03.29.10 | Chris Cummins | New Releases This WeekPrint this Post
March may be coming to an end, but there's still plenty of great DVD and Blu-ray picks to usher in April with. This week's new releases include Robert Downey Jr.'s action-packed take on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's famed crime fighter, a critically acclaimed (not to mention Oscar-nominated) drama set in 1960s England, the DVD debut of Steven Seagal's compelling reality series, the second season of a 1970s TV classic, and a portrait of one of history's most notorious terrorist outfits. Without further adieu, let's begin!
The world's most famous detective gets a stylish and action-filled reinvention, courtesy of director Guy Ritchie and title star When an occult-obsessed nobleman (Mark Strong) captured by Holmes appears to have returned from the dead, the sleuth and his often-exasperated colleague Dr. Watson (Jude Law) must stop the villain's plan to topple the British government. Rachel McAdams also stars as seductive adventuress Irene Adler, who may or may not be on Holmes' side. This one probably isn't for fans of Jeremy Brett's take on the character, but if you are open to the idea of a different kind of Holmes, there's much that will please you here.
This offbeat coming-of-age drama is set in a London suburb in the early 1960s, where a 16-year-old girl (Carey Mulligan) on the fast track to Oxford University develops an unusual friendship with a man (Peter Sarsgaard) nearly twice her age. Romance blossoms as she is swept up in Sarsgaard's cultured, sophisticated lifestyle. But a shocking revelation about his life makes Mulligan realize she may be growing up a little too fast. With Dominic Cooper, Rosamund Pike, Olivia Williams, and Emma Thompson. This film establised Mulligan as an actress to watch thanks to her breakthrough performance. (She was previously best known for an acclaimed guest spot on Doctor Who). You can catch her next when Oliver Stone's Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps hits theaters in September.
The second season of the popular 1974-78 spin-off of "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" hits DVD with more of Rhoda's hilarious adventures in New York City. This two-disc set features all 24 episodes from the second season--including "Kiss Your Epaulets Goodbye," "Rhoda Meets the Ex-Wife," "Myrna's Story," "Rhoda's Sellout," and "Don't Give Up the Office."
Steven Seagal: Lawman: Season 1
What happens when the hit show Cops is crossed with the film Out for Justice? Viewers get this reality TV gem packed with action and excitement from A&E. That's right, aikido expert and action movie star Stevn Seagal is actually a real police officer in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana! This fun and fascinating series follows the one-time screen icon as he trains rookies and hits the streets with his team of deputies, responding to violent crimes, busting perps, and more. All 13 episodes from the first season--including "The Way of the Gun," "The Deadly Hand," "Too Young to Die," "Firearms of Fury," and "To Live or Die"--are featured in a three-disc set.
The infamous terrorist group led by Andreas Baader (Moritz Bleibtreu), Gudrun Ensslin (Johanna Wokalek), and Ulrike Meinhof (Martina Gedeck) launches organized assaults against the German political establishment of the 1970s in director/co-writer Uli Edel's fact-based drama. The group's activities are tracked by Horst Herold (Bruno Ganz), who is determined to bring its horrific acts to an end. With Nadja Uhl, Stipe Erceg.
For details and availability about more of this week's new releases, click here.
Here's a look at last week's New DVD releases.
