SCREENING ROOM

DVD: “San Andreas,” “Big Eden,” “The Lives We Lead,” & More!

c64f98fe82f99a17770f6a706700cebd_c0-0-3000-1748_s561x327Disaster, romance and an Aussie family drama make up this week’s home entertainment highlights.

The West Coast gets all sorts of earthquake-d in the disaster spectacle San Andreas (above), a lonely gay city boy finds love in his rural hometown in Big Eden, and the lives of two Australian sisters and a gay guy are followed in The Lives We Lead.

Now for the trailers and details!

 


San Andreas

($44.95 3D Blu-ray, $28.98 DVD; Warner Bros)

California finally gets hit with “the big one” — and a few other quakes to boot — in this CGI-rich disaster movie very much in the vein of (and surprisingly not directed by) Roland Emmerich. Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson stars as an LAFD helicopter pilot who will of course come to the rescue of a handful of characters like a family and two wise-cracking British siblings. The dialogue by scriptwriter Carlton Cuse is mind-numbing and repetitious, along the lines of Poltergeist 3, yet it’s crazy to see all that CGI destruction in 3D. Extras include making-of featurettes, deleted scenes, gag reel, stunt reel and a commentary from director Brad Peyton.

 

Big Eden

($24.95 Blu-ray, $14.95 DVD; Wolfe)

Henry Hart, a gay New York artist, returns to his rural Montana hometown when grandad’s heart goes all wonky. There, Henry reunites with his unrequited High School crush (Tim DeKay), now the father of two children, yet it’s striking Pike Dexter (Eric Schweig), the shy Native American who runs the town’s general store, who seems a more likely match for the lonely Hart’s heart. Refreshingly, the town’s gossipy residents, rather than run them both out with pitchforks or whatever small town folk use for such shenanigans, merrily attempt to hook the pair up. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry. It’s adorable.

Despite being one of the most sweet, romantic and heartfelt LGBT titles of its time, director Tom Bezucha’s Big Eden was also a bit of a sleeper and still is. To celebrate its 15th Anniversary, a sparkling remastered Blu-ray edition has been released, which features an all-new looking-back featurette with Bezucha and stars Gross, Schweig, DeKay, and Louise Fletcher. It’s a must.

 

The Lives We Lead

($24.99 DVD; Davo Hardy Productions)

This ambitious indie feature debut of Australian actor/director/writer Davo Hardy spans fifty turbulent years — from childhood to old age — in the lives of a pair of oil-and-water sisters, Edith and Pamela. Gavin, one of the boys/men most important in their lives is gay, and plays a prominent role. Fun Fact: The Lives We Lead originated as a 10-minute play with the film’s co-writers/stars, Sally Williams and Georgina Neville, but was expanded to feature film length with two male characters, including the openly gay Gavin.

 

ALSO OUT:

 

619XZtnoVKL._SX342_Tomorrowland

 

Call Me Lucky

 

The Gallows

 

Dope

 

Faith of our Fathers

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