In the inspirational film The Pursuit of Happyness, Will Smith's character is in the pursuit of entrepreneurial riches.

It is a mixed message. He goes for it in the greed-is-good 1980s. Yet he also has a fierce desire to protect his son. We admire his nobility.

The pursuit, of course, will be successful. We know because the film is based on the true rags-to-riches story of Chris Gardner, now a multi-millionaire who wrote his autobiography.

You meet the charismatic Gardner on the DVD, out this week in separate full and widescreen editions. The visit is instructive. Just as interesting is the featurette, Father and Son, with Smith discussing working with his own son Jaden. The boy is as impressive on screen as his dad, who richly deserved his Oscar nomination. The two not only have chemistry in life, they communicate it on screen, -- no easy task. So the DVD is a celebration.

Children Of Men: In stark contrast to Chris Gardner's American Dream lessons, Alfonso Cuaron's Children of Men is a nightmarish, future-shock look at humanity. Set in 2027, and based on P.D. James' dystopian novel, the film examines a world in chaos. Mass infertility fuels anarchy. No baby has been born in 18 years. But one glimmer of hope will determine the fate of all.

As a film, this is a brilliant, challenging and profoundly disturbing drama. Superbly acted by a cast led by Clive Owen, Julianne Moore and Chiwetel Ejiofor, Children of Men made its DVD debut this week in separate full and widescreen editions.

The extras are impressive. Cuaron personally created a mensa-level documentary, The Possibility of Hope, enlisting philosophers to discuss the revolutionary themes. In a featurette, Slavoj Zizek deconstructs Cuaron's unique style. With its other unique extras, this superb DVD matches the quality of the film.

Happy Feet: Mumble is a dancing fool, reviving the artistry of tap with boundless enthusiasm. He is also a penguin. And Happy Feet, an R&B musical comedy, is the Oscar winner as best animated feature. So you know it succeeds on cartoon cuteness.

The beauty of George Miller's movie, however, are the life lessons buried in the entertainment. Mumble is a reject because he dances instead of sings.

Yet he becomes a hero because he confronts his colony's greatest peril: a disastrous collapse in food stocks because of overfishing by humans.

So the story deals with a personal issue (cruelty toward an individual for being different) and a universal theme -- an environmental crisis.

The DVD, out this week in separate full and widescreen editions, has modest extras. But several are delicious. Miller finished the deleted sequence, Mumble Meets a Blue Whale, to showcase Steve Irwin as an albatross.

Another treat is tap master Savion Glover in live action, while a 1930s Merry Melodie cartoon, I Love to Singa, speaks to that same issue of rejection.

The Pebble And The Penguin: Don Bluth's 1995 musical cartoon, originally on DVD in 1999, is back in a Family Fun Edition. The timing is obvious: To ride the penguin fad.

The enjoyable movie is a romantic adventure inspired by the mating rituals of Adeli penguins.

It is silly funny and sometimes scary.

But Barry Manilow's vaudeville music sounds dated now. The new widescreen-only DVD, out this week, adds little despite its two discs.

In addition to five lame games, a 1995 featurette tells how Martin Short and James Belushi were cast, while another explores that music.

NEW THIS WEEK:

The Pursuit of Happyness

Children of Men

Happy Feet

The Pebble and the Penguin: Family Fun Edition

Curse of the Golden Flower

Candy

NEW LAST WEEK:

Blood Diamond

Rocky Balboa

The Nativity Story

NEW NEXT WEEK:

Volver

Charlotte's Web

Into Great Silence

A Crude Awakening

COMING SOON:

Spider-Man 2.1: Extended Cut (April 17)

Dreamgirls (May 1)