Well, this is certainly a "something for everyone" proposition. Two movies nominated for this year's best-picture Oscar were both released this week on DVD - and they couldn't be more different from each other. If you prefer traditional moviemaking, "The Theory of Everything" is the one for you. The drama about Stephen Hawking and his first marriage is nothing if not staid. What's extraordinary, though, is Eddie Redmayne's performance; he conveys Hawking's impish humor and wild intelligence even as his body deteriorates under the gnarled agonies of ALS. If you like to see something in a film you've never seen before, rent "Birdman." The story is about a has-been actor trying to resurrect his career, yes, but that hardly begins to describe this restlessly creative work. A compelling Michael Keaton leads a cast jam-packed with great performance (yes, I'm talking to the understated version of you, Zach Galifianakis).

- KRISTINA DORSEY