New DVDs |

"The Artist" — which won five Academy Awards this year, including best picture, director and actor — waltzes onto DVD Tuesday, along with "Mirror Mirror," "21 Jump Street" and others. Star ratings are by Seattle Times movie reviewers, freelancers or wire services. For full reviews, search the movie title at seattletimes.com.

"The Artist" (PG-13): A delectable homage to the silent movies of the 1920s, Michel Hazanavicius' romantic comedy plays like a sweet, airy confection. That "The Artist" is itself a silent movie — in black and white, no less — shouldn't deter viewers from giving it a whirl.

"The Artist" opens in 1927, when the dapper film star George Valentin (Jean Dujardin) rules Hollywoodland. When George crosses paths with eager newcomer Peppy Miller (Bérénice Bejo), he's cast in the role of mentor; but when talking pictures become the order of the day, she quickly begins an ascent up stardom's ladder while George's fortunes begin their inevitable slide. Even the most arresting visual stunts would amount to little more than pastiche were it not for Dujardin and Bejo, who infuse their characters with palpable longing and regret.

"The Artist" hews faithfully to the classics it celebrates, offering a cautionary parable regarding the wages of fame but wrapping it in velvety aesthetic values, crisp storytelling and fabulous dance numbers.

Extras: making-of featurette, Q&A with the filmmakers and cast, blooper reel, Hollywood-on-location featurette.

The Washington Post

Other releases

"The Perfect Family" (PG-13): A wife, mother and tireless volunteer (Kathleen Turner) tries to live up to the nomination of Catholic Woman of the Year.

"Sound of Noise" (R, subtitled): This Swedish comedy tells the story of a batch of bank robbers who don't want cash — they just want to bang on counters and cash machines to make music.

"Mirror Mirror" (PG): The "Snow White" fairy tale gets a girl-power update, with the princess-in-exile (Lily Collins) learning from the dwarves how to fight and defend herself against the evil queen/stepmother (Julia Roberts).

"21 Jump Street" (R): Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum play clueless rookie cops infiltrating a high-school drug ring. The comedy is based on the 1987-91 Johnny Depp TV series.

"Wrath of the Titans" (PG-13): Sam Worthington returns as Perseus, who tries to save his father, Zeus (Liam Neeson), trapped in the underworld by vengeful Hades (Ralph Fiennes) and Ares (Edgar Ramirez).

"A Thousand Words" (PG-13): A literary agent (Eddie Murphy) must stop talking to prevent a magical Bodhi tree from losing all its leaves — or he dies.

"Bullhead" (R; subtitled): Matthias Schoenaerts portrays a tragic, scary cattle farmer addicted to steroids in this Oscar-nominated Belgian drama. (No star rating provided.)

Compiled by Lori Taki Uno: luno@seattletimes.com