New on DVD & Blu-Ray: Jupiter Ascending, The SpongeBob Movie, Focus, and More

If nothing else, the Wachowskis at least consistently strive to come up with their own material (Speed Racer notwithstanding), which is a practice, some would argue, that Hollywood could stand to see a bit more frequently. Jupiter Ascending, however, was not their best effort. Mila Kunis stars as a Chicago maid (named Jupiter, natch) who is unwittingly swept into an intergalactic power struggle when it’s discovered she possesses royal DNA. With the help of a mutant bounty hunter (Channing Tatum), Jupiter must figure out where she belongs and determine the fate of Earth. Critics were largely dissatisfied with Jupiter Ascending; they felt the film’s visuals were impressive but served a messy, meandering narrative that never managed to pick up steam. At 25 percent on the Tomatometer, this will probably not go down as a highlight on the Wachowkis’ resumes.

Nickelodeon’s insanely popular cartoon has run for nine seasons (with a tenth reportedly forthcoming) and spawned two feature films, the second of which opened in theaters earlier this year (coincidentally on the same weekend as Jupiter Ascending). What might surprise skeptics is that The Spongebob Movie: Sponge Out of Water was Certified Fresh at 78 percent. Blending the show’s traditional animation with some live action, the film follows SpongeBob (voiced by Tom Kenny) and pals as they venture onto dry land in pursuit of a pirate (played by Antonio Banderas) who has stolen the Krabby Patty recipe. It’s as colorful and wacky as fans of the show would expect, and it should please both young viewers and its surprisingly large adult audience alike.

Will Smith’s irrepressible charisma and Margot Robbie’s crackling screen presence should have set Focus on fire, and while the pair did manage to be appropriately charming, the film essentially registered a mild shrug from critics. Smith plays Nicky Spurgeon, a veteran con artist who takes fledgling grifter Jess Barrett (Robbie) under his wing. After a successful run in New Orleans and some intimate moments together, the two part ways, only to be reunited years later when Nicky is hired by Jess’s new boyfriend. Or is he? And who’s conning who? Focus doesn’t quite hit its stride until midway through the film, and when it does, you may find yourself questioning every action taken by every character, but critics felt that Smith and Robbie acquitted themselves well enough, which helped the movie to its 56 percent Tomatometer. Without the two of them, that score very likely could have been lower.

Say what you will about his late-career missteps, but Kevin Costner can still headline a solid sports movie. His latest excursion into the genre was McFarland USA, the true story of a California high school cross country coach who led a predominantly Mexican-American team to the state championship. Disgraced football coach Jim White (Costner) is forced to move his family from Idaho to McFarland, California, where he takes a position as a science and PE teacher. When he notices several of his students are speedy runners, he puts together a cross country team and helps lead them to success. McFarland, USA was directed by Niki Caro, whose best known work was the inspirational Whale Rider, and released by Disney, well known for its uplifting tales, so this is nothing audiences haven’t seen before. That said, critics felt this was a particularly well-crafted example of the genre and awarded it a Certified Fresh 79 percent on the Tomatometer.