Fall is behind us and we are entering the official start of Winter. What better way to enjoy the cold and gloomy nights during Holiday break than to catch up with some movies and shows. By now most have seen Age of Ultron, Jurassic World, Rogue Nation, and all the other summer blockbusters and heavily promoted film. This list contains movies that were overlooked, movies that got plenty of fanfare, ones you that got little notice, and ones that offer worthy special features. Here are is a list of the Fall (ok maybe there is one or two late summer ones) DVD’s you should see. They are divided according to their genres (comedy, drama, action, etc).
COMEDY:
SPY
Melissa McCarthy, Jude Law, Jason Statham, and Rose Byrne come together in this hilarious comedy. Might be one of McCarthy’s funniest films. Statham plays against type and shows a comedic side to him. Byrne steals the show in a supporting role. The mere concept that McCarthy plays a CIA desk worker that gets thrown into the field to avenge a top CIA field agent (Law) is ludicrous, yet funny. This is a great comedy that will have you laughing. The Blu-ray offers a ton of special features that make it worth buying.
Santa’s Little Helper
This is one of those movies most haven’t seen or even heard of, and might find it strange to include on this list, but it’s a fun Christmas movie! This WWE Studios production starring AnnaLynne McCord, WWE wrestlers Mike “The Miz” Mizanin and Diva Paige is a charming Christmas movie about a jobless businessman (Mizanin) that finds himself part of a competition to be Santa’s top elf. It’s a silly and wacky, fun for the kids and parents, and WWE fans will get a kick out of seeing “The Miz” attempting to be Santa’s companion.
THRILLERS:
True Story
James Franco and Jonah Hill star in this true story (no pun intended) based on a book by Michael Finkel, a New York Times reporter whose identity has been taken on by an accused murderer. “True Story” is very suspenseful with twists and surprises. A dark thought provoking murder mystery. The Blu-ray offers an alternate ending, and features on Michael Finkel and Christian Longo. This is a must-see for any fan of good suspense.
Zipper
Patrick Wilson is Sam Ellis, a rising federal prosecutor that’s making a run for office. Only thing that gets in his way is trying to conquer the demons of his sex addiction. Inspired by the numerous political sex scandals, the film is a thrilling look at the life of a politician, as well as the dangers of sex addiction. It’s a film that slipped through the cracks with its late September DVD release.
I Spit On Your Grave 3
After a complete fresh start, Angela (now Jennifer) is starting to pick-up her life back together after the events of the previous two films. She even makes a new friend this time around. Things revert for the bad again, as the demons from her past can’t seem to escape Jennifer. Actress Sarah Butler is back in the leading role for the third installment, and this one might be the best of the bunch. Usually a third movie in a franchise tends to be watered down and completely recast, surprisingly “I Spit On Your Grave 3” is just as good as as the previous ones.
BONDING MOVIES:
Paper Towns
This romantic teen comedy stars Cara Delevingne and Nat Wolff who plays a high school kid who races across the country to track down the girl of his dreams. The film explores friendships and relationships from a teens perspective. It’s the kind of movie that will have your mind racing back to your high school days, reminiscing the silly and good times.
Unexpected
Kris Swanberg directs this comedy about a woman (Cobie Smulders) who struggles coming to terms with being unexpectedly pregnant. This is a small indie film that is funny and has some real honesty, especially when it comes to a surprise pregnancy. Even though the film is told from a female perspective, the overall message of the movie is aimed at both males and females.
Grace of Monaco
Based on the real-life story of famous Hollywood starlet Grace Kelly, who left Hollywood to falls and marries the prince of Monaco. Nicole Kidman stars as Grace in this elegantly looking movie. The movie has a Lifetime vibe to it (aired on Lifetime actually), but it’s one of those movies that your significant other will enjoy and it will score you bonus points by watching it together, so do it.
ACTION:
Momentum
Olga Kurylenko kicks ass. That’s reason alone why you should check out this movie. James Purefoy plays the ruthless villain Mr. Washington. “Momentum” is the directorial debut of longtime Clint Eastwood camera operator Stephen Campanelli. A fast paced action-packed movie with a strong female lead is what “Momentum” is, and you probably missed it.
Transporter: Refueled
Exit Jason Statham and enter a much younger Transporter Ed Skrein. The Transporter is tasked with tackling a group of Russian human traffickers and a swindling vixen. Granted, it’s not as great as the original, but it accomplishes all the things you’d expect in a Transporter movie, action, blowups, and cool fight scenes. Transporter fans are certain to enjoy this.
TELEVISION SERIES:
Marco Polo (Netflix series)
The hit Netflix series is now on DVD, and if you are one of the 5 people in the country who doesn’t subscribe to Netflix, then you should still find a way to see this show. As the name suggest the show is about famous explorer Marco Polo during his younger years. He must avoid dangers and violence along the way of his exploration. This is a cool show you can binge on that won’t have you bored, and since it’s the first season you won’t be needing to catch up on the story.
American Horror Story: Freak Show
The fourth season of the FX horror anthology is out on DVD. The story this season takes place in Florida in the early 1950’s. Sarah Paulson, Jessica Lange, and Evan Peters are back in the mix. The season features guest appearances by likes of Neil Patrick Harris, Matt Bomer, and Wes Bentley to name a few. It was FX’s highest rated season of the show. The thrills and chills haven’t gone anywhere. If you haven’t seen it yet, you should.
*All these films are currently available on Blu-ray or DVD.
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