Video Reviews: 'The Longest Yard,' More

The Longest Yard" (PG-13): While its Memorial Day weekend theatrical release was curious because it was off-season for football (the movie was a hit anyway), there's no question the timing is perfect for the DVD debut of "The Longest Yard," a perfect companion for fans of football and most importantly, the classic original.

The interesting thing about the film is that it's nearly a note-for-note remake of the 1974 original starring Burt Reynolds as Paul 'Wrecking' Crewe. The 2005 version again finds Crewe (Adam Sandler), a fallen pro-football idol who, while doing hard time in a prison, assembles an eclectic group of inmates to take on the facility's semi-pro guard team in an exhibition game.

Just like the original, it's funny, smart and often times poignant. Clearly it was the main objective of Sandler and director Peter Segal to respect the material instead of dumbing it down for sake of snagging cheap laughs. It's a fun movie with a lot of class.

Perhaps the most notable changes come with the characters. Caretaker (Chris Rock) -- the prison's go-to-guy for forbidden contraband - is a much bigger wisecracker and many of the guard and con team members are combinations of characters from the original who are given different names.

Many of the actors from the 1974 film -- with the curious exception of Richard "Jaws" Kiel -- make cameos in the film, and Burt Reynolds is given a solid supporting role to chew on as the prison team's haggard coach, Nate Scarborough. Other notables in the cast include NFL great Michael Irvin, former pro wrestlers "Stone Cold" Steve Austin and Kevin "Big Sexy" Nash -- and rapper Nelly, who shows great acting promise as the cons' speedy running back.

The most impressive actor in the piece, however, is Sandler, who forgoes the goofball "Waterboy" routine for a strong, reserved and believable performance as Crewe. "The Longest Yard" definitely shows that Sandler has plenty of reach as a performer.

DVD Features: Audio commentary by Segal; deleted, extended and alternate scenes with optional commentary; "Errtime" music video by Nelly and more. (Paramount Home Entertainment)

'Lost' Season One (NR): I'll admit, I had no intentions of getting hooked on this series when it began airing a year ago, particularly because I'm no fan of any "Survivor"-type premises, reality series or not.

But you can cast away any tribal councils here: this dramatic series (with some keen fantastical elements woven within) feels real, and throws out enough cliffhangers to keep you begging for more. The great part about the DVD set is that you can catch up on the shows you missed (extended breaks during the season made things difficult to keep track), and enhance the experience with the disc's wealth of bonus features. There's no doubt that every diehard "Lost" fan looking to get their hands on any stitch of material relating to the show will be lost for hours in this fascinating look at the series.

For those who missed out, the series follows a band of 48 plane crash survivors who land on a mysterious island en route from Australia to the U.S. The core cast consists of 13 survivors, each whose backstories are played out throughout the series -- and they all have something to hide.

With all due respect to the magnificent Tom Hanks film "Cast Away," "Lost" is much more than a man-against-the-elements survival tale. Here, we get ambiguous characters in the survivors, looming creatures, a strange hatch that leads to who-knows-where, prior island inhabitants and set of lottery numbers that aren't exactly good luck. And that's just for starters.

The performances are stellar across the board. Matthew Fox (who plays Jack, a doctor and anchor of the survivors) and Evangeline Lilly (who plays Kate, a captured-fugitive who's effectively set free by the plane crash, but still imprisoned because she's got a complicated past bubbling under the surface) could essentially be considered the leads of the series, but in reality, the show is true ensemble effort. The great thing is, while the show consists of film notables, up-and-comers and veteran character actors, everybody is a star and is on equal footing. It's especially great to see veterans like Terry O'Quinn (the mysterious John Locke), finally get his due.

In addition to the DVD's insightful commentary, the bonus features, apart from some throwaway deleted scenes, deliver.

One of the disc's most interesting bonus features traces the stars' careers before they were "Lost" and follows the casting process, where interesting factoids emerge. YunJin Kim, for example, originally auditioned to play Kate, but had the role of Sun created for her when she revealed to creator J.J. Abrams and crew that she spoke fluent Korean.

And yes, it's true, the creators wanted a Paris Hilton "whatever"-type for Boone's (Ian Somerhalder) sister Shannon (Maggie Grace). Plus, we learn about the surprising plans for characters like Jack that never materialized, and how her legal hurdles as a Canadian actress seeking a U.S.Visa nearly kept Lilly from working on the show. Now that would have been a real loss. (Buena Vista Home Entertainment)

Recent Releases:

'Sahara" (PG-13): With the intentions of being a modern-day "Indiana Jones" adventure, the desert adventure "Sahara" looks hot on paper -- but unfortunately, on film, it has its head in the sand half the time.

Matthew McConaughey and Steve Zahn play Dirk and Al, lifelong buddies who have long had their sights set on unearthing a legendary Civil War-era battleship called the "Ship of Death." But those plans become waylaid when they meet Eva (Penelope Cruz), a World Health Organization doctor who's looking for the source of a deadly plague that's running rampant in small villages in North Africa. If they don't stop it, it could lead to global catastrophe.

Sparked by great action sequences, "Sahara" itself is plagued by not being able to figure out exactly what sort of movie it wants to be. One part inspires to be an Indiana Jones type of adventure -- and the other part wants to be a cautionary tale about our fragile environment.

In the end, the ideas mix like water and oil: two elements that you'll be hard-pressed to find out in the desert. It's simply a film that never realizes its full potential. DVD Features include commentary with director Breck Eisner and McConaughey; production featurettes; deleted scenes and more. (Paramount Home Entertainment)

'Monster-In-Law' (PG-13): Hollywood legend Jane Fonda is wickedly funny in her first film in 15 years in "Monster-In-Law" -- it's just too bad that the comeback had to be squandered opposite Jennifer Lopez.

The singing diva is simply out of her league opposite Fonda, the "Monster" in question who's throwing a fit because her precious son, a doctor (a likable Michael Vartan), who finds the girl of his dreams who isn't exactly the type of girl she wants her son marrying. If it weren't for Fonda, this film would be completely forgettable. Like her for her politics or not, she's a great actress. DVD features include production featurettes, audio commentary and more. (New Line Home Entertainment)

'Lilo & Stitch 2: Stitch Has a Glitch' (PG): The lovable alien experiment Stitch is back with another made-for-video adventure "Lilo & Stitch 2: Stitch Has a Glitch," a delightful follow-up to the original film and the first made for-video feature "Stitch! The Movie." Like "The Lion King 1 ½," "Lilo & Stitch 2" is set between the first film and "Stitch! The Movie."

This time around, Stitch is prepping Lilo for a hula competition in Hawaii when a glitch turns everything upside down. Kids are sure to laugh out loud throughout the film, which is easily on par with the first film. Plus, with three more Elvis Presley tunes, there's plenty for adults to enjoy, too. DVD features include the bonus animated short "The Origin Of Stitch" and more. (Walt Disney Home Entertainment)

'Toy Story: The 10th Anniversary Edition' (G) Pixar's pioneering computer-animated family film gets the red carpet treatment with a two-disc set commemorating the 10th anniversary of the film's release.

Bonus features include new featurettes where the filmmakers reflect on the film, a new game, deleted scenes and a sneak peek at Pixar's next feature "Cars." Sure, computer animation has come along way since "Toy Story" was first released, but this movie is still among the best . (Walt Disney Home Video).