In Theaters This Week 31st July 2009

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Funny People
Copyright © 2009 Universal Pictures

George is a very successful stand up comedian who learns that he has an untreatable blood disorder and is given less than a year to live. Ira is a struggling up-and-coming stand up comedian who works at a deli and has yet to figure out his onstage persona. One night, these two perform at the same club and George takes notice of Ira. George hires Ira to be his semi-personal assistant as well as his friend.

	July 31st, 2009
	Judd Apatow
	Judd Apatow
	Adam Sandler, Seth Rogen, Leslie Mann, Jonah Hill, Jason Schwartzman, Eric Bana, Andy Dick
	Universal Pictures
	Comedy
	funnypeoplemovie.net, myspace.com/funnypeople, facebook.com/pages/Funny-People/95034925330, george-simmons.com, laughyourdickoff.com
	R language and crude sexual humor throughout, and some sexuality
	2 hours 16 minutes

Aliens In The Attic
Copyright © 2009 20th Century Fox

"Aliens in the Attic," co-scripted by one of the writers of Madagascar and the Academy Award-winning 'Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were Rabbits,' is an adventure/comedy about kids on a family vacation who must fight off an attack by knee-high alien invaders with world-destroying ambitions--while the youngsters' parents remain clueless about the battle.

	July 31st, 2009
	John Schultz
	Mark Burton, Adam F. Goldberg
	Ashley Tisdale, Robert Hoffman, Carter Jenkins, Austin Butler, Ashley Boettcher, Henri Young, Regan Young, Tim Meadows, Gillian Vigman, Kevin Nealon
	20th Century Fox
	Adventure, Family, Fantasy
	theycamefromupstairs.com
	PG action violence, some suggestive humor and language
	1 hour 26 minutes

"Funny People" laughing loudest at box office

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - It's shaping up as a tale of two genres at the weekend box office in North America.

A trio of studios will be singing "We Are Family" again, but the No. 1 picture is likely to be "Funny People," a new R-rated comedy that extends another recent theatrical trend.

The family-friendly films "G-Force," "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" and "Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs" nabbed three of the top five spots last weekend, so one might think that the moms-and-kids segment is saturated. But so far this summer, parents have shown boundless enthusiasm for rounding up the tots for a couple hours of air-conditioned diversion.

Fox's family-targeting adventure fantasy "Aliens in the Attic," which opens Friday, mixes computer-animated extraterrestrials into predominantly live-action shenanigans. Originally scheduled for a spring bow, "Aliens" -- then titled "They Came from Upstairs" -- was delayed after the studio decided to tweak its screenplay and visual effects. John Schultz ("The Honeymooners") directed the young ensemble cast.

"It's summertime, and I think there's plenty of interest for a picture like this," Fox distribution president Bruce Snyder said.

Prerelease tracking indicates "Aliens" might do best with boys, opening with $11 million-$13 million through Sunday. That's just below the expected range for the second weekend of Disney's family adventure fantasy "G-Force," which ruled the box office last session, and Warner Bros.' "Half-Blood Prince," whose third frame will be bolstered by an expansion to 160 Imax venues.

But this weekend's box office crown is likely to be worn by a comedy bearing a restricted rating -- like the other two pictures in last weekend's top five, "The Ugly Truth" and "Orphan." Universal's "Funny People" -- a Judd Apatow-directed dramatic comedy starring Adam Sandler, Seth Rogen and Leslie Mann -- appears a lock to open north of $20 million.

How much higher is the subject of much speculation. Industry forecasts have been unusually errant this summer, and "Funny" is considered a picture whose fate is tied to word-of-mouth from its earliest audiences.

So a positive reaction among Friday patrons -- spread via Facebook, Twitter, texting, etc. -- could prove particularly key toward the picture's sustaining momentum Saturday and Sunday.

With a running time pushing 2-1/2 hours and a story involving a stand-up comic with cancer (Sandler), "People" isn't the most obvious sort of Apatow comedy. But it has been drawing relatively positive early reviews, and broadly solid prerelease interest appears strongest among male youngsters.

Produced for an estimated $70 million, "People" is the third Apatow-helmed picture after "The 40-Year-Old Virgin" and "Knocked Up." "Virgin" opened in August 2005 with $21.4 million, en route to ringing up $109.4 million domestically; "Knocked Up" bowed with $30.7 million and registered $148.8 million in total domestic coin.

The weekend's third wide opener is a horror picture with modest aims. The Freestyle-distributed "The Collector," starring Josh Stewart ("The Haunting of Molly Hartley") appears headed for a bow in the single-digit millions. Freestyle co-founder Mark Borde said "Collector" targets younger males, unlike last weekend's horror release "Orphan," which skewed heavily female in fetching $12.9 million from its first frame. [Source from: reuters.com]

Blu-ray Chart 25th July

Top Blu-ray Sales 25th July 2009
**All previous top sales will be announce on every Thursday
Please visit http://astore.amazon.com/screamvideobl-20

Watchmen (Director's Cut) (Amazon Digital Bundle + Digital Copy and BD-Live) [Blu-ray]

RANK	TITLE (LABEL/DISTRIBUTOR, SRP)
1	WATCHMEN (WB, $35.99)
2	CORALINE (UNI, $39.99)
3	KNOWING (SUMMIT, $34.99)
4	THE HAUNTING IN CONNECTICUT (LG, $39.99)
5	300: THE COMPLETE EXPERIENCE (WB, $39.99)
6	PUSH (SUMMIT, $34.99)
7	GRAN TORINO (WB, $35.99)
8	PUSHING DAISIES: SEASON 2 (WB, $49.99)
9	PRISON BREAK: THE FINAL BREAK (FOX, $29.99)
10	THE DARK KNIGHT (WB, $35.99)

DVD Chart 25th July

Top DVD Sales 25th July 2009
**All previous top sales will be announce on every Thursday
Please visit http://astore.amazon.com/screamvideobl-20

Watchmen (Director's Cut) (Two-Disc Special Edition + Amazon Digital Bundle + Digital Copy)

THIS WEEK			TITLE (LABEL/DISTRIBUTOR)			RATING	BOX OFFICE*
1			WATCHMEN (WB)			R	107.5
2			CORALINE (UNI)			PG	75.3
3			THE HAUNTING IN CONNECTICUT (LG)			PG-13	55.4
4			KNOWING (SUMMIT)			PG-13	80.0
5			GRAN TORINO (WB)			R	148.1
6			PUSH (SUMMIT)			PG-13	31.8
7			PRINCESS PROTECTION PROGRAM (DIS)			G	-
8			PAUL BLART: MALL COP (SONY)			PG	146.3
9			PSYCH: SEASON 3 (UNI)			NR	-
10			TWILIGHT (SUMMIT)			PG-13	191.4
11			TYLER PERRY'S MADEA GOES TO JAIL (LG)			PG-13	90.5
12			MONK: SEASON 7 (UNI,			NR	-
13			ROBOT CHICKEN STAR WARS 2 (WB)			NR	-
14			CONFESSIONS OF A SHOPAHOLIC (DIS)			PG	44.3
15			SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS: TO SQUAREPANTS OR NOT TO SQUAREPANTS (PAR)			G	-
16			HOTEL FOR DOGS (PAR)			PG	73.0
17			THE UNBORN (UNI)			PG-13	43.0
18			BOLT (DIS)			PG	114.1
19			TAKEN (FOX)			PG-13	144.5
20			WALL-E (DIS)			G	223.8

Blu-ray 28th July Releases

Fast & Furious [Blu-ray]

Universal Studios Home Entertainment / 2009 / 107 Minutes / Rated PG-13
Street Date: July 28, 2009

Overall Grade Highly recommended


Genres: Action pack!

Starring: Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Michelle Rodriguez, and Jordana Brewster
Director: Justin Lin

Plot Synopsis: Vin Diesel and Paul Walker reteam with Michelle Rodriguez and Jordana Brewster for the ultimate chapter of the franchise built on speed! From big rig heists to precision tunnel crawls, Fast & Furious takes you back into the high-octane world to race through crowded city streets and across international lines!

Disc Features:

• Commentary with Director Justin Lin
  
• Gag Reel (HD, 5:00)
• Los Bandoleros (HD, 20:23)
  
• Under the Hood - Muscle Cars (HD, 6:55)
  
• Under the Hood - Imports (HD, 4:59)
• Getting the Gang Back Together (HD, 9:50)
  
• Driving School with Vin Diesel (HD, 3:50)
• Shooting the Big Rig Heist (HD, 9:47)
  
• Races and Chases (HD, 11:01)
• High Octane Action: The Stunts (HD, 11:22)
South of the Border - Filming in Mexico (2:55)
Pitbull, "Blanco" Music Video (HD, 4:11) Video for the song that opens the movie, produced by Pharrell Williams.

Dragonball: Evolution [Blu-ray]

20th Century Fox / 2009 / 85 Minutes / Unrated
Street Date: July 28, 2009

Genres: Action, Fantasy

Starring: Justin Chatwin, Chow Yun-Fat
Plot Synopsis:

Based on one of the most popular Japanese manga series of all time, Dragonball: Evolution follows a young warrior on an epic adventure to discover his destiny...and save the world from the forces of darkness.

For his eighteenth birthday, mild-mannered Goku is given a mystical Dragonball, one of only seven in existence, which combine to grant a perfect wish to whoever possesses them. But an ancient warlord named Piccolo has escaped eternal imprisonment and is on his own quest to gather the Dragonballs. Goku must enlist the help of his friends—and the power of his evolving martial arts skills—to defeat Piccolo before it’s too late! Packed with spectacular visual effects, high-flying action, and over an hour of hard-hitting extras, Dragonball: Evolution Z-Edition brings the legend to life like never before!

Miss March [Blu-ray]

20th Century Fox / 2009 / 90 Minutes / Unrated
Street Date: July 28, 2009

Genres: Comedy

Starring: Zach Cregger, Trevor Moore
Directors: Zach Cregger, Trevor Moore

Plot Synopsis: Zach Cregger and Trevor Moore (co-founders of The Whitest Kids U Know comedy troupe) are in for the ride of their lives as Eugene and Tucker, two best friends who embark on a hilarious cross-country road trip to the legendary Playboy Mansion to find Cindi (Raquel Alessi), Eugene's gorgeous virgin-turned-centerfold girlfriend!

Disc Features:
- Unrated and Theatrical Versions of the Film
- Viral Videos
- Sound Design
- Timmy's Audition
- Darren's Audition
- Sam's Audition
- Lesbians Audition
- Down and Dirty Music Featurette - Censored Version
- Down and Dirty Music Featurette - Uncensored Version

Back Catalogue/ Other Blu-ray Releases:

G-Force Blasts Potter Out of #1 Spot

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LAST WEEKEND Audiences shifted their attention from teen wizards to talking guinea pigs as Disney's 3D action film G-Force pulled an upset at the North American box office knocking Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince out of the top spot in its second weekend. The Hogwarts flick fell sharply but still pulled in a solid gross and continued its sensational run around the world. Mature audiences came out in impressive numbers for the Katherine Heigl-Gerard Butler comedy The Ugly Truth which opened well in third place.

Families rushed to multiplexes to see adorable talking animals as G-Force powered its way to the top spot with an estimated $32.2M from an ultrawide release in 3,697 theaters. Averaging a healthy $8,697 per theater, the PG-rated action-adventure about guinea pig government spies connected with family audiences and took advantage of higher-priced tickets from its 1,600 3D locations. With almost $500M spent this summer on 3D toons Up and Ice Age, kids and parents were ready to move on to a live-action film that still offered clean and fun entertainment for children of all ages. The Disney and Jerry Bruckheimer brand names also added some weight.

G-Force continued the studio's great summer following Up and The Proposal which also debuted at number one. The trio could end up grossing a powerful $550M or more combined.

Dropping to second place was the film most expected to top the charts, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, which grossed an estimated $30M in its second weekend. The wizard sequel fell a steep 62% which was completely expected given the last film's 58% sophomore drop. After 12 days, the newest Potter has banked an impressive $221.8M putting it 7% ahead of the pace of 2007's Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix which stood at $207.9M at the same point in its run. Factoring in ticket price increases, the two films have sold an identical amount of tickets over their first 12 days, although Prince did it with virtually no IMAX sales. Phoenix grossed a slightly better $32.5M in its second frame.

With the bulk of its IMAX run to start this Wednesday, Half-Blood Prince could be on its way to a domestic total of $300M or a bit more. Overseas, the new Hogwarts tale fell sharply but still led the international box office with a muscular $84.4M from over 16,000 screens in 64 markets boosting the overseas total to an eye-popping $405.3M and the worldwide tally to a stunning $627.1M. The dazzling performance this weekend led to two major milestones - Warner Bros. smashed the $1 billion mark in overseas box office for 2009 and the Harry Potter franchise shattered the $5 billion mark across its six films in eight years. The series has grossed $5.1 billion and counting and should reach at least $5.4 billion with two more installments still to come.

Sony targeted the date crowd and scored an impressive opening for its romantic comedy The Ugly Truth which bowed in the third slot with an estimated $27M from 2,882 theaters. The R-rated pic averaged a strong $9,368 which was tops among films in the top ten. It also underscored the growing box office clout of Katherine Heigl who enjoyed a $23M debut last year anchoring the comedy 27 Dresses. Studio research showed that 62% of the audience was female while 64% was over 25. Adult women and couples have had no new films specifically for them over the past month as most movies have targeted kids, teens, or the action crowd. The lack of competition helped the $38M production overcome horrible reviews from critics and last week's sneak previews helped to spread advance buzz.

The new horror title Orphan performed moderately in its debut grossing an estimated $12.8M from 2,750 locations this weekend. Bowing in fourth place with a decent $4,644 average, the R-rated thriller about a creepy girl adopted by unsuspecting parents performed much like past fright flicks like One Missed Call and The Eye which opened to $12.4M and $12.5M, respectively.

Fox's hit toon Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs lost audiences and 3D screens to the guinea pigs this weekend and suffered its worst decline yet falling 53% to an estimated $8.2M. With a solid $171.3M in the bank, a final gross close to the $195.3M of Ice Age: The Meltdown and $197.8M of this spring's 3D flick Monsters vs. Aliens still seems likely. Overseas, Dawn shattered the half-billion mark with an estimated $40.6M this weekend from 102 markets for an international cume of $505.4M and a dizzying global tally of $676.7M.

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen fell out of the top five in its fifth weekend, but it did climb into the All-Time Top 10 list. The robot sequel scored an estimated $8M, down 42%, boosting the total to $379.1M after 33 days of release. That puts Michael Bay's critically-panned testosterone flick at number 10 on the list of all-time domestic blockbusters bumping off Oscar champ The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King which took in $377M in 2003 and 2004. The Peter Jackson adventure sold more tickets though since ticket prices have increased since then. Reaching $400M should not be a problem for Transformers which will end up selling about as many tickets as 1997's Men in Black, another summer sci-fi smash executive produced by Steven Spielberg.

A week away from joining the All-Time Top 50, The Hangover enjoyed yet another solid frame grossing an estimated $6.5M, off just 21%, giving Warner Bros. a $247.1M total. A hair behind in eighth place was another successful summer comedy The Proposal which slipped only 23% to an estimated $6.4M for a $140.1M cume. This is the sixth straight weekend that the two comedies were side-by-side on the charts although Sandra Bullock spent the first five times on top.

Universal rounded out the top ten with the gangster drama Public Enemies with an estimated $4.2M and the fashionista pic Brüno with an estimated $2.7M. The Johnny Depp vehicle fell 46% raising the sum to $88.1M while the Sacha Baron Cohen pic tumbled 67% for a $56.5M cume.

#	Title	Jul 24 - 26			Theaters	Weeks		Cumulative	Distributor
1	G-Force	$ 32,152,000			3,697	1		$ 32,152,000	Buena Vista
2	Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince	30,000,000			4,325	2		221,800,000	Warner Bros.
3	The Ugly Truth	27,000,000			2,882	1		27,000,000	Sony
4	Orphan	12,770,000			2,750	1		12,770,000	Warner Bros.
5	Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs	8,200,000			3,300	4		171,291,000	Fox
6	Transformers: ROTF	8,000,000			3,237	5		379,090,000	Paramount
7	The Hangover	6,465,000			2,285	8		247,100,000	Warner Bros.
8	The Proposal	6,423,000			2,779	6		140,086,000	Buena Vista
9	Public Enemies	4,170,000			2,291	4		88,096,000	Universal
10	Brüno	2,719,000			1,895	3		56,516,000	Universal

Blu-ray Chart 18th July

Top Blu-ray Sales 18th July 2009
**All previous top sales will be announce on every Thursday
Please visit http://astore.amazon.com/screamvideobl-20

The Haunting in Connecticut [Blu-ray]

RANK	TITLE (LABEL/DISTRIBUTOR, SRP)
1	THE HAUNTING IN CONNECTICUT (LG, $39.99)
2	KNOWING (SUMMIT, $34.99)
3	PUSH (SUMMIT, $34.99)
4	THE UNBORN (UNI, $39.98)
5	GRAN TORINO (WB, $35.99)
6	HARRY POTTER AND THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX (WB, $35.99)
7	TRANSFORMERS (PAR, $39.99)
8	THE DARK KNIGHT (WB, $35.99)
9	MAD MEN: SEASON 2 (LG, $49.99)
10	HARRY POTTER YEARS 1-5 (WB, $129.98)

DVD Chart 18th July

Top DVD Sales 18th July 2009
**All previous top sales will be announce on every Thursday
Please visit http://astore.amazon.com/screamvideobl-20

The Haunting in Connecticut (Unrated Special Edition)

THIS WEEK			TITLE (LABEL/DISTRIBUTOR)			RATING	BOX OFFICE*
1			THE HAUNTING IN CONNECTICUT (LG)			PG-13	55.4
2			KNOWING (SUMMIT)			PG-13	80.0
3			PUSH (SUMMIT)			PG-13	31.8
4			GRAN TORINO (WB)			R	148.1
5			THE UNBORN (UNI)			PG-13	43.0
6			MADEA GOES TO JAIL (LG)			PG-13	90.5
7			HARRY POTTER AND THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX (WB)			PG-13	292.0
8			PRINCESS PROTECTION PROGRAM (DIS)			G	-
9			TWILIGHT (SUMMIT)			PG-13	191.4
10			CONFESSIONS OF A SHOPAHOLIC (DIS)			PG	44.3
11			TRUE BLOOD: SEASON 1 (HBO/WB)			NR	-
12			VAN WILDER: FRESHMAN YEAR (PAR)			NR	-
13			HARRY POTTER YEARS 1-5 (WB)			PG-13	-
14			HARRY POTTER AND THE GOBLET OF FIRE (WB)			PG-13	290.0
15			THE STATE: THE COMPLETE SERIES (PAR)			NR	-
16			12 ROUNDS (FOX)			PG-13	12.2
17			FAMILY GUY: VOL. 7 (FOX)			NR	-
18			TAKEN (FOX)			PG-13	144.5
19			HE'S JUST NOT THAT INTO YOU (WB)			PG-13	93.9
20			ENTOURAGE: SEASON 5 (HBO/WB)			NR	-

Star Trek: The Next Generation Movie Collection - BD Preorder

The four 'Star Trek: TNG' films are beaming to Blu-ray this fall.

Paramount says 'Star trek: The Next Generation Movie Collection' will be given the high-definition treatment on September 22.

The 5-disc Blu-ray set will include 'Generations,' 'First Contact,' 'Insurrection,' and 'Nemesis,' with a bonus fifth 'Star Trek: Evolutions' supplement disc. The films will feature 1080p video, an English Dolby TrueHD 5.1 soundtrack, and supplements include multiple commentaries, featurettes, and so much more.


Starring: Patrick Stewart, Jonathan Frakes, Brent Spiner
Disc Features:
Star Trek: Generations

• Commentary by director David Carson and Manny Coto
• Next Generation Designer Flashback Andrew Probert
• Stellar Cartography on Earth
• Brent Spiner: Data and Beyond Part 1
• Trek Roundtable: Generations
• Starfleet Academy: Trilithium
• Scoring Trek

Star Trek: First Contact

• Commentary by Damon Lindelof and Anthony Pascale
• Industrial Light & Magic—The Next Generation
• Greetings from the International Space Station
• SpaceShipOne’s Historic Flight
• Brent Spiner: Data and Beyond Part 2
• Trek Roundtable: First Contact
• Starfleet Academy: Temporal Vortex

Star Trek: Insurrection

• Commentary by Jonathan Frakes and Marina Sirtis
• Westmore’s Legacy
• Marina Sirtis: The Counselor Is In
• Brent Spiner: Data and Beyond Part 3
• Trek Roundtable: Insurrection
• Starfleet Academy: The Origins of the Ba’ku and Son’a Conflict

Star Trek: Nemesis

• Commentary by Michael and Denise Okuda
• Reunion with the Rikers
• Today’s Tech Tomorrow’s Data
• Robot Hall of Fame
• Brent Spiner: Data and Beyond Part 4
• Trek Roundtable: Nemesis
• Starfleet Academy: Thalaron Radiation

Star Trek Evolutions—Bonus Disc:

• The Evolution of the Enterprise
• Villains of Star Trek
• I Love the Star Trek Movies
• Farewell to Star Trek: The Experience
• Klingon Encounter
• Borg Invasion 4D
• Charting the Final Frontier

HD Exclusive Content:
Star Trek: Generations

• Commentary by Brannon Braga and Ronald D. Moore
• Library Computer
• Production featurettes
• Visual Effects featurettes
• Scene Deconstruction featurettes
• A Tribute to Matt Jefferies
• The Enterprise Lineage
• Captain Picard’s Family Album
• Creating 24th Century Weapons
• Deleted Scenes
• Storyboards
• Production Gallery
• Trailers
• Star Trek I.Q. (BD-Live)

Star Trek: First Contact

• Commentary by director and actor Jonathan Frakes
• Commentary by screenwriters Brannon Braga and Ronald D. Moore
• Library Computer
• Production featurettes
• Scene Deconstruction featurettes
• Jerry Goldsmith: A Tribute
• The Legacy of Zefram Cochrane
• First Contact: The Possibilities
• The Borg Collective featurettes
• Storyboards
• Photo Gallery
• Trailers
• Star Trek I.Q. (BD-Live)

Star Trek: Insurrection

• Library Computer
• Production featurettes
• Westmore’s Aliens
• Star Trek’s Beautiful Alien Women
• Creating the Illusion featurettes
• Deleted Scenes with intro by Peter Lauritson
• Storyboards
• Photo Gallery
• Trailers
• Star Trek I.Q. (BD-Live)

Star Trek: Nemesis

• Commentary by director Stuart Baird
• Commentary by producer Rick Berman
• Library Computer
• Production featurettes
• A Star Trek Family’s Final Journey
• A Bold Vision of The Final Frontier
• The Enterprise E
• The Romulan Empire featurettes
• Deleted Scenes with intro by Rick Berman
• Storyboards
• Trailers
• Star Trek I.Q. (BD-Live)

Blu-ray 21st July Releases

Watchmen (Director's Cut) (Amazon Digital Bundle + Digital Copy and BD-Live) [Blu-ray]

Warner Home Video / 2009 / 186 Minutes / Unrated
Street Date: July 21, 2009

Overall Grade Highly recommended




Genres: Super hero, Fantasy, Action

Starring: Billy Crudup, Malin Akerman, Patrick Wilson
Director: Zack Snyder

Plot Synopsis: Everybody's favorite graphic novel comes to the screen (after years of rumors and false starts), less a roaring work of adaptation than a respectful and faithful take on a radical original. Watchmen is set in the mid-1980s, a time of increased nuclear tension between the United States and the Soviet Union, as Richard Nixon is enjoying his fifth term as president and the world's superheroes have been forcibly retired. (As you can probably tell, the mix of authentic history and alternate reality is heady.) Things begin with a bang: the mysterious high-rise murder of the Comedian (Jeffrey Dean Morgan), a masked hero with a checkered past, puts the rest of the retired superhero community on alert. The credits sequence, a series of tableaux that wittily catches us up on crime-fighting backstory, actually turns out to be the high point of the movie. Thereafter we meet the other caped and hooded avengers: the furious Rorschach (Jackie Earle Haley), the inexplicably naked Dr. Manhattan (Billy Crudup, amidst much blue-skinned, genital-swinging digital work), Silk Spectre II (Malin Akerman), Nite Owl II (Patrick Wilson), and Ozymandias (Matthew Goode). The corkscrewing storytelling, which worked well in the comic book, gives the movie the strange sense of never quite getting in gear, even as some of the episodes are arresting. Director Zack Snyder (300) doesn't try to approximate the electric impact of the original (written by Alan Moore--who declined to be credited on the movie--and illustrated by Dave Gibbons) but retains careful fidelity to his source material. That doesn't feel right, even with the generally enjoyable roll-out of anecdotes. Even less forgivable is the blah acting, excepting Jeffrey Dean Morgan (lusty) and Patrick Wilson (mellow). Watchmen certainly fills the eyes, although less so the ears: the song choices are regrettable, especially during an embarrassing mid-air coupling between Nite Owl II and Silk Spectre II as they unite their--ah--Roman numerals. In the end it feels as though a huge work of transcription has been successfully completed, which isn't the same as making a full-blooded movie experience.

Disc Features:

• Featurette: "The Phenomenon: The Comic That Changed Comics" (HD, 29 min) - Featuring interviews with the cast and crew, execs at DC Comics, John Higgins, Dave Gibbons, and others, this entertaining short doc examines the comic book's creation and its impact. At times, some comments come across as shallow, but overall, this is an enjoyable featurette as each person offers their thoughts and opinions of the novel and its relevance.
  
• Music Video (HD, 3 min) - My Chemical Romance performs their song "Desolation Row".

• Featurette: "Maximum Movie Mode" - This very cool feature enhances the best parts of the In-Movie Experience (IME) found in many of Warner's Blu-ray titles to create an entirely new experience. The assortment of timeline sequences, comic-to-screen and storyboard comparisons, links to a still gallery and pop-up trivia are only half of the fun, as the film seamlessly branches into a Picture-in-Picture commentary that's immersive and provides an incredible wealth of information. Director Zack Snyder stands in between two screens, where one sees the film in real-time and the other shows behind-the-scenes footage, and he talks us through a variety of details while comparing them as before-and-after shots. Most impressive is the fact that none of this comes off as some kind of parlor trick or even a distraction from the film's enjoyment. This is really one of the best interactive features Warner Home Video has to offer on the Blu-ray format and I hope to see more innovations like it.
  
• Featurette: "Focus Points" (HD, 37 min) - For fans not in the mood to re-watch the entire film with Maximum Movie Mode, many of those informative featurettes are also included here separately as brief standalone segments. The segments are "The Minutemen", "Sets & Sensibility", "Dressed for Success", "The Ship Has Eyes", "Dave Gibbons", "Burn Baby Burn", "Shoot to Thrill", "Blue Monday", "Attention to Detail", "Girls Kick Ass", and "Rorschach's Mask".
  
• Featurette: "Real Super Heroes: Real Vigilantes" (HD, 26 min) - Arguably the most interesting doc of the bunch, this is an extensive look at real-life vigilantes and people who take matters into their own hands. It examines the ways in which people romanticize the idea of protecting society from crime and how their behavior leaves them walking the very thin line of being criminals themselves.
  
• Featurette: "Mechanics: Technologies of a Fantastic World" (HD, 17 min) - Another interesting featurette (especially if you're a science geek like myself), this interview with Dr. James Kakalios, Professor of Physics at the University of Minnesota, gives fans of the 'Watchmen' comic a fascinating opportunity to think of the science in the book as a plausibility. The professor also joined the film crew as an advisor to the production and set design, ensuring that everything Doctor Manhattan worked on had a reality base.
  

Coraline (Blu-ray/DVD Combo + Digital Copy w/ 3D) [Blu-ray]

Universal Studios Home Entertainment / 2008 / 100 Minutes / Rated PG
Street Date: July 21, 2009

Genres: Animated, Family, Fantasy

Starring: Teri Hatcher
Director: Henry Selick

Plot Synopsis: The story of a young girl who unlocks a mysterious door in her new home and enters an adventure in a parallel reality.

Disc Features:
• Audio commentary with director Henry Selick and composer Bruno Coulais
• Featurettes: "Making of Coraline," "Voicing the Characters," "Creepy Coraline"
• Deleted scenes
• Digital Copy

HD Exclusive Content:
• Picture-in-picture
• Featurette
• My Scenes Sharing
• BD-Live

Prison Break: The Final Break [Blu-ray]

Fox Home Entertainment / 2009 / 88 Minutes / Unrated
Street Date: July 21, 2009

Genres: Action, Crime, Drama, Television

Starring: Wentworth Miller, Dominic Purcell
Plot Synopsis: The shocking series conclusion was just the beginning! Secrets revealed and mysteries resolved. The truth will blow you away!

Disc Features:
• Featurette: "The Old Ball and Chain & Free"

Back Catalogue/ Other Blu-ray Releases: