DVD Corner

“Crash: 2-Disc Special Director’s Cut Edition”: Pure marketing, its appearance on the scene as obvious as the movie itself. Fueled by its Best Picture win at the recent Academy Awards, here is yet another DVD version of the Paul Haggis melodrama “Crash,” a misguided, heavy-handed message movie about the current state of race relations in Los Angeles. That’s an important subject to explore – and let’s hope someone with the proper approach tries again soon – but not like this. This is schlock. This new version sports four additional minutes of extended scenes – yes, four generous minutes – along with an introduction by Paul Haggis that’s revealing in its self-congratulatory air. On the second disc are deleted scenes, which add nothing, as well as the documentary “Behind the Metal and Glass,” which provides insight into the making of “Crash,” for those who care. Script-to-screen and storyboard-to-screen comparisons also ensue, as does the Bird York music video, “In the Deep,” which is the best part of the collection-it differs from the movie in that it’s authentically moving. Finally, the featurette “On Paul Haggis” is more blow-hard from Hollywood. Seeing this movie again, now for the third time, confirms its inadequacy, its transparency, its countless contrivances. Regardless of whatever good intentions drove it – and there were plenty of them – it’s a movie made by a privileged group of people who just don’t get it. Rated R. Grade: D

“Dawson’s Creek: Complete Sixth Season”: Katie Holmes before Tom, the tabloids, the pregnancy. Michelle Williams before taking second saddle to Jake Gyllenhaal in “Brokeback Mountain.” And yet here, in the sixth season of “Dawson’s Creek,” things in the coastal town of Capeside somehow prove even more melodramatic as the push into adulthood shoves hard against Dawson (James Van Der Beek), Pacey (Joshua Jackson), Joey (Holmes), Jen (Williams) and Jack (Kerr Smith). Their whining can become a bit much, but the show at least took its themes seriously. Guest stars include Gwen Stefani, Virginia Madsen, Mimi Rogers and Jack Osbourne, each of them forgettable. Includes all 23 episodes, an exclusive scrapbook and a well-done series finale commentary from Kevin Williamson and Paul Stupin. Grade: B-.

“Fun with Dick and Jane”: A so-so remake of the 1977 film starring George Segal and Jane Fonda. This time out, it’s Jim Carrey and Tea Leoni as Dick and Jane Harper, the up-and-coming couple sandbagged by fate when Dick loses his job. Suddenly broke, desperation kicks in as they decide to fight to keep all of the material things they cherish. To do so, Dick and Jane go against the law, robbing banks and convenience stores to cover their assets. Mayhem becomes a mainstay. The movie is brief, which is good – too much of these two can be too much, particularly when it comes to Carrey, whose energy never ceases. The film steamrolls through the set pieces at such a clip, the experience can be numbing, like a child banging on a metal pot. The film is at its best when it skewers suburbia and corporate culture, with Nicholas Stoller and Judd Apatow’s script mining its biggest, timeliest laughs at the end, when they send up the thieving execs at Enron, Adelphia, WorldCom and Tyco. If only the rest of the movie was as funny as this. Rated PG-13. Grade: C

“The Glamour Collections”: From Universal, three women, three collections, 15 movies – “The Marlene Dietrich Glamour Collection,” “The Mae West Glamour Collection,” “The Carole Lombard Glamour Collection.” Each is a must. In “Dietrich,” some fine films are assembled, including “Morocco,” “Blonde Venus,” “The Devil is a Woman,” “Flame of New Orleans” and “Golden Earrings.” For West, look for “Go West Young Man,” “Goin’ to Town,” ‘I’m No Angel,” “My Little Chickadee” and “Night After Night.” In “Lombard,” slapstick is key in the movies “Hands Across the Table,” “Love Before Breakfast,” “Man of the World,” “The Princess Comes Across,” “True Confessions” and “We’re Not Dancing.” Thing is, all three of these women were dancing, with some scenes in these collections proving so memorable, they’ve become iconic. In “Morocco,” for example, Dietrich dons a tux with tails and bends to kiss a woman, which caused a sensation upon the film’s 1930 release. In “Blonde Venus,” she appears in a monkey suit to sing “Hot Voodoo,” and strips to reveal the sort of glamour for which she was known (Madonna learned plenty from her). For West, all she has to do is put a hand on her hip, flash her eyes and screw up her face, and she gets a laugh. It’s the surprise that comes out of her mouth, however, that sends you over the edge. Grade: A

“Quantum Leap – The Complete Fourth Season”: An out-of-body experience – literally – with Scott Bakula’s Dr. Sam Beckett leaping into and out of other people’s lives as he experiences the melodramas unfolding around them. This fourth season of the popular television series shows few signs of fatigue as it hits its stride in the episodes “It’s a Wonderful Leap,” “The Leap Back,” “Raped” and “The Curse of the Ptah-Hotep.” The episodes “Roberto!” and “Dreams” are comparatively lame, but still, it’s polished television. As Al, the only person Sam can communicate with from his own lifetime, Dean Stockwell is routinely good, often giving the series the humor you expect, but also the added depth you necessarily don’t. Grade: B

“An Unfinished Life”: Finish it, already. Robert Redford, Morgan Freeman and J.Lo, of all people, in a Western soap opera bloated from too much corn. Heavy with symbolism, rife with cliches, but backed by above-average acting, Lasse Hallstrom’s “An Unfinished Life” stars Redford as Einar, a cranky old sop who is none too pleased when his estranged former daughter-in-law (Lopez) shows up on his doorstep with her 11-year-old daughter in tow. Tension mounts between them, but it’s phony, wholly scripted. What are the chances they’ll reconnect after frequent bouts of bickering? What do you suppose that Freeman will once again prove the voice of gentle reason? Because of its predictability, the movie can be interminably boring, with long stretches seemingly going nowhere. So, here’s a tip – enjoy the cinematography, which is beautiful. In the end, this story about forgiveness unfortunately feels more like an unfinished movie. Rated PG-13. Grade: C-