By David Weiner
10:49 AM PST, January 10, 2012
Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill swing for the fences in Moneyball; Boardwalk Empire rules on Blu-ray; Killer Elite, What's Your Number? and more this week in new releases.
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The Scorpion King 3: Battle for Redemption
Universal
The Story: The producers of The Mummy bring the larger-than-life hero back for an all-new adventure featuring Ron Perlman and Billy Zane. Victor Webster is the dethroned king Mathayus, who must face some of his fiercest demons and most vicious rivals -- both earthbound and supernatural -- as an assassin for hire in an action-packed battle to regain his glory and reclaim the empire. Also starring UFC star Kimbo Slice and six-time WWE World Champion Dave Bautista.
Notable Special Features: Go behind the scenes with "Swords and Scorpions"; "Preparing for Battle"; deleted scenes; a digital copy and more.
Notable Special Features: Go behind the scenes with "Swords and Scorpions"; "Preparing for Battle"; deleted scenes; a digital copy and more.
Higher Ground
Sony Pictures Classics
The Story: Vera Farmiga stars in and directs this tale set against the backdrop of the '60s feminism movement, in which a woman's faith is put to the test as she struggles with the primary love relationships in her life. Also starring Joshua Leonard, John Hawkes, Dagmara Dominczyk, Norbert Leo Butz and Donna Murphy, Farmiga's directorial debut received acclaim for her nuanced, even-handed handling of religious material
1911
The Story: Jackie Chan co-directs and stars in this epic tribute to the 100th anniversary of the 1911 Xinhai Revolution, also marking the 100th film of Chan's career. The veteran star plays Huang Xin, one of the leaders of the revolution against the deteriorated Qing Dynasty, fighting for a better life for the people. Li Bing Bing, Winston Chao, Joan Chen, Sun Chan, Jiang Wu, Jaycee Chan and Ning Jing co-star.
Killer Elite
The Story: Jason Statham, Clive Owen and Robert De Niro make for an explosive combination in this story of an ex-special ops agent (Statham) lured out of retirement to rescue his mentor (De Niro) -- but first he must kill a trio of tough assassins and face off against their elite leader (Owen). Based on a true story and featuring locations ranging from London, Paris, Australia and the Middle East, this cat-and-mouse thriller has the genre appeal of Statham kicking up the dust with Owen.
Notable Special Features: Deleted and extended scenes.
Notable Special Features: Deleted and extended scenes.
What's Your Number?
Twentieth Century Fox
The Story: Anna Faris and Chris Evans headline this romantic comedy about a woman who has made one mistake too many with men. Thinking she may have missed out on true love, she revisits all of her exes -- including Andy Samberg, Zachary Quinto and Aziz Ansari -- to find the one that "got away." Chris plays her playboy neighbor who agrees to help her find the perfect man. Anna tells ET of the comedy, "I think that it's refreshing and funny and hopefully makes guys a little nervous."
Notable Special Features: An extended cut of the movie; gag reel; extended flashback dates.
Notable Special Features: An extended cut of the movie; gag reel; extended flashback dates.
There Be Dragons
20th Century Fox
The Story: Wes Bentley, Dougray Scott, Charlie Cox, Derek Jacobi, Rodrigo Santoro and Olga Kurylenko co-star in this epic war drama from Academy Award-nominated director Roland Joffe (The Mission, The Killing Fields). Scott plays Robert Torres, an investigative journalist who travels to Spain to research a book about Josemaría Escrivá (Cox), the controversial founder of the Catholic institution Opus Dei. Robert's secretive father (Bentley) turns out to have been childhood friends with Escrivá, and their story unfolds amid the brutal and tumultuous Spanish Civil War.
Notable Special Features: "Facing Your Dragons: Inspiring Testimony from Wes Bentley" and deleted scenes.
Notable Special Features: "Facing Your Dragons: Inspiring Testimony from Wes Bentley" and deleted scenes.
Boardwalk Empire: The Complete First Season
HBO
The Story: Golden Globe winner Steve Buscemi teams up with executive producer Martin Scorsese and The Sopranos Emmy winner Terence Winter for this lavish period drama that chronicles the glitz, decadence, corruption, backroom politics and vicious power struggles during the rise of organized crime in America. Taking place in 1920's Atlantic City during Prohibition, Buscemi plays town treasurer Enoch "Nucky" Thompson, equal parts politician and criminal, who takes full advantage of the city's strategic position between New York, Chicago and Philadelphia. Also starring Michael Kenneth Williams, Michael Shannon, Michael Pitt, Kelly Macdonald, Dabney Coleman, Paz de la Huerta and Gretchen Mol.
Notable Bonus Features: "Atlantic City: The Original Sin City"; the comprehensive "Character Dossier"; a "Speakeasy Tour"; a look at the making of the amazing 300-foot Boardwalk set in "Creating the Boardwalk"; enhanced viewing for Blu-ray and much more.
Notable Bonus Features: "Atlantic City: The Original Sin City"; the comprehensive "Character Dossier"; a "Speakeasy Tour"; a look at the making of the amazing 300-foot Boardwalk set in "Creating the Boardwalk"; enhanced viewing for Blu-ray and much more.
Moneyball
Columbia Pictures
The Story: Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill team up for this true baseball tale in which Brad plays Billy Beane, the general manager of the Oakland A's who attempts to turn around the baseball team's fortunes, despite a meager budget, with the help of a clever Ivy League grad (Jonah). Brad turns on the charm as he tries to turn an underdog Major League team into winners on a budget, and Jonah steps up to the plate to take a swing in the acting big leagues in a smart script by Aaron Sorkin (The Social Network) and Steven Zaillian (Searching for Bobby Fischer). Philip Seymour Hoffman and Robin Wright also star.
Notable Special Features: Deleted scenes; blooper reel; "Billy Beane: Re-Inventing the Game"; "Drafting the Team" Blu-ray exclusive and more.
Notable Special Features: Deleted scenes; blooper reel; "Billy Beane: Re-Inventing the Game"; "Drafting the Team" Blu-ray exclusive and more.