New on DVD this week:
Trainwreck
Judd Apatow directs and Amy Schumer gets autobiographical in this tale of a magazine writer with commitment issues thanks to her deadbeat dad (Colin Quinn). When she meets sports doctor Aaron (Bill Hader) life changes, and Amy has to make some grown-up decisions. LeBron James giving love advice and a star-studded intervention are highlights. Special features: deleted and alternate scenes, including one with Wu Tang Clan鈥檚 Method Man. There鈥檚 The Dogwalker, Daniel Radcliffe and Marisa Tomei鈥檚 film-within-a-film. Gag reel and line-o-rama does its best to out-yuk the regular film while Trainwreck鈥檚 many real athletes are profiled in Directing Athletes: A Blood Sport. Also included: commentary with Apatow, Schumer and associate producer; Trainwreck comedy tour; trailer; plus tons of behind-the-scenes rehearsal footage, interviews, dance choreography, Tilda Swinton transformations and John Cena confessions.
Tomorrowland
Co-written by Damon Lindelof and director Brad Bird, Tomorrowland has a nostalgia factor sure to entertain parents, while action will more than satisfy kids, girls in particular, who get a serious boost from the two smart, brave female leads. Casey Newton (Britt Robertson) is gifted a mysterious Tomorrowland pin that gives her entry into a parallel universe. But to fully gain access she needs the help of curmudgeon Frank (George Clooney), a reclusive genius who still regrets his early experience with Tomorrowland, decades previous. Together need to repair damage in that realm to save mankind. Extras on the Blu-ray include Remembering the Future, a nostalgic look at space travel in its heyday with Bird, complete with ultra-cool archival footage from Disney鈥檚 Tomorrowland. There鈥檚 an extra on the casting, another on the scoring sessions (and Michael Giacchino鈥檚 weird first-morning coffee tradition), plus an animated short film, 鈥淭he Origins of Plus Ultra.鈥� Hugh Laurie hosts a World Of Tomorrow Science Hour spoof, Bird shares several of his on-set production diaries, deleted scenes and more.
Inside Out
The varied emotions working in a little girl鈥檚 head 鈥� joy, sadness, anger, fear and disgust 鈥� are put to the task after a big move and meddling by Sadness (Phyllis Smith) throws 11-year-old Riley out of whack. What follows is an innovative, colourful adventure through Riley鈥檚 long-term memory to try and get the good vibes back, and a poignant look at the end of childhood. Voice work by Amy Poehler, Bill Hader, Mindy Kaling, Lewis Black. Bonus features include a Lava short film, an extra on Riley鈥檚 first date scenario, a featurette on the women of Inside Out (from production manager, to actors, lighting director) and a whole separate disc devoted to behind-the-scenes footage, dad documentaries, what a film editor actually does, deleted scenes and trailers.
Better Call Saul, Season One
Breaking Bad鈥檚 black-comedy spinoff, Better Call Saul, chronicles the pre-Walter White days of Saul, a.k.a. Jimmy McGill (Bob Odenkirk) as he transforms from idealistic newly minted lawyer to a man desperate to get out from under the shadow of his brother (a great Michael McKean). The show received seven Emmy nominations. Tons of features including three uncensored episodes, a gag reel, music video and behind-the-scenes of creation of the first season. Blu-ray also includes an extra on Mike (Jonathan Banks), everyone鈥檚 favourite thug, plus a conversation with Odenkirk and McKean, deleted scenes, a table read, episode/character dissections from director and producer, In The Studio, and more.
Mrs. Brown鈥檚 Boys: The Complete Series
The cast of the hugely successful BBC series Mrs. Brown鈥檚 Boys is composed almost entirely of Brendan O鈥機arroll鈥檚 own family. O鈥機arroll plays Agnes, the meddling matriarch of a big Irish family who treats Mormons, politics and condoms with an equal dosage of foul-mouthed irreverence. Of note: O鈥機arroll鈥檚 own mother was a crusading Irish TD (MP) for the Labour Party and had 11 children. Extras on the series鈥� three seasons and Christmas special discs include an un-aired pilot, deleted and extended scenes, an intro to the series, outtakes, alternate ending and several features on O鈥機arroll.聽
