"Funny People" features a strong audio and video transfer, and comes in both theatrical and unrated versions. Extras are plentiful as well, with the two-disc edition featuring filmmaker commentary, on-set diaries, gag reels, deleted and extended scenes, featurettes on subjects like stand-up, vintage prank calls and more (including a great discussion with Seth and Judd from Charlie Rose).

From one critically acclaimed film with a disappointing box office to a critically panned film with a huge box office, "Angels & Demons" finds Tom Hanks returning as a college educator drafted into religious detective work. Like its predecessor "The Da Vinci Code," the action brings audiences to Vatican City, this time to uncover who's behind a series of priestly murders. The film hits store shelves with theatrical and extended editions, with the usual amount of behind-the-scenes featurettes but also a few notable additions. Author Dan Brown is featureted in one segment, with another profiling "CERN," the massive proton collider project on the Swiss/Austrian border.

Those looking for a straight up comedy for the holidays have "Four Christmases," starring Vince Vaughn and Reese Witherspoon. There's nothing wholly original about this Christmas-with-the-wacky-family flick, but the DVD and Blu-ray feature a nice assortment of behind-the-scenes footage, deleted scenes and a gag reel.

The rest of the week's releases are a hodgepodge. MegaFault, Asylum's epic disaster movie which saw airings on the SyFy Channel, shakes into stores, as does the 20th anniversary edition of the cult hit "The Monster Squad." Vintage comedy "Air America" comes to Blu-ray, along with the first season of HBO's "Sopranos." Anime fans can pick up "Blood: The Last Vampire," the animated favorite which saw a live-action adaptation released earlier this year.

DVD & BLU-RAY NEWS:

Blockbuster hit "Paranormal Activity" gets a December 29 date, the same day as boxing doc "Facing Ali," with another horror flick, Rob Zombie's "Halloween II," hitting January 12. Low-budget sci-fi horror film "Pandorum" arrives January 19 and Jean-Claude Van Damme and Dolph Lundgren re-team in "Universal Soldier: Regeneration" coming February 2, with Blaxploitation ode "Black Dynamite" dropping later in the month on February 16.

NEXT WEEK:

"Terminator Salvation," "Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian," and a series of Blu-ray releases including "Snatch," "Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels" and "The Green Mile."

For starters, according to the Hollywood Reporter, Summit Entertainment just announced a television deal with FX to broadcast four "Twilight" films. Rob Pattinson told us that the movie might be filmed in Portland. Ryan Seacrest's radio show recently furthered the rumor (heard from a Summit exec's wife at a nail salon, mind you) that the final "Twilight" book was being split into two movies. And then there's the fact that it would be preposterous that an opening of $143 million in could be ignored and everyone would just release "Eclipse" and call it a day.

Continue reading 'New Moon' Co-Star Thinks 'Breaking Dawn' Green Light Is Imminent

You may or may not have known that "Pulp Fiction" writer Roger Avary was currently serving time at Ventura County Jail in California. His tweets from inside recently came to my attention, such today's where he introduces a new neighbor. Check those posts out after the jump along with Richard Kelly's question about "Avatar," Dane Cook's problem with Adam Lambert and Michael Showalter's feelings about "Bad Lieutenant." It's all in the Twitter Report for November 24, 2009.

Twitter Pic of the Day:
@gregmottola just a monday night in nyc (or bourbon street) http://yfrog.com/1dg2pj
-Greg Mottola, Writer/Actor/Director ("Adventureland," "Superbad")

Runner-Up:
@emmyrossum Ha! RT @countingcrows: Very Stanislavsky: @EmmyRossum channels her inner Thanksgiving Day Turkey. Very dark&intense http://twitpic.com/qpmf4
-Emmy Rossum, Actress ("Dragonball Evolution," "Dare")

@JRichardKelly If his Avatar body gets eaten or killed, what happens to Jake Sully in his womb back at the lab?
-Richard Kelly, Writer/Director ("Donnie Darko," "The Box")

@AVARY #34's new roomie, EZ, takes Yeyo's old bunk, locker, AND number. He regales awesome tales about his former life as an Oxnard gangbanger.
-Roger Avary, Writer ("Pulp Fiction," "Beowulf")

@danecook Adam Lambert sounds like Mario Cantone. They should do an album together. Their harmonies would sound like dueling fire alarms.
-Dane Cook, Actor ("Waiting...," "Employee of the Month")

@DAVID_A_SLADE The wild success of New Moon this weekend is both humbling & exciting as we continue Post on Eclipse. Thanks to you lot for the support.
-David Slade, Director ("30 Days of Night," "The Twilight Saga: Eclipse")

@mshowalter Must see - Bad Lieutenant w/Nick Cage. Iguana drug trip sequence worth price of admission.
-Michael Showalter, Actor/Writer (”Signs,” “Wet Hot American Summer”)

@kingsthings http://twitpic.com/qs8rj - There's a She Wolf in my closet... It's Shakira!
-Larry King, Actor ("Bee Movie," "Shrek the Third")

@ActuallyNPH Just saw Penn & Teller at the Rio. Always have new material. Awesome. Pic of them giving me some magic pointers: http://yfrog.com/351bidj
-Neil Patrick Harris, Actor ("Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay," "Starship Troopers")

Don’t forget to follow @MTVMoviesBlog on Twitter for all the latest updates and colorful commentary from the world of movies.

"It's exciting," he said of the 2009 AMAs, walking down the red carpet alongside a grinning Kilmer, who could best be described as being dressed like Truman Capote's evil twin. "We came out here to enjoy the festivities. Val and I are going to sit and see what's going on. Are you wondering why we're together?"

Continue reading 50 Cent And Val Kilmer Announce New Movie, 'The Gun'

Maxie and James Franco do a flirty dance of words in his studio, where he tells lie after lie and suddenly she grows a brain and believes none of it. Maxie kind of "gets" Franco's creepy facade, and is even turned on by it. There's more kinky blindfold action, and then there's action of a different sort. You know, the kind that will cause Spinelli's heart to break into a million shards like the glass Maxie dramatically throws to the floor.

Elsewhere, Lucky questions all the mob-related fellows in Port Charles. He starts in prison with Anthony Zacchara, and Anthony learns of his failed hit on Sonny, as well as Joey's death. Wah wah. Then, Lucky moves on to Sonny, who is surprised that Joey's body was posed at the crime scene. Finally, Lucky goes to the gallery opening to question Spinelli, and finds Franco's crime scene photos that are posed the way Joey's body was. Just put the pieces together, already!

Later, Sonny (mob boss) tells Dominic/Dante (undercover cop playing the part of loyal mobster) that he prays none of his kids becomes a cop, putting them on opposite sides of the law. A little background for those of you who aren't regular viewers: these guys don't know they're father and son (hence the whole Olivia-Johnny discussion). But when they do find out, you'll want to be there for the fireworks.

Hey, James Franco's brother, Dave, is going to be on an upcoming episode "Scrubs"!

Well recently, MTV's Josh Horowitz had the opportunity to speak with Abrams, and his "Trek" star Chris Pine, in an exclusive interview pegged to the fact that, in 2009, these two guys rank among those that we movies fans are most thankful for. And a decision was made to find out exactly what truth lies behind those years-old casting rumors. Given how well "Trek" worked with a cast that was relatively devoid of big-name superstars, one has to wonder if Abrams ever really did call Damon up to talk about the Kirk role.

"I did, but not for the role of James Kirk. I went to Damon for the role of Kirk's father, and he declined in the most gracious and understandable and logical of reasons," Abrams explained. As you may or may not remember, Kirk's father appears during the "Trek" prologue, sacrificing his life while his wife and newborn child make their escape from a doomed ship. "Thor" star Chris Hemsworth ending up landing the part, months before his starring role in the Marvel property was announced.

"We lucked out with Chris Hemsworth, and he did a great job," Abrams said. "Maybe it would have been distracting to have someone as massively famous as Matt Damon in that role. ... The decision was made very early on to have actors who were not necessarily the most famous but the most right for the role."

Given the length of the appearance in comparison to the overall film, it's doubtful that Damon would have corrupted Abrams' vision. Still, he has a valid point. And things certainly worked out for Hemsworth, who made headlines over the summer when the "Thor" casting news emerged. It worked out okay for Pine too, who did not have to compete with a superstar like Damon for the James Kirk role.

"At least for the time being, "Star Trek" has given me the luxury of choice in terms of what I want to do and where I want to take my career," Pine said. "I don't know how long it's going to last, but certainly I'm enjoying that immensely."

Have you seen "Star Trek"? Where does it rank for you among the year's best? Do you think the feel of the movie would have changed significantly with a guy like Damon showing up, even for a 10-minute sequence?

Thanksgiving is a time for taking stock, expressing gratitude and, most importantly, overeating. We at MTV News have been gorging all year at movie theaters, so it's about time we looked back and gave thanks to our favorite actors and filmmakers of 2009. So in this special week, we celebrate J.J. Abrams and Chris Pine for bringing "Star Trek" back into our lives; Tom Hardy for such an unexpectedly powerful turn in "Bronson"; Quentin Tarantino for blowing our minds with his " Inglourious Basterds"; Sam Rockwell for the amazingly inventive indie "Moon"; Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel for redefining how cool and cute a couple could be in "(500) Days of Summer"; and our ultimate winner, Ryan Reynolds, for a trio of memorable roles in vastly different (but all super entertaining) flicks like "X-Men Origins: Wolverine," "The Proposal" and "Adventureland". Enjoy our exclusive interviews with all our winners all week long.

The iconic action star wrote, directed and headlined in his latest direct-to-DVD film "Command Performance" and returns to the big screen in 2010 for Sylvester Stallone's "The Expendables." As far as upcoming comic book films go, however, "Conan" is the only one that has his attention right now, and he said he hasn't been keeping up with the skull-shirted vigilante he first portrayed in 1989.

"No, I haven't seen any of [the new 'Punisher' movies]," Lundgren told MTV News. The Swedish-born actor has kept a tight schedule since he began directing his own movies like "The Mechanik" and "Diamond Dogs," so it's understandable that he might not be able to find the time.

Continue reading Original 'Punisher' Actor Dolph Lundgren Says He Hasn't Seen Recent Films

Next year is going to kick off a whole new chapter however, as Hardy steps into a role formerly occupied by a younger Mel Gibson. He'll star as the titular character in George Miller's long-awaited return to our grim post-apocalyptic future in "Mad Max: Fury Road." He'll also be seen in "The Dark Knight" director Chris Nolan's "thriller of the mind," "Inception."

In an exclusive interview with MTV, Hardy discussed his recent and past good fortunes, and what he's thankful for in 2009 as Thanksgiving approaches. "I didn't expect to get 'Mad Max.' I really didn't," he said. "I didn't ever expect to get the lead in a Hollywood movie, for Chris Nolan off the bat to offer me ["Inception"] without an audition and then to go sit with [director] George Miller [on "Mad Max"] and work with him and not really audition in the orthodox way of auditioning — this year's been crazy."

Looking back over his career, which really only extends back to the beginning of the decade, Hardy became reflective. "I've been working as an actor for a long time now, and I've been waiting for an independent film to come along because it was very hard to get cast as a character actor, as a lead — being credible but bankable."

That independent film was "Bronson." As good as Hardy's performances have been in "Band of Brothers," in "Black Hawk Down," in "RockNRolla," it was the surreal biopic that really put him out there. It might as well be a one-man show, "Bronson," focused as it is on the internal workings of Charlie Bronson's criminal mind. Hardy recognizes how difficult it can be starting out, and he appreciates his recent good fortunes.

"It's very hard to break in when there are plenty of people who can be cast, who can green-light, who can put bums in the seats. So this whole year has been staggering."

What's your favorite Tom Hardy performance? What are you looking forward to seeing from him in the new year?

"This is my story," Alex Pettyfer says in his voiceover, "and this is my curse. Who am I? I'm you. Your ugliness, inside out."

Continue reading Vanessa Hudgens' 'Beastly' Gets A Teaser Trailer And We're Definitely Teased

There are a couple of limited release options this week, including an important studio film getting a surprisingly soft opening, to appease such a film diet. Check these films out if you want something different as or additional to your main course this weekend:

"Me and Orson Welles"

What is is: Richard Linklater, director of "Dazed and Confused" and "School of Rock," returns with a fictionalized coming-of-age drama set during production of Orson Welles' famous 1937 version of Shakespeare's "Julius Caesar." Zac Efron stars as a young actor dealing with the title character's difficult methods while also falling for a production assistant, played by Claire Danes.

Why you should be interested: It would be great if this was merely a chance for the "High School Musical" crowd to become curious about the legendary Welles, but the film is supposedly very good on its own too. Come for Efron and to see what Danes has been up to the last two years (personally, I'm also drawn in by British faves Eddie Marsan and Kelly Reilly) and stay for the reportedly excellent breakout performance from Christian McKay as the future director of "Citizen Kane."

How you can see it: "Me and Orson Welles" opens in a handful of theaters this Wednesday and will receive a limited expansion next week. Hopefully the film will be enough of a hit in limited release to encourage a wider release, but you can also show there's interest in it by contacting your local theater and the film's distributor, Cinemanx.

"The Privates Lives of Pippa Lee"

What it is: Romantic drama starring Robin Wright ("Forrest Gump") as a woman living with her much older husband (Alan Arkin) in a Connecticut retirement community and having an affair with a man her own age (Keanu Reeves). The title character is portrayed as a runaway teenager by "Gossip Girl" star Blake Lively, and the film's supporting cast includes Winona Ryder, Julianne Moore, Maria Bello and Monica Bellucci.

Why you should be interested: Filmmaker Rebecca Miller, who adapted the film from her own novel, makes "chick flicks" that are actually pretty great (see "Personal Velocity" and "The Ballad of Jack and Rose," the latter starring her husband, Daniel Day-Lewis). Of course, it's also hard to say no to an ensemble of such talented actresses as appear in the film (plus the terrific Arkin, and Reeves, who is fine enough in movies like this). It's especially nice to see Wright giving a stand out performance, too, now that she's ready to move out of ex Sean Penn's shadow and shine like she did in "The Princess Bride" 20 years ago.

How you can see it: A list of cinemas showing "Pippa Lee" beginning this week or December 11 can be found on the film's website, and unfortunately it looks like the release is limited to parts of California, New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, where the film was shot. Again, contact both your local cinema and the distributor, Screen Media Films, to find out if you can get the film shown in your area.

"The Princess and the Frog"

What it is: Disney's first traditionally animated (meaning 2-D, hand-drawn style) film in five years and its first to feature an African-American "princess," the film follows a New Orleans waitress (voiced by Anika Noni Rose) who is also transformed when she kisses a prince who'd been turned into a frog by a voodoo doctor. The jazz-filled musical also features the voices of John Goodman, Terrence Howard and Oprah Winfrey and was directed by John Musker and Ron Clements ("The Little Mermaid," "Aladdin").

Why you should be interested: Certainly you've missed the old style of Disney animated films, and this seems to have more in common with classics like "Cinderella" and "Sleeping Beauty" and even the Disney renaissance films like "The Little Mermaid" and "Beauty and the Beast" than just being made with the traditional animation techniques. It looks magical and memorable, as Disney's films should.

How you can see it: NYC and LA audiences get "The Princess and the Frog" early, beginning Wednesday, but this is a big deal movie and so obviously Disney will be expanding to every nook of the country on December 11. No need to do any requesting for this one.