Home Entertainment News: December 23, 2013: THE FIFTH ESTATE

Julian Assange and Wikileaks dominated the newscape for 2013, so it was only natural filmmaker Bill Condon sought to tell his story on film. Benedict Cumberbatch stars as Assange along with Daniel Brühl, Laura Linney, Stanley Tucci, and Anthony Mackie as the principals surrounding the website. Told from the perspective of Daniel Domscheit-Berg (Brühl), a supporter and colleague of Assange (Cumberbatch), The Fifth Estate follows the rise and fall of the notorious website and agent of political change. Domscheit-Berg at first supported Assange in his missions to uncover the political secrets of the world’s economic superpowers, but eventually grew disillusioned with his methods and ethical breaches. Walt Disney Home Entertainment will release The Fifth Estate on home video January 28, 2014 with planned special features including theatrical trailers and television spots; Scoring Secrets, an examination of the composition and sound effects processes for the film’s score; In Camera: Graphics a study on the process involved in capturing on-screen computer graphics for the film; and The Submission Process—Visual Effects a step-by-step analysis of the entire visual effects process from conception to realization.

Saffron Films has announced its plans to release North Sea Texas (2013) (Noordze, Texas) a film by Bavo Defurne and starring Jelle Floorizoone, Ben van den Heuvel, Eva van der Gucht, Mathias Vergels, Katelijne Damen, and Thomas Coumans on February 10, 2014. North Sea Texasis a Belgian coming-of-age film about a young teen exploring his sexuality. Pim (Floorizone), secretly has a crush on the son of a family friend. When it becomes apparent his affections are not returned, Pim transfers his infatuation to a young boarder in the home he shares with his neglectful mother. Complicating matters, his mother has also decided to seduce the boarder.

Warner Bros. Home Entertainment will release Harry Potter Hogwarts Collection as a 31-disc set containing all eight Harry Potter films on Blu-ray, DVD, UltraViolet copy, with more than 37 hours of bonus content. The set is similar to an early boxed set, Harry Potter Wizard Collection, but does not include the collectible items available with the previous set. Harry Potter Hogwarts Collection includes the eight-part documentary Creating the World of Harry Potter and a bonus disc containing: The Harry Potters You Never Met chronicles the stunt doubles for Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson as they describe embodying their characters while doing their challenging stunt work, Designing the World of Harry Potter looks at how the production designer brought author J.K. Rowling‘s world to life, When Harry Left Hogwarts (Extended Edition) provides an extended behind-the-scenes look at the final days on set, 50 Greatest Harry Potter Moments (Definitive Version) looks at the cast members sharing their favorite on- and off-screen moments, Secrets Revealed! Quidditch exposes the tricks behind the Quidditch scenes, and Secrets Revealed! Hagrid exposes special costuming and camera tricks behind this favorite Harry Potter location.

StudioCanal has announced it will release the Formula One documentary 1-Life on the Limit (2013) on March 17, 2014. Michael Fassbender narrates this fast-paced chronicle of the speed and danger of life in the fast lane. The film begins with the sport’s origins in post-war Britain to the height of its popularity with the rivalry of 1976. 1-Life on the Limit follows the rise of the participants from lowly drivers to rock star Gods who seemed invincible—until they weren’t. The doc weaves together rare archival footage with comprehensive interviews with drivers and others involved with the sport to explain, if not romanticize, life in the fast lane.

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