Brace your bank accounts, it’s time to see what’s Now Available to Own for the week of December 1, 2015. Every Tuesday we run down new movie and television releases that you can enjoy in the comfort of your own home, as well as some slick deals that can help save you some coin. New on shelves this week are The Walking Dead, Amy, Mississippi Grind, Mistress America, and more.
Source: Huffington Post
Movies on Blu-ray
Amy (Asif Kapadia) Rated R [128 min] – The story of Amy Winehouse in her own words, featuring unseen archival footage and unheard tracks. Starring Amy Winehouse, Mitch Winehouse, Mark Ronson, and Russell Brand
To preface my review, I’ve never listened to any of Amy Winehouse’s music, aside from “Rehab,” because I’m not a fan of the style. And the media circus surrounding her life didn’t help encourage me to listen either. BUT with all that said, Amy is a truly raw and heartbreaking look at the late performer’s life. It captures Winehouse in a very intimate spotlight, behind the scenes with interviews and footage of herself and those closest to her. While Amy focuses on Winehouse’s struggles with addiction with a fly on the wall approach and an unbiased attitude, the documentary doesn’t have much to say. The Blu-ray is packed with some solid extra features that bring even more depth, though, and makes it worth while for those who were touched by her music.
Special features include:
- Previously Unseen Performances by Amy Winehouse
- Previously Unseen Scenes (Deleted Scenes)
- Audio Commentary with Director Asif Kapadia
- Interviews with Friends and musicians
Mississippi Grind (Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck) Rated R [108 min] – Down on his luck and facing financial hardship, Gerry teams up with younger charismatic poker player, Curtis, in an attempt to change his luck. The two set off on a road trip through the South with visions of winning back what’s been lost. Starring Ben Mendelsohn, Ryan Reynolds, Yvonne Landry, and Anthony Howard
Ryan Reynolds and Ben Mendelsohn have been killing it this year, and bringing the two together makes for one powerhouse duo. The chemistry between the actors is oozing, which helps fill the semi-lull story with life. Although this is Gerry’s (Mendelsohn) story, it’s Curtis (Reynolds) who really walks away as the more memorable character.
Special features include:
- Two of a Kind: On the Road with Mississippi Grind” Featurette
Cooties (Jonathan Milott and Cary Murnion) Rated R [88 min] – A mysterious virus hits an isolated elementary school, transforming the kids into a feral swarm of mass savages. An unlikely hero must lead a motley band of teachers in the fight of their lives. Starring Elijah Wood, Rainn Wilson, and Alison Pill
I was hoping that Cooties would have a little more depth than your typical zombie movie. The screenplay comes from Glee and Scream Queens writer Ian Brennan along with Saw scribe Leigh Whannell; both star in the film as well. Although it has its fun moments, Cooties doesn’t really have the pizazz to differentiate itself from any other zom com. Rainn Wilson is a bit too much to handle, while Elijah Wood and Whannell both bring a certain spark to revitalize any hope of what could be a funny zombie movie.
Special features include:
- “Circle, Circle. Dot, Dot…Catching Cooties” Featurette
- Deleted/Extended/Alternate Scenes
- Gag Reel
- Alternate Ending with Optional Audio Commentary
- “Talking Cooties” Featurette
- The Cootietary – Audio Commentary with the Cast & Crew
Goodnight Mommy (Severin Fiala and Veronika Franz) Rated R [99 min] – Twin boys move to a new home with their mother after she has face changing cosmetic surgery, but under her bandages is someone the children don’t recognize. Starring Susanne Wuest, Lukas Schwarz, Elias Schwarz, and Hans Escher
There was so much buzz earlier in this year about Goodnight Mommy that I was afraid the hype would oversell the film. Luckily, that was not the case when I finally saw it. This movie is brutal, entrancing, and absolutely terrifying. Despite my anticipation, I had really no sense of how the narrative would play out. It’s a wonderful movie to take a chance on without knowing anything about it. Patience is highly rewarded.
Special features include:
- “A Conversation with Filmmakers Veronika Franz and Severin Fiala”
Mistress America (Noah Baumbach) Rated R [84 min] – A lonely college freshman’s life is turned upside down by her impetuous, adventurous soon-to-be stepsister. Starring Greta Gerwig, Lola Kirke, Seth Barrish, and Juliet Brett
I’ve come to the decision that Mistress America is the Noah Baumbach film that has helped me come to the realization that I don’t like the writer/director’s work. The movie is far more reaching than his previous few – Greenberg, While We’re Young, and Frances Ha are the ones I’ve seen – and I do not care for any of them. I really like Fantastic Mr. Fox, but that film had the pleasure of Wes Anderson directing and only Baumbach helping out in the screenplay. His characters are very difficult to connect with and sometimes they can be overly pretentious – this is more so the case in Mistress America. If his his style could be personified as a breathing human it would be a snobby hipster wearing flannel while smoking a pipe who hasn’t showered in three weeks.
Special features include:
Zoolander: Special Edition Steel Book (Ben Stiller) Rated PG-13 [89 min] – At the end of his career, a clueless fashion model is brainwashed to kill the Prime Minister of Malaysia. Starring Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson, and Christine Taylor
True story: I recently saw Zoolander in its entirety for the first time last Christmas. I never was attracted to the hype when it first released and I’m not a big fan of man-child characters i.e. most Will Ferrell roles. But I decided to finally check Zoolander out because I had free time and was bored. I dislike it. Maybe it will be like Step Brothers and I’ll have to watch it a few more times to appreciate it, but at this point in my life it’s not for me. I do think that this special Blu-ray release has a lot of awesome features for fans of the film, jam-packed with goodies that will be worth the buy, especially since you get a Derek Zoolander bandanna.
Special features include:
- Audio Commentary by Ben Stiller and writers Drake Sather & John Hamburg
- A Really, Really, Really Cool Teaser for Zoolander No. 2
- Breakdance Fight Rehearsal—NEW!
- Alternate Brainwashing Sequence Storyboards—NEW!
- Walkoff Rehearsal Footage with Ben Stiller commentary
- Deleted Scenes with Ben Stiller commentary
- Extended Scenes with Ben Stiller commentary
- Outtakes
- VH1 Fashion Awards Skits
- Music Video “Start the Commotion” by The Wiseguys
- Public Service Announcements
- MTV Cribs
- Interstitials
- Photo Galleries
Some Kind Of Beautiful (Tom Vaughan) Rated R [100 min] – A drama about a Cambridge poetry professor who begins to re-evaluate his life of Byronic excess. Starring Pierce Brosnan, Salma Hayek, Jessica Alba, and Malcolm McDowell
This movie is the worst. It’s on Netflix now, but don’t even bother wasting your time. The cast may be a selling point, but don’t be fooled. All the characters are dislikable and the story is below a trashy soap.
Special features include:
- “Inside the Heart of a Romantic” Featurette
War Pigs (Ryan Little) Rated R [91 min] – A rag tag unit of misfits known as the War Pigs must go behind enemy lines to exterminate Nazis by any means necessary. Starring Luke Goss, Dolph Lundgren, and Chuck Liddell [Watch the Trailer]
If you could take the second squad rejects from The Expendables and pack them into a direct-to-DVD spin-off, that would be War Pigs. The only difference is that War Pigs isn’t as self-aware that it’s a goofy action flick nor does it have the big, bold over the top action to justify its existence. All of the actors are vapid, portraying stock characters that are more empty than your uncle’s flask on Thanksgiving.
- No special features included
DVD Only
The Guardsman (Jiao Xiao-Yu) – When the Emperor travels in disguise to understand the problems that his people face, his enemies discover his identity and team up with Japanese pirates to assassinate him. Now, it is up to a group of loyal warriors to protect their Emperor and bring peace to the kingdom. Starring Yan Jie, Zheng Peipei, Wu Ma, and Yuan Biao [Watch the Trailer]
If you’re looking for a kung-fu flick just for the action you’ll find it here in The Guardsman. These wannabe Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon knockoff wuxia films are all one in the same. They all have very similar fight choreography, their imbued with the same messages and themes, and they want you to leave more enlightened when you came in.
- No special features included
Zero Tolerance (Wych Kaosayananda) Rated R [Time N/A] – Two former para-military operatives, Johnny and his police detective friend Peter, search Bangkok to find the killers of Johnny’s beautiful daughter Angel – Leaving carnage and retribution throughout city. Starring Dustin Nguyen, Scott Adkins, and Sahajak Boonthanakit [Watch the Trailer]
Here’s a movie that takes itself too seriously in a genre that should be more fun than dower. These underground, neo-noir type movies are also becoming very familiar. There’s nothing nuanced or special about a man on a mission seeking revenge anymore. This movie reeks of straight-to-DVD craftsmanship and the proof is in the quality of the storytelling, acting, and the action.
- No special features included
Un Gallo con Muchos Huevos (Gabriel Riva Palacio Alatriste and Rodolfo Riva-Palacio Alatriste) Rated PG-13 [98 min] – Toto, a young chick born the run of the litter, rises to the occasion when a rancher threatens his home and his family. Starring Bruno Bichir, Carlos Espejel, and Angélica Vale
If you’re looking for a really messed up children’s movie that promotes violence, sex, and gambling then Un Gallo con Muchos Huevos, or Huevos: Little Rooster’s Egg-cellent Adventure, it’s English language title, is right for you. Aside from the crude animation style, Huevos is a grating, head pounding experience to endure. Kids will even see past it’s stupidity.
Special features include:
- Behind-the-Scenes Featurette (English-language cast)
- Behind-the-Scenes Featurette (Spanish-language cast)
Get Santa (Christopher Smith) Rated PG [102 min] – A father and son who team up to save Christmas once they discover Santa Claus sleeping in their garage after crashing his sleigh and finding himself on the run from the police. Starring Jim Broadbent, Rafe Spall, and Kit Connor [Watch the trailer]
I never realized there was a trending theme in Christmas movies until now. Get Santa is the story of a Scrooge-like dad, down on his luck who has to overcome his pessimism and non-beliefs in order to cheer up his son while reviving the world with a sense of holiday spirit i.e. Elf, The Santa Clause, and Jingle All the Way. Get Santa is a lot more heartfelt than most derivative holiday movies in the same vein, but also very cliche and predictable.
Special features include:
- Behind the Scenes Featurette
Source: MTV
TV Show Releases
Fear the Walking Dead: Season 1 (Dave Erickson and Robert Kirkman) Rated TV-MA [43 min] – What did the world look like as it was transforming into the horrifying apocalypse depicted in “The Walking Dead”? This spin-off set in Los Angeles, following new characters as they face the beginning of the end of the world, will answer that question. Starring Kim Dickens, Cliff Curtis, Frank Dillane, Alycia Debnam-Carey, Mercedes Mason, Lorenzo James Henrie, and Rubén Blades
The concept behind Fear the Walking Dead is something all fans are intrigued by and the creator’s hearts are all in the right place, but the characters and the story that follows them is utterly unbearable. You watch it because it’s part of The Walking Dead canon, it’s hip and now. However, after it’s all said and done, you feel more empty than the zombies in the series because at least they’re filled with something that nourishes their need to feed.
Special features include:
- A Look at the Series
- Character Bios
Additional Releases this Week
- Fairy Tail: Part 18
- Halo: The Fall of Reach
- Mystery Science Theater 3000 Volume XXXIV
- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Vol. 9: Revenge
- Zoo: Season 1
Blu-Ray Deals and Steals
- American Sniper – $9.99
- Spider-Man Trilogy – $9.49
- Interstellar – $9.49
- Trainwreck – $15
- World War Z – $3.96
- Pitch Perfect 2 – $11
- Shaun of the Dead – $5
- Paper Towns – $14.49
- Kick-Ass 2 – $5
- Fullmetal Alchemist: The Complete Series – $31.49
- Arrow (Season 2) – $14.99
- Side Effects – $5
- It Follows – $9.99
- Spirited Away – $19.49
- Gone Girl – $10.99
- Sin City: A Dame to Kill For – $12.49
- Mad Men (Season 5) – $7.99
All prices from Amazon.com. Best Buy, Frys, and Target all price match online prices.
What will you be taking home this week? Tell us in the comments section below!
All plot synopses come courtesy of IMDb.com
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