39°F
weather icon Clear

Latest DVDs, CDs, books: Feb. 14

A look at some of the DVDs, CDs and books hitting stores this week.

DVDS

"The Rum Diary" (R): Johnny Depp returns as Hunter S. Thompson, the gonzo journalist he first played in "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas," for an atmospheric account, set in 1960 Puerto Rico, of the struggling writer's quest to discover true love -- and his true voice.

Also on the offbeat side of the recent-release street, the award-winning "Take Shelter" (R) focuses on a family man (Michael Shannon), plagued by apocalyptic visions, who wonders whether he should protect his family from the coming catastrophe -- or from himself. The French drama "Mozart's Sister" (not rated) focuses on Maria Anna Mozart (Marie Feret), better known as Nannerl , a musical prodigy in her own right. Rounding out today's recent releases: the horror prequel "Paranormal Activity 3" (R), postponed from an earlier date.

Two more horror titles lead today's welcome-to-Las-Vegas contingent: director Tom Six's controversial "Human Centipede II: Full Sequence" (not rated) and the cult zombie survival tale "The Dead" (R).

Leading today's TV-to-DVD transfers (unrated unless otherwise noted): "Doctor Who: The Doctor, The Widow and the Wardrobe," "Murder, She Wrote: Four Movie Collection," "Family Matters: The Complete Second Season," "Storage Wars, Volume Two" (PG), "Beavis & Butthead: Volume Four," "Wainy Days: Seasons 1-4," and "Overland Trail: The Complete Series."

CDS

Heartless Bastards, "Arrow": The Heartless Bastards are neither heartless nor bastards.

Instead, they're an ace coed rock band, currently hailing from Austin, Texas, whose latest disc is equally sweet and scalding.

This "Arrow" is pointing up.

Also in stores: Band of Skulls, "Sweet Sour"; The Dunwells, "Blind Sighted Faith"; Elizaveta, "Beatrix Runs"; Islands, "A Sleep & A Forgetting"; Amos Lee, "As the Crow Flies (EP)"; Otis Taylor, "Otis Taylor's Contraband"; Rosie Thomas, "With Love"; and Kirk Whalum, "Romance Language."

BOOKS

"Private Games" by James Patterson and Mark Sullivan: Private investigator Peter Knight is on the hunt for a killer after his firm agrees to provide security for the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

Anne Rice returns this week with "The Wolf Gift," in which the author puts her own spin on the making of a werewolf.

Also hitting shelves: "Bewitching: The Kendra Chronicles" by Alex Flinn; "Blackhorse Riders: A Desperate Last Stand, an Extraordinary Rescue Mission, and the Vietnam Battle America Forgot" by Philip Keith; "The Crusader: The Life and Tumultuous Times of Pat Buchanan" by Timothy Stanley; "Enemies: A History of the FBI" by Tim Weiner; "Friends Like Us" by Lauren Fox; "The Garden Intrigue" by Lauren Willig; "Heart of a Killer" by David Rosenfelt; "The House I Loved" by Tatiana de Rosnay; "I've Got Your Number" by Sophie Kinsella; "Juliette Gordon Low: The Remarkable Founder of the Girl Scouts" by Stacy A. Cordery; "Mob Daughter: The Mafia, Sammy 'The Bull' Gravano, and Me!" by Karen Gravano; "Mrs. God" by Peter Straub; "Oath of Office" by Michael Palmer; "Quest for the Secret Keeper" by Victoria Laurie; "Restless in the Grave" by Dana Stabenow; "Robert Ludlum's The Janson Command" by Paul Garrison; and "That Woman: The Life of Wallis Simpson, Duchess of Windsor" by Anne Sebba.

THE LATEST
Top 10 things to do in Las Vegas this week

Usher, comics Paul Reiser and Daniel Tosh and Las Vegas Natural History Museum’s “December to Remember” top this week’s entertainment lineup.