‘Zero Dark Thirty,’ ‘Les Mis’ available on DVD
“Zero Dark Thirty”
Director Kathryn Bigelow. who helmed the Oscar-winning “The Hurt Locker,” has another winner with this intense, terrific film about the hunt for Osama Bin Laden. The story begins with the attacks of Sept. 11 and moves through the dogged pursuit of the man responsible.
CIA officer Maya (Jessica Chastain) is devoted to her job and is on a team that targets the top al-Queda agents in Pakistan. She watches as an interrogator (Jason Clarke) uses brutal methods to pry information from captives, and the torture scenes can be tough to watch. The pursuit takes years, but Maya refuses to give up.
In the end, this riveting Oscar-nominated film takes viewers into the quest to take down the world’s most-hunted man.
“Les Miserables”
Victor Hugo’s novel has seen many adaptations, and the musical version is beloved around the world. Bringing that musical to the screen was a daunting challenge, one director Tom Hopper pulled off brilliantly.
Hugo’s story is treated in the highest regard, and the ensemble cast rises to the occasion, even singing live. Hugh Jackman plays the escaped convict Jean Valjean, trying to create a better life for himself and the child he raises after the death of her mother Fantine (Oscar winner Anne Hathaway). The film also stars Russell Crowe, Amanda Seyfried, Helena Bonham Carter, Sacha Baron Cohen, Eddie Redmayne and Samantha Barks.
“This is 40”
Judd Apatow, known for his risky brand of humor, has made a sequel to “Knocked Up.” A married couple (Paul Rudd and Apatow’s wife Leslie Mann) faces a midlife crisis as they deal with family issues involving money, kids and more. The stars share a chemistry that makes us pull for them to get it right. The strong supporting cast includes Plainfield native Melissa McCarthy, Albert Brooks, John Lithgow, Jason Segel and Lena Dunham.
“Alfred Hitchcock: The Classic Collection”
Three of Alfred Hitchcock’s classics — full of deceit, danger and romance — are included in this collection. They are: “Notorious” with Cary Grant and Ingrid Bergman, “Rebecca” with Laurence Olivier and Joan Fontaine and “Spellbound” with Gregory Peck and Bergman.
Available Next Week
“Killing Them Softly”
“Lincoln”
“Parental Guidance”
“The Collection”
“To the Arctic”
“Veep: Season One”