DVD reviews: 'The Imitation Game,' 'Interstellar' and 'Silicon Valley: The Complete First Season&apo...
“The Imitation Game” (2014, PG-13, 114 min., $29.98) One of the better movies of 2014, “The Imitation Game” is an important biopic that sheds light on an interesting aspect of World War II. The film revolves around the work of British mathematician Alan Turing, who played a major part in the Allies turning back Adolf Hitler and the Nazis. Working with a small group of cryptographers, Turing developed a machine that eventually broke the Nazi's Enigma code, allowing the Allies to get the drop on the opposition. The film dwells on Turing's difficult life as a child and his eventual prosecution for homosexuality. Director Morten Tyldum does a fine job of weaving together the parts of Turing's life. He gets a remarkable performance from Benedict Cumberbatch as Turing. He's the centerpiece of a smart and entertaining picture that stands out as a must-see movie. Standard DVD and Blu-ray packages carry most of the same special features, including a decent making-of featurette, deleted scenes and commentary. Exclusive to Blu-ray is a Q&A session with cast and crew. 3.5 stars
“Interstellar” (2014, PG-13, 169 min., $29.99) This Academy Award-winning film is one of Christopher Nolan's larger productions, and that's saying something. A feast for the eyes, the director pulls out all his tricks, delivering an epic experience for viewers — with stunning visuals and a terrific cast (Matthew McConaughey, Jessica Chastain, Anne Hathaway, Michael Caine). The problem is a bloated storyline. Had the picture been edited better, making it more lean, “Interstellar” might've been Nolan's greatest achievement. As it is, the movie drags to its final moments. It follows an ex-pilot named Cooper (McConaughey), who's asked to leave Earth for a mission aimed at saving humans on the planet. Finding a different place in space to inhabit is the main goal, and it will take Cooper and his crew an incredible amount of time, taking him away from his family. Though, if the crew is unsuccessful, he won't have anybody to go home to. The film's available on standard DVD, but Blu-ray is the way to go. An incredible collection of making-of featurettes accompany the film on Blu-ray. Additionally, “Interstellar” looks much better in high definition. 2.5 stars
“Silicon Valley: The Complete First Season” (two discs, eight episodes, $29.98) HBO has a good track record in dramas, but it delivered one of the best comedies on TV in 2014 with “Silicon Valley.” Created by Mike Judge, Dave Krinsky and John Altschuler, the show follows Richard (Thomas Middleditch), a shy computer programmer living with a few other fellows in his field in Silicon Valley. When Richard develops a new app, he immediately becomes a hot commodity. It's a lot of attention for Richard and makes him uneasy. Thankfully, he has a team of friends in Erlich (T.J. Miller), Jared (Zach Woods), Bertram (Martin Starr) and Dinesh (Kumail Nanjiani) that'll try their hardest — most of the time — to make Richard's app a hit. “Silicon Valley” is a wonderful comedy that finds its stride behind a strong cast of characters and terrific writing. Available in Blu-ray and standard DVD, the two-disc package carries all eight half-hour episodes from Season 1. Extras are included in both packages, and include a making-of featurette and commentaries from the cast and crew for each episode. 3.5 stars
“Wild” (2014, R, 115 min., $29.98) Reese Witherspoon and Laura Dern received Oscar nominations for their performances in director Jean-Marc Vallee's drama about a woman who decides to hike more than 1,000 miles of the Pacific Crest Trail as a healing process after some bad breaks in life.
“The Rewrite” (2014, NR, 107 min., $29.96) A well-known cast — Hugh Grant, J.K. Simmons, Marisa Tomei, Allison Janney and Chris Elliott — stars in Marc Lawrence's romantic comedy about a Hollywood screenwriter who's seen his career crash after going through a divorce and a string of bad movies. A new job at a college might be the boost he needs.
“Island of Lemurs: Madagascar” (2014, G, 41 min., $35.99) Morgan Freeman narrates this visually pleasing adventure that takes viewers to Madagascar to spotlight the work of Dr. Patricia C. Wright, a scientist who's made it her goal to make the world a safe place for the endangered species.
“Wild Card” (2015, R, 92 min., $19.98) British action star Jason Statham is back cracking skulls in a film about a tough guy named Nick. A Las Vegas bodyguard with a gambling problem, Nick (Statham) gets into deep trouble when he beats up the son of a ruthless mob boss. Stanley Tucci, Anne Heche, Sofia Vergara and Max Casella have supporting roles.
“Ships (Ferahfeza)” (2013, NR, 97 min., $19.95) Award-winning filmmaker Elif Refig directs her feature-length debut about a young Turkish shipyard worker who begins to fall for Eda, an energetic graffiti artist. One day, they have an encounter, and it leads to a fun adventure through Turkey.
“The Circle” (2014, NR, 102 min., $24.95) One of the more popular movies from Switzerland, “The Circle,” directed by Stefan Haupt, tells the tale of two young men who meet in 1958 in Zurich. The documentary looks at their relationship that strengthens against the backdrop of The Circle, a pioneering and internationally renowned gay organization.
“WWJD (What Would Jesus Do): The Journey Continues” (2014, NR, 94 min., $14.93) Based on a novel from Charles Sheldon, Gabriel Sabloff's picture, with Lorenzo Lamas and John Schneider, follows a drifter who finds himself in town inspiring people to live as Jesus did. With strong faith, the drifter leads people back to the light.
New on Blu-ray
“Gravity: Two-Disc Special Edition Blu-Ray” (2013, PG-13, 91 min., $24.98)
“Hoop Dreams” (1994, NR, 171 min., $39.95)
“The Thin Blue Line” (1988, NR, 103 min., $39.95)
TV on DVD
“Veep: The Complete Third Season” (two discs, 10 episodes, $29.98)
