"Alice in Wonderland"
Johnny Depp
Walt Disney
Director Tim Burton sends Lewis Carroll's Alice on a quest instead of letting her wander about endlessly. She must slay the Jabberwocky and help the Mad Hatter (Johnny Depp, very silly) and the White Queen (Anne Hathaway, not so silly) unseat the Red Queen (Helena Bonham Carter, with a digitally enlarged head). Despite mixed reviews, the eye-candy epic has earned $1 billion globally, aided by 3-D effects in theaters. Curiously, the DVD and Blu-ray are in mere 2-D. PG, 109 minutes. Grade: A-. Extras: A. In stores Tuesday, June 1.
Also new on DVD on Tuesday, June 1:
"MLB Bloopers: Baseball's Best Blunders"
If you like watching clips of baseball mishaps on the Jumbotron between innings while at the ballpark, you'll flip over this updated DVD collection. It includes plenty of classic moments, like the deep fly ball that bounces off outfielder Jose Canseco's head and over the fence for a home run in old Cleveland Municipal Stadium. But it also has recent scenes, like the fan who catches a foul ball in the stands, hands it to his little girl and then stares in shock as she tosses it back on the field. Also, there is Coco Crisp's encounter with a flock of birds in Cleveland's outfield while he is trying to field a game-winning drive. In order to stretch the program out to 90 minutes, there is some padding, including the World Series clinching plays for the 2008 Philadelphia Phillies and the 2009 New York Yankees, which aren't bloopers at all. But overall, this show is a grand slam, wrapping up with a countdown of the nine greatest baseball bloopers of all time. DVD extras: eight additional segments, including Tim Hudson scaring Eddie Perez. From Shout Factory.
"Run For the Championship"
Like a football player crushed at the bottom of a pile during the scramble for a fumble, the entire 2009 NFL season is compressed and squeezed onto one DVD. 90 minutes. DVD extras: five featurettes, including "Shots of the Year" and "The Game of Chance." From Warner Bros.
"The Cleaner," the final season
Benjamin Bratt plays William Banks, a former addict who has gotten control of his life and now talks to God as he tries to help others with similar troubles in this A&E drama series. The second and final season, from 2009, is four discs, 13 episodes, nine hours, 45 minutes. DVD extras: commentary on some episodes, deleted scenes, a gag reel and two featurettes. From Paramount.
"The Barbara Stanwyck Show," volume two
Barbara Stanwyck hosts this NBC anthology series and stars in many of the episodes. Co-stars include Dana Andrews, Joseph Cotten, Robert Culp, Buddy Ebsen and Peter Falk. Two discs, 312 minutes. DVD extra: an unaired episode, "Hong Kong and Little Joe," plus Stanwyck's 1961 Emmy acceptance speech and a 16-page booklet. From E1 Entertainment.
"Wild Things: Foursome"
Because a threesome wasn't naughty enough. This 2010 direct-to-video film is the third sequel in name only to the hit 1998 drama "Wild Things." Both the original and this one feature steamy sex followed by accusations of rape. Let's compare. The original stars Kevin Bacon, Matt Dillon, Neve Campbell, Theresa Russell, Denise Richards, Robert Wagner and Bill Murray. Not bad. The new film stars Jillian Murray (no relation to Bill), Jessie Nickson and Mary Rachel Dudley. Never heard of them? Me either. The producers are trying to turn "Wild Things" into a movie franchise along the lines of "American Pie" or "National Lampoon." This isn't art being created, it's a business plan, formulated by men in suits in an office tower in the valley. The objectification in the movie title makes it crystal clear what is at work here. Unrated, 91 minutes. No DVD extras. From Sony Pictures.
"A Waste of Shame"
Rupert Graves plays William Shakespeare in this accessible 2005 BBC movie about a mystery involving his sonnets and his possible bisexuality. Who were the "Dark Lady" and the "Fair Youth" of the Bard's poems four centuries ago? Unrated, 85 minutes. No DVD extras. From BFS Entertainment.
"The Stranger"
At the rate he's going, "Stone Cold" Steve Austin should be heading back to the pro wrestling circuit any time now. His limited acting career certainly isn't getting any boost from this direct-to-video ripoff of "The Bourne Identity." As an action hero, he's a blank slate, so it's fitting that he plays a man whose memory has been wiped clean by agents from one government or another. But as he slowly gets back his memory, he's getting even, one dead body at a time. R, 90 minutes. The DVD and the Blu-ray both have one extra, a behind-the-scenes featurette. From Anchor Bay Entertainment.
"Foyle's War," set 6
Michael Kitchen returns for an encore season as a police investigator in this British TV series. It's set right after World War II in a town on the British coast. Three discs, three episodes, 300 minutes. No extras. From Acorn Media.
"The Eastwood Factor"
This intimate retrospective documentary on Clint Eastwood's film career debuted in February as a bonus feature on the deluxe, 19-disc boxed set, "Clint Eastwood: 35 Films 35 Years." With a retail price of $179.98, this impressive set didn't make everyone's day, so an extended version of the documentary, with more film clips, is being released separately, on DVD and on the art-house circuit. Film historian Richard Schickel strolls with Eastwood through movie locations and the Warner backlot for relaxed conversations about Eastwood's craft. Morgan Freeman narrates. 88 minutes. From Warner Bros.
"American Pickers," season one
Odd and unusual antiques are unearthed in this History Channel series by expert scavengers, sorry, pickers Mike Wolfe and Frank Fritz of Antique Archaeology in Iowa. The show debuted in January. Three discs, 452 minutes. From New Video. Season two is scheduled to begin in June.
"Firefly Fun and Buggy Buddies"
I don't mean to bug you, but this Sesame Street DVD is all about insects. Among other adventures, Shaker Heights native Molly Shannon helps Slimey, Oscar's pet worm, find a pet bug at the Bug-a-Wee Bug Shelter. Unrated, 48 minutes. From Warner Bros.
"Saints: Road to XLIV"
This collector's edition set about the New Orleans Saints' just-completed championship season contains four pivotal games, with the original network announcers but not the beer commercials. The games are week 13 against the Washington Redskins, the NFC Divisional Playoff against the Arizona Cardinals, the NFC Championship Game against Brett Favre and the Minnesota Vikings, and the Super Bowl against Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts. Four discs, 479 minutes. No DVD extras. From Warner Bros.
"Cornered"
Steve Guttenberg, how low can you go? Not much below this 2008 horror film about a friendly poker game spoiled by an inventive serial killer. R, 87 minutes. DVD extra: a behind-the-scenes featurette. From Phase 4 Films.
"Bare Knuckles"
A struggling waitress who's handy with her fists gets a shot at the big time in the illegal, bare-knuckle, all-female fight game. Sort of like in the movie, veteran stunt woman Jeanette Roxborough gets her shot at the big time with her first leading role. Odds are, it will be her last leading role. PG-13, 95 minutes. DVD extras: a behind-the-scenes featurette and a music video. From Image Entertainment.
"Ghost Hunters International," season one, part one
Who ya gonna call? Not these guys. This spinoff of the Syfy series "Ghost Hunters" expands the pseudo-scientific searches to Europe, where there are lots of moldy old castles to poke around in. They don't stick around long enough to scare up any interesting spirits. Three discs, eight hours. DVD extras: deleted scenes. From Image Entertainment.
"Cake Boss," season two
Buddy Valastro, fourth-generation baker, owns Carlo's Bakery in Hoboken, N.J. This is his story. It's no cake walk. Hard to say which are wilder, his baking concoctions or his demanding customers. Two discs, 417 minutes. DVD extras: the sauce boss. From TLC.
"The Three Stooges Collection," volume eight, 1955-59
The legendary slapstick comedians make their last painful gasps in
these final 32 short films, digitally remastered for this set. Shemp
Howard, who replaced Curly, died of a heart attack in 1955 and was
replaced by vaudeville veteran Joe Besser. Three discs, 515 minutes.
From Sony.
"Burn Notice," season three
Michael, a spy let go by the CIA, becomes an independent investigator in Miami in this sexy USA Network series. The 2009 season begins with Michael in prison, but not for long. The show stars Jeffrey Donovan, Gabrielle Anwar and Bruce Campbell. Four discs, 16 episodes, 704 minutes. DVD extras: two featurettes. From Fox. Season four starts Thursday, June 3.
New on Blu-ray:
"Bad Boys"
Will Smith and Martin Lawrence team up as quick-witted Miami police detectives on the trail of drug lords in this flashy, explosive 1995 action film. Tea Leoni plays their friend whom they have to rescue. Michael Bay makes his directing debut, commencing his long and profitable association with producer Jerry Bruckheimer. R, 119 minutes. This Blu-ray debut repeats the bonus features from the 2000 special edition DVD and adds movieIQ and BD-Live, Sony's interactive options. From Sony.
"War of the Worlds"
This 2005 version of H.G. Wells' classic science-fiction story proves that even the vast talents of a brilliant director like Steven Spielberg can't overcome the stiff, shallow acting of Tom Cruise. Still, audiences came out to gawk at the alien invasion spectacle. It cost $132 million and made $234 million in U.S. theaters. PG-13, 117 minutes. The film's Blu-ray debut is packed with bonus materials, but they are recycled from the 2005 limited edition two-disc DVD. From Paramount and Dreamworks.
Also in stores Tuesday
"The Man With No Name Trilogy" (Blu-ray edition)
"Drop Dead Diva" (first season of TV series)
"Rescue Me" (fifth season of TV series)
"Aqua Teen Hunger Force" (seventh volume from TV series)
Coming up
June 8: "Shutter Island," "From Paris With Love."
June 15: "The Book of Eli," "When in Rome," "Youth in Revolt."
June 22: "She's Out of My League," "Green Zone," "The Last Station."
June 29: "Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief," "Hot Tub Time Machine," "The Crazies," "The White Ribbon," "Mad About You" (fourth season of TV series).
July 6: "A Single Man," "Brooklyn's Finest."
July 13: "The Bounty Hunter," "Our Family Wedding," "Greenberg."
Aug. 24: "Lost" (sixth season of TV series).