This week: Liam Neeson protects a pack of plane-crash survivors in remote Alaska from a pack of territorial wolves in the survival thriller "The Grey."
Also new this week is the teen sci-fi hit "Chronicle," Glenn Close in male drag in "Albert Nobbs," the exorcism horror flick "The Devil Inside," and the Blu-ray debut of the comedy "Road Trip."
'The Grey'
Box Office: $52 million
Rotten Tomatoes: 78% Fresh
Storyline: Liam Neeson plays a hunter who protects a rugged group of workers in a remote oil field in this man-vs.-beast thriller. After the group's transport plane crashes in the Alaskan wilderness, the handful of survivors look to Neeson to help them avoid being torn apart by a vicious wolf pack that is hunting them.
Extras! There are six deleted, extended or alternative scenes included on the DVD and Blu-ray, including one not shown in the movie in which Neeson faces off against a polar bear.
We Say: It's exciting to see Neeson go full alpha male to protect his pack of chest-puffing manly men in this wild survival flick -- even if every decision he imposes upon the group is, in retrospect, a tragic idea that will have you howling at the screen, "Don't listen to him, you idiots!"
'Chronicle'
Box Office: $64 million
Rotten Tomatoes: 85% Fresh
Storyline: Three high school students stumble upon an extraterrestrial power source that gives them extraordinary telekinetic powers, including the ability to fly. What starts out as all fun and games turns deadly as the most bullied of the threesome (Dane DeHaan) taps into his dark side.
Extras! The DVD and Blu-ray contain pre-visualization and camera test footage that pulls the curtain back on some of the film's extraordinary effects.
We Say: Even though found-footage films just need to stop, this is easily the best one to date. It features an extraordinary buildup as the boys progress from moving Legos with their minds to flying like Superman -- to an all-out "X-Men"-caliber mutant smackdown in downtown Seattle.
'Albert Nobbs'
Box Office: $3 million
Rotten Tomatoes: 55% Rotten
Storyline: Glenn Close stars as the titular character, a woman who, in order to survive the male-dominated Victorian-era Dublin, has lived for 30 years as a man. Albert and his painter roommate, Hubert Page (Janet McTeer) -- also a missus pretending to be a mister -- develop an unexpected friendship, but Albert's smaller secrets add more drama to the tragic story adapted from Irish realist George Moore's short novella.
Extras! A commentary track with Close and director Rodrigo Garcia highlights Close's three-decade involvement with the project.
We Say: Although unnecessary subplots lessen the overall emotional impact, nothing detracts from Close and McTeer's brave performances as ingenious women making the most out of the unfortunate hand they were dealt.
'The Devil Inside'
Box Office: $53 million
Rotten Tomatoes: 7% Rotten
Storyline: This documentary-style found-footage frightfest follows a woman (Fernanda Andrade) investigating exorcisms in an effort to learn more about her mother, who killed three people in 1989 after she became possessed by a demon.
Extras! The devil must have scared away all the bonus features on the DVD and the Blu-ray Best Buy exclusive, because there are none.
We Say: Filled with shoddy shaky-cam work to indicate something scary is happening -- as well as one of the most abrupt, lame endings in history -- this unclean horror flick needs to be cast out and buried.
'Road Trip' Blu-ray
Box Office: $69 million
Rotten Tomatoes: 58% Rotten
Storyline: After his long-distance girlfriend is accidentally mailed a tape showing him bumping bits with someone else, Josh (Breckin Meyer) and his best bud E.L. (Seann William Scott) convince uptight Kyle (DJ Qualls) to drive them 1,800 miles from Ithaca, New York, to Austin, Texas, in three days in an attempt to save Josh's romance. What ensues is a raucous ride that none of them will ever forget.
Extras! This Blu-ray debut -- another Best Buy exclusive -- features both the theatrical version and the slightly longer extended cut, as well as the cast and crew sharing memories about their own road trips.
We Say: As far as raunchy teen comedies go, you could do worse than this silly 2000 flick with likable characters and nerdy Qualls's unforgettable romantic rendezvous with a curvaceous African-American coed (played by the recently deceased Mia Amber Davis).
Also New This Week:
"One for the Money"
"The Odessa File" Blu-ray
"Rampart"
"White Squall" Blu-ray
"D.O.A." Blu-ray