New in Home Entertainment
March 15, 2016
The Big Short
Rated R for pervasive language and some sexuality/nudity
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 88%
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Based on Michael Lewis’s best seller, The Big Short tells the story of the 2008 housing crash in a perversely funny manner with one of the best ensembles of the year. With Brad Pitt, Christian Bale, Steve Carrell and Ryan Gosling (as well as many other big names) writer/director Adam McKay (Anchorman) weaves a devastating tale that makes you laugh ferociously while at the same time making you feel bad for laughing. An Oscar-winner for adapted screenplay, there are many, including myself, who were quite surprised when they didn’t win best picture. A
Carol
Rated R for a scene of sexuality/nudity and brief language
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 93%
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
In this awards season favorite, Cate Blanchett stars as a 1950’s socialite who lives a secret life as a lesbian in Manhattan. When she falls for the much younger Rooney Mara, her secrets come out, disrupting and potentially ruining her life. Just like Spotlight and The Danish Girl, I have an appreciation for the film but it wasn’t one of my top choices for the year. I found myself empathetic to the characters but I also struggled to connect with their story. The performances are very strong and the production values are excellent, but without that connection it remains good not great. B
Game of Thrones: The Complete Fifth Season
Rated TV-MA
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
In this latest season of HBO’s megahit show based on the books by George R. R. Martin, everything goes south for our beloved heroes while the villains, for the most part, seem to be making their way to the top. You get the sense that the season is a giant setup for season 6 and beyond and then you wonder how they will carry on now that they’ve reached the end of Martin’s written material. All I can say is that I can’t wait for April 24 to come around so I can see where this magnificent story will take us next. A
Steve Jobs: Man in the Machine
Rated R for some language
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 75%
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
And yet another Steve Jobs movie? Well this time its a documentary about his life as told by Oscar-winning filmmaker Alex Gibney (Taxi to the Dark Side). It’s a no holds barred look at Jobs’ life that almost makes him appear to be less of a visionary and more of an aggressive man whose biggest attribute was his ambition. While I didn’t love the film, I have a feeling that between a gigantic novel and two biopics, it’s just that I’m getting a little tired of hearing about him. B
Sisters
Rated R for crude sexual content and language throughout, and for drug use
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 59%
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Tina Fey and Amy Poehler star in this broad comedy (no pun intended) about two sisters who try to save their parents’ home by throwing a giant party in it. While there is an occasional laugh or two, the whole thing feels like they are trying too hard and in the process it comes across as just dumb. Don’t get me wrong, these are a funny couple of women, but they just aren’t any good in this schlock. D