Categories
DVD & Blu-ray

UK DVD & Blu-ray Releases: Monday 9th May 2011

DVD & BLU-RAY PICKS

The King’s Speech (Momentum): Oscar winning drama about the unlikely relationship between King George (Colin Firth) and his unconventional speech therapist (Geoffrey Rush). Directed by Tom Hooper, it wowed festival circuit and went on to win Best Picture, becoming one of the highest grossing British films of all time. [Full review] [Buy it on Blu-ray and DVD]

The Way Back (E1 Entertainment): Drama about a group of prisoners who break out of a Russian gulag in the early 1940s and venture across Asia in their escape. Directed by Peter Weir, it stars Jim Sturgess, Ed Harris and Colin Farrell and Saiorse Ronan. [Full review] [Buy it on Blu-ray and DVD]

I Saw The Devil (Optimum Home Releasing): Dark and violent Korean thriller about a twisted serial killer (Choi Min-sik) and the man who pursues him (Lee Byung-hun). Directed Kim Ji-woon, it has attracted acclaim but also a degree of controversy for its more extreme scenes. [Buy it on Blu-ray and DVD]

Blue Valentine (Optimum Home Releasing): Powerful US indie drama depicting how a couple (Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams) fall in (and out of) love over the course of several years. Directed by Derek Cianfrance, it reaped critical acclaim and Oscar nominations. [Full review] [Buy it on Blu-ray and DVD]

Upside Down – The Story of Creation Records (Revolver Entertainment): British documentary about influential UK indie label Creation Records and their maeverick founder Alan McGhee, who signed acts such as Ride, Teenage Fanclub, My Bloody Valentine and Oasis. Directed by Danny O’Connor, it features interview with McGee and the bands he signed. [Full review] [Buy it on Blu-ray and DVD]

Client 9 (Dogwoof): Documentary about the rise and fall of disgraced New York governor Eliot Spitzer, who was caught up in a prostitution scandal which triggered his resignation just a few months before the financial crisis in 2008. Directed by Alex Gibney. [Buy it on DVD]

ALSO OUT

Casshern Sins: Part 1 (Manga Entertainment) [Blu-ray / DVD]
Chico and Rita (Cinema NX Home Entertainment) [Blu-ray / DVD]
Civilisation: The Complete Series (2 Entertain) [Blu-ray / DVD]
Laputa – Castle in the Sky (Optimum Home Entertainment) [Blu-ray / DVD]
My Neighbours the Yamadas (Optimum Home Entertainment) [Blu-ray / DVD]
The Pillow Book (Park Circus) [Blu-ray / DVD]

> UK Cinema Releases for Friday 6th May 2011
> The Best DVD & Blu-ray releases of 2010

Categories
Cinema

UK Cinema Releases: Christmas 2010

NATIONAL RELEASES

Little Fockers (Paramount): Thr third film in the comedy franchise sees the war between Jack Byrnes (Robert De Niro) and son-in-law Greg Focker (Ben Stiller) reach new levels.

Directed by Paul Weitz, it co-stars Laura Dern, Jessica Alba and Harvey Keitel, and one revolves around the fact that Greg has two children (the Fockers of the title) and Jack’s suspicions about him having an affair. Expect big business on both sides of the Atlantic as undemanding audiences lap up the slapstick. [Odeon Leicester Square & Nationwide / 12A]

Gulliver’s Travels (20th Century Fox): Jack Black stars in this update of Jonathan Swift’s satire as Lemuel Gulliver, a travel writer on his way to Bermuda who ends up on the island of Liliput, where he towers over its tiny citizens.

The trailers and posters for this have not looked promising and the Jack Black brand is considerably diminished of late. But an easy story hook, a good supporting cast (Jason Segal, Emily Blunt and Billy Billy Connolly) might entice audiences during the Christmas period even if reviews are likely to be bad. [Out on Boxing Day]

The Way Back (E1 Entertainment): An epic escape from a Russian gulag during World War II forms the backdrop for Peter Weir’s first film in seven years. Loosely based on Slavomir Rawicz’s book “The Long Walk: The True Story of a Trek to Freedom” (more of which later), it begins with an soldier named Janusz (Jim Sturgess) being sent to a remote Siberian prison camp on trumped up charges of spying.

After enlisting the help of inmates to escape, including an ex-pat American (Ed Harris) and a tough gang member (Colin Farrell), the group venture on a massive trek across Asia where they meet an orphan (Saoirse Ronan), struggle to survive and attempt to reach the safety of India. Although it suffers from having a tangled truth problem, this is an absorbing, well crafted drama even though the gruelling nature of the story might put some viewers off. [Nationwide / 12A / Out on Boxing Day]

Love And Other Drugs (20th Century Fox): A new comedy drama set in the late 1990s, about a charming pharmaceutical rep (Jake Gyllenhaal) who falls an artist (Anne Hathaway) suffering from Parkinson’s disease.

Directed by Ed Zwick, it is loosely based on the book Hard Sell: The Evolution of a Viagra Salesman by Jamie Reidy and co-stars Oliver Platt, Hank Azaria and Josh Gad. Although the stars do their best with the roles they’ve been given, the inconsistent tone and occasional gross out humour (often involving Josh Gad) might mean reduced box office and mixed reviews. [Out on Weds 29th December]

Arthur and the Great Adventure (Entertainment): A part-animated, part-live action film, which is a sequel to Arthur and the Invisibles. Written and directed by Luc Besson, and starring Freddie Highmore and Mia Farrow. [Nationwide / PG]

ALSO OUT

Chatroom (Revolver Entertainment): A psychological thriller about teenagers who encourage each other’s destructive behavior. Directed by Hideo Nakata and starring Aaron Johnson, Imogen Poots, Matthew Beard and Hannah Murray. [Nationwide]

Toonpur Ka Superhero (Eros): India’s first live action full length animated film which stars Ajay Devgan and Kajol. [Cineword Feltham & Ilford, Odeon Greenwich, Vue Acton & Key Cities / U]

> Find out what films are showing in your area with Google Movies or Find Any Film
> The Best Films of 2010
> The Best UK DVD and Blu-ray Releases of 2010
> Check out the films on TV in the UK over the Christmas period