(All DVDs and Blu-ray discs that are mentioned in this article hit store shelves on Tuesday, December 29th. All theatrical films mentioned here will be released in theaters on Friday, January 1st, 2010!)

THIS WEEK’S NOTABLE DVD & BLU-RAY RELEASES:

9 [DVD & Blu-ray] – Humanity’s reign on Earth ends, but luckily nine creepy, sentient, ragdolls have survived. Battling mechanical horrors, these nine set out on their quest to ahm…. do something. This visually stunning film apparently lacks a lot in the plot department, but I’m still curious enough to rent a copy. The Blu-ray contains an audio commentary, deleted scenes, the original 11-minute short that 9 is based on, and several making-of featurettes. I could not find the specs and extras for the film’s DVD release.

Carriers [DVD] – Four teens are on the run from a civilization-destroying pandemic and decide to head for a beach. Naturally things break down and the two couples begin to turn on each other in this direct-to-DVD release. I couldn’t find any info on extras, but I’d at least assume there’s a trailer on the disc. Of course, this was released by Paramount, a studio notorious for chopping down some of the most beloved slasher films ever released.

Jennifer’s Body [DVD & Blu-ray] – Megan Fox plays Jennifer, a hot highschool girl that gets possessed by a flesh-eating demon and the only person that can stop Jennifer’s insatiable appetite is her nerdy best friend. I missed out on this one during its theatrical run, and truthfully I just want to watch this movie to see if Megan Fox shows off her boobage. The Blu-ray comes with two versions of the film (theatrical and unrated) and an audio commentary for both versions. Also included are deleted scenes, a gag reel, a short making-of featurette, and a handful of fun throwaway extras (i.e. Megan Fox Peer Pressure PSA).

Paranormal Activity [DVD & Blu-ray] – A ghost gets pissed at a young couple that attempt to film it’s paranormal activities in this ultra-low-budget film. The DVD and Blu-ray are both bare bones and only come with an alternate ending. I haven’t seen this one yet, but I’m in no real rush. I guess I’m still bitter over the whole Blair Witch snafu back in 1999.

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THIS WEEK’S CULT BLU-RAY RELEASES:
* 9
* Jennifer’s Body (Unrated)
The Marine 2
* Paranormal Activity

THIS WEEK’S CULT DVD RELEASES:
* 9
25 Horror Classics
25 Sci-Fi Classics
Baccano! The Complete Series
Blassreiter: Part 2
Blood Pledge
* Carriers
Case Closed: Captured in Her Eyes
Cheech and Chong’s Nice Dreams & Things Are Tough All Over
Diagnosis: Death
Dragonaut: The Resonance Complete Series Part 2
Evil Offspring
The Final Fright
The First 7th Night
Half-Life
Hansel and Gretel
* Jennifer’s Body
Kid With the Golden Arm
Legend of Lyon Flare Collection 2: Into the Erogoneous Zone
The Marine Two-Pack
The Marine 2
Matilda & The New Adventures of Pippi Longstocking
Muppets from Space & Muppets Take Manhattan
Nuns of St. Archangel
* Paranormal Activity
Princess of Mars
Sword and Musclemen, Vol. 1
Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle: Season 2 Set
Vampire Killers

THIS WEEK’S NEW THEATRICAL RELEASES:
Zip! Nada! Nothing! Go see Avatar or Sherlock Holmes!

This wasn’t exactly a great week for genre releases (nothing in theaters?!) and next week is gonna be a little light on the b-movie goodness as well. Several titles are being re-released in DVD/Blu-ray combo packs including the likes of End of Days, The Last Starfighter, and Doom, The Final Destination (complete with anaglyph 3-D glasses) hits DVD and Blu-ray, and Daybreakers (a non-glittery vampire film) arrives in theaters! Well, that’s all for now; check back in a few days for another dose of Genre Watch goodness! – Vault Master