DVD Corner

“Big Momma’s House 2”: More Momma, fewer laughs. FBI agent Malcolm Turner (Martin Lawrence) goes back into his undercover drag as Big Momma and falls hard for the kids under his watch. The plot is mere window dressing for the real matter at hand – Lawrence once again becoming a large lady composed of so much rubber padding, foam core, sacks of stuffing and yards of piping, “she” could be a five-piece living room group at Sears. If she were, at least we’d have a place to sleep. After seeing this film, some might be inclined to have a nap. Rated PG-13. Grade: D

“Dr. Dolittle Gift Set”: The ongoing war between the litter box and fire hydrant set, now with a third film added to the mix – the straight-to-DVD “Dr. Dolittle 3.” The set includes Eddie Murphy’s 1998 remake, which remains the best, as well as “Dr. Dolittle 2,” which remains the worst. The new movie lands firmly in the middle. It nixes Murphy in favor of Kyla Pratt’s Maya Dolittle, who is saddled at a dude ranch with talking animals. Strictly for the tween crowd, but enough cute moments to carry it. Those expecting new ground to be dampened will be disappointed. Nobody involved in this franchise is willing to toy with the formula. Grade: B-

“Goodfellas: HD-DVD”: The new wave of high definition DVDs is here and with it, a small number of films, among the best of which is Martin Scorsese’s 1990 mob film, “Goodfellas,” just out this week. Be forewarned, though – these discs won’t run on standard DVD players. They require an HD-DVD player, such as the Toshiba A-1, which is recommended, and a high-definition television set. If you’re willing to go that far for amazing clarity, colors, sound and, in this case, the vividness of the violence, the presentation is as impressive as it is pricey. An excellent, beautifully acted movie worthy of the treatment. Grade: A

“The Patriot: Extended Cut”: A three-hour story about the American Revolution, extended by 11 minutes. Worth it? Depends on whether you’re a hard-core fan. Big on every level, this popcorn movie shamelessly stirs the emotions with the violence of the battlefield, the love of a family and the loyalties that fall somewhere in between – but it isn’t entirely the stuff of fluff. Shadings run deep, with the film paying close attention to the human aspects of war. The movie comes to life in its violent deaths. Heath Ledger and Jason Isaacs are strong, as are Joely Richardson, Chris Cooper and particularly Tom Wilkinson in supporting roles. But “The Patriot” works best because of star Mel Gibson, whose solid performance gives the film the epic weight it needs. Rated R. Grade: B+

“Robert Altman Collection”: If you were to collect a handful of Robert Altman’s films in a boxed set, certainly “M*A*S*H” would be among them, which it is here, but how does the so-so sci-fi mystery “Quintet” fit into this quartet? Or “A Perfect Couple” and “A Wedding,” for that matter? These films are fine, but where is “Gosford Park,” “Nashville,” “Thieves Like Us”? How do you overlook the masterful “McCabe & Mrs. Miller,” of all films? Altman’s “Popeye” has no part of this equation, and that’s the good news. Grade: B-

“Rumor Has It…”: …that the movie lacks energy, big laughs and insight, and that it squanders a promising premise and a talented cast. The rumors are true. In Rob Reiner’s stale extension, of sorts, of Mike Nichols’ “The Graduate,” Kevin Costner is Dustin Hoffman’s character all grown up, Shirley MacLaine’s character turns out to be the inspiration for Anne Bancroft’s Mrs. Robinson, and Jennifer Aniston is the New York Times obituary writer caught in the middle, with a dead-end plot that leads her down a bumpy road of potential incest. Sterility also plays a big hand here, but really, when you add it all up, that already has laid its cold hands on this disappointing production. Rated PG-13. Grade: C-

“Swordfish: HD-DVD”: On HD-DVD, Dominic Sena’s “Swordfish” looks undeniably great – it’s crisp and clean, with the high-definition image more intoxicating than the story itself. Sena uses the first 45 minutes to toy with the action genre and mock its conventions before giving in and playing by the rules; he cops out, which is a shame since the first half of the film is peppered with terrific wit and style. Hugh Jackman, a proudly topless Halle Berry and John Travolta channeling the Quaker Oats man round out the film, which is about stealing $9.5 billion from a DEA slush fund. In the end, it’s muddled, more concerned with pyrotechnics and car chases than cleaning up its murky plot. Rated R. Grade: C

“The Tennessee Williams Film Collection”: The boxed set to beat this year. Five films, some among our best, inspired by the great playwright, Tennessee Williams. Included are 1951’s “A Street Car Named Desire,” with Marlon Brando and Vivien Leigh; 1958’s “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof,” with Elizabeth Taylor, Paul Newman and Burl Ives (“The mendacity!”); 1964’s “The Night of the Iguana” with Richard Burton, Ava Gardner and Deborah Kerr; Elia Kazan’s 1956 film, “Baby Doll,” with Karl Malden; 1961’s “The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone,” smoldering with Vivien Leigh and Warren Beatty; and 1962’s “Sweet Bird of Youth,” with Paul Newman, Geraldine Page and Rip Torn. Includes a bonus DVD, “Tennessee Williams South,” which cuts to the heart of the complicated, fascinating Williams. An excellent set. Grade: A

“Windtalkers: Director’s Cut”: Twenty additional minutes of tedium. At its core, this World War II melodrama from John Woo is about Navajo codetalkers, Native American servicemen who used their language to confound the Japanese while transmitting sensitive information via radio. It’s an important, overlooked piece of history that deserves to be explored in a movie – and it still does, hopefully one day in a film that has genuine interest in the subject. “Windtalkers” doesn’t. Nicolas Cage, with his waxworks ear, looks and acts as if he’s a reject from Madame Tussaud’s Museum. The film suggests Woo’s knowledge of World War II wasn’t mined from hard research, but from the movies, with rote rhythms and easy cliches driving much of it straight into the line of its own fire. Rated R. Grade: D+