Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance

Nicolas Cage returns as tormented Marvel character Johnny Blaze, the devil’s bounty hunter, in Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance. This time around the devil wants the soul of a young boy (Fergus Riordan), while a high-tech secret sect of an Eastern European church wants his soul in one piece. Plot is secondary really, because ultimately it’s all about seeing Nic Cage’s head on fire, and filmmakers certainly don’t scrimp on the pyrotechnics. But that, and some pretty scenery, is the only light in an otherwise dark-as-night film, as far as plot and character go.

There’s plenty of acting heft in this battle for souls, including bad-dude Ciaran Hinds, Violante Placido as the boy’s gypsy caretaker and Idris Elba as the guy who just might be able to break Johnny’s curse. But with writing at elementary school level, nothing can save this stinker of a sequel. Bonus features on the Blu-ray disc include deleted scenes, director’s commentary and a six-part making-of documentary.

True Blood: The Complete Fourth Season

Clashes in covens, pregnancies, addictions and wiccan-vampire standoffs: it’s just another day in Bon Temps, where Sookie (Anna Paquin) and her vampire friends mix with the locals. The fourth season of the hit HBO show is the first to include Blu-ray, DVD and digital copies in one boxed set, and features enhanced viewing options, picture-in-picture Character Perspectives, character bios and info and a handy flashback/flash forward feature that lets you time travel in Bon Temps. Commentaries with cast and crew, post-production with creator Alan Ball, and an interactive guide round out the special features.