‘Stronger’ is strong, honest
“Stronger” (2017, Lionsgate, R, $25) is proof that a movie which sounds maudlin on paper can deliver plenty of raw and honest emotions.
A never-better Jake Gyllenhaal stars as Jeff Bauman, a working-class Bostonian who was standing at the finish line of the Boston Marathon to cheer on his ex-girlfriend (Tatiana Maslany) when a bomb exploded, ripping apart his legs.
While the film portrays Jeff’s reluctance to be called a hero, it is, essentially, a love story with Gyllenhaal and Maslany bringing an astonishing intensity to the saga of a relationship under fire. Extras: featurette.
Also New to DVD
Mother! (2017, Paramount, R, $28): Writer/ director Darren Aronofsky deserves a lot of credit for always swinging for the fences. His movies are either masterworks (“Black Swan”) or hot messes (“The Fountain.”) “Mother!” falls into the latter category with Jennifer Lawrence starring as Mother Earth in an environmental allegory about our abused planet. Set almost entirely inside a crumbling mansion, the action plays out like a horror movie as Lawrence and her husband (Javier Bardem) come to regret opening the door to pushy strangers (Ed Harris, Michelle Pfeiffer.) “Mother!” is an original but Aronofsky doesn’t know when to quit; the last 40 minutes make the same point over and over again. Extras: featurettes. The Unknown Girl (2017, IFC, unrated, $25): The latest from the Dardenne Brothers (“Two Days, One Night”) is another in their series of engrossing morality tales. But this time around, the Belgium filmmakers have concocted a murder mystery to propel their saga of guilt and redemption. Adele Haenel stars as Jenny, a physician who, exhausted at the end of a long day, makes the mistake of refusing entrance to a young woman at the door of her clinic. When the stranger winds up dead, Jenny blames herself and vows to discover the woman’s name. There are plenty of surprises along the way as well as an ending that delivers a sobering emotional payoff. Extras: none. Operation Petticoat (1959, Olive, unrated, $30): Cary Grant and Tony Curtis make a terrific team in Blake Edwards’ smart, endearing comedy about the voyage of a misfit submarine. Nearly sunk before it ever engages the enemy, the Sea Tiger and its captain (Grant) need to bend the rules to leave port. Enter Holden (Curtis), a sailor with a skill for scavenging. Soon the Sea Tiger is seaworthy and taking on stranded Army nurses. There’s some exciting action scenes but the real draw is the odd couple chemistry between Grant and Curtis. They make “Operation Petticoat” a delight. Extras: commentaries and featurettes. Silent Night, Deadly Night - Collector’s Edition (1984, Shout Factory, R, $35): More than two decades after this slasher movie caused an uproar, it remains a guilty pleasure sleaze-fest about a youngster named Billy who has the misfortune of watching his parents killed on Christmas Eve by a thief dressed as St. Nick. After years of being brutalized by nuns in an orphanage, the now18-year-old Billy (creepy Robert Brian Wilson) goes to work at a toy store only to find himself forced to play Santa. Carnage ensues. It’s the ideal stocking stuff for hardcore horror junkies. Extras: featurettes and commentaries. Another Woman (1988, Twilight Time, PG, $30): One of Woody Allen’s most underrated offerings is a crisp yet anguished drama that casts a strange, almost hypnotic spell. Gena Rowlands plays a professor who is trying to write her latest book when she becomes distracted by the overheard confessions of a woman (Mia Farrow) re-examining her life. Soon, Rowlands begins to re-examine her own existence and relationships with her husband (Ian Holm), her brother (Harris Yulin), her former best friend (Sandy Dennis) and the love of her life (Gene Hackman). Allen’s filmmaking is at its most elegant as he seamlessly blends together memories and dreams. Now on Blu-ray, “Another Woman” deserves to be rediscovered. Extras: none. In Our Time (1944, Warner Archive, unrated, $20): Released in the midst of World War II, this romantic drama might have been conceived as anti-Nazi propaganda but it still manages to sweep you away in a tidal wave of emotion. Ida Lupino is superb as an introverted antiques buyer who, over discussions of Chopin and antique watches, falls in love with a Polish aristocrat (Paul Heinreid.) Soon, Lupino and Heinreid are modernizing his farming business and preparing to battle the Nazi invaders. Yes, there are a few too many speeches about making the world safe from Fascists but the romance between opposites hits home in every particular. Extras: none. The Strain - The Complete Series (2017, Fox, unrated, $99): If you’re searching for a last-minute gift for the sci-fi fan on your holiday list, pick up this set which serves up all four seasons of the visionary series overseen by “Shape Fuller House - The Complete Second Season (2017, Warner, unrated, $25): Ready for more quality time with the Tanners? The latest season of the Netflix reboot centers on the hijinks of DJ (Cameron Candice Bure), Kimmy (Andrea Barber) and Stephanie (Jodie Sweetin.) And, yes, Dad Danny (Bob Saget) What happens in a world free of consequences and morality? That’s the central question tacked by this hit series. The setting is a futuristic amusement park designed to cater to every human appetite. With a cast that includes Ed Harris, Anthony Hopkins, Evan Rachel Wood, James Marsden, Thandie Newton and Jeffrey Wright, “Westworld” keeps you on the hook for all ten episodes. Extras: featurettes and gag reel.