DVD & BLU-RAY PICKS
Tyrannosaur (Studiocanal): A stunning directorial debut from actor Paddy Considine, which features some of the best acting you’ll see all year. It explores what happens when an angry widower (Peter Mullan) stikes up a relationship with a Christian charity worker (Olivia Colman), who is married to a stern husband (Eddie Marsan). Don’t listen to anyone that tells you its ‘depressing’ – just see it. [Buy on DVD or Blu-ray] [Read our original review]
Tabloid (Dogwoof): Brilliant documentary about a bizarre tabloid scandal in the 1970s, when a former beauty queen came to Britain in search of the mormon missionary she was obsessed with. Directed by Errol Morris, it might seem to be a lighter subject after his last two films (The Fog of War, Standard Operating Procedure) but is equally brilliant and its probing of UK newspaper culture could not be more timely. [Buy on DVD] [Read our original review]
Legend (20th Century Fox Home Entertainment): One of Ridley Scott’s forgotten films of the 1980s is this fantasy starring a young Tom Cruise as a mystical forest dweller who must rescue a princess (Mia Sara) and defeat the demonic Lord of Darkness (Tim Curry). Cruise has since admitted that the production lasted even longer than Eyes Wide Shut (1999), and it was not well received critically or commercially at the time but is worth revisiting in HD as an example of Scott’s craftsmanship. [Buy on DVD or Blu-ray]
Pleasantville (Warner Home Video): The 1998 directorial debut from Gary Ross (who had written the screenplays for Big and Dave) was inspired and touching comedy about two teenagers (Tobey Maguire and Reese Witherspoon) who end up in the black-and-white TV world of a 1950s sitcom. An inspired mash up of Back to the Future and The Purple Rose of Cairo, it holds up very well indeed, the only downside is that there isn’t a Region 2 Blu-ray. [Buy it on DVD]
Midnight in Paris (Sony Pictures Home Entertainment): Woody Allen’s latest actually lives up to the hype that emanated from Cannes about being his best in years. A charming comedy about a screenwriter (Owen Wilson) who escapes his materialistic partner (Rachel McAdams) and ends up living in his own fantasy. Gorgeously shot by Darius Khondji, it is also one of the best looking films of the year – again, the absence of a Region 2 Blu-ray is bizarre. [Buy on DVD]
ALSO OUT
Footloose (Paramount Home Entertainment) [Blu-ray / Normal]
Four Weddings and a Funeral (20th Century Fox Home Ent.) [Blu-ray / Normal]
Friends With Benefits (Sony Pictures Home Ent.) [Blu-ray / Normal]
I Don’t Know How She Does It (EV) [Blu-ray / Normal]
One Day (Universal Pictures) [Blu-ray / Normal]
Serendipity (Miramax) [Blu-ray / Normal]
Teen Wolf (20th Century Fox Home Ent.) [Blu-ray / Normal]
The Sarah Jane Adventures: The Complete Fifth Series (2 Entertain) [Blu-ray / Normal]
Thelma and Louise (20th Century Fox Home Ent.) [Blu-ray / Normal]
Twilight Zone – The Original Series: Season 5 (Fremantle Home Entertainment) [Blu-ray / Box Set]
Urban Warfare (StudioCanal) [Blu-ray / Normal]
> Recent UK cinema releases
> The Best DVD and Blu-ray releases of 2011