New on DVD this week:
Testament of Youth
The epic First World War romance based on Vera Brittain’s memoirs stars Alicia Vikander (Ex Machina) as a young Oxford student and would-be suffragette straining against convention, who leaps from domestic obligations to college to the battlefields, all the while nursing a love for Roland (Game of Thrones’ Kit Harington). Good selection of special features on the standard disc, including commentary with Kit Harington and director James Kent, and a lengthy Behind-the-Scenes extra with insight on Brittain from the biographer, writer, producers, and director, among others; deleted scenes, trailer and previews also included.
Vikings, The Complete Third Season
“Power is only given to those prepared to lower themselves to pick it up.” In Season 3 King Ragnar’s (Travis Fimmel) men question why they’re fighting the Christians’ battles for them, while Lagertha (Katheryn Winnick) tries to settle the new land. But a more alien city, the walled city of Paris, is on the horizon and waiting to be conquered. Special features include trailers and teasers, plus deleted scenes from the series.
Recently released:
Jurassic World
Twenty-two years after Jurassic Park, the geniuses on Isla Nublar are busy creating genetically modified prehistoric beasts because “no one’s impressed by a dinosaur anymore.” All-business operations manager Claire (Bryce Dallas Howard) sends an assistant to greet her nephews when they arrive at the theme park for vacation, but it isn’t long before Gray (Ty Simpkins) and Zach (Nick Robinson) are wandering the park freely. Unfortunately, also roaming unleashed is the Indominus rex, a new mutant strain of dinosaur. It’s up to Navy man Owen (Chris Pratt) to save Claire, the boys, and the 20,000 visitors who visit the park each day. The dinosaurs are the star of the show but it wouldn’t work without the likeability of Pratt. That affability carries over to the 3D combo pack’s special features. He and director/co-writer Colin Trevorrow “take on the world” wherein Pratt reveals how in 2008 he jokingly predicted he’d star in Spielberg’s film: “I put it out in the universe and it came true”. Welcome to Jurassic World features interviews with Spielberg, Trevorrow, producer and actors. There’s a look at the visual effects in Dinosaurs Roam Once Again; All-Access Pass delves into the concept art; plus an Innovation Center Tour with Pratt, and a close-shave montage.
Justified, The Complete Final Season
U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens (Timothy Olyphant) is hell-bent on bringing down his nemesis, criminal Boyd Crowder (Walton Goggins), once and for all. Raylan criss-crosses the border looking for intel, and isn’t above using Boyd’s fiancée (Joelle Carter) to make a conviction stick. Special features on the blu-ray collection include: Directing the Show: Adam Arkin, in which Arkin talks about how acting informs his directing style; Hollywood to Harlan shows the crew visiting Harlan, Kentucky, to get a sense of the real-life socio-economic conditions in the mine and the town; series writer Elmore “Dutch” Leonard chats about his history and working, writing and creating, in Dutch Speaks.
Also available:
Season 3 of Bates Motel, in which a new, dysfunctional love triangle emerges between Norman Bates (Freddy Highmore), his mother (Vera Farmiga) and Norman’s half-brother Dylan (Max Thieriot). Bonus features on the blu-ray and DVD include deleted scenes and A Broken Psyche: Creating Norma-n. On the lighter side is season one of Girlfriends’ Guide to Divorce, starring Lisa Edelstein as self-help guru Abby, who finds herself in a whole new world after her marriage falls apart, with frequently funny results. Janeane Garofalo, Beau Garrett, Paul Adelstein also star. Gag reel and deleted scenes are included on the DVD. Â
