A weekly round-up of the latest DVD releases.
By Damon Smith
New to rent on DVD/Blu-ray
DVD of the week
Star Trek Into Darkness (Cert 12, 132 mins, Paramount Home Entertainment, Family/Comedy/Drama, also available to buy DVD £19.99/Two Movie DVD Box Set £27.99/Blu-ray £26.99/3D Blu-ray £29.99/Two Movie Blu-ray Box Set £37.99)
Starring: Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Benedict Cumberbatch, Zoe Saldana, Anton Yelchin, Karl Urban, Simon Pegg, John Cho, Alice Eve, Bruce Greenwood, Peter Weller.
Starfleet is rocked by a terrorist attack in London masterminded by the mysterious John Harrison (Benedict Cumberbatch). Kirk, who has been stripped of his captaincy and now serves under his mentor, Rear Admiral Christopher Pike (Bruce Greenwood), becomes embroiled in the hunt for Harrison led by Admiral Marcus (Peter Weller). Predictably, Harrison doesn't intend to surrender, so Kirk gives chase flanked by Spock (Zachary Quinto), communications officer Uhura (Zoe Saldana), navigator Pavel Chekov (Anton Yelchin), chief medical officer Dr Leonard McCoy (Karl Urban), chief engineer Montgomery Scott (Simon Pegg) and helmsman Sulu (John Cho). The crew races against time to stop Harrison from obliterating everyone they hold dear but success hinges on the ultimate sacrifice. Star Trek Into Darkness is an action-packed sequel that harks back to bygone Starfleet missions. Phasers are set to stunningly nostalgic as the bonds of trust between gung-ho Kirk and human-Vulcan science officer Spock are tested to the limit. The film is bolted together with clinical precision by director JJ Abrams, who orchestrates each daredevil chase and skirmish with breathless abandon. There are some delightfully terse verbal exchanges between Pine and Quinto, and a half-hearted attempt to dissect Spock's decision to chart his coolly logical course through life. Yet every time we are poised to delve into messy raw emotion, the sequel slingshots into adrenaline-pumping action. As a visual spectacle, Star Trek Into Darkness rocks. On a deeper level, the warp core of the script fails to hit factor 5 let alone 10, keeping characters' inner turmoil hidden behind copious special effects. A two-disc set comprising the 2009 reboot of Star Trek and its sequel is also available.
Rating: ***
Released
Love Is All You Need (Cert 15, 116 mins, Arrow Films, Comedy/Drama/Romance, also available to buy DVD £17.99/Blu-ray £19.99)
Starring: Pierce Brosnan, Trine Dyrholm, Sebastian Jessen, Molly Blixt Egelind, Paprika Steen, Kim Bodnia, Christiane Schaumburg-Muller.
Danish hairdresser Ida (Trine Dyrholm) has undergone chemotherapy as part of her breast cancer treatment. She returns home from a check up to find her oafish husband Leif (Kim Bodnia) in flagrante delicto with blonde accountant Tilde (Christiane Schaumburg-Muller). It's a devastating blow and Ida leaves him to catch a flight to Sorrento, where their daughter Astrid (Molly Blixt Egelind) is due to marry her handsome fiance Patrick (Sebastian Jessen). In the airport car park, Ida absent-mindedly backs into a car being driven by English widower Philip (Pierce Brosnan), who has thrown himself into his work - fruit and vegetable wholesale - following the death of his wife. It transpires that Philip is Patrick's father and is also heading to the ceremony. Love Is All You Need is a life-affirming comedy set at an idyllic villa on the breathtaking Sorrentine Peninsula. Oscar-winning director Susanne Bier dons her sunglasses and SPF25 for this appealingly frothy confection about two damaged souls offered a second chance at happiness when they least expect - but most need - it. The script, written by Anders Thomas Jensen, lacks the subtleties and emotional layers of their earlier collaborations: Brothers, After The Wedding and In A Better World. However, feel-good rom-coms abide by certain hoary conventions and Jensen obliges, including repeated blasts of Dean Martin's "That's Amore" on the soundtrack to accentuate the flirtatious mood. Dialogue moves fluidly between Danish and English, galvanised by sparkling screen chemistry between Brosnan and Dyrholm.
Rating: ***
Also released
Gimme The Loot (Cert 15, 79 mins, Soda Pictures, Drama/Romance, also available to buy DVD £17.99 - see below)
What Doesn't Kill You (Cert 15, 98 mins, Signature, Drama/Thriller, also available to buy DVD £14.99/Blu-ray £19.99 see below)
New to buy on DVD/Blu-ray
The Big Bang Theory - The Complete Sixth Season (Cert 12, 493 mins, Warner Home Video, DVD £24.99/Seasons 1-6 DVD Box Set £69.99/Blu-ray £34.99/Seasons 1-6 Blu-ray Box Set £79.99, Comedy/Romance)
Experimental physicist Leonard Hofstadter (Johnny Galecki) and theoretical physicist Sheldon Cooper (Jim Parsons) continue to learn that life doesn't follow strict scientific rules in 24 episodes of the popular US sitcom. This series, Amy (Mayim Bialik) issues Sheldon with an ultimatum that could decide the fate of their relationship, Howard (Simon Helberg) returns to Earth after his time aboard the International Space Station and Raj (Kunal Nayyar) comes to terms with strains in his relationship with Lucy (Kate Micucci). A 22-disc box set comprising all six series is also available.
The Good Wife - The Fourth Season (Cert 15, 924 mins, Paramount Home Entertainment, DVD £34.99, Drama/Romance/Thriller)
Brilliant litigator Alicia Florrick (Julianna Margulies) faces questions about the state of her marriage to Peter (Chris Noth) while Cary Agos (Matt Czuchry) moves forwards his plans to set up a rival law firm to Lockhart & Gardner and headhunt some of their best staff like Kalinda Sharma (Archie Panjabi). As election night approaches, Zach (Graham Phillips) witnesses something that could have a massive impact on his father's chances at the ballot box. The six-disc set includes all 22 episodes.
Hannibal - Complete Season One (Cert 18, 585 mins, Studio Canal, DVD £39.99/Blu-ray £44.99, Thriller/Horror)
One of literature and cinema's great villains, Dr Hannibal Lecter rises again in this 13-part TV series inspired in part by Red Dragon. FBI profiler Will Graham (Hugh Dancy) suffers from Asperger's Syndrome and he struggles to prevent the condition from impacting on his work as a lecturer at the FBI Academy. When a diabolical serial killer goes on the rampage, Jack Crawford (Laurence Fishburne), head of the FBI Behavioral Science Unit, suggests that Graham should enlist the help of eminent psychiatrist, Hannibal Lecter (Mads Mikkelsen), to crack the case. Graham reluctantly agrees and allows Lecter to get inside his head, which has grizzly repercussions for the profiler and the people around him.
Mud (Cert 15, 130 mins, Entertainment One, DVD £15.99/Blu-ray £19.99, Drama/Romance)
Following strong performances in Killer Joe, Bernie, Magic Mike and The Paperboy, which garnered several awards, Matthew McConaughey's renaissance continues with an eye-catching central turn in Jeff Nichols's tender coming-of-age drama set in rural Arkansas. Teenager Ellis (Tye Sheridan) and his best friend Neckbone (Jacob Lofland) live on the river with their families. During an expedition to a nearby island, the boys stumble upon a fugitive called Mud (McConaughey), who is hiding in an abandoned boat. Mud takes the youngsters into his confidence and reveals that he is awaiting the arrival of his girlfriend Juniper (Reese Witherspoon), who has a distinctive tattoo on her wrist. However, he cannot make direct contact with Juniper because she is being watched by violent men, so Mud asks Ellis and Neckbone to pass on a message for him. Willingly, the boys are drawn into Mud's dangerous world of bloodshed and retribution, which leads to an awkward reunion between Mud and his former mentor (Sam Shepard).
Shameless - Series Eleven (Cert 18, 840 mins, 4DVD, DVD £24.99/The Complete Series 1-11 DVD Box Set £149.99, Drama/Comedy/Romance)
All good things must come to an end so dry your eyes for the concluding 14 episodes of the award-winning Channel 4 drama created by Paul Abbott set on the fictional Chatsworth Estate in Manchester. This series, Frank Gallagher (David Threlfall) is working as a janitor at the local school under the auspices of Mimi (Tina Malone) but he's invariably led astray and finds himself in hot water. Prostitutes Sherrilee (Sarah Totty) and Derrilee (Sue Vincent) drive Frank to the brink of distraction and he is temporarily reunited with ex-wife Monica (Annabelle Apsion) and his children Fiona (Anne-Marie Duff), Lip (Jody Latham) and Carl (Elliott Tittensor). A 41-disc box set comprising all 11 series is also available.
Inspector George Gently - Series Five (Cert 15, 354 mins, Acorn Media UK, DVD £29.99/Complete Series DVD Box Set £119.99, Drama)
Inspector George Gently (Martin Shaw) and his sidekick DS John Bacchus (Lee Ingleby) are hampered in their investigations by issues of race, sexual politics and class tensions in four episodes of the BBC One drama set against the vibrant backdrop of swinging 1960s Britain. The DVD includes the episodes Gently Northern Soul, Gently With Class, The Lost Child and Gently In The Cathedral. A 15-disc set comprising all five series is also available.
Community - The Complete Third Season (Cert 15, 448 mins, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, DVD £24.99/Complete Seasons 1-3 DVD Box Set £49.99, Comedy/Romance)
Another 22 episodes of the offbeat comedy centred on the eccentric and quirky students of a college study group. This series, the relationship between smooth-talking former lawyer, Jeff (Joel McHale), and Britta (Gillian Jacobs) continues to blossom while Dean Pelton (Jim Rash) meets his match in ambitious Vice Dean Laybourn (John Goodman). When someone sabotages the group's biology experiment, the students take inspiration from their favourite TV show, Law & Order, to unmask the culprit. A nine-disc set comprising all three series is also available.
Made in Chelsea - Series 5 (Cert 15, 470 mins, 4DVD, DVD £19.99/Series 1-5 DVD Box Set £39.99, Drama/Documentary)
Three new girls - Fran, Olivia and Phoebe - make a big impact in 10 episodes of the E4 reality show, which chronicles the trials and tribulations of privileged twenty-somethings from the wealthy London borough. Also this series, Cheska and Binky's friendship crumbles to its foundations and when the truth about Spencer's behaviour comes to light, Louise is plagued with doubts about her feelings for him. A 15-disc set comprising all five series is also available.
Gimme The Loot (Cert 15, 79 mins, Soda Pictures, DVD £17.99, Drama/Romance)
Written and directed by Adam Leon, Gimme The Loot is a low-budget drama, which premiered in the prestigious Un Certain Regard section of the 2012 Cannes Film Festival. Malcolm (Ty Hickson) and tomboy Sophia (Tashiana Washington) are two talented graffiti writers from the Bronx. They become frustrated when a rival gang defaces their latest masterpiece and so plot revenge by attempting to tag an iconic landmark: the giant red apple in the New York Mets baseball stadium. To realise their dream, they need to raise 500 dollars to pay a security guard to smuggle them into the complex. Over the course of two days, Malcolm and Sophia pull of underhand schemes to raise the cash, including the attempted theft of a necklace belonging to a rich girl, Ginnie (Zoe Lescaze), who buys drugs from Malcolm, then cruelly mocks him in front of her gal pals.
What Doesn't Kill You (Cert 15, 98 mins, Signature, DVD £14.99/Blu-ray £19.99, Drama/Thriller)
Mob boss Pat Kelly (Brian Goodman) exerts a strong hold over the criminal fraternity in South Boston including petty thugs Brian (Mark Ruffalo) and Paulie (Ethan Hawke), who grew up together. A botched robbery lands Brian some jail time, and behind bars he resolves to turn his life around and support his family. However, ties to the neighbourhood are difficult to break so when Brian is eventually released, Paulie leads him astray. Detective Moran (Donnie Wahlberg) exerts pressure on Brian to turn his back on crime and the jailbird must face the agonising choice between the past and an uncertain future.
Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani (Cert PG, 157 mins, Eros International, DVD £12.99, Romance/Drama)
Ayan Mukerji directs this Bollywood romance charting the fortunes of characters at crossroads in their lives. Bunny (Ranbir Kapoor) and Naina (Deepika Padukone) first meet shortly after college, with myriad futures stretching out before them and their dreams still intact. They fall deliriously in love and choose their respective paths, hoping that the strength of their feelings will allow them to remain in each other's orbits. In their late twenties, having moved apart, Bunny does indeed gravitate back towards Naina, but now they have very different expectations and dreams. The love of the past still binds them but the road ahead is littered with obstacles and there is no guarantee that they can engineer a happy ending. Aditya Roy Kapur, Kalki Koechlin and Evelyn Sharma co-star.
Hammer Of The Gods (Cert 18, 95 mins, Entertainment One, DVD/Blu-ray £15.99, Action)
Viking king Bagsecg (James Cosmo) is dying and must ensure that the line to the throne is secure as war rages throughout England. So he dispatches his son Steinar (Charlie Bewley) on an epic quest to track down his sibling, who is the heir apparent to the kingdom. Steinar and his group of fighters must use brawn as well as brains to find their new king and evade capture.
Bending The Rules (Cert 12, 114 mins, WWE Studios, DVD £12.99/Blu-ray £13.99, Comedy/Action)
New Orleans Assistant District Attorney Theo Gold (Jamie Kennedy) is convinced that Detective Nick Blades (Adam Copeland) is corrupt and sets out to put the dirty cop behind bars. Animosity between the two men is put to one side when Gold stumbles upon a far-reaching criminal plot and Blades is the only person who can help him catch the diabolical killer. Lawmaker and law-breaker join forces for the common good.
A Town Called Eureka - The Final Season (Cert 12, 572 mins, Universal Playback, DVD £19.99/The Complete Collection DVD Box Set £39.99, Sci-Fi/Comedy)
Three-disc box set comprising the concluding 13 episodes of the science fiction drama set in a top-secret haven for geniuses. This series, the crew of Astraeus returns to Earth and learns that they have been gone for four years. Life has moved on in the interim. Sheriff Jack Carter (Colin Ferguson) attempts to overthrow SARAH (a Self Actuated Residential Automated Habitat) with help from Allison (Salli Richardson-Whitfield), exacerbating tensions within the community. A disaster simulation becomes terrifyingly real and Eureka is plunged into chaos. A 23-disc set comprising all five series is also available.
After Doomsday (Cert 15, 83 mins, Regency Pictures, DVD £12.99, Sci-Fi/Thriller)
Simon (Jon Ashley Hall) is a key member of the team at OmniTech corporation, which is developing a system to combat the causes of global warming and gradually cool down the planet. Unfortunately the plan goes wrong and OmniTech unwittingly sparks a major ecological disaster. As doomsday looms, Simon is offered a single-person refuge from Armageddon but he selflessly gives up his place to his wife Lillith (Suzanne Tufan). She is the sole survivor of the catastrophe and must contend with the physical and emotional strain or an isolated and seemingly hopeless existence.
DVD retail top 10
1 (-) Oblivion
2 (1) Jillian Michaels: 30 Day Shred
3 (10) Breaking Bad - Season 1-4 Complete Box Set
4 (-) Olympus Has Fallen
5 (-) The Vampire Diaries - Series 4
6 (3) Despicable Me
7 (-) The White Queen
8 (2) Breaking Bad - Season 1
9 (8) Quartet
10 (-) Teen Beach Movie
Chart supplied by Amazon.co.uk
DVD rental top 10
1 (1) Lincoln
2 (2) A Good Day to Die Hard
3 (7) The Place Beyond the Pines
4 (5) Zero Dark Thirty
5 (3) Side Effects
6 (-) Hitchcock
7 (6) Life of Pi
8 (4) Gangster Squad
9 (8) Stolen
10 (9) Dark Skies
Chart supplied by www.LOVEFiLM.com
Film streaming top 10
1 (1) The Smurfs
2 (3) Bridesmaids
3 (2) Barbie - Princess Charm School
4 (-) Red Riding Hood
5 (-) End Of Watch
6 (4) Looper
7 (-) Bad Teacher
8 (5) Diary of a Wimpy Kid - Rodrick Rules
9 (8) Cars 2
10 (-) Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Chart supplied by www.LOVEFiLM.com
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