NEW ON THE SHELF:

“Gone Girl,” Ben Affleck, Rosamund Pike. Taut, twisted, and just plain fun, director David Fincher’s wild but faithful adaptation of Gillian Flynn’s bestseller drops an ideally cast Affeck in the middle of an increasingly unclear and insane missing persons plot, when his seemingly perfect wife Amy (Pike, “Jack Reacher”) vanishes from their Missouri home. Her disappearance becomes a media circus and a bizarre case where every new bit of evidence makes Affleck look worse and worse. An excellent supporting cast (including Neil Patrick Harris, Carrie Coon, and a surprisingly effective turn from Tyler Perry) and Fincher’s typically brilliant flourishes ensure an entertaining evening for anyone in the mood for a quality thriller, a commodity in short supply of late. Special features include a commentary from Fincher and the “Amazing Amy Tattle Tale” book. Rated R. Running time: 2:29. Suggested retail price: $29.98; Blu-ray $39.99

“A Walk Among the Tombstones,” Liam Neeson, Dan Stevens. The work of author Lawrence Block has not made it to the screen with any notable success (1986’s “8 Million Ways to Die,” which tanked badly, remains the only other attempt to date), but director Scott Frank (“The Lookout”) finally makes Block’s signature mix of quirk and sleaze mesh cinematically with “Tombstones.” Playing an unscrupulous private investigator, action hero of the moment Neeson has plenty of opportunity to glower while tracking down a pair of serial killers who have targeted a drug dealer. Watching Neeson terrorize a wide variety of disgusting characters is always a nice treat, and thankfully this very activity comprises a fair amount of the picture’s running time. Special features include a discussion between author Block and director Frank. Rated R. Running time: 1:55. Suggested retail price: $29.98; Blu-ray $34.98

VIDEOPORT PICKS:

“Keep on Keepin’ on,” documentary. A compelling portrait of one of American music’s largely unheralded greats. Director Alan Hicks is wisely content to stand back and simply capture the magic between 94-year-old Clark Terry – a peerless trumpeter who played alongside the likes of Count Basie and Duke Ellington, and was a mentor to Quincy Jones and Miles Davis – and young Justin Kauflin, a Midwestern piano prodigy who happens to be blind. Almost the anti-“Whiplash,” “Keep On” champions the merits of patience and true friendship, observing teacher and student as they grow and learn from one another despite considerable health obstacles that plague both parties. Whether you’re a jazz fan or not, it’s difficult to imagine anyone not being deeply moved (and for that matter, being tempted to go buy a few records) by this kind-hearted doc. Rated R. Running time: 1:26. Suggested retail price: $24.98

“Love Is Strange,” John Lithgow, Alfred Molina. Finally able to have their relationship legally recognized, longtime partners Ben (Lithgow) and George (Molina) decide to get married, a decision supported by family and friends alike in a beautiful ceremony enjoyed by all in attendance. But the blessed event results in almost immediate discord when George’s employer – a Catholic school where he teaches music – fires him based on a Christian values contract he signed upon his hiring, forcing the newlywed couple to find boarding with begrudging family members and spend some time apart while they rebuild their lives and downgrade financially. It’s a turn of events that neither partner is terribly prepared for or enthused about. What sets “Love Is Strange” apart from many of its ilk is writer-director Ira Sachs’ (“Keep the Lights On”) refusal to indulge the trappings of melodrama, keeping everything relatively small-scale and believable, with relatable stressors and situations that allow audiences to focus on the characters (and the sublime performances of the wonderful leads) rather than forcing high drama into situations that don’t necessarily require it. Rated R. Running time: 1:34. Suggested retail price: $30.99; Blu-ray $34.99

NEW TO DVD:

“Boardwalk Empire: The Complete Season Five,” Steve Buscemi, Stephen Graham. The reign of Atlantic City politician “Nucky” Thompson, indelibly portrayed by Buscemi, draws to a bloody close in the final season of this violent, brilliantly acted Prohibition-era crime drama, a complex series likely to be even more appreciated in hindsight, much like “The Wire” before it. Not rated. Running time: 8:00. Suggested retail price: $59.99; Blu-ray $79.98

“House of Lies: The Complete Season Three,” Don Cheadle, Kristen Bell. Boasting some of the most proudly unlikable characters on television, this dark comedy about a group of backstabbing, morally bankrupt management consultants continues to successfully mine humor from some truly despicable behavior. Fans of “Veep” and “The League” will find plenty to enjoy about this bitingly funny, under-the-radar treat. Not rated. Running time: 5:32. Suggested retail price: $39.98

“Jimi: All Is by My Side,” Andre Benjamin, Hayley Atwell. This biopic of revolutionary rock guitarist Jimi Hendrix manages the considerable feat of succeeding on its own terms without having been granted any access to Jimi’s music, relying instead on the flawless lead performance of Benjamin, putting his stage experience to good use and bringing Hendrix to vivid life without ever coming off as a tacky impersonation. What could have been a disaster becomes something far more worthwhile in the capable hands of Benjamin and writer-director John Ridley (writer of “12 Years a Slave”). Rated R. Running time: 1:56. Suggested retail price: $20.99; Blu-ray $24.99

NEW TO BLU-RAY:

“The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant,” Margit Carstensen, Hanna Schygulla. 1972 classic from German director Rainer Werner Fassbinder unforgettably details the relationship between wealthy fashion designer Petra (Carstensen, “Possession”) and young, hopeful model Karin (Schygulla, “The Marriage of Maria Braun”), from their delirious initial attraction to its sour and hurtful conclusion, while put upon maid Marlene (Irm Hermann, “Ali: Fear Eats the Soul”) observes in silence. Based on one of Fassbinder’s early plays, “Petra” is a beautifully mournful study of human relationships and the myriad ways they can go wrong. Not rated. Running time: 2:04. Suggested retail price: $39.95

“River’s Edge,” Keanu Reeves, Crispin Glover. Disturbing cult classic provided plum roles for mostly unknowns Reeves and Glover, the latter in particular given a chance to let his freak flag fly as an abnormally intense high-schooler intent on covering up for a vacant but intimidating friend’s (Daniel Roebuck, “Dudes”) murder of his girlfriend, with Reeves the comparative voice of reason in a community that ranges from disaffected to profoundly disturbed. The latter is represented by Dennis Hopper as a local drug dealer rarely seen without his blow-up sex doll. Lacking the usual flashy, neon sunniness of most ’80s efforts, “River’s Edge” is a memorably sleazy and wholly compelling take on teen drama. Directed by Tim Hunter (“Mad Men”). Rated R. Running time: 1:39. Suggested retail price: $29.95

– Courtesy of Videoport

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