Nights In Rodanthe (Cert PG, 93 mins, Warner Home Video, Romance/ Drama) *** Starring: Diane Lane, Richard Gere, Viola Davis, Scott Glenn, Christopher Meloni, Mae Whitman, James Franco.

With her marriage in freefall, Adrienne Willis (Lane) spends a weekend in the North Carolina coastal community of Rodanthe.

The promise of peace and quiet is short-lived with the arrival of Dr Paul Flanner (Gere).

As a storm descends on Rodanthe, they cling to one another for emotional and physical comfort, sparking a passionate dalliance that will change their lives forever.

Adapted from the best-selling novel by Nicholas Sparks, this is a slushy romance about two lost souls gifted a second chance at love.

The film shamelessly tugs the heartstrings with its contrived tale of chance encounters.

Lane and Gere look beautifully windswept against the picture postcard locations, while Glenn delivers a memorable supporting turn as a husband scarred by grief.

DVD Extras: none stated.

Burn After Reading (Cert 15, 92 mins, Universal Pictures UK, Comedy/ Drama/Romance) **** Starring: George Clooney, Richard Jenkins, John Malkovich, Frances McDormand, Brad Pitt, JK Simmons, Tilda Swinton.

Writer-directors Joel and Ethan Coen return to comedic territory with this pithy tale of espionage and infidelity, peppered with colourful characters to love and loathe in equal measure.

Malkovich relishes his role as a hard-drinking curmudgeon, who cannot believe the incompetence of his would-be blackmailers.

Clooney essays another charming oddball, while Pitt steals every scene – dancing goofily to music from his MP3 player and attempting to conceal his identity on the telephone by adopting a risible, raspy voice.

The unlikely double-act with McDormand’s cosmetic surgery-obsessed spinster is a joy.

DVD Extras: none stated.

Taken (Cert 18, 89 mins, Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment, Action/Thriller) *** Starring: Liam Neeson, Maggie Grace, Famke Janssen, Olivier Rabourdin, Katie Cassidy, Holly Valance.

Neeson is an unlikely choice for this adrenaline-pumping action thriller as a bodyguard tracking down his hostage daughter.

He is imposing in the thuggish but two-dimensional lead role, bludgeoning anyone or anything that gets in his way.

Action set pieces are well choreographed but become repetitive, without any droll humour to leaven the brutality.

DVD Extras: ‘Making Of’ and ‘The Premier Launch’ featurettes.

The Hunting Party (Cert 15, 101 mins, Momentum Pictures Home Entertainment, Comedy/Drama/ Action) *** Starring: Richard Gere, Terrence Howard, James Brolin.

TV reporter Simon Hunt (Gere) loses his job following a disastrous assignment in Bosnia with cameraman Duck (Howard).

A decade later, Duck returns to Bosnia to film the aftermath of the conflict. Simon follows and they attempt to interview a war criminal.

DVD Extras: Deleted scenes, commentary, featurettes, trailers.