VIDEO VIEW: Video View Ant-Man

With its decidedly different superhero, “Ant-Man,” who is part of the Marvel universe, didn’t initially seem like he would become a cinematic giant.
But that’s what happened.
The impressive PG-13 picture, which cost $130 million, stars the gifted Paul Rudd in the title role and features Michael Douglas, Anthony Mackie, Judy Greer and Evangeline Lilly. The story follows Rudd’s Scott Lang, a con-man-turned-superhero with the ability — via a special suit — to become an incredibly shrinking man and use the tiniest creatures to battle evil.
Thanks to smart plot twists and feel-good vibes by director Peyton Reed (“Bring It On”) and Rudd’s on-target performance that balances light moments with action-hero sequences, “Ant-Man” enjoyed, according to Box Office Mojo, a huge global gross of $518,314,934. (“Ant-Man” is available on DVD and Blu-ray Disc and is available in 2-D and 3-D.)
In an interview with theguardian.com at the time of the film’s July 17 release, Rudd, whose acting credits include “Anchorman” and “The 40-Year-Old Virgin,” recognized that some people might not be clear on a superhero who can shrink to about the size of a pencil point.
On the website, Rudd said:
“I knew being in this would make people say: ‘What? Really?’ “But this is partly why he works in the film — after all, a movie about a man whose special power is that he comes ant-sized is not calling for a classic macho man (although Rudd did buff up a little for the film, a process he describes, with sweet nerdiness, as “enjoyable — it was fun for me to have that kind of focus.”).”
According to High-Def Digest, the extras on the Blu-ray of “Ant-Man” include:
Audio commentary by Rudd and Reed; a making-of featurette (“The Making of an Ant-Sized Heist”); a featurette on creating a world from Ant-Man’s perspective; deleted scenes and a gag reel.
Recent releases
The following titles either recently arrived or will soon appear at video outlets:
“Born Free,” with Virginia McKenna and Bill Travers in the PG-rated favorite (1969) about the relationship between a lioness and an African game warden and his wife.
“Count Dracula,” with Christopher Lee in Spanish director Jess Franco’s horror picture (1969) that’s described as the most faithful adaptation of Bram Stoker’s vampire novel.
“The Fourth War,” with Roy Scheider and Jurgen Prochnow in director John Frankenheimer’s R-rated military drama (1990) about two gung-ho border commanders waging personal battles against each other.
“Ken Burns: The Civil War,” with the famed documentarian providing a nine-part study (1990) of the war. Burns won an Emmy Award for his work.
“Kings Go Forth,” with Frank Sinatra, Natalie Wood and Tony Curtis in a drama (1958) about a romantic triangle in France during World War II.
“Minions,” with the voices of Sandra Bullock, Michael Keaton, Allison Janney and Jon Hamm in a computer-animated tale that has the yellow, capsule-shaped characters searching for an evil boss. The PG-rated title, according to Box Office Mojo, was a box-office sensation, grossing $1,157,074,097 globally. It will be available in 2-D and 3-D.
“Speedy,” with Harold Lloyd in his final silent film (1928), a tale of an unfocused man who devotes himself to saving New York’s horse-drawn trolley system.
“The Transporter Refueled,” with Ed Skrein replacing Jason Statham in the PG-13 franchise about a former commando who hires out as a racing expert known for always delivering the goods.
“The X-Files: The Complete Series,” with Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny in the conspiracy-obsessed series (1993) that was a viewing sensation. According to High-Def Digest, the complete set will contain years one to nine, with the seasons also available separately.
“You Can’t Take It With You,” with Jean Arthur and James Stewart in director Frank Capra’s Oscar-winning screwball comedy (1938).
Sources include: High-Def Digest, Leonard Maltin’s “Classic Movie Guide,” “DVD & Video Guide 2006,” imdb.com, Google, Box Office Mojo.