Based on the historical novels by Winston Graham, Poldark follows the adventures (and misadventures) of the 
title character as he returns from war to a home and a life turned upside down in his time away and his ensuing struggles to piece together a new business, new friendships, and a new family. Aidan Turner stars as Ross Poldark, who I might venture to say gives Mr. Darcy a run for his money when it comes to being a flawed British costume drama hero (I wouldn’t say it too loudly, of course). The show has received multiple award nominations and wins (including a BAFTA this year) and has a loyal fan base, however this year in the UK it had to compete for their attention against fellow historical drama Victoria (both showing on Sunday nights), so if you’re a fan, keep your fingers crossed that the show won’t be pushed out any time soon.
Out now is a DVD and Blu-ray set for Season 2, which in addition to all of the episodes includes over 30 minutes of extras. Notable bonus features include a behind-the-scenes featurette (with cast and crew discussing their love of Cornwall, the challenges of shooting on location and at a studio simultaneously, and tricks of the trade to help the show end up seamlessly stunning as it does), Portrait of a Marriage (an examination of the union of Ross and Demelza, whose passionate and stubborn natures both cause the pair to consistently butt heads and also make them such an excellent match), and a walk through tour of the set for Nampara with Eleanor Tomlinson (Demelza). Both formats are available on Amazon: the DVD is priced at at $24.99 and the Blu-ray is $31.99.
Stagecoach: The Texas Jack Story follows the trials and tribulations of Nathaniel Reed, a former outlaw who has found peace in domestic life until a former enemy resurfaces and circumstances plunge him back into his life of crime. Trace Adkins stars in the title role (you may know him from his award-winning career as a country music singer or perhaps from from his participation on Celebrity Apprentice… he actually won All-Star Celebrity Apprentice in 2013 and in the process raised $1.5 million for the Red Cross). The film is directed by Terry Miles and alongside Adkins stars Judd Nelson, Kim Coates, Claude Duhamel, Michelle, Garry Chalk, and Helena Marie. It had a limited theatrical release in November of this year and is now available for home viewing.
As to streaming options for this one, there is rather odd pricing on Amazon: it currently costs exactly the same ($4.99 for HD) to rent the film as it does to buy the digital version (leaving one to wonder who would choose to rent). The same price will let you purchase on iTunes as well. (Netflix subscribers, though, are out of luck on this one and must look elsewhere.) The film is available on Amazon in DVD and Blu-ray formats for $9.96 and $12.99, respectively (the Blu-ray also includes a “making of” featurette). For those who love westerns, independent films, or watching Trace Adkins walk around looking grizzly and kicking butt, this may be one to consider.
