A wide variety of movies have come to DVD this week, including this year's Oscar-winner for best foreign-language picture and student films by future star directors.
Foreign film
"The Lives of Others" (Sony Classics, 2006; R for sex, nudity; $26.96). This excellent Oscar-winner for best foreign-language film explores the ripple effects of a Big Brother society, but this isn't science fiction. It's set in East Berlin in the early 1980s, before the wall comes down.
The secret police are tapping phones — for the sake of personal grudges as much as political reasons. But when one agent is assigned to listen in on a playwright and his actress lover, he begins to see the folly of his actions.
Artful, compelling and completely engrossing, the film has much to say about living under a veil of suspicion, paranoia and fear, and the effect it has on human relationships.
Extras: Widescreen, in German with English subtitles, deleted scenes, audio commentary, featurettes
Short films
"Reel Talent: First Films By Legendary Directors (Fox, 1934-1989, two discs, $29.98). "Legendary"? Well, maybe a couple.
These are student films made by nine alumni of the University of Southern California before they became professional filmmakers — ranging from the mid-1930s (Richard Bare, who would go on to direct such TV series as "The Twilight Zone" and "Green Acres") to Richard Kelly ("Donnie Darko") in the late 1980s.
In between there are films by more famous directors, including three shorts by George Lucas (including his original "THX 1138" film, which is also on the "THX" DVD) and two by Robert Zemeckis ("Back to the Future," "Forrest Gump").
The results are hit and miss, but for films buffs and aspiring filmmakers, this is must-see stuff. Bonus features include interviews with Lucas, Zemeckis and Bare.
Extras: Full frame, 12 short films
Recent films
"The Ultimate Gift" (Fox, 2007, PG, $27.98). This predictable feel-good film is never quite as emotionally engaging as it would like to be, but it's likable enough, with a worthy uplifting message.
To collect his considerable inheritance, a cynical young man (Drew Fuller) is coerced into taking a journey of enlightenment by his late grandfather (James Garner). Old pros Garner, Brian Dennehy and Bill Cobbs give the film a boost.
Extras: Widescreen
"The Ex: Unrated" (Genius, 2007, $28.95). Sacked from his low-income job, a slacker (Zach Braff) reluctantly takes a job in an ad agency working for his father-in-law (Charles Grodin), where he is mentored by the wheelchairbound former boyfriend (Jason Bateman) of his wife (Amanda Peet). But the old boyfriend has mischief up his sleeve.
What few laughs there are come from Braff and Bateman squaring off, but the film is too tentative in its darker aspects and never quite gels. (This unrated version is about five minutes longer than the theatrical PG-13 version.)
Extras: Widescreen, deleted scenes/alternate endings, bloopers, trailers (also available in PG-13 version)
"Broken English" (Magnolia, 2007; R for language, sex, drugs; $26.98). Screenwriter/director Zoe Cassavetes carries on the family tradition of father John and brother Nick with this light look at modern romance, with Parker Posey looking for love in all the wrong places. Eventually, she meets a charming Frenchman (Melvil Poupaud) but is too afraid to make it work.
We've seen it all before, and there's way too much time spent on the marital problems of Posey's best friend (Drea de Matteo). But it's nicely done, and offers a nice role for Cassavetes' mother Gena Rowlands.
Extras: Widescreen, deleted scenes, featurettes, trailers
"Redline" (Genius, 2007, PG-13, $28.95). Forget the plot. This one is all about incoherently filmed car chases racing from L.A. to Vegas and back. A movie for those who'd rather watch video games than play them.
Extras: Widescreen, featurettes, trailer
Reissued DVD
"Serenity: Collector's Edition" (Universal, 2005, PG-13, $26.98). The very good, albeit very dark, movie sequel to Joss Whedon's short-lived "Firefly" TV series — which has a rabid fan base — gets the special-edition treatment. The plot has a collection of fugitives aboard a rickety space ship (think Millenium Falcon) trying to help a mysterious girl. (If you're a sci-fi fan, check out the "Firefly" DVD set.)
Extras: Widescreen, deleted/extended scenes, audio commentary, featurettes, bloopers, trailers
"RoboCop: 20th Anniversary Collector's Edition" (MGM, 1987, not rated, two discs, $22.98). Though it's extremely violent, this sci-fi action thriller is loaded with "wow" moments and a cheeky sense of humor, and it put director Paul Verhoeven ("Total Recall," "Basic Instinct") on the map. Beware that some deleted scenes are more bloody and audacious (and salacious) than the original film.
Extras: Widescreen, audio commentary, deleted scenes, featurettes, storyboards, photo gallery, trailers/TV spots
E-mail: hicks@desnews.com