New to DVD & BluRay. Plus: Readers Choice Instant Watch
Tuesday, March 1, 2016 at 3:15PM 
What's new or newish for home viewing? Let's see... It's been two release weeks for Oscar contenders. Several of them now available for rentals and sales hot off their Oscar wins.
• Creed. See why we all fussed about it and why so many were rooting for Sly (who lost in one of many surprises Sunday night) despite an unspectacular career. That's the German cover to the left. I include it because it's intereting to note that overseas they have to mention Rocky in the title somehow "Rocky's Legacy," not trusting that just Creed would do it.
• The Danish Girl. See why Vikander won the Oscar. (Hint: Huge leading role and she's playing a Long Suffering Wife, in short Oscar's two favorite things in the Supporting Actress category)
• Fargo Year Two - I hear it's good. Why am I still resisting?
• The Good Dinosaur - Tim was relatively kind in his review. I was not impressed -- could not relate to the weird juxtaposition of photoreal backgrounds and bright green rubber dinosaurs -- but I did love "Spot"... such a cutie
• Legend Tom Hardy x 2
• Miss You Already Toni Collette + Drew Barrymore. It was easy to miss them in theaters. Gone already? Love both of them though so let's catch up.
• My All American Finn Wittrock headlines. But it's straight to DVD
• Room See Brie Larson's Oscar winning work and Jacob Tremblay's and the Production Designer's shoulda been nominated work - hey, at least we honored them!
• Secret in their Eyes The remake of the Oscar winning Argentinian film. I'm getting so far behind on the Kidman pictures. Must catch up, regardless of the quality but she makes a lot of movies so it's easy to fall behind.
• Spotlight See why this won Best Picture despite the odds. Hint: it's a) really good and b) hard to dislike and thus scored well on the Academy's Preferential Ballot against a field of decidedly more divisive competitors.
• Youth So curious how y'all will like it who haven't yet seen it. It's quite divisive but it is not uninteresting. Jane Fonda bears her teeth. Harvey Keitel mopes. Rachel Weisz gets a mud bath. Paul Dano wears... no, that's a spoiler. And there's a really big opera number that should've made a great Oscar moment ("Nah... we can't have a famous Asian woman singing on stage in a year where we're dinged for being too white!" - Some Academy producers somewhere.)
READERS CHOICE
I hinted that we might try a series wherein you choose the latest instant watch title for Nathaniel to write up. A Reader's Choice Date... perhaps biweekly? So here are your first options. All new to Netflix or Amazon Prime beginning on March 1st (or thereabouts). Make your case in the comments or simply vote. I'll revisit the title you pick and wrote about it on March 10th. American Psycho (2000) is also new to Amazon Prime -- just in time for the new Broadway musical starring Benjamin Walker -- but we've talked about that modern classic a lot in the past so we'll skip it this time. (A is for Amazon; N for Netflix)
Reader Comments (23)
The one good thing about late winter is that, even though there isn't much in the theaters, there are a lot of DVDs to get caught up on. I need to see Youth, The Danish Girl, Creed and Miss You Already. And you should at least try Fargo S2! It's really worthwhile!
So I voted for The Seven Year Itch and (wonder of wonders) it's leading right now. I think it would be interesting to rewatch and read a write-up of a film that is admittedly minor Wilder and minor Marilyn, but features one of the most iconic images in movie history. (Although the nominee list no longer exists, Tom Ewell probably won the Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Comedy/Musical by beating Brando in Guys and Dolls—which won Best Comedy/Musical and Best Actress in a Comedy/Musical—and Gordon MacRae in Oklahoma!)
I am beyond ecstatic Seven-Year Itch is in the lead. Looking forward to that write-up.
Everyone really needs to watch Fargo Season 2 for Kirsten Dunst alone. I AM TELLING YOU. That it's this amazing meditation on pre-Reagan-era America is just icing on the cake.
Legend was really quite bad despite having two Tom Hardys, one of which was bisexual (and made full gay in the movie). Why even have such "brave gay characters" for straight people to play if they're not going to go full tilt? Whipping a clothed man while you sit clothed isn't edgy or sexy or anything. Crap crap crap.
Fargo S2 is really good, and BEAUTIFUL! One of the most beautifully shot shows I've ever seen on TV.
I really hated Youth.
Gattaca, if only for Jude Law's brilliant work. My supporting actor win of 1997. It's going to be showing here at the cinema at the end of the month.
See Youth for one of Caine's finest late career portrayals and of course 8 mins of Fonda.
I haven't seen Gattaca in many years, but I remember being blown away by Jude Law. Boy he had a hell of a stretch from mid-90s to mid-aughts.
In honor of the late Alan Rickman, I thought we should revisit one of his best roles so I voted for Robin Hood. Plus I'm curious to hear your thoughts on Kevin Costner's peak years (why exactly was he famous?) and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio and what happened to her career.
I not only was able to catch up with Creed and Danish Girl this weekend in time for the Oscars, but also The Big Short was available, too, so I watched that. I get why people were rooting for Stallone, but I'm okay with Rylance's win. And yes Vikander is a lead, but the role wasn't JUST "Supporting wife," it was so much more interesting and fun than that, so I'm almost kinda ok with her win, too.
Can you watch Gattaca and just repeatedly yell "I don't even know who you are!" to random strangers?
I stand for Youth. It's out there, but in a good way. Caine should have won the Oscar. Beautifully subdued--and so calming.
brrokesboy,well said,i feelYouth was given a drubbing,I enjoyed it v much esp Fonda and Caine,should both been there winnng Sunday night.
I voted for Diary of Anne Frank, if only for the Best Supporting Actress victory. But if you've ever been to Amsterdam and visit that very house (now a museum) you will see Shelley's Oscar. She donated it to the museum. It is on display on your way out (it was so devastating walking down those stairsI).
how can the world's biggest kirsten dunst fan resist fargo?
Patryk, I will be in Amsterdam in April. That is just more icing on this vacation cake!
I voted for "Seven Year Itch" too, because Marilyn is noticeably underserved on this Actresssexual site.
Fargo S2 also has Patrick Wilson looking hot in police uniform.
Miss You Already also has Dominic Cooper shirtless a bunch of times.
Just for everyone's info...
I voted Robin Hood because "It's dull, it'll hurt more!" Haha, just kidding, I unabashedly love it, especially Rickman. And Kevin Costner was so beautiful (despite the haircut). We are all Mary Elisabeth Mastrantonio taking a peek...
par -- i have an aversion to tv shows based on movies i guess. Also i am usually wary of tv shows with rave reviews that are about crime/violence. Because basically anything that's nihilistic gets great reviews if it's half decent. (It's much harder to gain "masterpiece" reviews if you're just a straight drama... like something like Mad Men)
also i have a mild aversion to Jesse Plemons (which I am trying to overcome because he works so often)
if it helps - my two favourite dramas of the last year were mad men and fargo
plus i've never been a huge kiki fan but she's stunning in this
as is the entire cast - including plemons
what i'm saying is - please watch it
I voted for Anne Frank because it's not a title anybody ever discusses, unlike Gattaca or Seven Year Itch (as great as they may be).
I have to second every positive comment about Fargo's second season. It is a wonderful period piece that actually dives into the psychology of Americans right before Reagan's ascension, not just using costumes and production design to give off a 70s vibe. The story is filled with wonderful characters who are expertly shaded by the wonderful cast inhabiting this world as well, especially in the cases of Kirsten Dunst, Patrick Wilson and Bokeem Woodbine. Lastly, it's a rare crime story that allows the women to take charge of their fates rather than being a motivator for a male lead, which I really appreciated.
How can a fan of Friday Night Lights have an aversion to Lance? Do you think he's a funny looking creature?
Suzanne -- yeah. i find him hard to look at for long stretches