Another week, another hearty bounty of new entertainment choices - including the anticipated home video release of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. Though many seemed to feel Johnny Depp was robbed of a Best Actor Oscar, it's difficult to believe anyone other than Daniel Day-Lewis should have hefted the golden statue last month.

Still, Sweeney Todd is a fast-paced, fun horror-musical with all the Burton-esque earmarks we've come to expect. As might be expected, there is the gloriously gloomy, yet oddly beautiful, cinematography and the characterizations are all nothing short of bizarre. Naturally, we wouldn't have it any other way.

Also of notable release is absolutely ridiculous children's film Alvin and the Chipmunks. While I would enjoy tearing apart the film and pointing out why this sort of tripe is hardly helpful to the developmental growth of our youth, such ruminations would fall on deaf ears. Considering the film broke the two hundred million mark, it's safe to suggest that Americans simply wish to give their children what they want.

Here at Hurry Home Dark Cloud, two new under-the-radar releases we recommend are The Good Night and Fiorile. The Good Night revolves around a former pop star who now composes commercial jingles for a living. Naturally, a mid-life crisis is inevitable. Fiorile, actually released in 1993, is a warm Italian film about a unique family curse.

Films released for the first time on high-definition Blu-Ray discs are Unbreakable, Coyote Ugly, and Hidalgo.

Musically, the new releases are even more diverse this week. First of all, R.E.M. offers their first new record since 2004 with Accelerate. Sun Kil Moon officially releases April, their first record of original material since 2003. Electronica maven Moby released his ninth album and Van Morrison trumps Moby with his thirty-third studio album.

Hard rock and heavy metal fans will surely pounce on new ones from Sevendust, Theory of a Deadman, In Flames, and The Sword. For country fans, both Josh Gracin and George Strait are presenting new albums, as well as brilliant country-tinged musician Jackie Greene.

Alternative-country singer Matthew Ryan, who has a song featured on the latest Paste Magazine disc, releases his new one today. The blues-rock of The Black Keys gels into another solid new album, in addition to a rarities release from seasoned singer/songwriter Robyn Hitchcock. Finally, instrumental indie outfit Unwed Sailor and rock band Foals both have new ones. The official U.S. release for Foals is April 8, but impatient fans can opt for the import release today.

Theatrical new releases this week, beginning April 4, are: Leatherheads, Nim's Island, and The Ruins.

Leatherheads is a screwball/comedy/football film set in the mid-twenties, Nim's Island has been described as an "Indiana Jones film for girls", and The Ruins is a by-the-numbers horror flick (is there any other kind?)