Here are some films I’ve watched in recent weeks.

“The Picture of Dorian Gray” OK, I’ve never read Oscar Wilde’s classic novel. So I can’t tell you how it compares to this beautifully rendered 1945 film, which tells the famous story of Dorian Gray and his Faustian bargain: His portrait will age, but he will remain young and handsome.

Of course, Dorian (Hurd Hatfield) quickly discovers that his eternal youth leads only to decadence and tragedy, and his portrait grows uglier and uglier as a result. An unsettling gothic horror story, “The Picture of Dorian Gray” was shot in black and white, with the exception of Dorian’s portrait, which explodes in bright color and detail during a handful of close-ups. Haunting, tragic and heartbreaking, “The Picture of Dorian Gray” is a terrific film that looks great on DVD. It’s also extremely witty. Naturally. I mean, Oscar Wilde wrote it.

ALSO WORTH WATCHING: “Wilde,” the 1997 film biography of Oscar Wilde starring Stephen Fry. Like “Dorian Gray,” “Wilde” is witty, heartbreaking and tragic.

“The Duchess” A sumptuous costume drama with a feminist subtext, “The Duchess” tells the true story of Georgiana Spencer, who married William Cavendish, the Duke of Devonshire, on her 17th birthday. A charismatic and intelligent woman, Georgiana was active in politics and loved to gamble, but never won the love of her husband, who resented her for taking so long to give him a male heir, and then cruelly embarked on a long love affair with Georgiana’s best friend.

At first “The Duchess” appears to be a lighthearted period romp, but it gradually becomes something much sadder and deeper. Keira Knightley is very good as the duchess, but Ralph Fiennes shines as her unpleasant and powerful husband. Of course, as Film Comment has pointed out, the real star of the film is the massive country estate where these people live. Do people still live in houses like this? Or have they all been turned into museums?

ALSO WORTH WATCHING: “Marie Antoinette” “The Duchess” reminded me of this 2006 film, particularly in its close attention to fashion and the bedroom problems of its lead characters, although “The Duchess” lacks the anachronistic touches that make “Marie Antoinette” such a unique and memorable film.

“W.” This Oliver Stone film attempts to tell the story of former President George W. Bush, despite the fact that it was made before the 43rd president had even vacated the White House. “W.” is sort of a satiric cartoon — a zany, “can you believe this?” look at Bush’s personal life, and his time in politics. It’s all entertaining enough, until you remember that all this stuff really happened.

The performances — Josh Brolin as Bush, Thandie Newton as Condoleezza Rice, Richard Dreyfuss as Cheney, etc. — are caricatures, but well-sketched. Still, the film lacks the depth and power of Stone’s other presidential epics, “Nixon” and “J.F.K.” Overall, “W.” is perfectly well made, but feels curiously incomplete. Why didn’t Stone wait 10 years to make this film?

ALSO WORTH WATCHING: Oh, I don’t know. How about “Nixon” or “J.F.K.” ?

“The Hebrew Hammer” I can’t remember what possessed me to rent this 2003 film about an Orthodox Jewish superhero detective named Mordechai Jefferson Carver. I guess I thought it would be funny. Anyway, the film attempts to spin Blaxploitation cliches into something new (director Jonathan Kesselman has called it the first Jewsploitation film ever) and hip; the film makes gentle fun of Jewish culture while also parodying Jewish stereotypes.

The plot is a little too silly — Mordechai (Adam Goldberg) must save Hanukkah from Santa’s evil son — and the film generates too few laughs. But there are some sly moments and memorable quips. I particularly liked it when Mordechai challenges an adversary by saying “Let’s dance the hora.” Maybe this film would be funnier if I was Jewish. Then again, maybe not.

ALSO WORTH WATCHING: “Sweet Sweetback’s Badassss Song” “The Hebrew Hammer” features cameos by both Mario and Melvin Van Peebles, and so why not watch this seminal 1971 film, which was directed by and stars Melvin, and features a very young Mario in his film debut? Warning: Not a comedy.

“Strings” This 2004 film never really got an American distribution, but I read a rave review of it on Ain’t It Cool News, and decided to check it out. “Strings” is set in a fantasy world, and all of the characters are played by marionettes.

The plot is fairly typical quest narrative stuff — a young prince decides to avenge his father’s untimely death by declaring war on an enemy nation — with a few twists. For one thing, the marionette strings are an integral part of the film. Characters die when their head strings are cut, and when a baby is born, strings descend from the sky and attach themselves to the wooden body.

I’m sure “Strings” has its detractors — the film is extremely serious, with a hokey New Agey message about how we’re all connected — but I thought it was a stunning artistic achievement, mesmerizing and unforgettable.

ALSO WORTH WATCHING: “Team America: World Police” This no-holds-barred musical/political satire (from the team that brought the world “South Park”) is the only other all-marionette film I can think of. If there’s another, let me know. And, no, I’m not interested in watching old episodes of “Thunderbirds.”

“Red Road” An interesting little thriller, this 2006 film centers on a Scottish woman who works nights monitoring a bank of surveillance cameras, looking for crimes. One night, she sees someone she recognizes and becomes obsessed with him — she tracks him using the cameras, and eventually starts following him around town in person. It’s clear he has something to do with her tragic past, but the nature of that connection isn’t immediately clear.

For most of its running time, “Red Road” is a suspenseful and stylish genre exercise, but in the final 15 minutes or so it becomes something else entirely, an examination of redemption and hope. I thought this thematic shift made the ending a bit of a cop out, but “Red Road” is never boring and lingers in the mind long after you’ve stopped watching it.

ALSO WORTH WATCHING: “Red Road” reminded me of the 2008 film “I’ve Loved You So Long,” starring Kristen Scott Thomas as a woman who is released from prison. We learn that she murdered her son, and has long been estranged from her family.

“I’ve Loved You So Long,” is a riveting melodrama, but, like “Red Road,” the final 15 minutes reveals information that changes how we feel about the characters, undermining some of the themes and ideas that came before.

Got a comment? E-mail me at sfoss@dailygazette.net.