NEW ON DVD AND BLU-RAY:

“RED RIDING TRILOGY,” starring David Morrissey and Jim Carter. Widely acclaimed trio of British thrillers about a mysterious — and perhaps related — series of gruesome crimes in northern England. Based on events that occurred over a turbulent decade, the trilogy presents a dark and disturbing world of serial murders, child abductions and police corruption. The three films are connected by recurring events and characters, chiefly a deeply conflicted police detective, Maurice Jobson (Morrissey), and ruthless high-ranking official Harold Angus (Carter). Three directors utilize a different method for each film — Julian Jarrold (“Becoming Jane”) shoots in 16 mm film for 1974; James Marsh (“Man on Wire”), in 35 mm for 1980; and Anand Tucker (“Leap Year,” “Shopgirl”), in digital video for 1983. Rated R. Running time 5:08.

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

 

“MARMADUKE,” starring Emma Stone and Ron Perlman. Easygoing kid flick applies the “Garfield” CGI treatment to the long-running comic strip by Brad Anderson, involving a rambunctious Great Dane whose inconvenient size causes no end of problems for his owners and ostensible chuckles for audiences. The impressive cast of voices helps “Marmaduke” rise a bit above others of its ilk, and it includes Owen Wilson, George Lopez, Steve Coogan and Kiefer Sutherland, just to name a few. Overall, it’s a film that will handily entertain the small fry without irritating their parents to any huge extent. Rated PG. Running time: 1:27.

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

 

“WHY DID I GET MARRIED TOO?” starring Michael Jai White and Janet Jackson. The unstoppable franchise that is Tyler Perry continues abated, this time around delivering what amounts to a far more stressful version of “Couples Retreat.” Although certainly not as bad as that notoriously awful comedy, “Married” caters to Perry’s trademark overreliance on melodrama arguably more than ever before, resulting in some memorable moments amongst the cast. But in the end, the film is more likely to cause headaches in audiences unfamiliar with the director’s admittedly effective style. Rated PG. Running time: 2:01.

Suggested retail price: DVD $29.95; Blu-ray $39.99.

 

“HOUSE, M.D.: SEASON SIX,” starring Hugh Laurie and Lisa Edelstein. Everybody’s favorite detestable physician (the shockingly Emmy-less Laurie) is back for another ornery season, this time around seeking to regain his understandably revoked license and put what remains of his life back together. Given that House’s misery levels are proportionate to his entertainment value, viewers won’t be disappointed. Rated TV-14. Running time: 10:45.

Suggested retail price: DVD $59.98; Blu-ray $74.98.

 

“SONS OF ANARCHY: SEASON TWO,” starring Ron Perlman and Katey Sagal. From Kurt Sutter, the mind behind the sorely missed FX cop drama “The Shield,” comes this equally addictive drama, which traces the often seedy but never boring exploits of the titular biker gang, led by grizzled great Ron Perlman (“Hellboy”) and a revelatory Katey Sagal as main squeeze Gemma Teller Morrow. An initial underperformer beginning to come into its own, “Sons” has garnered a rabid cult following, and it takes only a couple of episodes to figure out why. Rated TV-MA. Running time: 9:55.

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

 

“THE VAMPIRE DIARIES: THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON,” starring Nina Dobrey and Ian Somerholder. The ongoing nationwide obsession with lovelorn vampires shows no sign of going away quietly, as evidenced by this popular (and far more clever than “Twilight”) CW series, in which typically moony high schooler Elena (Nina Dobrev, “Degrassi: The Next Generation”) finds herself torn between two bloodsucking siblings. Not rated; contains language and sexual content. Running time: 15:35.

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

 

“THE EVIL DEAD: LIMITED EDITION,” starring Bruce Campbell and Ellen Sandweiss. The umpteenth rerelease of the enduring 1981 horror classic from then low-budget wunderkind Sam Raimi (who has since gone on to such high-profile work as “Spider-Man” and “Drag Me to Hell”) is well worth picking up, both for the clearest transfer yet and for a sure-to-be-entertaining all-new commentary from Raimi, Campbell and producer Robert Tapert. Rated R. Running time: 1:25.

Suggested retail price: Blu-ray $29.97.

 

VIDEOPORT PICKS:

“THE BEST OF SOUL TRAIN,” starring Don Cornelius and The Jackson 5. What could be more pure fun than 489 minutes of “Soul Train”? The always top-shelf performers herein include Marvin Gaye, Aretha Franklin, Sly and The Family Stone and Stevie Wonder, but the real draw are the many memorably garbed and coiffed members of the Soul Train Dance Line, who invent often mind-boggling dance moves right before your eyes. Overseeing it all is the sonorous Cornelius, perhaps the coolest man ever broadcast on network television. Best of all, this set includes vintage commercials for such products as Afro Sheen. Not rated; nothing objectionable. Running time: 8:09.

Suggested retail price: DVD $39.99.

 

“HARRY BROWN,” starring Michael Caine and Iain Glen. An effective, though by no means pleasant, throwback to such grimy ’70s revenge thrillers as “Death Wish,” “Point Blank” and Caine’s own “Get Carter,” “Harry Brown” finds Caine indulging both his inner sad sack and tough guy as the title character, an old man driven to dispense justice vigilante-style when the drug gang who controls his dilapidated London housing estate pushes him to the proverbial breaking point. Directed with lurid style by first-timer Daniel Barber, “Harry Brown” is little more than a B-movie at face value, but with an old pro like Caine at its center, the film is elevated well beyond its modest ambitions. Rated R. Running time: 1:43.

Suggested retail price: DVD $27.96; Blu-ray $30.95.

 

 

— Courtesy of Videoport