This week's DVD and Blu-ray releases

 The following are capsule reviews of new and recent DVD and Blu-ray releases from the Office for Film & Broadcasting of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. Theatrical movies have a USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification and Motion Picture Association of America rating. These classifications refer only to the theatrical version of the films below, and do not take into account the discs' extra content.

Battle for Terra

Ambitious animated parable, set on a distant planet that's being invaded by aggressive refugees from earth, in which a downed human airman (voice of Luke Wilson) finds his loyalties divided when he's befriended by one of the peace-loving, tadpole-shaped locals (voice of Evan Rachel Wood) his warmongering commander (voice of Brian Cox) is intent on destroying. Director Aristomenis Tsirbas' feature debut is an honorable, if at times heavy-handed, cautionary tale about prejudice, violence and environmental degradation, but the battle scenes are too strong for the youngest viewers, and quasi-religious aspects of the aliens' culture may require family discussion. Moderate combat violence and a suicide.  A-II -- adults and adolescents. (PG) (Roadside Attractions; also available on Blu-ray) 2009

Ghosts of Girlfriends Past

A heartless womanizing bachelor (Matthew McConaughey) is visited by the ghosts of his playboy uncle (Michael Douglas) and those of his jilted girlfriends (Emma Stone, Noureen DeWulf and Olga Maliouk) on the eve of the wedding of his brother (Breckin Meyer), and he comes to realize the depth of his feelings for his childhood sweetheart (Jennifer Garner). Though there's ultimately a wonderfully redemptive outcome and a strong affirmation of marriage and fidelity, along with a couple of superlative scenes for McConaughey, director Mark Waters' "A Christmas Carol" retread is marred by far too much crude and smutty humor before getting there. Crass sexual talk and innuendo, some crude language and fleeting profanity, premarital sexual situations and a drug reference. Spanish titles option.  L -- limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling. (PG-13) (Warner Home Video; also available on Blu-ray) 2009

Mandie and the Secret Tunnel

Wholesome children’s adventure, set in 1899 North Carolina, about a 12-year old girl (Lexi Johnson) who comes to live at her estranged uncle’s mansion after he is reported lost at sea in a shipwreck and, with the help of his estate manager (Dean Jones) and two of her friends (Amanda Waters and William Smith Yelton), races to find his will before a pair of impostors (Shayne Kohout and Dave Blamy) posing as relatives can locate and alter it. Lush landscapes, the intriguing interior of the rambling country manor and especially some expressions of nondenominational Christian faith counterbalance the occasionally awkward story line and the sugarcoated presentation of the period’s race relations in co-directors Owen Smith and Joy Chapman’s adaptation of the first in Lois Gladys Leppard’s million-selling series of “Mandie” novels. (Lost World Pictures) (www.mandiemovies.com) 2009

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan

Capt. Kirk (William Shatner), promoted to a desk job, makes it back to the helm of the Enterprise in time to confront a flamboyant villain (Ricardo Montalban).  Director Nicholas Meyer's sequel attempts to be droll and lively but is only slightly more entertaining than its dull and ponderous predecessor. Torture sequence involving the insertion of parasites into the ears of victims is rather strong, but the action is otherwise innocuous. Spanish language and titles options.  A-II -- adults and adolescents. (PG)
(Paramount Home Entertainment; also available on Blu-ray) 1982

Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home

Admiral Kirk (William Shatner) and the Enterprise crew travel back to 1986 San Francisco to retrieve two humpbacked whales that may be the key to saving Earth from alien destruction.  Director Leonard Nimoy makes an entertaining mix out of sci-fi fantasy, ecological advocacy and satiric jabs at contemporary pop culture.  Documentary footage of whales being slaughtered and a few coarse words bring home some of the realities of environmental waste.  Spanish language and titles options.  A-II -- adults and adolescents. (PG) (Paramount Home Entertainment; also available on Blu-ray) 1986

Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country

A peace conference between the Federation and the treacherous Klingons is threatened when Captain Kirk and Dr. McCoy (William Shatner and DeForest Kelley) are framed for the assassination of the Klingon negotiator (David Warner), leaving Spock (Leonard Nimoy) to ferret out the traitor in their midst.  Superior production values and a peppy pace make director Nicholas Meyer's sci-fi adventure genial entertainment in spite of its aging characters and familiar situations.  Some laser shootouts and explosions. Spanish language and titles options.  A-II -- adults and adolescents. (PG) (Paramount Home Entertainment; also available on Blu-ray) 1991

Star Trek: First Contact

Movies have been evaluated by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishop's Office for Film and Broadcasting according to artistic merit and moral suitability. The reviews include the USCCB rating, the Motion Picture Association of America rating, and a brief synopsis of the movie.

The classifications are as follows:

• A-I -- general patronage;
• A-II -- adults and adolescents;
• A-III -- adults;
• A-IV**
• L -- limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling. L replaces the previous classification, A-IV.
• O -- morally offensive.
  

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