This Week on DVD and Blu-ray - December 1st, 2009

Greetings once again, faithful readers, we are back once again for another week of new releases. Thanksgiving has come and gone and like most of you, my belly is a little fuller while my wallet is a little lighter. I certainly hope everyone had a great Turkey Day feast and a bountiful Black Friday. Me? I decided to sleep in and score some excellent deals off Amazon. No lines or frenzied crowds for me. Hopefully, you all saved a little extra cash for this week.

The biggest release of December 1st has to be "Terminator Salvation," the fourth film in the ultra-successful franchise. The original "Terminator" was a much smaller production that perfectly melded sci-fi with elements of the slasher flick. It kick started the career of James Cameron and pushed Arnold Schwarzenegger into icon status. "Terminator 2: Judgment Day" happens to be one of my favorite films of all time. The sequel was a huge action blockbuster and a landmark in special effects. "Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines" tried to follow in "T2's" footsteps, but seemed more concerned with visual mayhem and destruction than a solid story. I thought "Terminator Salvation" was a stronger film than "T3," but paled in comparison to the first two, lacking any sort of heart or emotional resonance. Usually a solid actor, Christian Bale seems to be going through the motions with his gravely Batman voice. At least, Sam Worthington and Anton Yelchin pulled in solid performances. The DVD of "Terminator Salvation" will feature the theatrical cut while the director's cut will only be widely available on the Blu-Ray and both formats have been reviewed by Mr. John J. Puccio. Target will be getting an exclusive 2-Disc DVD set with both the theatrical and director's cut along with a Digital Copy.

For more family friendly entertainment, there's "Night at the Museum: Battle at the Smithsonian," starring an eclectic cast that includes Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson, Robin Williams, Bill Hader, Christopher Guest, and Hank Azaria. Despite being written by two of the stars and co-creators of "Reno 911!," the "Museum" films seem content with going for the broadest, laziest humor possible. I'll give the sequel some credit for Amy Adams' screwball comedy heroine performance as Amelia Earhart, a more compelling one

Join comedienne Charlyne Yi in her search for love in the pseudo-documentary "Paper Heart" which bits on DVD and Blu-Ray, courtesy of Starz and Anchor Bay. The movie mixes in interviews with couples on the subject of love with a fictional storyline about the budding romance between Yi and Michael Cera. "Paper Heart" won't be to everyone's tastes, but if you're a fan of both actors you might like it.

For some, the holidays mean family. For others, the holidays mean family dysfunction. There have been plenty of movies about both, but one of the best to tackle the latter subject is "A Christmas Tale." The French film stars Catherine Deneuve and "Quantum of Solace" baddie Mathieu Amalric and made numerous critics' top ten lists last year. Criterion releases it this week on DVD and Blu-Ray.

Several films debut on Blu-Ray on this week.

Guy Richie helms a more action-oriented "Sherlock Holmes" which will hit theaters in a few weeks. To coincide with "Holmes," Ritchie's first two films "Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels" and