Universal Pictures recently announced that their horror hit "Mama" will be heading to DVD and Blu-Ray. The chilling horror film starring Academy Award® nominated actress Jessica Chastain (Zero Dark Thirty, The Help)and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (“Game of Thrones”)did well at the box office making $71 million dollars.

Special Features on the DVD and Blu-Ray includes commentary with Director/Co-Writer Andy Muschietti and Producer/Co-Writer Barbara Muschietti, The Birth of "Mama", Original short film with Guillermo Del Toro and deletTRed scenes with Commentary by Director/Co-Writer Andy Muschietti and Producer/Co-Writer Barbara Muschietti. The Blu-Ray will also feature Matriarcal Secrets: an in-depth exploration of the digital and practical effects employed to shape the film’s phantom presence.

"Mama" hits stores on May 7th.


Press Release:

From Academy Award® nominated actress Jessica Chastain (Zero Dark Thirty, The Help) comes the pulse-pounding tale of one mother’s twisted love in MAMA. Brought to life by Academy Award® nominee Guillermo del Toro (Pan’s Labyrinth) and also starring Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (“Game of Thrones”), MAMA will be available on Blu-ray™ Combo Pack, DVD and On Demand on May 7, 2013 from Universal Studios Home Entertainment. Also available on Digital Download on April 23, 2013.

MAMA is the haunting tale of two little girls who vanish without a trace from their suburban neighborhood the day that their parents were killed. But when the young sisters are found alive years later in a decrepit cabin, their uncle (Coster-Waldau) and his girlfriend, Annabel (Chastain), take them in. As they try to introduce the children to a normal life, Annabel begins to wonder if the traumatized girls are the only guests they have welcomed into their home or if someone or something still wants to come tuck them in at night.

The Blu-ray™ Combo Pack allows fans to watch MAMA anytime, anywhere on the device of their choice. It includes a Blu-ray™ disc, a DVD, a Digital Copy and UltraViolet™ for the ultimate, complete viewing experience.
• Blu-ray™ disc unleashes the power of your HDTV and is the best way to watch movies at home, featuring perfect hi-def picture and perfect hi-def sound.
• Digital Copy provides fans with a choice of digital options to watch on devices such as iPhone®, iPad®, Android™, computers and more.
• DVD offers the flexibility and convenience of playing the movie in more places, both at home and while away.
• UltraViolet™ is a revolutionary new way for fans to collect their moves and TV shows in the cloud. UltraViolet™ lets consumers instantly stream and download to tablets, smartphones, computers and TVs. Now available in both the United States and Canada.

BONUS FEATURES (BLU-RAY™ and DVD):
• MATRIARCAL SECRETS BD EXCLUSIVE: An in-depth exploration of the digital and practical effects employed to shape the film’s phantom presence.
• DELETED SCENES with Commentary by Director/Co-Writer Andy Muschietti and Producer/Co-Writer Barbara Muschietti
• ORIGINAL SHORT WITH INTRODUCTION BY GUILLERMO DEL TORO with Commentary by Director/Co-Writer Andy Muschietti and Producer/Co-Writer Barbara Muschietti
• THE BIRTH OF MAMA: MAMA began as a chilling short that announced a new voice in the horror genre. Exclusive interviews with Executive Producer Guillermo del Toro and the filmmakers track the bloodline of the feature and explore changes needed to make the transition to a film.
• FEATURE COMMENTARY with Director/Co-Writer Andy Muschietti and Producer/Co-Writer Barbara Muschietti

“Lawless” is based on a non-fiction book “The Wettest County in the World” by Matt Bondurant. The story takes place in prohibition era, where alcohol was illegal. The Bondurant Boys (Tom Hardy, Shia LaBeouf, Jason Clarke) and a mysterious woman (Jessica Chastain) run one of the most well known bootlegging businesses in Franklin County, Virgina. Their reputation is threaten when a corrupt special deputy (Guy Pierce) want a piece of their sales and is willing get it anyway he can. The Bondurant boys must find a way to stop the corrupt deputy, before he ruins their business.

Film Review:

Going into this film, I was expecting the film to have more action sequences. It wasn’t the case, as I didn’t realize until later that this film was based on a true story. I was surprised that I enjoyed this film as much I did given my expectations.

One of the reasons this film worked for me so well was John Hillcoat’s direction. I liked how, he was able to capture everything on the screen. From the time period to the way that he approaches each scene, Hillcoat does a very good job getting everything to work from a direction standpoint. It’s those things that helps make this film very entertaining. The other thing that I liked about his direction was that he’s able to get very good performances out of his main cast. I thought Shia Lebouf , Tom Hardy , Guy Pierce, Gary Oldman and Jessica Chastian worked very well together. Hillcoat does a very good job making their performances gel together. He does that, by making the sure the characters have personality. From the way the lines were delivered to the way the actors approached their characters, Hillcoat does a very good job making the characters and the story interesting.

The major difference between this film and Hillcoat’s last film “The Road” was the fact that rocker Nick Cave handles the screenplay duties like he did in Hillcoat’s 2005 film “The Proposition”. Cave does a very good job with the source material that he’s given. One of the things that I liked about his screenplay, he does a very good job making the characters interesting. Whether it’s giving the characters personality or developing them, Cave does a very good job bring them to life. It helped me enjoy this film a lot, considering I had different expectations. The other thing that the screenplay does well, it builds tension to the initial climax. The reason that it works, Cave does a very good job making you care about the characters. It made the scenes interesting and grabs your attention from a story standpoint.

The only that I didn’t like about this film was the fact that Gary Oldman didn’t have a bigger role, as he was very good as the mobster Floyd Banner. But still, I really enjoyed this film for the performances and John Hillcoat’s direction.

Blu-Ray Extras:

First on the Blu-Ray is the film’s audio commentary track, which features director John Hillcoat and Matt Bondurant, author of “The Wettest County in the World”. This was a very good commentary track. I liked how both of them go into the production of film and talk about how much of the film is based on the book. It gives you insight into both the film and what was done differently from the book. Overall, a very good commentary track.

After the audio commentary track, you have the film’s behind the scenes featurette “The True Story of the Wettest County in the World”. The featurette goes into the back-story of the film and features interviews from the cast and crew talking about the production of the film. This was good, as you get both some historical information about the subjects of the film and you get hear the cast talk about the film. It was an interesting featurette on both levels.

The next two featurette focuses on the historical information that this film is based on. Both of the featurettes do a very good job going to the history behind the film. The first featurette is “Franklin County, VA: Then and Now”. The featurette goes into the history of that time period in that area. It talks about the bootlegging of alcohol that took place in the town during the prohibition era and how the county is surviving today. The other historical featurette is “The Story of the Bondurant Family”. This goes in-depth into the Bondurant brothers, which is told by the book’s author Mark Bondurant. It gives a lot of information on the each of the brothers and relationships between them. It also features images of the Bondurant family, as they were during that time period.

After those featurettes, the disc wraps up with Willie Nelson’s “Midnight Run” music video and deleted scenes.

Final Summary:

“Lawless” is one of the best films that I’ve seen this year. With great direction from John Hillcoat and excellent performances from the cast, “Lawless” is one of those films that may end up on my top 10 list.

Review Rating: Five Stars

Blu-Ray Extras: Four Stars

Anchor Bay Films and The Weinstein Company announced recently that John Hillcoat's latest film "Lawless" will be hitting DVD and Blu-Ray on November 27th. The film was nominated for an illustrious Palme d’Or at the 2012 Cannes International Film Festival and stars Shia LaBeouf (Transformers franchise, Disturbia), Tom Hardy (The Dark Knight Rises, Inception), Academy Award® nominee Gary Oldman (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, The Dark Knight Rises), Mia Wasikowska (Alice in Wonderland, Jane Eyre), Academy Award® nominee Jessica Chastain (Coriolanus, The Help) and Emmy® winner Guy Pearce (Mildred Pierce, The King’s Speech

DVD and Blu-Ray special features include an audio commentary with Director John Hillcoat and Author Matt Bondurant; two featurettes: “The True Story of the Wettest County In The World” and “Franklin County, VA: Then and Now”; Willie Nelson’s “Midnight Run” music video; and deleted scenes.

For more information on this film, you can visit the film's official website at: http://lawless-film.com/

Anchor Bay Entertainment and The Weinstein Company announced today the Blu-ray™ Combo Pack and DVD release of the critically acclaimed film, LAWLESS, from director John Hillcoat (The Road, The Proposition). Written by musician, composer and screenwriter, Nick Cave (The Proposition), inspired by the 2008 biographical novel The Wettest County In The World, LAWLESS follows the bootlegging Bondurant Brothers on their quest for the American Dream in Prohibition-era Virginia. Featuring an all-star cast that includes Shia LaBeouf (Transformers franchise, Disturbia), Tom Hardy (The Dark Knight Rises, Inception), Academy Award® nominee Gary Oldman (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, The Dark Knight Rises), Mia Wasikowska (Alice in Wonderland, Jane Eyre), Academy Award® nominee Jessica Chastain (Coriolanus, The Help) and Emmy® winner Guy Pearce (Mildred Pierce, The King’s Speech), LAWLESS heads to retail on November 27, 2012 for an SRP of $39.99 for the Blu-ray™ Combo Pack and $29.98 for the DVD.

LAWLESS, which was nominated for an illustrious Palme d’Or at the 2012 Cannes International Film Festival, also stars Jason Clarke (Texas Killing Fields, the upcoming The Great Gatsby) and Dane DeHaan (Chronicle, The Place Beyond the Pines).

The Hollywood Reporter called LAWLESS “A gritty and suspenseful bootlegger tale.” Added film critic, Richard Roeper, in his Reelz Channel review, LAWLESS is “A hell of an entertaining movie, I give it an ‘A’!” Wrote Paste magazine film critic, Tyler Chase, “Lawless blends stylish originality with genre standards into a mixture as potent and explosive as Virginia moonshine.”

They were brothers who became outlaws, and outlaws who became heroes... The three Bondurant boys (Shia LaBeouf, Tom Hardy, Jason Clarke), along with their sultry new hire (Jessica Chastain), command the most lucrative bootlegging operation in Franklin County, Virginia. The locals consider them “indestructible.” But the law — in the form of a corrupt special deputy (Guy Pearce) — wants a cut of their action, at any cost. When youngest brother Jack (LaBeouf) gets a taste of power with a deadly gangster (Gary Oldman), the whole business blows sky high. Based on the astonishing true story, the Bondurant brotherhood is the stuff of legend.

The LAWLESS Blu-ray™ Combo Pack and DVD special features include an audio commentary with Director John Hillcoat and Author Matt Bondurant; two featurettes: “The True Story of the Wettest County In The World” and “Franklin County, VA: Then and Now”; Willie Nelson’s “Midnight Run” music video; and deleted scenes. Note: Special features are subject to change.

Learn more about LAWLESS at: http://lawless-film.com/

“Coriolanus”
Year: 2012
Director: Ralph Fiennes
Stars: Ralph Fiennes, Gerald Butler, and Vanessa Redgrave
Studio: Anchor Bay Films
MPAA Rating: R
Running Time: 123 Mins.

When there is a new film based on a William Shakespeare play, it always seems to grab my interest and curiosity. Maybe it’s the fact that I always enjoy them. Whether it is Romeo and Juliet (1968), Richard III (1995) or Hamlet (1996), I’ve always been interested in the Shakespeare’s works. This leads to the latest adaptation of Shakespeare’s “Coriolanus”.

The film marks the directorial debut from actor Ralph Fiennes. It takes place in the modern day, where Caius Martius Coriolanus (Fiennes) is a feared and vicious Roman general that finds himself in a lot of trouble. After rebelling against the wishes of his manipulative mother (Vanessa Redgrave) and inciting a riot on the streets of Rome, he is exiled from there. He then, hooks up with his sworn enemy Titus Aufidius (Gerald Butler) to reclaim Rome from him and Aufidius’ people. Brian Cox, Jessica Chastain and James Nesbitt also co-star in the film.

“Coriolanus” is one of those films, where you can’t understand why this didn’t find an audience with theatergoers. This film had an epic feel to it. Most of that had to with Ralph Fiennes’ direction. One of the things that made his direction very good was the way that he handles the action elements. The action scenes had that feel of an epic war film. It has very good firefight sequences and intense action that helps make the pace of the film move at a brisk pace for its two hour running time.

Also, I liked the way that Fiennes directs himself and his cast. The performances were very good. Fiennes does a very good job using his experiences as an actor to get his cast to make their performances to be on the level of a Shakespearian play. There were some very good performances here from Fiennes, Vanessa Redgrave and Gerard Butler that help keep your interest through the Shakespearian dialogue.

John Logan, who also wrote the screenplays for “Gladiator” and “Hugo”, does a very good job with the way that he sets the film’s tone. He does that, by the way that he writes the dialogue. The dialogue felt like it came right out of a Shakespearian play. It helps set the tone that was going to be an epic film. Logan also does a very good job making the main character so engaging. Whether during that battle scenes or the scenes with the protestors, you very interested in the character and how he’s going to react. It’s those scenes that got me interested in the character.

If there was one thing that I didn’t like, we don’t see much of the Coriolanus/Aufidius dynamic. It would have been nice to have seen a couple of more scenes with the two characters just to give sense of the relationship between the two characters. Even without that, this is still a very good film.

This is one of those films that I truly hope will find an audience on DVD and Blu-Ray. With very solid acting and great direction from Ralph Fiennes, “Coriolanus” is one very entertaining film.

Review Rating: Five Stars.

The Weinstein Company recently released character poster for their upcoming film "Lawless", which recently premiered at this year's Cannes Film Festival. The film boasts an all star cast that includes Shia LaBeouf, Tom Hardy, Jessica Chastain, Mia Wasikowska, Gary Oldman, and Guy Pearce. "Lawless" is slated to hit theaters on August 31st.

For more information on this film, you can visit the film's official website at: http://lawless-film.com

Plot Synopsis

LAWLESS is the true story of the infamous Bondurant Brothers: bootlegging siblings who made a run for the American Dream in Prohibition-era Virginia. In this epic gangster tale, inspired by true-life tales of author Matt Bondurant's family in his novel "The Wettest County in the World", the loyalty of three brothers is put to the test against the backdrop of the nation's most notorious crime wave.

Anchor Bay Entertainment and The Weinstein Company has send over information about their upcoming DVD and Blu-Ray release of "Coriolanus" This film marks the directorial debut from actor Ralph Fiennes and with the screenplay written by three time Academy Award nominee John Logan. The film also boasts an all star cast that includes Fiennes, Gerard Butler, Vanessa Redgrave, Brian Cox, Jessica Chastain, James Nesbitt. Special Features on the Dvd an Blu-Ray include an audio commentary with the film’s director and star, Ralph Fiennes, and a “The Making of Coriolanus” featurette. "Coriolanus" set to stores on May 29th.

For more information on this film, you can visit the film's official website at: www.coriolanusmovie.net

Press Release:

Anchor Bay Entertainment and The Weinstein Company announced today the Blu-ray™ Combo Pack and DVD release of two-time Academy Award® nominee Ralph Fiennes’ (Schindler's List, The English Patient) directorial debut, CORIOLANUS. Fiennes, who also stars in the title role, was nominated for a 2012 BAFTA Award – Britain’s equivalent to an Oscar® – for Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer. Based on the original play by William Shakespeare, the critically-acclaimed film features an award-winning cast that includes Gerard Butler (300, The Ugly Truth), Academy Award® winner Vanessa Redgrave (Julia, Howards End), Academy Award® nominee Jessica Chastain (The Help, Tree of Life), and Emmy® Award winner Brian Cox (Bourne Identity, HBO’s “Deadwood”). A fast-paced, action-packed film, CORIOLANUS heads to retail on May 29, 2012 for an SRP of $34.99 for the Blu-ray™ Combo Pack and $26.98 for the DVD.


In her review for Entertainment Weekly, film critic Lisa Schwarzbaum described Fiennes’ interpretation of CORIOLANUS as “an utterly arresting, creative modern-day adaptation.” David Edelstein, film critic for New York Magazine, wrote CORIOLANUS is “sensational and gripping,” adding “Brian Cox is superb and Jessica Chastain is riveting!” Wrote The Hollywood Reporter’s Ray Bennett, “Ralph Fiennes delivers heavyweight screen acting at its best,” while Rolling Stone’s Peter Travers exclaimed, “Ralph Fiennes, as star and commander, pulls off a triumph!”


The classic legend of honor and betrayal has been astonishingly re-imagined in this exhilarating action thriller that wields a profound relevance for today. Caius Martius ‘Coriolanus’ (star and director Ralph Fiennes) is a feared and revered Roman General, suddenly pitted against his own city and fellow citizens. Rebelling against the power-hungry designs of his manipulative mother (Vanessa Redgrave) and rejected by his own people, Coriolanus incites a riot that expels him from Rome. The banished hero joins forces with his sworn enemy Tullus Aufidius (Gerard Butler) to exact his revenge — and determine his destiny.


The CORIOLANUS Blu-ray™ Combo Pack and DVD special features include an audio commentary with the film’s director and star, Ralph Fiennes, and a “The Making of Coriolanus” featurette. Note: Special features are subject to change.


Learn more about CORIOLANUS at: www.coriolanusmovie.net.

Ralph Fiennes makes his directorial debut with “Coriolanus” which is based on William Shakespeare’s tragedy of the same name. He also stars as Caius Martius, a Roman general who is both revered and feared, and at odds with his fellow citizens. Fiennes certainly picked a most challenging project for his first film as director, but having done many Shakespeare plays onstage, he has a mastery of the bard’s infinitely passionate dialogue.

The action has been moved to present day where parallels to Occupy Wall Street and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan can be seen. Caius has more than proven himself in combat, but the townspeople despise him for taking their food away. When he is pushed by his mother Volumnia (Vanessa Redgrave) to seek the powerful position of Consul, fellow politicians scheme against him and get the town to expel him for good. This forces Caius to join forces with his blood enemy Tullus Aufidius (Gerard Butler) in battling the Romans and seeking vengeance against those who betrayed his trust.

“Coriolanus” is one of those Shakespeare plays you could do an entire thesis on as it covers many thematic elements. Be it the power of the people, the corruption of politics, the selfish desires of others, or looking at what war does to some, you could spend hours discussing all that goes on here.

Fiennes gives a powerful performance as Caius, and certain scenes will enthrall the audience to where you can hear a pin drop in the movie theatre. While the townspeople’s anger at him is justified, Fiennes makes Caius seem like a war veteran who has done his patriotic duty only to be spat upon by the people he has defended. This is not some power hungry villain at play here but a man who feels he deserves more respect than he has been given. His flaw however is that he is incapable of respecting those he has spent time defending.

As a director, Fiennes employs the same kind of shaky camerawork Kathryn Bigelow used to great effect in “The Hurt Locker” (which he made a cameo in). The bullets fly all over the place, and they sound like steel swords clashing with rage. He also gets the actors to speak the Shakespearean language in a natural tone while giving those with bigger parts a chance to show off their amazing theatricality. The tone is a bit jarring at first, but everything comes together as the movie goes on.

Fiennes is also backed up immeasurably by an impeccable cast. Gerard Butler easily gives his best performance since “300” as Tullus whose anger at Caius equals his passion for his people. Jessica Chastain, who has appeared in every other 2011 movie, is a strong presence as Caius’ wife Virgilia. But the movie’s best performance comes from Redgrave who is a powerhouse as Caius’ mother. She captures her character’s controlling and manipulative nature to where she doesn’t just bring her son to his knees but the audience’s as well.

“Coriolanus” does meander a bit and threatens to bite off more than it can chew, but it is a powerful experience nonetheless. Kudos to Fiennes who picked quite the project to mark his directorial debut with as any lesser director would have easily failed in adapting such complex material. Some would have started with something easier, but not the man who played Lord Voldemort!

* * * ½ out of * * * *