January 17, 2012 - Notable New DVD Movie Releases:
Abduction DVD
Tagline: "What if your entire life was a lie?"
Length: 106 minutes
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for sequences of intense violence and action, brief language, some sexual content and teen partying
Taylor Lautner, the hunk from Twilight, stars in this action thriller directed by John Singleton. Nathan (Lautner), a Pittsburgh high school senior, sees his parents murdered just after he finds out they adopted him. For most of the film, he is on the run with Karen (Lily Collins), a good-looking classmate. They are chased by European goons led by Kozlow (Michael Nyqvist of the Swedish Girl With the Dragon Tattoo). Also chasing Nathan and Karen are CIA agents led by Burton (Alfred Molina). Nathan's shrink is played by Sigourney Weaver, and his parents are played by Maria Bello and Jason Isaacs.
- Widescreen
Abduction Blu-ray Disc
Selected Blu-ray Disc Special Features:
- Digital Copy
- Widescreen
Courageous DVD
Tagline: "Four men, one calling: To serve and protect."
Length: 129 minutes
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for some violence and drug content
This is a faith-based movie from Sherwood Pictures, the filmmaking arm of Sherwood Baptist Church of Albany, Georgia, which previously did Fireproof. The theme of Courageous is fatherhood, and it's a melodrama with elements of humor and action. The main characters are four Albany sheriff's deputies and a working-class Latino immigrant. The key role of veteran deputy sheriff Adam Mitchell is played by Alex Kendrick, who also co-wrote and directed. When tragedy strikes Adam, he and three other deputies, as well as the Latino immigrant, sign resolutions to be good fathers.
- Widescreen
Courageous Blu-ray Disc
Selected Blu-ray Disc Special Features:
- Commentary
- Deleted Scenes
- Outtakes and Bloopers
- Featurettes
- UltraViolet Digital Copy
- Widescreen
The Ides of March DVD
Length: 101 minutes
MPAA Rating: R for pervasive language
Ryan Gosling and George Clooney lead a strong cast in this political drama, which Clooney co-wrote and directed. Also in the cast are Philip Seymour Hoffman, Paul Giamatti, Marisa Tomei, Jeffrey Wright and Evan Rachel Wood. The film was adapted from Beau Willimon's play Farragut North, which was inspired by Howard Dean's 2004 presidential campaign. In the movie, Pennsylvania Governor Morris (Clooney) is a presidential candidate in the Ohio Democratic primary held on March 15. The film shows cynical backroom deals as seen through the eyes of Morris' bright young staffer (Gosling).
- Featurette
- Widescreen
The Ides of March Blu-ray Disc
Selected Blu-ray Disc Special Features:
- Commentary
- Featurettes
- UltraViolet Digital Copy
- Widescreen
Additional DVD and Blu-ray Disc Releases of Interest This Week:
Adam-12: Season Six DVDSelected DVD Special Features:
- Widescreen
Selected DVD Special Features:
- Widescreen
Selected DVD Special Features:
- Widescreen
Selected DVD Special Features:
- Widescreen
Selected DVD Special Features:
- Commentary
- Interview
- Widescreen
Selected DVD Special Features:
- Widescreen
Selected DVD Special Features:
- Widescreen
Selected DVD Special Features:
- Widescreen
Selected DVD Special Features:
- Widescreen
Selected Blu-ray Disc Special Features:
- Widescreen
- Deleted Scenes
- Two-Disc DVD Set
Selected DVD Special Features:
- Widescreen
Selected Blu-ray Disc Special Features:
- Widescreen
Selected DVD Special Features:
- Widescreen
Selected Blu-ray Disc Special Features:
- Widescreen
Selected DVD Special Features:
- Widescreen
Selected DVD Special Features:
- Widescreen
Selected DVD Special Features:
- Four-Disc DVD Set
Selected DVD Special Features:
- Widescreen
Selected DVD Special Features:
- Featurettes
- Widescreen
Selected DVD Special Features:
- Widescreen
Selected Special Features:
- Widescreen Read a profile of an earlier release of Traffic on DVD: Traffic DVD.
Selected Blu-ray Disc Special Features:
- Widescreen
Selected DVD Special Features:
- Widescreen
Selected DVD Special Features:
- Three-Disc DVD Set