NEW ON THE SHELF:

“The DUFF,” Mae Whitman, Robbie Amell. Based on the popular YA novel by Kody Keplinger, “The DUFF” (or Designated Ugly Fat Friend) is Bianca (Whitman, “Parenthood”), who begins questioning the value of her friendships with her more attractive and popular classmates when she learns of the demeaning acronym being applied to her. Determined to become popular and desirable without dramatically changing her appearance, Bianca enlists the tutelage of Wesley (Amell, “The Flash”), the cocky jock next door, and their previously antagonistic relationship inevitably blossoms into something unexpectedly deeper. Making no bones about its debt to the late John Hughes (“The Breakfast Club”), “The DUFF” is an entertaining, Judy Blume-ish throwback that’s elevated above its ilk thanks to Whitman’s winning performance. Special features include several making-of featurettes and a gag reel. Rated PG-13. Running time: 1:41. Suggested retail price: $29.95; Blu-ray $39.99

“Project Almanac,” Jonny Weston, Sofia Black-D’Elia. This tween take on “Primer” manages to energize the overrepresented found footage subgenre with a clever and often quite funny time travel dramedy that works best when its meddling protagonists use their homemade time machine to right social wrongs in the halls of their high school and improve test scores, but as it must, all soon goes horribly wrong, and the time space continuum soon takes a hit that our outmatched heroes must scramble to repair. Underrated, angsty sci-fi finds new wrinkles in an overdone plotline. Rated PG-13. Running time: 1:46. Suggested retail price: $29.99; Blu-ray $39.99

VIDEOPORT PICKS:

“Kingsman: Secret Service,” Colin Firth, Taron Egerton. Another entertaining collaboration between director Matthew Vaughn and comic book writer Mark Millar (“Kick-Ass”), “Kingsman” is a proudly crude and gleefully violent take on 007, with newcomer Egerton making a strong impression as Eggsy, a wayward young man recruited by Harry (Firth, surprisingly adept as a refined but formidable action hero) for a spy organization currently working to bring down Valentine (Samuel L. Jackson), a demented billionaire out to cause worldwide havoc via unlimited technological resources. Pure knucklehead entertainment from start to finish. Rated R. Running time: 2:09. Suggested retail price: $29.98; Blu-ray $39.99

“Serena,” Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence. Reuniting for yet a third picture following their successful team-ups in “Silver Linings Playbook” and “American Hustle,” Cooper and Lawrence go back to 1929 for this austere, multilayered drama, with the proven screen couple portraying a struggling timber baron and his damaged but headstrong lover, who work to saving his threatened business in the face of government interference and unrest amongst his employees. Based on the novel by Ron Kash, “Serena” takes time to get to know its many characters, resulting in an expansive, even Shakespearean story. A far cry from “American Hustle,” but it’s a gamble that pays off. Rated R. Running time: 1:50. Suggested retail price: $26.98; Blu-ray $29.98

NEW TO DVD:

“Judgment at Nuremberg,” Spencer Tracy, Burt Lancaster. Originally having aired on “Playhouse 90,” director Stanley Kramer’s blistering, unanimously acclaimed 1961 drama was granted a theatrical run that resulted in a number of Oscar nominations for its hard-hitting dramatization of the1948 trial of four Nazi judges for war crimes. Utilizing actual newsreel footage from the Holocaust, “Nuremberg” fully retains its power and ability to disturb. Not rated. Running time: 3:06. Suggested retail price: $24.95; Blu-ray $27.99

“Thunderbirds: The Complete Series,” animated with the voices of Peter Dyneley, Shane Rimmer. Creator Gerry Anderson’s pioneering ’60s action series introduced an unsuspecting populace to the joys and wonders of “supermarionation,” utilizing marionettes and brilliantly rendered model sets to bring to life the adventures of the team of International Rescue, whose “Thunderbirds” protect the good citizens of 2065-era Earth from baddies with their many incredibly advanced vehicles and a wide array of spacecraft. For lack of a better word, it’s just cool, and the painstaking work that went into these episodes is clear in every frame of this kitchsy but thoroughly neat-o cult favorite. Special features include a making-of documentary. Not rated. Running time: 28:10. Suggested retail price: $49.97; Blu-ray $69.97

NEW TO BLU-RAY:

“F/X,” Bryan Brown, Brian Dennehy. Fast-paced, supremely entertaining 1986 thriller casts Aussie favorite Brown (“Cocktail”) as a special effect technician hired to fake a hit on crime boss Jerry Orbach in an effort to pull one over on Mafia associates who might want to kill him before he testifies in court against them. All does not go according to plan, leaving Orbach actually dead and Brown running for his life, with crusty cop Dennehy trying to piece together the increasingly difficult puzzle. Rated R. Running time: 1:49. Suggested retail price: $29.95

“The Last Unicorn: The Enchanted Edition,” animated, with the voices of Mia Farrow, Jeff Bridges. Nostalgia for this 1982 animated fantasy is through the roof, and who better than Shout Factory to remaster it for a new generation. It’s never looked better, allowing it to cast its odd but undeniable spell once again. Special features include a retrospective featurette and footage from author Peter S. Beagle’s recent screening tour of the film. Rated G. Running time: 1:33. Suggested retail price: $19.93

– Courtesy of Videoport

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