‘Passion’ vividly tells of Christ’s suffering

“The Passion of the Christ”

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Taking his plot from the New Testament gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, director Mel Gibson augments this exploration of the final 12 hours in the life of Jesus Christ with his own, for want of a better word, imagination. The result is a beautifully filmed, decently acted and exceedingly violent film that is likely to leave many viewers reeling with images of skin being flayed off of Jesus’ body. It’s also likely to leave those who don’t subscribe to Christian fundamentalism a bit confused about the message of Jesus’ life, which was as much about doing compassionate deeds as it was about suffering. Available in both wide- and full-screen versions. (DVD, VHS; 2:07; rated R for sequences of graphic violence)

“Twisted”

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Ashley Judd plays a tormented San Francisco cop, newly promoted to homicide, who almost immediately finds that men around her are getting murdered. What’s weirder, the victims are all men with whom she has tried to work out her frustrations by having anonymous, just-short-of-violent sex. You’ll likely figure out who the killer is right off. If you don’t, no problem. By the time things are revealed, you may not care. (DVD, VHS; 1:36; rated R for violence, language, sexuality)

“Star Trek: The Original Series” (complete first season)

A boxed-set edition of all 29 episodes of the science-fiction franchise’s original series, which stars William Shatner as Capt. James Kirk, commander of the Starship Enterprise and his hardy crew, most notably Leonard Nimoy as the Vulcan First Officer Spock. (DVD only, eight discs, not rated)

Now available: “The Passion of the Christ,” “Twisted,” “Star Trek: The Original Series” (complete first season).

Available Tuesday: “The Punisher,” “Magnum, P.I.: The Complete First Season,” “The Alfred Hitchcock Signature Collection,” “Columbo: The Complete First Season.”