NEW ON HOME VIDEO This week's DVD releases

"Ice Age: The Meltdown": Al Gore was right. Global warming really is a danger -- or was, at least in prehistoric times in this sequel to the animated hit "Ice Age." The follow-up sets our pals Manny the mammoth (voiced by Ray Romano), Diego the saber-toothed tiger (Denis Leary), Sid the sloth (John Leguizamo) and the rest of their extended family on a trek to escape a deluge from a melting ice dam. Queen Latifah joins the cast, providing the voice of a mammoth who catches Manny's eye. The DVD wisely features a fresh short cartoon starring the franchise's most popular character, the squeaking, squawking rat-squirrel creature known as Scrat, voiced again by Chris Wedge, director of the original "Ice Age." There's also commentary from the filmmakers and a series of "lost historical films" about the "Ice Age" denizens. DVD, 29.98. (20th Century Fox)
"An Inconvenient Truth": Now for the story of global warming in a noncartoon setting. For decades, Al Gore has preached that our greenhouse gas emissions pose a serious ecological threat. After losing the 2000 presidential race, Gore made it his mission to travel the globe with his professorial yet accessible presentation on the problem. Gore stages elaborate multimedia shows stating his case that gases from oil, coal and other carbon fuels are trapping the sun's heat in our atmosphere, potentially causing a catastrophic glacial meltdown that could flood much of the planet. The documentary captures the spirit of Gore's presentations, juxtaposing them with the trials and triumphs of his personal life. The DVD has a new interview with the former vice president, a making-of segment and two commentaries, one with director David Guggenheim, the other with the film's producers. There's also a music video for the film's theme song by Melissa Etheridge. DVD, 29.99. (Paramount)
"You, Me and Dupree": Owen Wilson's the thing that wouldn't leave in this comedy that casts the star of "Wedding Crashers" as a honeymoon party pooper. Wilson plays a lovably hapless slacker whose buddy (Matt Dillon) takes pity and invites his unemployed and newly homeless friend to stay awhile with him and his bride (Kate Hudson), their house guest of course turning comic chaos loose on their lives. The DVD has deleted scenes and outtakes, plus an alternate ending with commentary from directors Anthony and Joe Russo. The directors also provide commentary for the full movie, while screenwriter Michael Le Sieur and producer Scott Stuber offer separate commentary. There's a parody of the movie's trailer that presents it as a horror flick. DVD, 29.98. (Universal)
"Scoop": Woody Allen's second consecutive film with Scarlett Johansson looks like the comic flipside of the first. In last year's "Matchpoint," Allen told a sober tale of murder-for-personal-gain involving the uppercrust of London society. This time, he plays it for rather scarce laughs in this tepid comedy about an American journalism student (Johansson) and a second-rate magician (Allen) who team up to investigate a dashing British aristocrat (Hugh Jackman), whom they suspect is a serial killer. Allen dislikes DVD add-ons, preferring to let his films speak for themselves, so the disc has no extras. DVD, 29.98. (Universal)
--Associated Press
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