NEW ON THE SHELF:

“The Good Lie,” Reese Witherspoon, Ger Duany. Based on the true story of the lost boys of the Sudan, director Philippe Falardeau (“Monsieur Lazhar”) brings together a cast of Sudanese actors, some of whom survived the war themselves, for the story of refugees settling in Kansas City where an encounter with a rough-around-the-edges employment counselor changes all their lives. Rated PG-13. Running Time: 1:50. Suggested retail price: Blu-ray & DVD $34.98

“The Trip to Italy,” Steve Coogan, Rob Brydon. Excellent news for foodies and comedy fans alike this week, as director Michael Winterbottom’s (“24 Hour Party People”) hilarious follow-up to 2010’s “The Trip” embarks on another splendid vacation with familiar UK faces Coogan and Brydon, close friends in real life playing skewed versions of themselves as they enjoy sumptuous meals and landscapes in between bouts of bickering and choice celebrity impersonations. For “Italy,” the tables have turned considerably, with Brydon’s family man encountering indifference from home and Coogan approaching cheerful for once thanks to a renewed relationship with his son, and this change-up brings out the best in the performers. A comic duo to rival the greats, Coogan and Brydon once again knock it out of the park with this travelogue of laughs and squirms in equal measure. Special features include deleted scenes. Rated R. Running time: 1:48. Suggested retail price: $24.98; Blu-ray $29.98.

VIDEOPORT PICKS:

“Pride,” Bill Nighy, Imelda Staunton. It’s difficult (and not altogether pleasant) to envision the audience that wouldn’t be charmed by this lovely, fact-based dramedy from director Matthew Warchus, who revisits the unlikely partnership between the National Association of Mineworkers and gay activists in the U.K. circa 1984, demographics that found themselves able to find common ground in their outsider status and the constant roadblocks in their struggle for mainstream acceptance. While broadly comic and unabashedly crowd-pleasing, “Pride” boasts one wonderful performance after another, and by the end if you haven’t laughed and cried multiple times, it’s possible that movies simply aren’t your thing. Rated R. Running time: 2:00. Suggested retail price: $30.99; Blu-ray $34.99.

“Two-Bit Waltz,” Clara Mamet, William H. Macy. Drawing from a wide variety of inspiration – including but not limited to Wes Anderson and her dad, renowned playwright David of “Glengarry Glen Ross” fame, young writer-director Clara Mamet casts herself as Maude, a bright but impulsive teenager beset by a string of tragedies: dumped by boyfriend, suspended from school, loss of beloved grandmother, and perhaps most troubling, having her $5 million dollar inheritance threatened by a lawyer forcing her to choose a college or forfeit the fund. For better or worse, there’s no shortage of quirk here, but Mamet has clearly inherited her father’s knack for snappy, cutting dialogue, which easily carries the film through some of its weaker spots and adds up to a bitingly funny viewing experience. Rated R. Running time: 1:19. Suggested retail price: $26.95.

NEW ON DVD:

“Dominion: Season One,” Christopher Egan, Tom Wisdom. Few would have pegged 2010’s “Legion” as a likely candidate for a TV series, but credit Syfy for spotting potential in a B-movie gem, here pitting angels Gabriel (Carl Beukes, “Homeland”) and Michael (Wisdom, “300”) against one another in a battle for the ages following the sudden, inexplicable disappearance of God. Not rated. Running time: 6:19. Suggested retail price: $44.98; Blu-ray $59.98.

“Traffickers,” Chang Jung Lim, Daniel Choi. “Tense” barely begins to describe this Korean thriller, a grisly affair in which a vacationing man’s (Choi, “Cyrano Agency”) holiday is seriously infringed on when his wheelchair-bound wife is kidnapped by smugglers intent on harvesting her organs. Clearly not for all tastes, but director Hong-seon Kim (“Liar Game”) proves a master of suspense, taking advantage of every opportunity the ripe premise provides. Queasy fun for the adventurous viewer. Not rated. Running time: 1:51. Suggested retail price: $24.98; Blu-ray $29.98.

NEW TO BLU-RAY:

“Rope of Sand,” Peter Lorre, Burt Lancaster. Several cast members from “Casablanca” are reunited in this 1949 potboiler, wherein hunting guide Mike Davis (Lancaster) returns to the South African desert to reclaim the diamond lode he discovered before being beaten nearly to death by police commandant Paul Vogel (Paul Henreid), who again attempts to impede Mike’s progress and get the treasure himself. A largely forgotten but worthy classic adventure. Not rated. Running time: 1:44. Suggested retail price: $29.95.

“Skidoo,” Jackie Gleason, Carol Channing. The very definition of incredibly strange, this indescribable, drug-fueled oddity from 1968 gathers an impressive cast of comedy veterans (including Mickey Rooney and Groucho Marx, who reportedly dropped acid to get into the spirit of things) for an hour and a half of barely comprehensible shenanigans, all set to the tune of a rather lovely soundtrack by Harry Nilsson (who even sings the closing credits!). The staunchest teetotaler in the room will have a hard time not coming away stoned from this celluloid trip from maverick director Otto Preminger (“Such Good Friends”). Rated R. Running time: 1:38. Suggested retail price: $29.95.

Courtesy of Videoport

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