Sarah Jessica Parker stars in this adaptation of a 2002 best seller by Allison Pearson. Kate (Parker), a well-paid corporate finance executive and mother of two young children, brings home the bacon while trying to appease her unemployed architect husband (Kinnear). Though Kate gives the appearance of "having it all," her precarious balance is upset when she is assigned to oversee the accounts of a debonair client, played by the ever-reliable Pierce Brosnan. A timely romantic comedy, the film examines the demands confronting career women raising a family, though it is prone to stray into cutsie, "Desperate Housewives" territory. Parker leads a winsome cast in this tale for and about women -- albeit, women with more advantages than most. DVD and Blu-ray features: A conversation with author Allison Pearson.

HIGHER GROUND
(2011)
* * * (B)
Directed by Vera Farmiga
Starring Vera Farmiga, Norbert Leo Butz, Dagmara Dominczyk, John Hawkes, Bill Irwin, Joshua Leonard, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Donna Murphy
Sony//rated R//Drama//109 minutes
Available on: Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack
Adapted from Carolyn S. Briggs's memoir, "Higher Ground" traces Corinne Walker's (Farmiga) efforts to sustain her Christian faith. As a teen Corinne falls in love, gets pregnant and is married, but when difficulties arise within her marriage, Corinne and her husband seek to strengthen their bond through faith. They join a patriarchal church group that leaves her gasping for air, except when in the company of Corinne's free-spirited friend Annika (Dominczyk). Both dramatic and humorous, Corinne's journey is one of self-discovery and empowerment. Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack features: Film on both DVD and Blu-ray, Commentary with Vera Farmiga, Joshua Leonard and Renn Hawkey, Making Higher Ground, Production Diary, Toe Sucking, Meeting of the Men, Grave, English or French.

DON'T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK
(2011)
* *1/2 (B-)
Directed by Troy Nixey
Starring Guy Pearce, Katie Holmes, Bailee Madison, Jack Thompson
Sony//Rated R//Horror//99 minutes
Available on: DVD and Blu-ray
Guillermo del Toro wrote this screenplay based on a 1973 TV-movie that, as a child, rocked him to the core. He rewrites the script to center on Sally (Madison), a 9-year-old sent to stay with her dad (Pearce) living in a Gothic mansion he is restoring to sell. Sally amuses herself, and avoids Dad's new girlfriend (Holmes), by investigating every nook and cranny in the house. She discovers a hidden realm, populated by small creatures that become increasingly malevolent. The question remains -- are Del Toro's childhood fears sufficiently scary to spook the film's adult audience. DVD or Blu-ray features: The Story, Blackwood's Mansion, The Creatures. English or Spanish. Conceptual Art Gallery (Blu-ray only).