Coming Up This Week: March 24th-30th

Captain America, the Muppets, the Huntress and Elizabeth return in the next seven days!
We're still having a difficult time processing the notion that once this week's done, an entire quarter of 2014 will already have passed by. The best is yet to come, of course, but it's startling (to say the least) to have seen three months come and go so rapidly.

Nevertheless, the show must go on, and March's final full week will be long remembered as one of the most eventful periods of the first half of this year. Franchises aplenty are readying themselves for a high-octane to our screens before the next seven days are behind us, and suffice to say that there's no better place to learn which instalments to look out for than right here:

• SAVING MR BANKS DVD & BLU-RAY- One of Disney's best standalone dramas in years lands in DVD and Blu-Ray retailers today, and it's most certainly worth the time of anyone with even a passing interest in the studio's history and/or the inception of one of its most beloved creations, Mary Poppins. Starring Emma Thompson, Tom Hanks and Paul Giamatti (all of whom deserved to win Oscars for their performances here alone), this whimsical but still remarkably grounded biopic is a must-see, and better yet, you can pass it off as a Mother's Day gift if the thought of buying it for your own gain reeks of selfishness post-Christmas. (Monday 24th)
• X-MEN: DAYS OF FUTURE PAST THEATRICAL TRAILER- The general consensus on social networking domains seems to be that Bryan Singer and 20th Century Fox's election to release a teaser trailer for their much-vaunted superhero ensemble blockbuster X-Men: Days of Future Past as early as last Autumn was a major misstep on their parts, especially since it led to a five-month wait until our next full preview landed on our shores. Thankfully, though, that prolonged period of anticipation will come to fruition today, as the studio début a fully-fledged video teaser for what's to come in two months' time...(Monday 24th)
• BIOSHOCK INFINITE: BURIAL AT SEA EPISODE 2- This final instalment in the ongoing narrative of last March's BioShock Infinite brings with it a bittersweet sense of closure, not only for fans in its resolution of the original game's audacious time-travelling story arc, but equally for Irrational too in light of the recent announcement of their imminent closure. As thrilling as it will no doubt be to play Burial At Sea's second half, our thoughts go out to all of those members of staff on the development team who will find themselves looking for alternative employment in the days ahead, and we wish them all the best in that respect- all the same, it's been a helluva ride...(Tuesday 25th- 360, PS3, PC)
• CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER- Another season, another Marvel Cinematic Universe chapter to make the wait for Avengers: Age of Ultron slightly easier. In fairness, Captain America: The Winter Soldier is Phase Two's most pivotal instalment, following Steve Rogers in the aftermath of the events of Avengers Assemble as he encounters a deadly-yet-familiar adversary and discovers franchise-changing truths about S.H.I.E.L.D. and its leaders along the way. If you skip this one and head straight into Ultron, only to find yourselves immensely confused by what's changed come the sequel, then don't say that we didn't warn you. (Wednesday 26th)
• ARROW: BIRDS OF PREY- As if it wasn't exciting enough to glimpse the Suicide Squad in action in last week's sixteenth instalment of Arrow's second season, the time has now come for fans to witness the first stages of another iconic DC superhero team's formation as we move ever closer towards the season finale. Birds of Prey features the return of the Huntress, as well as Laurel's first encounter with the Black Canary and plenty of other major plot developments which threaten to destabilize Oliver Queen's family at their very foundations, bringing Starling City to its knees in the process! (Wednesday 26th- The CW)
• MUPPETS MOST WANTED- If you've found yourself sitting on the fence with regards to this long-awaited follow-up to 2011's The Muppets and are in need of some assistance on the matter of whether or not to spend your hard-earned cash on a ticket, then we're only too happy to oblige with our advance 4* review here and now. Muppets Most Wanted isn't quite the instant bonafida hit that we named the Runner-Up for our Film of the Year 2012 award, but it's sure to provide viewers with countless laughs all the same, and warrants a look just for the sheer number of celebrity cameos it packs into the space of 113 minutes...(Friday 28th)
• AND THERE'S MORE- Philomena, Doc Martin Series 6, Line of Duty Complete Series One & Two and Mr Selfridge- Series 2 are all out now on DVD and Blu-Ray, and we'd wholeheartedly recommend the former film of the group if you missed it first time round (don't worry, you were by no means alone if so!). On top of all that, Ricky Gervais has confirmed that we'll find out when Derek Season Two is set to première on Channel 4 at some point in the next seven days too.
• AND NEXT WEEK...Frozen wraps up its unprecedented success story with its UK DVD and Blu-Ray launch, Arrow reaches its dramatic mid-season finale with Deathstroke and Marvel's Agents of SHIELD returns for its final run of Season One episodes with The End of the Beginning!

For all the latest news, reviews and previews of the hottest upcoming entertainment releases, keep it On-Screen in the days ahead...