Latest DVDs, CDs, Books, May 10, 2011

DVDS

“No Strings Attached” (R): “Black Swan” Osca r winner Natalie Portman goes from dramatic to comedic in this sometimes raunchy romp about a young doctor and her TV-writer pal (Ashton Kutcher), who agree to have sex wherever they want, whenever they want, without all those pesky emotions getting in the way.

Elsewhere on the recent-release front, Michelle Williams also earned a best actress Oscar nomination for her powerhouse performance opposite Ryan Gosling in “Blue Valentine” (R), a then-and-now drama that skips back and forth in time, contrasting a beleaguered couple’s troubled marriage with their happy, hopeful beginning six years earlier. And French animator Sylvain Chomet (“The Triplets of Belleville”) scored another Oscar nomination with “The Illusionist” (PG), about an unemployed stage magician who journeys to Scotland and meets a young fan, changing his life forever. And “Justin Bieber: Never Say Never” (G) blends elements of biopic and concert movie as it focuses on the tween dream behind Bieber Fever.

Golden oldies debuting on DVD include W.C. Fields and Mae West in “My Little Chickadee,” plus the Preston Sturges comedies “Hail the Conquering Hero” and “Christmas in July.” On the documentary front, “Bhutto” (not rated) focuses on Pakistan’s political dynasty, while Ben Kingsley narrates National Geographic’s “Journey to Mecca” (not rated). Leading the TV-to-DVD transfers (all unrated): “Almighty Thor” (featuring Las Vegas’ own Cody Deal in the title role), “Webster: Season Two” and “McMillan & Wife: Season Three.”

CDS

The Cars, “Move Like This”: The Cars get their motor runnin’ again, shifting into high gear for their first album featuring most of their original lineup since 1987.

Fans of hook-heavy power pop will want to step on the gas and burn some rubber down to the record store in hopes that the record won’t be as lame as our puns.

Also in stores: Black Label Society, “The Song Remains Not the Same”; The Felice Brothers, “Celebration, Florida”; Warren Haynes, “Man in Motion”; Booker T. Jones, “The Road From Memphis”; The Lonely Island, “Turtleneck & Chain (CD/DVD)”; Magnetic Man, “Magnetic Man”; Manchester Orchestra, “Simple Math”; Matthew Morrison, “Matthew Morrison”; ohGr, “unDeveloped”; Okkervil River, “I Am Very Far”; Lee Scratch Perry, “Rise Again”; Raphael Saadiq, “Stone Rollin’ ”; Skold, “Anomie”; Spindrift, “Classic Soundtracks, Vol. 1”; This Will Destroy You, “Tunnel Blanket”; Urge Overkill, “Rock&Roll Submarine”; and ZOMBI, “Escape Velocity.”

BOOKS

“Buried Prey” by John Sandford: Lucas Davenport must confront past mistakes after the discovery of the remains of two girls who disappeared in 1985, a case Davenport worked as a young cop and one in which he’s determined to find the truth.

Chelsea Handler has yet another book hitting shelves this week with “Lies That Chelsea Handler Told Me,” in which she and her family and friends share the nonsense stories they’ve been tricked into believing by the comedian.

Also coming out this week: “The Daughters Take the Stage” by Joanna Philbin; “Die for Me” by Amy Plum; “A Drop of the Hard Stuff” by Lawrence Block; “Faith” by Jennifer Haigh; “Familyhood” by Paul Reiser; “I’ll Never Get Out of This World Alive” by Steve Earle; “In the Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror, and an American Family in Hitler’s Berlin” by Erik Larson; “The Lies of Sarah Palin: The Untold Story Behind Her Relentless Quest for Power” by Geoffrey Dunn; “The Penderwicks at Point Mouette” by Jeanne Birdsall; “SEAL Team Six” by Howard E. Wasdin; “The Snowman” by Jo Nesbo; “Stan Musial: An American Life” by George Vecsey; “Those in Peril” by Wilbur Smith; “A Time for Patriots” by Dale Brown; “2030: The Real Story of What Happens to America” by Albert Brooks; “What Happened to Goodbye” by Sarah Dessen; and “The Wimpy Kid Do-It-Yourself Book” by Jeff Kinney.