Stuck at home? Take a break from pandemic news and lose yourself in an immersive, Oscar-winning war movie in this week’s top DVD picks.
“1917”: Two young British soldiers fighting in World War I, Lance Corporal Blake (Dean-Charles Chapman) and Lance Corporal Schofield (George MacKay), are sent on an deathly dangerous mission: to cross behind enemy lines and deliver the message that the Germans, thought to be retreating, will overwhelm 1,600 men planning to attack. Among them is Blake’s brother, and the attack must be stopped.
The cast is commanding with Chapman and MacKay at the helm (not to mention great cameos by Colin Firth, Benedict Cumberbatch and Andrew Scott, to name a few). Chapman gives Blake playful charisma and a heartbreaking dedication to his mission and brother, while MacKay instills quiet power in his emotive expressions. And the story is compelling, based on fragments of a real-life war story of writer-director Sam Mendes’ grandfather.
But cinematographer Roger Deakins steals the show with his technical wizardry of making the film appear to be one continuous shot, giving it an immersive, often video gamelike feel (the movie won best cinematography, visual effects and sound mixing at this year’s Academy Awards).
“The film is a stunning feat of cinematography, production design and performance moving seamlessly as one piece,” wrote Tribune News Service Katie Walsh in her review. “The camera is almost a spectral presence, floating across muddy craters filled with bodily decay, circling around characters to reveal their spatial relationship to one another, winding its way through crowds of young soldiers sharing a moment of peace in the woods. At first the camera follows our pair, but in the last act, it tends to lead our young messenger on the journey’s final leg, as he pushes through soldiers lining a white-walled trench and bolts down a battlefield littered with bombs.”
Also new on DVD
“Clemency”: A prison warden (Alfre Woodard) grapples with the consequences of carrying out executions.
“The Grudge”: After a series of killings in a haunted house, a detective (Andrea Riseborough) investigates as the curse continues.
“The Song of Names”: Years after his adopted violinist brother disappears, a man encounters a young musician who shares a remarkably similar style. Tim Roth and Clive Owen star.
“Treadstone: Season One”: The USA Network drama follows a black ops program in the Jason Bourne universe.
Digital HD
“Birds of Prey”: Reeling from her breakup with the Joker, Harley Quinn (Margot Robie) teams up with three women to take down the evil Black Mask, among others. Costars include Rosie Perez, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Jurnee Smollett-Bell and Ewan McGregor. Available on DVD and Blu-ray in May.
“Cunningham”: Documentary follows the life of legendary choreographer Merce Cunningham.
“Dolittle”: A quirky doctor who talks with animals (Robert Downey Jr.) races to help save Queen Victoria (Jessie Buckley) from a serious illness. Look for it on DVD and Blu-ray April 7.
“The Gentlemen”: An expat in London (Matthew McConaughey) faces layers of schemes while attempting to sell off his weed business.
“Hunter’s Moon”: A sheriff (Thomas Jane) meets a malevolent force after responding to an attack on a trio of teenage girls.
“Just Mercy”: Based on a true story, a young defense attorney (Michael B. Jordan) helps Walter McMillian (Jamie Foxx) appeal his murder conviction.
