DVD Review - June 5

Starring: Miles Teller, JK Simmons, Nate Lang, Paul Reiser, Melissa Benoist.

Nineteen-year-old Andrew Neiman (Miles Teller) is determined to excel at his Manhattan music conservatory and avoid the regrets which haunt his writer father (Paul Reiser). So he practises night and day and catches the eye of the school's most revered teacher, Terence Fletcher (JK Simmons). The hard work pays off and Andrew transfers to Fletcher's class and becomes the alternate drummer in the band behind lead player Carl (Nate Lang). When the opportunity arises for Andrew to impress, he rises to the occasion, but alienates himself from the rest of the band. The game of one-upmanship between teacher and pupil spirals out of control as Andrew sweats blood and tears to meet the lofty expectations of his maniacal mentor and earn the right to play at a concert in Carnegie Hall. Inspired by writer-director Damien Chazelle's experiences in a fiercely competitive high school jazz band, Whiplash is an electrifying thriller that delivers one emotional wallop after another. Drumming sequences are edited at a frenetic pace, spattered with the real sweat of lead actor Teller, who performs all of the energy-sapping solos as if his life depended on it. It's a bravura performance complemented by Simmons' jaw-dropping Oscar-winning portrayal of the foul-mouthed, bullying conductor, who verbally abuses students that fall short of his impossible demands for metronomic and percussive perfection. We root for the beleaguered 19-year-old hero with every display of frenzied stick-work, urging Andrew to wipe the smug grin off Fletcher's face.

Rating: *****

RELEASED

Ex Machina (Cert 15, 108 mins, Universal Pictures (UK) Ltd, Thriller/Sci-Fi/Action/Romance, also available to buy DVD £19.99/Blu-ray £24.99/Limited Edition Steelbook Blu-ray £29.99 or on-demand from various streaming services)

Starring: Domhnall Gleeson, Oscar Isaac, Alicia Vikander.

Nathan (Domhnall Gleeson) is a talented computer programmer at a hi-tech firm run by the enigmatic Caleb (Oscar Isaac). Out of the blue, Nathan wins a weekend at the CEO's remote island retreat and journeys to the lush paradise in a private helicopter. At the compound entrance, Nathan learns he has been hand-picked by Caleb to take part in a ground-breaking experiment: to interrogate a functioning artificial intelligence prototype called Ava (Alicia Vikander). The programmer is dumbstruck by Ava's beauty and her ability to respond intelligently to his questions. Very quickly, Nathan grows emotionally attached to Ava and he is distressed when she warns him not to trust Caleb. Shot largely within the confines of Caleb's state-of-the-art complex, Ex Machina is a deeply disturbing thriller that explores the murky moral ramifications of creating a robot that could pass for human. Alex Garland's directorial debut exerts a vice-like grip on our attention, anchored by riveting performances from the central trio. Gleeson exudes sufficient sweetness and naivete to convince us he would be an unsuspecting pawn in Caleb's diabolical and ultimately deadly game. In stark contrast, Isaac bristles with machismo and menace as he voyeuristically documents Nathan's burgeoning attraction to Ava. "Did you design Ava's face based on my pornography profile?" Nathan cheekily asks his mentor. Vikander, who studied at the Royal Swedish Ballet School, sets the screen ablaze with her deliciously ambiguous portrayal. Flawless visual effects blend seamlessly with her luminous performance to expose Ava's inner workings as she prowls her Perspex prison cell.

Rating: ****

American Sniper (Cert 15, 132 mins, Warner Home Video, Thriller/Action/Romance, also available to buy DVD £19.99/Blu-ray £24.99 or on-demand from various streaming services)

Starring: Bradley Cooper, Sienna Miller, Kyle Gallner, Sammy Sheik, Ben Reed.

As a child, Chris Kyle (Bradley Cooper) learns how to handle a gun from his father Wayne (Ben Reed). "You're going to make a fine hunter some day," says the old man tenderly. When Chris' dreams of bull-riding turn sour, he enlists in the US Navy and gains a reputation for sharp-shooting, aided by his spotter, Goat-Winston (Kyle Gallner). Away from the base, Chris meets Taya (Sienna Miller). They marry and she raises their family alone while he fights overseas and attempts to outwit an elusive rival sniper called Mustafa (Sammy Sheik). With each successive tour, Chris returns home unable to communicate effectively with his loved ones. "I need you to be human again," pleads Taya. "I need you to be here." American Sniper is an impeccably crafted biopic of the most lethal marksman in American military history with 160 confirmed kills to his name. Such was Kyle's notoriety, the enemy nicknamed him "The Devil Of Ramadi" and put a sizeable bounty on his head. Eastwood's film unfolds from Kyle's fervently patriotic perspective and the lack of narrative balance might trouble some viewers. The veteran director is more interested here in the psychology of a father and husband than wading through the politics and morality of modern warfare. Battle sequences are choreographed with meticulous precision and Cooper, who bulked up for the role, affects a drawl to perfection as he conveys the demons that haunt Kyle and drive him further from the people that love him the most.

Rating: ****

Shaun The Sheep Movie (Cert U, 85 mins, Studio Canal, Animation/Comedy/Action, also available to buy DVD £19.99/Blu-ray £24.99)

Shaun and the flock grow tired of the daily routine on Mossy Bottom Farm under the watchful eye of Bitzer the sheepdog. So the animals hoodwink the Farmer into taking a well-deserved day off, so they can do the same. Unfortunately, this cunning plan goes awry and the Farmer ends up with a nasty bout of memory loss after a high-speed journey to The Big City inside a runaway caravan. Off the hoof, Shaun and his fleecy friends board the 62 bus from Mossy Bottom to the metropolis, determined to bring their beloved master back home. Unfortunately, they attract the attention of a nasty animal containment officer called Trumper, who doesn't want any farmyard escapees on the lamb on his patch. Aided by an orphan dog named Slip, the sheep disguise themselves as humans to pull the wool over the eyes of unsuspecting residents of The Big City and track down the Farmer. Bristol-based Aardman Studios works its stop-motion animated magic on this colourful big screen adventure for the mischievous sheep, who first appeared in Wallace and Gromit's 1995 escapade A Close Shave. Shaun The Sheep Movie is a shear delight, melding slapstick and subtler humour to appeal to young fans and their wranglers. Writer-directors Mark Burton and Richard Starzak shepherd this boisterous romp through various twists and turns at a breathless pace. There's nothing woolly about their screenplay, which doesn't pause to bleat between set pieces, propelling the narrative forward without sacrificing the characterisation.

Rating: ****

The Gambler (Cert 15, 111 mins, Paramount Home Entertainment, Thriller/Romance, also available to buy DVD £19.99/Blu-ray £26.99 or on-demand from various streaming services)

Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Brie Larson, Michael Kenneth Williams, Alvin Ing, Jessica Lange, John Goodman.

Jim Bennett (Mark Wahlberg) strides into an underground den run by one of his creditors, Mister Lee (Alvin Ing). He leaves with seven days to find the 240,000 US dollars he owes. Determined to gamble his way out of trouble, Jim borrows 50,000 US dollars from Neville Baraka (Michael Kenneth Williams) and a similar sum from his mother (Jessica Lange). "I don't want to understand the nature of your problem. I just want you not to have it," she snarls. A further loan from a hulking gangster called Frank (John Goodman) gives Jim the collateral he needs to gamble himself back into the black. Meanwhile, Jim spars with his students and sparks an affair with his most talented pupil, Amy (Brie Larson). Based on the 1974 film of the same name directed by Karel Reisz, The Gambler is a lacklustre thriller, which stakes everything on William Monahan's screenplay and incurs heavy losses. His penchant for excessively wordy set pieces proves an insurmountable distraction. Monahan arms the cast with polished one-liners and barbed retorts that would draw blood if the woe-begotten characters weren't so emotionally cold and distant. Wahlberg is elevated by the material but those long speeches, including a centrepiece rant in the lecture theatre, become wearisome. He verbally jousts with Lange in fiery form as a matriarch, who is sick of hauling her son out of the mire. Larson is shamefully underused in an underwritten supporting role.

Rating: **

Also released

Dino Time (Cert PG, 86 mins, Signature Entertainment, Animation/Action/Comedy, also available to buy DVD £17.99 - see below)

Lost River (Cert 15, 95 mins, Entertainment One, Drama/Thriller/Romance, also available to buy DVD £17.99 or on-demand from various streaming services - see below)

Stretch (Cert 15, 91 mins, Universal Pictures (UK) Ltd, Comedy/Thriller/Romance, also available to buy DVD £12.99/Blu-ray £15.99 or on-demand from various streaming services - see below)

NEW TO BUY ON DVD/BLU-RAY AND ON-DEMAND

Far From The Madding Crowd (Cert U, 155 mins, Studio Canal, DVD £17.99/Blu-ray £22.99, Drama/Romance)

A re-release of John Schlesinger's Oscar-nominated 1967 version that pits Terence Stamp against Peter Finch and Alan Bates in a battle for the affections of the luminous Julie Christie. Bathsheba Everdene (Christie) inherits her uncle's estate and defies expectation to earn the respect of the men in her employment. Young shepherd Gabriel Oak (Bates), who has fallen on hard times, finds work on the estate and struggles to contain his feelings for Bathsheba, which can never be realised given the difference in their social standing. Meanwhile, emotionally repressed and wealthy farmer William Boldwood (Finch) sets out to woo Bathsheba and take her as his bride, but her head is turned by dashing Sergeant Troy (Stamp), whose heart already beats for servant girl Fanny (Prunella Ransome).

Not Going Out 7 (Cert 15, 171 mins, Universal Pictures (UK) Ltd, DVD £19.99/The Complete Series 1-7 DVD Box Set £49.99, Comedy/Romance)

Lee (Lee Mack) joins a gym to impress Lucy (Sally Bretton) in the final series of the BBC One sitcom. Also, new neighbours Toby (Hugh Dennis) and Anna (Abigail Cruttenden) cause a stir and dim-witted pal Daisy (Katy Wix) tries her luck on the knowledge-based game show Pointless. The DVD includes the episodes Mugging, Christening, Donor, Anna, Pointless, Alcohol, Surprise, Plane, Lucy and the Christmas Special. A 14-disc box set comprising all seven series plus the Christmas specials and bonus content is also available.

Fortitude - The Complete First Season (Cert 15, 600 mins, Warner Home Video, DVD £29.99/Blu-ray £39.99 or on-demand from various streaming services, Drama/Thriller/Romance)

Christopher Eccleston, Stanley Tucci, Sienna Guillory, Sophie Grabol and Michael Gambon star in this lavish 12-part Sky Atlantic drama set in a frontier town in Arctic Norway under the jurisdiction of Governor Hildur Odegard (Grabol). Sheriff Dan Anderssen (Richard Dormer) presides over the local search-and-rescue team, but his authority is seriously tested when he is asked to investigate the brutal murder of a prominent member of the community, Professor Charlie Stoddart (Eccleston). Detective Chief Inspector Morton (Tucci) from the Metropolitan Police arrives soon after to follow a different line of enquiry to Anderssen, who believes fellow scientist Vincent Rattrey (Luke Treadaway) is the prime suspect for the heinous crime.

Lost River (Cert 15, 95 mins, Entertainment One, DVD £17.99 or on-demand from various streaming services, Drama/Thriller/Romance)

Celebrated actor Ryan Gosling makes his directorial debut with this gritty fantasy, which divided audiences when it premiered at the 2014 Cannes Film Festival. Single mother Billy (Christina Hendricks) is struggling to pay the rent and keep a roof over the head of her teenage son Bones (Iain De Caestecker). So she accepts a work offer from her bank manager Dave (Ben Mendelsohn), who runs a bizarre club of creepy cabaret acts as a sideline. Meanwhile, Bones swoons hopelessly for the girl next door, Rat (Saoirse Ronan), and attempts to provide his mother with financial assistance by looting empty homes for valuable scrap metal. During one of these sorties, the teenager crosses paths with a psychopath aptly named Bully (Matt Smith), who rules this impoverished kingdom with an iron fist.

Hello Ladies - The Complete First Season And Movie (Cert 15, 240 mins, Warner Home Video, DVD £24.99 or on-demand from various streaming services, Comedy/Romance)

Thirty-something web designer Stuart Pritchard (Stephant Merchant) relocates from the UK to Los Angeles in the vain hope that he might change his luck with the ladies. Aided by his good friend Wade (Nate Torrence), who reluctantly joins Stuart on the town, the Brit abroad suffers various embarrassments and indignities in his pursuit of romance while Wade's disabled friend Kives (Kevin Weisman) always seems to get the ladies' attention. The two-disc box set includes all eight episodes of the HBO series and the made-for-TV feature Hello Ladies: The Movie, in which Stuart pleads with flatmate Jessica (Christine Woods) to pose as his girlfriend to make his ex jealous.

I Am Big Bird (Cert E, 90 mins, Spectrum Entertainment, DVD £17.99 or on-demand from various streaming services, Documentary)

In 2012, Constance Marks directed the feel-good documentary Being Elmo about puppeteer Kevin Clash, who brings to life the universally adored Sesame Street character Elmo. I Am Big Bird, directed by Dave LaMattina and Chad N Walker, is a perfect companion piece, documenting the heart-warming story of Caroll Spinney, who has embodied Sesame Street's Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch since 1969. Now 81, Spinney has no plans to hang up his costume and he continues to perform with enthusiasm and gusto, thrilling a new generation of wide-eyed children as his bright yellow, feathered alter-ego. The documentary surveys four decades from Spinney's childhood, when he was bullied mercilessly, to his collaborations with Jim Henson, including rare footage of their early days together.

Stretch (Cert 15, 91 mins, Universal Pictures (UK) Ltd, DVD £12.99/Blu-ray £15.99 or on-demand from various streaming services, Comedy/Thriller/Romance)

Patrick Wilson and Jessica Alba headline this comedy thriller directed and co-written by Joe Carnahan. Limousine driver Stretch (Wilson) is down on his luck and heavily in debt as a result of his gambling habit. His bookie gives him one night to pay back all of the money he owes or face the grisly consequences. With the help of Charlie (Alba), Stretch lands an eccentric millionaire playboy, Roger Karos (Chris Pine), as his new client. In exchange for several favours, Karos promises to settle Stretch's arrears, but to pay off the bookie completely in one night, the limo driver will have to test friendships and allegiances to the limit.

Dino Time (Cert PG, 86 mins, Signature Entertainment, DVD £17.99, Animation/Action/Comedy)

Yoon-suk Choi and John Kafka's computer-animated fantasy centres on a thrill-seeking boy called Ernie Fitzpatrick (voiced by Pamela Adlon), who routinely ignores the instructions of his hard-working mother Sue (Jane Lynch). One day, when he should be guarding her shop, Ernie slaloms his jet-propelled skateboard down to the natural history museum with his best friend Max Santiago (Yuri Lowenthal) to sneak a peek at an unearthed skeleton of a ferocious Sarcosuchus. Ernie's equally irritating little sister, Julia (Tara Strong), catches him in the act, ensuring he is grounded for a very long time. Instead, Ernie sneaks out of the house with goodie two-shoes Julia in tow, and heads to the workshop of Max's inventor father, Dr Santiago (Fred Tatasciore). The three children squabble and spill a fizzy drink on the control panel of a time machine, which sparks to life and transports the meddlesome moppets back 65 million years into the nest of a Tyrannosaurus Rex mother called Tyra (Melanie Griffith).

TOP 10 DVD RETAIL

1 (-) Big Hero 6

2 (1) The Theory Of Everything

3 (3) Into The Woods

4 (2) Charlotte Crosby's 3 Minute Belly Blitz

5 (5) The Hobbit: The Battle Of The Five Armies

6 (4) Pitch Perfect

7 (6) Paddington

8 (7) The Imitation Game

9 (-) Annie

10 (8) Poldark

(Chart supplied by Amazon.co.uk/DVD)

TOP 10 DVD RENTAL

1 (1) The Theory Of Everything

2 (4) Into The Woods

3 (-) Big Hero 6

4 (-) American Sniper

5 (3) The Imitation Game

6 (2) Paddington

7 (-) Gone Girl

8 (8) Pitch Perfect

9 (-) The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1

10 (5) Exodus: Gods and Kings

(Chart supplied by Amazon.co.uk/DVD)

TOP 10 FILM STREAMING

1 (1) Pitch Perfect

2 (2) Wreck-It Ralph

3 (-) After Earth

4 (3) Divergent

5 (-) Before I Go To Sleep

6 (4) Jack The Giant Slayer

7 (6) The House Of Magic

8 (5) Pompeii

9 (7) Mrs Brown's Boys D' Movie

10 (8) Need For Speed

(Chart supplied by Amazon.co.uk/DVD)