Faith & Family September-December 2008

Seven geniuses, with IQs over 200, are plucked from their lives on Christmas Eve to try to solve the world's problems in one night, but if they fail, the world will come to an end in The Genius Club (available now; DVD $24.98).

Saving God (street Oct. 14, prebook Sept. 16; DVD $24.99, BD $29.99) is about an ex-con who becomes the pastor of a dilapidated community church and fights to save a troubled teen.

The comedy Tortilla Heaven (street Oct. 14, prebook Sept. 11; DVD $26.97) is a story of faith, love, family and redemption, set in an eccentric New Mexico town that is turned upside down when the face of Jesus Christ appears on a tortilla.

Coming Sept. 23, Keepin' the Faith: Higher Ground (prebook now; DVD $19.97) is an urban faith-based comedy about a pastor looking for a church to call home. Take a Leap of Faith (street Nov. 4, prebook Sept. 30; DVD $19.99) is the story of a spiritual, independent woman looking for love.

The Little Leaders developmental series based on Bible characters (street Nov. 4, prebook Oct. 1; DVD $9.98 each, four-disc set $34.98) includes Little Moses, Little Noah, Little Ruth and Little Joseph, teaching preschoolers the stories in an entertaining format.

Ben Stein travels the world to learn that educators and scientists are being ridiculed, denied tenure and fired for believing that there might be evidence of design in nature in Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed (street Oct. 21, prebook Sept. 23; DVD $26.99).

Coming Nov. 11, the lavish Biblical epic Quo Vadis (prebook Oct. 7; two-disc set $20.97) has been restored for this special edition.

After a heist goes wrong, a professional thief (Shannen Doherty) takes refuge in her hometown and is roped into a role as babysitter to her sister's kids in Christmas Caper (street Oct. 28, prebook Sept. 23; DVD $24.98).

Three Strawberry Shortcake adventures will be available in one specially designed gift pack, Strawberry Shortcake Holiday Dreams Collection (street Oct. 7, prebook Sept. 10; DVD $26.98).

An estranged family discovers that to understand the past, they first have to face it in A Grandpa for Christmas; When a young boy wins a contest sponsored by a toy company, his mom finds cameras following her every move as she searches for a new father for him in All I Want for Christmas (both street Oct. 21, prebook Sept. 9; DVD $14.95 each).

Jim Henson's award-winning The Christmas Toy, about toys that come to life on Christmas Eve, arrives Nov. 4, along with Henson's Emmy-nominated Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas, which captures the true meaning of the season (both prebook Oct. 8; DVD $14.98 each).

Jeff Dunham: Very Special Christmas Special (street Nov. 18, prebook Oct. 21; DVD $14.98, BD $29.98) makes Christmas special and funny.

When they all come together for Christmas, family members' lives will go in new directions in Johnson Family Christmas Dinner (street Dec. 9, prebook Nov. 11; DVD $19.99).

Thomas Kinkade's Christmas Cottage, starring Peter O'Toole and Marcia Gay Harden, is based on the artist's real-life story of his mother threatened with losing the family home; I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus, starring Corbin Bernsen and Dylan and Cole Sprouse (The Suite Life of Zack and Cody), is a made-for-TV movie airing on PAX and loosely based on the 1949 hit song (both street Nov. 11, prebook Oct. 15; DVD $19.98 each).

Noelle (street Nov. 11, prebook Sept. 30; DVD $29.99) follows the seriocomic adventures of a priest sent to close a dying parish church the week before Christmas.

The Town That Banned Christmas (street Nov. 25, prebook Oct. 28; DVD $19.99) is a family film about what ensues when competition heats up at a Christmas decorating contest and gets so out of control that the town outlaws Christmas. A Christmas Proposal (street Dec. 2, prebook Nov. 4; DVD $19.99) follows a real-estate tycoon who proposes to turn a small ski town into a posh year-round resort.

The Night Before Christmas ... and More Classic Holiday Tales (street Oct. 28, prebook Sept. 30; DVD $14.95) encourages kids to read as classic holiday stories entertain them.

An orphan and her band of friends try to stop the evil Krad from destroying Christmas when he steals Santa's bag of toys in Christmas is Here Again (street Nov. 4, prebook Oct. 7; DVD $14.98).

The Johnny Cash Christmas Specials 1976-79 (street Oct. 7, prebook now; four-disc set $49.98) includes specials that capture Johnny Cash at a high point, leading up to his Country Music Hall of Fame selection in 1980.

A Shari Lewis Christmas (street Oct. 14, prebook Sept. 14; DVD $9.98) includes all three Christmas specials broadcast during the Emmy-winning program's run.

This Christmas (DVD $28.96, BD $38.96) finds the Whitfields discovering the true meaning of family; Perfect Holiday (DVD $27.96) stars Terence Howard and Queen Latifah in a romantic family comedy about a 6-year-old girl who asks a department store Santa to deliver her mom a new husband for Christmas (both street Nov. 4, prebook Oct. 2).

Warner Bros. Classic Holiday Collection Vol. 2 (street Nov. 11, prebook Oct. 7; DVD $19.97 each, four-disc set $29.98) includes All Mine to Give, Holiday Affair and It Happened on 5th Avenue, along with special bonus disc Blossoms in the Dust (only available in the collection).

Sights and Sounds of Christmas: Classic Holiday Sing-a-Long (street Nov. 4, prebook Oct. 3; DVD $19.99) follows a bouncing ball to 18 Christmas songs and carols.

Animated preschool series Charlie and Lola: The Absolutely Completely Complete Seasons One and Two, based on the award-winning children's books, follows siblings who solve everyday issues (street Oct. 14, prebook Sept. 9; eight-disc set $79.98).

Sister Sister: The First Season (street Oct. 28, prebook Sept. 16; two-disc set $39.99) chronicles the adventures of a reunited set of identical twins.

Little Rascals: The Complete Collection (street Oct. 28, prebook Sept. 16; eight-disc set $89.95) has all 80 shorts in chronological release date order under the supervision of film producer Hal Roach.

Dog Gone (street Oct. 7, prebook Sept. 9; DVD $24.98) is a battle of wits when a tween and his dog are left home alone with his older sister and run into three bumbling jewel thieves.