DVDs

Past, present and fantasy come together in this week's DVD releases. First up is the blockbuster 'Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince,' which takes the wizard saga one step closer to its monumental end; 'Julia & Julia' transposes past and present as it explores the lives of two women who turn to cooking to find their way in the world; and 'Public Enemies' takes a look at a violent chapter in American history as it follows the bloody exploits of John Dillinger and the FBI.

There's dueling Guy Ritchie Blu-ray releases this week, timed for holiday sales just prior to the big-screen release of Ritchie's 'Sherlock Holmes': 'Snatch' and 'Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels.' And the folks at The Criterion Collection are offering two completely opposite releases: The wild Rolling Stones/Altamont documentary 'Gimme Shelter' and the French melodrama 'A Christmas Tale.' So roll out the Yule log early for some good DVD entertainment.

Three divergent releases this week explore what it means to be human: There's robots vs. humans in 'Terminator Salvation'; there's museum exhibits that come to life in 'Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian'; and then there's the old-fashioned romance of 'Paper Heart.' Read on.

Michael Jackson fans, get ready to moonwalk to the closest electronics store. Sony has announced that it will release the posthumous MJ concert documentary 'This Is It' on DVD and Blu-ray on Jan. 26, 2010.

While many expected the film -- which has raked in $71 million domestically since bowing in theaters on Oct. 28, to hit shelves in time for the holiday season -- the Hollywood Reporter suggests that the studio has delayed the release in the hopes that shoppers will use gift cards to purchase the disc.

This week we take a brief journey back in time to revisit 'The Golden Age of Television,' a compilation of eight classic TV dramas from the 1950s; and 'The 2000 Year Old Man: The Complete History,' a boxed set that takes a look at a ground-breaking comedy act featuring two relatively unknown comedians (Mel Brooks, Carl Reiner). Then we fast forward back to the present for 'Gomorrah,' a brutal tale of the modern Italian Mafia.

There's something for everyone on DVD this week: the religious-based thriller 'Angels & Demons,' starring Tom Hanks; the comedic melodrama 'Funny People' starring Adam Sandler, Seth Rogen and Leslie Mann; and the holiday-themed comedy 'Four Christmases' that teams Reese Witherspoon and Vince Vaughn.

Happy 70th anniversary, Scarlett, Rhett and Melanie. Warner Home Video is re-releasing that grandest of all romantic spectacles, 'Gone With the Wind,' in new standard DVD and Blu-ray editions so we can better see Clark Gable and Vivien Leigh fight it out on the big screen (and watch General Sherman destroy Atlanta). Our next stop is outer space, where we land with 'Farscape: The Complete Series.'

Three releases this week explore strange new worlds: From the warp speed of 'Star Trek' to the shape-changing fashion world of 'Bruno' to the world of a priest-turned-vampire in 'Thirst.' Throw in the tearjerker 'My Sister's Keeper' and you have an eclectic slate of movies to watch.

Oh 'Mamma Mia!' Yes, that fabulous musical starring Meryl Streep, Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth, Stellan Skarsgard, Christine Baranski and Julie Walters is back again just in time for holiday gift giving. And don't forget to scare the little ones with a Blu-ray disc version of 'Monsters,Inc.'

Sacha Baron Cohen recently announced that he's "done" with the characters from Da Ali G show. No more G, no more Borat and his cultural learnings, and no more Bruno.

Which makes the arrival on DVD of his latest, and last, cringe-comedy, 'Bruno', on Nov. 17, all the more precious to fans. And with many never-before-seen deleted scenes, we'll all soon get even more opportunities to groan. (Yesterday we showed you the infamous LaToya Jackson clip being restored for the DVD release.)