Today we offer a cornucopia of mini-Q&As with Hollywood stars, as Meryl Streep, Dustin Hoffman,  Owen Wilson, Jennifer Aniston, Russell Brand and Keanu Reeves chat to Earl Dittman about movies on DVD that are either Oscar-friendly, dog-friendly, family-friendly or Earth-friendly.

Look for miniature nuns, Lady Madonna, clinical narcissism and the perfection that is Keanu Reeves (plus more DVD previews) all after the jump.

Meryl Streep on Doubt

Sexual, religious in organizational politics all play out within the confines of a Catholic school when a power struggle between the school’s principle (Streep) and priest (Philip Seymour Hoffman) become mixed with suspicions of child sexual abuse. (On Blu-Ray/BD and DVD)

Did you draw anything from any of your own personal life experiences to play the nun, Sister Aloysius, in Doubt?

“I didn’t go to Catholic school, but I really wanted to! [Laughs] Because I lived in New Jersey and everybody in my town went to the public school like I did. But there was this whole group that had the kilts and the blazers, and they went to the Catholic school, Our Lady of Perpetual Help. I went to Mass there, because they were still saying the Latin Mass. And I remember when they changed, we were all, ‘Oh! It is so terrible.’ It got to be in English and they played guitars, and we all hated that. Jackie Kennedy went there when she would come out to ride her horses in that part of New Jersey. And it was a very mysterious and compelling service. It was right near where I lived was St. Elizabeth’s Convent, which was the home base for the Sisters of Charity. There was a tomb which had—I kid you not—a glass coffin and a little nun inside. When I was in high school, this was a destination. I did deep research. But I love mystery, and I read The Lives of The Saints when I was a kid, because it was so gruesome.”

Do you have any thoughts about gender issues in Catholicism?

“The priest had complete freedom. This is a man’s world. Sister Aloysius is presented as the boss of this school. But she was not. He outranked her.”

Do you think Doubt is a commentary on the Church?

“No. It is not about the Catholic Church. It’s about who thinks you can control evildoers with force and a firm hand. And an unrelenting feeling of ‘We will not negotiate with terrorists.’ Or there’s another approach with all these layers of humanity who think you have to have innocence, so it doesn’t go bad and get corrupted. There is so much humanity in this piece that is above and beyond the church. But the reason it’s so good, is because of its specificity.”

DVD SPECIAL FEATURES: Feature commentary with writer/director John Patrick Shanley • Four featurettes.

Jennifer Aniston + Owen Wilson on Marley & Me

Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston star in a comedic tale about newlyweds who learn important life lessons from their adorable, naughty and neurotic dog. Over the years, the Grogans discover that Marley, “the world’s worst dog,” somehow brings out the best in them. (On Blu-Ray/BD and DVD)

Owen, which is more high maintenance—a dog or a woman?

WILSON: “Humans are a little more demanding.”

Jennifer, why did you want to play the role in Marley & Me? Often, actresses say that they could not have played this kind of role unless they had become a mother, because it helped with the emotions. Do you think you should have waited until you had your own kids before taking on this role?

ANISTON: “No, I wanted to be in the movie. I’ve been pregnant in so many movies it’s ridiculous.”

WILSON: “Like Lady Madonna.”

ANISTON: “I love it. The reason I wanted to be in this movie was exactly because it was different. It wasn’t the girl trying to get the guy or the guy trying to get the girl. It wasn’t the chase. And, it wasn’t like the movie ends where they ride off into the sunset. This is the sequel to that, where you get to see the ins and outs of a relationship. You see them over 15 years and have this human thread that takes you through. It’s funny, just because life is funny and dramatic. I loved it and really responded to the material.”

BD SPECIAL FEATURES: Nineteen deleted scenes with optional director’s (David Frankel) commentary • Five featurettes • Gag reel • Dog Training Trivia Track.

Russell Brand on Bedtime Stories

Russell Brand shares the screen with Adam Sandler, Keri Russell and Courtney Cox in the comical story of an underdog whose day finally comes. The outlandish stories Skeeter (Sandler) tells to his niece and nephew turn from bedtime fantasies into daytime reality for him and and his best friend Mickey (Brand). (On DVD and a 3-Disc Combo Pack which includes a Blu-ray Disc, a bonus DVD, plus a special Digital Copy for mobile devices).

How would you describe your role as Mickey?

“I played the part of Adam’s best friend. He is a room service waiter. His face is identical to my face. He has to wear a hotel costume which I—I’m almost clinically narcissistic because I don’t like wearing bad costume. When I had to wear the room service outfit, I was really trying to find ways to make the costume of a room service waiter look cool, turning up the collar, doing stuff with the tie. The fact is, it didn’t look cool. But it was fun, because he is a playful, juvenile, loving, warm daft kind of character. Obviously, they are all traits that I have anyway. It was really fun to dwell in those areas and kind of sweet to do something that wasn’t about seduction.”

What’s the most fun part of doing the film for you?

“Any scene where I got to muck about with Adam Sandler was really good. When you do something you remember that there are people that you have seen on tele or on films all of your life, and then they are actually physically in the same space as you and you’re able to interact with them and say stuff.  Like I can say a thing and Adam Sandler responds to that thing and it makes the world seem like Grand Theft Auto. I was on some fantasy computer game where you can miraculously interface with something that had previously been abstract.”

Do you still get star struck?

“Not star struck, because I’ve been fortunate enough to have become friends with a lot of heroes of mine like English footballers and Morrissey. What I’ve learned, if I’m with Morrissey, I can’t be thinking ‘Oh my God, he wrote ‘How Soon Is Now!’ Oh my God, oh my God!’ because then I won’t be able to be normal. What I have to recognize is that he’s just a man. He’s just a talented man, so I bear that in mind. Of course being as stimulated as we are by artifice and glamour and the endless bombardment of the image and the constant titillation of the sense of absence that materialism necessarily induces, it’s difficult not to be impressed by rich, glamorous famous people. But I do recognize that we are all you know the same under the skin. As a personal trainer once said to me, quite eloquently, ‘We’ve all got two pound of shit up our arses!’”

BD SPECIAL FEATURES: Bloopers • Deleted scenes • Two featurettes • Movie Chat • Movie Mail • Movie Challenge and Movie Rewards (US only).

Dustin Hoffman on The Tale Of Desperaux

In this animated fantasy, Oscar-winner Dustin Hoffman portrays Roscuro, the good-hearted rat friend of Desperaux, a mouse who dreams of becoming a knight. Roscuro leads the mouse on a noble quest to rescue a princess and save a kingdom. (On Blu-Ray/BD and DVD)

When did you first get in touch with your inner mouse?

“My inner mouse didn’t start to grow until puberty. Okay? You’re not laughing. This is a tough house.”

Is Roscuro a rat descendent of Ratso Rizzo from Midnight Cowboy?

“Kate (DiCamillo), who wrote the book and got the Newberry Award, thinks they’re related. And, I think, she’s about 19.”

Do you think Roscuro would object to being called a rat?

“He may not, but I do. You keep saying rat, and I don’t know why I resent it, but I do. Would Roscuro respond negatively to the way he said rat? I don’t like it, but he’s a pretty forgiving rodent, so he wouldn’t mind.”

What do you think the message is behind the film?

“First of all, in reference to your question about the rat, the serious answer is there is a very compelling line in what Sigourney’s (Weaver) said about kids. In the first five minutes of the film, I think Sigourney says the line ‘Some people think a rat is a rat, no matter where it’s from.’ That’s a very important line, because if you just insert another nationality or another race in there, then you start to see what the movie is talking about. In other words, that you break down the stereotype, because those of us that know rats know that they’re all different and they are all individuals.”

BD SPECIAL FEATURES: Two all-new deleted scenes • Make Your Own Soup Game • Animating The Animals feature • Sneak Peek at Curious George 2 • U-Control • BD Live.

Keanu Reeves on The Day The Earth Stood Still

Keanu Reeves stars as Klaatu in this remake of the sci-fi classic about a cold and seemingly emotionless alien who comes to Earth to sit in judgment of mankind. (On Blu-Ray/BD and DVD.)

In many ways, The Day The Earth Stood Still is about saving the Earth. What are you doing in your personal lives to help save the planet? What do you do for the environment?

“All I can. I recycle, a couple of solar panels, and some rainforest conservation.”

Wasn’t The Day The Earth Stood Still done as a “green” production?

“Yeah, and I made this movie, too.”

It’s such an important message—the idea that it’s not our Earth but the Earth—that’s within this film. To that end, do you have a Green New Year’s resolution? Is there one you would like to see people start to implement?

“Do you?”

From The Matrix trilogy to this film, is there something special about the science fiction genre that keeps pulling you back to make sci-fi movies?

“I love the genre. I approach it like any other film. I guess that’s the short answer. I think that science fiction provides great storytelling and storytelling opportunities. I’ve, in the past, had the good fortune to be a part of good stories in science fiction genre films.”

For the film did you have to learn Chinese at all?

“No, I just had to learn the dialogue.”

Your character Klaatu proclaims that he wants his personality to change. Is there something in you that you would like to change?

“No, I’m perfect.”

BD SPECIAL FEATURES: Deleted scenes • Four new featurettes • Commentary by writer David Scarpa • Still Galleries • Klaatu’s Unseen Artifacts: The Day The Earth Stood Still Picture-In-Picture Track and “Build Your Own GORT” BD-Java Game. *For a limited time, both the BD and DVD versions of the film are packaged with a copy of the 1951 classic.

Also out on DVD:

Yes Man
Canadian comedy icon Jim Carrey, portrays the depressed and lonely Carl, whose life turns around when he becomes a member of an outrageous self-help group and finds a way to embrace life and say yes to everything. From bungee-jumping to dating a free-spirited young musician (Zooey Deschanel) Carl says “YES!” to opportunity—usually with amusing consequences. (Also on Blu-Ray)

Scarlett Johansson Collection
The Scarlett Johansson Collection is a DVD set featuring three lesser-known dramatic gems from one of Hollywood’s favorite “It” girls. The package includes the stunning four-time Golden Globe nominee playing: the object of desire for painter Johannes Vermeer in Girl with a Pearl Earring; a young woman involved in a British scandal in A Good Woman; and a teenage Hungarian who must come to terms with her past and roots in An American Rhapsody.

Shuttle
Ever worry about getting stranded at the airport and having to take one of those no frills shuttles? That anxiety is taken to its extreme in this thriller about two gals (Peyton List and Cameron Goodman) who board an airport shuttle to hell. A true find, Shuttle is a fun and chilling horror. Extras include a wonderfully voyeuristic peak at the film’s “Casting Sessions.”

Donkey Punch
A favorite among Toronto film critics, the English-made Donkey Punch is a paranoia- and panic-drenched hostage thriller about seven fun-loving adults—who redefine debauchery and hedonism—partying aboard a luxury yacht in the middle of the Mediterranean. When a murder occurs, the pleasure cruise turns into a merciless fight for survival. No one knows how to depict the vicious and ruthless like the British.

Dynasty: Season Four, Volume One
You may be sceptical, but how could anyone not love a series packed with shameless over-consumption, wild spending, sexy white trash (Heather Locklear), weddings with terrorists invited and constant bitchy catfights with two glam cougars (Joan Collins and Linda Evans) always soiling their expensive designer duds? It’s a hoot. In the 1983-84 season of the Number One primetime soap, the battles between the oil-rich Carringtons and the Colbys continue as they try to accrue and manipulate MORE power and wealth. What happened to the good old days of rich folks trying to rule the world? If the bonuses at AIG are any indication, they never ended.