Deadline (First Look) – This would-be creepy thriller stars Brittany Murphy as a psychologically scarred screenwriter whose time in a secluded country house is interrupted by a box of videotapes that show another deteriorating relationship. Writer-director Sean McConville can’t make the clichéd haunted-house plot fresh, instead relying on dull cross-cutting between increasingly horrifying events on tape and the disturbed woman watching it all. The game Murphy is stuck in an essentially passive and reactive role; the rest of the cast tries but can do little with trite material. On Blu-ray, the movie has a shimmer that can’t overcome script holes; the lone extra is brief making-of featurettes.

G Force (Disney) – Too bad Disney didn’t include the 3-D glasses that separated this action-packed comic adventure about talking, gun-toting guinea pig secret agents from the pack of other routine family movies when shown in theaters. In this curious but entertaining hybrid of animatronics (voiced by Nicolas Cage, Penelope Cruz, Tracy Morgan, Steve Buscemi and Sam Rockwell) and live-action (led by Bill Nighy, Zach Galifianakis and Kelli Garner), Blu-ray underlines the vividness of the original 3-D, without losing the sharpness of detail that others beside its non-discerning target audience will appreciate. Disney once again bundles the Blu-ray, DVD disc and digital copy together; extras include several Blu-ray exclusives, along with making-of featurettes, deleted scenes, gag reel and music videos.

The Hangover (Warners) – An unapologetically vulgar Las Vegas road trip masquerading as a comedy, The Hangover glories in toilet humor that becomes increasingly more desperate as a tiger, a toddler, and even Mike Tyson (playing himself—badly) show up to drag the movie to the next witless scene. The cast comprising Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis and Justin Bartha wears out its welcome quickly; even a potential bright spot like Heather Graham (as a hooker with a heart of gold, of course) has little to do. Blu-ray makes the Vegas Strip setting look glamorous enough, if that’s your idea of a visual upgrade to an essentially flat-looking experience. The “unrated” version, which is eight minutes longer, is raunchier and cruder, to little effect. Extras include a commentary, gag reel, interviews and behind-the-scenes spots.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Warners) – Harry, Hermione and Ron find themselves in another 2-1/2 hour mystery that paves the way for the final two films in the series. There’s genuine awe in a few of the magic sequences, and whenever British greats of stage and screen like Michael Gambon, Maggie Smith, Alan Rickman, Jim Broadbent and Julie Walters are onscreen, the scenery-chewing becomes palpably blissful, while Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint make a formidable teenage team. The films have gotten increasingly more visually sophisticated, which makes watching this on Blu-ray a must. Extras include behind-the-scenes featurettes, interviews, extra scenes and a peek at the next adventure (coming to a theater near you in 2010).

Lost—The Complete Fifth Season (ABC) – The penultimate season of the hit series about survivors of an airplane crash on a remote island continues its narrative sleight-of-hand with so many subplots about so many characters that it’s hard to keep track of just what’s going on to whom, when and why. Still, that’s part of the show’s hold on so many of its fans. If there’s any TV series to watch on Blu-ray, it’s Lost, with an overwhelming wealth of visual information coming at you at any one time making a high-definition experience essential. Extras include commentaries, featurettes and “Lost University,” with hours of additional footage.

Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian (Fox) – This sequel is a lot more tolerable than its predecessor, which might have to do with the action moving from Manhattan’s Museum of Natural History to the Smithsonian in Washington, where American history can be better ransacked. It also helps that there’s less of the smug Ben Stiller, always a black hole at the center of any film. Amy Adams is an amusing caricature of Amelia Earhart, likewise Robin Williams as Theodore Roosevelt and Steve Coogan as Octavius Caesar, but someone—maybe director Shawn Levy—should have toned down Hank Azaria. Blu-ray makes such fantastical sequences as the dancing Einsteins and Amelia’s flying escapades look terrific; extras include deleted scenes, alternate ending, behind the scenes featurettes, commentaries, and games. (Fox apes Disney by packaging this release as a Blu-ray/DVD combo.)

New York Yankees: 2009 World Series Champions (Shout Factory) – Yes, it’s true: the Evil Empire has returned with its first World Series win in nine years. If you’re still reading, you’re the target for this overview of the Yanks’ six-game victory over the Phillies for the Championship, an 80-minute film of series highlights that culminates in the ticker tape parade down Broadway. On Blu-ray, the hi-def clarity makes you feel like you’re at the new Yankee Stadium, drinking in all the on-field exploits. Extras include bonus highlight footage from the playoffs and player interviews.

Screwballs (Severin) – For those nostalgic for lewd ‘80s horndog movies, Screwballs is the bottom of the barrel Porky’s, believe it or not. Amateurish in almost every aspect—acting, writing, directing—Screwballs comes to life only in those brief moments when the eager young gals take off their tops (if you’re offended by that, then why are you still reading?). The Blu-ray transfer doesn’t help at all: in hi-def, everything only looks more washed-out, soft, and blurry than it already is. If you’re a fan of Screwballs, the regular DVD should suffice. Extras include audio commentary, cast and crew interviews and deleted scenes.