DVD Review - November 23

By Damon Smith

New to rent on DVD/Blu-ray

DVD of the week

The Wolverine (Cert 12, 126 mins, Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment, Action/Sci-Fi/Thriller/Romance, also available to buy DVD £19.99/X-Men And The Wolverine Adamantium Collection DVD Box Set £39.99/Blu-ray £24.99/3D Blu-ray £29.99/X-Men And The Wolverine Adamantium Collection Blu-ray Box Set £64.99)

Starring: Hugh Jackman, Rila Fukushima, Svetlana Khodchenkova, Will Yun Lee, Horiyuki Sanada, Tao Okamoto, Brian Tee, Famke Janssen.

Logan (Hugh Jackman) is haunted by the death of his beloved Jean Grey (Famke Janssen). A swordswoman called Yukio (Rila Fukushima) tracks him down and asks Logan to accompany her to Japan to meet Shingen Yashida (Horiyuki Sanada), who Logan saved from the radiation blast in 1945 Nagasaki. Reluctantly, Logan agrees and he is shocked to find an old and frail Shingen under the constant surveillance of a statuesque medic (Svetlana Khodchenkova). Soon after, Shingen dies and the Yazuka attempt to kidnap granddaughter Mariko (Tao Okamoto), who is poised to assume control of the family dynasty. Logan rescues Mariko in the nick of time and she develops deep feelings for her protector. "This isn't going to end well," whispers Jean from beyond the grave, in one of the waking dreams that haunt the eponymous brawler. Based on a 1982 comic book storyline set in Japan, The Wolverine is a welcome change of style and pace for the franchise. James Mangold's film strips back the testosterone-fuelled action in favour of soul-searching and romance. There are still spectacular set pieces including fisticuffs inside and on top of a speeding bullet train, but the screenwriters aren't noticeably in a rush to deliver the next adrenaline-pumping thrill. Jackman excels in quieter moments and Fukushima is a striking, doll-like partner in crime, flashing her blade in balletic fight sequences. Twists and turns in the plot conceal few surprises and the inclusion of a second mutant is completely unnecessary. A six-disc box set comprising X-Men, X-Men 2, X-Men: The Last Stand, X-Men Origins: Wolverine, X-Men: First Class and The Wolverine is also available.

Rating: ***

Released

Nativity 2: Danger In The Manger! (Cert U, 105 mins, Entertainment One, Family/Comedy/Romance, also available to buy DVD £15.99/Two-Disc DVD Box Set £19.99/Blu-ray £19.99)

Starring: David Tennant, Marc Wootton, Jason Watkins, Jessica Hynes, Pam Ferris, Joanna Page, Ian McNeice.

Mrs Bevans (Pam Ferris), headmistress of St Bernadette's primary school, is delighted when supply teacher Donald Peterson (David Tennant) takes charge of her excitable tykes and hyperactive classroom assistant Mr Poppy (Marc Wootton). "If you can work with him until Christmas, I'll make you headmaster in January," Mrs Bevans promises Donald. So Mr Peterson helps Mr Poppy to audition the children for a national choir competition called A Song For Christmas, hosted by Welsh diva Angel Matthews (Jessica Hynes). Private school Oakmoor and its snooty teacher, Gordon Shakespeare (Jason Watkins), re-ignite their rivalry with St Bernadette's by entering the same competition. Meanwhile, Mr Peterson faces his identical twin brother Roderick (Tennant again), who intends to woo the judges with a faultless performance from his well-rehearsed St Cuthbert's College boys. Cast in the same wonky mould as its predecessor, Nativity 2: Danger In The Manger! is sweet and frothy as a mug of freshly poured hot chocolate. The ramshackle plot provides Wootton with plentiful excuses to behave like a maniac, reducing pint-sized co-stars - plucked from open auditions in Coventry - to sniggers. Tennant has fun as chalk-and-cheese siblings but lacks the charm of Martin Freeman in the first film. Once again, Debbie Isitt's sequel relies on the improvisational skills of the actors to create moments of unexpected hilarity. Plausibility is dismissed entirely during the second half, when a class trip through the rolling hills of Wales descends into farce and contrivance. A two-disc set comprising the original film Nativity! and the sequel is also available.

Rating: ***

Stuck In Love (Cert 15, 97 mins, Koch Media, Drama/Comedy/Romance, also available to buy DVD £15.99)

Starring: Greg Kinnear, Jennifer Connelly, Lily Collins, Nat Wolff, Logan Lerman, Liana Liberato, Kristen Bell, Rusty Joiner.

Erica Borgens (Jennifer Connelly) leaves her novelist husband Bill (Greg Kinnear) for a younger man (Rusty Joiner), creating a rift between the mother and her daughter Sam (Lily Collins). Hopelessly romantic 16-year-old son Rusty (Nat Wolff) is more forgiving, and joins his father in setting a place for Erica at the Thanksgiving table, in the hope she might return to their loving embrace one year. Winter turns to spring and three years after the acrimonious break-up, Bill still pines for Erica. Meanwhile, Sam ricochets between meaningless one-night stands until handsome classmate Lou (Logan Lerman) threatens to break down her defences and Rusty pursues a tempestuous first romance with bad girl Kate (Liana Liberato). Bookended by two very different Thanksgiving celebrations, Stuck In Love is a smartly scripted, semi-autobiographical dramedy about the aftermath of divorce on a wealthy family. Or at least that is first-time writer-director Josh Boone's heartfelt intention. Kinnear and Connelly create sparks in their scenes while there is similar on-screen chemistry between Collins and Lerman. Rising star Wolff exudes the puppy dog innocence of a teenager in the first flushes of romance, who is blissfully aware of the pain that is about to smack him, literally, in the face. While Boone certainly has an acute ear for snappy dialogue and sketches his flawed characters with affection, he is reluctant to put the family members through the emotional wringer. None of them has to suffer in their pursuit of happiness, success is handed to them on a plate to a soundtrack of introspection courtesy of American singer-songwriters like Elliott Smith, Conor Oberst and Bill Ricchini.

Rating: ***

Also released

Hardy Bucks: The Movie (Cert 15, 85 mins, Universal Pictures (UK) Ltd, Comedy, also available to buy DVD £15.99/Blu-ray £19.99 - see below)

New to buy on DVD/Blu-ray

Dexter - Season Eight (Cert 18, 720 mins, Paramount Home Entertainment, DVD £34.99/The Complete DVD Box Set £109.99/Blu-ray £49.99, Drama/Thriller/Romance)

The end is nigh for Miami Police Department blood spatter expert Dexter Morgan (Michael C Hall) in the final 12 episodes of the award-winning drama, based on the novel Darkly Dreaming Dexter by Jeff Lindsay. This series, Dexter's foster sister, Debra (Jennifer Carpenter), has quit her job and become a private investigator, the cops chase after a diabolical new serial killer known as The Surgeon, and psychopath expert Evelyn Vogel (Charlotte Rampling) takes an unhealthy interest in Dexter, threatening to reveal his secret life as a murderer. A 33-disc box set comprising all eight series is also available.

Agatha Christie's Poirot - Collection Nine (Cert 12, 396 mins, ITV Studios Home Entertainment, DVD £24.99/The Definitive Collection DVD Box Set £109.99, Drama/Thriller/Romance)

David Suchet completes his incredible 14-year association with the wily Belgian detective in the final four investigations based on the literary works of Agatha Christie. Reuniting him with sidekick Captain Hastings (Hugh Fraser), secretary Miss Lemon (Pauline Moran) and Chief Inspector Japp (Philip Jackson). This series, Poirot investigates the deaths of General Alistair Ravenscroft (Adrian Lukis) and his wife (Annabel Mullion) close to their mansion, he pursues criminal masterminds that lurk in the shadows and he joins crime novelist Ariadne Oliver (Zoe Wannamaker) for the murder hunt she is organising as part of a summer fete. The three-disc set includes the episodes Elephants Can Remember, The Big Four, Dead Man's Folly, The Labours Of Hercules and Curtain, which bids adieu to Poirot once and for all. A 35-disc box set comprising all 13 series is also available.

Top Gear: The Perfect Road Trip (Cert PG, 85 mins, BBC DVD, DVD £19.99/Blu-ray £24.99, Special Interest)

Previously unseen on TV, this feature-length episode of the popular motoring show follows Jeremy Clarkson and Richard Hammond as they head from Venice to Pau in France, visiting some of Europe's most iconic sights including the Autodromo Nazionale Monza race track and the twisting roads of glamorous Monaco, which hosts Formula 1. The duo also share their love of cars including The Aston Martin Vanquish, Ferrari F12 Berlinetta, Ford Model T and Porsche Cayman S.

Once Upon A Time - The Complete Second Season (Cert 15, 902 mins, Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment, DVD £30.99/Seasons 1 & 2 DVD Box Set £43.99/Blu-ray £39.99/Seasons 1 & 2 Blu-ray Box Set £54.99, Fantasy/Drama/Romance)

Fairy-tale characters come to life in 22 episodes of the American drama set in the real world and a parallel fantasy realm. Emma Swan (Jennifer Morrison), the daughter of Snow White (Ginnifer Goodwin) and Prince Charming (Josh Dallas) break the curse cast by the Evil Queen (Lana Parrilla), thereby allowing the enchanted residents of the New England town of Storybrooke to recall their true identities. Consequently Emma and Snow White (Ginnifer Goodwin) are transported to Fairy Tale Land where Prince Phillip (Julian Morris) and Mulan (Jamie Chung) embark on a quest to save Sleeping Beauty (Sarah Bolger) and Captain Hook (Colin O'Donoghue), an old adversary of Rumplestiltskin (Robert Carlyle), holds sway. A 10-disc box set comprising both series is also available.

The Moaning Of Life (Cert 15, 223 mins, 2entertain, DVD £19.99/Blu-ray £24.99, Comedy/Documentary)

Karl Pilkington continues to carve out his own niche separate from Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant in this five-part travel documentary series. Having turned 40, Pilkington travels abroad to see how other cultures deal with universal coming-of-age issues since as getting married, holding down a job, raising children and dealing with the grief of losing loved ones.

Eddie Izzard: Force Majeure Live (Cert 15, 120 mins, Universal Pictures (UK) Ltd, DVD £19.99/Limited Edition Steelbook DVD £24.99/Blu-ray £24.99, Comedy)

Recorded live during his current world tour, Force Majeure finds the self-confessed "action transvestite" riffing on disparate subjects including Britain's current political leanings, religion, he preposterousness of dressage as an Olympic sport and Peter Jackson's film adaptations of The Hobbit. A limited edition two-disc DVD set packaged with a 48-page colour tour booklet is also available.

The Escape Artist (Cert 15, 172 mins, Acorn Media, DVD £19.99, Drama)

Recently broadcast on BBC One, The Escape Artist is a grisly three-part thriller about a barrister, whose actions could find him on the wrong side of the law. Will Burton (David Tennant) is renowned for getting his clients out of the trickiest situations, going to any lengths to ensure that he milks a not guilt verdict from the jury. He is ambitious and unscrupulous, caring little about the consequences of his actions. When he secures the acquittal of notorious murder suspect Liam Foyle (Toby Kebbell) on a technicality, Will is unprepared from the chilling consequences that threaten not just him but also courtroom rival Maggie Gardner (Sophie Okonedo) and his wife Kate (Ashley Jensen).

Under The Dome - Season One (Cert 15, 518 mins, Paramount Home Entertainment, DVD £29.99, Sci-Fi/Drama/Romance)

Based on the novel by Stephen King, this supernatural drama centres on the small town of Chester's Mill in Maine, which is inexplicably cut off from the rest of the world by a massive impenetrable dome. Local newspaper reporter Julia Shumway (Rachelle Lefevre) attempts to get to the bottom of the mystery and she focuses her attention initially on Dale Barbara (Mike Vogel), who buried a body in the woods shortly before the barrier descended. When the US military is marshaled around the dome, panic spreads and police chief Duke Perkins (Jeff Fahey) and his plucky deputy Linda Esquivel (Natalie Martinez) struggle to contain the rising tide of fear. The four-disc set includes all 13 episodes.

The Hardy Bucks Movie (Cert 15, 85 mins, Universal Pictures (UK) Ltd, DVD £15.99/Blu-ray £19.99, Comedy)

The Irish mockumentary TV comedy makes the transition to the big screen, directed by Mike Cockayne. Eddie (Martin Maloney) is desperate to escape his dull life in Castletown for the summer and that sense of frustration is exacerbated when his archenemy The Viper (Chris Tordoff) secures two tickets for an Ireland match at Euro 2012. So The Viper heads off to the football championships and soon after, Salmon (Michael Salmon) inherits some money and Eddie senses an opportunity for all the lads to enjoy a memorable excursion on the continent. Eddie, Salmon and the rest of the gang - Buzz (Owen Colgan), Frenchtoast (Peter Cassidy) and The Boo (Tom Kilgallon) - jump into a campervan and head for the tournament, hoping to snag tickets when they arrive. En route to Poland, they encounter colourful characters and mechanical failure.

Leverage - Complete Season 4 (Cert 15, 738 mins, Lionsgate Home Entertainment UK Ltd, DVD £29.99, Drama)

A team of brilliant thieves and con artists makes a shocking discovery in the penultimate series of the award-winning US crime drama headlining Timothy Hutton as former insurance fraud investigator, Nathan Ford. He is the mastermind of the team comprising of techno-wizard Alec Hardison (Aldis Hodge), martial arts expert Eliot Spencer (Christian Kane), acrobatic thief Parker (Beth Riesgraf) and con artist Sophie Devereaux (Gina Bellman). This series, the team discovers the office is bugged and Nate's father Jimmy (Tom Skerritt) is targeted in a revenge plot orchestrated by Victor Dubenich (Saul Rubinek) from his prison cell. The four-disc set includes all 18 episodes.

London Irish (Cert 18, 144 mins, 4DVD, DVD £19.99, Comedy)

Six episodes of the Channel 4 comedy, which chronicles the antics of four Northern Irish twenty-somethings - Packy (Peter Campion), Niamh (Kat Regan), Conor (Kerr Logan) and his older sister Bronagh (Sinead Keenan) - living in London. This series, Packy crosses paths with his crazy ex-girlfriend Steph (Phoebe Waller-Bridge), Bronagh excited makes Halloween costumes based on characters from The Wizard Of Oz and Conor prepares to entertain his parents, Ma (Tracey Lynch) and Da (Ardal O'Hanlon), during a visit to the capital.

Nosferatu (Cert 12, 97 mins, Eureka, DVD/Blu-ray £19.99, Horror/Thriller/Romance)

German expressionist FW Murnau's seductive 1922 tale returns to haunt the home formats. The film centres on the nocturnal wanderings of demonic Count Orlok (Max Schreck), who becomes obsessed with Ellen (Greta Schroeder), wife of estate agent Hutter (Gustav V Wangenheim). This new restoration of Murnau's film, which looks outstanding, is released as part of Eureka Entertainment's Masters Of Cinema series.

Channel 4's Comedy Gala 2013 (Cert 15, 126 mins, 4DVD, DVD £19.99, Comedy)

Recorded live at London's O2 Arena, this charity concert brings together the cream of the stand-up circuit and award-winning dance troupe Diversity for one night only to raise money for Great Ormond Street Hospital. Performers include Kevin Bridges, Jo Brand, Russell Brand, Jason Byrne, Alan Carr, Nina Conti, Jack Dee, Lee Evans, Rhod Gilbert, Rich Hall, Miranda Hart, Adam Hills, Paddy McGuinness, Michael McIntyre, Jon Richardson, Seann Walsh and Josh Widdicombe. Proceeds from the sale of the DVD will go to the charity.

Milius (Cert 15, 99 mins, Studio Canal, DVD £19.99, Documentary)

Screenwriter and director John Milius was a creative dynamo in 1970s and 1980s Hollywood, penning scripts for Dirty Harry and its sequel Magnum Force before garnering an Oscar nomination for his work on Apocalypse Now. Behind the camera, he made waves with Big Wednesday, Conan The Barbarian and Red Dawn but Farewell To The King and Flight Of The Intruder were failures at the box office, denting his reputation, which was further tested by his radical beliefs and controversial behaviour. Zak Knutson and Joey Figueroa's documentary celebrates Milius's rise and fall from his childhood, when he aspired to join the military, to his years at the USC Film School and his gradual recovery from a stroke, which robbed him of speech and mobility.

Journey To The Christmas Star (Cert PG, 74 mins, Metrodome Distribution, DVD £5.99, Family/Drama)

Nils Gaup directs a festive family adventure based on one of Norway's most beloved stories. Fourteen-year-old Sonja (Vilde Marie Zeiner) makes her escape from a gang of thieves by hiding in the king's castle, where she overhears the grief-stricken monarch (Anders Baasmo Christiansen) recount the sad story of his daughter Princess Goldenhair. She disappeared in a dark forest during a search for the fabled Christmas Star and the king cursed the star in revenge. Now the star is slowly dying and unless the king can find it and break the curse, Goldenhair will be lost forever, plunging the kingdom into eternal darkness. Sonja vows to save the kingdom by locating the Christmas Star but her epic quest is constantly thwarted by a seductive witch called Heksa (Agnes Kittelson), who covets the throne.

The Great Santa Rescue (Cert PG, 90 mins, Metrodome Distribution, DVD £5.99, Family/Drama)

The icon of Christmas begins to lose his powers when the children of the world turn their back on him in Dustin Rikert's yuletide fable. Max Schmucker (Kevin Pollak) is a Scrooge-like politician, who casts doubt in the minds of the people about the existence of Santa Claus (Abraham Benrubi). Consequently, the sleigh-riding old man begins to lose his powers and crash-lands his sleigh near a small farm where Miley (Caitlin Carmichael) and Zach (Benjamin Stockham) live. The two children still believe in Father Christmas and they set out on a mission to restore the faith of fellow tykes so that Santa can take flight again and spread joy around the world.

Martina Cole's Lady Killers (Cert E, 400 mins, Demand DVD, DVD £12.99, Documentary)

The popular crime novelist, whose books Dangerous Lady, The Jump, The Runaway and The Take have been adapted into TV dramas, hosts this documentary series about some of the most notorious female murderers in history, whose heinous acts have shocked the world. The six-disc set includes episodes on Myra Hindley, Beverly Allitt, Rose West, Elizabeth Bathory, Mary Ann Cotton and Amelia Dyer.

DVD retail top 10

1 (-) Monsters University

2 (-) Downton Abbey - Series 4

3 (9) Mad Men - Season 6

4 (-) Miranda

5 (-) The Big Bang Theory - Season 6

6 (1) Now You See Me

7 (-) The Great Gatsby

8 (9) Les Miserables

9 (-) Family Guy - Season 12

10 (6) Iron Man 3

Chart supplied by Amazon.co.uk

DVD rental top 10

1 (-) Now You See Me

2 (1) Oblivion

3 (3) World War Z

4 (2) Behind The Candelabra

5 (-) Snitch

6 (-) Stand Up Guys

7 (10) Hummingbird

8 (-) The Bling Ring

9 (5) Cloud Atlas

10 (-) Trance

Chart supplied by www.LOVEFiLM.com

Film streaming top 10

1 (-) Green Lantern

2 (1) Friends with Benefits

3 (3) Barbie - Princess Charm School

4 (-) 16 Blocks

5 (4) The Smurfs

6 (5) The Princes And The Frog

7 (5) Dumb and Dumber

8 (-) The Kings of Summer

9 (-) Rise of the Planet of the Apes

10 (9) Moneyball

Chart supplied by www.LOVEFiLM.com