I love it when Tuesdays are more than just Tuesdays, thanks to the arrival of new DVDs.

The perfect DVD, in my opinion, are movies that fit the following criteria:

• Movies that got pretty good reviews but just didn't stay in theaters very long
• Movies I wanted to see but put off due to lack of time
• Movies I definitely wanted to see but didn't feel were big enough to see at movie theaters.
• Movies I've never heard of that end up being marvelous discoveries
• TV shows or miniseries that I didn't have time for

Here are some recommended DVDs for families this week:

College Road Trip -- A father-daughter road trip comedy featuring Raven Symone and a surprisingly G-rated Martin Lawrence.

The Year My Parents Went On Vacation -- This is one of those discoveries, or at least I suspect as much. In the film, a 12-year-old boy is left on his own in a Jewish and Italian neighborhood of Brazil during the 1970 Soccer World Cup. The nostalgic, coming-of-age comedy is an ideal family night rental.

Step Up to the Streets 2 -- What this movie lacks in the way of plot and story, it makes up for in amazing dance sequences. Sure, it's no Dirty Dancing, but I expect teens will like this one all the same. (Confession: I quite liked its predecessor, Step Up.)

Penelope -- This is one of those movies that had a great premise but didn't stick in theaters very long. A modern-day fairy tale stars Christine Ricci, Reese Witherspoon and James McAvoy. But, what will really make you the cool mom to your teenager is the sneak peek of Twilight, the film based on Stephenie Meyer's phenomenal series of vampire books.

What are you watching this week?