By Jim Carnes
McClatchy Newspapers

Some movies you want to see when they hit DVD — “Up in the Air” and “Precious” from Tuesday’s releases, for example — and some you need to see. “The Stoning of Soraya M.” is among the latter.

“Stoning,” set in Iran in 1986, is based on the true story of a journalist (played by Jim Caviezel). When his car breaks down in a remote village, the journalist hears the horrifying story of the death of a young woman (Mozhan Marno), whose arranged marriage had a tragic ending when her abusive husband accused her of infidelity. Sharia law apparently has no provision like, “Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.” The film is disturbing, brutally violent, and completely compelling. “The Stoning of Soraya M.” is rated R and has a list price of $27.98 for DVD, $39.99 for Blu-ray.
You owe it to yourself to consider another movie based on a true story. This one, however, is heartwarming rather than heartrending. “Hachi: A Dog’s Tale” stars Richard Gere as a college professor who adopts an abandoned Akita puppy he finds on his way home from work. The loyalty and sense of “family” that develops between man and dog is inspiring. “Hachi” is rated G and sells for $24.96 for DVD and $34.95 for Blu-ray.
“Capitalism: A Love Story,” also based on a true story (at least in filmmaker Michael Moore’s mind) also was released Tuesday. Say what you will about Moore, he knows how to make provocative films, and this one about our economic meltdown is just his latest. “Capitalism” is rated R and lists for $29.98 for DVD, $39.98 for Blu-ray.
Also worth a look:
“Planet 51”: The animated sci-fi adventure features the voices of Dwayne Johnson, Jessica Biel and John Cleese. It’s rated PG and lists for $28.96 (DVD) and $39.95 (Blu-ray).

“Serbis (Service)”: Tells the story of a Phillipine family that operates, and lives in, a rundown porno theater and is so preoccupied with their own problems (bigamy, unwanted pregnancy, troubling skin irritations) that they don’t notice what’s going on inside the theater between the “serbis” boys (male prostitutes) and the gay patrons. “Serbis” is not rated and has a list price of $24.98.