2012 (2009)
"The world as we know it will soon come to an end," says the U.S. President (Danny Glover). Yes, director Roland Emmerich ( Independence Day, The Day After Tomorrow) is once again demolishing Earth. If you're up for the carnage, from which John Cusack hopes to save his family, the bonus features (including a picture-in-picture track) examine the special effects. An interactive feature divines your personality based on where your birthday falls on the Mayan calendar (I'm a stubborn natural diplomat, apparently).
Renaissance (2006)
The sharpness of Blu-ray comes in handy for Christian Volckman's French film noir, which uses computer software to transform actors into characters out of a graphic novel. The look is hard-edged black and white; little is grey. In Paris of 2054, a corporation called Avalon is hawking the promise of eternal beauty, while ordinary people are kidnapped or worse. A cop (voiced by Daniel Craig) investigates. Also along for the ride on the English soundtrack: Jonathan Pryce and Ian Holm.