'Julie & Julia' is the icing on stack of new releases

Will Meryl Streep get her 16th Oscar nomination for her portrayal of Julia Child? (She already holds the acting record at 15!) "Julie & Julia" leads off this look at the latest movies on DVD.

"Julie & Julia" (Columbia/Blu-ray, 2009, PG-13, $39.95). It takes real genius to be able to embody a real-life figure who is so familiar to so many of us, and Streep does it with charm, wit and a great deal of humor, while never sacrificing the depth and reality of the portrait.

The film is split into two stories, the best half devoted to Child and her rise as a noted and popular promoter of French cooking. But the other half is also good, about 21st century blogger Julie Powell (wonderfully played with warmth and amusement by Amy Adams), who challenges herself to whip up 524 Child recipes in 365 days.

Extras: widescreen, audio commentary, featurettes (with several that are exclusive to this Blu-ray edition, including some of Child's own cooking demonstrations) (also on DVD with fewer bonus features, $28.96)

"The Mask of Zorro" (TriStar/Blu-ray, 1998, PG-13, $24.95). Antonio Banderas makes a dashing Zorro in this thrilling adventure yarn, updated for the Indiana Jones generation. The story has the original Zorro (Anthony Hopkins) grooming Banderas to take over the job of protecting the innocent in Old California. A twist also brings Hopkins' daughter (Catherine Zeta-Jones) into the story, and she proves to be a perfect match for Banderas.

Extras: widescreen, deleted scenes, audio commentary, featurettes, trailers (also available in a Blu-ray box set with the sequel, "The Legend of Zorro," $49.95)

"Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone: Ultimate Edition" (Warner, 2001, PG-13, $39.92)."Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets: Ultimate Edition" (Warner, 2002, PG-13, $39.92). The first two "Harry Potter" flicks are reissued in box sets that include both the extended and theatrical versions of each film, and loads of new material, from screen tests of Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson to a digital copy of the film and photo books.

Extras: widescreen, bonus features from previous editions; 48-page photo books, collectible character cards (also in Blu-ray with more bonus features, $49.99)

"Sherlock Holmes Double Feature: The Spider Woman/The Voice of Terror" (MPI, 1944/1942, b/w, $19.98). For some of us, Rathbone remains the definitive Sherlock Holmes, and these two beautifully remastered films are great examples. "The Spider Woman" is one of the series' best, with great support from Gale Sondergaard, and "The Voice of Terror" isn't bad, as Holmes and Watson (Nigel Bruce) battle Nazis.

Extras: full frame (also available, "House of Fear/Pearl of Death, $19.98)