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Throughout 2008, Warner Home Video (WHV) will celebrate Warner Bros.' 85th anniversary with an initiative that will debut more than 50 new-to-DVD feature films along with its centerpiece, YOU MUST REMEMBER THIS: THE WARNER BROS. STORY, a new five-hour documentary produced, written and directed by award-winning filmmaker/critic/historian Richard Schickel. Clint Eastwood narrates.

The HD format war may have confused consumers, but it was a gift as far as providing a wide assortment of animation eye candy this year. Plus there was a treasure trove of catalog titles on DVD, too, capped by Acme Filmworks' invaluable ANIMATION SHOW OF SHOW collection of shorts. Each of the 18 volumes features three films and sells for $5. The three box sets include six of those volumes and sell for $30. Fans can also purchase all three box sets for $90. The DVDs are available exclusively at www.filmporium.com and the AWN Store (http://store.awn.com/home.php).

Warner Home Video's 300 dominated the first ever High-Def Disc Awards, held Dec. 4 at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza Hotel in Century City, taking High-Def Title of the Year (Blu-ray Disc) and Best Bonus Feature honors (HD DVD).

The High-Def Disc Awards dinner was part of High-Def 2.0, a one-day conference presented by HOME MEDIA MAGAZINE in cooperation with THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER and the Entertainment Merchants Assn.

A panel of critics and bloggers determined the best titles in 11 categories.

CASSHERN makes its long-awaited DVD debut this week from DreamWorks Home Ent. ($26.99) in a brand new director's cut and a gorgeous widescreen transfer. However, this version is nearly a half-hour shorter than the Japanese original, which will either infuriate or please you.

Set in a dystopian future in which the planet has been ravaged by a catastrophic Third World War, CASSHERN follows a young man imbued with superhuman strength who emerges as humanity's last hope in an epic battle against powerful mutant neo-humans and their army of robots.

DAY WATCH, the even more successful Russian sequel to NIGHT WATCH, debuts Oct. 30 on DVD in an unrated version (Fox Home Ent., $27.98). Set in a world where an age-old truce between the conflicted dark ones and light ones hangs in the balance among the unsuspecting humans, the action-packed fantasy thriller is once again directed by Timur Bekmambetov, based on the best-selling novels by Sergei Luyanenko.

Warner Home Video (WHV) has secured worldwide home video and television rights (excluding Japan) to the new CG anime, APPLESEED: EX MACHINA, the follow-up to APPLESEED, produced by John Woo (MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE II, FACE/OFF) and directed by Shinji Aramaki (APPLESEED, BUBBLEGUM CRISIS). APPLESEED: EX MACHINA is slated for a 2008 release and will be presented in a high-definition format disc, as well as standard definition DVD. A two-disc collectors set, containing extra bonus materials, will also be released simultaneously.

Darren Aronofsky's THE FOUNTAIN, his thought provoking movie that was six years in the making, arrives May 15, 2007, on DVD, HD DVD Combo and Blu-ray Disc (Warner Home Video, $27.95, $39.99 and $34.99).

Walt Disney Home Ent. continues the popular WALT DISNEY TREASURES series with three new two-disc DVD sets, available Dec. 11. Oswald The Lucky Rabbit, who predates Mickey Mouse, is one of the highlights, having recently returned to the Disney fold.

Oswald comes out of the vault for the first time ever on DVD. The silent shorts made from 1926 to 1927, with Walt's personal touch, are revitalized with a brand-new score specifically made for WALT DISNEY TREASURES WAVE VII.