NEW ON THE SHELF
“Foxcatcher,” Steve Carell, Channing Tatum. Comedian Carell makes an ultimately successful bid for dramatic respect in this disturbing fact-based tale, chronicling the unlikely and unfortunate union between Olympian wrestlers David (Tatum) and Mark Schultz (Mark Ruffalo) and impenetrable billionaire John E. du Pont (Carell), who takes it upon himself to help the talented brothers train for the then-upcoming 1988 Olympics held in Seoul. Those who know this particular story will recall that things go very badly indeed, and director Bennett Miller (“Moneyball”) ably captures the sordid details. Powerhouse performances from the three leads effectively sell the tension, with Tatum delivering the best performance of his career thus far. Rated R. Running time: 2:10. Suggested retail price: $30.99; Blu-ray $34.99
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“The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1,” Jennifer Lawrence, Liam Hemsworth, Julianne Moore. Third installment is based on the first half of the third book in the series. Katniss (Lawrence) agrees to become the symbol of the rebellion, the Mockingjay, to lead the uprising from the remains of District 13. President Snow (Donald Sutherland) relentlessly pursues Katniss and her loved ones with violent and disturbing consequences. Rated PG-13. Running Time: 2:03. Suggested Retail Price: $29.99; Blu-ray $39.99
VIDEOPORT PICKS
“Ask Me Anything,” Britt Robertson, Christian Slater. Nicely adapting his own book for this screen, writer-director Allison Burnett manages to do cinematic justice to the always popular but oft misinterpreted realm of young adult fiction, with Robertson (“Dan in Real Life” thoroughly winning as Katie, a recent high school graduate who controversially opts to eschew college for the time being, electing instead to embark upon as many ill-advised courtships as possible, blogging about them in detail all the while. Robert Patrick, Martin Sheen and Justin Long all make memorable appearances here, but it’s Robertson’s show throughout, and her charm and Burnett’s clever way with a zinger mesh well together. Not rated. Running time: 1:34. Suggested retail price: $19.99
“Let’s Kill Ward’s Wife,” Donald Faison, Patrick Wilson. Recalling such similarly twisted, downright nihilistic black comedies as “Very Bad Things” and “The War of the Roses,” director/co-star Scott Foley (“Felicity”) delivers an enjoyably nasty bit of business with this take-no-prisoners gagfest, wherein the unbelievably bitchy Stacy (a fearless Dagmara Dominczyk, “The Immigrant”), wife to endlessly browbeaten Ward (Faison, “Scrubs”) is unexpectedly dispatched by Ward’s buddy Tom (Foley). It’s an event that is treated as a favor rather than a horrific crime, and the lives of all concerned magically improve to hilariously callous effect until neighbor/cop Bruce (Greg Grunberg, “Heroes”) understandably begins making inquiries. For viewers who enjoy their laughs interspersed with a pained wince or two, “Let’s Kill Ward’s Wife” is good, unclean fun. Rated R. Running time: 1:23.Suggested retail price: $24.98; Blu-ray $29.98
NEW TO DVD
“The Humbling,” Al Pacino, Greta Gerwig. Based on Philip Roth’s final novel, director Barry Levinson helms this fascinating if scattershot account of Simon Axler (Pacino) a longtime stage actor who can no longer distinguish fantasy from reality, finding himself institutionalized after collapsing on stage. Enter Pegeen (Gerwig, “Frances Ha”), the much younger daughter of old friends who becomes romantically entangled with him despite being a lesbian. Throw a fellow inmate (Nina Arianda, “Midnight in Paris”) who seems utterly convinced that he should help her murder her husband, and you’ve got yourself a solid night of strange entertainment. Rated R. Running time: 1:47. Suggested retail price: $19.99; Blu-ray $24.99
– Courtesy of Videoport
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