New 2018 DVDs include the Oscar-award-winning Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri and the adrenaline-pumping remake of Tomb Raider, plus a couple of other entertaining additions. Here’s the line-up:
New Home Entertainment DVDs 2018
[star rating=”4.5″] THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING, MISSOURI. Directed by Martin McDonagh with Frances McDormand, Sam Rockwell, Woody Harrelson and Peter Dinklage.
It’s easy to see why both Frances McDormand and Sam Rockwell picked up Oscars (Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor) for their roles in Three Billboards. Rockwell, a most unlikable character who finds redemption despite himself, and McDormand, a grief-stricken parent who seeks revenge for herself, interact in the most ugly and poignant of ways in this comi-drama. She plays Mildred, a mother whose daughter has been raped and murdered – but a suspect is yet to be found. In desperation she pays for three billboards to be placed outside the small town of Ebbing, in Missouri, reminding the local police chief of his duty. The billboards create friction – most reactively so by the racist Jason (Rockwell), a boorish police officer. But they also shake a lot loose in this smalltown community where jobs are scarce and women are still supposed to know their place. It’s a gripping, gut-wrenching, and gritty film with a sometimes darkly funny feel. EXTRAS: Featurette: Crucify ‘Em: The Making of Three Billboards, Six Shooter (short film). – Karen Rutter
[star rating=”3.5″] TOMB RAIDER. Directed by Roar Uthaug with Alicia Vikander, Dominic West, Daniel Wu and Kristin Scott Thomas.
This 2018 reboot of the 2001 movie based on the 1996 video game is, despite the age tag, surprisingly refreshing. Sure, the plot is pretty predictable (especially if you’ve seen the precurser or played the game), but even so, there’s a nifty pace that keeps things pumping. Alicia Vikander takes on the role that gave Angelina a lot of street cred back in the day (sharing the screen with a very young Daniel Craig, can you believe?), and neatly claims it as her own. She’s smaller, more British, less busty, and authentically sporty, and brings a millennial edge to her role. I think young girls will like her, and hopefully copy her can-do, feisty attitude – and it would be nice if young boys respected her (although I suspect either a competitive or creepy response). The movie is about a young girl who searches for her missing-presumed-dead father by following his mysterious clues which lead to a lethal showdown in an ancient tomb. In all, not bad for a re-re-boot. EXTRAS: Tomb Raider Uncovered, Croft Training, Lara Croft – Evolution of an Icon and more. – Karen Rutter
[star rating=”2.5″] EXTORTION. Directed by Phil Volken with Eion Bailey, Bethany Joy Lenz and Barkhad Abdi.
If Extortion wasn’t quite so disappointingly typecast it could have made quite a good film. The premise is not all bad – family goes on tropical vacation, hires small boat, but mistakenly gets stuck on remote island (with no food or water), then rescued by passing fisherman. BUT the fisherman turns out to be an evil bastard and forces the father in the family to find a million bucks in payment while he leaves his wife and kid stranded on the island. Ultimately, the father must find his way back to his family and rescue them. All well and good – until the family is a squeaky clean white trio from the American ‘burbs and the fisherman is a Haitian psychopath. The theme of holidaymakers getting caught up in a nightmare where they have no control is a recurring one, and in terms of suspense Extortion has a decent amount. Plus the continual build-ups and set-backs are nail biting. But the racial dynamics soured this one for me. EXTRAS: Behind the Scenes in Puerto Rico, Behind the Scenes Gallery. – Karen Rutter
[star rating=”2.5″] MY BLIND BROTHER. Directed by Sophie Goodheart with Adam Scott, Nick Kroll, Jenny Slate and Zoe Kazan.
Oh dear. In the olden days they used to rank this kind of film “straight to video”. Nowadays the terms “limited release” and “video on command” are the death blows in the industry. They might as well just put ’em straight into the R25 sale basket at Shoprite. The rather lame tale of My Blind Brother is about an overachieving blind man and his loser brother, who compete for the same woman. There’re a couple of funny lines, but a knee-slapper it is not. “A featherweight frolic” was what one reviewer said, and we’ll leave it at that. – Karen Rutter
What: Empire Entertainment DVDs, SK Home Entertainment releases 2018
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