“The Wolf of Wall Street” (2013, R, 179 min., $29.99) The most outrageously entertaining film of 2013 is undoubtedly “The Wolf of Wall Street,” a comedy drama that finds Leonardo DiCaprio teaming with legendary director Martin Scorsese once again. Adapted from Jordan Belfort's memoir of the same name, “The Wolf of Wall Street” is propelled by the best performance of DiCaprio's career, along with solid support by Jonah Hill and pitch-perfect direction from Scorsese, who unleashes a world that most of us will never be able to imagine. DiCaprio takes the role of Belfort, an up-and-coming stockbroker who learns his trade on Wall Street before putting together a firm called Stratton Oakmont. Belfort works a pump-and-dump scam to earn his money, and he pulls in lots of it. The firm serves as a backdrop to a life of excess — including drugs, booze and women — enjoyed by Belfort and the stockbrokers he employs. Just under three hours, “The Wolf of Wall Street” doesn't seem too long, as it moves as fast as the world Belfort created. Blu-ray packages carry a decent making-of featurette with lots of interviews, while standard DVDs are without any special features. 3 Stars.

“The Great Beauty” (2013, NR, 142 min., $24.95) Winner of the Academy Award for best foreign language film, the Italian picture “The Great Beauty” is a shining example of a director (Paolo Sorrentino) and actor (Toni Servillo) at the top of their game. The lavish picture is beautifully shot, bringing viewers enchanting pictures of Rome and some of its inhabitants, but it's a lot more than that. The picture explores the day-to-day life of Jep Gambardella (Servillo), a journalist who spends most of his time inside Rome's elite social circles. With the arrival of his 65th birthday, though, Jep decides there's more to life than his powerful friends. It leads him on a path of discovery through much of what the Italian city has to offer, whether it's good or bad or just plain weird. Jep's experience plays out greatly on screen, and Rome delivers as an exceptionally appealing backdrop. The film's been released by the Criterion Collection, and it will be out on standard DVD and a combo pack, which holds Blu-ray and DVD copies. As usual with Criterion releases, the extras are solid. Interviews with Sorrentino, Servillo and screenwriter Umberto Contarello are available, along with deleted scenes. 3 Stars.

“Let the Fire Burn” (2013, NR, 88 min., $29.99) When movie fans look back on 2013, they might refer to it as a year of fantastic documentaries. One of those docs that gets lost in the mix, but certainly deserves a spot near the top, is the excellent “Let The Fire Burn.” The film takes a look back at the confrontation between the radical urban group MOVE and the city of Philadelphia, a fatal situation that took a fiery turn. The Independent Spirit Award winner marks the directorial debut of Jason Osder, a professor at George Washington University. Osder's film is different from the majority of documentaries out there, as it simply strings together video clips from news footage to tell the story. There aren't any present-day interviews, narration or re-enactments, and the documentary still plays with a high level of tension. This dark chapter in the history of Philadelphia has been told plenty of times before, but never at this level. Osder has created a riveting documentary that should stand as a valuable piece of historic storytelling. Interviews with Osder and Michael Ward, one of the key characters in “Let the Fire Burn,” make up the extras. This one's only available on standard DVD. 3.5 Stars.

“Best of Bogart” (2013, NR, $49.99) Four of Humphrey Bogart's best movies — “Casablanca” (1942), “The Maltese Falcon” (1941), “The African Queen” (1951) and “The Treasure of the Sierra Madre” (1948) — are now available in one collection from Warner Bros. Besides the movies, consumers get a great selection of special features.

“The Past” (2013, PG-13, 130 min., $35.99) Asghar Farhadi, the Academy Award-winning director of 2011's “A Separation,” returns with this drama set in France about a couple working to finalize their divorce. As the husband gets closer to trying to patch things up, he learns of a secret from his estranged wife's past.

“Delivery Man” (2013, PG-13, 105 min., $29.99) Vince Vaughn has the lead role in a comedy from director Ken Scott about a career underachiever who finds out he's actually fathered more than 500 children via donations 20 years ago. David (Vaughn) takes the news pretty well, and it leads him on a path in discovering his true self.

“Punk Singer” (2013, NR, 80 min., $24.98) This doc from Sini Anderson provides an up-close look at Kathleen Hanna, the lead singer of the punk bands Bikini Kill and Le Tigre. Anderson rose to great heights in the 1990s as the spokeswoman of the riot grrrl movement, but stepped away from the limelight in 2005. Many are still wondering why.

“The Truth about Emanuel” (2013, NR, 96 min., $24.98) Jessica Biel, Alfred Molina and Kaya Scodelairo star in a drama about a woman named Emanuel (Scodelairo) who becomes mixed up with her new neighbor (Biel), who resembles her late mother. A discovery between the two women leads to a shared secret, and it leads to trouble for Emanuel.

“Welcome to the Jungle” (2013, NR, 95 min., $19.98) An office retreat leads to a comedic nightmare after a group of workers find themselves stranded on a desert island, forced to fend for themselves against nature and each other. A talented cast includes Jean-Claude Van Damme, Adam Brody, Dennis Haysbert and Kristen Schaal.

“Chinese Zodiac” (2012, NR, 109 min., $19.98) Action star Jackie Chan wrote, directed and stars in this adventure comedy that finds a man searching around the world for a set of mystic artifacts. Asian Hawk (Chan) leads a team in looking for the artifacts, which were taken by foreigners in the 1800s. Oliver Platt stars in a supporting role.

“Alpha and Omega 3: The Great Wolf Games” (2013, NR, 45 min., $19.98)

TV ON DVD

“Veep: The Complete Second Season” (two discs, 10 episodes, $39.98)

“Californication: The Sixth Season” (two discs, 12 episodes, $46.99)

“Key & Peele: Season One & Two Combo” (two discs, 18 episodes, $21.99)

“Little House on the Prairie: Season One, Deluxe Remastered Edition” (five discs, 24 episodes and a movie, $29.98)

“Winx Club: The Complete Original First Season” (four discs, 26 episodes, $24.95)

---

Copyright ©2025— Trib Total Media, LLC (TribLIVE.com)

---