Ambitious ‘Leland’ showcases newcomer Gosling’s talent

The United States of Leland

••1/2

While hardly a perfect film, “The United States of Leland” is an ambitious attempt to delve below the surface of an incomprehensible crime: a young man (Ryan Gosling) murdering the autistic brother of his former girlfriend (Jena Malone). If the movie takes too many plot turns and never effectively explains any character’s motivation, it at least shows why Don Cheadle is considered one of his generation’s great actors and why Gosling (“The Notebook”) may be the top talent of his. (DVD, VHS; 1:48; rated R for language, drug content)

The Ladykillers

••

Remaking the 1955 British classic starring Alec Guinness and Peter Sellers, filmmaker brothers Joel and Ethan Coen cough up entertainment that is as slight as Tom Hanks’ Southern accent is thick. Fairly tame and tepid for the Coen brothers, “The Ladykillers” isn’t without its qualities. It’s just that there aren’t enough of them. (DVD, VHS; 1:44; rated R for language including sexual references)

Jersey Girl

•

Ben Affleck plays a big-time entertainment publicist who loses his wife (Jennifer Lopez), blows his job and finds himself back in New Jersey, living with his dad (George Carlin) and trying to raise his 7-year-old daughter (Raquel Castro). The film’s single bright spot is a short scene between Affleck and, surprise!, Will Smith. (DVD, VHS; 1:42; rated PG-13 for profanity, sexual situations)

“Magnum P.I.: The Complete First Season,” “Columbo: The Complete First Season,” “Mork & Mindy: The Complete First Season”

More and more television series are coming on the home- entertainment market, and these three 1970s/‘80s-era series are prime examples. “Magnum” (1980) brought us Tom Selleck, “Columbo” (1971) the seemingly confused L.A. homicide detective played by Peter Falk and “Mork” (1978) the comic stylings of the great Robin Williams. Now’s your chance to enjoy them again, at the beginning, in multi-disc DVD splendor.

Now available: “The Ladykillers,” “Jersey Girl,” “The United States of Leland,” “The Punisher,” “Soul Plane,” “Magnum P.I.: The Complete First Season,” “Columbo: The Complete First Season,” “Mork & Mindy: The Complete First Season,” “Alias: Season 3”

Available Tuesday:

“Home on the Range,” “Man on Fire,” “Scooby Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed,” “Diff’rent Strokes: The Complete First Season,” “Warren Miller’s Journey”