DVDs, CDs and books, July 5, 2011

A look at some of the DVDs, CDs and books hitting stores this week:

DVDS

"Of Gods and Men" (PG-13): Xavier Beauvois’ award-winning, fact-based drama (in Arabic and French, with English subtitles) focuses on French monks (led by Lambert Wilson and Michael Lonsdale) who find themselves torn between duty and self-preservation when they’re threatened by Islamic terrorists during Algeria’s 1996 civil war.

Leading the list of movies that never played local theaters, Rutger Hauer stars as "Hobo With a Shotgun" (R), while "Illegal" (not rated), this year’s official Oscar entry from Belgium, focuses on a young Russian (Anne Coesens ) who’s separated from her son when she’s arrested for living illegally in Belgium. And Japanese director Takashi Miike teams up with actor Koji Yakusho to resurrect the samurai movie with "13 Assassins" (R), a remake of the 1963 original.

On the (British) oldies front, James Mason and John Mills square off in the 1962 adventure "Tiare Tahiti" (not rated), while future "Mary Poppins" mother Glynis Johns plays a mermaid in "Miranda" (not rated). The week’s Blu-ray debuts range from "Das Boot" (R) to "Four Weddings and a Funeral" (R) to "Honeymoon in Vegas" (PG-13).

Topping today’s TV-to-DVD transfers (all unrated unless otherwise noted): "The Cape: The Complete Series," "Victorious: Season One, Volume One," "Mysteries At The Museum: Season One" (PG), "Southland: The Complete Second Season," "Eureka: Season 4.0," "McMillan & Wife: Seasons 4 and 5," "Dynasty: Season 5, Vols. One and Two," "Mannix: The Fifth Season" and "Boy Meets World: The Complete Sixth Season."

CDS

Teddybears, "Devil’s Music": We want to party with the Teddybears — and not just because they’re a bunch of hip Swedish dudes who wear big bear heads.

No, it’s because of who they party with.

On their previous disc of fun, freewheeling electronica, the likes of Iggy Pop and Neneh Cherry showed up.

This time, the guest list has expanded to include The Flaming Lips’ Wayne Coyne, Robyn, Eve, Cee Lo Green, The B-52s and more.

Come on guys, invite us over!

We’ll bring the bean dip.

Also in stores: Big D and the Kids Table, "For the Damned, The Dumb & the Delirious"; Digitalism, "I Love You, Dude"; Brian Eno, "Drums Between the Bells"; Kaiser Chiefs, "The Future Is Medieval"; Lloyd, "King of Hearts"; Old 97s, "The Grand Theatre Vol. 2"; SebastiAn, "Total"; Unearth, "Darkness in the Light"; and Yacht, "Shangri-La."

BOOKS

"The Silent Girl" by Tess Gerritsen: Chinese legend resonates through this story as homicide detective Jane Rizzoli and medical examiner Maura Isles try to solve a murder after the discovery of a woman’s severed hand.

And in "Twisted" by Sara Shepard, the latest in the Pretty Little Liars series, seniors Aria, Spencer, Hanna and Emily try desperately to maintain their perfect lives as old secrets surface.

Also hitting shelves: "All In: What It Takes to Be the Best" by Gene Chizik; "Betrayal of Trust" by J.A. Jance; "Escape" by Barbara Delinsky; "The Gap Year" by Sarah Bird; "House Divided" by Mike Lawson; "The Kid" by Sapphire; "Lost Voices" by Sarah Porter; "Monument to Murder" by Margaret Truman; "Never Knowing" by Chevy Stevens; "No Rest for the Dead" introduction by David Baldacci; "Once Upon a River" by Bonnie Jo Campbell; "One Dog Night" by David Rosenfelt; "Overbite" by Meg Cabot; "Turn of Mind" by Alice LaPlante; "Undead and Undermined" by MaryJanice Davidson; and "You’re Next" by Gregg Hurwitz.