The week’s DVDs begin in rehearsals:

DVDs and streaming for Feb. 24 by Boo Allen

This week, we begin in rehearsals:

Whiplash (***)

Miles Teller stars in this five-time Oscar nominated film, including Best Picture, but Oscar-nominated J.K. Simmons steals the show from his younger co-star. Teller plays Andrew Nieman, an aspiring drummer who gains entrance to the prestigious classes taught by Terence Fletcher (Simmons). But Fletcher turns out to be the screaming drill sergeant from Full Metal Jacket, constantly berating and insulting Nieman to get it right or get out. Simmons so embodies Fletcher, he becomes scary to the audience as well as to Nieman. The tension rises along with the energy level. Nieman succeeds, fails, returns, and then takes a detour. But whatever the route taken, writer-director Damien Chazelle maintains the film’s edge.

Rated R, 107 minutes.

Extras: commentary, an eight minute cast and crew Q&A at the Toronto Film Festival, the featurette “Timekeepers” with drummers discussing their craft, the original “Whiplash” short film, and a deleted scene with commentary.

Big Hero 6 (****)

This lovable nugget from Walt Disney Animation Studios (Frozen) garnered a deserved Oscar nomination for Best Animated Film. Don Hall and Chris Williams directed from a screenplay from an army of writers. In the flashy, stylized locale of San Fransokyo, young robot inventor Hiro Hamada (voice of Ryan Potter) wants to join the corporate world his late yet revered brother belonged to. After a series of unexpected events, Hiro and his own personal robot, Baymax (Scott Adsit), set out to avenge his brother and to right some wrongs. Hiro assembles his friends Fred (T.J. Miller), Go Go (Jamie Chung), Wasabi (Damon Wayons Jr.), Honey Lemon (Genesis Rodriguez) and others as they embark on a series of colorful, cleverly rendered adventures. The impressive voice cast also includes contributions from Maya Rudolph, James Cromwell, Katie Lowes, Billy Bush, and others. Fun film for adults as well as for children.

Rated PG, 102 minutes.

Extras: supplements vary according to the infinite variety of available versions. So, check labels. Included are the theatrical short “Feast,” a 15 minute “making of” featurette hosted by Jamie Chung, a seven minute featurette on the “characters” (i.e., the lead animators) behind the characters, four deleted scenes, “Big Hero Secrets” Easter Eggs, gag animation, a brief featurette on Baymax’s best lines, and more.

The Night They Raided Minsky’s (****)

This over-looked, early-career pleasure from director William Friedkin (The French Connection) now returns in a deserved Blu-ray release. The film takes place in a 1925 vaudeville arena, and, by the film’s 1968 release, probably few of the genre’s performers were still around. Several plot-lines intersect in the script by four scribes, including producer Norman Lear. Jason Robards and Norman Wisdom play Raymond and Chick, two slap-stick comics at Minsky’s, a rundown theater in Lower Manhattan owned by Louis Minsky (Joseph Wiseman) and poorly run by his son Billy (Elliott Gould, in only his second film role). A wide-eyed Britt Ekland wanders into their company as Rachel, a runaway Amish girl from Pennsylvania. She wants to dance, so Billy and some of his colleagues connive to feature her as a scandalous burlesque dancer, thereby hoping to bring crowds to his doomed theater. Rachel’s brief and unintended bump-and-grind provides more sensual moments than found in all of 50 Shades of Grey. Friedkin juggles these story-lines and more, while also taking time to add small directoral touches that add personality and humor to an already flavorful rendition of a long lost era. The film also benefits from its strong cast, including superb supporting character actors, such as Wiseman, Harry Andrews, Denholm Elliott, and, in his last film role, the Cowardly Lion, Bert Lahr. Seamlessly edited by editing legend Ralph Rosenblum.

Rated PG-13, 99 minutes.

Movie only.

The Captive (***)

Canadian director Atom Egoyan returns to what he does best, that is, examining a hidden depravity stuck within a tortured soul. And he does so while trafficking in yet another unpleasant subject. Heading an accomplished cast working well as an ensemble unit, Ryan Reynolds and Mireille Enos play Matthew and Tina, the parents of nine year-old Cassandra who goes missing. Once she disappears, director Egoyan jumps around in time, picking up the police investigation several years after the fact and then nine years later, when the older Cassandra (Alexia Fast) is being held captive by Mika (Kevin Durand). He belongs to some vague organization that showcases child pornography and abuse on the Internet (thankfully never shown). The nine years absence destroys Matthew and Tina along with their marriage. Police detectives Nicole (Rosario Dawson) and Jeffrey (Scott Speedman) work together on the case and eventually become a couple. Various other plot diversions play out, some engaging but some unfortunately unbelievable and straining credulity. But, mostly, Egoyan creates and sustains a consistent sense of ominous doom and unease.

Rated R, 112 minutes.

Extras: commentary with Egoyan, a nine minute “making of” featurette, a two minute alternate ending, and 14 minutes of deleted scenes.

Also on DVD and Streaming: Beyond the Lights, Code Black, Cut!, Daughters of Dolma, Day of the Gun, Grace.