Wallace back in new DVD

Here are a few of the movies landing on DVD this week, led by a brand-new Wallace & Gromit animated short.

"Wallace & Gromit: A Matter of Loaf and Death" (Hit/Lionsgate, 2009, $14.98).

Wacky Wallace and his more sensible (but silent) dog Gromit are back with a new 30-minute adventure, this time pitted against a mysterious killer who's knocking off local chefs — just as the boys are making a go of their bakery.

This is another low-key, funny Wallace & Gromit effort, done in the same stop-motion style as Nick Park's earlier works, and brimming with breakneck sight gags and Rube Goldberg-style gadgetry. Keeping the bakery motif in mind, Park calls it a "Who donut" in the featurette. (Watch for the "Doggy Osmond" record, "Puppy Love.")

Extras: full frame, audio commentary, featurette, "Shaun the Sheep" animated short: "Off the Baa!" trailers; video game demo as a DVD-Rom application

"Wallace & Gromit: The Complete Collection" (Hit/Lionsgate/Blu-ray, 1989-2009, $29.99).

This crisp Blu-ray edition has all four "W&G" half-hour shorts, including the aforementioned "A Matter of Loaf and Death." My fave is still "The Wrong Trousers," as they go up against an evil penguin, but they're all fun, and this is a most enjoyable set.

Extras: full frame/widescreen, audio commentaries, featurettes, "Shaun the Sheep" animated short: "Off the Baa!" trailers; video game demo as a DVD-Rom application (also available in a four-disc DVD set, $29.98)

"O'Horten" (Sony Classics, 2007, PG-13, $28.96).

Offbeat in the extreme, this low-key Norwegian comedy follows a railroad engineer (deadpan comic actor Bard Owe) who has been forced into retirement after 40 years of a very structured lifestyle, and now he hasn't a clue what to do with himself. His meandering adventures, however, will eventually prove worthwhile — especially for the patient movie fan.

Extras: widescreen, in Norwegian with English subtitles, featurette, trailers

"Mail Order Bride" (E1, 2008, $24.98).

This Hallmark Channel movie stars Daphne Zuniga as a shady lady who has been working as a con artist for a nasty crook (Greg Evigan) since she was 12. To break away, she takes the place of a friend who agreed to be a mail-order bride to a Wyoming rancher. But, of course, her past will catch up with her. Pleasant enough western benefits from location scenery and capable cast.

Extras: widescreen, featurettes, trailers

"Mercy Streets" (Sony, 2000, PG-13, $14.94).

This faith/genre film has an extremely contrived plot — twin brothers on opposite sides of the law are forced to switch places. A sort of Christian caper picture, and not too bad if you take it for what it is. David A.R. White plays the twins; Eric Roberts is the evil mob boss.

Extras: widescreen, deleted scenes, audio commentary, featurette, trailers

"Six: The Mark Unleashed" (Sony, 2004, $14.94).

Roberts and White are also in this Christian movie, along with Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Stephen Baldwin. This is an Armageddon thriller crossed with a prison yarn. Not much, but it has its moments.

Extras: widescreen, deleted scenes, audio commentary, featurette, bloopers, trailers

e-mail: hicks@desnews.com