The Wizard of Oz: 70th Anniversary Special Edition
You don't have to be a fan (or friend) of Dorothy's to be impressed with the 70th Anniversary Ultimate Collector's Edition on Blu-ray, especially considering the inferior-looking versions of the classic movie that have been broadcast and cable TV staples for decades. This new edition even blows away the 2005 digitally-restored DVD with its incredibly high resolution and color correction. But what really impressed us when we saw it (and we're not usually nerds about this sort of thing) is how sharp and real the characters and sets now look -- the colors have been toned down and the sharpness ratcheted up to better reflect the original 1939 negative, and the result is an earthier, more textured and decidedly less cartoonish feel. The extras on the 70th DVD are a treasure trove for hardcore fans, exhaustively chronicling the tumultuous making of the film, which went through five directors and failed to make a profit upon its initial theatrical release. Our favorite tidbit: Judy Garland was originally outfitted in a blonde wig and baby-doll makeup -- like a Lolita on the Yellow Brick Road. Oh my!

Away We Go
John Krasinski. Maya Rudolph. The movie is as funny as you would think a film pairing those two would be, but also pretty moving, as well, even if its hipster pedigree has inspired plenty of backlash. Sure, it's got a mumbly, Nick-Drake-lite soundtrack with a few classic rock touchstones, but you can't argue with an amazing cast and plenty of snarky self-commentary. Read my review for all of the good, and read the comments on it for the bad.

Monsters vs. Aliens
Monsters fight aliens -- and your tear ducts-- in this 3-D feature with an all-star voice cast. Seriously, after watching it, you'll feel like something has drained the moisture from your eyeballs.

Superman/Batman: Public Enemies
Until Warner Bros. figures out what the hell they're doing, we will never get another Superman movie, or even another Batman movie, let alone a Superman/Batman movie. So you might as well give in and buy this animated feature which sees the two of them framed by President Lex Luthor (you heard me) and hunted down by a task force of heroes and villains, including Black Lightning. The comic book it's based on wasn't bad, despite a bizarre ending, and the animation attempts to match the awesomely beefy art style, so it may actually be pretty cool.

Also out this week:
Management Another wholly forgettable, poorly reviewed Jennifer Aniston movie. Hey, how's that Friends movie coming along?
Muppets Christmas: Letters to Santa Not to be confused with A Muppet Christmas Carol or It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie, unless you like accidentally buying crap, in which case confuse away.
The Girlfriend Experience Director's commentary costs extra. Leave the money on the Extras menu.
Filth & Wisdom Directed by Madonna. 'Nuff said.