A & E

Based on the remarkable story of a group of top Nazi officials trying to overthrow Adolf Hitler toward the end of World War II, "Valkyrie" is an interesting piece of history. The feature film does a fine job of documenting the steps taken by these German soldiers, and the dire consequences they faced if found out. Unfortunately, "Valkyrie" doesn't really allow for any type of emotional attachment to the main players, which is unexpected, considering the cast features names like Tom Cruise, Tom Wilkinson, Terence Stamp and Bill Nighy. However, this might not be the fault of the actors, who are working off a dry script that's stiff and impersonal. Cruise assumes the role of Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg, a high-rising Nazi soldier. Claus is sort of an outcast, though, because he doesn't share Hitler's ideas. He isn't alone, either. There's a cell of politicians, high-ranking officials and soldiers that would like to see Hitler removed from power. With Claus in the fold, they now have a man willing to do the dirty work. As they attempt to set their plan into motion, a number of small steps will have to go their way — including the assassination of Hitler — for them to take power and put a stop to the war. More than three hours of special features make their way onto the Blu-ray and two-disc special editions of "Valkyrie," including a thorough making-of featurette that blends the history of Operation Valkyrie and the work that went into the movie production. Commentary from director Bryan Singer and Cruise also is on board with other odds and ends. PG-13; 2009. Our Take: 2.5 Stars.

Rent It: Tom Cruise wears that eye patch pretty well.

'Paul Blart: Mall Cop'

Mall guards have been the butt of any number of jokes as long as malls have been around. That is, until Paul Blart wandered onto the scene. "Paul Blart: Mall Cop," the film that mysteriously made almost $150 million at the box office, isn't that funny. Sadly, it's supposed to be a comedy. Starring Kevin James of "King of Queens" fame and brought to the silver screen by Adam Sandler's production company, "Paul Blart: Mall Cop" is an endless pit of poor slapstick humor and unoriginal jokes that viewers have experienced way too many times. James plays Paul Blart, a beefy fellow who's failed to pass the police academy test eight times. So, he's a disrespected mall cop that mirrors the straight-laced persona of Dan Aykroyd in the 1987 smash "Dragnet." When a pack of punks decides to take over the local mall on Black Friday, Blart is the only one standing between the crooks and a huge payday. Most will probably be able to guess the rest of the story. Standard DVDs include a set of featurettes, including one that details the use of X Game professionals as criminals in the movie. Others explore stunts and James in his lead role as a mall cop. Commentary and deleted scenes are also available. Blu-ray consumers will find even more in the way of special features, including a slew of additional featurettes. PG; 2009. Our Take: 1.5 Stars.

Skip It: Black Friday and brainless humor make for a miserable combination.

'True Blood: The Complete First Season'

It's no secret that HBO has had plenty of success developing successful and original programming. When it's not broadcasting films, HBO has been responsible for shows such as "The Sopranos," "Curb Your Enthusiasm" and "Oz," and that's just for starters. "True Blood" showed up on the radar last year and garnered a Golden Globe nomination for best dramatic TV series. Imagine out-of-the-closet vampires living quietly among regular folks. That's the premise for this excellent and addicting show. Set in rural Louisiana, "True Blood" focuses on a young waitress named Sookie (Anna Paquin), who finds herself falling for a 173-year-old vampire named Bill Compton (Stephen Moyer), a man who is treated like an outcast by the townsfolk. While the steamy off-and-on again relationship between Sookie and Bill is a major plot point for the show, the supporting players also add plenty of spice to this hit adapted by the accomplished Alan Ball from the Sookie Stackhouse book series by Charlaine Harris. The show returns for its second season next month. Twelve episodes of the series' first season will be available on this five-disc set. An above-average collection of special features also is included. The hit of the extras is a comedic mockumentary — "In Focus: Vampires In America — exploring the new developments of everyday life for the blood-sucking sect. Exclusive commentary and a handful of vampire commercials also make it to the set. NR; 2009. Our Take: 3 Stars.

Buy It: The hits keep on coming from Home Box Office.

'My Bloody Valentine 3D'

If it weren't for those flying pickaxes, "My Bloody Valentine 3D" would be just another formulaic and predictable slasher film with no apparent value. But putting this one in 3D was ingenious. Without it, the film could have gone straight to DVD. The enhanced version made over $51 million at the box office and should pick up more steam on DVD. A re-make of a 1981 Canadian horror film of the same name, "My Bloody Valentine" takes place in a small mining town where a horrible murder spree captured the country's attention 10 years ago. Now, bodies are beginning to pile up again, and the man responsible for the initial killing spree is believed to be responsible. There's only one problem. The killer — Harry Warden — is supposed to be dead. However, a fellow who looks like Warden — complete with mining equipment and a pickaxe — is terrorizing this quiet town. Watching "My Bloody Valentine" in 3-D is a treat, but don't expect much in the way of a quality movie. A two-disc special edition and Blu-ray packages offer the most in the way of special features. Most importantly, each package contains four pairs of 3-D glasses. Featurettes cover the makeup effects and aspects of the making of the feature film. Deleted scenes, gag reel and commentary also are here. Blu-ray packages have even more extras than the two-disc special edition or standard DVD. R; 2009. Our Take: 1.5 Stars.

Rent It: It's one of those films that really jumps off the screen.

"Paramount Centennial Collection": The studio continues its centennial collection with its eighth and ninth titles. These two new additions — "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance" (1962, NR, James Stewart and John Wayne) and "El Dorado" (1966, NR, Robert Mitchum and Wayne) — bring a significant Western feel to the collection. Both of these titles are highly regarded in the genre, and, with stars like Wayne, Stewart and Mitchum, they're guaranteed Wild West winners. Along with updated picture and sound quality, each two-disc title includes an impressive set of special features, including extensive seven-part featurettes on the making of these films. Commentary and a few other odds and ends also make the cut.

"Outlander": Jim Caviezel plays a lead role in this action epic that conjures memories of "Beowulf." Sci-fi meets Viking in a story about a man (Caviezel) from another planet leading a band of Norsemen against a powerful beast from another world. "Outlander" deserves much credit for its CGI work; the monster in this film is close to perfect in its presentation. However, faults can be found in the shallow dialogue and questionable aspects of the plot. This is an entertaining adventure, though, and there are worse epics — "In the Name of the King" (2007) — out there. Sophia Myles, Ron Perlman and John Hurt are in supporting roles. A handful of special features come with it. Two favorites are "Visual Effects Test" and "Animatics," which examine the film's special effects. Production design galleries, deleted scenes and commentary from members of the crew also are available. R; 2008. Our Take: 2 Stars.

More releases: "Driven to Kill" (Steven Seagal with a Russian accent, R, extras), "The Town That Was" (documentary on Centralia, Pa., NR, extras), "Star Trek: Original Motion Picture Collection" on Blu-ray (includes first six films of the franchise, nine discs, extras), "Star Trek: Motion Picture Trilogy" on Blu-ray (includes three "Star Trek" films, three discs, extras) and "Arnold Schwarzenegger DVD Collection" (includes "Terminator 2: Judgment Day," "Total Recall," "Red Heat" and "The Running Man," R, extras).

More TV releases: "Friday Night Lights: Season Three" (four discs, 13 episodes, extras), "8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter: Season Two" (three discs, 24 episodes), "Jo Koy: Don't Make Him Angry" (Jo Koy standup, one disc, extras), "Russell Brand in New York City: Extended & Uncensored" (Russell Brand standup, one disc, extras) and "Sister, Sister: The Second Season" (three discs, 19 episodes).

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