New in Home Entertainment
April 19, 2016
The Revenant
Rated R for strong frontier combat and violence including gory images, a sexual assault, language and brief nudity
Available on DVD, Blu-ray and 4K Ultra HD
Leonardo DiCaprio was bound to win an Oscar for best actor and I’m so glad it came from this monumental film about a fur trapper seeking revenge for the murder of his son. Director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu and legendary cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki create a dark and cold journey of vengeance that will make you feel like you are too close to the action and in very real danger. With subtle special effects that feel all too authentic, the movie recreates a world long gone in a way that tricks your mind into thinking the filmmakers might have invented time travel rather than becoming masters of production. And if you’re lucky enough to own a 4K television set or projector, the infamous bear scene will be the one segment you show off to your friends over and over for years to come. A+
Drunk Stoned Brilliant Dead
Not Rated but equivalent to a hard R for language, adult themes and nudity
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Having grown up watching Animal House and Vacation, I always loved National Lampoon, but never really understood where they came from or considered their legacy. This new documentary from Magnolia shows the history of the magazine, from its inception as the Harvard Lampoon in the late 60’s to its last issue in 1998 and everything since. Interviewing key people from the magazine as well as those it has influenced in the comedy world, this funny yet educational doc gives us a close look at the folks who are largely responsible for the shape of American comedy today. B
Veep: The Complete Fourth Season
Rated TV-MA
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
In its fourth season, HBO’s hit show starring Julia Louis-Dreyfus as the dysfunctional Vice President proves that there is a never ending amount of source material to make you cringe and laugh at when it comes to politics. In a move way too similar to its more serious counterpart House of Cards, Selina is now the president and her main concern is appearing to be presidential. The show is still a laugh riot and the perfect following when you need to relax your mind after an intense episode of Game of Thrones. Both start up again this Sunday, April 24. B+
A Whit Stillman Trilogy: Metropolitan, Barcelona, The Last Days of Disco (The Criterion Collection)
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
In the 90s, filmmaker Whit Stillman hit us hard with these terrific dialog-heavy dramadies surrounding young people in a changing and evolving world. Each story is very different yet still extremely similar in tone and voice. Criterion is packaging this set as a trilogy, which is very fitting considering the overall arch of the films. We talk about television binging a lot these days, but these three films make for a binge-worthy feast as well. It might be a good time for a sick day. A-