New DVDs: Buy, rent or ignore?

This week: 'Star Trek' and the 10th anniversary of 'Fight Club'

By Paul Semel

Posted November 16, 2009

Special to Metromix

You loved the movie, what about the DVD?

Find out as we examine the extras on this week's best movie DVDs...

"STAR TREK"
Stars: Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Eric Bana
Director: J.J. Abrams (“Mission: Impossible III”)
Formats: DVD, Blu-ray
What we said: "A near-perfect template for what a summer thrill ride should be, 'Star Trek' is great fun that doesn't forget its brain, heart or sense of humor."

Extras: DVD: Commentary by Abrams, writers Robert Orci and Alex Kurtzman, producer Damon Lindelof and executive producer Bryan Burk; gag reel; deleted scenes with optional commentary; “A New Vision,” “To Boldly Go,” “Casting,” “Aliens” and “Score” featurettes; a demo of the “Star Trek D-A-C” game for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC; digital copy.
Blu-ray: All DVD extras plus “NASA News” BD-Live feature; expanded versions of the “To Boldly Go,” “A New Vision” and “Aliens” featurettes; “Starships,” “Planets,” “Props and Costumes,” “Ben Burtt and the Sounds of 'Star Trek'” and “Gene Roddenberry's Vision” featurettes; “Starfleet Vessel Simulator.”

Worth watching: The “Ben Burtt” featurette shows how the sound design vet (and "voice" of both WALL-E and R2D2) brought his skills to the “Trek” universe.
Worth skipping: The demo of “Star Trek: D-A-C.” The game isn't that fun.
Worth adding: The hilarious sketch from this summer's Country Music Awards in which Taylor Swift was “Zelig”-ed into a scene from this movie so she could flirt with Spock.

Buy, rent or ignore: Buy.


"FIGHT CLUB: 10TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION"
Stars: Brad Pitt, Edward Norton, Helena Bonham Carter
Director: David Fincher (“Se7en”)
Format: Blu-ray
What we say: Based on Chuck Palahniuk semi-nihilistic/semi-anarchistic but totally insightful novel, this film follows an insomniac office drone as he tries to find meaning in his life by getting into fights with people.

Extras: A commentary by Fincher; a second commentary by Fincher, Pitt, Norton and Carter; a third commentary by Palahniuk and screenwriter Jim Uhls; a fourth commentary by production designer Alex McDowell, cinematographer Jeff Cronenweth, costume designer Michael Kaplan and visual effects supervisor Kevin Haug; “A Hit in the Ear: Ren Klyce and the Sound Design of Fight Club” interactive featurette; “Flogging Fight Club” featurette; “Insomniac Mode: I Am Jack's Search Index”; behind the scenes vignettes on production, visual effects, on location; Edward Norton interview; deleted and alternate scenes; trailers and TV spots; PSAs; music video; internet spots; promotional gallery; art gallery.

Worth watching: The vintage commentary with Fincher, Carter, Norton and Pitt is funny and rather illuminating, especially when the latter two start talking about the merits of the then new Volkswagen Beetle.
Worth skipping: He's more interesting than most directors, but Fincher's solo commentary isn't as interesting as the group effort with the actors.
Worth adding: A copy of Palahniuk's very different original novel.

Buy, rent or ignore: Buy.


Other DVDs out this week:
— Debate whether he's funny or offensive in the privacy of your own home with “Brüno” (also on Blu-ray)
— Have the tissues handy for Cameron Diaz and Abigail Breslin in “My Sister's Keeper” (also on Blu-ray)
— Newlyweds hike their way into the honeymoon from hell in “The Canyon”
— Spend some personal time with Lil Wayne in the documentary “The Carter”
— Robert Pattinson stars as an aspiring singer in the slightly-smaller-than-“Twilight” “How to Be”
— Two straight guys ponder having sex...with each other...in the indie comedy “Humpday”
— Michael Caine plays a gruff old man bonding with a little boy in “Is Anybody There?” (also on Blu-ray)
— Jim Jarmusch's latest bizarre mindtrip: “The Limits of Control”
— Not so into the lovelorn bloodsuckers of “Twilight”? Maybe you'll prefer the vamps in the extreme Asian thriller “Thirst”

Also on Blu-ray:
“Chasing Amy”
“Clerks”
“Galaxy Quest”
“Gone with the Wind: 70th Anniversary Edition”
“Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back”
“The Kevin Smith Collection” (including “Clerks,” “Chasing Amy” and “Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back”)
“My Brilliant Career”
“The Professional”
“sex, lies, and videotape”

Also released:
“Criterion Collection: Downhill Racer”
“The Exiles”
“Mad Dog Morgan”
“The Open Road”
“Train”
“Wild Child”