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The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes! Volume 1
(2011) Includes episodes 1-7, plus an exclusive look at the evolving characters and story line of Season 2, $19.99. (Disney).
The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes! Volume 2
(2011) Includes episodes 8-13, plus another exclusive sneak peek at Season 2, $19.99. (Disney).
Blood Out
(2011) Val Kilmer, AnnaLynne McCord, Luke Goss, Vinnie Jones, 50 Cent. A small town cop goes undercover in the big city when his brother is murdered and detectives abandon the case. Extras: Behind-the-scenes featurette. Also available on Blu-ray Disc. (Lionsgate).
Blow Out
(1981) In the enthralling "Blow Out," brilliantly crafted by Brian De Palma, John Travolta gives one of his greatest performances as Jack, a movie sound-effects man who believes he has accidentally recorded a political assassination. He enlists the help of Sally (played by "Carrie's" Nancy Allen), a possible eyewitness to the crime who may be in danger herself, to uncover the truth. With its jolting stylistic flourishes, intricate plot, profoundly felt characterizations, and gritty evocation of early-1980s Philadelphia, "Blow Out" is an American paranoia thriller unlike any other, as well as a devilish reflection on the act of moviemaking. New, restored digital transfer, supervised by director Brian De Palma, with DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack on the Blu-ray edition. Extras: New hour-long interview with De Palma, conducted by filmmaker Noah Baumbach; new interview with star Nancy Allen; cameraman Garrett Brown on the Steadicam shots featured in the film-within-the-film; select on-set photos from photographer Louis Goldman; original theatrical trailer; booklet featuring an essay by critic Michael Sragow and Pauline Kael's original New Yorker review. Also available on Blu-ray Disc. (The Criterion Collection).
Bunny and the Bull
(2009 -- UK) Edward Hogg, Simon Farnaby, Veronica Echegui. A road movie set entirely in a flat. A young shut-in takes an imaginary road trip inside his apartment, based on mementos and memories of a European trek from years before. (IFC Films/MPI Media Group).
Chawz
(2009 -- South Korea) Josiah D. Lee. A wild, man-eating boar goes on a rampage in a small Korean village in this inventive black comedy horror romp; it's an affectionate tribute to classic monster movies that boasts fantastically gory special effects of the porcine beast attacking innocent tourists. Extras: Behind-the-scenes and making-of featurettes. Also available on Blu-ray Disc. (Magnolia Home Entertainment).
Dementia 13
(1963) Dir.: Francis Ford Coppola; Luana Anders, William Campbell, Bart Patton, Eithne Dunne, Patrick Magee. Produced by celebrated B movie icon Roger Corman, this is considered to be Coppola's first mainstream, "legitimate" directorial effort. The gothic psychological thriller -- based on a story idea Corman penned in one night -- was shot for a budget of $42,000. Although Coppola promised "lots of sex and violence," Corman later battled with Coppola and hired director Jack Hill to shoot additional scenes of carnage. For years, it was rumored that the film's print had mysteriously disappeared. Now, "Dementia 13" is available, restored and in HD for the first time. Available in a special DVD/Blu-ray combo pack. (Film Chest).
Doc Martin Collection: Series 1-4
BAFTA Winner Martin Clunes stars as a misanthropic, socially maladjusted doctor forced to relocate to a rustic seaside village, where he immediately clashes with the town's eccentric citizens. 'Doc Martin' is a huge hit in the U.K. with 9 million viewers and a fifth series commissioned, and is syndicated by American Public Television (APT) in the U.S. This nine-disc collection includes all 30 episodes from the first four series, in addition to a photo gallery, cast trivia, cast filmographies, and more, $99.99. (Acorn Media).
The Dorm That Dripped Blood
(1982) Laurie Lapinski, Stephen Sachs, David Snow, Pamela Holland. Also available on Blu-ray Disc. (CAV Distributing).
Fly Away
(2011) Beth Broderick, Ashley Rickards, Greg Germann. Poignant yet humor filled story about a single mother of a teenager severely impacted by autism, forced to reckon with her daughter's future as she struggles to meet her own needs. As her child becomes an adult, what used to work, no longer does. What will sustain her daughter, and herself? A parent-child love story, when love means letting go. Extras: A conversation with the filmmakers, "Autism Speaks: It's Time to Listen" (Music Video), companion guide with information on autism spectrum disorders. (New Video/Flatiron Film Co.)
Forgiveness
(2011) Documentary explores the act of forgiveness through a wide range of stories, from adultery and personal betrayal to the post-genocidal reconciliation of nations. In focusing on specific instances of affliction -- one family torn apart by abandonment, the post-apartheid Truth and Reconciliation hearings in South Africa or the memories of '60s radicals coping with their violent acts of protest -- the film studies the psychological impetus and impacts of this crucial sentiment, illuminating its power, its limitations and, in some cases, its dangers. (Docurama).
Human Planet
(2011) Three-disc set of the BBC series broadcast on the Discovery Channel, $39.98. Extras: Three hours of additional footage, making-of featurettes, more. Also available on Blu-ray Disc. (BBC/Warner).
Jolene
(2008) Jessica Chastain, Dermot Mulroney, Chazz Palminteri, Rupert Friend , Michael Vartan, Denise Richards. A teenage orphan spends 10 years traveling cross-country experiencing life, love and heartbreak. Based on E.L. Doctorow's story, "Jolene: A Life." Extras: Commentary by director Dan Ireland, Dan Ireland interviews Jessica Chastain, deleted scenes.
Also available on Blu-ray Disc. (Entertainment One).
Lucky
(2010) Documentary on the world of lottery winners. Doesn't matter how impossible the odds are -- the chances of actually hitting a Powerball jackpot are just one in almost 200 million -- almost everyone dreams of winning the lottery. Who hasn't found themselves daydreaming of an answer to the question, "What would I do with all that money?" This film offers a glimpse into the reality behind the fantasy of lottery winners. They come from an amazing range of backgrounds, but all of their lives are radically transformed by the same thing -- an enormous lottery jackpot. (Docurama).
The Lucy Show: The Official Fourth Season
(1965-66) Four-disc set with 26 episodes, $42.99. Extras: "Lucy: Behind the Scenes", photo galleries, cast biographies, original network openings, Gale Gordon holiday messages (audio), excerpts from "Wonderful World of Burlesque" and "Magic of Broadcasting," Beatrice Foods Presentation. (CBS/Paramount).
Moguls & Movie Stars: A History of Hollywood
(2010) Seven-episode original documentary on Hollywood from Turner Classic Movies, narrated by Christopher Plummer. The American movie business started as peepshows and grew into a near-mythical art form that used an exciting new technology to create drama, laughter and adventure literally bigger than life. Here is the whole story -- the glamour and the sweat, the collaborations and the conflicts, the careers that skyrocketed and the dreams that crashed. Each one-hour segment focuses on a different era of American movie history, from the invention of the first pictures to the cutting-edge films of the 1960s. Each installment features clips and interviews with historians and major Hollywood figures: "Peepshow Pioneers" (1889-1907), "The Birth of Hollywood" (1907-1920), "The Dream Merchants" (1920-1928), "Brother, Can You Spare a Dream?" (1929-1941), "Warriors and Peacemakers" (1941-1950), "Attack of the Small Screens" (1950-1960), "Fade Out, Fade In" (1960-1969). Extras: Limited edition book with 40 pages of vintage photographs and insight about the people, power, and periods that created Hollywood. Three-disc set, $39.92. (Warner).
Muay Thai Giant
(2008 -- Thailand) Nathan Jones. Action comedy about a gentle giant on vacation in Pattaya who's mugged and robbed of all his possessions, including his passport. Taken in by two sisters, the young man eats some somtum at the girls' mother's restaurant and turns into a martial arts monster; the girls decide to use him to bring down the local crime lord. Extras: Deleted scenes, behind-the-scenes featurette. Also available on Blu-ray Disc. (Magnolia Home Entertainment).
One Way to Valhalla
(2009) Gabriel Macht, Kim Dickens, Alison Pill, Brad William Henke, Kate Walsh. A volatile, working-class gearhead, who sees himself trapped in a world with few possibilities -- his car is impounded and he has to ride a bicycle to work -- suffers a head injury in an accident, causing his personality to take some strange turns. (Monarch Home Entertainment).
The President's Book of Secrets
(2011) History Channel docu uncovers the fascinating truths behind some of the most confidential secrets in American history: Interviews with former intelligence operatives, renowned historians and archivists show how classified information is treated in the highest circles of political power, how it's preserved throughout history, and who ensures continuity when a new leader is elected. $19.95. (A&E).
Sniper: Reloaded
(2011) Billy Zane, Chad Michael Collins, Richard Sammel. The son of U.S. military sniper Thomas Beckett from the original film goes on a deadly mission to stop a mysterious sniper targeting innocent civilians. (Sony).
Stan Lee's Superhumans: The Complete Season One
(2010) Two-disc set with eight episodes, $19.95. (A&E).
Stonewall Uprising
(2008) American Experience documentary examines the June, 1969 Stonewall riots in New York City that marked the beginning of the Gay Rights movement in the United States. $24.99. (PBS Distribution).
Student Services
(2010 -- France) Deborah Francois, Mathieu Demy, Alain Cauchi. Erotic tale about a college co-ed who resorts to prostitution to make ends meet. Based on a notorious memoir that shocked the French public. (IFC Films/MPI Media Group).
Summer Eleven
(2010) Alice Ziolkoski, Meaghan Hughes, Sarah Butterworth, Sydney Fox. An inseparable group of four 11-year-old girls find themselves facing their last summer before middle school and the first onset of adulthood. Each faces a test: One is an aspiring actress ready for her first feature film, one tries to help her brother adjust to life at home after he returns from the war, one struggles to cope with her parents' separation, one hides a desperate secret. (Image Entertainment).
The Terror
(1963) Boris Karloff, Jack Nicholson, Sandra Knight. A young officer in Napoleon's army pursues a mysterious woman to the castle of an elderly Baron, only to discover that she's the spirit of the Baron's late wife, being used as a pawn by a witch bent on driving the elderly man to suicide. Famous for being shot on leftover film sets from other productions, "The Terror," produced and directed by Roger Corman, has been released under several titles ("Lady of the Shadows," "The Castle of Terror" and "The Haunting") and more recently aired as episodes of the syndicated TV series "Cinema Insomnia With Mr. Lobo" and "Elvira's Movie Macabre." Extras: Available in a DVD/Blu-ray Combo pack. (Film Chest).
Testees: The Complete Series
(2010) Two-disc set with all 13 episodes of the FX series about two best friends and roommates in their early 30s who earn a living by being human guinea pigs for Testico, a drug testing facility. $24.98. (Entertainment One).
The Third Reich
(2011) History docu digs deep beneath the surface of our collective understanding of the Third Reich and unearths what we don't know about the individuals who comprised one of the most fascinating and complex regimes of recent history. Two-disc set, $24.95. (A&E).
3 Idiots
(2010) Aamir Khan, Kareena Kapoor, Madhavan, Boman Irani, Sharman Joshi. Extras: "Idiots in Ladakh," "Aal Izz Well," "100% Idiots," "Making of Miss Idiot." (Fox)
Tikki Tikki Tembo ... And More Stories to Celebrate Asian Heritage
(2010) Collection of six best-selling, award-winning stories: "Tikki Tikki Tembo," "The Tale of the Mandarin Ducks," "Grandfather's Journey," "The Stonecutter," "Lon Po Po: A Red-Riding Hood Story From China," "Sam and the Lucky Money." Narrators: B. D. Wong, Ming-Na Wen. $14.95. (Scholastic Storybook Treasures).
The Universe Mega Collection
Includes all 63 original episodes of all five seasons of the epic series, plus the feature-length documentary "Beyond the Big Bang," on 19 discs. Both the DVD and BD sets include the feature-length documentary "Beyond the Big Bang" and the featurettes "Meteors: Fire in the Sky," "Comets: Prophets of Doom," "Ask the Universe" and "Backyard Astronomers." The BD set also includes the "7 Wonders of the Solar System" episode in 3D. BD: $179.95/DVD: $149.95. (A&E).
Upstairs Downstairs
(2010) Three episodes of the new series, $34.98. Extras: "Behind Closed Doors" making-of featurette. (BBC/Warner).
3 Idiots
This Bollywood comedy somehow got overlooked by the mainstream film review press in the states and it's a real shame. There's an infectious, devil-may-care boyishness about this story that follows the college antics of three young men working their way through one of India's most prestigious engineering universities. Led by the rambunctious outsider, free-thinking rebel and super brain Rancho (Aamir Khan), Frahan (Madhavan) and Raju (Sharman Joshi) proceed to turn things upside down for the other students -- and the arch-conservative dean, dubbed "Virus" by the students -- as they play prank after prank and continually test the limits of the strict Indian social system. The film begins with Frahan and Raju going on a quest to find their missing friend 10 years after graduation, and the film is told in flashbacks. Throw in some colorful singing and dancing routines and here's one delightful, enjoyable outing. On the surface '3 Idiots' plays out as a college comedy about three undergrads getting into trouble with a stoic, conservative administration. But the laughs go deeper, striking at the conformity of the Indian social system that forces students to go into fields of learning not for that which suits them but because that is what their parents expect of them -- kind of the educational/employment version of an arranged marriage. Rancho's attacks on rote memorization can only remind one of the some U.S. films in the 60 and 70s that cast a jaundiced eye at America's educational system. We have only two gripes with the film: It's title makes it seem like it's an Indian version of 'Dumb and Dumber' but that is so far from the truth it's painful that it's title -- and poster art --n may have scared off viewers. The other: its two-and-a-half-plus running time needed to be shortened. Otherwise, this definitely is a gold-star outing. Aamir Khan has been a superstar in India for more than two decades -- he's in his mid-forties -- and '3 Idiots' -- 'Ghajini' -- became the highest grossing Indian comedy of all time.
Vitals: Director: Rajkumar Hirani. Stars: Aamir Khan, Kareena Kapoor, Madhavan, Boman Irani, Sharman Joshi.
2010, CC, MPAA rating: PG-13, 164 min., Comedy, Box office gross: $6.296 million, Fox.
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