Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol (Paramount)
We completely understand if you didn't rush out to catch this movie late last year. The previous three outings in the series weren't exactly must-see classics. But this fourth turn achieves the near-impossible: It not only tops every other Mission: Impossible; it's also one of the best action movies of the past couple years. Jeremy Renner joins Tom Cruise's crew as a suit with an ass-kicking past, but it's Pixar vet Brad Bird's high-octane direction — including a death-defying stunt atop the world's tallest building — that powers this electrifying joyride. Not even the behind-the-scenes extras can kill the nonstop thrills.
The Nurses Collection (Shout! Factory)
The four movies made between 1971 and 1974 on this "Roger Corman's Cult Classics" offering aren't very good, but that's not why you're watching. Start with Night Call Nurses, which at least has some semblance of plot to go with the T&A.
Shame (Twentieth Century Fox)
Michael Fassbender dicks around with a sex addiction in this gloomy but mesmerizing movie. His sister, played by Carrie Mulligan, drops by to bring up some bad things from their childhoods. It's not an easy one to sit through.
Treme: The Complete Second Season (HBO)
HBO's series about post-Katrina New Orleans still seems to be more about mood, music, and message than compelling storytelling. This four-disc set includes 11 episodes, which find their groove about midway through the season.
