TOP PICK
Prototype 2
(Activision)
In this sequel to the 2009 video game (for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and PC), a revenge-minded soldier looks to get even with the monsters responsible for wiping out his family. So he wanders a post-apocalyptic NYC (of course), with shape-shifting abilities and a large arsenal of weapons. The story doesn't detour from what you'd expect, but once the blood starts flowing, it doesn't stop. And that's when the fun begins.
VIDEO
Late Spring
(Criterion)
Yasujirô Ozu's quiet, and quietly devastating, portrait of a woman taking care of her aging father gets the Criterion treatment on this Blu-ray. The new restoration gives the 1949 movie a much-needed facelift – it's never looked better. And the commentary and a feature-length documentary on Ozu, made by Wim Wenders, offers perspective on both the director and his art.
BOOK
Los Angeles Stories
(City Light)
Gifted guitarist, treasured sideman, and Buena Vista Social Club mastermind Ry Cooder's collection of stories has a post-World War II setting running through each and every one of them. They also include tough characters who find ways to get through their days without compromising their souls. Cooder writes like he plays: There's be-bop style to his quick words and noir tales.
VIDEO
Regular Show Slack Pack
(Cartoon Network)
Cartoon Network's series keep getting weirder and better. This one, a companion piece of sorts to Adventure Time, features two pals – a raccoon and a bird – who sit around all day eating junk food, playing video games, and ragging on each other. The 12 episodes collected on this DVD bounce around the pair's convoluted plans, most of them hatched to avoid work. Just add bong.
MUSIC
B.o.B: Strange Clouds
(Atlantic)
The Atlanta rapper's first album was at its best when he combined massive pop hooks with people who know how to sing them, like Hayley Williams of Paramore and Bruno Mars. No surprise he sticks with that winning formula on his second LP, handing the mic over to Taylor Swift and Nicki Minaj for the record's best cuts. It goes on a little too long but never loses its pop edge.
