This Week on DVD and Blu-ray - September 16, 2008

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Wow, here´s another heavy week for new releases. According to my master release list, there are no less than 37 different titles on the shelf deserving of some kind of mention. Let´s dive right in, shall we?

First up, though, I need to make one correction. The remastered Blu-ray edition of "Superman Returns" was pushed back to this week from last. Remember, it´s a TrueHD audio version of the disc with all the same extras that were on the previous release. The Weinstein Company gets into the BD game with an extended edition of "1408" and a two-disc Special Edition of "The Mist." While the John Cusack/Samuel L. Jackson thriller omits the original theatrical cut of the film, "The Mist" (based on a Stephen King work) comes with both color and black and white versions of the film.

Elsewhere in make-up title land, Universal streets Ang Lee´s "Hulk" (previously available on HD-DVD). The BBC, via Warner, brings the first season of the "Dr. Who" spinoff "Torchwood" to (very expensive) Blu-ray Disc; Disney repackages the "Pirates of the Caribbean films into a 3 movie set.

Continuing with our high def rundown, I´m kind of surprised "88 Minutes" didn´t turn out better at the theater. It comes to us from director Jon Avnet ("Fried Green Tomatoes," "Red Corner" and episodes of "Boomtown," among others) and stars Al Pacino, Leelee Sobieski, Amy Brenneman, William Forsythe, Ben McKenzie and Neal McDonough. What happened, causing a sub-$17 million domestic gross…and not even another $14 million in foreign markets? We can all see now, courtesy of day-and-date DVD and BD editions.

The late Sydney Pollack makes his final acting appearance in "Made of Honor," co-starring along with Patrick Dempsey and Michelle Monaghan. Another one of those movies which came and went this spring without much of a splash (it did make back its production budget, though); it streets in dueling editions, too. Then there are the twin 25th Anniversary Edition release of the Tom Cruise classic "Risky Business."

And two highly visible bombs from this summer ("Speed Racer" and "The Love Guru") hit the shelf, too. "Speed Racer" comes in widescreen and fullscreen DVD editions as well as a disc BD; "The Love Guru" is a single or double disc DVD (the 2-disc comes with digital copy) and the double disc variant on high def, also with digital copy.

There is one title which sits in the middle of a couple different categories, so I´ll mention it here. "Pushing Daisies" Season One debuts in both high def and DVD with all nine episodes from the strike shortened first season. The second season debuts October 1.

Now then, this week´s mother load hits us on DVD, with remastered catalog titles taking the lead. Glenn Close fans get a double dip with Special Edition releases of both "101 Dalmatians" and "102 Dalmatians." Not to pass up a chance to cross promote their own catalog, Disney also has a new version of "101 Dalmatians 2: Patch´s London Adventure" on tap. (The latter is animated, in case you didn´t know.)

Gene Kelly and Leslie Caron in "An American in Paris" has already had a DVD release or two, but the Two-Disc SE hits today, side by side with the same configuration for "Gigi."

Warner Brothers also debuts the 20th Anniversary Edition of Tim Burton´s "Beetlejuice" (BD variant comes October 7). Paramount throws some classic 80s teen movies into Flashback Editions´ (their term, not mine). "The Breakfast Club," "Sixteen Candles" and "Weird Science" are the titles available separately or in the High School Flashback Edition.

"Eddie Murphy: Delirious" debuts in its own 25th Anniversary Edition replacing the Entertainment Studio disc from last year. This is a double disc affair courtesy of Starz and Anchor Bay. Kate Beckinsale´s latest, "Snow Angels," manages a DVD release this week. While I didn´t get the chance to see it, I am happy to see the actress in something other than garbage ("Van Helsing"), overblown CGI events ("Pearl Harbor") or middling fantasy (the "Underworld" movies). And finally is the feel good documentary of the year, "Young at Heart," all about a group of singing senior citizens.

I know, you´re asking what´s new on TV on DVD this week, right? Because, let´s face it, while football dominates the weekends, you need something to watch during the week. You ask, I oblige. The debut season of "Chuck" (debut September 29, November 11 BD); "Criminal Minds" Season Three (September 24); "Dirty Sexy Money" Season One (October 1); "Duckman" Season 1 and 2; "Private Practice" Season One (October 1); the "Star Trek" Fan Collective: Alternate Realities (5-disc set); the second season of "Torchwood"; and "Will & Grace" Season Eight, accompanied by a complete series boxset.

And there we have it. Another week in the books.

Blu-ray Recap: "1408," "88 Minutes," "Hulk" (2003), "The Love Guru," "Madagascar," "Made of Honor," "The Mist," "Pirates of the Caribbean" 3 Movie Set, "Pushing Daisies" Season One, "Risky Business," "Speed Racer," "Superman Returns" (remastered), "Torchwood" Season One.

DVD Recap: "101 Dalmatians," "102 Dalmations," "101 Dalmations 2: Patch´s London Adventure," "88 Minutes," "An American in Paris," "Beetlejuice," "The Breakfast Club," "Chuck" Season One, "Criminal Minds" Season Three, "Dirty Sexy Money" Season One, "Duckman" Seasons One and Two, "Eddie Murphy: Delirious," "Gigi," "High School Flashback Edition" Set, "The Love Guru," "Made of Honor," "Private Practice" Season One, "Pushing Daisies" Season One, "Risky Business," "Sixteen Candles," "Snow Angels," "Speed Racer," "Star Trek Fan Collective: Alternate Realities," "Torchwood" Season Two, "Weird Science," "Will & Grace" Season Eight, "Will & Grace" The Complete Series," "Young at Heart."

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