The minimal new release week trend continues with a few stellar titles thrown into the mix with a couple of big box office titles and a couple of catalog faves finally hitting Blu-ray for the first time. These are your new releases for March 24, 2015.
First up this week is the final chapter in The Hobbit Trilogy, The Battle of the Five Armies. While not as popular or well received as the original Lord of the Rings trilogy, there has still been a lot to love in this series and the final chapter leaves fans satisfied with an action packed extravaganza. With the dragon Smaug on the loose and the dwarves finally back at home in the Lonely Mountain they must all prepare as the mysterious necromancer send his evil orc armies to war sieging the mountain where five armies will converge to battle over the fate of the future of Middle Earth.
The first chapter in The Hobbit trilogy left me cold with a strange aesthetic that ended with me wanting more but chapter 2, The Desolation of Smaug was easily my favorite of this series with stunning battle sequences, less cheesiness and the return of interesting characters. The Battle of the Five Armies continues this trend with more character development, the stakes of the story raised and beautiful and unique action set pieces. While not quite as good as the second film, The Battle of the Five Armies does an admirable job of tying up all the loose ends and giving us a spectacular end to Peter Jackson’s world of Middle Earth. A fitting conclusion and a stunning Blu-ray.
Next up is one of my favorite 80s thrillers, Best Seller, arriving on Blu-ray for the first time. The always great Brian Dennehy plays Dennis Meechum, an ex-cop who wrote a bestselling book about an infamous robbery. Dennis is approached by a hit man names Cleve (the also amazing James Woods) who wants him to write a book about his career as an assassin for large companies and politicians. Together they travel the country as Cleve recounts stories of his many jobs while having the ulterior motive of wanting the book to expose a politician who double crossed him years before.
Best Seller well represents everything that is great about late 80s thrillers. Dennehy and Woods are both phenomenal in their respective roles and the story has some great twists as well. But it really is the chemistry between Dennehy’s ex-cop and Woods’ killer that just wants a friend that really makes this movie stand out. A fantastic film well worth checking out especially if you have never heard of it.
Lastly this week is the new film from director Angelina Jolie. Unbroken is the true story of Louis Zamperini (Jack O’Connell), an Olympic athlete who joined the armed forces in World War II who endured unimaginable situations during the war including a plane crash, an extended period being lost at sea in a raft and ultimately being captured by the Japanese. But it is Zamperini’s strength of spirit that led him to survive against such insurmountable odds.
Unbroken, based on the book by Laura Hillenbrand and with a screenplay co-written by the Coen Brothers, is an inspiring tale of survival against incredible odds. Jack O’Connell, who bears an uncanny resemblance to Anton Yelchin, is superb in the role of Zamperini and really does a fantastic job of conveying his indomitable spirit and will. Jolie’s direction is once again graceful and confident displaying a style and talent well beyond her actual experience behind the camera. While the movie doesn’t even show the extremes that Zamperini had to endure, the book is far more graphic, it still makes its points firmly without going into too many of the gory details. I am sure the studio wanted the graphic nature toned down for a wider audience but it was never sacrificed at the expense of the story and the message. A great and inspiring film.
A few other gems to keep an eye out for this week include the new Adam Green (Hatchet, Frozen) horror flick Digging Up the Marrow, the film version of the popular stage musical Into the Woods starring Meryl Streep, and the new western Lonesome Dove Church starring Tom Berenger and Greyston Holt.
Until next week movie lovers.
DVD and Blu-ray Releases for Tuesday March 24, 2015
1066: The Battle for Middle Earth
A MusiCares Tribute to Paul McCartney
Antarctica: A Year on Ice
Best Seller*
Chattahoochee*
Continuum: Season 3
Convicts
Death Squad
Digging Up the Marrow
Fast & Furious 1-6 Collection
Gates of Heaven/Vernon. Florida – Criterion Collection*
Gone with the Pope
Into the Woods
Lonesome Dove Church
Man, Pride and Vengeance
Monster High: Haunted
Mr. Bean: The Whole Bean (Complete Series)
Mystery Science Theater 3000: Volume XXXII
Song One
The End of Violence
The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies
The Intruders
The Roommates/A Woman for All Men
The Sure Thing – 30th Anniversary*
The Thin Blue Line – Criterion Collection*
Tom Sawyer
Unbroken
Vincent & Theo
Wolverine vs Sabretooth: Reborn
*Catalog Blu-ray debut