NEW ON THE SHELF

“PROMETHEUS,” starring Noomi Rapace and Michael Fassbender. Ridley Scott’s sprawling, fascinating prequel-of-sorts to his 1979 sci-fi/horror classic “Alien” involves not only discovering the origin of human life but saving it from an unthinkable fate. Leading the way is the indomitable Noomi “Girl With the Dragon Tattoo” Rapace as Elizabeth Shaw, accepting the torch from Sigourney Weaver without missing a beat. Also on board is Fassbinder in the prerequisite cyborg role, Charlize Theron and Iris Elba. Rated R. Running time: 2:04

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

“THE RAVEN,” starring John Cusack and Luke Evans. An intriguing attempt to mold horror maestro Edgar Allan Poe (played here by Cusack, clearly enjoying himself) into a detective of sorts, teaming with detective Evans to help solve a string of gruesome murders seemingly inspired by Poe’s own works of fiction. “The Raven” is an uneven affair, with the rather harsh gore not always meshing well with the wry script, but director James McTeigue (“V for Vendetta”) gets points for originality, not to mention rekindling interest in some brilliant classic horror writing. Rated R. Running time: 1:50

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

“ROCK OF AGES,” starring Julianne Hough and Tom Cruise. A box office disappointment and a critical punching bag, “Rock of Ages” plays much better apart from the overreaching ad campaign and the bandwagon of naysayers eager to kick a movie when its down. The music is great, the cast is clearly having the time of its life, and there’s never a dull moment. Stealing the show is Cruise as the perfectly named Stacee Jaxx, a long-in-the-tooth rock legend struggling to remain relevant in a young person’s (personified here by Hough) game. Rated PG-13. Running time: 2:03

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

“IT’S ALWAYS SUNNY IN PHILADELPHIA: THE COMPLETE SEASON SEVEN,” starring Charlie Day and Glenn Howerton. Best known for the “Mac gets fat” storyline, wherein co-star and series creator Rob McElhenney actually gained 50 pounds simply because he thought it would be funny. It’s this over-the-top, devil-may-care approach to comedy that has kept this dedicatedly offensive favorite fresh and addictive for seven seasons. Not rated; contains language and crude humor. Running time: 4:46

Suggested retail price: $39.98; Blu-ray $49.99

“MAGICAL MYSTERY TOUR,” starring The Beatles. Not one of the Fab Four’s more celebrated visual efforts, this 1967 psychedelic TV special finds the Beatles at the apex of their drug phase, packing as much cheerful surrealism as possible into the allotted running time to promote the titular album. As such, audiences and critics used to the squeaky-clean antics of “A Hard Day’s Night” and “Help!” were understandably taken aback by the tripped-out images on display. But as usual, the boys were well ahead of their time, telegraphing the eventually ubiquitous and accepted music video format decades before MTV. Not rated; nothing objectionable. Running time: 1:00

Suggested retail price: $19.98; Blu-ray $29.98 

NEW TO BLU-RAY

“E.T. THE EXTRA TERRESTRIAL,” starring Henry Thomas and Drew Barrymore. If for some misguided reason you chose to watch only one movie from the 1980s, here it is: Steven Spielberg’s touching, hilarious, and, yes, brilliant 1982 family classic that brought such once- inescapable phrases as “phone home” and “be good” into the lexicon of the time. Rated PG for language and peril. Running time: 1:55

Suggested retail price: $34.98

“LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS: DIRECTOR’S CUT,” starring Rick Moranis and Ellen Greene. Director Frank Oz brings the popular cult- classic-turned-Broadway-musical to the big screen with resounding success in this 1986 hit, which gave Moranis a then-rare starring role and an even rarer opportunity to show off his singing skills as Seymour, a nerdy floral shop employee forced to face off against a sentient and ill-intentioned plant. With hilarious supporting turns by Steve Martin, Bill Murray and John Candy, “Little Shop” hasn’t aged a day. Rated PG-13. Running time: 1:34

Suggested retail price: $34.99

VIDEOPORT PICKS

“A CAT IN PARIS,” animated with the voices of Marcia Gay Harden and Anjelica Huston. A pleasingly old-school animated adventure from French animators Jean-Loup Felicioli and Alain Gagnol rely on a 2D storybook style that perfectly suits the classy and sleek tale of a cat burglar — in this case an actual cat who happens to be a burglar, or a burglar’s assistant at any rate. When the mute little girl he lives with is kidnapped by gangsters, it’s up to kitty to get her back, and the chases and close calls that accompany this mission make for fine entertainment for young and old. Rated PG for mild violence and action, and some thematic material. Running time: 1:10

Suggested retail price: $29.95; Blu-ray $34.95

“LCD SOUNDSYSTEM: SHUT UP AND PLAY THE HITS,” documentary. LCD mastermind James Murphy and his ever-changing mind state is what fuels this engaging documentary from directors Will Lovelace and Dylan Southern. The nerve-wracking buildup to Murphy’s final gala concert at Madison Square Garden and the emotional aftermath when the stadium has cleared and it dawns on the musician that LCD is done for good provide the drama. Fans of LCD Soundsystem are obviously the target audience, but Murphy is an ingratiating subject whether one is familiar with his work or not. Not rated, contains language. Running time: 1:48

Suggested retail price: $34.99; Blu-ray $39.99

– Courtesy of Videoport