DVD Releases of the Week: 'X-Men: Days of Future Past', 'Mr. Peabody & Sherman' Among New Releases
Superheroes, dogs, and Christians will dominate the DVD releases on Oct. 14. There will also be teen dramas and play adaptations for audiences not interested in Hollywood fare.
The following is a list of the latest DVD and Blu-Ray releases:
X-Men Days of Future Past
After a successful run in theaters Bryan Singer's latest installment hits DVD shelves. The new film, starring Michael Fassbender, James McAvoy, Jennifer Lawrence, Hugh Jackman and Nicolas Hoult, tells the story of the X-Men who must send Wolverine to the past in a desperate effort to change history and prevent an event that results in doom for both humans and mutants.
"Days of Future Past" was met with rave reviews and audiences were thrilled to see Singer return to the franchise he created. Additionally, audiences saw the film as a sequel, but also a revision for the disastrous 2006 "X-Men: The Last Stand." This new installment became the second highest grossing "X-Men" film of all time and is likely to appeal to comic fans on home video.
Mr. Peabody and Sherman
For those who enjoy animated features, DreamWorks' latest will hit stores after flopping in March. While the movie made $111 million, it failed to meet its budget amidst the great reviews.
"Mr. Peabody & Sherman" tells the story of the time-travelling adventures of an advanced canine and his adopted son, as they endeavor to fix a time rift they created. With children in school and little time to go to the theaters, this film is likely to serve as an alternative to "The Boxtrolls" and "The Book of Life," which opens on Oct. 17. It is also likely to get a bigger audience, especially if it starts to generate awards buzz.
Persecuted
Back in July, Millennium Entertainment attempted to sell "Persecuted" as yet another Christian based film. However, the company failed. This latest faith-based film tells the story of an evangelist who finds himself framed for murder and on the run after he refuses to back a senator's proposition calling for sweeping religious reform.
The feature scored horrible reviews when it opened and also received a small marketing campaign. Still, Christian audiences are likely to embrace it on DVD and it could possibly become a cult classic among those audiences.
Venus in Fur
In July, Roman Polanski scored his lowest grossing film with "Venus in Fur." The new film, starring Mathieu Amalric, tells the story of an actress who attempts to convince a director how she's perfect for a role in his upcoming production. The movie premiered at the Cannes Film Festival where it scored rave reviews and it also won the Cesar Award in France for Best Director.
Latin Post said, "'Venus in Fur' is so nuanced and detailed that it requires the viewer's full attention for its full 90-plus minutes." However, it flopped as it did not create buzz as it was in French and it was based on a two-person play. Polanski fans are likely to embrace the picture and foreign film lovers will definitely be interested in the work.
Beneath the Harvest Sky
After having premiered at Toronto and Tribeca Film festivals, the teen drama failed to live up to its expectations at the box office and critically. Starring Emory Cohen and Callan McAuliffe, the movie tells the story a teen drama set during the fall potato harvest in a small northern Maine town. The movie was released by Tribeca and the company concentrated on the VOD release rather than giving it a strong theatrical run. The result was a lackluster theater run and a small marketing campaign for VOD. The film also dissipated and failed to generate the buzz it obtained from festivals. Indie crowds are likely to be interested in this drama.
Other releases this week include the critically acclaimed "Whitey: United States of America v. James J. Bulger" and Drafthouse's "Nothing Bad Can Happen."