DISCussion: New on DVD and Blu-ray (12.23.14)

Alongside some little-known noir gems from 1950, there are very few releases new on DVD this week; yet all are very good films. We have chosen Pride to represent the small group as this issue's Recommendation of the Week New Release: Pride – (Blu-ray, DVD and Instant) Trip to Italy – (Blu-ray, DVD and Instant) The Good Lie – (Blu-ray and Instant) Re-Release: Dark City (1950) – (Blu-ray) Union Station (1950) – (Blu-ray)   Pride – (Blu-ray, DVD and Instant) *Recommendation of the Week* Directed by Matthew Warchus Written by Stephen Beresford Starring: Bill Nighy, Imelda Staunton, Dominic West One of the most uplifting films of the year, Pride re-tells the story of gay activists banding together with the National Union Mineworkers in 1984. Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes): 94% (Excellent) Metacritic: 79 (Very Good) IMDB: 8.1 (Very Good) DISC DETAILS Special Features: Deleted and Extended scenes; “The True Story” featurette Amazon: $22.79 (Blu-ray); $19.99 (DVD); $4.99/$12.99 (Instant Rent/ Buy) Score (DVDTalk.com): Content: 4 stars(out of 5); Video: 4.5 stars; Audio: 3.5 stars; Extras: 2.5 stars; Replay: 3.5 stars. Highly Recommended. Trip to Italy – (Blu-ray, DVD and Instant) Written and Directed by Michael Winterbottom Starring: Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon The dynamic duo reunite for another gastronomic journey; this time further south to Italy, following the trails of Shelley and Byron. Playing slightly fictionalized versions of themselves, Brydon and Coogan argue about who can better imitate Michael Caine, and dive into the deeply meaningful mysteries of life. Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes): 86% (Very Good) Metacritic: 75 (Very Good) IMDB: 7.0 (Very Good) Entertainment Fuse: 8.5/10 DISC DETAILS Amazon: $22.99 (Blu-ray); $19.99 (DVD); It's on Netflix The Good Lie – (Blu-ray and Instant) Directed by Philippe Falardeau Written by Margaret Nagle Starring: Reese Witherspoon, Arnold Oceng, Ger Duany When a group of Sudanese boys are displaced by a brutal civil war, they flee to surrounding countries for safety. Years later, a massive humanitarian effort led to their being given asylum in America, where their lives changed forever. Based on a true story, Philippe Falardeau and Margaret Nagle bring this harrowing story to life. Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes): 87% (Very Good) Metacritic: 65 (Good) IMDB: 7.3 (Very Good) DISC DETAILS Special Features: “The Good Journey” featurette; Deleted scenes Amazon: $19.99 (Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack); $3.99/$14.99 (Instant Rent/ Buy) Score (DVDTalk.com): Content: 3.5 stars(out of 5); Video: 4 stars; Audio: 4.5 stars; Extras: 1 stars; Replay: 3 stars. Recommended. Dark City (1950) – (Blu-ray) Directed by William Dieterle Written by John Meredyth Lucas (screenplay), Lawrence B. Marcus (screenplay and story “No Escape”), and Ketti Frengs (adaptation) Starring: Charlton Heston, Lizabeth Scott, Viveca Lindfors A beautifully-crafted noir, Dark City stars Charlton Heston as a bookie-turned-con man who tricks a naïve out of towner, Arthur, into a set-up card game. After losing $5000 at the tables, he hangs himself, leaving Danny (Heston) and his gang to face Arthur's protective older brother. IMDB: 6.8 (Good) DISC DETAILS Amazon: $19.99 (Blu-ray) Union Station (1950) – (Blu-ray) Directed by Rudolph Maté Written by Sydney Boehm (screenplay) and Tomas Walsh (story) Starring: William Holden, Nancy Olsen, Barry Fitzgerald Another noir gem rounds off this week's re-releases with a kidnapping heist on a train. When Joyce Wilelcombe (Olsen) spots a man with a gun on her train, she alerts the authorities, who remain skeptical, until a kidnapping is perpetrated on their beloved train. IMDB: 6.8 (Good) DISC DETAILS Amazon: $19.99 (Blu-ray)