This week, we start in Austria; sort of: Bruno (**1/2) Rated R, 82 minutes. Coming Tuesday to DVD.

Universal Pictures

Bruno, Sacha Baron Cohen’s follow-up to Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan, will be released Tuesday on DVD.

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First, check for a pulse on anyone who does not squirm while watching Sacha Baron Cohen as the title character, a faux Austrian TV host and fashionista. Baron Cohen (also of Borat fame) thrusts himself into a worldwide series of circumstances that would deathly embarrass mere mortals — the encounter with Congressman Ron Paul in a hotel room is enough to double you over. Part hilarious and part rehearsed satire, but more parts discomfiting confrontations.

The DVD, also on Blu-ray, holds 10 deleted scenes, two alternate scenes, seven extended scenes and a five-minute interview with agent Lloyd Robinson.

*

The Narrows (**1/2) Mike Manadoro (Kevin Zegers) works and lives with his father (Vincent D’Onofrio) in Brooklyn. In addition to his various responsibilities, Mike occasionally runs errands for the local mob boss. His loyalties are tested when he goes to school to study photography and then falls for a fellow student (Sophia Bush). Fairly routine story, but with good atmosphere and some unforeseen twists.

Rated R, 106 minutes.

The DVD, also on Blu-ray, offers commentary and interviews with cast and crew.

*

Would Be Kings (**1/2) In this Canadian production, two police officer cousins (Ben Bass and Currie Graham) find themselves on opposite sides, as one strays from the law and begins to flirt with the dark side. Familiar material, but with clever plotting and ample action. With Robert Forster and Natasha Henstridge.

Rated R, 90 minutes.

*

The Ugly Truth (**1/2) As an obviously fated duo, Katherine Heigl plays Abby, a lonely and single workaholic television producer in Sacramento, and Gerard Butler is Mike, an arrogant sexist who hosts a male-advice cable access program. When her station hires him, the two are thrown together, leaving little doubt about the direction of this opposites-attract romance. But before concluding, the script, from a trio of female writers, delivers some surprisingly pungent observations.

Rated R, 96 minutes.

The DVD, also on Blu-ray, offers commentary, six extended and deleted scenes, a 10-minute gag reel, a 13-minute featurette on the male-female dynamic and a 16-minute “making-of” featurette.

*

Blue Seduction (*1/2) In this repetitive, often ludicrous thriller-drama, Billy Zane plays Mike Taylor, a washed-up pop star who struggles to stay straight, sober and faithful to his wife, when a sexy seductress (Estella Warren) enters his life. She wants to write songs with him and record his music. But, warning bells, she’s also straight out of Fatal Attraction.

Not rated, 90 minutes.

*

Spread (**1/2) Ashton Kutcher stars as Nikki, a rootless, homeless, opportunistic young man who survives by hopping into bed with desperate — or gullible — women in Los Angeles. He hooks up with an older woman (Anne Heche) but continues his profligate ways. Directed by David McKenzie, who has a knack for these self-destructive tales, including Young Adam and Asylum.

Rated R, 97 minutes.

The DVD contains three featurettes: a 16-minute “making-of,” a six-minute interview with Kutcher and a brief segment examining the character of Nikki.

*

The Echo (**1/2) The tension slowly builds for a decent amount of frights in this story of a young man (Jesse Bradford) who returns from an unjust stretch in prison to his recently deceased mother’s apartment. He moves in to clean up her affairs, but unfortunately for him, it seems she also left behind some ghostly presences.

Rated R, 96 minutes. Also on Blu-ray.

*

Mummies: Secrets of the Pharaohs Christopher Lee narrates this IMAX production about Egyptian patriarchs and treasures. The tomb of Rameses the Great, among others, is uncovered and duly documented with reenactments and CGI assistance.

Not rated, 40 minutes. Also on Blu-ray.

*

The week’s best television series to DVD start with two surprising imports:

Heartland — Season One, Part Two From Canada comes this youth-oriented series photographed in the expansive Canadian Rockies. Shaun Johnston and Chris Potter star, and Amber Marshall and Michelle Morgan appear as sisters, in six episodes on two discs, of this romantic drama drenched in picturesque landscapes. Based on Lauren Brooke’s book series.

Not rated, 270 minutes.

*

Show Me Yours — The Complete Series This Canadian product showed in the U.S. in a diluted form on Oxygen, but here, 16 episodes of the unexpurgated original come on two discs. Rachel Crawford plays sex expert (sexpert?) Kate Langford, who teams up with arrogant shrink Benjamin Chase (Adam Harrington) to publish a racy book. Of course they can’t keep their hands off each other.

Not rated, 400 minutes.

*

Magical Christmas Collection Four Christmas-themed ’toons have been packaged onto one disc for holiday viewing: The Bears Who Saved Christmas, Nick and Noel, Dot and Spot’s Magical Christmas Adventure and A Christmas Carol (also available separately).

Not rated, 115 minutes.

*

Plastic Man: The Complete Collection Thirty-five episodes of the 1979 Saturday morning TV series based on the DC Comics character returns on four discs. This unusual superhero is joined by girlfriend Penny, and sidekick Hula Hula always lurks nearby.

Not rated, 564 minutes.

The set also includes a retrospective featurette and an unaired episode.

*

The Rockford Files: Movie Collection — Volume One James Garner starred as Jim Rockford in the TV series that also spawned several feature-length TV movies from 1994-96, all with a rich, revolving cast of guest stars. Four have been packaged onto two discs: I Still Love L.A., A Blessing in Disguise, If the Frame Fits and Godfather Knows Best.

None are rated, and all run around 90 minutes.

*

Also this week: Star Trek, Fight Club (Blu-ray), My Sister’s Keeper, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia: It’s A Very Sunny Christmas

DR. BOO ALLEN is an award-winning film critic for the Denton Record-Chronicle.