It’s a relatively thin week for new releases on DVD, with just a couple of particularly notable titles available. These include a multiple Oscar nominee and a Certified Fresh drama, though they’re accompanied by a number of smaller indie features and a couple of new season sets of popular TV series. Read on for details:
Films based on real people and real events were a big hit at this year’s Oscars, and Bennett Miller’s Foxcatcher was no exception. The dramatic thriller notched five nominations, including Best Director, Best Actor for Steve Carell, and Best Supporting Actor for Mark Ruffalo. Channing Tatum stars as Olympic wrestler Mark Schultz, who, along with his brother Dave (Ruffalo), is offered a paid position on a private wrestling team funded and coached by an eccentric philanthropist named John du Pont (Carell). Though they initially bond over early successes, du Pont’s erratic behavior creates a rift between them that results in tragic consequences. Critics found much to praise in the performances of all three leads and found them well-equipped to handle the nuances of the chilling true story, leading to a Certified Fresh 88 percent score. Bonus features are limited to a 16-minute featurette, a couple of deleted scenes, and the film’s trailer.
Just ahead of the April premiere of the continuation of its first season, the first half of Starz’s surprise hit sci-fi/fantasy drama Outlander is set to hit shelves this week. Based on the novel series of the same name by Diana Gabaldon, the show follows a WWII nurse named Claire Beauchamp Randall (Caitriona Balfe) who is magically transported 1743 Scotland, where she meets both the ancestor of her husband and the dashing Highlander battling him, setting into motion an era-spanning love triangle. If it all sounds a bit hokey and soapy, the critics say it’s well worth a watch, thanks to the acting, the stunning cinematography, and the faithful adaptation of its source material. Certified Fresh at 90 percent, Outlander‘s first season is a worthy introduction to a surprisingly satisfying series. The box set comes with every episode so far on two discs, which also contain a total of 21 deleted scenes and six featurettes.
