New on DVD:
Wadjda
An inspiring and heart-wrenching story about a 10-year-old girl in Saudi Arabia straining to be heard in a society where “a woman’s voice is her nakedness”. Wadjda (Waad Mohammed) longs to ride a bicycle like the neighbouhood boys do, and a bike for sale in a local shop comes to symbolize everything that is forbidden to her. A revelatory look at what everyday life is like for girls in the Saudi Kingdom. Commentary with writer/director Haifaa Al Mansour is included on the blu-ray, as well as a making-of featurette and a Writers’ Guild Q&A with the director.
Austenland
Jane (Keri Russell) is single because the men in her life have never lived up to her literary ideal: Mr. Darcy. She memorized the first three chapters of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice when she was 13, and has a life-size cardboard cutout of Colin Firth in her bedroom. And so she spends a small fortune on an immersive Austen vacation, which will either cure Jane of her Regency-era affliction or ruin her forever. Jennifer Coolidge, Jane Seymour, JJ Field, Bret Mackenzie (Flight of the Conchords) and Georgia King also star. Director Jerusha Hess and producer Stephenie Meyer provide commentary, and eight lead actors participate in a Q&A. Trailer and previews round out the standard-disc extras.
Best Man Holiday
The gang from 1999’s The Best Man is back: Nia Long, Taye Diggs, Morris Chestnut, Terrence Howard, Regina Hall, Sanaa Lathan, Harold Perrineau, Melissa De Souza and Monica Calhoun pick up right where they left off, a few years and several kids and careers later, meeting up for the Christmas holiday. Old loves and rivalries don’t die, however, so it’s not all holiday cheer. There’s an alternate ending on the blu-ray’s special features, plus a lengthy blooper reel, commentary with writer/director Malcolm D. Lee, an extra on the cast reunion and lead-up to the shoot and an entertaining dissection of the girl-fight scene.
Winnie
New on blu-ray is the life story of Winnie Mandela, starring Academy Award winner Jennifer Hudson as Winnie Mandela and Terrence Howard as the late Nelson Mandela. Winnie’s tale begins at her birth, as the sixth girl of a schoolteacher, and chronicles her ambition, her marriage and her survival during her husband’s long incarceration. An unbiased and interesting look at the woman dubbed “the mother of a nation.”
The Fifth Estate
Benedict Cumberbatch stars as Wikileaks founder Julian Assange in this true thriller about revolution in the digital age. After a clever opening about the evolution of information technology, Assange emerges as a prophet, a loner, and one of the most powerful men on the planet. “If we can find one moral man, one whistleblower… that man could topple the most repressive of regimes.” Daniel Berg (Daniel Bruhl, Rush) is Assange’s hacker disciple and cohort. Stylish, cerebral and stacked with talent (Laura Linney, Stanley Tucci, David Thewlis, Peter Capaldi). Special features on the blu-ray include an extra on the film’s visual effects (The Submission Platform), the myriad ways info and code is displayed in this film (In-Camera: Graphics), and an extra on the film’s score (Scoring Secrets) all featuring director Bill Condon and crew.
About Time
Romantic comedy master Richard Curtis delivers last year’s best in About Time. On his 21st birthday Tim (Domhnall Gleeson) is told by his dad (Bill Nighy) that the men in his family have always had the gift of time travel. Tim immediately uses his gift to score a girlfriend, and in a very roundabout way finds true love with Mary (Rachel McAdams). But even time travel can’t change who you are, or shield you from life’s tragedies and heartache. Great supporting cast includes Tom Hollander, Margot Robbie, Lindsay Duncan. Special features on the blu-ray: deleted scenes with commentary by Curtis; a blooper reel; the simplicity of time travel in the film; a bit on locations and sets in Cornwall and London; an extra on Curtis’ personal journey; Ben Folds’ “The Luckiest” song recording session ; very entertaining commentary, and more.
Rush
Out Tuesday is Rush, based on the true story of the rivalry between Formula 1 racers James Hunt (Chris Hemsworth) and Nicki Lauda (Daniel Bruhl). The Brit playboy and the meticulous Austrian had a feud that spanned years, from their time on the Formula 3 circuit to Lauda’s famous near-fatal accident. Ron Howard directs this rare sports movie, one that marries great action with engaging characters, not to mention camerawork so close that you can feel the heat of the asphalt. Special features on the blu-ray include deleted scenes, a making-of featurette and several background pieces on the real men and times behind the story.
In A World
Lake Bell wrote, directed and stars in this comedy about gender equality in the voiceover business. Bell plays Carol, daughter of a famous voiceover artist, stuck giving elocution lessons to Eva Longoria. But then she gets a break and starts a girl-power trend. Adding further chaos to the mix is a silly love triangle (Demetri Martin, Ken Marino) and a serious dose of family dysfunction. Special features on the standard disc include commentary with Bell, deleted scenes, a gag reel and some very creative “In A World” promos.
Blue Jasmine
Woody Allen’s latest film features a brilliant Cate Blanchett as a socialite on a steady decline, thanks to her husband’s (Alec Baldwin) ponzi scheme bankruptcy. Fueled by Stoli vodka and pills, Jasmine (not her real name) heads west to live with her sister (Sally Hawkins), whose way of life is alien to every Birkin-bag-Hermes-clad inch of Jasmine. A memorable star turn by Blanchett is buttressed by some fantastic performances by Andrew Dice Clay, Bobby Cannavale, Louis C.K. and Peter Sarsgaard.
