Every Tuesday, I review the newest Blu-ray releases and let you know whether they’re worth buying, renting or skipping, along with a breakdown of the included extras. If you see something you like, click on the cover art to purchase the Blu-ray from Amazon, and be sure to share each week’s column on Facebook and Twitter with your friends.
“About Time”
WHAT: When Tim Lake (Domhnall Gleeson) learns that the men on his side of the family have the ability to travel through time, he decides to use his powers to find a girlfriend. Upon meeting the girl of his dreams in American import Mary (Rachel McAdams), Tim is able to perfect every moment in their relationship by doing it over and over again “Groundhog Day”-style, only to discover that there are consequences to altering history.
WHY: Richard Curtis has written and directed some of the most memorable romantic comedies of the past two decades, so it should come as no surprise that his latest movie follows in the same footsteps. Curtis’ films have always been about much more than the superficial meet-cute between boy and girl, aiming for something a lot deeper and more emotionally rewarding, which he delivers in spades with “About Time.” Breakout star Domhnall Gleeson and Rachel McAdams work together really well, but it’s the relationship between Gleeson and Bill Nighy (playing the world’s greatest dad) that best serves the story’s central themes and leaves a more lasting impression, especially for anyone who’s ever lost a member of their family. Equally charming, funny and touching, “About Time” is classic Richard Curtis, through and through. And if the rumors about it being his directorial swan song are true, Curtis can take comfort in knowing that he went out on top, because this is not only his most mature and personal work to date, but it’s also one of his finest.
EXTRAS: The Blu-ray includes an audio commentary with writer/director Richard Curtis and most of the principal cast (save for Rachel McAdams and Lindsay Duncan), four deleted scenes with intros by Curtis, a blooper reel and four production featurettes.
FINAL VERDICT: BUY
“Dallas Buyers Club”
WHAT: When Texas electrician Ron Woodruff (Matthew McConaughey) is diagnosed as HIV-positive and given only 30 days to live, he discovers that cheaper and more effective drugs are available in Mexico. Realizing a business opportunity when he sees one, Ron teams up with a transgender prostitute named Rayon (Jared Leto) to create a “buyers club” where they sell memberships and give away the drugs for free, exonerating themselves of any legal trouble.
WHY: Is there an actor who’s had a better last few years than Matthew McConaughey? Though he used to be somewhat of a punch line, known more for his shirtless roles in flaky rom-coms than his promising earlier work, recently McConaughey has been repairing his reputation with a string of outstanding performances in films like “Killer Joe,” “Magic Mike” and “Mud.” And while he earned his share of acclaim for all three roles, the actor’s latest turn as real-life AIDS victim Ron Woodruff might just be the crowning achievement of his career thus far. Though McConuaghey’s dramatic physical transformation has captured most of the headlines, it’s only part of his excellent performance. Ron’s relationship with Rayon is key to the film’s success, not only because of McConaughey, but Jared Leto as well, who reminds you what he’s capable of when given the right material. Sadly, nothing else about “Dallas Buyers Club” is particularly memorable, despite the fact that it deals with hot-button issues like AIDS, the health care industry and homosexuality. That poses a bit of a problem, because although it’s a pretty incredible story with a strong message, apart from McConaughey and Leto, the movie is unremarkably average.
EXTRAS: There’s a making-of featurette and some deleted scenes, but that’s all.
FINAL VERDICT: RENT
“Escape Plan”
WHAT: Ray Breslin (Sylvester Stallone) is the foremost expert on prison security – paid to reveal the flaws in prison systems from inside. But when he’s kidnapped and incarcerated in a top secret maximum security prison, Ray must team up with some of his fellow cellmates (including Arnold Schwarzenegger) in order to break out.
WHY: After teasing ‘80s action fans with cameos in the “Expendables” movies, you’d think that Hollywood could do a little better than “Escape Plan” for Arnold Schwarzenegger’s official big screen team-up with Sylvester Stallone. A mostly dull thriller that plods along at a maddeningly slow pace, “Escape Plan” is almost completely devoid of action or humor, making both stars’ involvement questionable. Schwarzenegger fares the better of the two, injecting some personality into his underwritten role, while Stallone seems content with sleepwalking his way through the entire movie. And if the two leads are underserved by the hackneyed script, the supporting cast is treated even more poorly, with respected actors like Sam Neill and Amy Ryan wasted in relatively small roles. The only real appeal is seeing Sly and Arnie on screen together, because although they may be stars in their own right, they really do make a good team. Next time (and you better believe there will be a next time), someone should create a film for these guys from the ground up, because “Escape Plan” doesn’t do them justice.
EXTRAS: In addition to an audio commentary with director Mikael Håfström and co-writer Miles Chapman, there’s a making-of featurette, deleted scenes and more.
FINAL VERDICT: SKIP
