This Week on DVD and Blu-ray - March 9th, 2010

Phew…what a weekend. I'm writing this column a couple hours after the conclusion of the Academy Awards. Oscar watchers predicted the race would be down to "The Hurt Locker" and "Avatar". It was Kathryn Bigelow's flick that netted six Oscars and bested her ex-hubby's multi-million dollar juggernaut to win Best Picture. Bigelow also became the first woman to win Best Director. Even though it was for "The Hurt Locker," I'd like to think she really won it for "Point Break." There were some pretty bizarre moments during the awards show such as the interpretive dancers and the Kanye West moment between the filmmakers behind "Music by Prudence"

Two Best Picture nominees will hit shelves this week. Lionsgate presents "Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push' by Sapphire" on DVD and Blu-Ray. "Precious" is a heartbreaking and hopeful tale of a young girl, the victim of incest, struggling to find her place in the world. The film featured a star making performance by Gabourey Sidibe who sadly lost out for Best Actress to Sandra Bullock. "Precious" still managed to pick up two Oscars. Screenwriter Geoffrey Fletcher won Best Adapted Screenplay while odds-on favorite Mo'Nique scored a gold statuette for Best Supporting Actress. For more on "Precious," you can read Chris Long's theatrical review of the film as well as Ranjan Pruthee's review of the Blu-Ray.

Though it was nominated for six Academy Awards, "Up in the Air" went home empty handed. Hopefully, that won't deter some of you from checking it out on DVD or Blu-Ray. George Clooney stars as a consultant who flies across the country firing people for employers too afraid to do it themselves. The majority of those men and women seen in the film were real folks who lost their jobs. If ever there was a film to encapsulate our troubled economic times, it would be "Up in the Air." John J. Puccio has reviewed the DVD release for your reading pleasure.

One film you won't be hearing a lot about during awards season is "Old Dogs," starring Robin Williams and John Travolta. The pair plays two middle-aged bachelors who are eventually transformed into responsible family men. "Old Dogs" was roundly blasted by critics and is currently ranked with a 6% on Rotten Tomatoes. One critic didn't seem to hate it as much as everyone. Our own James Plath gave it a decent review in his write-up for the Blu-Ray/DVD Combo. "Old Dogs" will also be released on single-disc DVD and single-disc Blu-Ray.

The ever controversial Michael Moore won an Oscar for his documentary "Bowling For Columbine," while his treatise on the health care system, "Sicko," was nominated in 2008. No such luck this year for Moore's latest film, "Capitalism: A Love Story." Moore turns his eye towards corporate greed and the policies and practices that have led to our current predicament. James Plath has reviewed the DVD release and Anchor Bay will also release the film on Blu-Ray.

Academy Award nominee Shohreh Aghdashloo ("House of Sand and Fog") stars in "The Stoning of Soraya M." Based on a true story, "Soraya M" tells the story of a young woman falsely accused of adultery and stoned to death in accordance with Sharia Law. For more on the film, read Ranjan Pruthee review of the DVD.

If you're in the mood for lighter fare, there's the animated "Planet 51" from Sony Pictures Animation. The movie centers around an astronaut from Earth who lands on a planet inhabited by aliens with a culture remarkably similar to 1950's America. "Planet 51" features the voice-over talents of Dwayne Johnson, Justin Long, Jessica Biel, Gary Oldman, and John Cleese. "Planet 51" will hit stores on standard definition DVD and in a Blu-Ray/DVD Combo. The former release was reviewed by David Van Der Haeghen.

David has also reviewed "Hachi: A Dog's Tale," starring Richard Gere and Joan Allen. Directed by Lasse Hallstrom, "Hachi" is a remake of a 1987 Japanese film which itself was based on the true story of a university professor and the abandoned Akita he comes to care for.

Rounding out our DVD releases for the week are several TV favorites. They include: "Hannah Montana: Miley Says Goodbye?" which features season three's two-part finale, "Walker: Texas Ranger – The Complete 7th Season," "Greek: Chapter 4," "Johnny Bravo: Season 1," "The Commish: Season 1," and "The Scarecrow and Mrs. King: The Complete 1st Season."

That does it for now, DVD Towners. We'll be back next week with another great crop of releases including Disney's return to traditional hand-drawn animation, "The Princess and the Frog," the ultra-violent martial arts flick "Ninja Assassin," and the next installment of the "Twilight Saga," "New Moon."