Blu-ray

Mamoru Oshii’s anime classic goes Blu-ray with Ghost in the Shell 2.0, which features new CG scenes and a remixed soundtrack; purists, breathe easy: the original version is also included.

Plot notwithstanding, G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra is made-for-Blu-ray; the Paris chase scene is in-your-face you-are-there with a 2:39:1 frame transfer and lossless DTS-HD MA 5.1 sound.

History Channel’s WWII in HD comes to DVD/Blu-ray 1/15/10; culled from 3,000 hours of footage and soldier’s diaries, the 3-disc set features nearly 8 hours of full color video in Dolby SS 5.1.

Available 12/22/09: District 9 on Blu-ray is a prawns and Poseidon two-fer; the two-disc set not only includes the film in 1.85:1 1080p AVC video, but a God of War III demo.

Its special effects are dated, but few can deny Logan’s Run’s impact on sci-fi; the Blu-ray version is a 1080p transfer with Dolby TrueHD and includes vintage trailers and a commentary track.

Sci-fi satire Galaxy Quest hits Blu-ray with Grabthar’s Hammer 11/17; its extras are as eclectic as the film, with a Thermian audio track, Galactopedia, and Sigourney Weaver rapping.

Three years after the DVD release, The Mel Brooks Collection comes to Blu-ray with one ludicrously schwartz-filled extra: Spaceballs; you’ll get nine total films plus a collectible book.

Inglourious Basterds’ not-so-merry band of Nazi hunters comes to Blu-ray 12/15; it includes a roundtable with Quentin Tarantino, gag reel, alternate scenes and a digital copy.

Due out 11/17/09, the Star Trek Limited Edition Replica Gift Set not only includes the three Blu-ray discs + digital copy of the regular set, but a solid metal, 8.5″ replica of the USS Enterprise.

The Playstation 3 finally gets to share the silver screen with the Xbox 360: Netflix arrives on the PS3 in November and will be activated via a special Blu-ray disc that uses BD-Live.

From lumberjacks to knights, Monty Python: Almost The Truth squeezes 40 years into 8 hours; it interviews all five living members plus modern comedians like Jimmy Fallon and Seth Green.

Shipping 12/15/09: Hangover gets an unrated edition, available on Blu-ray and DVD; both will include a Map of Destruction and Gag Reel, but only Blu-ray includes PiP commentary.

Available 12/22/09, Family Guy: Something, Something, Something, Darkside is Seth MacFarlane’s latest faithful Star Wars retelling, this time parodying The Empire Strikes Back.

Now available on Blu-ray: the Hannibal Anthology includes all three Lecter films, most notably 1986’s Manhunter: it stars Brian Cox as the original Hannibal instead of Anthony Hopkins.

A favorite with zombies, slackers and cricket players, Shaun of the Dead goes Blu-ray; it includes deleted scenes, fictional TV footage, outtakes and Zomb-o-Meter, a pop-up trivia track.

Available 9/29, Texas Chainsaw Massacre on Blu-ray comes with double the gore in a 2-disc set that includes an alternate opening and ending and deleted severed parts scenes.

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen isn’t Oscar material, but its over-the-top special effects make it “Prime” for home theaters; it’s available 10/20/09 in a two-disc Blu-ray or DVD set.

A big name for a big product: Sony’s BDP-CX7000ES is a giant Blu-ray changer, with a capacity of 400 Blu-ray discs, DVDs and CDs; it also supports upscaling and Dolby/DTS.

Available 9/22, Star Trek: TNG Movie Collection is a five-disc set with Picard and crew (Generations, First Contact, Insurrection and Nemesis) plus a fifth bonus disc; Blu-ray or DVD.

Pixar’s Up floats into home theaters 11/10/09; the DVD version is a two-disc set while the four-disc Blu-ray also includes the DVD version; both will also include a digital copy.

Magic and martial arts cult classic Big Trouble in Little China comes to Blu-ray 8/4/09; Kurt Russell gets the HD 1080p treatment, 5.1 DTS HD sound, plus both extended and theatrical cuts.

We’re feeling like lucky punks with the Dirty Harry Ultimate Collector’s Edition; you’ll get Dirty Harry, Magnum Force, The Enforcer, Sudden Impact and The Dead Pool on Blu-ray.

For All Mankind, Al Reinert’s 1989 documentary on the Apollo moon landings, comes to Blu-ray 7/14; it’s an HD digital transfer with DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, NASA liftoff footage.

Toaster lovers and Capricans alike should set their calendars for 7/28: Battlestar Galactica: The Complete Series comes out on Blu-ray in a 20-disc set with Cylon figure.

Ridley Scott’s epic Gladiator finally goes Blu-ray 9/1/09; you’ll get a two-disc set with the original theatrical and extended versions in 1080p HD and 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio.

25 years after the seminal slime-fightin’ flick debuted in movie theaters; Ghostbusters Blu-ray is a high-def, 1080p upgrade that comes out June 16th with Dolby TrueHD 5.1 sound.

Coming to Amazon 7/21, Watchmen will be getting a special Nite Owl Blu-ray Edition; it’s a 3-disc set in a case shaped like Nite Owl’s ship (with working lights) on a pedestal.

New fans of the Trek franchise would be remiss to ignore the show that started it all: The Original Series looks stunning on Blu-ray with Season 1 spread out on 7 dual-layered discs.

Wolverine’s just around the corner, so bone-up on your mutant mythology with the X-Men Trilogy three-disc Blu-ray set; the trilogy is on the first two discs and a digital copy on the last.

The universe has a new protector, and he’s mean and green: we’re digging this new HD trailer for Green Lantern: First Light, which comes to DVD and Blu-ray on July 28.