The Richard Pryor Collection (MCA Home Video)

Every comic working today owes a debt to Richard Pryor, the misunderstood genius who tragically died from a heart attack in late 2005. In a fitting tribute, this collection contains four of his films, three of which feature him at his peak. While his performance in Car Wash (1976) is little more than a cameo, the film is worth watching, thanks to a great ensemble cast and a nonstop disco/soul soundtrack. Which Way Is Up? (1977) finds Pryor portraying three different characters in a fine story with a moral. Bustin’ Loose (1981) is nearly as good, sort of an urban take on The Bad News Bears. Brewster’s Millions (1985) is the only dud, a lame remake of a Hollywood classic. Still, there’s no denying the brilliance of the first three films, which chronicle Pryor’s rise from cult comic to controversial sensation.—Daniel Metcalf

Jarhead (Universal)

As Saddam Hussein invades Kuwait in 1990, Marine sniper Anthony Swofford (Jake Gyllenhaal) and his squad (led by Jamie Foxx) are deployed to the Middle East to await action. Denied the glory and violence of battle, Swofford wanders though the first Gulf War disillusioned, bored, and angry. This brutal and uncompromising film succeeds in sending the audience on the road to hell through the experiences of Swofford from boot camp to the deserts of Iraq. Bloody, cathartic, and filled with tough-as-hell performances, Jarhead is an unflinching look at a war where technology replaced soldiers.

Doom (Universal)

The video game Doom was about dimensional gateways that open portals to Hell, spilling out bloodthirsty demons. Despite their involvement as executive producers, the game’s creators have sold out to Hollywood, as the film features no portals, no Hell, and little else that made Doom a worldwide hit. Instead, we get The Rock as the leader of an elite team of badasses sent to Mars to find some missing scientists. Some admit- tedly great action sequences compete for screen time with cheesy one-liners, untalented actors, and some truly laughable stabs at character development. Despite these problems, the last 20 minutes of first-person P.O.V. carnage is so relentless that it raises the entire movie to the level of brainless, blood-soaked fun.-D.M.