NEW ON DVD AND BLU-RAY

“BAD TEACHER,” starring Cameron Diaz and Jason Segel. Much like “Bad Santa” before it, this foul-mouthed comedy focuses on an amoral sociopath who unfortunately happens to work with children. A crude, boozy middle school teacher (Diaz, reveling in the chance to misbehave) hatches a plan to bilk her employer out of enough money for cosmetic surgery after being dumped by her rich boyfriend. Contending with her vile antics are apathetic gym teacher Segel (“How I Met Your Mother”) and dorky fellow educators Justin Timberlake and Lucy Punch (“Dinner for Schmucks”), all of whom provide a number of hilarious moments. Rated R. Running time: 1:32

Suggested retail price: DVD $30.99; Blu-ray $40.99

“MONTE CARLO,” starring Selena Gomez and Leighton Meester. Harmless tween fluff in which a Paris vacation turns into a case of mistaken identity when Grace (Gomez, “Wizards of Waverly Place”) is wrongly taken for a British heiress, for whom she happens to be a dead ringer. Accompanying her on said adventures are stepsister Meg (Meester, “Gossip Girl”) and BFF Katie Cassidy (“Taken”). Not unlike a “Sex and the City” (without all that pesky sex, of course) for the younger set, “Monte Carlo” is modest escapist fare with a likable trio of leads and some funny moments. Rated PG. Running time: 1:49

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

“PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: ON STRANGER TIDES,” starring Johnny Depp and Penelope Cruz. Audiences simply can’t get enough of Capt. Jack Sparrow, and Disney, wisely realizing this, tosses off another spirited, messily entertaining swashbuckler with Depp’s loosey-goosey performance the main draw as usual. Here, he joins old flame Angelica (Cruz) in boarding Blackbeard’s (Ian McShane) boat in search of the Fountain of Youth, a landmark also sought after by the rapidly decomposing Capt. Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush). Rated PG-13. Running time: 2:16

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

NEW ON DVD:

“BATMAN: YEAR ONE,” animated with the voices of Bryan Cranston and Eliza Dushku. Faithful, crisply animated adaptation of the Frank Miller graphic novel focuses on the early, less streamlined exploits of the Caped Crusader as he gets the hang of cleaning up the grimy, crime-infested streets of Gotham City to the amazement and consternation of Commissioner Gordon. Rated PG-13. Running time: 1:04

Suggested retail price: DVD $19.98; Blu-ray $24.98

“STAR WARS: THE CLONE WARS: THE COMPLETE SEASON THREE,” animated with the voices of Matt Lanter and Ashley Eckstein. Although the prequels in George Lucas’ beloved saga have famously polarized Star Wars Nation, this animated series from Cartoon Network provides a backstory and character development sorely missing from the likes of “Phantom Menace,” with the formative years of Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker providing a compelling narrative and some impressive CGI. Not rated; contains sci-fi violence. Running time: 9:10

Suggested retail price: DVD $44.98; Blu-ray $59.99

NEW ON BLU-RAY:

“WILLY WONKA AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY,” starring Gene Wilder and Jack Albertson. A perennial kiddie classic, this wonderfully imaginative and unapologetically twisted family flick from 1971 gets the deluxe treatment in this 40th-anniversary set, with an eye-popping hi-def transfer that really brings out the green in the Oompa Loompas’ hair. Special features include making-of featurettes and a commentary from the Wonka kids. Rated G, but contains some frightening imagery. Running time: 1:40

Suggested retail price: $64.98

“ZOMBIE,” starring Tisa Farrow and Ian McCulloch. So you’ve worked your way through the Romero movies, you’ve plowed through every episode of “The Walking Dead,” and you’re wondering where to go from here? Look no further than this 1981 maggot-riddled masterpiece from director Lucio Fulci (“The House By the Cemetery”), which ups the gore quotient to ridiculous degrees, reveling in the flesh mastication and even staging an all-too-rare fight between a zombie and a shark. Not rated; contains violence/gore and nudity. Running time: 1:32

Suggested retail price: $39.98 

VIDEOPORT PICKS:

“PAGE ONE: INSIDE THE NEW YORK TIMES,” documentary. Print may not be quite dead as of yet, but the fate of the noble newspaper is at best an uncertain one, and here to record its current state of flux is filmmaker Andrew Rossi (“Eat This New York”). Granted unprecedented access to the inner workings of the New York Times, Rossi introduces us to the tech-savvy upstarts and world-weary workhorses who keep the formidable publication afloat in an age when the average person is more apt to consult a blog for their news needs. Of particular note among the many colorful personalities on display is irascible columnist David Carr, a former junkie turned journalist. Rated R for language including some sexual references. Running time: 1:32

Suggested retail price: DVD $26.98; Blu-ray $29.98

“RED STATE,” starring Michael Angarano and Michael Parks. One typically would not turn to filmmaker Kevin Smith (“Clerks”) when looking for an effective thriller, but the famously chatty and profane writer-director has veered wildly from his customary stoner comedies with this taut, oft-gruesome takedown of fire-and-brimstone fundamentalism. The results, while not always spot-on, make for some exhilaratingly unpredictable viewing. Mostly eschewing his usual pop-culture infused dialogue, Smith pits a trio of sex-crazed doofuses against deranged preacher Abin Cooper (the terrifying Parks of “Kill Bill”), who forces them to join his bloodthirsty congregation. Rated R for strong violence/disturbing content, some sexual content including brief nudity, and pervasive language. Running time: 1:28

Suggested retail price: DVD $27.98; Blu-ray $29.99

– Courtesy of Videoport

 

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