Though there aren't many mainstream movies hitting the home market this week, an interesting group of limited releases should provide a few options, with acclaimed documentary "Jiro Dreams of Sushi" and horror-thriller "Silent House" among the most prominent titles. Also getting launched will be "The Deep Blue Sea," an R-rated drama starring Rachel Weisz and Tom Hiddleston. The first season of Starz' series "Boss" will also reach DVD and Blu-ray and fans of "Star Trek: The Next Generation" will be able to catch the first season in a special edition Blu-ray set.
Starring Elizabeth Olsen, the younger sister of Mary Kate and Ashley of "Full House" fame, "Silent House" hit theaters back in mid-March looking for thrill seekers, though it struggled to find its intended demographics. Critics were about as impressed as horror audiences, though Olsen did receive some kudos for her performance as a girl clinging to survival. "Silent House" is the latest in the wave of low-budget horror films that have sprung up hoping to capture the realism - not to mention commercial success - of "Paranormal Activity."
Aiming at a much different demographic is "Jiro Dreams of Sushi," a universally lauded documentary that shows audiences the life of legendary restaurateur and sushi perfectionist Jiro Ono. "Jiro Dreams of Sushi" was praised for its loving portrayal of Ono, who has been making sushi for more than 75 years in his pursuit of sushi mastery, eventually becoming a Japanese icon for his massively successful restaurant Sukiyabashi Jiro. With a 98% Rotten Tomatoes rating, "Jiro" should find some adult audiences in a slow overall week for prominent new releases.
Hoping to hit with a different adult demographic is "The Deep Blue Sea," an art house drama about a woman (Rachel Weisz) wrapped up in a doomed affair with a dashing pilot (Tom Hiddleston) in post-WWII Great Britain. "The Deep Blue Sea" didn't have much of an impact at the box office in the U.S., but Weisz was consistently praised by critics for her powerhouse performance as a woman on the brink of destruction.
Another title that brings plenty of critical support as it hits the home market is "Footnote," an Israeli drama/comedy about a father and son struggling in the ultra-competitive world of academia. "Footnote" was nominated for a Best Foreign Picture Oscar, leading to a modest $2 million U.S. box office intake earlier in the year. Revered by critics for its witty satire and poignant performances, "Footnote" should find a small niche audience of art house crowds that didn't get a chance to see it in theaters.
Also hitting DVD and Blu-ray this week will be the first season of Starz' series "Boss," a drama about the volatile mayor of Chicago (Kelsey Grammer) as he deals with a serious neurological disorder. Though not one of Showtime's biggest hits as of yet, "Boss" did find a large enough audience to push forward with a second season, which will begin to air in a few weeks.
A series that remains popular despite first airing back in the late 1980s is "Star Trek: The Next Generation," which will have its first season hit special edition Blu-ray this week. Though there have been a variety of "Star Trek" incarnations, "Star Trek: The Next Generation" was the only one to recapture the popularity of the original series. Starring Patrick Stewart, LeVar Burton and Jonathan Frakes, "Star Trek: The Next Generation" won 18 Emmy Awards over its seven seasons on the air from 1987-1994.
Next week, indie drama "My Week with Marilyn" will be among the most prominent new titles, with Michelle Williams starring in an Oscar nominated performance as pop icon Marilyn Monroe. A special edition Blu-ray set of Jean Renoir's classic "Grand Illusion" will also hit stores as will acclaimed miniseries "Hatfields & McCoys," a historical drama starring Kevin Costner and Bill Paxton as two dueling family leaders.
by RTT Staff Writer
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