On Demand DVD New Releases March 3-9 This week, Bryan Cranston — of Breaking Bad/Malcolm in the Middle fame — makes a big-screen appearance in Cold Comes the Night and Jennifer Lawrence returns as Katniss Everdeen in the second Hunger Games installment The Hunger Games: Catching Fire. Spike Lee, John Brolin and Elizabeth Olsen team up for Oldboy, while a number of big-name celebs join forces for the documentary Girl Rising.
Cold Comes the Night A struggling motel owner and her daughter are taken hostage by a nearly blind career criminal to be his eyes as he attempts to retrieve his cash package from a crooked cop. Alice Eve, Bryan Cranston. Logan Marshall-Green (R, 1:30) 3/4
Girl Rising This innovative new documentary film is about the power of education to change a girl — and the world. Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Liam Neeson, Cate Blanchette, Selena Gomez and other A-list actors contribute voice performances to the film,which features original music from Academy Award winner Rachel Portman, in collaboration with Hans Zimmer. The film spotlights unforgettable girls like Sokha, an orphan who rises from the dumps of Cambodia to become a star student and an accomplished dancer; Suma, who composes music to help her endure forced servitude in Nepal and today crusades to free others; and Ruksana, an Indian “pavement-dweller” whose father sacrifices his own basic needs for his daughter’s dreams. (PG-13, 1:41) 3/4 Pre-theatrical release
Oldboy Spike Lee directs this revenge drama — based on the notorious Korean film — about a man seeking to find the mysterious party who inexplicably imprisoned him for 20 years. Josh Brolin, Elizabeth Olsen, Sharlto Copley (R, 1:44) 3/4
Wicked Blood Hannah Lee Baker is a bright teen girl trapped in the dark Southern underworld of violence and guns, meth labs and vicious biker gangs, and whose only refuge is chess. She lives with Amber, her older sister; and her uncle Donny, an addict. All live in fear of Uncle Frank Stinson, who runs the illegal family business with an iron fist, aided by his psychotic younger brother Bobby. Things change for the worse when Amber falls in love with Wild Bill, a meth trafficker who finds himself at war with Frank. Hannah realizes the only way to save her family is by cleverly scheming to pit one pawn against another in a cunning chess game. Abigail Breslin, Sean Bean (NR, 1:30) 3/4
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire Jennifer Lawrence returns in the second part of the Hunger Games saga, which finds that life on the victory tour for Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson) is just as dangerous as trying to survive in the arena. It turns out that her defiance during the games has started to foment the fires of a nationwide revolution, and the powers that be — led by the menacing President Snow (Donald Sutherland) — will stop at nothing to retain their control. (PG-13, 2:26) 3/7
Missing William Abby, a thirty-something artist living in Rhode Island, is caring for her husband, William, after he is tragically injured in a bar fight. As Abby nurses her husband back to health, James, her childhood sweetheart, tries to help her enjoy living life again. The complicated love triangle that ensues concludes with a realization that is as profound as it is beautiful. Brandon Routh, Courtney Ford, Reid Scott (PG) 3/7 Same day as theatrical release