DVD Releases of the Week: Oscar Nominees 'American Sniper' and 'Leviathan' Lead the Way
With the summer having proven to be a hit thus far, only one big studio film will be released on DVD this week. The rest of the titles will be specialty films that will likely attract indie audiences but not mainstream ones.
"American Sniper" - Clint Eastwood's breakout hit will finally hit DVD after having become the top grossing film of 2014. The movie, starring Bradley Cooper, tells the story of Navy SEAL sniper Chris Kyle, whose accuracy saved countless lives on the battlefield and turned him into a legend. However, back home Chris finds that he can't leave the war behind. The film was well received by critics and went on to get nominated for six Academy Awards. The movie eventually won one but broke out at the box office. After a huge theatrical run, the movie managed to break the $340 million mark. While it received a lot of backlash, "American Sniper" will create interest, especially with audiences who did not get a chance to see it theaters.
"Strange Magic" - The George Lucas-produced film tells the story of Goblins, elves, fairies and imps, and their misadventures sparked by the battle over a powerful potion. The animated flick was released in January and lacked enthusiasm as it flopped at the box office and also obtained terrible reviews. Buena Vista releases it at a time when the box office is not offering a single animated film. Perhaps this will attract family audiences in need of an animated film.
"Hot Tub Time Machine 2" - After the success of the 2010 installment, Paramount believed it could have the same success. However, the result was dismal. "Hot Tub Time Machine 2" tells the story of Nick and Jacob who fire up the hot tub time machine in an attempt to get back to the past with Lou, who finds himself in trouble. But they inadvertently land in the future with Adam Jr. Now they have to alter the future in order to save the past -- which is really the present. The movie obtained terrible reviews and the huge gap between installments hurt the box office. With so many comedies in the marketplace, this one will get buried. However, it will attract fans of the original installment.
"Leviathan" - The Oscar-nominated film tells the story of Kolya who is forced to fight the corrupt mayor when he is told that his house will be demolished. He recruits a lawyer friend to help, but the man's arrival brings further misfortune for Kolya and his family. After having premiered at the Cannes Film Festival, "Leviathan" became a huge festival film. It also went on to win the Golden Globe for Best Foreign Film. It was also nominated for the Oscar and for the BAFTA. While it was not a huge box office hit, it should definitely generate interest from avid art house moviegoers.
Among the Indie films that will be released include the SXSW Audience winner "Before I Disappear," "Cymbeline," starring Ethan Hawke and John Leguizamo, and "The Living."