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Rhys Ifans stars as William Shakespeare in "Anonymous," a film from director Roland Emmerich ("Godzilla," "The Day After Tomorrow") that explores the more-or-less discredited theory that the Bard did not, in fact, author the plays that are ascribed to him

Updated: April 10, 2012 11:56AM

NEW THIS WEEK

ANONYMOUS ★ ★ ★ 1/2

Rated: PG-13 for some violence and sexual content

Stars: Rhys Ifans, Sebastian Armesto, Vanessa Redgrave

It’s not too terribly surprising that Roland Emmerich (director of special effects spectaculars such as “Godzilla” and “The Day After Tomorrow”) made this Elizabethan costume drama based on the more-or-less discredited theory that the 17th Earl of Oxford actually authored Shakespeare’s plays and poems. Emmerich is, above all, a whiz bang when it comes to delivering a ripping yarn and the enormously entertaining “Anonymous” lets it rip with the best of them. Screenwriter John Orloff shamelessly (and effectively) plays fast and loose with history in “Anonymous,” mixing the Oxford Theory in with an actual ill-fated grab for the crown of Queen Elizabeth (Redgrave) and a court power struggle pitting Oxford (Ifans) against old, frail Elizabeth’s boo-hiss chief advisor William Cecil (David Thewliss) over the succession of King James of Scotland. Orloff eventually ups the dramatic ante to the Elizabethan tragic equivalent of jumping the shark, but no matter. This beautifully crafted, powerfully acted and remarkably persuasive (while you’re under its spell) tale will have you swept up in the grand, Shakespearean — sorry, Oxfordian — drama of things. Extras include commentary by Emmerich and Orloff and deleted scenes.

A VERY HAROLD & KUMAR 3D CHRISTMAS ★ ★ ★

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 an nonstop stoner goof, of course, but this third entry in the series in the just-say-yes, low-budget, low-brow, but not entirely low-IQ comedy series is surprisingly entertaining from time to time — and a major improvement over the previous “Harold & Kumar Escape From Guantanamo Bay.” This time around, Harold (Cho) has cleaned up and scored a high-paying gig on Wall Street, where he does his best to avoid his old low-life roommate (Penn) — who’s still very much devoted to the 420 lifestyle. The fun starts when Kumar stops by to say happy holidays and burns down the prize Christmas tree of Harold’s Yule-loving, Korean-hating father-in-law (Danny Trejo), which they attempt to replace during a desperate, 11th-hour Christmas Eve raid on Manhattan. Harris pulls out all the stops with his usual cameo, playing a disgusting, degenerate, date-raping parody (we hope) of himself. All that, plus 3D smoke rings. What more could you ask for? Extras include deleted scenes.

RECENT RELEASES

DRIVE ★ ★ ★ ★

Rated: R for strong, brutal, bloody violence, language and some nudity

Stars: Ryan Gosling, Carey Mulligan, Bryan Cranston, Albert Brooks, Ron Perlman

This ultra-stylish, ultra-tough, yet almost sociopathically understated modern film noir from Denmark’s Nicolas Winding Refn (who won the best director prize at Cannes), features an intense, tightly controlled performance by Gosling as a Hollywood stunt driver who works nights behind the wheel of getaway cars — and turns out to be a dangerous and disturbing hero. Extras include an interview with Refn.

TEXAS KILLING FIELDS ★ ★

Rated: R for violence and language including some sexual references

Stars: Sam Worthington, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Jessica Chastain, Chloe Moretz

The extraordinarily bleak “Texas Killing Fields” doesn’t have much to offer in the way of an original story or a coherent plot or detailed characterization, but it’s not short on atmosphere. Worthington, Morgan and Chastain play embattled small-town Texas cops searching for a serial killer of young girls and try to keep Moretz (“Kick-Ass”) from becoming a casualty.

ALSO NEW

DANGEROUS LIAISONS

In 18th-century France, a bored noblewoman (Glenn Close) asks a former lover (John Malkovich) to seduce the virtuous lady (Michelle Pfeiffer) her current young lover plans to marry. Stephen Frears (“The Queen”) directed the Oscar-winning drama. Extras include commentary by Frears.

THE HOUR

A news anchor, a reporter and a producer (Ben Whishaw, Anna Chancellor, Anton Lesser) working on a BBC news program in the 1950s work to uncover the truth about an espionage scandal in England. The UK TV series was nominated for three Golden Globes.

THE JAZZ SINGER

Jerry Lewis stars in a rare, early dramatic performance in this story of a cantor’s son who becomes a popular singer. Originally broadcast on NBC’s Startime series in 1959, “The Jazz Singer” was never rebroadcast and it now makes its home-video debut. Extras include a black and white kinescope of the show as well as a full-color video recording.

LADY AND THE TRAMP

Disney’s 1955 animated classic about a scruffy mutt from the wrong side of the tracks who falls for a lady dog with a pedigree makes its Blu-ray debut. Extras include never-before-seen deleted scenes and a deleted song.

THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA AT THE ROYAL ALBERT HALL

A lavish production of the Andrew Lloyd Webber Broadway smash, staged in London’s Royal Albert Hall with a cast and orchestra of more than 200 — plus special guests.

PROJECT NIM

The story of Nim, a chimpanzee raised and nurtured like a human child in the ’70s in an attempt to prove that chimps could learn to communicate with language. Oscar-winner James Marsh (“Man on Wire”) directed the documentary. Rated PG-13 for some strong language, drug content, thematic elements and disturbing images.

THE SONG OF LUNCH

In this BBC drama based on a narrative poem by Christopher Reidl, a book editor and failed novelist (Alan Rickman) meets a former lover (Emma Thompson) now married to a famous author for lunch 15 years after the break-up of their love affair.

THE SUNSET LIMITED

A deeply religious black ex-convict (Samuel L. Jackson) confronts a white professor who has attempted suicide (Tommy Lee Jones) after saving him and bringing him back to his apartment. Jones directed the HBO drama, based on a play by Cormac McCarthy (“No Country for Old Men”). Extras include commentary by Jones, Jackson and McCarthy.

NEXT WEEK

Ghosts, human centipedes and naked nuns? Things get very scary and very strange next week when more spooks make an unwelcome appearance in “Paranormal Activity 3,” a mad-scientist’s protege tries to break the record for kidnap victims sewn into a daisy chain in “Human Centipede 2” and a young novitiate wreaks havoc on drug-pushing predators in her convent in “Nude Nuns With Big Guns.”