NEW ON DVD AND BLU-RAY:

“ALICE IN WONDERLAND,” starring Johnny Depp and Mia Wasikowska. Umpteenth remake of the Lewis Carroll classic is Burtonized beyond recognition, with an overwhelmed Wasikowska (used to far better effect in “In Treatment”) tromping through a colorful CGI landscape, populated with such fanciful weirdos as Depp’s frantic Mad Hatter and Helena Bonham Carter’s apoplectic Queen of Hearts. The bigger the screen, the better the film looks, but apart from the spectacle of it all, the film is a bit lacking in the heart department. For a truly rewarding and even more bizarre take on the tale, check out the 1988 Jan Svankmejer version. Special features include several making-of featurettes. Rated PG for fantasy action/violence involving scary images and situation, and for a smoking caterpillar. Running time: 1:48.

Additional Photos

Mia Wasikowska stars in the title role in “Alice in Wonderland,” director Tim Burton’s revisitation of the classic Lewis Carroll tale. Disney

Suggested retail price: DVD $29.99; Blu-ray $39.99. 

“THE WOLFMAN,” starring Benicio Del Toro and Anthony Hopkins. Another take on an oft-revisited classic, director Joe Johnston (“Hidalgo”) doesn’t exactly reinvent the genre, but the film offers plenty of old-fashioned monster movie fun regardless, with the naturally lycanthropic Del Toro proving a perfect fit for the title role. Special features include deleted and extra scenes. Rated R for bloody horror violence and gore. Running time: 1:43.

Suggested retail price: DVD $29.98; Blu-ray $39.98. 

“LIFE,” narrated by Sir David Attenborough. From the makers of the continually bestselling “Planet Earth” comes this equally amazing overview of our planet and the remarkable animals that populate its land and seas. Also available in a perfectly good Discovery Channel edition narrated by Oprah, but as is so often the case, the BBC version is the way to go. Special features include 10 behind-the-scenes video diaries. Not rated, contains violence. Running time: 12:00.

Suggested retail price: DVD $59.98; Blu-ray $69.99. 

“U2: 360° AT THE ROSE BOWL,” featuring Bono and The Edge. The musical juggernaut’s biggest U.S. show ever, with more than 97,000 fans in attendance, is captured in HD in this typically bombastic performance, in which the band plays new cuts off of its latest album, “No Line on the Horizon,” in addition to standby favorites such as “Mysterious Ways” and “Where the Streets Have No Name.” Special features include a tour documentary. Not rated, nothing objectionable. Running time: 1:46.

Suggested retail price: DVD $29.98; Blu-ray $26.98. 

NEW ON DVD:

“BURN NOTICE: SEASON THREE,” starring Jeffrey Donovan and Bruce Campbell. Slick, often hilarious spy romp, with the ultra-charismatic Donovan accepting a variety of odd investigative jobs when not hunting down the party responsible for blackballing him within the spy community. The redoubtable Campbell provides invaluable support as his boozy pal, as does Gabrielle Anwar (“The Tudors”) as his sexy but deadly partner. Special features include footage of cast and crew at the 2009 Comic-con. Not rated, contains language, sexual content and violence. Running time: 12:18

Suggested retail price: $49.98. 

NEW TO BLU-RAY:

“THE CLINT EASTWOOD COLLECTION,” with Clint Eastwood and Morgan Freeman. There are very few sure bets in Hollywood, but after all these years, the certainty remains that you can’t go wrong with a Clint Eastwood movie, and this excellent hi-def collection contains the following films: “Absolute Power,” “Dirty Harry,” “Gran Torino,” “Kelly’s Heroes,” “Letters from Iwo Jima,” “Million Dollar Baby,” “Mystic River,” “The Rookie,” “Unforgiven,” and “Where Eagles Dare.” Various ratings, mostly R for violence and language. Running time: 21:45.

Suggested retail price: $149.99. 

“WAR OF THE WORLDS,” starring Tom Cruise and Dakota Fanning. Steven Spielberg’s big-budget reworking of the notorious Orson Welles’ prank-turned-classic pits blue-collar divorcee Cruise and his uncooperative children against an invasion of particularly destructive aliens. A somewhat controversial update that has garnered fans and detractors alike, but most would agree the film looks fantastic on Blu-ray. Special features include several making-of featurettes. Rated PG-13 for frightening sequences of sci-fi violence and disturbing images. Running time: 1:56.

Suggested retail price: $29.99. 

VIDEOPORT PICKS:

“CORNERED!” starring Steve Guttenberg and James Duval. Every now and then we like to devote the “Picks” section to a movie that ordinarily wouldn’t rate a recommendation by even the most generous of film enthusiasts, simply because we appreciate what it’s trying to do, regardless of how ineptly it may end up doing it. Hence, “Cornered!,” a low-budget but plucky and likable little slasher flick with a neat premise and occasionally effective execution (no pun intended). A group of down-and-out convenience store employees find their late-night poker game violently disrupted by the uncreatively-named Convenience Store Killer, who spends 87 tense minutes stalking his prey within the tight confines of a dumpy mini-mart. The close quarters heighten the fright factor considerably, providing a nice spin on an often lazy genre, and the ever-likable Guttenberg is on hand to provide his special brand of ’80s goodness. It’s no classic, but “Cornered!” is an enjoyable little horror-comedy with a bit more going on than your average direct-to-video nonsense. Rated R for bloody violence, sexual content and pervasive language. Running time: 1:27.

Suggested retail price: $29.99. 

“PEANUTS: 1970S COLLECTION, VOL. 2” Animated. Everybody knows and loves “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” and the classic Christmas special, but anyone who came of age in the ’70s and ’80s knows there were plenty more where those came from, and these lesser-known but just as charming programs recall the excitement we felt when that “CBS Special Presentation” logo barreled onto our TV screens. This collection includes the following specials: “Be My Valentine Charlie Brown,” “You’re A Good Sport,” “It’s Arbor Day,” “What a Nightmare,” “It’s Your First Kiss” and “You’re the Greatest.” All hearken back to a time when a slower pace and sophisticated script didn’t seem out of place in children’s entertainment. We miss you, Charlie Brown. Not rated, nothing objectionable. Running time is 2:30.

Suggested retail price: $29.98.

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