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You loved the movie, what about the DVD?
Find out as we examine the extras on this week's best movie DVDs...
“STATE OF PLAY”
Stars: Russell Crowe, Ben Affleck, Rachel McAdams
Director: Kevin Macdonald (“The Last King of Scotland”)
Format: DVD, Blu-ray
What we said: "Finally: A cops-and-reporters thriller that actually feels up to date."
Extras: DVD: Deleted scenes; “The Making of ‘State of Play’” featurette.
Blu-ray: The above extras plus U-Control functions that include picture-in-picture featurettes and an interactive guide to the Washington, D.C. locations used in the film; BD-Live functions that include scene sharing.
Worth watching: The picture-in-picture featurettes really illustrate how certain scenes were shot.
Worth skipping: With people bringing guns to town halls and President Obama’s speeches, maybe a guide to D.C. isn’t such a good idea.
Worth adding: A commentary with Macdonald, Affleck, McAdams, co-star Helen Mirren and, if he promises to be nice, Crowe. Otherwise he can just wait outside until the adults are finished.
Buy, rent or ignore: Rent.
“SIN NOMBRE”
Stars: Paulina Gaitan, Edgar M. Flores
Director: Cary Fukunaga (“Kofi”)
Formats: DVD
What we said: "A tense, awfully depressing companion piece to last year's great 'Wendy and Lucy' when seen as a search for opportunity where there isn't any."
Extras: Commentary by Fukunaga and producer Amy Kaufman.
Worth watching: Though you don’t have anything else to choose from, the commentary is actually pretty enlightening.
Worth skipping: The commentary…until after you watch the movie. You wouldn’t want to spoil anything, would you?
Worth adding: Gaitan and Flores to the commentary, or their own commentary. We always like hearing the actor’s perspective.
Buy, rent or ignore: Rent.
“SUGAR”
Stars: Algenis Perez Soto
Director: Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck (“Half Nelson”)
Formats: DVD, Blu-ray
What we said: "How many sports dramas dare to think beyond winning, losing and how you play the game? The narrative thrust of Sugar comes from somewhere less expected."
Extras: DVD: Deleted scenes; “Play Béisbol! The Dominican Dream,” “Making ‘Sugar’: Run the Bases” and “Casting ‘Sugar’: Interview with Algenis Perez Soto” featurettes.
Blu-ray: All of the above extras plus BD-Live functions.
Worth watching: “Play Béisbol!” includes some interesting interviews with Dominican MLB players Sammy Sosa, David Ortiz and Pedro Martinez.
Worth skipping: “Making ‘Sugar’” is a rather rote making-of featurette.
Worth adding: A commentary by Soto, Boden and Fleck would compensate for the thin “Making ‘Sugar’.”
Buy, rent or ignore: Rent.
Other DVDs out this week:
— Disney's nature documentary division shows you the wonders of “Earth” (also on Blu-ray)
— A dark relationship dramedy that sounds dirtier than it is: "Good Dick"
— Get your Halloween film festival in a neat, handy package with “TCM Greatest Classic Films Collection: Horror,” which includes “Freaks,” “House of Wax,” “The Haunting” and “Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde”
— You’ll have a thrilling good time with “TCM Greatest Classic Films Collection: Murder Mysteries,” which includes “The Big Sleep,” “Dial M for Murder,” “The Maltese Falcon” and “The Postman Always Rings Twice”
— Go back to the future with “TCM Greatest Classic Films Collection: Sci-Fi” which includes “2001: A Space Odyssey,” “Forbidden Planet,” “Soylent Green” and “The Time Machine”
— No, you won’t be able to see any more of Elisha Cuthbert if you buy the new version of “The Girl Next Door” on Blu-ray. Perv.
Also on Blu-ray:
“Braveheart”
“Gladiator”
“High Crimes”
“M*A*S*H”
"Monster"
Also released:
"Bring It On: Fight to the Finish" (also on Blu-ray)
“Homeboy”
"Tennessee"
