In "The Break-Up," bus tour guide Gary Grobowski (Vince Vaughn) and art dealer Brooke Meyers (Jennifer Aniston) may be ex-lovers, but they're still hostile roommates. In "American Dreamz," talent guru Martin Tweed (Hugh Grant) oversees his latest manufactured star, small-town songbird Sally Kendoo (Mandy Moore), on an "American Idol"-type TV show.

Life imitates art -- and we use the term loosely -- in the so-called comedies topping ...

The big screen scene: Jennifer Aniston and Vince Vaughn became tabloid fodder during the filming of "The Break-Up" (Universal). How appropriate, then, that they've apparently broken up just in time for the DVD release of this opposites-detract comedy about a couple who split up -- but can't agree on who vacates their shared Chicago condo.

"American Dreamz" (also from Universal), meanwhile, attempts to skewer both American politics and "American Idol" -- talk about nightmarez -- when an airhead president (Dennis Quaid) agrees to judge a top-rated talent competition run by a smarmy Simon Cowell-style talent guru (Hugh Grant).

From a live-action cartoon we move to a real -- and much smarter -- animated feature, "Over the Hedge" (DreamWorks), about woodland pals who awaken from hibernation to discover suburbia on the other side of the title barrier.

And this week's who-asked-for-it remake, "The Omen" (Fox), recounts the terrors awaiting a diplomat and his wife (Liev Schreiber, Julia Stiles) whose son turns out to be Satan's pride and joy.

Also on the horror scene, the "Project Greenlight" romp "Feast" (Weinstein) traps hapless patrons in a middle-of-nowhere bar menaced by ravenous creatures anxious for a chomp-a-thon.

Critic's choice: Hooked on "Dancing With the Stars"? Then check out the ultimate dancing stars, Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, in "The Astaire and Rogers Collection: Volume 2" (Warner), which features the DVD debuts of five more titles showcasing their fabulous footwork.

Leading off: "Flying Down to Rio" (1933), in which supporting players Astaire and Rogers steal the show -- and become Hollywood's dancing dream team; 1934's "The Gay Divorcee" (with the help of Cole Porter's "Night and Day" and the first Oscar-winning best song, "The Continental") and 1935's "Roberta" helped to cement their stardom.

Rounding out the collection: the madcap "Carefree" (1938) and "The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle" (1939), in which Astaire and Rogers portray the pre-World War I dance stars of the title. (For ultimate fans, the "Ultimate Collector's Edition" features all 10 Astaire-Rogers classics, plus a bonus "Partners in Rhythm" documentary.)

Flashing forward a few decades, 1972's "The Other" (Fox) should get you in the mood for Halloween with its chilling supernatural tale of good-and-evil twins.

Turning to more recent releases that never played local theaters, 1994's "Clean, Shaven" (Criterion) focuses on a young man battling dementia. And "Gypo" (Wolfe) chronicles the breakdown of a working-class British family.

On the foreign-language front, "Only Human" (Magnolia) finds romantic comedy in an unlikely setting: the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. And "Solo con tu Pareja" (Criterion), from Mexico's Alfonso Cuaron ("Y Tu Mama Tambien") serves up bawdy AIDS-era comedy.

Hot docs: In "Off to War: From Rural Arkansas to Iraq" (Kino), National Guard members go from weekend warriors to full-time combatants. Another controversial conflict sparks "Darfur Diaries: Message From Home" (Cinema Libre).

"Anytown USA" (Repnet) focuses on a small-town election, while "Middle Sexes: Redefining He and She" (HBO) examines gender diversity around the world.

For movie buffs, "Billy Wilder Speaks" (Kino) captures the great director of such classics as "Some Like It Hot," "Sunset Boulevard" and "Double Indemnity" discussing his life and career, while "Edgar G. Ulmer: The Man Off-Screen" (also from Kino) profiles a B-movie monarch.

Kidvid corner: We're off to the animation station, as the computer-generated "Little Robots: Big Adventures" (Fox) joins "The Wiggles: A Wiggle-Tastic Collection," "Bob the Builder: Bob's Hard at Work Collection" and "Barney: The Dino-Riffic Collection!" (all from Lyons) and "The Very Best of Sabrina: The Animated Series" (Shout! Factory).

TV transfers: The legendary Peter O'Toole plays the equally legendary "Casanova" (WGBH Boston), a recent "Masterpiece Theatre" miniseries.

Leading the series contingent, "Big Love: The Complete First Season" (HBO) focuses on a Utah polygamist (Bill Paxton) and his trio of wives (Jeanne Tripplehorn, Chloe Sevigny and Ginnifer Goodwin).

And it's prime crime time with the DVD debuts of "Alfred Hitchcock Presents: Season Two" (Universal), "CSI: NY -- The Complete Second Season" (Paramount), "Inspector Lynley Mysteries: Set 4" (WGBH Boston), "La Femme Nikita: The Complete Fifth Season" (Warner), "Murder, She Wrote: The Complete Fourth Season" (Universal) and "Starsky & Hutch: The Complete Fourth Season" (Sony).

Rounding out today's TV-on-DVD schedule: "Charmed: The Complete Sixth Season" (Paramount ), "Cheers and Tears: The Complete Set" (BFS) and "That '70s Show: Season Five" (Fox).