Tag: Lily James

Biopic Series ‘Pam & Tommy’ Available on DVD Aug. 9

The biopic series “Pam & Tommy” arrives Aug. 9 on DVD from Lionsgate.

The series is streaming on Hulu.

Following the scandalous drama that set the internet down a new path, “Pam & Tommy” is based on the incredible true story of the Pamela Anderson (Lily James, Cinderella, Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again) and Tommy Lee (Sebastian Stan, Captain America: The Winter Solider) sex tape. Stolen from the couple’s home by a disgruntled contractor (Seth Rogen, This Is the End, Superbad, Pineapple Express), the video went from underground bootleg/VHS curiosity to full-blown cultural obsession when it hit the Web in 1997. A love story, crime caper, and cautionary tale rolled into one, the eight-part original limited series explores the intersection of privacy, technology and celebrity, tracing the origins of our current reality-TV era to a stolen tape seen by millions but meant to have an audience of just two.

The series also stars Nick Offerman (“The Great North,” “Parks and Recreation”) and Taylor Schilling (The Lucky One, “Orange Is the New Black”).

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Beatles Tribute Movie ‘Yesterday’ on Home Video in September

Universal Pictures Home Entertainment will release the music-infused comedy Yesterday digitally Sept. 10, and on Blu-ray Disc, DVD and 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Sept. 24, with musical performances not seen in theaters.

From Oscar-winning director Danny Boyle, Yesterday stars Himesh Patel as a struggling songwriter who suddenly becomes the only person on Earth who remembers The Beatles, and subsequently skyrockets to fame by forging a music career passing their songs off as his own, but along the way risks losing the love of his girlfriend, (Lily James), the one person who always believed in him. The cast also includes Kate McKinnon and Ed Sheeran.

The film earned $70.6 million at the domestic box office.

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Extras on the Blu-ray, DVD, digital and 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray versions include an alternate ending; 12 deleted scenes; Patel performing “Yesterday,” “I Want To Hold Your Hand” and “Let it Be” at Abbey Road Studios; and feature commentary with Boyle and writer/producer Richard Curtis.

The Blu-ray, 4K Blu-ray and digital versions will also include an alternate opening, gag reel and several featurettes:

• “Ed Sheeran: From Stadium to Screen,” in which the singer reflects on acting in his first major role;

• “Agent of Comedy: Kate McKinnon,” about the fun and energy that the queen of improvisational comedy brought to the set;

• “A Talented Duo,” about the first-ever team up of Curtis and Boyle;

• “Playing for Real,” about how Patel learned how to play Beatles songs live on set;

• “Soul Mates,” a look at the film’s love story between Jack and Ellie;

• “A Conversation With Richard & Ed,” in which longtime friends Curtis and Sheeran have a funny and informal chat about the making of the film.

The 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray will include HDR10+ and the bonus features in 4K resolution on the 4K disc. The 4K Blu-ray combo pack will include the film on UHD and regular Blu-ray discs and a redeemable digital copy. The Blu-ray combo pack will include Blu-ray, DVD and digital copy versions of the film.

‘Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again’ Dancing to Digital Oct. 9, Disc Oct. 23 From Universal

The Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again Sing-Along Edition will come out on digital (including Movies Anywhere) Oct. 9 and on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, DVD and on demand Oct. 23 from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment.

The film earned more than $118 million in theaters.

Ten years after Mamma Mia! The Movie, the prequel/sequel set to the music of ABBA features returning stars Meryl Streep, Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth, Stellan Skarsgard, Julie Walters, Dominic Cooper, Amanda Seyfried and Christine Baranski alongside new additions Lily James, Cher and Andy Garcia. The film follows two stories: present day as Sophie Sheridan (Seyfried) prepares for the grand reopening of her mother Donna’s (Streep) hotel and 1979 when young Donna (James) first arrives on the island. Sophie learns about her mother’s adventures with the young Dynamos, Tanya (Jessica Keenan-Wynn) and Rosie (Alexa Davies), and how young Donna first met her three possible dads Harry (Hugh Skinner), Bill (Josh Dylan) and Sam (Jeremy Irvine).

Bonus features, some exclusive to 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray and digital, include deleted/extended songs and scenes with commentary by director/screenplay writer Ol Parker; enhanced sing-alongs; cast meets cast, in which those playing young and older versions of certain cast members discuss their parts; cast chats between those playing the three young Dynamos and the young dads; a featurette on the choreography; featurettes on the development of the story, the character of Sophie, on Cher’s joining the cast, the costumes and more; and feature commentaries with Parker and producer Judy Craymer.

The film will be available on 4K Ultra HD in a combo pack which includes 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray, Blu-ray and Digital. The 4K Ultra HD disc will include the same bonus features as the Blu-ray version, all in 4K.

Darkest Hour

BLU-RAY REVIEW: 

Street 2/27/18;
Universal;
Drama;
Box Office $54.55 million;
$29.98 DVD, $34.98 Blu-ray;
Rated ‘PG-13’ for some thematic material.
Stars Gary Oldman, Kristin Scott Thomas, Lily James, Stephen Dillane, Ben Mendelsohn.

Darkest Hour is a solid character drama about Winston Churchill’s first few weeks as prime minister of Great Britain in 1940, as he was thrust into the chaos of the early days of World War II.

With Hitler on the verge of conquering France and setting his sights on England, Churchill must contend not only with his country’s rapidly deteriorating military position, but also calls for peace talks from within his own party — from the very people whose appeasement policies helped put Churchill in this difficult position to begin with.

The crisis comes to a head with the evacuation at Dunkirk, as Churchill is determined to rescue British troops despite long odds his plans can succeed. In showing what took place in the halls of British government as the soldiers waited on the beaches for a rescue, Darkest Hour serves as an interesting companion piece to Christopher Nolan’s Dunkirk, which hit theaters just a few months earlier and presented the point of view of the evacuating troops.

Gary Oldman practically disappears into the role of Churchill, aided by a complex body makeup to add age and girth. Numerous actors have taken a turn at Churchill over the years, but Oldman’s is likely to draw some inevitable comparisons with John Lithgow’s Emmy-winning take on Netflix’s “The Crown” due to the close proximity of the projects. While Lithgow is just as effective in portraying Churchill’s self-assuredness, temper and arrogance, there’s no mistaking it’s Lithgow. Whereas with Oldman it’s easy to get caught up in his performance, as really it’s only his eyes that provide the telltale reminder of who is actually up there on screen.

As far as comparisons go, however, Ben Mendelsohn is in a less-enviable position for his brief turn as King George VI, with both Colin Firth’s turn in The King’s Speech and Jared Harris on “The Crown” providing fresh points of comparison for performances as the king in earlier and later periods of his life, respectively. Mendelsohn, at least, has the advantage of somewhat resembling the real-life George, as noted by director Joe Wright in a solo commentary track included with the Blu-ray.

Wright’s commentary ends up presenting a nice mix of behind-the-scenes information and some insights into the real story. There are also two short featurettes: an eight-minute making-of video and a four-minute look at Oldman’s performance.