Even if you know nothing about boxing, documentary Foreman really packs a punch
We round up this week's most popular DVD releases, from boxing documentary Foreman to Morrissey biopic England Is Mine
Foreman (PG) — out now
Apparently everyone's favourite grill salesman George Foreman had a previous career in boxing - who knew?
Joking aside, Foreman really has had several lives: wayward youth to champion boxer - so far, so typical - before quitting in his prime for a ten-year spell as a preacher, then his battle to reclaim the world heavyweight title as a tubby 45-year-old.
This documentary rattles through the whole odyssey, with interviews from the likes of Foreman himself and opponent Evander Holyfield.
Often boxing success turns likeable young fighters arrogant, so it's uplifting to see how success eventually brought out a much nicer George.
The boxing footage, which includes the 1974 Rumble in the Jungle against Muhammad Ali is visceral stuff, and you really feel Foreman's power.
But it doesn't dominate, and even if you know nothing about boxing, his film really packs a punch as a fantastic underdog story.
Rating: 4.5/5
Girl's Trip (15) — out December 4
Ever wondered what The Hangover would be like if it was recast with four black women?
Well join the Flossy Posse - a group of estranged friends in their mid-30s reuniting for a girls' weekend.
Ryan (Regina Hall) is one half of America's hottest showbiz couple, is a (Jada Pinkett Smith) is an uptight single mum, while Sasha (a twinkling Queen Latifah) is a broke gossip journalist.
Last is lunatic Dina (Tiffany Haddish) - and it's here the film stumbles.
Dina is clearly meant to be amusing but is so vile that it's hard to want to be part of her gang.
It's a shame because she spoils the first half before toning it down.
With music star cameos aplenty, there are enough laughs to while away the wait for the next Bridesmaids or American Pie - but it's not quite up there with them.
Rating: 2.5/5
England Is Mine (15) — out December 4
Jack Lowden gives a winning performance as Morrissey in an entertaining tale of his adult life in Manchester before he became the iconic frontman of The Smiths.
Lowden - who starred as an RAF pilot in this year's Dunkirk - captures some of Morrissey's mannerisms, gently poking fun at him without lurching into parody, and also capturing a more sensitive side.
There is much to enjoy in the many wry moments of comedy, particularly in exchanges with his boss and colleagues during an ill-fated office career.
The film is less successful, though, when it veers towards melodrama trying to offer an insight into Morrissey's inner life.
But while it fails to pack the emotional punch it sometimes aims for, well-judged performances from its stars - including Downton Abbey's Jessica Brown Findlay and Doctor Foster's Jodie Comer - make it worth the effort.
Rating: 3/5
Sachin: A Billion Dreams (12) — out December 4
The love affair started when Sachin Tendulkar’s sister bought him his first cricket bat.
“It was practice, practice, practice,” recalls the man himself.
In 664 appearances for India, he hit a world record 34,357 runs, including 100 centuries.Sachin: A Billion Dreams tells how, during a 24-year career, Tendulkar shouldered the hopes of a billion fans in the world’s most cricket-mad nation.
His life and career go full circle when,after several World Cup heartbreaks, he lifts the trophy in 2011 in hometown Mumbai.
The adulation of the Little Master cannot be overestimated. “Sachin! Sachin!” is the cry throughout.
As ex-England spinner Graeme Swann says: “A billion people would throw themselves in front of a train for this man.” Ideal for the cricket purist looking for a winter fix.
Rating: 3/5
Terminator 2: Judgment Day 3D — out December 4
Twenty-six years after the original release of T2, Arnold is back and this time he’s been remastered. The most expensive film ever made ($100m at the time) still stands up today and is now even more dazzling than ever.
You know the story, this time the Terminator’s not trying to kill the saviour of mankind, John Connor (Edward Furlong) but save him from a new, more sophisticated and even more deadly T1000 Terminator (Robert Patrick).
MOST READ IN TV & SHOWBIZ
The special effects are still great and now even more spectacular in HD, keeping you gripped right through the struggle of keeping young John from being "terminated". Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton) steps up as super mom, almost a female version of the futuristic cyborgs and doesn’t hold back.
It's a rollercoaster of a ride through thrills, spills and a Terminator learning the value of human life. The 3D conversion is slick, but it's not that much of an addition to the basic remastered
version, released on the same date.
Still, one of the two is definitely worth adding to your action collection, even if you have the original release.