NEW ON THE SHELF

“THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN,” animated with the voices of Jamie Bell and Andy Serkis. Based on the classic comics by Herge, this wonderful action/fantasy from director Steven Spielberg and producer Peter Jackson omits nary a detail nor character from the original sprawling adventures, yet keeps the story and action completely accessible. The motion-capture technology that disturbed so many viewers in “The Polar Express” has come a long way since then, and there are several sequences here that are positively stunning. Rated PG. Running time: 1:47

Suggested retail price: $29.99; Blu-ray $54.99

“THE DESCENDANTS,” starring George Clooney and Judy Greer. Arguably the most critically acclaimed movie of the year, this challenging dramedy from the always intriguing Alexander Payne (“Sideways”) provides Clooney with the best role of his career to date as Matt King, a well-to-do but shambling real estate attorney based in Hawaii who must contend with one upsetting realization after another when his wife is involved in a possibly fatal waterskiing accident. Adding invaluable support here are Shailene Woodley as Clooney’s teenage daughter and a surprisingly effective Matthew Lillard as a fellow real estate agent who reportedly slept with his wife. Rated R. Running time: 1:55

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

“HAPPY FEET TWO,” animated with the voices of Elijah Wood and Pink. Tonally inconsistent but plenty fun all the same, this inevitable sequel to the 2006 dancing penguin megahit finds Mumble (Wood) risking life and flipper to track down his runaway son. In his absence, meanwhile, a glacier crashes into his community, cutting its adorable citizens off from food and family. The tragic subplots don’t always mesh with the cutesy feel of the enterprise, but there’s never a dull moment, and an all-star cast of voice talent (including Robin Williams, Sofia Vergara and Brad Pitt) energetically brings the proceedings to life. Rated PG. Running time: 1:40

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

“MY WEEK WITH MARILYN,” starring Michelle Williams and Eddie Redmayne. Sometimes a single performance renders a film well worth seeing. That’s absolutely the case with this slight but amusing biopic-of-sorts in which we witness Williams (“Blue Valentine”) becoming Marilyn Monroe before our very eyes, bewitching the audience and wide-eyed assistant director Clark (Redmayne) utterly — when not enraging poor Laurence Olivier (Kenneth Branagh), with whom she is attempting to co-star in the notoriously troubled 1957 production of “The Prince and the Showgirl.” Nothing groundbreaking storywise, but Williams somehow manages to top an already formidable string of performances with this masterful turn. Rated R. Running time: 1:39

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

“THE THREE MUSKETEERS,” starring Orlando Bloom and Logan Lerman. Dumas’ classic employs perhaps more explosions than its original author had in mind (many, many more explosions), but when you have “Resident Evil” veteran Paul W.S. Anderson behind the camera, this is par for the course. In truth, “Musketeers” is a pretty darn enjoyable popcorn movie, never one taking itself at all seriously. Rated PG-13 for sequences of adventure action violence. Running time: 1:50

Suggested retail price: $26.99; Blu-ray $34.99

NEW TO DVD

“BAG OF BONES,” starring Pierce Brosnan and Melissa George. Solid adaptation of Stephen King’s popular novel concerns bereaved novelist Brosnan, whose attempt to hole up in his Maine summer home for some much needed alone time is infringed upon by a troubled young single mom (Annabeth Gish) and repeated encounters with what would appear to be ghosts. This TV miniseries offers a fair number of chills and a nicely grounded lead performance from Brosnan. Not rated; contains mild language and frightening imagery. Running time: 3:54

Suggested retail price: $26.99

NEW ON BLU-RAY

“THE LAST TEMPTATION OF CHRIST,” starring Willem Dafoe and Barbara Hershey. Ever the button-pusher, Martin Scorsese’s controversial 1988 take on the crucifixion puts more emphasis on Christ’s mortality than any film before or since, reminding the viewer that as a man he was not without sin — a notion that proved to be too much for many viewers at the time. This Criterion release features a commentary from Scorsese, Dafoe and writers Paul Schrader (“Taxi Driver”) and Jay Cocks (“Gangs of New York”). Rated R. Running time: 2:44

Suggested retail price: $39.95

VIDEOPORT PICKS

“MELANCHOLIA,” starring Kirsten Dunst and Charlotte Gainsbourg. From early creepfests like “The Kingdom” to the gory grief of “Antichrist,” director Lars von Trier refuses to play it safe. And in this near-unclassifiable drama/sci-fi stunner, he plops already nerve-wracked new bride Justine (Dunst) into a particularly dire situation, wherein not only is her wedding night turning out to put undue strain on her already tenuous relationship with her sister, but a recently discovered planet named Melancholia is reportedly hurtling its way toward Earth, likely spelling doom for its understandably concerned inhabitants. Stylish craziness abounds. Rated R. Running time: 2:16

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

“YOUNG ADULT,” starring Charlize Theron and Patton Oswalt. A somewhat immature fiction writer (Theron) decides to cap her divorce off with a trip back to her Minnesotan hometown, hoping to rekindle a romance with her ex-boyfriend (Patrick Wilson), a now happily married husband and father. Providing a shoulder to cry on is Oswalt, who fulfills the promise he showed in “Big Fan” with a terrific turn at Theron’s schlubby old pal, who quietly pines for her in the background. Funny, sad and thoroughly entertaining. Rated R. Running time: 1:34

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

– Courtesy of Videoport