Here are some new movies in DVD release this week, led by Robert Redford's latest.
"An Unfinished Life" (Miramax, 2005, PG-13, $29.99). There's not much about this tale of redemption that's terribly original — but there's nothing wrong with a movie that excels in its own comfort zone. And this one does.
There's fine chemistry between Robert Redford and Morgan Freeman as a couple of codgers whose quiet rural-Wyoming world is turned upside-down by the widow and daughter of Redford's late son.
As the widow, Jennifer Lopez gives an effective low-key performance, reminding us that she can act when she wants to, and Utah's own Bart the Bear also plays a prominent role.
Extras: Widescreen, audio commentary (director Lasse Hallstrom, with a producer and editor), making-of featurettes (including one about Bart), photo gallery, language options (English, French), subtitle options (English, Spanish), chapters.
"The Greatest Game Ever Played" (Disney, 2005, PG, $29.99). Actor Bill Paxton ("Big Love," "Titanic") directed this terrific true sports story about a poor caddy/amateur golfer in 1913 who shocks the sports world by holding his own in what was strictly considered a "gentleman's game" at the time.
Shia LaBeouf ("Holes") stars as the young golf prodigy, Stephan Dillane is golf champ Harry Vardon and Josh Flitter all but steals the show as LeBeouf's spunky caddy.
Extras: Widescreen, audio commentaries (director Paxton, writer Mark Frost) featurettes, language and subtitle options (English, French), chapters.
"The Long Good Friday" (Anchor Bay, 1980; R for violence, language, sex, nudity; $19.98). Bob Hoskins burst into the big time in a big way with this brutal, very rough gangster film about a London mob boss about to strike a deal with the American mob when his organization finds itself under attack. But by whom?
Hoskins is great and Helen Mirren is also quite good as his equally tough wife. Pierce Brosnan has a small but pivotal role as an IRA hitman.
Extras: Widescreen, audio commentary (director John Mackenzie), making-of featurette (with all the stars), cockney glossary, photo/poster gallery, text biographies, trailers, optional English subtitles, chapters; DVD-ROM applications; eight-page booklet.
"Mona Lisa" (Anchor Bay, 1986; R for violence, language, sex, nudity; $19.98). Hoskins is also excellent in this one, playing a low-rent, low-class mobster with his own set of values who gets out of prison after taking a seven-year rap for mob boss Michael Caine.
He becomes a driver for a high-class hooker (Cathy Tyson) and reluctantly becomes involved with her search for a younger hooker who's disappeared.
Extras: Widescreen, trailer, chapters; eight-page booklet.
"Nine to Five: Sexist, Egotistical, Lying, Hypocritical Bigot Edition" (Fox, 1980, PG, $19.98). The first half of this longish film (nearly two hours) is better than the second, but the three stars — Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin and Dolly Parton (in her first film) — are all in top form, with great comic chemistry.
Very funny and smart, despite some silliness as it heads toward the wind-up. This is a reissued DVD with new bonus features, and all the stars participate.
Extras: Widescreen, audio commentary (Fonda, Tomlin, Parton, producer Bruce Gilbert), deleted scenes, making-of featurettes, bloopers, "Nine to Five" karaoke, language options (English, French, Spanish), subtitle options (English, Spanish), chapters.
"Mission: Impossible: Special Collector's Edition" (Paramount, 1996, PG-13, $19.99). Here's another reissue, and once fans of the TV show get past the annoying fact that this is more a James Bond clone than the team effort of the original TV series, it's an enjoyable actioner, as Tom Cruise tries
to find out who killed off his team members.
Great supporting cast includes Jean Reno, Ving Rhames, Kristin Scott-Thomas, Vanessa Redgrave and Jon Voight.
Extras: Widescreen, making-of featurettes, trailers, photo gallery, language options (English, French), subtitle options (English, Spanish), chapters.
"Tripping the Rift: The Complete Second Season" (Anchor Bay, 2005, not rated, $29.98, two discs). More animation that's not for kids, and all about pop culture and sleazy sex jokes, with a sci-fi sensibility that seems to emulate "Futurama" and "South Park."
Extras: Full frame, making-of featurette, outtakes/bloopers, language options (English, French), chapters.
"The Scorned!" (Anchor Bay, 2005; not rated but R-level violence, sex, nudity, language; $24.98, two discs). The hook, if you can call it that, for this haunted-house yarn is that the "actors" are reality-show veterans (from "Survivor," "The Real World," etc.). Which may explain why it's a haunted beach house! Sleazy trash — and poorly made sleazy trash at that.
Extras: Widescreen, audio commentary, featurettes, auditions, promos, radio show, trailers, optional English subtitles, chapters.
E-mail: hicks@desnews.com