New DVDs: 'Blades of Glory,' 'Heroes' in HD

Pick of the week: Friday Night Lights
Dog of the week: Meatballs 4

Big week for HD DVD.

"Blades of Glory" gets a glittering showcase on Paramount's "Blades of Glory." While the standard DVD looks competition-worthy, the high-def disc skates circles around it. All those godawful glaring costumes, the white ice, sparkling metal blades and tacky pyrotechnics team up to deliver the gold visually. You know you're in for a treat once the gorgeous menu pops up.

The Will Ferrell-Jon Heder farce was skedded for Blu-ray, but that edition went down face-first hard with Paramount's dramatic drop of Blu-ray.

The movie enjoyed some good reviews -- to me it's a slightly above average high-concept comedy. Will Ferrell has made a half dozen funnier movies (whatever, I'm not much of a fan). "Blades" plays like one long chuckle with few big laughs. The premise pulls you in and the fast-moving plot is sharp enough to keep butts in the stands till the medal ceremony, anyway.

Everyone except Ferrell seems to be working hard to make the extras offbeat and improv-funny. Real-world couple Will Arnett ("Arrested Development") and Amy Poehler ("SNL") coolly turn a making-of interview upside down. The impressed interviewer asks if they're the next Stiller and Meara (for once they don't know what to say). The deleted scenes are about as good as the ones in the movie.

Jolly skate legend (and actor) Scott Hamilton weighs in on the possibility of men's couple skating becoming reality: "Highly doubtful."

"Heroes: Season 1" also is kicking butt in HD DVD this week. The NBC hit arrives in a great-looking seven-disc box set. Blu-ray nation isn't pleased, but Universal is HD DVD-only. Along with Paramount.

New and notable:
Air Guitar Nation (Docurama/New Video)
Antibodies (Dark Sky Films/MPI)
Blades of Glory (Paramount)
Dangermouse: Complete Series (A&E Home Entertainment)
Dr. T & the Women (Lionsgate)
The Dog Problem (ThinkFilm)
Flight 29 Down: Vol. 2 (Genius Products)
Friday Night Lights: First Season (Universal)
Heroes Season 1 (Universal)
Kickin' It Old Skool (Fox)
Masters of Horror Season One Box Set (Anchor Bay)
The Odd Couple: The Second Season (Paramount)
Offside (Sony)
3:10 to Yuma (Sony)
Year of the Dog (Paramount)

Complete list of today's releases on my pal Harley's site, onvideo.org