New DVD Releases for Mothering Sunday

Mothering Sunday – often known as Mother’s Day – falls on Sunday 14th March in the UK this year, marking something of a windfall for retailers as millions of people rush to buy gifts for their mothers. While flowers and chocolates are amongst the most popular presents, DVDs have become more and more popular in recent years, offering hard-working mums a chance to put their up and relax by watching one of their favourite films or television series.

Re-rereleased on DVD and Blur Ray just weeks before Mothering Sunday, Disney’s classic Alice in Wonderland makes an ideal gift. The special 60th Anniversary Edition is a truly exceptional release that features superb sound and picture quality. the Blu Ray release, in particular, boasts nigh-on-perfect image quality, with strong vibrant colours and crisp, cleanly defined characters in the 1080p presentation. It is perhaps the best version of Alice in Wonderland ever released and a wonderful way for your mother to get reacquainted with one of the all time classics of cinema.

February 2011 also sees the DVD release of a modern animated classic, Sylvain Chomet’s The Illusionist. This beautiful film follows the story of a down-on-his-luck French performing magician who comes to Britain seeking an upturn in his fortunes at the beginning on the 1960s. Set mostly in Scotland, one of the film’s biggest attraction is its awe-inspiring rendition of the city of Edinburgh, presented here with an air of timeless majesty that only adds to its already famously beautiful architecture. The Illusionist was created by the team behind the 2003 Oscar-nominated animated film Belleville Rendez-vous and the same magic that made it so special is also here in spades.

Another excellent choice for a Mother’s Day gift is Mike Leigh’s Another Year, released on 28th February. This comedic drama, starring heavyweight British actors like Jim Broadbent, Lesley Manville and Ruth Sheen, was one of the most universally acclaimed films of 2010 and was nominated for the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival. The life-affirming plot features a married couple who have remained happy together for decades as they face a year where many of their friends and family members are stuck by unhappiness.

Mothers who enjoy relaxing with a good boxset of their favourite television series are in for a treat this Mothering Sunday with the new DVD releases of two top US shows. CSI: Las Vegas, the original CSI series before the Miami and New York spin-offs, returns for its tenth series with Laurence Fishburne in the leading role as Dr Ray Langston. The team investigate dozens of bizarre murders over the course of one of the most exciting seasons yet.

The fifth season of The Office: An American Workplace also arrives on DVD in time for Mothering Sunday. Though originally a Transatlantic spin-off of the cult UK comedy starring Ricky Gervais, the adaption has come into its own in the last few years and is now one of the most highly regarded shows on television on either side of the pond.

Jennifer is a part of the digital blogging team at getyourblogsout.com who work with brands like Play.com. For more information about me, or to keep up to date with the latest in entertainment news, check out my posts at getyourblogsout.com or visit my Twitter account, @BlogsOut