New in Home Entertainment
October 22, 2013
The Conjuring
Rated R for sequences of disturbing violence and terror
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
One of the scariest things about The Conjuring is that it is supposedly based on a true story. Apparently, real life paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren (Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga) came across a house in 1971 in Rhode Island that would later be described by them to be the worst case of demon possession they had ever seen. If you believe in this sort of thing, and I certainly do, then you will be exponentially more horrified by the goings on in the film. What separates it from the other run of the mill demon possession films? It’s authenticity. The film feels very organic and in turn manages to really deliver the goosebumps. This is already being hailed as one of the scariest movies of the last decade and many will feel that its one of the most entertaining as well. A-
Shrek the Musical
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
While Disney has had a lot of luck on Broadway with The Lion King, Beauty and the Beast, Tarzan I’m sure soon with Aladdin, Dreamworks struck out with its big stage version of Shrek starring Brian D’Arcy James and Sutton Foster in the roles of Shrek and Fiona. But just because it didn’t survive on the great white way doesn’t mean its any less of a quality production. Having seen the show in New York, I have been a huge fan for years. The music is clever and extremely fun and the performances are award-worthy. I think Dreamworks was so shocked that it didn’t do well that they decided to try to breathe new air into it by releasing it for home viewing. I hope this does the trick as I would love to keep enjoying this one on stage for years to come. A
Vikings: Season One
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
While we didn’t see a ton of Emmy’s being thrown the way of the History Channel this year, they are certainly on the road to greatness with this years original programming including The Bible and now Vikings (which just happened to score 3 noms). This original series follows the fearsome but fair viking Ragnar Lothbrok as he rises to greatness within his tribe and attempts to conquer Europe. Good drama, solid writing and acting and excellent production values make this a series worth watching. While its not on par with Game of Thrones maybe, its definitely heading in the right direction and is sure to gather fans as it rolls along. B+