NEW ON DVD AND BLU-RAY

“FOR COLORED GIRLS,” starring Thandie Newton and Whoopi Goldberg. Based on the powerful play by Ntozake Shange, Tyler Perry’s skillful adaptation represents a risky but worthwhile departure from his usual distinctive melding of slapstick comedy and wrenching melodrama. Here, he takes a poetry-based, complexly structured onstage drama and assembles a once-in-a-lifetime cast to portray 10 African-American women, all attempting to deal with a variety of serious issues. Perry fans expecting Madea to show up may come away disappointed, but the compelling source material and the director’s respectful treatment of same result in a challenging and worthwhile viewing experience. Rated R. Running time: 2:13.

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

“I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE,” starring Sarah Butler and Daniel Franzese. Appropriately lurid update of Meri Zarchi’s notorious 1978 rape revenge “video nasty” ratchets up the tension and gore a notch, but appears content to be a run-of-the-mill slasher. Zarchi’s film, love it or hate it, had a pretty clear agenda, condemning viewers for their love of violence by deglamorizing the onscreen action with a you-are-there approach (and, agonizingly, featuring no music at all throughout the movie). Neither are essential viewing, but the original remains the better of the two. Rated R. Running time: 1:47.

Suggested retail price: DVD $29.97; Blu-ray $34.99.

“LIFE AS WE KNOW IT,” starring Katherine Heigl and Josh Duhamel. Formulaic but quite enjoyable rom-com of sorts finds two participants in a past disastrous blind date (Heigl and Duhamel at their most likable) the sudden caretakers of an orphaned toddler following a bizarre set of circumstances that teeters unsteadily between cute and morbid. design, “Life” is tonally all over the place, but in this case, this serves to add to the charm of this slightly off-kilter but ultimately winning comedy, with both leads turning in arguably their best performances to date. Rated PG-13. Running time: 1:54.

Suggested retail price: DVD $28.98; Blu-ray $35.99.

“PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 2,” starring Brian Boland and Sprague Grayden. Wisely applying the “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” adage to this almost unbearably tense sequel to the original 2007 sleeper hit, director Tod Williams continues to supply the jolts through sped-up footage of seemingly mundane surveillance video occasionally interrupted by fleeting moments of sheer, inexplicable terror. This time around, he throws a possessed infant into the mix to keep things interesting. One of those rare horror movies that’s scarier to watch at home than in theaters. Special features include additional “found footage.” Rated R. Running time: 1:31.

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

“YOU AGAIN,” starring Kristen Bell and Jamie Lee Curtis. Genial, sitcom-esque comedy finds former ugly duckling Bell out to sabotage her brother’s upcoming wedding upon finding out that he’s marrying the evil cheerleader (Odette Yustman, “The Unborn”) who used to torment her mercilessly in high school. Nothing groundbreaking, but good-natured, with welcome familiar faces such as Betty White and good old Patrick Duffy rounding out the cast. Rated PG. Running time: 1:45.

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

“WILD TARGET,” starring Bill Nighy and Emily Blunt. Agreeable dark comedy pairs sexy con artist Blunt (“Sunshine Cleaning”) with repressed hitman Nighy (“Notes on a Scandal”) as they attempt to avoid a wide variety of unsavory types involved with an art forgery scam. Complicating matters is innocent bystander Tony (Rupert Grint, better known as redhead Ron from the “Harry Potter” series), who’s just happy to be along for the ride, and rival hitman Dixon (Martin Freeman of the original BBC “The Office,” stealing scenes with elan). More hectic than laugh-out-loud funny, but fun nonetheless. Rated PG-13. Running time: 1:38.

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

NEW ON BLU-RAY

“THELMA AND LOUISE,” starring Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis. Controversial 1990 hit road movie finds one of the great screen pairings in Sarandon and Davis, a couple of restless housewives who go on the lam after one of them shoots a would-be rapist. A surprise smash for director Ridley Scott (“Gladiator”) and a star-making performance by a then-relatively unknown Davis. Special features include deleted scenes and an extended ending. Rated R. Running time: 2:10.

Suggested retail price: $19.99.

VIDEOPORT PICKS

“IT’S KIND OF A FUNNY STORY,” starring Zach Galifianakis and Keir Gilchrist. From the great minds behind such critical and audience favorites as “Half Nelson” and “Sugar” comes this immensely enjoyable dramedy, which not only delivers the expected laughs and food for thought, but also casts a whole new light on current comedy darling Galifianakis, who broke out big time in “The Hangover” yet had been cracking up audiences for several years on the standup circuit. Here, though possessed of droll comic timing as always, he impresses with his dramatic skills as Bobby, a deeply troubled dad spending some time in a mental hospital and befriending wide-eyed Craig. The story arc belongs mainly to Gilchrist, and he ably carries the film, but it’s his alternately hilarious and moving exchanges with Galifianakis that leave a lasting impression. Rated PG-13 for mature thematic issues, sexual content, drug material and language. Running time: 1:41.

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

“STILL WALKING,” starring Hiroshi Abe and Yui Natsukawa. Brilliantly observed and quietly devastating, this family drama from writer-director Hirokazu Koreeda depicts a universal portrait of the joys and trials of family, and the inevitable conflict that results when all are gathered in the same room. Reunited for a day to commemorate the 15th anniversary of the drowning of the eldest sibling, Junpei, the Yokoyama family harbors enough resentment to keep 10 families busy. Yet amidst the hurt feelings and rampant miscommunication, Koreeda captures fleeting moments of tenderness and appreciation, resulting in as realistic a portrait of family as you’re likely to come across. Not rated; contains language and thematic material. Running time: 1:54.

Suggested retail price: DVD $29.95; Blu-ray $39.95.