It seems that the most recent DVDs released by Sony — specifically Stranger Than Fiction, Casino Royale, and The Pursuit of Happyness — have some kind of ‘feature’ that makes them unplayable on many DVD players. This doesn’t appear to be covered by the major media yet, but this link to a discussion over at Amazon gives a flavor of the problems people are experiencing.
This is what happens when companies decide to go all fancy with their releases. Be aware of these troubles if you are planning on making a purchase of these titles.
Source: Slashdot