Tropic Thunder, Hancock among DVD reviews 

CASABLANCA (1942). Bogart. Bergman. "As Time Goes By." "Here's looking at you, kid." You know the rest. So round up the usual accolades for one of the all-time greats, which premiered on DVD in 2002 in an OK package, was given the two-disc Special Edition treatment in 2003, and is back again in an Ultimate Collector's Edition. Actually, like the recent reissue of A Christmas Story, this basically retains all the DVD bonus material from the Special Edition but adds some physical goodies to the mix; in this case, that translates to a 48-page picture book, 10 poster and lobby card reproductions, a passport holder and luggage tag both emblazoned with the film's title, and, amusingly, a copy of Victor Laszlo's letter of transit used as a prop in the movie. There's also a bonus disc that includes the 1993, 98-minute documentary Jack L. Warner: The Last Mogul.

As for the extras carried over from the previous discs, they include audio commentary by Roger Ebert; separate audio commentary by film historian Rudy Behlmer; two deleted scenes; a 35-minute retrospective documentary; the premiere episode of the 1955 Casablanca TV series (mostly a yawner, though it's enjoyable to watch the General Electric infomercial plugging the wonders of the electric iron); and the cartoon Carrotblanca, starring Bugs Bunny (as Rick), Donald Duck (as Sam) and an all-star Looney Tunes cast.

Movie: ****

Extras: ***1/2

HANCOCK (2008). The idea behind Robert Frost's poem "The Road Not Taken" can be applied to this sci-fi outing that, somewhat surprisingly, ends up taking the path "less traveled by." Yet equally surprising is the fact that this enjoyable film would have been even better had it played out as expected. The premise is irresistible: Hancock (Will Smith) is an alcoholic, antisocial superhero whose crimefighting exploits usually end up causing millions of dollars in damage to the city of L.A. The residents have had enough of him, and the police even have a warrant out for his arrest. Hancock couldn't care less until PR guy Ray Embrey (Jason Bateman), despite protests from his wife (Charlize Theron), decides he's going to help Hancock overhaul his public image by transforming him from a menace to society into a hero worthy of respect. The first half sprints with this plotline, resulting in a movie that's consistently funny and inventive – even the typically heavy-handed direction by Peter Berg (The Kingdom) can't dilute the fun. But without warning, scripters Vincent Ngo and Vince Gilligan orchestrate a major plot pirouette, one that dramatically changes the relationships between the characters and allows a sharp satire to mutate into (in no order) a melodrama, a romance, a tragedy, and a myth-building muddle. No movie should be able to survive such a clumsy shift, yet this manages to get back on its feet, thanks in no small part to the conviction that Smith and Theron bring to their roles. Couch potatoes willing to hop aboard this emotional roller coaster ride will respond to the resultant pathos far better than viewers wondering why the laughs suddenly went MIA.

Extras on the two-disc special edition include an unrated cut of the film (which runs 10 minutes longer than the theatrical version); a making-of featurette; and short pieces on the effects, stuntwork and costumes.

Movie: **1/2

Extras: **

THE SISTERHOOD OF THE TRAVELING PANTS 2 (2008). The 2005 screen version of The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants was based on the first novel in Ann Brashares' best-selling series, but this sequel reportedly combines the events from the remaining three books in the franchise. One reason is probably because the studio felt that audience interest wouldn't extend past a second installment, while another might be that the four ascending stars are now keeping busy with other projects. Besides, who wants to eventually see 30-something actresses still playing college-age kids? (It brings to mind the final film in the Porky's series, wherein high school boys were suddenly having to contend with receding hairlines.) Yet by ending it at number two, the filmmakers have insured that this series won't be subject to the laws of most franchises and grow shoddier as it creaks along. A solid follow-up to the solid original, this might feel a bit more scattershot than its predecessor, but its engaging characters, entertaining situations and emotional reach help keep it afloat. Set three summers later, it finds brainy Carmen (America Ferrera) heading to Vermont to work in theater (check out a funny Kyle MacLachlan as the pompous director), introspective Bridget (Blake Lively) traveling to Turkey for an archaeological dig, rebellious Tibby (Amber Tamblyn) remaining in New York to work on her film, and shy Lena (Alexis Bledel) finding romance at the Rhode Island School of Design. Problems are worked out in an orderly manner, tears are shed in sincere fashion, and everyone is reunited in sunny Greece, with nary a single ABBA-mangling peasant in sight.

DVD extras include eight minutes of deleted scenes; a gag reel; and a piece analyzing the final scene (a cliff-jumper as opposed to a cliffhanger).

Movie: ***

Extras: **

THE SPY WHO CAME IN FROM THE COLD (1965). This pitch-perfect adaptation of John le Carre's bestseller captures the Cold War in all its chilly complexity. Richard Burton stars as Alec Leamas, a burnt-out agent who's assigned by British Intelligence to pose as a defector in order to gain access to a specific Communist clique headed by Mundt (Peter Van Eyck), a former Nazi and a thorn in Leamas' side, and Fiedler (Oskar Werner), a Jewish intellectual who despises Mundt. Leamas commences the charade by posing as a drunk who, when he manages to stay sober, works at a library; there, he meets Nan Perry (Claire Bloom), a Brit whose idealism has led her to join the Communist Party. Director Martin Ritt, scripters Paul Dehn and Guy Trosper, and cinematographer Oswald Morris all do an exemplary job of punching across the seediness, soullessness and futility of the East-West struggle (no side is innocent in these spy games), and Bloom and especially Werner are excellent as two of the few participants who exhibit any signs of discernible emotion amidst all these power plays. Yet this is Burton's picture from first frame to last: As Alec Leamas, a weary man no longer able to keep his humanity in check, he delivers a towering performance that's second only to his turn in Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? as the finest of his career. Burton deservedly earned an Oscar nomination, as did the art direction-set decoration.

Extras in the two-disc Criterion edition include a new, 39-minute interview with le Carre; an hour-long BBC documentary from 2000 about the author's life and career; a 1985 audio interview with Ritt; and a 1967 interview with Burton from the BBC series, Acting in the 60's.

Movie: ***1/2

Extras: ***

STAR WARS: THE CLONE WARS (2008). Pop quiz, hotshot. Which line of dialogue does not appear in a Star Wars movie? A) "May the Force be with you." B) "Join me, and together we can rule the galaxy as father and son." C) "So this is how liberty dies, with thunderous applause." D) "OK, sweetums, I've got some yum-yum for you." I wish I could say that the correct answer is D), but all four lines appear in one installment or another, with that atrocious final snippet appearing in this animated eyesore. The early word was that only Star Wars fanatics would enjoy this addition to the franchise, but that's grossly inaccurate: As someone who was 11 years old when the original film hit theaters back in 1977 and thus has always considered it a rite-of-passage milestone, I was nauseated upon stumbling out of George Lucas' latest sorry attempt to squeeze every last penny out of this franchise. Set in the period between Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith, this focuses on the war that helped the evil Empire take over the galaxy. The plot concerns the efforts of Anakin Skywalker and his sassy apprentice, a teen named Ahsoka Tano (Lucasfilm, meet the Disney Channel), to rescue Jabba the Hutt's kidnapped baby boy (nicknamed "Stinky") from Count Dooku and his posse. What sort of nonsense is this? The CGI animation, which director Dave Filoni states was inspired by both Japanese anime and Thunderbirds' puppets, is harsh on the eyes and proves to be aesthetically unpleasing. A couple of action sequences manage to elevate this out of the realm of utter despair, but for the most part, this is curdled cinema that even the fans will upchuck.

Extras in the two-disc DVD set include audio commentary by director Dave Filoni, producer Catherine Winder, writer Henry Gilroy and editor Jason W.A. Tucker; three pieces plugging various aspects (plotlines, voiceover actors and music score) of the new Clone Wars TV series; six Webisodes; and four deleted scenes.

Movie: *1/2

Extras: **1/2

TROPIC THUNDER (2008). The opening salvo of Tropic Thunder reps perhaps the funniest 10 minutes I've encountered in a movie this year – that's good news in that it kicks the picture off on a high note and bad news in that it instantly raises concerns that the remaining 95 minutes won't come close to touching this raucous beginning. But the best news is that the movie manages to keep the laughs hurtling forward for its entire running time, no small feat in an era in which many comedies lose steam by the final reel. Ben Stiller stars as Tugg Speedman, a macho action star whose one attempt at an awards-bait title, the resounding flop Simple Jack, has largely derailed his career. Jack Black plays Jeff Portnoy, a comedian known for vulgar blockbusters (up next: The Fatties, Fart 2), while Robert Downey Jr. essays the role of Kirk Lazarus, a five-time Academy Award-winning actor. All three, plus rap star Alpa Chino (Brandon T. Jackson) and screen newcomer Kevin Sandusky (Jay Baruchel), are in Vietnam shooting the war movie to end all war movies. After finding themselves lost in the jungle, they become the targets of heavily armed locals who don't take kindly to what they mistakenly believe to be DEA agents searching for their heroin factory. Decidedly non-PC, Tropic Thunder displays minimal mercy toward its targets, yet even its gross-out gags display a manic ingenuity far removed from the one-note crudeness found in your typical Will Ferrell vehicle. All of the performances are inspired (including Tom Cruise in a change-of-pace part), yet top acting honors go to Downey, who between this and Iron Man had a helluva 2008.

Extras in the two-disc director's cut edition (running approximately 15 minutes longer than the theatrical print) include audio commentary by Stiller, Black and Downey; behind-the-scenes featurettes; the faux-documentary Rain of Madness; two deleted scenes; an alternate ending; Cruise's makeup test; and the three stars in a hilarious piece from the MTV Movie Awards.

Movie: ***1/2

Extras: ***1/2