Skip to main content
Games Radar
  • Newsarama
  • Total Film
  • Edge
  • Retro Gamer
  • SFX
Total Film The smarter take on movies
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
flag of UK
UK
flag of US
US
flag of Canada
Canada
flag of Australia
Australia
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Features
  • More
    • PS5
    • Xbox Series X
    • Nintendo Switch
    • Nintendo Switch 2
    • PC
    • Platforms
    • Tabletop Gaming
    • Comics
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • SFX
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
    • Newsletters
    • About us
    • Features
Gaming Magazines
Gaming Magazines
Why subscribe?
  • Subscribe from just £3
  • Takes you closer to the games, movies and TV you love
  • Try a single issue or save on a subscription
  • Issues delivered straight to your door or device
From$12
View
Trending
  • Best Netflix Movies
  • Best movies on Disney Plus
  • Movie Release Dates
  • Best Netflix Shows
Recommended reading
Uma Thurman as Discord in The Old Guard 2.
Movies The 25 best movies on Netflix to watch this week
Amber Midthunder as Naru running away from the Predator during the Hulu movie, Prey.
Hulu The 10 best movies on Hulu to watch right now
Anna Kendrick in Another Simple Favor
Streaming Services 6 new movies and shows to watch this weekend on Netflix, Prime, Disney Plus, and more (May 2 - 4)
Tom Holland in new Netflix movie The Devil All the Time
Thriller Movies The 25 best Netflix thrillers to watch right now
John Cena and Idris Elba in Heads of State
Amazon Prime Video The 25 best movies on Amazon Prime to watch right now
Ben Affleck in The Accountant 2
Streaming Services 6 new movies and shows to watch this weekend on Netflix, Prime, Disney Plus, and more (June 6 - 8)
Daisy Ridley in Cleaner
Streaming Services 6 new movies and shows to watch this weekend on Netflix, Prime, Disney Plus, and more (June 13 - 15)
  1. Entertainment
  2. Movies

Movies to watch on Blu-Ray and DVD: Mother!, Wind River, and more

Features
By Total Film Staff published 20 January 2018

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Out on January 22 and January 29

Out on January 22 and January 29

Jennifer Lawrence’s house party goes awry. Jeremy Renner uncovers a body in the snow. Billy Wilder’s most underrated film.

Yes, here’s the new DVD and Blu-Ray releases coming out in the next two weeks. Click on for our reviews of Mother!, Wind River, God’s Own Country, The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes, Victoria & Abdul, Kingsman: The Golden Circle, Howards End, The Big Sleep, and The Complete Monterey Pop Festival.

For the best movie reviews, subscribe to Total Film.

Page 1 of 10
Page 1 of 10
Mother!

Mother!

Any way you slice it, writer-director Darren Aronofsky’s (Black Swan) controversy-magnet is a staggering bait-and-switch. It lures you in with two Oscar-winning stars (Jennifer Lawrence, Javier Bardem) and the framework of a home-invasion thriller, and then bludgeons you with… well, what exactly?

Acres of press have tried to untangle mother!’s subtextual implications. There has also been no shortage of debate over whether or not it’s any good. What’s striking is how Aronofsky combines the existential dread of an arthouse maestro with the thrill-ride flourishes of a Hollywood showman.

As Lawrence’s young bride deals with husband Bardem’s attitude to guests, there’s the brief worry that mother! might merely be a darkly comic chamber drama. Fear not. Aronofsky’s style is set to maximum intensity: the camera is close, the sound design is abrasive, the outstanding production design transforms a home into a war zone. Eventually, the calm gives way to turbulent storm, with nightmarish cutaways fraught with menacing detail.

So what’s it about? Aronofsky insists it dramatises mankind’s wanton destruction of Earth, but it’s (un)pleasantly open-ended. It might also be an allegory about narcissism, a fable of abuse, or a catty satire of social media in which oversharing leads to apocalypse. As Bardem’s poet says of his work, “It affects everyone in different ways.”

EXTRAS: Making Of, Featurette

Director: Darren Aronofsky; Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Javier Bardem, Michelle Pfeiffer; Digital HD release: January 8, 2018; DVD, BD, 4K release: January 22, 2018

Simon Kinnear

Page 2 of 10
Page 2 of 10
Wind River

Wind River

On the titular Native American reservation, a tracker (Jeremy Renner, on his best form since The Town) finds a dead girl in the snow and – along with a lone FBI agent (Elizabeth Olsen, underserved) – uncovers a brutal truth amid the unforgiving landscape that is symptomatic of a wider, shocking statistic.

Like writer/director Taylor Sheridan’s Sicario and Hell or High Water, Wind River is beautifully crafted, compelling and shines a light on modern American issues. But it also suffers by comparison to its predecessors.

EXTRAS: Deleted scenes, Featurette

Director: Taylor Sheridan; Starring: Jeremy Renner, Elizabeth Olsen; Digital HD release: January 8, 2018; DVD, BD release: January 22, 2018

Jane Crowther

Page 3 of 10
Page 3 of 10
God’s Own Country

God’s Own Country

Francis Lee’s delicate yet gruff northern romance was dubbed ‘the Yorkshire Brokeback’ due to the heated coupling of dour sheep farmer Johnny (Josh O’Connor) with Gheorghe (Alec Secareanu), the gentle Romanian shepherd he hires.

While there’s plenty of windswept desire and a smart script loaded with the unspoken, GOC forges its own path thanks to unsentimental performances, authentic locations and a beguiling sense of hope. Shame not to gain more insight into all of this via a chat-track or Making Of.

EXTRAS: Deleted/Extended scenes

Director: Francis Lee; Starring: Josh O'Connor, Alec Secareanu; DVD, BD release: January 22, 2018

Jane Crowther

Page 4 of 10
Page 4 of 10
The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes

The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes

Billy Wilder’s most underrated film is also one of his most sumptuous, as evinced by Eureka’s beautiful, extras-laden Blu-ray print of this 1970 classic; all clattering cobbles, billowing steam trains and lush Scottish countryside.

Robert Stephens plays the titular sleuth, archly uttering aphorisms (“Some of us are cursed with memories like flypaper”) while Colin Blakely’s hapless Watson struggles to keep up, in a slyly funny and gently melancholy yarn involving circus dwarves, mysterious femme fatales and the Loch Ness Monster.

EXTRAS: Interviews, Deleted scenes, Booklet

Director: Billy Wilder; Starring: Robert Stephens, Christopher Lee, Colin Blakely; BD release: January 22, 2018

Ali Catterall

Page 5 of 10
Page 5 of 10
Victoria & Abdul

Victoria & Abdul

It’s not as if the world was crying out for a sequel to 1997’s Mrs. Brown, but the regal return of Judi Dench as Queen Victoria, now in her twilight years, makes for another charming, chaste affair. This time, it’s her friendship with Indian servant Abdul (Ali Fazal) that provokes consternation in the royal household.

Cue a touching, timely fable of cultural exchange, much genial (if repetitive) farce and some choice British character acting, all guided by Stephen Frears’ typically assured hand.

EXTRAS: Featurettes

Director: Stephen Frears; Starring: Judi Dench, Ali Fazal, Tim Pigott-Smith; Digital HD release: January 8, 2018; DVD, BD release: January 22, 2018

Simon Kinnear

Page 6 of 10
Page 6 of 10
Kingsman: The Golden Circle

Kingsman: The Golden Circle

Kingsman’s success emboldened Matthew Vaughn to go bigger for the sequel. But therein lies the problem. Taron Egerton’s agent Eggsy’s drugs-ring investigations lead Stateside this time, diluting the original’s Brit-chap slant. Channing Tatum, Jeff Bridges and Halle Berry, meanwhile, are underused, while Elton John is over-indulged.

The cast are fun, the set-pieces flashy, but some cheap gags misfire. As for Julianne Moore’s sketchy villain role: did it meet with the mincer she feeds henchmen to?

EXTRAS: Featurettes, Concept art, Stills

Director: Matthew Vaughn; Starring: Taron Egerton, Colin Firth, Mark Strong; Digital HD release: January 13, 2018; DVD, BD release: January 29, 2018

Kevin Harley

Page 7 of 10
Page 7 of 10
Howards End

Howards End

Merchant Ivory’s immaculately crafted adap of E.M. Forster’s class-clash novel gets a gorgeous 4K restoration. Buffed up a treat, its handsomely detailed Edwardian setting and Richard Robbins’ swooning score never overwhelm James Ivory’s elegant, unfussy direction.

Emma Thompson’s principled heroine won her an Oscar, but Anthony Hopkins and Vanessa Redgrave are also first-rate. A chatty, celebratory package of commentary and interview extras reveal how, despite the starry cast, it was all done on a shoestring budget.

EXTRAS: Commentary, Featurettes (BD)

Director: James Ivory; Starring: Anthony Hopkins, Emma Thompson, Vanessa Redgrave; DVD, BD release: November 27, 2017

Kate Stables

Page 8 of 10
Page 8 of 10
The Big Sleep/The Maltese Falcon

The Big Sleep/The Maltese Falcon

Two of the greatest film noirs, John Huston’s The Maltese Falcon and Howard Hawks’ The Big Sleep both star Humphrey Bogart as a cynical-but-moral PI working corkscrew cases overspilling with alluring lowlifes, machine-gun patter and deadly dames.

Both look great on Blu, while The Big Sleep includes the 1945 pre-release version – more linear, and with less Bogie/Bacall sizzle before reshoots lit the fire.

EXTRAS: Commentaries, Make-up tests, Featurettes, Alternate version of The Big Sleep

Director: Howard Hawks (The Big Sleep), John Huston (The Maltese Falcon); Starring: Humphrey Bogart, Lauren Bacall (The Big Sleep), Mary Astor (The Maltese Falcon); Dual Format release: November 11, 2017

Jamie Graham

Page 9 of 10
Page 9 of 10
The Complete Monterey Pop Festival

The Complete Monterey Pop Festival

D.A. Pennebaker’s classic document of 1967’s Monterey Pop Festival is an emotional experience. This is the one where Jimi Hendrix sets fire to his guitar; where Otis Redding, bathed in celestial backlight, wins adoring devotees (“This is the love crowd, am I right!”), and where Janis Joplin’s devastating honey-and-barbed wire delivery renders the audience speechless. And within three years, they’d all be dead.

Criterion’s definitive Blu-ray package includes complete sets from Redding and Hendrix.

EXTRAS: Commentaries, Interviews, Deleted scenes, Alternate soundtracks, Photo essay, Booklet

Director: D.A. Pennebaker; DVD, BD release: December 18, 2017

Ali Catterall

Page 10 of 10
Page 10 of 10
Total Film Staff

The Total Film team are made up of the finest minds in all of film journalism. They are: Editor Jane Crowther, Deputy Editor Matt Maytum, Reviews Ed Matthew Leyland, News Editor Jordan Farley, and Online Editor Emily Murray. Expect exclusive news, reviews, features, and more from the team behind the smarter movie magazine. 

See more Movies Features
Read more
Uma Thurman as Discord in The Old Guard 2.
The 25 best movies on Netflix to watch this week
Amber Midthunder as Naru running away from the Predator during the Hulu movie, Prey.
The 10 best movies on Hulu to watch right now
Anna Kendrick in Another Simple Favor
6 new movies and shows to watch this weekend on Netflix, Prime, Disney Plus, and more (May 2 - 4)
Tom Holland in new Netflix movie The Devil All the Time
The 25 best Netflix thrillers to watch right now
John Cena and Idris Elba in Heads of State
The 25 best movies on Amazon Prime to watch right now
Ben Affleck in The Accountant 2
6 new movies and shows to watch this weekend on Netflix, Prime, Disney Plus, and more (June 6 - 8)
Latest in Movies
Dune
You'll never guess what they're officially calling Dune 3
David Corenswet as Superman inside the Fortress of Solitude in James Gunn's Superman.
Superman review: "A triumphant reinvention and a promising start for the DCU"
Julia Garner as Silver Surfer in The Fantastic Four: First Steps
New Fantastic Four clip reveals the Silver Surfer's chilling introduction of Galactus: "Your planet is now marked for death"
David Corenswet and Rachel Brosnahan in Superman
Superman star Rachel Brosnahan would love to see the "storied history" between Lois Lane and Wonder Woman in the DCU
Hannah John-Kamen as Ghost in Thunderbolts*
7 years after its release, Marvel fans are discussing how they feel about Ant-Man and the Wasp after Thunderbolts* reimagined Ghost for the better
David Corenswet as Superman kneels by a broken robot in the new Superman movie.
When is Superman on streaming? Speculation on the potential HBO Max release date
Latest in Features
Star Wars Battlefront 2 (2017) screenshot showing Darth Vader walking through a hangar flanked by two stormtroopers
I've spent 11 hours fighting AI in EA's Star Wars Battlefront 2, and it's taking me back to the glory days of PS2 skirmish modes
Dollman is lost in thought in Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
This is now a Dollman fan account: Death Stranding 2's puppet pal makes for my favorite PlayStation duo since Ratchet & Clank
Agent 47 on a mission in Hitman: World of Assassination
I'm loving Hitman: World of Assassination on Switch 2, but the game's always-online requirement is worse than ever
Kaizen: A Factory Story key art featuring a production line making a toy electronic
"Make games and die. That's my plan": Coincidence's Zach Barth on making games about making things, a year of teaching, and being in it for the long haul
Cyberpunk Edgerunners
Cyberpunk Edgerunners season 2: Everything we know about CD Projekt Red's anime
Ghost, Bob, Yelena, and John Walker peeking around a corner in Thunderbolts
Marvel Phase 5 closes a weird, ramshackle chapter in MCU history – and shows what Marvel needs to get right in Phase 6
  1. A Gundam style mech in Mecha Break
    1
    Mecha Break review: "This mech battler makes up for lacking customization with a varied roster that lets me live out my Evangelion fantasy"
  2. 2
    Death Stranding 2: On the Beach review: "This tarpunk delivery epic is more Metal Gear Solid than ever, for better and worse"
  3. 3
    Rematch review: "As with Rocket League, the just-one-more-game pull is magnetic"
  4. 4
    Tron: Catalyst review: "Disc slinging is a thrill in this gorgeous rendition of the series, but I'm let down by a time-loop story that falls flat"
  5. 5
    FBC: Firebreak review: "A disappointingly bland multiplayer FPS that's missing far too much of what made Control special"
  1. David Corenswet as Superman inside the Fortress of Solitude in James Gunn's Superman.
    1
    Superman review: "A triumphant reinvention and a promising start for the DCU"
  2. 2
    Jurassic World Rebirth Review: "An unscary sequel that needed a little more time in amber"
  3. 3
    M3GAN 2.0 review: "A bold sequel with a slightly underwhelming conclusion"
  4. 4
    28 Years Later Review: "Enough terror, splatter and suspense to satisfy”
  5. 5
    Predator: Killer of Killers review: "Great characters, thrilling action, and gorgeous Arcane-esque animation"
  1. Lee Jung-jae as Gi-hun in Squid Game season 3
    1
    Squid Game season 3 review: "A staggeringly excellent final season wraps up one of the greatest Netflix shows ever"
  2. 2
    Ironheart review: "A relic of Marvel's content-at-all-costs era"
  3. 3
    Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3 review: "The show's most assured run of episodes to date"
  4. 4
    Doctor Who season 2, episode 8 spoiler review: 'The Reality War' is "a mix of the good, the bad, and the truly baffling"
  5. 5
    Doctor Who season 2, episode 7 spoiler review: 'Wish World' is "an exciting and ambitious" start to the season finale, with hints of WandaVision

GamesRadar+ is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

  • About Us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Review guidelines
  • Write for us
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Careers

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...