Unfairly maligned 'Valkyrie' a tense thriller

"Valkyrie" (two-disc special edition) - Why can't Bryan Singer catch a break? Fanboys anointed Singer a pop messiah for launching the current superhero-movie trend with the first two "X-Men" films, then turned on him when they couldn't understand his poetic, touching "Superman Returns." Last year, Singer's World War II-era thriller "Valkyrie" endured months of Internet ridicule after the early release of photos of star Tom Cruise in an eye patch. Even though "Valkyrie" did well at the box office and earned many positive reviews, the conventional wisdom about the film was that it was a failure.

I hope this DVD release changes that. "Valkyrie" is a gripping, impeccably crafted thriller about a relatively unknown historical event - the attempted assassination of Adolf Hitler by German soldier Claus von Stauffenberg and a cadre of followers. Cruise plays Stauffenberg with steely restraint, and he's more than matched by a sparkling group of character actors (Tom Wilkinson, Kenneth Branagh, Bill Nighy and Terence Stamp). The plot does get confusing at times, as the film throws many faces and names at the audience without explaining much about who they are. Overall, though, "Valkyrie" works beautifully, and it deserves a second look. The two-disc DVD set comes with excellent extras, including two commentaries (one with Cruise and Singer) and featurettes that explore the film and the actual assassination attempt. (Disc two is a downloadable copy of the film.) The Blu-ray adds additional making-of features. (PG-13; MGM, $34.98 or $39.99 for Blu-ray)

"My Bloody Valentine 3D" (two-disc special edition) - This remake of a 1980s cult-classic slasher flick ranks higher than most films in its genre ­­by filling the space between the kills with interesting details. A series of grisly murders has terrified residents of a small mining town, particularly because the killings look like the handiwork of a demented miner who went on a killing spree 10 years earlier. "Valentine" delivers all the prerequisite slasher moments: loads of gore, gratuitous nudity, a "surprise" twist at the end. But it also creates a more-or-less convincing portrait of the town and its people, which adds a bit of dramatic weight to the campy slasher fun. The two-disc DVD comes with a commentary from director Patrick Lussier and several brief behind-the-scenes featurettes. A 3-D version of the film (glasses included) is available, along with traditional "2-D." Frankly, I found the 3-D version difficult to watch, as it gives the film a monochromatic (and occasionally blurry) look. The Blu-ray adds some interactive elements. (R; Lionsgate, $34.98 or $39.99 for Blu-ray)

"Star Trek Motion Picture Trilogy" - With a new "Star Trek" striking gold at the box office, Paramount has released three early "Trek" films in a new box set. This set contains "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan," "Star Trek III: The Search for Spock" and "Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home." All are pleasant sci-fi adventures, despite some dated special effects. but "Khan" remains the true gem. It's still fun to watch William Shatner (as Admiral James T. Kirk) and the late Ricardo Montalban (as the evil Khan) gnash their teeth at each other throughout this flick, even if it doesn't deliver the kind of action that younger fans might expect. The special features are relatively light; each film gets a commentary and a smattering of other bonuses. All in all, this is a nice set for more casual "Trek" fans. (PG; Paramount, $39.99)