—50 to 1 ( April 28; $26.99 ): Based on the incredible true story of Mine That Bird—the longshot racehorse who, to everyone's surprise, won the 2009 Kentucky Derby—50 to 1 will debut April 28 on DVD and Digital HD from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. Bonus materials include an in-depth making-of featurette and a blooper reel.
—1066: The Battle for Middle Earth ( March 24; $19.98 ): Don't be misled by the title: This isn't a Hobbit-related feature, but rather a historical docudrama. However, The Hobbit's Ian Holm narrates this tale of historic conflict. Two peasants, Tofi ( Mike Bailey of Skins ) and Leofric ( Tim Plester of Kick-Ass ), find themselves swept up in the turmoil of war as they fight against the Vikings in the North, and are later called to defend their home—the land they call Middle Earth—against Norman invasion in the epic Battle of Hastings.
—Annie ( March 10 on Digital HD and March 17 on Blu-ray Combo Pack and DVD; $30.99 ): Quvenzhane Wallis ( Best Actress nod for an Oscar for Beasts of the Southern Wild ) stars in a remake of the famous rags-to-riches story; Jamie Foxx ( Oscar winner for Ray ), Cameron Diaz and Rose Byrne co-star. The Blu-ray Combo Pack and DVD both come with all-new featurettes, including exciting behind-the-scenes looks at the making of the film and a director's commentary, featuring Will Gluck on the production of the updated story and challenging fans to find nods to the original 1982 film.
—The Babadook ( April 14; $14.93 ): Just because a movie has a kid in it doesn't mean that children should necessarily watch it. This acclaimed film ( which Windy City Times also positively reviewed ) makes that case. When a disturbing storybook called Mister Babadook turns up at a mother's house, she is forced to battle with her son's deep-seated fear of a monster. Soon, she discovers a sinister presence all around her. Cast and crew interviews are among the bonus features.
—Big Gay Love ( out already; $24.99 ): Big Gay Love, a romantic comedy about finding a love more than skin-deep, is available via Canteen Outlaws. The film stars Nicholas Brendon ( TV shows Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Criminal Minds ), Jonathan Lisecki ( writer-director-star of the hit comedy Gayby ) and Ann Walker ( Sordid Lives, Southern Baptist Sissies ). When romance does find Bob ( Lisecki ) in the form of a muscular chef named Andy ( Brendon ), he wonders if the relationship could be true love, due to his years of insecurity.
—Big Hero 6 ( out already; $39.99 for package ): This Oscar-winning film from Walt Disney Animation Studios features Baymax ( voice of Scott Adsit ), a lovable, personal companion robot, who forms a special bond with robotics prodigy Hiro Hamada ( voice of Ryan Potter ). Special features include the featurette "Animating Baymax" as well as a gag reel and other items.
—Boyhood ( out already; $29.99 on DVD and $41.99 on Blu-ray ): This film certainly got some recent exposure, thanks to the Academy Awards and co-star Patricia Arquette's Oscar-winning supporting turn. Filmed over the course of 12 years with the same cast, Boyhood is a story of growing up as seen through the eyes of a child named Mason. Richard Linklater's film also stars Ethan Hawke, Lorelei Linklater and Ellar Coltrane as Mason.
—Boys ( out already; $24.95 ): In director Mischa Kamp's gay romance, two teen track stars discover first love as they train for the biggest relay race of their young lives. Dutch phenom Gijs Blom stars as Sieger, a thoughtful 15-year-old who grapples with the realization of his orientation; Ko Zandvliet co-stars as the spirited and outgoing Marc, the object of Sieger's attention.
—The Dark Place ( out already; $24.99 ): Blue Seraph Productions has released Jody Wheeler's The Dark Place, a suspense thriller starring Sean Paul Lockhart ( Truth ), Blaise Embry ( TV show Weeds ) and Timo Descamps ( Judas Kiss ). The DVD has a feature-length commentary director with Jody Wheeler and co-star Allison Lane, as well as alternate and extended scenes and promotional videos.
—The Game ( out already; $34.98 ): If you like espionage dramas, you'll love this intense six-part series that takes place in 1972 London. The cast includes Tom Hughes ( Dancing on the Edge, Cemetery Junction ), Brian Cox ( The Bourne Supremacy, An Adventure in Space and Time ), Marcel lures ( Pirates of the Caribbean, Foyles War ) and Victoria Hamilton ( Lark Rise to Candleford, What Remains ).
—Happy End ( out already; $24.95 ): This lesbian road movie, starring Sinha Gierke ( It's Not Over ) and Verena Wustkamp ( Playoff ), is about the chemistry between law student Lucca ( Gierke ) and new friend Valerie ( Wustkamp ). The women embark on a wild adventure to deliver the ashes of recently deceased friend Herma to her final resting place—against the wishes of Herma's family.
—Hart to Hart: Season Four ( out already; $34.97 ): Robert Wagner ( It Takes A Thief ) and Stefanie Powers ( The Girl From U.N.C.L.E. ) star as the stylish and wealthy Jonathan and Jennifer Hart in the fourth season of this television favorite. Season four's 22 episodes feature sparkling dialogue, sumptuous costumes and a roster of guest stars such as Eva Gabor, Cesar Romero and Julie Newmar.
—The Honorable Woman ( out already; $34.98 ): One of the best miniseries I saw last year was this suspenseful eight-part political thriller that stars a stunning Maggie Gyllenhaal as a businesswoman who walks a tightrope in maintaining Israeli-Palestinian relations. Every actor plays an integral part, including Eve Best, Lubna Azabal and Andrew Buchan. Janet McTeer and Stephen Rea had some of the best lines I've heard characters utter in a while. ( Thank you, writers! )
—In the Flesh ( already out; $19.98 for season one and $29.98 for season two ): A series that features a lead zombie—I mean, a Partially Deceased Syndrome sufferer—who is also struggling with his sexuality? Believe it! Both seasons of this well-made BAFTA-winning series ( that stars Luke Newberry as Kieren ) are available. Once again, BBC Home Entertainment hits a home run.
—Interstellar ( March 31; $29.99 for DVD and $39.99 for combo pack ): This thought-provoking film stars Academy Award winner Matthew McConaughey as ex-pilot-turned-farmer Cooper, who must leave his family—and Earth—behind to lead an expedition traveling beyond this galaxy to discover whether mankind has a future among the stars. The film also stars Academy Award winners Anne Hathaway and Michael Caine as well as Oscar nominees Jessica Chastain and John Lithgow.
—Life of Riley ( March 10; $29.95 ): Kino Lorber is releasing the final film from acclaimed filmmaker and influential master of the French New Wave style Alain Resnais ( Hiroshima Mon Amour, Last Year at Marienbad ). The film stars Sabine Azema, Hippolyte Girardot, Caroline Silhol, Michel Vuillermoz, Sandrine Kiberlain,and Andre Dussollier. Bonus features include booklet essays by Alain Resnais and film critic Glenn Kenny, along with cast interviews.
—Mahogany: The Couture Edition ( May 5: $14.99 ): This special DVD, from Paramount Home Media Distribution, marks the 40th anniversary of the movie Mahogany from Paramount Home Media Distribution. Academy Award nominee and iconic singer Diana Ross stars as a secretary who becomes a high-fashion model and world-famous designer in this dramatic tale directed by Motown legend Berry Gordy. The DVD includes a photo gallery of images of the fashions showcased in the film.
—Miss Marple: Volume Two ( March 31: $39.98 ): Joan Hickson ( who Entertainment Weekly recently proclaimed the best Miss Marple ever, even besting Angela Lansbury ) is back as the amateur detective in a new collection of mysteries. Special features include "A Very British Murder, Part 2: Detection Most Ingenious," the second instalment of a three-part series documenting the British national obsession with murder mysteries.
—The Nanny: The Complete Series ( May 26 ): This series, starring Fran Drescher as nanny Fran Fine, will be out on 19 discs ( covering 146 episodes ), courtesy of Shout! Factory. Bonus features will include commentaries as well as a behind-the-scenes interview with Drescher and co-producer Peter Marc Jacobson. Customers ordering from ShoutFactory.com will receive their copies four weeks early, with free shipping.
—The Skinny ( already out; $21.99 ): Jussie Smollett has broken out as gay singer Jamal on the Fox show Empire. However, before then, he played gay in this 2012 Breaking Glass Pictures/QC Cinema and Tall Skinny Black Boy Productions film that Patrik-Ian Polk ( TV's Noah's Arc ) directed. The Skinny is a comedy about a group of four young Black gay men and their lesbian best friend who all arrange to meet up in New York City one year after their graduation from Brown University. Their plans for a weekend of fun start off well but issues such as drinking, drugs, hidden desire and the demands of promiscuity put friendship, trust and even lives at risk.
—The Taking of Deborah Logan ( already out; $19.99 ): A quiet mother ( played by Jill Larson ), her lesbian daughter ( Anne Ramsay ) and lots of bumps in the night figure in this well-acted horror film about a woman ( Deborah Logan, played by Larson ) who's the subject of a student's thesis on Alzheimer's. However, as the days progress, strange things beginning to happen around the title character that are not consistent with any findings about Alzheimer's.
—Top Five ( March 17; $39.99 for Blu-ray Combo Pack and $29.99 for single-disc DVD ): This critically acclaimed comedy follows Andre Allen ( Chris Rock ), a former stand-up legend who returns to New York to promote his latest film on the eve of his wedding to a self-absorbed reality TV star ( Gabrielle Union ). While wandering the city with a journalist ( Rosario Dawson ), Allen confronts his past and contemplates his future through a series of funny encounters. Special features ( on Blu-ray ) include outtakes, commentary by Rock and JB Smoove, and deleted scenes, among other items.
—Two Mothers ( already out; $24.99 ): Canteen Outlaws, the new label from veteran LGBT giant TLA Releasing, has released Anne Zohra Berrached's Two Mothers ( Zwei MÃĽtter )—an exploration of the trials and tribulations a same-sex couple ( Karina Plachetka and Sabine Wolf ) encounters to become parents. The German film premiered at Berlinale, where it won the FGYO Award for best dialogue.
—Whiplash ( out already; $30.99 ): This Sony Pictures Classics film follows the journey of a young jazz musician ( Miles Teller ) with a passion for drumming and dreams of greatness. His rigid music teacher, Terence Fletcher, played by J.K. Simmons ( Golden Globe and Academy Award winner for his role ), sees Andrew's raw talent, but will accept nothing less than perfection. Bonus features include a commentary with writer/director Damien Chazelle and Simmons.
Prices are for DVDs, unless otherwise stated.
—By Andrew Davis
( Andrew@WindyCityMediaGroup.com )
