Photo credit: Murray Close

Jennifer Lawrence stars as 'Katniss Everdeen' in "The Hunger Games"

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New DVDs: "The Hunger Games"

Published: Friday, Aug. 17, 2012 - 12:00 am | Page 24TICKET

SATURDAY

"The Hunger Games" (PG-13, 142 minutes, Lionsgate) This adaptation of the hit young adult novel centers on grievous violence and children, who, in author Suzanne Collins' postapocalyptic future, are subjected to an annual ritual wherein they murder one another as part of a nationwide reality show. That perverse dystopia is brought faithfully, if unspectacularly, to life by director Gary Ross. If the series' legions of fans miss a detail here or a subplot there, they'll still recognize its bones and sinew, especially in Jennifer Lawrence's eagle-eyed heroine, Katniss Everdeen. The Hunger Games have been instituted by the elite leaders of a country to keep down a restive populace. After randomly plucking a boy and a girl from each of the federation's districts, a shadowy government-entertainment complex subjects them to a kill-or-be-killed group hunt. Lawrence is never less than grounded and believable as a young woman forced by circumstance to assume wisdom far beyond her years. Contains intense, violent thematic material and disturbing images – all involving teens. Extras: Eight-part making-of documentary; Collins interview on "The Hunger Games" trilogy phenomenon; and other featurettes including actor Donald Sutherland on the development of his role as President Snow, concepts behind creating the control center, a conversation with Ross and screenwriter Elvis Mitchell and "Propaganda Film." Also, on Blu-ray: "Preparing for The Games: A Director's Process" featurette.


"The Raid: Redemption" (R, 101 minutes, in Indonesian with English subtitles, Sony) What do you get when you send a heavily armed SWAT team into the fortresslike compound of a sadistic drug lord? In this Indonesian action- adventure film, it's not what you would expect. After the initial, de rigueur barrage of back-and-forth gunplay that opens the confrontation between the cops and the thugs, you end up with a bunch of adrenaline-infused, bone-crunching hand-to-hand combat. It's not for everybody. But it is undeniably cinematic and even kind of thrilling – assuming you can stomach the wall of nauseating sound effects generated by repeated blows of feet and fists on flesh. For fans of martial-arts action, it's a sizzling and stylishly served-up order of butt-kicking. Contains lots and lots of obscenity and violence. DVD extras: Commentary with writer- director Gareth Evans, behind-the-scenes video blogs, music featurette, "An Evening With Gareth Evans, Mike Shinoda and Joe Trapanese" featurette, interviews with Evans and Shinoda, "The Raid" TV show ad (circa 1994) and "Claycat's the Raid" featurette.


"Tonight You're Mine" (R, 130 minutes, Sony) This romantic comedy, filmed at a Scottish indie-rock festival, had a limited U.S. release. It stars Luke Treadaway and Natalia Tena as feuding rock stars who end up handcuffed together for 24 hours. Contains profanity and some sexual material. Extras: Making-of featurette and four other featurettes, including behind-the-music and costume designs.


"Breathless" (R, 91 minutes, Anchor Bay) A strong cast (Val Kilmer, Ray Liotta, Gina Gershon, Kelli Giddish) couldn't save this dark, gory crime comedy, which closed after a brief theatrical run in early 2012. Extras: Commentary with writer-director Jesse Baget and producer Christine Holder, making-of featurettes.

Also

"Assassin's Bullet," "Doctor Who: Spearhead From Space Special Edition" and "The Greatest Show in the Galaxy" (both BBC), "Inventing Our Life: The Kibbutz Experiment," "La Promesse" and "Rosetta" (1996, 1999, both from Belgium, directed by Luc and Jean-Pierre Dardenne, Criterion Collection), "Master Qi and the Monkey King," and "The Smurfs and the Magic Flute"

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