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Every week, I search through movie release schedules to find movie rentals that I would have otherwise missed for lack of TV advertising. I'll watch the big name releases along with everyone else, but I know from experience that sometimes the box office failures, critically panned, straight-to-DVD, and independently financed movies that nobody's heard of can offer some real hidden gems. As they say, one man's trash is another man's treasure. This column is dedicated to bringing awareness to those potential treasures. Listed alphabetically, each movie includes a list of notable cast members, a basic plot summary, its DVD and/or cloud release date (based on Netflix - other services may have the movie earlier), and the basic reason why the movie caught my attention. With any luck, one or more of these will catch your attention, too. My picks of the week are listed at the end of the column.

Here's my watchlist of DVD and cloud releases for the week of:

October 8th (click the movie title to see the trailer)

After Earth
Who: Jaden Smith, Will Smith, Sophie Okonedo, Zoe Isabella Kravitz, director M. Night Shyamalan
What: A sci-fi thriller set 1,000 years in the future. Following abandonment of Earth for a new planet, humans are now fighting an alien species. Will Smith plays a General of the Ranger Corps who figures out how to become invisible to the aliens by controlling his fear. While traveling on a mission with his son (real-life son Jaden Smith), their ship crash lands on Earth, which is now thriving with huge, deadly animals. The son must survive in the environment by controlling his own fear in order to save his wounded father.
When: October 8th - DVD and online on demand
Why: Intended as a big summer kickoff movie, After Earth was a big flop at the box office and in reviews, criticized for being all senseless action. Shyamalan hasn't been doing very well compared to his fright fest heyday a dozen years ago. The Smiths previously acted as father and son in The Pursuit of Happyness. I don't expect much from it, but I'm still interested in seeing the effects and set pieces. Rated PG-13, this could be a family movie night option.

Home Run
Who: Scott Elrod, Dorian Brown, Vivica A. Fox
What: In this PG-13 faith-based sports drama, Elrod plays a baseball player who is forced into rehab after a drunken crash that puts his brother in the hospital. Part of his recovery is to stand in as coach of a Little League team for his brother, which leads him to embrace becoming a responsible man.
When: October 8th - DVD and online on demand
Why: Think of this as the feel-good alternative to Flight. This title came to my attention because of Vivica A. Fox's name, though she only appears in a minor role. Elrod has had a series of supporting roles, including the TV series Men in Trees. Brown appears as Kristen in the TV series Wilfred.

The Look of Love
Who: Steve Coogan, Stephen Fry, Imogen Poots, Anna Friel, Matt Lucas, Shirley Henderson, director Michael Winterbottom
What: This biopic covers five decades in the life of English publisher Paul Raymond. Coogan plays Raymond, who opened the first strip club in the U.K. in the 1950s. The story covers his adventures in erotic shows and magazines, and his troubled relationships with his wife (Anna Friel) and his daughter (Imogen Poots).
When: October 8th - DVD and online on demand
Why: This is the first I've heard of Raymond, who apparently was Britain's Hugh Hefner. I think Coogan can be a divisive actor, but in general I think he's dangerously funny. He previously worked with director Michael Winterbottom in Tristram Shandy: A Cock and Bull Story.

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