Since we know time is money, here's a quick handy reference guide to recent DVD releases that should be on your radar and, in many cases, on your shelf. Immediately.
Surrogates (Blu-Ray)
Release Date: January 26
What it is: In the future, people stay at home plugged into machines while robotic avatars (with perfect faces and bodies, natch) go about their daily business. This is all well and good, until an FBI agent (Bruce Willis) gets on the trail of a mysterious figure who has figured out a way to kill avatars and the people plugged into them.
Why you need it: Directed by Jonathan Mostow (Terminator 3), Surrogates may not be plowing fresh snow here (you'll find yourself thinking of I, Robot and Minority Report more than a few times), but it's a solid enough future-tinged cop movie to satisfy. Willis is to grumpy cops what Christopher Walken is to weirdos, so you are in good hands here. Surrogates also has lots of beautiful people (Rosamund Pike and Radha Mitchell) that look even moreso on Blu-Ray. Not exactly a sleeper classic, but a worthy movie night snag.
Whip It
Release Date: January 26
What it is: Misunderstood small town girl (Ellen Page) dreams of escape and finds it in the form of Roller Derby. Directed by Drew Barrymore and, trust us, better than it sounds.
Why you need it: At first glance, you might think Whip It is some kind of girl-power fist-pumper and, well, you'd be right. But it's also funny and entertaining, too. Removed from the self-consciously cute Diablo Cody dialogue, Page reminds us that she's by far the most engaging actress currently carrying (albeit small) movies these days, and director Barrymore is so eager to please that she ends up doing so more often than she misses. Maybe not an "owner," but a definite "renter."
Boogie Nights (Blu-Ray)
Release Date: January 19
What it is: It's Dirk Diggler in all his 1080p-ness. Any questions?
Why you need it: Any excuse to rewatch Boogie Nights is welcome, because it's simply one of the best films made in the last 20 years. That said, the allure of hi-def is dampened slightly by the fact that there are no new Blu-Ray special features. Everything on the Blu-Ray is recycled from the standard 'Special Edition' DVD from years ago. So if you never took the plunge, you might as well do it now, but for those who own the Special Edition and a DVD player that can do a decent up-rez, you won't need to stick up a donut joint or blow farmboys in the parking lot to earn the Blu-Ray's asking price.