DVD Digest #9: The Internship + The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey + Pacific Rim

Words: Maxamillian John

I want to tell you about the latest DVD releases but I'm having trouble finding a good place to start. Because 'good' is in very short supply this week. While I may not have anything to recommend, don't leave because I have a lot of warnings. This column might save you up to three hours of your life.

DVD Digest #8: This Is The End + Admission + Trap For Cinderella

Words: Maxamillian John

If the storm last week kept you indoors then you probably want to go outside now and frolic in the dying embers of autumn. But don't, it's a trap! The outside is actually terrible. My review of the Outside would just read - wet, overcrowded, insects attack randomly, and pizza is only available in specific areas. 3/10. Instead, why not stay indoors with one of this week's DVD releases? Let's have a look at them!

DVD Digest #7: Hummingbird + The Purge + World War Z

Words: Maxamillian John

Aside from being this week's DVD release date, October 21st was also International Day of the Nacho! I know! Invented by Ignacio Anaya - 'Nacho' to his friends - as a dish made from leftovers for the wives of American soldiers out on a shopping trip, nachos are a terrible cinema snack but a perfect home movie snack. But which DVDs won't make you vomit your nachos out in disgust? Let's find out!

DVD Digest #6: After Earth + The Big Wedding + Like Someone In Love

Words: Maxamillian John

No critic knows pain like a DVD columnist. Films that make it to your local cinema are already in the minority by virtue of securing a distribution deal, and most of those are still rubbish, so imagine what I have to put up with while I trawl each week's releases looking for something other than straight-to-DVD and no budget fillers. And often it doesn't work. This week, as I sat through 'After Earth' (spoiler alert: it blows) and 'The Big Wedding' (it's worse), I genuinely started to question my life. Thank god for 'Like Someone In Love', which was an absolute joy and reminded me why I do this.

DVD Digest #5: Much Ado About Nothing + Bachelorette + Sharknado

Words: Maxamillian John

The Shakespearean rule of thumb is that a story ending in death is a tragedy, while a story ending in marriage is a comedy. This week brings us the release of Joss Whedon's adaptation of 'Much Ado About Nothing' and 'Bachelorette', both of which end in marriages, and 'Sharknado', which ends in a lot of death. Guess which one emerges as the real comedy! What does Shakespeare know, right?

DVD Digest #3: Stolen + Trance + Good Vibrations

Words: Maxamillian John

Thank god for mediocrity. Last week’s DVD releases were gruelling in their sheer awfulness, but this week we’ve got the sweet release of 'Stolen' (2012), 'Trance' (2013) and 'Good Vibrations' (2012). That’s one failed blockbuster, one slightly underperforming thriller and one surprising and passionate love letter. In a summer where the bottom seems to have fallen out of the Hollywood blockbuster, it seems fitting that the quality of this week’s DVD releases is inversely proportional to their production budget.

DVD Digest #2: Forced To Fight + Jack The Giant Slayer + GI Joe: Retaliation

Words: Maxamillian John

Well that didn't take long. When I said in the first DVD Digest that there wouldn't be so many good films out on a single release date for a while, I didn't think the backlash would be this immediate. It’s with a heavy heart but a sense of duty that I bring you this week’s DVD Digest.

DVD Digest #1: Robot & Frank + Identity Thief + Arbitrage

DVD Digest is a new column offering a selection of short spoiler-free reviews of recent UK DVD releases // Words: Maxamillian John

This week sees the release of 'Robot & Frank' (★★★★), a touching film about the attempt of an elderly man to recover his life from the grip of dementia. Played by Frank Langella, his pride won't allow him to admit that he's losing his memory, although it is clear to his children, James Marsden and Liv Tyler, who are unable to take care of him.