What's new on DVD

Film and television author Randy Williams reviews the latest movies, television shows, documentaries and music programs now available for purchase online and at retail stores.

James Bond-The Ultimate Collector's Set (MGM)- Fans of the British spy could start their own Bond cable network with the material comprising this complete set. For the first time, beginning with the latest edition of one of filmdom's most enduring heroes (Casino Royale, starring the new 007 Daniel Craig), all 21 James Bond pictures are available in one collection. Slickly packaged, this fourvolume, 42disc set also offers hours of bonus materials including audio commentaries on every Bond film, behindthescenes featurettes, documentaries, rare interviews, deleted scenes, music videos and more interactive material than gadgets in Q's lab. Bonding with Bond, from MGM with love.

3:10 to Yuma (Lionsgate)- This engaging remake of the 1957 picture that starred Glenn Ford and Van Heflin centers on a broken-down Civil War veteran (Christian Bale) volunteering to deliver an infamous outlaw (Russell Crowe) to the "3:10 to Yuma," a train that will take the killer to trial. Based on an Elmore Leonard short story (1953) and a box office winner a half-century after the original premiered, this James Mangold ("Walk the Line") picture has been nominated for two Oscars (Best Sound and Original Score.) Bonus features include: deleted scenes; Destination Yuma, a making-of documentary; and two features titled An Epic Explored and Outlaws, Gangs, and Posses.

Personal Best (Warner Bros)- Marking the directorial debut of esteemed screenwriter Robert Towne (Chinatown, Shampoo), this story follows the maturation of a young runner (Mariel Hemingway) on her path striving for Olympic glory. The filmmaker's extensive use of slowmotion photography for examining both the sensuality and physical pain of elite runners competing at the highest levels garnered a lot of critical attention. Commentary by writer/director Towne and co-stars Scott Glenn and Kenny Moore are included.

Midnight Express30th Anniversary (Sony)- Based on a true story, this gritty drama follows the plight of Billy Hayes (Brad Davis), a young American caught at a Turkish border trying to smuggle hashish. Hayes comes to the realization the "Midnight Express" (an escape under cover of night) may be his last hope for escape for the hellish prison where he is taken. Winner of two Academy Awards (Best MusicGiorgio Moroder and Best Screenplay-Oliver Stone), this double disc includes allnew commentary, a personal photo journal and essay written by the director Alan Parker as well as three features tied into the making of the picture.

She's Gotta Have It (MGM)- Writer/director Spike Lee's first feature film is a hilarious, brash, and sexy tale about a pretty woman (Tracy Camila Johns) choosing from a diverse array of suitors. Dating three men simultaneously, Nola Darling (Johns) learns a crazy yet enlightening lesson in love. Lee is just as good on camera as one of the suitors, a fast-talking bicyclist, Mars Blackmon. This gem is long overdue on DVD.

Curb Your Enthusiasm-The Complete Sixth Season (HBO)- Pretty, pretty good. That describes Larry's life yet somehow he seems to get into trouble from the seemingly most innocuous situations, at least from Mr. David's point of view. Using a verite-style presentation of his everyday life at home, the office, and around town, Larry continues to find himself in predicaments with both real and fictional personalities. Ten episodes on two discs include a gag reel, life on the set, and a conversation at a New York Y with Larry and Susie Essman.

Rockford Files- Season Five (Universal)- One of the most beloved detective shows on television offers its twentytwo episode fifth season (1978-79) on a fivedisc set. This year, exconturned private detective Jim Rockford (James Garner in an Emmy-winning role) is joined by guest stars Tom Selleck, Harold Gould, and Rita Moreno among others in a variety of stories such as protecting a former fiancee from a paid assassin, stumbling onto an underground organ transplant ring, and finding himself in the middle of a gunrunning operation. A young writer on the show, David Chase, would go on to create "The Sopranos."

Summer of 1957- (Rare Sports Films) Baseball fans prepare to be transported back in time with over three hours of rare interviews, highlights, and neverbefore-seen footage of one of the major leagues' greatest seasonsA digital gem, it features some of the sport's best players in actionThe Summer of 1957 captures the talents of such Hall of Famers as Hank Aaron, Ted Williams, and Mickey Mantle. Preserved on DVD for the first time, this smorgasbord of baseball nostalgia begins from spring training all the way to the World Series and covers old stadiums, the all-star game, off-the-field activities of the game's top stars, even the old hand-operated scoreboards.

The New Adventures of Old Christine-The Complete First Season (Warner Bros)- The first Seinfeld cast member to return to television with a major hit, Julia Louis-Dreyfus stars as a zany yet vulnerable single mom struggling to hold things together as she attempts to get back into the dating game. The premise stems from the fact that with her former husband seeing a younger woman of the same name and to avoid confusion is called New Christine, while the divorcee's confidence is tested as she is given the unfortunate nickname of Old Christine. Dreyfus won an Emmy for her role here. Thirteen episodes on two discs also include unaired scenes, a gag reel, and interviews with the cast as well as the series creator, Kari Lizer.