New on DVD this week:
Sex Tape
Bad Teacher actors Cameron Diaz and Jason Segel reunite with director Jake Kasdan for this story about a couple who decides to make a sex tape to spice up their bland love life. Naturally, the video quickly gets into the wrong hands. “Who has sex for three hours? That’s the length of the movie Lincoln. You did the full Lincoln,” says friend Robby (Rob Corddry). Afraid that their children, Annie’s new boss (Rob Lowe), the PTA and even the mailman will see their smut, Annie and Jay go on a rampage, trying to retrieve all the infected technologies. We see way more of Diaz and Segel than we bargained for (Segel does a naked handstand at one point) in this potty-mouthed look at lust and family. Extras on the blu-ray include Bloopers (in which we learn Diaz can’t say diarrhea); deleted and extended scenes; line-o-rama ad-libbing; a making-of feature called Capturing the Moment; a Romance Reboot extra with therapist Jenn Berman; and Meet Hank Rosenbaum, an extra on Lowe’s very creepy character.
A Million Ways to Die in the West
The opening of A Million Ways to Die in the West is pure vintage western, but that’s where the seriousness ends. Written and directed by Seth MacFarlane, who also stars as Albert, a sheep-farmer whose gal Louise (Amanda Seyfried) leaves him for a moustache-twirling swell named Foy (Neil Patrick Harris). “I hate the frontier and everything in it,” says the generally yellow-bellied Albert. His fortunes change with the arrival of Anna (Charlize Theron), who would be the perfect rebound girl if not for her thieving husband Clint (Liam Neeson), who wants to get even. There’s an alternate opening and an alternate ending on the blu-ray, which features a rated and unrated version. Extra bonuses include: deleted and extended scenes, a gag reel (Sarah Silverman looms large) and a making-of extra featuring interviews with cast, writers, Family Guy alum and the occasional sheep.
Million Dollar Arm
Jon Hamm stars in this fact-based, PG tale about a down-on-his-luck sports agent who gets seizes on a scheme to bring Indian cricketers to the U.S. to play major league baseball via a reality series competition. Once in America, however, lucky winners Rinku and Dinesh (Suraj Sharma and Madhur Mittal) face cultural shock much steeper than their baseball learning curve. JB is forced to think of someone other than himself, for a change, and find the real meaning of friendship and family. Tons of specials on the blu-ray including one showing actors Sharma and Mittal undergoing some serious pitching training. Their Story is interviews with the real J.B. Bernstein, real Rinku Singh and Dinesh Patel, with footage of the boys’ arrival to the Pittsburgh Pirates’ dressing room; there’s an extra on the music by A.R. Rahman; deleted scenes and outtakes; plus an alternate ending.
Chef
Carl Casper (Jon Favreau) feels like his culinary talents are being quashed by his overbearing boss (Dustin Hoffman) and undervalued by a food critic (played with gusto by Oliver Platt) who writes a scathing review that derails the chef. After much soul searching with his team (Bobby Cannavale, John Leguizamo) and haranguing from his ex-wife (Sofia Vergara), Carl puts those talents to the test with a food-truck (backed by Robert Downey Jr, in a quirky cameo). The story is sweet; the food prep will set your mouth watering. Special features on the blu-ray include deleted scenes and commentary with actor-director Favreau and chef Roy Choi, who trained Favreau on the art of chopping, sautéing and butchering for the camera.
Bates Motel, season two
The creepiest mother-son relationship on TV is alive and well in season two of Bates Motel with Norman (Freddie Highmore) and Norma (Vera Farmiga) dealing with Miss Watson’s murder and unanswered questions from the residents of White Pine Bay. Norma worries about the future of the motel as construction on the bypass begins, Norman’s blackouts continue, and family secrets emerge that will change things forever. Extras on the blu-ray disc include a two-hour After Hours Q&A with cast and the show’s creators, plus deleted scenes and previews.
