Here are some of the biggest recent home video releases.
Bright Lights: Starring Debbie Reynolds and Carrie Fisher (Digital)
Released shortly after the deaths of the iconic mother-daughter stars, the insightful documentary explores the complicated relationship between Reynolds and Fisher, highlighting some candid interactions between them. The tear-jerking film, which is all the more profound in light of the recent deaths of the subjects, is available on Google Play, iTunes, Vudu and other online retailers.
Manchester by the Sea
Casey Affleck turns in a stirring, emotionally turbulent performance that earned him a well-deserved best actor Oscar nomination. The film, which is also up for best picture, tells a harrowing story of a broken man who has lost his family and searches for answers and an elusive sense of self in an insular Massachusetts town. The Bluray/DVD/digital copy combo includes deleted scenes, a making-of featurette and an interview with writer/director Kenneth Lonergan.
Nocturnal Animals
Michael Shannon earned a best supporting actor Oscar nomination as a West Texas lawman who tries to piece together a murderous band of kidnappers, led by a nefarious thug played by Aaron Taylor-Johnson. Jake Gyllenhaal and Amy Adams play their hapless victims. A bizarre narrative twist adds yet also detracts from the main story of the fascinatingly odd film. The Blu-ray/digital copy combo includes a look at director Tom Ford, as well as featurettes on the visuals and story.
Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (Criterion)
Pedro Almodóvar's breakthrough film features Carmen Maura as a woman spurned by a lover who attempts suicide, only to be visited by several strange people from her past. The Spanish director's visual poetry and riveting style shines through in this 1988 effort. Extras in the lavish set include new interviews with the director and Maura, a fresh subtitle translation, an interview with a Spanish film scholar and a tribute booklet.
