Lord of War
Nicolas Cage nicely plays the heavy as hero, or anti-hero, or bad guy with a heart of gold-plating, in writer-director Andrew Niccol's taut thriller set in the underworld of international arms peddling. Cage plays a weapons dealer who rises to the top of the heap, struggling to take care of his own, keep ahead of the competition and outfox a tenacious Interpol agent (Ethan Hawke). The film is available in a movie-only single-disc edition or a two-disc version that includes deleted scenes, commentary by Niccol and a handful of featurettes examining the movie's production and the world of arms trading. Rated R.
Two for the Money
Al Pacino dives into his persona of manic intensity to the point of caricature with an over-the-top performance as a mogul in the high-stakes business of sports betting. Matthew McConaughey stars as a former college quarterback with an uncanny knack for picking winners, who becomes the fair-haired protege of gambling consultant Pacino — until the newcomer's luck starts running out. The DVD comes with deleted scenes accompanied by commentary from director D.J. Caruso and screenwriter Dan Gilroy, who also provide commentary for the full movie. The disc also has a making-of featurette and a segment in which Gilroy interviews the former caddie who inspired McConaughey's character. Rated R.
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The Man
Samuel L. Jackson and Eugene Levy star in a mismatched-buddy action comedy not even the filmmakers' best pals could like. The utterly uninspired tale of mistaken identity and tasteless gags features Jackson as a trash-talking federal agent who enlists a nice-guy dental-supplies salesman (Levy) in his sting to bring down a gang of weapons dealers that stole a cache of arms. Along with deleted scenes, the DVD offers a batch of featurettes examining one of the movie's action scenes, the look of Jackson's flashy wheels and the actor's "guide to cursing." Rated PG-13.
Junebug
This comic gem of clashing values features a breakout performance from fresh-faced actress Amy Adams. Embeth Davidtz stars as a classy British art dealer living in Chicago with her new husband (Alessandro Nivola), who travels to North Carolina to pursue a local folk artist and meet her hubby's relations, including her impressionable, big-hearted sister-in-law (Adams). Davidtz and Adams collaborate for DVD commentary, and the DVD has deleted scenes and a making-of featurette. Rated R.
Bill Murray Classic Comedies Collection
Three examples of Bill Murray's funniest work arrive in a small box set. "Stripes," "Ghostbusters" and "Groundhog Day" make for an instant Murray mini-film festival. Each DVD includes special features similar to the individual special edition DVD releases. "Stripes" includes deleted scenes that have been added into the film and an hourlong making-of documentary. "Ghostbusters" includes a commentary and deleted scenes, and "Groundhog Day" has a director commentary and a documentary. Ratings range from PG to R.
Dirty Deeds
Though a breathless critic quote on the cover calls this moronic teen comedy "American Pie on speed," the more appropriate comparison would be "American Pie on crack." Released Jan. 10, the film is about a bizarre homecoming ritual in which a student attempts to accomplish daredevil challenges, such as drinking a beer in front of a cop, stealing a car, and … how to put this, mistreating a loaf of bread. The no-name cast does little to help the only occasionally funny screenplay. There are cast interviews and alternative takes, but the special feature really needed is a full rebate for your wasted money. Available in R rated and unrated editions.
