DVD Releases: August 12

[Sonnie]

Adventures From the Book of Virtues Three DVDs of animated stories from the PBS kids animated series based on William J. Bennett's "The Book of Virtues": "Adventures in Faith," "Adventures in Honesty" and "Adventures in Courage"; $12.98 each or available in a box set for $29.98. (PorchLight Home Entertainment).

Aftermath: Population Zero (2008) National Geographic look at what Earth would be like if humans vanished from existence, $19.98. (Warner).

The American Mall (2008) Nina Dobrev, Rob Mayes, Autumn Reese, Yassmin Alers, Al Sapienza. MTV musical romantic comedy set in a mall and focused on the relationship between two young musicians who fall for each other and their respective personal and professional struggles. Extras: Extended edition, cast commentary, director commentary, deleted scenes, extended performances, music videos, learn to dance with Bonnie, "Eraser Moments." (Paramount).

The Art of War II: Betrayal (2008) Wesley Snipes. Agent Neil Shaw (Snipes) is called out of retirement and finds himself in the midst of a plot to assassinate several leading Senators -- especially when he discovers that he's been set up as bait. Extras: Alternate fight scenes, digital copy. (Sony).

The Berenstain Bears: Family and Friendship (2008) Sharing, caring and growing up lessons with the animated bears based on the best-selling children's book series; six episodes, $12.99. (Sony).

Blue Murder, Set 3 Two-disc set with three BBC gritty police procedurals featuring single-mom Detective Chief Inspector Janine Lewis, $39.99. (Acorn Media).

Brand Upon the Brain! (2006) Gretchen Krich, Sullivan Brown, Maya Lawson, Katherine E. Scharhon, Todd Moore. In the weird and wonderful super-cinematic world of Canadian cult filmmaker Guy Maddin, personal memory collides with movie lore for a radical sensory overload. This eerie excursion into the gothic recesses of Maddin's mad, imaginary childhood is a silent, black-and-white comic science-fiction nightmare set in a lighthouse on grim Notch Island, where fictional protagonist Guy Maddin was raised by an ironfisted, puritanical mother. Originally mounted as a theatrical event (accompanied by live orchestra, foley artists, and assorted narrators), the film is an irreverent, delirious trip into the mind of one of current cinema's true eccentrics. Extras: Optional narration tracks by Isabella Rossellini, Laurie Anderson, John Ashbery, Crispin Glover, Guy Maddin, Louis Negrin, and Eli Wallach; "The Making of Brand upon the Brain!; two new short films directed by Maddin: "It's My Mother's Birthday Today" and "Footsteps"; deleted scene, new essay by film critic Dennis Lim. (The Criterion Collection).

Caroline in the City: The First Season (1995-96) Three-disc set with 24 episodes, $42.99. (Paramount).

CJ7 (2008) Directed by and starring Stephen Chow. Family comedy about a poor Chinese laborer who learns important lessons after his son gets a strange new toy from the junkyard: a mysterious orb that is really a bizarre "pet" with extraordinary powers. Extras: "The Story of CJ7, " "Anatomy of a Scene," "How to Bully a Bully," "Make Your Own Giant Lollipop" how-to on making your very own lollipop prop, "The Making of CJ7" international television special, CJ7 Mission Control Game, CJ7 character profiles, cast and crew commentary. Available on Blu-ray Disc. (Sony).

Dave's World: The First Season (1993-94) Three-disc set with 23 episodes, $42,99. (Paramount).

The Dick Francis Thriller: The Racing Game Two-disc set with all six episodes from the inaugural season of the PBS Mystery! series about a steeplechase rider who suffers a career-ending injury and returns to the track as a private investigator; based on the fiction of champion-jockey-turned writer Dick Francis; $39.99. (Acorn Media).

Eclipse Series 11: Larisa Shepitko The career of Larisa Shepitko, an icon of sixties and seventies Soviet cinema, was tragically cut short when she was killed in a car crash at age 39, just as she was emerging on the international scene. This two-disc set includes: "Wings" (1966), her first feature after graduating from the State Institute for Cinematography, about a once heroic female Russian bomber pilot now living in quiet, disappointingly ordinary life as a school principal; and "The Ascent," (1977) her emotionally overwhelming final film that won the Golden Bear at the 1977 Berlin Film Festival. Set during the darkest days of World War II, the film follows the path of two peasant soldiers, cut off from their troop, who trudge through the snowy backwoods of Belarus evading the Nazis and seeking refuge from villagers. (The Criterion Collection).

Eon Kid: Season One, Volume One (2005) Five episodes of the Kids WB! series, $16.98. Extras: Photo gallery, extended trailer, downloadable mini poster. (Anchor Bay).

Felon (2008) Val Kilmer, Stephen Dorff, Harold Perrineau, Sam Shepard, Anne Archer. A family man convicted of killing a burglar must cope with life afterward in the violent penal system. Extras: "The Shark Tank: An Inside Look at Felon" featurette. Also available on Blu-ray Disc. (Sony).

Flying in the Secret Sky (2008) In 1940, Nazi air strikes had Britain on her knees. The RAF was desperate for planes and their supply of U.S. aircraft, sent on ship convoys, had been sunk in the icy Atlantic by German U-boats. In response, a remarkable decision was made -- to fly the planes across the ocean. Because of U.S. neutrality, a message went out through the "aviation grapevine" only -- that a secret operation in Montreal needed experienced civilian pilots ... to pilot the planes to Great Britain. These "cowboys of the air" are the forgotten heroes of WWII, men who embodied the improvisational spirit that was key to the Allied victory. (WGBH Boston Video).

The Game: Life After the Math (2008) Documentary of the West Coast rap artist. (Warner).

Hustle: Complete Seasons 1-4 Eight-disc set, $99.98. (BBC/Warner).

Juncture (2007) Kristine Blacport, Jeff Nicholson, John Hutton. A young woman with a brain tumor and only three months to live becomes a vigilante to hunt down the criminal miscreants who have slipped through the cracks in the criminal justice system. Extras: Commentary by director James Seale, behind-the-scenes featurette. (MTI Home Video).

The Killing Gene (aka Waz) (2007) Stellan Skarsgard, Melissa George, Selma Blair, Ashley Walters. Sadistic tale follows two detectives as they investigate a string of double murder crime scenes left with the mathematical equation "w delta z" carved into each victim's body. As the detectives begin to unearth the meaning of the equation, they realize that each victim is being offered a gruesome choice -- kill their loved one or be killed themselves. Extras: Deleted scenes, "The Making of The Killing Gene," torture featurette. "The Killing Gene" in-depth chat with the director, producer and screenwriter. (The Weinstein Co./Genius Products).

Legacy (2008) Haylie Duff, Madeline Zima, Brett Claywell, Margo Harshman, Jane Sibbett, Kate Albrecht,Tom Green. When a geeky, overweight rushee is found dead in the hottest sorority house on campus, three popular sorority sisters become suspects. When their sexy antics fail to impress the police, the girls must pull out every trick in the book to protect their sisterhood. (The Weinstein Co./Genius Products).

The Legend of the Shadowless Sword (2005 -- South Korean) Seo-jin Lee, So-yi Yoon. Beautiful and deadly warrior sets out to find an exiled prince to restore him to his throne. (New Line).

The Love Boat: Season One, Volume Two (1978) Four-disc set, $39.99. (Paramount).

The Orange Thief (2007) Andrea Calabrese, Salvo Dazzo. Living on the outer boundaries of society, an eponymous orange thief and some other country-wise ruffians steal fruit for sustenance, sale, and the sheer excitement of courting danger. After the thief ends up in a Sicilian jail, his life takes an unexpected turn when his bunkmate promises him a deal. (Warner).

Outside Sales (2006) Tricia O'Kelley, Lucas Fleischer, Danny Strong, Christopher John Fields. Comedy about a depressed salesman coping with a cheating wife, his sadistic boss and the beautiful sales rep hired to replace him. (Echo Bridge Home Entertainment).

P.D. James: The Essential Collection Fifteen-disc set featuring all nine PBS Mystery productions featuring James' indefatigable Scotland Yard Commander Adam Dalgliesh; $149.98. (Koch Vision). Extras:

P.D. James: Devices and Desires Latest PBS Mystery adventure has Scotland Yard Commander Adam Dalgliesh tracking down a serial killer; $29.98. (Koch Vision).

Play With Me Sesame: Furry, Fun and Healthy Too Grover, Frazzle Monster and Bert engage in interactive fun while teaching healthy habits such as exercise, good oral hygiene, healthy eating and getting plenty of rest; $14.93.

Prison Break: Season Three Four-disc set with 13 episodes, $49.98. Available on DVD and Blu-ray Disc. Extras: "Orientation" and "Breakout Episode" featurettes, directors' takes, behind-the-scenes with the cast. (Fox).

Raw Spice: The Unofficial Story of the Making of the Spice Girls (2005) Documentary charting the formation of the Spice Girls in 1994, highlighted with never-before-seen footage of the girls candidly discussing their ambitions and fears, as well as their trademark outrageous behavior and some titanic blowouts; $19.98. (Shout! Factory).

The Secret (2007) David Duchovny, Lili Taylor, Olivia Thirlby. The love of a happily married couple is tested in an unimaginable way when the wife dies and returns to haunt the body of their daughter. (Image Entertainment).

Smart People (2008) Dennis Quaid, Sarah Jessica Parker, Thomas Haden Church, Ellen Page, Ashton Holmes, Christine Lahti. Extras: Interviews, outtakes, deleted scenes. Also available on Blu-ray Disc. (Miramax).

Soundstage: Heart -- Live PBS Soundstage concert recorded in 2005, in high-def video and 5.1 Surround sound; $19.98. Extras: Interviews. (Koch Vision).

Soundstage: Reo Speedwagon -- Live: Up Close and Musical Sixteen-song set from upcoming July 3 PBS Soundstage concert, recorded in high-def video and 5.1 Surround sound; $19.98. Extras: Interviews. (Koch Vision).

Special Forces Volume 1 War documentaries "The British SAS: Attack in the Desert" and "The Green Berets: Vietnam -- The Battle of Lang Ve"; $6.99. (Echo Bridge Home Entertainment).

Special Forces Volume 2 War documentaries "The Royal Dutch Marines: Terror Strikes Twice" and "Germany's GSG-9: Jihad in the Fatherland"; $6.99. (Echo Bridge Home Entertainment).

Strawberry Shortcake: Rockaberry Roll New Strawberry Shortcake animated adventure has Strawberry and her pals forming their own band, Strawberry Jam, and entering the Strawberryland Talent Show; $14.98. (Fox).

Superheroes: The Filmation Adventures Two-disc set with 18 classic cartoon shorts, $24.98. (Warner).

Tom and Jerry Tales Volume 5 Twelve cartoons from the Kids' WB series, $14.97. Extras:

Wall Street Warriors: Season 2 Two-disc set with 10 episodes of MOJO HD's reality series about Wall Street, $24.98. (Infinity Entertainment).

Watching the Detectives (2007) Lucy Liu, Cillian Murphy. Comedy about a film noir buff whose life is turned on end by a femme fatale with a big adventure in mind. (Peace Arch Entertainment/Genius Products).

Wide Awake (2007 - South Korea) Yu-seok Jeong , Myeong-min Kim. A young boy is improperly anesthetized during heart surgery and feels the entire procedure; from the scalpel slicing through his chest to the saw cutting through his rib cage, he remains completely aware and unable to cry for mercy. Decades later when a series of killings occur, a doctor and his wife wonder if their stalker is that same young boy, now grown up and bent on revenge. Extras: Deleted scenes, "The Making of Wide Awake," production design featurette, cast interviews, "Anesthesia Awareness" featurette. (Genius Products).

The Wire: The Complete Fifth Season Four-disc set with all 10 episodes from the final season, $59.99. Extras: "The Wire: The Last Word" featurette, "The Wire Odyssey" retrospective, commentaries. (HBO Video).

Wire in the Blood: Prayer of he Bone Sixth season premiere of the critically acclaimed British crime series, $19.98. (Koch Vision).

Yes to Running! Bill Harley Live (2008) Songs and stories for kids by the Grammy-winning singer-songwriter; includes "Mom and the Radio," "Mrs. Ammons and the Boys' Room," "You're in Trouble," "The Ballad of Dirty Joe," more; $14.99. Extras: Documentary, behind-the-scenes interview. (Round River Records).