THE LIST: DVDs, CDs and books hitting stores week of Aug. 3

DVDS
  “Kick-Ass” (R): A geeky teen (Aaron Johnson) reinvents himself as a superhero — despite his total lack of superpowers — in a seriously violent adaptation of Mark Millar’s comic book series, which is utterly stolen by Chloe Grace Moretz (“500 Days of Summer”) as the masked, purple-wigged 11-year-old vigilante Hit Girl. Nicolas Cage, “Sherlock Holmes’ ” Mark Strong and “Superbad’s” Christopher Mintz-Plasse co-star.
  A very different sort of young hero emerges in “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” (PG), based on Jeff Kinney’s illustrated novel, about the misadventures of a middle-school misfit (Zachary Gordon) trying to survive a daunting rite of passage: sixth grade. But two of the year’s best movies definitely qualify as grown-up: “The Ghost Writer” (PG-13), director Roman Polanski’s edgy thriller about a writer-for-hire (Ewan McGregor), who’s caught up in intrigue while helping an exiled former British prime minister (Pierce Brosnan) complete his memoirs; and the Oscar-nominated French drama "A Prophet” (R), about a virtually illiterate Arab teen (Tahar Rahim) who learns life (and death) lessons from a wily gangster (Niels Arestrup) behind bars. Rounding out today’s recent releases: the faith-based “To Save a Life” (PG-13), about a high school basketball star (Randy Wayne) who reaches out to misfit classmates following a childhood friend’s suicide.
  Topping the crop of movies that never played local theaters, Liam Neeson, Justin Long and Christina Ricci headline the supernatural thriller “After.Life" (R), while Andie MacDowell and Rutger Hauer star in the coming-of-age tale “Happiness Runs” (not rated). An aspiring filmmaker (Leelee Sobieski) finds herself collaborating with a porn auteur (Matt Davis) in the comedy “Finding Bliss” (R), while an unwelcome houseguest terrorizes a divorcing couple in “Open House” (R), with “True Blood’s” Anna Paquin and Stephen Moyer. A self-proclaimed genius (Mike O’Connell) with one day to live enlists his only friend (“Zombieland’s” Jesse Eisenberg) to help him stage “The Living Wake” (PG-13), an offbeat dark comedy that captured awards at various film festivals, including Las Vegas’ own CineVegas. And the documentary “Sweetgrass” (not rated) focuses on one last ride as modern-day Montana herders lead their sheep to summer pastures.
  Numerous vintage titles also debut on Blu-ray Disc, including Kevin Costner, Susan Sarandon and Tim Robbins in the 1988 baseball classic “Bull Durham” (R); Frances McDormand, Dan Hedaya and M. Emmett Walsh in the Coen Brothers’ inspired 1984 debut “Blood Simple” (R); Molly Ringwald, Emilio Estevez and Ally Sheedy in the 25th-anniversary Brat Pack favorite “The Breakfast Club” (R); James Mason and Ava Gardner in 1951’s mad romance “Pandora and the Flying Dutchman” (not rated); and the 1972 documentary “Elvis on Tour” (G). Separate “TCM Spotlight” packages (both unrated) salute Errol Flynn (with such World War II-era adventures as “Desperate Journey” and “Northern Pursuit”) and Kim Novak (highlighted by the 1955 William Inge drama “Picnic,” featuring William Holden, Rosalind Russell and Cliff Robertson). Also arriving on DVD: Sissy Spacek and Anne Bancroft in the 1986 drama “ 'night, Mother” (PG-13). And tuning in to TV transfers (all unrated), get set for fall’s “Hawaii Five-O” revival with the original “Hawaii Five-O: The Ninth Season.” Also arriving: “Mercy: The Complete First Season,” “Saturday Night Live: The Best of Will Ferrell — Volume Three” and the PBS music documentary “Harp Dreams.”

CDS
  Arcade Fire, “The Suburbs”: Feel the heat from one of the most hotly anticipated records of the summer, as indie rockers Arcade Fire are back with their third offering.
  Somehow both epic and intimate at once, apocalyptic and yet resolute, “The Suburbs” is some prime art rock real estate. 
  Also in stores: The Black Crowes, “Croweology”; Buckcherry, “All Night Long”; Los Lobos, “Tin Can Trust”; Reel Big Fish, “A Best of Us ... For the Rest of Us”; Squeeze, “Spot the Differences”; and Ryan Star, “11:59.”   

BOOKS
  “Artemis Fowl: The Atlantis Complex” by Eoin Colfer: In the seventh installment in the series featuring the teenage genius, Artemis seems to have turned away from criminal activity, but Capt. Holly Short discovers he’s suffering from a psychosis triggered by the teen’s toying with fairy magic.
  Also out this week, Philippa Gregory brings to life the story of Margaret Beaufort, heiress to the red rose of Lancaster, and her unwavering quest to put her son, Henry, on the throne of England in “The Red Queen.”
  Also hitting shelves: “Angelina: An Unauthorized Biography” by Andrew Morton; “Betrayal” by Gillian Shields; “Burn” by Nevada Barr; “Fragile” by Lisa Unger; “Hangman” by Faye Kellerman; “I Am Number Four” by Pittacus Lore; “I Curse the River of Time” by Per Petterson; “In Harm’s Way” by Ridley Pearson; “Labyrinth” by Kat Richardson; “Mustaine: A Heavy Metal Memoir” by Dave Mustaine and Joe Layden; “My Hollywood” by Mona Simpson; “Packing for Mars: The Curious Science of Life in the Void” by Mary Roach; “Rich Boy” by Sharon Pomerantz; “Roast Mortem” by Cleo Coyle; “Scarlet Nights” by Jude Deveraux; “The Stuff That Never Happened” by Maddie Dawson; “Venom” by Joan Brady; and “Washington Rules: America’s Path to Permanent War” by Andrew Bacevich.