DVD reviews: 'Stepford,' 'Pollock'

By Paul Chambers
Special to CNN

(CNN) -- There are plenty of new films to feed your machine this week, including an Academy Award winner about a troubled artist, a Japanese anime classic and the Duke's final film. You can also visit a little town where something really strange is happening.

Ratings are on a 10-point scale.

New this week:

"The Stepford Wives: Silver Anniversary Edition" (Anchor Bay Entertainment)

All is not well in the suburbs -- something Katherine Ross finds out the hard way, when she moves to the seemingly bucolic town of Stepford, Connecticut, with her husband and two children. After meeting another recent transplant (Paula Prentiss), they investigate the odd behavior of the town's wives. "The Stepford Wives" is based on the best-selling novel by Ira Levin with a screenplay by William Goldman, one of Hollywood's best. Chilling!

DVD extras: All-new interviews with the director, producer and cast, widescreen presentation, and theatrical trailer. Interviews include cast members Ross, Prentiss and Peter Masterson, whose seven-year-old daughter -- actress Mary Stuart Masterson -- appears in the film.

Rating: 7

"Pollock" (Columbia Tristar Home Entertainment)

Ed Harris stars as the legendary American painter Jackson Pollock in this downbeat but absorbing biopic. Marcia Gay Harden won this year's best supporting actress Oscar for her portrayal of Lee Krasner, Pollock's wife. It's terribly difficult at times to watch the artist's emotional breakdown, but the film shines with its undeniably talented cast.

DVD extras: Digitally mastered audio and letterboxed video, Ed Harris commentary, featurette, deleted scenes, filmographies and more.

Rating: 8

See also:
Harris talks about 'Pollock,' Oscar nomination
'Pollock' an incomplete portrait of artist
A 10-year obsession comes to the screen

"Akira: The Special Edition" (Pioneer Entertainment)

This 1988 classic is the one that makes anime fans go teary-eyed. Anime is Japanese-style animation that is intended for adults, not children, and often features startling images. The story may not always make sense, but there's no denying that the art and the style are mesmerizing.

"Akira" is about two friends in Neo Tokyo, a city built after World War III has destroyed most of the planet. Tetsuo and Kaneda both belong to a prominent motorcycle gang. Tetsuo is captured during a military operation, and becomes a human guinea pig for some weird psychic experiment. When Tetsuo escapes, it's up to his friend, Kaneda, to bring his newly installed psychic powers under control. It features an absolutely brilliant animation style that will keep the viewer interested as the complex story unfurls.

DVD extras: "Akira: The Special Edition" has, probably, the coolest DVD case ever made. It's painted metal with raised lettering on the outside. The DVD also features high-definition mastering with digital restoration, a director interview and two documentaries, a new English dub, THX, and re-mixed Dolby Digital Surround Sound. Two-disc set.

Rating: 10

"The Shootist"(1976) (Paramount Home Entertainment)

It's hard not to shed a tear when watching John Wayne's last film. "The Shootist" is the story of a dying gunfighter who returns to Carson City, Nevada, to live out his remaining days at a nondescript boarding house. His reputation quickly follows him, forcing the Duke into several violent confrontations. The film features Jimmy Stewart, Lauren Bacall, Ron Howard, Harry Morgan and Hugh O'Brian. It's far from perfect filmmaking, but emotionally this film rides pretty high in the saddle with me.

DVD extras: Interviews with several of the original cast and crew, widescreen format, theatrical trailers, Dolby digital English and French mono.

Rating: 8

Other releases:

Here is a list of all titles being released on July 24, 2001:

DVD and VHS:
"The Stepford Wives: Silver Anniversary Edition" (Anchor Bay Entertainment)
"Pollock" (Columbia Tristar Home Entertainment)
"Proximity" (Columbia Tristar Home Entertainment)
"Akira" (Pioneer Entertainment)
"Skeletons in the Closet" (Artisan Home Entertainment)
"Bad Seed" (Artisan Home Entertainment)

VHS (rentals only):
"Silent Predators" (Artisan Home Entertainment)
"Night Scream" (Artisan Home Entertainment)

VHS only:
MGM's Soul Cinema Collection:
"Slaughter"
"Slaughter's Big Rip-Off"
"Monkey Hustle"
"Five on the Black Hand Side"

DVD only:
"Hellbound: Hellraiser II (Anchor Bay Entertainment)
"La Cage Aux Folles" (MGM Home Entertainment)
"La Cage Aux Folles 2" (MGM Home Entertainment)
"Chocolat" (MGM Home Entertainment)
"The Wild Child" (MGM Home Entertainment)
"Hatari!" (Paramount Home Entertainment)
"Paint Your Wagon" (Paramount Home Entertainment)
"The Shootist" (Paramount Home Entertainment)
"Bagdad Café" (MGM Home Entertainment)
"Go Fish" (MGM Home Entertainment)
"Hollywood Shuffle" (MGM Home Entertainment)
"Liebestraum" (MGM Home Entertainment)
"Marat/Sade" (MGM Home Entertainment)
"Theremin" (MGM Home Entertainment)