There are a couple of high brow releases as well as a one so low as to be considered “basement” brow in this week’s dvd/blu-ray release round up. Hey, something for everybody!

Downton Abbey, the hugely popular BBC import currently running in its second season on PBS, has already cropped up on dvd. While anyone interested in watching Downton Abbey already knows about the show and is probably religiously watching, you may not know that you can get the complete season 2 in its original, uncut UK edition, not to mention you can get it when there are still two more episodes left to air! (That should make Patton Oswalt deliriously happy!)

The three disc set includes the 2011 Christmas Special!

Try to avoid the stampede to Target to pick up your copy of The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – part 1. For all of you longing for dvd in order to sit in the privacy of your darkened living room to witness the marriage of Bella Swan and Edward Cullen, tissues at the ready, your wait is over. Actually, this title will be released on Saturday February 11, but I figured you’d want the extra notice to get your track shoes one.

Special Features:

-Go behind the scenes with a captivating 6-PART MAKING-OF DOCUMENTARY; relive the memories with Edward & Bella's personal WEDDING VIDEO; get a glimpse into JACOB'S DESTINY; watch your favorite scenes over and over in EDWARD FAST FORWARD and JACOB FAST FORWARD; plus an AUDIO COMMENTARY with Director Bill Condon

Whether or not you believe its premise, Anonymous makes for a good costume drama. (The costumes have been nominated for an Academy Award.) It also features a rare appearance of both Vanessa Redgrave and her daughter Joely Richardson in the same film. The each play Queen Elizabeth I at different stages of her life.

Set in the political snake-pit of Elizabethan England, Anonymous speculates on an issue that has for centuries intrigued academics and brilliant minds… who was the author of the plays credited to William Shakespeare? Anonymous poses one possible answer, focusing on a time when cloak-and-dagger political intrigue, illicit romances in the Royal Court, and the schemes of greedy nobles hungry for the power were exposed in the most unlikely of places: the London stage.

Anonymous stars Rhys Ifans, Joely Richardson, Vanessa Redgrave, Joely Richardson, David Thewlis and Xavier Samuel.

Special Features:

-Audio Commentary: Director Roland Emmerich and Writer John Orloff deliver a steady and enlightening commentary, speaking on the importance of the film's modern-day open, the necessity of fiction in the portrayal of supposed historical fact, dramatic licenses in the film, the work of the cast and crew, the specifics behind crafting and shooting various scenes, the purpose of the film's dramatic elements, the costuming, technical details of the digital photography, set design, special effects, and much more. This is a good companion track that fans should enjoy.

-Deleted Scenes (1080p, 2:54): "Use Your Imagination Robert," Ben Visits the Earl of Oxford, and Funeral Scenes.

-Extended Scenes (1080p, 3:29): Tennis Match and The Mermaids Tavern.

-More Than Special Effects (1080p, 13:08): A detailed look at the film's digital and practical recreations of 16th century locations.

-Who is the Real William Shakespeare? (1080p, 10:39): Cast and crew discuss the evidence presented in the movie that Shakespeare didn't write Shakespeare.

-Speak the Speech… (1080p, 16:14): A detailed look at casting the film's critical roles.

The Rebound is a romantic comedy from Bart Freundlich (The Myth of Fingerprints) that was filmed back in early 2009, but was a victim of The Film Department’s untimely demise. It has already been released theatrically all over the world, but is going straight to dvd and blu-ray in the US. It stars Catherine Zeta Jones as a recent divorce who becomes involved with her kids’ caregiver, the much younger Justin Bartha.

Official Synopsis:

"Upon discovering her husband's infidelity, Sandy (Zeta-Jones) and her two kids move from the suburbs to pursue a new life in the big city. There she meets Aram (Bartha), a local coffee shop employee whose wife only married him as a means to getting her green card. The two strike up a friendship which eventually evolves into something more. But it isn't long before they're faced with the big question – 'Is this real or just a rebound?'"

Special Features:

-Cast and crew interviews

A Very Harold and Kumar Christmas 3D stars John Cho and Kal Penn returning for their third outing as the titular Harold and Kumar.

Six years have elapsed since Guantanemo Bay, leaving Harold and Kumar estranged from one another with very different families, friends and lives. But when Kumar arrives on Harold's doorstep during the holiday season with a mysterious package in hand, he inadvertently burns down Harold's father-in-law's beloved Christmas tree. To fix the problem, Harold and Kumar embark on a mission through New York City to find the perfect Christmas tree, once again stumbling into trouble at every single turn.

Special Features:

-Extended Cut: The 3D Blu-ray edition features 3D and 2D presentations of the 90-minute theatrical cut of the film and a 2D presentation of its 96-minute extended cut. The biggest downside? Not only is the extended cut not available in 3D, its 2D presentation doesn't offer a lossless audio option. Just a standard (but serviceable) 448kbps Dolby Digital 5.1 surround track.

-Through the Haze with Tom Lennon (HD, 9 minutes): "World Famous Actor and Comedian" Thomas Lennon hosts … hilarious, uncensored, tongue-in-cheek EPK shorts: "I'm Doing a Puff Piece Over Here," "I Hate Drugs," "F#*@ You, Charles Dickens," "I'm Just Brainstorming Here," "The Marshmallow Man" and "19th Greatest Christmas Story Ever Told." I watched them twice, and I'll probably watch them anytime I revisit A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas. Good stuff.

-Title (HD, 4 minutes): Community may have beaten them to the punch bowl by a full year, but Harold & Kumar's Christmas claymation sequence still delivers. Take a brief look at its creation, complete with a PiP comparison between its animated storyboard reel and the final scene. At four minutes, though, it's too short.

-Deleted Scenes (HD, 4 minutes): A small, inconsequential collection of deleted scenes. There are a few laughs to be had, but just a few.

Disney’s Lady and the Tramp is making its first appearance on dvd and blu-ray in a Diamond Edition and as with most classic Disney titles, will only be around for a limited time. Lady and the Tramp is the “love” story of  a cute, classy "Lady" cocker spaniel who escapes from her confining owner and falls for an alley dog, known as the "Tramp", when he rescues her from some mean dogs out on the streets. Surely you’re familiar with the “spaghetti scene”?

Special Features:

-Disc Introduction by Diane Disney Miller (HD, 2 minutes): Walt Disney's daughter briefly touches on her father's work, his love of animals, and his love of Lady and the Tramp; as Miller recalls, one of the legendary filmmaker's personal favorites.

-Audio Commentary: Inside Walt's Story Meetings: Time travel, dear readers. Time travel. "Inside Walt's Story Meetings" is an audio track featuring a talented group of voice actors delivering a dramatic recreation of Walt Disney's story meetings. With archive transcripts in hand and clever editing in tow, it's as close to a filmmakers' audio commentary as you can get on a film like this, and fans and animation enthusiasts will no doubt enjoy listening to Disney and his team develop, write and animate Lady and the Tramp.

-Disney Second Screen, Featuring "Inside Walt's Story Meetings" (HD): Download Disney's Second Screen app to your iPad or PC, sync the Lady and the Tramp Blu-ray with the app, and enjoy an interactive experience complete with behind-the-scenes materials, family activities, art and storyboard galleries, and more. It's a nice addition to the release, even if everyone isn't interested in taking advantage of it.

-Diane Disney Miller: Remembering Dad (HD, 8 minutes): Miller shares memories and stories about her father's life, career and legacy. Honestly, I wish this one was much longer. Every little tidbit that brings Walt Disney to life is appreciated, as it only enriches his contributions to the world of animation.

-Deleted Scenes (HD, 19 minutes): Though presented via storyboards, three deleted scenes — "Introduction of Boris," "Waiting for Baby" and "Dog Show" — are available for the curious completists among you.

-Never Recorded Song: "I'm Free as the Breeze" (HD, 2 minutes): While Lady and the Tramp was released in 1955, development began as early as 1936. "I'm Free as the Breeze," written in 1946 by Ray Gilbert and composed by Eliot Daniel, features Tramp explaining his life philosophy. It was cut when it was decided Tramp wouldn't be a singing dog.

-Classic DVD Bonus Features (SD, 157 minutes): The "Classic DVD" section of the disc includes almost all of the previously released DVD edition's extras, including the seven-part, 53-minute "Lady's Pedigree: The Making of Lady and the Tramp" (much of which is comprised of vintage featurettes with Walt Disney himself), "Finding Lady: The Art of the Storyboard," "Original 1943 Storyboard Version of the Film" (in truth a 12-minute storyboard treatment), "The Siamese Cat Song: Finding a Voice for the Cats," "PuppyPedia: Going to the Dogs" (designed strictly for kids), a "Bella Notte Music Video," three "Theatrical Trailers," four lengthy "Excerpts from Disneyland TV Shows" and two more "Deleted Scenes." In other words, most everything you would have missed if Disney hadn't put it all on the disc. The only downside? It's all presented in standard definition.

-Sneak Peeks (HD, 10:58 minutes): Trailers and previews for Lady and the Tramp II: Scamp's Adventure, Cinderella, Brave, Chimpanzee, The Aristocats, Tinker Bell: Secret of the Wings, Beverly Hills Chihuahua 3, ABC's The Chew, Disney Channel's Shake It Up and Mary Poppins: The Hit Broadway Musical round out the package.

We've also got a heads up on future release. Roman Polanski's Carnage starring three Oscar winners and a nominee in the form of Kate Winslet, Jodie Foster, Christoph Waltz and John C. Reilly comes to dvd ad blu-ray on March 20.

The film is based on Yasmina Reza's Tony Award-winning play, "The God of Carnage" and it's the story of two boys whose playground tussle leads to each child's parents taking on the other in "verbal warfare."

Special Features:

-Actors' Notes

-An Evening with John C. Reilly & Christoph Waltz

-On the Red Carpet

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Stephen Frears’ Lay the Favorite is another eagerly anticipated film screening at the Sundance Film Festival this month. We don’t get a new Frears (The Grifters, The Queen, Dangerous Liaisons) film every day. His last was 2010’s Tamara Drewe, but considering it made half a million bucks in the US, I’m not sure how many people noticed. Lay the Favorite is a dramedy centered on Beth, a thirty-something woman who becomes involved with a group of geeky fiftyish men who have found a way to work the sportsbook system in Las Vegas to their advantage. The movie is based on the book, “Lay the Favorite: A Memoir of Gambling”.

From the book description: “Lay the Favorite” is the story of Beth Raymer’s years in the high-stakes, high-anxiety world of sports betting—a period that saw the fall of the local bookie and the rise of the freewheeling, unregulated offshore sports book, and with it the elevation of sports betting in popular culture. As the business explodes, Beth rises—from assistant to expert, trusted and seasoned enough to open an offshore booking office in the Caribbean with a few associates, men who leave their families up north to make a quick killing, while donning new tropical personas fueled by abundant drugs and local girlfriends, and who one by one succumb to their vices. They lie, cheat, steal, and run, until Beth is the last man standing.

The exciting news is that one of the “geeky fiftyish men” is played by Bruce Willis as Dink and Beth is played by Rebecca Hall (The Town). Catherine Zeta Jones plays Tulip, Dink’s ex-wife. While it’s billing itself as a ‘dramedy’, judging from the clip below, the comedy in Lay the Favorite is going to shine through.

Witness Rebecca Hall and Bruce Willis caterwauling to The Hollies’ “Air That I Breathe” and try to keep a straight face.

After it plays Sundance, I have no idea when the rest of us will get to see Lay the Favorite, but I will keep you posted.

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FilmDistrict has moved Playing the Field from March 9 (when I was very much looking forward to seeing it) to December 25. While I realize we're (supposedly) getting Of Men and Mavericks in October, that will still be nearly a year between Gerard Butler films. Not happy!

Okay, now that I've gotten that little tantrum out of my system, I can say that I get it. Playing the Field would have had a LOT of competition on the earlier date: John Carter (although come on…you can't tell me they share the same demographic), Think Like a Man, The Raven, Silent House and as I just told you earlier today, Friends with Kids. (Now that one I do see as being competition for Playing the Field.) Christmas already has The Great Gatsby and Django Unchained (both featuring Leonardo DiCaprio) so I guess Film District is positioning Playing the Field as a sort of low-brow "anti-awards season" option.

Playing the Field stars Butler, Jessica Biel, Judy Greer, Dennis Quaid, Uma Thurman and Catherine Zeta-Jones and centers around the homecoming of a retired soccer pro whose glory days are behind him who moves to Virginia to reconnect with his estranged ex-wife and neglected son and starts to coach the boys' soccer team.

According to Variety, A spokesman for FilmDistrict indicated Thursday that the date shift was made to take advantage of holiday season moviegoing.

Oh well, maybe with all that extra time they can come up with a decent poster.

The first trailer for Rock of Ages is finally here. Directed by Adamn Shankman (Hairspray) and based on the hit Broadway musical, it’s set in 1987 Los Angeles and is about an aging rocker (Tom Cruise) who falls for a music journalist (Malin Akerman) while Drew and Sherrie (Diego Boneta and Julianne Hough) are two young people chasing their dreams in the big city. When they meet, it's love at first sight, though their romance will face a series of challenges. It features Alec Baldwin, Paul Giamatti, Russell Brand, Malin Akerman, Mary J. Blige, Catherine Zeta Jones and Julianne Hough playing the doe-eyed ingénue, all of whom can be seen in the trailer. It also features Will Forte, Bryan Cranston and Constantine Maroulis. Rock of Ages includes the music of iconic bands such as Journey, Def Leppard, Foreigner, Jefferson Starship, Twisted Sister and Poison.

The nostalgia, at least for me and probably my generation, is winning over the cheese factor so far. Perhaps because I lived through it, the big hair, spandex, padded shoulders and garish colors don’t cross the line into parody.

I have a feeling Alec Baldwin could easily steal Tom Cruise’s thunder. This trailer is indeed a teaser since we don’t really get the full Tom Cruise as Stacee Jax effect. Just glimpses and no “performance”. From what we do see, it appears he’s having fun with it, at least.

Rock of Ages opens June 1 in the US and 8^th June in the UK. More to follow I’m sure.

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This may or may not be the first official poster for Gabriele Muccino’s Playing the Field starring Gerard Butler, Jessica Biel, Catherine Zeta Jones, Uma Thurman, Dennis Quaid, and Judy Greer.

The official synopsis for the film: A former professional athlete with a weak past tries to redeem himself by coaching his son's soccer team, only to find himself unable to resist when in scoring position with his players' restless and gorgeous moms.

I’m skeptical because at this point only one Italian site has posted it and there doesn’t seem to be any other news about it anywhere.  Frankly, I hope it isn’t an “official” poster because it’s a bland, photo-shopped mess.  I had also read in an interview with Butler that the title will most likely change before release. If that’s the case, why put out a poster?

Translated from Italian: Here is the first official poster of Playing the Field, the third American film by Gabriele Muccino for the occasion, he directed all-star cast including Gerard Butler stands. Beside him, Jessica Biel, Uma Thurman and Catherine Zeta-Jones for this comedy about a former football player who, after having touched the tips of fame seeks to recover the relationship with his son and his ex-wife coaching the football team of the child and arousing the sympathies of the mothers of the neighborhood.”  

As you can tell it loses something in the translation.

I don’t think this poster sets the tone the filmmakers were going for, either. It is supposed to be a ‘dramedy’ since the emphasis is on George’s (Butler) relationship with his son and his attempt to win back his ex-wife (Biel). Then again, maybe I have it all wrong and they are going for another mindless, soul-less rom-com. Judging from his previous cv, I would think director Muccino had more in him and I know Butler was trying to move away (far far away one hopes) from such fare. We’ll see.

Playing the Field (or whatever it will be called. They'd better hurry up, time's a wastin') opens March 9 in the US and 20th April in the UK

We have new images to share from a lot of films you’ll be hearing more about in the new year, from the just announced Sundance line-up there’s Lay the Favorite with Bruce Willis, Catherine Zeta Jones and Rebecca Hall, Celeste and Jesse Forever with Andy Samberg, Rashida Jones and Elijah Wood and Goats with Vera Farmiga, David Duchovny and Ty Burrell.

“An adventurous young woman (Hall) gets involved with a group of geeky older men who have found a way to work the sportsbook system in Las Vegas to their advantage.”

“Celeste and Jesse (Jones and Samberg) met in high school, married young, and at 30, decide to get divorced but remain best friends while pursuing other relationships.”

 “Ellis (Graham Phillips) leaves his unconventional desert home to attend the disciplined and structured Gates Academy. There, he re-connects with his estranged father (Duchovny) and for the first time questions the family dynamics.”

We have first looks at Sam Worthington in Wrath of the Titans, Vince Vaughn, Ben Stiller and Jonah Hill in Neighborhood Watch as well as Gemma Arterton and Jeremy Renner in Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters.  That one is definitely on my list for 2012. This one seems more in line with “Grimm” than “Once Upon a Time” if you get my drift. The cast includes Famke Jenssen and Peter Stormare with a script by Dante Harper and Norwegian director Tommy Wirkola making his English language debut.

The film uses the original Brothers Grimm tale as the jumping off point.

“15 years after their traumatic gingerbread-house incident, siblings Hansel and Gretel have become a formidable team of bounty hunters who track and kill witches all over the world.”  Oh yes. I’m there.

“Perseus (Worthington) embarks on a treacherous quest into the underworld to rescue Zeus, who has been targeted for capture by his traitorous son, Ares, and his brother, Hades.”

“Suburban dads form a neighborhood watch group to get time away from their families, only to discover a plot to destroy Earth.”

Enjoy the pics!

Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters, Wrath of the Titans and Neighborhood Watch courtesy of EW.