; Audio commentary for A Woman Under the Influence; Conversation between Rowlands and actor Peter Falk; Interviews with actor Ben Gazzara and Ruban; Conversation between Rowlands and Gazzara about Opening Night; Interview with Ruban from 2004 about Opening Night; Audio interviews with Cassavetes from the 1970s; Trailers; Stills and poster galleries; PLUS: A booklet featuring essays by Gary Giddins, Kent Jones, and more!
Amazon Price: $86.29 (excellent)
The Bruce Lee Legacy Collection (Blu-ray)
The Big Boss (1971)
Directed by Lo Wei
Written by Bruce Lee, Le Wei
Starring: Bruce Lee, Maria Yi, James Tien, Yin-chien Han, Tony Liu
Fist of Fury (1972)
Written and directed by Lo Wei
Starring: Bruce Lee, Nora Miao
Way of the Dragon (1972)
Written and directed by Bruce Lee
Starring: Bruce Lee, Nora Miao, Chuck Norris, Hwang In-Shik, Robert Wall, Paul Wei, Wang Chung-hsin
Game of Death (1978)
Directed by Bruce Lee, Robert Clouse
Written by Bruce Lee
Starring: Bruce Lee, James Tien, Chieh Yuan, Dan Inosanto, Han-Jae Ji, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Bruce Lee is one of the greatest action stars ever to have lived and despite his short career he has made a number of fantastic action movies which are considered some of the best of the martial arts genre. Now Bruce Lee’s three Hong Kong movies and his unfinished Game of Death (one of the best films never made) are coming out on a Blu-ray boxset that should please fans of martial arts movies. These are movies that have some of the best action scenes ever put to screen.
The Big Boss (1971)
Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes): 60% (good)
Entertainment Fuse Score: 8.0/10
Fist of Fury (1972)
Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes): 92% (excellent)
Entertainment Fuse Score: 7.3/10
The Way of the Dragon (1973)
Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes): 100% (excellent)
Entertainment Fuse Score: 8.0/10
Game of Death (1978)
Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes): 75% (very good)
DISC DETAILS
DVD Special Features: Documentaries Bruce Lee: The Legend, Bruce Lee: The Man, The Legend and I Am Bruce Lee,Interviews, Trailers, Photo Gallery and more
Amazon Price: $101.99 (Blu-ray)
The Uninvited (1944) (DVD and Blu-ray)
Directed by Lewis Allen
Written by Frank Partos, Dodie Smith (screenplay), Dorothy Macardle (novel 'Uneasy Freehold')
Starring: Ray Milland, Gail Russell, Ruth Hussey, Donald Crisp, Cornelia Otis Skinner
The other Criterion Collection re-release of the week is the supernatural mystery The Uninvited, a movie about a brother and sister seeming getting a bargain when they buy a gothic seaside mansion in Cornwall but end up being entangled in a ghost love triangle.
Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes): 77% (very good)
DISC DETAILS
DVD Special Features: New 2K digital film restoration; New visual essay by filmmaker Michael Almereyda; PLUS: A booklet featuring an essay by critic Farran Smith Nehme
Amazon Price: $13.99 (DVD), $19.99 (Blu-ray)
