New dvd releases The following movies were released to DVD on Jan. 6.

Published 4:00 am Friday, January 9, 2009

“Babylon A.D.” — Humanity’s future isn’t pretty in this post-apocalyptic thriller starring Vin Diesel and Michelle Yeoh. Diesel plays a mercenary battling his way from Europe to New York City as he smuggles a mystery woman at the center of an Earth-shattering secret. Single-disc and two-disc DVD versions and the Blu-ray release feature a handful of behind-the-scenes segments. The two-disc DVD set and Blu-ray have extra segments on stunts and chase sequences, plus a digital copy of the movie. This film was not given a star rating. (PG-13)

“Bangkok Dangerous” — Nicolas Cage finds work as an assassin in Hong Kong filmmakers Oxide and Danny Pang’s English-language remake of their 1999 thriller. Cage stars as a loner hit man on a job in Bangkok, where his assignment to carry out a series of executions grows complicated as he bonds with a young street tough and a local shopgirl. Two-disc DVD and Blu-ray sets feature an alternate ending, two making-of segments and a digital copy of the movie. A bare-bones single-disc DVD comes with just the movie. Rating: One and a half stars. (R)

“Disaster Movie” — The spoof parade continues as Hollywood keeps trying to cash in by making fun of itself. The latest features Carmen Electra, Matt Lanter and Kim Kardashian as the filmmakers mock hits such as “Indiana Jones” and “Iron Man” in a comedy filled with earthquakes, tornadoes and other catastrophic events. The movie is available in both the PG-13 theatrical version or an unrated cut. DVD and Blu-ray releases come with half-a-dozen making-of segments plus cast and crew commentary. This film was not given a star rating. (PG-13)

“Pineapple Express” — Seth Rogen and James Franco take the high road as potheads on the lam in this action comedy hit. Rogen’s a stoner who witnesses a murder and winds up running from a crime gang that targets him and his clueless marijuana dealer (Franco). The movie is available in single-disc and two-disc DVD releases and on Blu-ray, with extended and alternate footage, a making-of segment and commentary with producer Judd Apatow and Rogen, who also co-wrote the screenplay. The two-disc DVD set and Blu-ray disc have both the R-rated theatrical release and an unrated extended version, along with a digital copy of the movie for portable video players. Other extras on the Blu-ray and two-disc DVD set include deleted scenes and about a dozen behind-the-scenes segments. Rating: Two and a half stars. (R)

“Righteous Kill” — “Heat” adversaries Robert De Niro and Al Pacino reunite, this time on the same side of the law as veteran New York City police detectives tracking a vigilante serial killer whose methods force the cops to re-examine a case they thought they’d solved years earlier. The DVD and two-disc Blu-ray set have two background featurettes and commentary with director Jon Avnet. The Blu-ray release also comes with a digital copy of the movie. Rating: One and a half stars. (R)

COMING UP: Movies scheduled for national release on Jan. 13 include “Appaloosa,” “Brideshead Revisited,” “Mirrors” and “Swing Vote.” Check with local video stores for availability.

— David Germain, The Associated Press (ratings by Christy Lemire, The Associated Press)

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