NEW ON DVD AND BLU-RAY

“DEVIL,” starring Chris Messina and Geoffrey Arend. Claustrophobic thriller from put-upon producer M. Night Shyamalan throws five strangers into an office elevator, which promptly breaks down and becomes subject to a satanic evil that possesses the otherwise unassuming riders and causes them to go for each others’ throats. Meanwhile, a troubled detective (Messina, “Greenberg”) works tirelessly to free the endangered quintet. Yet another half-baked endeavor from the once revered Shyamalan, long on atmosphere but short on sense. Better than “The Last Airbender,” but that should go without saying. Rated PG-13. Running time: 1:20.

Additional Photos

Angelina Jolie stars with Liev Schreiber in "Salt," an unabashedly over-the-top action flick that actually succeeds where most fail. Columbia Pictures

Michael Douglas as Gordon Gekko and Shia LaBeouf as Jacob Moore in "Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps." 20th Century Fox

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

“EASY A,” starring Emma Stone and Stanley Tucci. Thoroughly likable star vehicle for the adorable Stone (“Superbad”) finds the redoubtable redhead attempting to combat her unpopularity at high school by concocting a story about losing her virginity to a college student, a white lie that soon spreads like wildfire thanks to a goody-two-shoes classmate (Amanda Bynes, playing nicely against type) and affects her life in a variety of unexpected ways. Slight but smart, and a vast improvement over director Will Gluck’s debut, the disastrous “Fired Up!” All in all, “Easy A” is a fun throwback to the John Hughes pantheon of teen comedies. Rated PG-13. Running time: 1:32.

Suggested retail price: DVD $28.95; Blu-ray $34.95. 

“SALT,” starring Angelina Jolie and Liev Schreiber. Barreling full tilt through each frame of this proudly ludicrous thriller from old pro Phillip Noyce (“Patriot Games”), the stunning Jolie is a living special effect, all but leaping tall buildings in a single bound in a hugely entertaining effort to protect the world from nuclear annihilation. Surviving one deadly encounter after another, “Salt” gives James Bond a serious run for his money, and easily stands as one of the summer’s few successful attempts at a cinematic thrill ride. Rated PG-13. Running time: 1:40.

Suggested retail price: DVD $28.96; Blu-ray $34.95. 

“STEP UP 3,” starring Sharni Vinson and Rick Malambri. None too cerebral dance-happy sequel made excellent use of the oft-maligned 3-D technology in theaters, throwing all kinds of colorful business at the audience and showcasing some impressive dancers that practically jumped into viewers’ laps. Confined to a mere two dimensions, the questionable screenwriting and amateurish performances become all too apparent. Fans of the first two “Step Up” movies will no doubt find much to enjoy here as well; others probably need not take the plunge. Rated PG-13. Running time: 1:47.

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

“WALL STREET: MONEY NEVER SLEEPS,” starring Michael Douglas and Shia LaBeouf. Severely belated sequel to the 1987 drama plops Gordon “Greed is good” Gekko (Douglas, reprising the role that got him his Oscar) right in the middle of a recession and provides him with a new prot? in the omnipresent LaBeouf, a promising young trader with designs on Gekko’s daughter, Winnie (Casey Mulligan, “An Education”). It’s oddly comforting to watch Douglas transform himself back into the brilliant, unapologetically hateful Gekko, and returning director Oliver Stone allows him to age gracefully, even allowing the old snake a moment or two of redemption. Nowhere near as gleefully mean-spirited as the original, “Money Never Sleeps” is a thoughtful bookend all the same. Rated PG-13. Running time: 2:13.

Suggested retail price: DVD $29.98; Blu-ray $39.99. 

“FAMILY GUY: IT’S A TRAP!” Animated with the voices of Seth MacFarlane and Alex Borstein. While some have complained that the now long-running animated sitcom is running out of steam, few can argue that its spot-on spoofs of the original “Star Wars” trilogy have been consistently hilarious, a veritable gift to fans of both franchises. Widely considered the broadest of the trilogy, “Return of the Jedi” receives an especially thorough drubbing at the hands of MacFarlane and crew. Not rated, contains language and crude humor. Running time: 30 minutes.

Suggested retail price: DVD $22.98; Blu-ray $29.99. 

NEW ON DVD

“CAPRICA: SEASON 1.5,” starring Eric Stoltz and Esai Morales. Controversial “Battlestar Galactica” prequel series has fans fairly divided, but thankfully gives veteran actors Stoltz and Morales a chance to do their thing, and the proceedings are nothing if not ambitious. Not rated, contains language and thematic material.

Suggested retail price: $49.98. 

NEW ON BLU-RAY

“ORLANDO,” starring Tilda Swinton and Billy Zane. Gender-bending 1992 fantasy/drama/period piece concerns young English lord Orlando (Swinton, in a notable early role), a fortunate fellow given the gift of immortality by Queen Elizabeth (Quentin Crisp, “The Bride”) and thenceforth living through several centuries of British history. Oh, he also changes sex at some point. Based on a notorious novel by Virginia Woolf, “Orlando” is a singular viewing experience brought to vivid life by director Sally Potter (“The Man Who Cried”). Rated PG-13. Running time: 1:33.

Suggested retail price: $24.95. 

VIDEOPORT PICKS

“FUTURAMA: VOLUME FIVE.” Animated with the voices of Billy West and Katey Sagal. Back on the air and as funny as ever, Matt Groening’s less-publicized but far more consistent second series continues to follow the adventures of displaced slacker Fry, temperamental Cyclops Leela, sociopathic robot Bender, incompetent crustacean physician Zoidberg, and dangerously senile Professor Farnsworth as they traverse the galaxy, making deliveries and creating comic chaos along the way. While the once-great “Simpsons” seem content to repeat themselves into the next decade and beyond, one never knows where a typical episode of “Futurama” is going to go, and much like the similarly bent (and equally beloved) “Mystery Science Theater 3000,” no pop culture reference is too obscure. A welcome return for a deserved cult classic, “Futurama” remains one of the funniest animated comedies ever made. Not rated, contains mild language and crude humor. Running time: 8:58.

Suggested retail price: DVD $29.98; Blu-ray $39.99. 

“SKIRT DAY,” starring Isabelle Adjani and Denis Podalydes. Frustrated teachers may find a kindred spirit in Sonia (the radiant Isabelle Adjani, “Queen Margot”), a teacher of high school literature whose inability to interest her troublemaking students in the plays of Moliere leads her to resort to desperate measures — namely, holding the class hostage at gunpoint. What appears to those outside of the classroom to be a deadly situation actually proves enlightening and beneficial (if also terrifying and dehumanizing) to the students, who are forced by their unstable instructor to confront their fears and closeted skeletons. “Skirt Day” bites off a bit more than it can chew in the subplot department, tackling through the students just about every childhood tragedy possible, but Adjani’s excellent performance and the immediately compelling storyline add up to a very worthwhile viewing experience. Not rated, contains language and violence. Running time: 1:27.

Suggested retail price: $24.98.

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