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Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson tie the knot in the first half of the final installment of their vampire tale, "Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn-Part One."

Updated: February 20, 2012 6:22PM

NEW THIS WEEK

THE RUM DIARY

Rated: R for language, brief drug use and sexuality

Stars: Johnny Depp, Aaron Eckhart, Richard Jenkins, Amber Heard

If nothing else, this generally satisfying adaptation of Hunter S. Thompson’s early-days novel opens with one of the most vivid one-shot representations of a brutal hangover ever committed to film. Thompson wrote “The Rum Diary”at the age of 22, basing it on his experiences as a young reporter at a dead-end Puerto Rican newspaper in the late ’50s, and, as adapted by writer/director Bruce Robinson (“Withnail and I”), at least, he already sounded like the archly cynical, nihilistic, grey-matter-abusing iconoclast he would famously become (as the author of “gonzo-journalism” works such as “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas”) — with the same redeeming gift for bitter comedy. For Thompson fans, therefore, “The Rum Diary” is a virtually guaranteed delight, especially with Thompson-pal Depp (who also starred in Terry Gilliam’s disappointing 1997 adaptation of “Fear and Loathing”) playing the lead role of an already hard-drinking young reporter coping with a corrupt Ugly American real-estate grab, a sleazy editor (Jenkins), various degenerate co-workers and a gorgeous young femme-fatale (Heard). “Rum Diary” works a bit too hard to set Thompson up as a hero crusading against injustice, but it’s graced by some admirable Thompson dialog, such as this grim advice, delivered to the young reporter by his world-weary editor: “There’s nothing you can change. Sometimes you just have to spew over the side and keep rowing.” Extras include a “Rum Diary Back Story” documentary.

TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN-PART O NE★ ★ 1/2

Rated: PG-13 for disturbing images, violence, sexual/partial nudity and some thematic elements

Stars: Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner

No doubt the purely mercenary decision to stretch the final installment of the “Twilight Saga” out over two films instead of one has something to do with why “Breaking Dawn-Part One” is the dullest entry in the series so far. Part One of the final chapter in the “Harry Potter” series had a similar problem — all setup with little in the way of payoff. For now, though, “Twilight” true believers will have to make do with tortured drama as the longed-for wedding of 100-year-old vampire Edward (Pattinson) and 18-year-old Bella (Stewart) twists the knife in Bella’s unrequited werewolf-boy lover Jacob (Lautner) and springboards into the life-threatening gestation of Bella’s half-breed baby-to-be. After a long, long, long, slow, chess-playing, furniture-wrecking tropical honeymoon, of course. Extras include commentary by director Bill Condon, a six-part making-of documentary and, of course, a wedding video.

RECENT RELEASES

ANONY MOUS★ ★ ★ 1/2

Rated: PG-13 for some violence and sexual content

Stars: Rhys Ifans, Sebastian Armesto, Vanessa Redgrave

This beautifully crafted, powerfully acted and remarkably persuasive (while you’re under its spell) costume drama shamelessly (and effectively) plays fast and loose with history surrounding the more-or-less discredited theory that the 17th Earl of Oxford (Ifans) authored Shakespeare’s plays and poems. Extras include commentary by Emmerich and Orloff and deleted scenes.

A VERY HAROLD & KUMAR 3D CHR ISTMAS★ ★ ★

Rated: R for strong, crude and sexual content, graphic nudity, pervasive language, drug use and some violence

Stars: Kal Penn, John Cho, Neil Patrick Harris

It’s little more than a non-stop stoner goof, of course, but this third entry in the series in the just-say-yes comedy series is surprisingly entertaining from time to time. Harold (Cho), now a Wall Street sellout, and his old low-life roommate (Penn) ransack Manhattan trying to replace the prize Christmas tree of his Korean-hating father-in-law in the wee hours of Christmas Eve. Extras include deleted scenes.

ALSO NEW

ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT

Director Lewis Milestone’s Oscar-winning 1930 anti-war epic about a group of idealistic young Germans disillusioned during World War One has been fully restored and remastered for this, its Blu-ray debut. Extras include a rare silent version of the film, memorabilia reproductions, studio newsletters, posters and photos.

DR. SEUSS’S THE LORAX

A 1972 TV adaptation of the Suess fable about a greedy developer taught by a wise forest creature to respect the Earth’s resources. Extras include the Suess TV adaptations “Butter Battle Book” and “Pontoffel Pock & His Magic Piano.”

DOCTOR WHO: THE DOCTOR, THE WIDOW AND THE WARDROBE

This 2011 Christmas special finds the space-traveling Time Lord (Matt Smith) repaying a debt to an English woman by granting a wish to make Christmas wonderful for her children despite the loss of their father during World War II. Extras include three “Best Of” specials recapping highlights of the series.

THE HUMAN CENTIPEDE 2

In this follow-up to the controversial cult horror “Human Centipede,” a follower of the mad doctor from the first film attempts to top his record by sewing a dozen people together to form a ... you guessed it. No MPAA rating. Extras include an interview with writer/filmmaker Tom Six, commentary by Six and deleted scenes.

THE MARRIAGE CHRONICLES

Three married couples attempt to spice up their domesticity during a retreat in Malibu run by a sexy psychologist (Jazxmin Lewis). Paul D. Hannah (“The Perfect Man”) wrote and directed the comedy. No MPAA rating.

PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 3

Two young sisters (Katie Featherston and Sprague Grayden) begin a friendship with an invisible entity that lives in their home. Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman (“Catfish”) directed this prequel to the horror series. Rated R for some violence, language, brief sexuality and drug use.

TAKE SHELTER

Plagued by apocalyptic visions, a young father (Michael Shannon) questions whether or not to shelter his family from what he believes to be impending disaster. Jeff Nichols (“Shotgun Stories”) wrote and directed the drama. Rated R for some language.

WOODY ALLEN: A DOCUMENTARY

Documentarian Robert Weide had unprecedented access to Allen, filming him at work and at home for more than a year to create the first documentary portrait in which Allen participated.

NEXT WEEK

A bonanza for Western fans with the Blu-ray debut of John Ford’s classic “Fort Apache,” starring John Wayne and Shirley Temple, yet, providing a wholesome contrast to Clint Eastwood’s dark, revisionist “The Unforgiven”—also getting the Blu-ray treatment for a 20th anniversary edition.