New on DVD 12/18/08

"Mamma Mia!"

ABBA songs are so enduring, even a former James Bond likes to croon them now and then. Meryl Streep and ex-007 Pierce Brosnan lead the cast in this adaptation of the stage musical that uses the infectious pop tunes of ABBA to knit together the story of a single mom and three old flames who make a surprise appearance at her daughter's wedding. Single-disc and two-disc DVD releases and a two-disc Blu-ray set allow viewers to sing-along with the on-screen lyrics and also have a deleted musical number ("The Name of the Game"), plus commentary with director Phyllida Lloyd. The two-disc sets also come with deleted scenes, making-of segments and a digital copy of the movie for portable video players. Single-disc DVD, $29.98; two-disc DVD set, $34.98; Blu-ray set, $39.98. (Universal)

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"The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor"

Brendan Fraser goes grave-digging again in this third installment of his action franchise, with Maria Bello taking over as his wife in the role originated by Rachel Weisz. This time out, the archaeologically minded couple head to China, where they battle a 2,000-year-old mummy (Jet Li) who comes back to life from a curse laid upon him by a sorceress (Michelle Yeoh). Two-disc DVD and Blu-ray sets pack deleted and extended footage, segments on casting, stunts and other behind-the-scenes matters and commentary with director Rob Cohen. The movie also comes in a single-disc DVD edition and in six-disc DVD and four-disc Blu-ray boxed sets with the entire "Mummy" trilogy. Single-disc DVD, $29.98; two-disc DVD set, $34.98; Blu-ray set, $39.98; DVD trilogy set, $59.98; Blu-ray trilogy set, $94.98. (Universal)

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"The House Bunny"

Anna Faris is a Playboy bunny who gets booted out of the mansion but finds a new home with a campus sorority, a group of socially inept women who receive a makeover and learn how to deal with the world courtesy of their new "sister." The DVD and Blu-ray have deleted scenes, a music video by co-star Katharine McPhee, segments on Faris and co-star Colin Hanks and featurettes on the costumes and makeup that went into the production. DVD, $28.96; Blu-ray, $39.95. (Sony)

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"Traitor"

Don Cheadle stars as a former Special Forces expert now suspected of involvement in a series of terrorist bombings, with Guy Pearce as a federal agent leading a task force in pursuit. Cheadle joins director Jeffrey Nachmanoff for audio commentary, while the DVD and Blu-ray also have featurettes on stunts, special effects and the film's international locations. The Blu-ray release also comes with a digital copy of the movie. DVD, $29.98; Blu-ray, $39.98. (Anchor Bay)

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"The Third Man," "Bottle Rocket," "Chungking Express," "The Man Who Fell to Earth"

The folks at Criterion have been masters of quality cinema for home video since the laserdisc days. They now move into the Blu-ray era with an eclectic mix of titles from their past DVD vaults. Leading the way is Carol Reed's 1949 thriller "The Third Man," with Joseph Cotten and Orson Welles. The first wave also includes Wes Anderson's debut film with the offbeat heist romp "Bottle Rocket," starring Owen and Luke Wilson; Wong Kar-Wai's breakout romantic tale "Chungking Express"; and Nicolas Roeg's cult sci-fi saga "The Man Who Fell to Earth," starring David Bowie. Each film comes loaded with the sort of extras that make Criterion DVDs such premier releases. Blu-ray, $39.95 each. (Criterion)

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TV on DVD:

"Petticoat Junction: The Official First Season" -- A widow, her three hot daughters and their rascally uncle lead the collection of oddballs at the Shady Rest Hotel in the tiny burgh of Hooterville. A five-disc set has the first 38 episodes of the comedy that debuted in 1963. DVD set, $42.99. (Paramount)

"Mr. Bean: The Ultimate Collection" -- A seven-disc set offers all things Bean, starting with the complete 14 episodes of Rowan Atkinson's TV comedy featuring his strange, near-silent man-child of a hero. The set also includes the character's two feature films, "Bean: The Movie" and "Mr. Bean's Holiday," plus episodes from the animated "Bean" series. DVD set, $69.95. (A&E)

"Generation Kill" -- Rolling Stone reporter Evan Wright's book about his experiences covering the Iraq War is the basis for this miniseries that follows a Marine battalion in action. The three-disc set packs the seven-part series, plus commentary with Wright, cast and crew interviews and a segment with real-life Marines discussing their exploits in Iraq. DVD set, $59.99. (HBO)