New DVDs: ‘Stick It,’ ‘My Name is Earl’

REVIEWS

By David Germain

updated 7:17 p.m. ET Sept. 18, 2006

“Stick It”
Writer-director Jessica Bendinger, who wrote the hit cheerleading comedy “Bring It On,” resurrects much of the tone and irreverent style of that flick, transplanting it to the gymnastics world. Missy Peregrym stars as a once-promising teen gymnast who’s been an outcast since foundering at a championship but is drawn back into competition under the guidance of a tough coach (Jeff Bridges). Bendinger, Peregrym and other cast and crew provide commentary for the movie and deleted scenes, and the DVD has featurettes focusing on the gymnastics action, including a profile of the athletes who handled stunts for the actors and full gymnastics routines. DVD, $29.99. (Disney) Read the review

“The Proposition”

Kerry Brown / AP

The Western gets a bloody update with this bleak saga set among outlaws, aborigines and British colonists trying to bring law and order to 1880s Australia. With a screenplay by singer Nick Cave, the film follows the agonizing quest of a captured killer (Guy Pearce), who’s given a cruel choice by a lawman (Ray Winstone): Hunt down and kill his brother (Danny Huston), a fugitive mad dog, or see his childlike younger brother hanged. Emily Watson and John Hurt co-star. The DVD has commentary from Cave and director John Hillcoat, along with five behind-the-scenes featurettes. DVD, $26.99. (First Look) Read the review

“Backdraft”
Ron Howard’s 1991 drama of arson and sibling rivalry in the fire department gets a DVD makeover. The film stars Kurt Russell and Stephen Baldwin as brothers on the outs who must team up to stop an arsonist setting deadly blazes around Chicago. The cast includes Robert De Niro, Jennifer Jason Leigh and Donald Sutherland. The new release is available in a two-disc DVD version or a single-disc HD-DVD. Howard offers an introduction to the film, which is accompanied by 40 minutes of deleted scenes and featurettes examining story development, firefighting training, stunts and the visual effects that went into the production’s impressive re-creation of blazes. There’s also a discussion with real-life firefighters sharing their experiences at a Santa Clarita, Calif., station. DVD set, $19.98; HD-DVD, $29.98. (Universal)

“Grease”
John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John are back as teen lovers in the 1978 musical that was part of the decade’s nostalgic mania for the 1950s. Travolta stars as a greaser who falls for a squeaky-clean nice girl (Newton-John), their romance powered by song-and-dance numbers that include “Summer Nights,” “Hopelessly Devoted to You” and “You’re the One That I Want.” A new DVD edition has 11 deleted, extended and alternate scenes, interviews with Travolta and Newton-John, commentary from director Randal Kleiser and choreographer Patricia Birch, and a retrospective segment. The DVD is cleverly packaged in a pouch resembling a black leather jacket. DVD, $19.99. (Paramount)

TV on DVD:

“My Name Is Earl: Season One” — Jason Lee stars as a trailer-trash rascal who’s shaken out of a lifetime of dirty deeds and sets out to make amends in this quirky sitcom. A four-disc set has the first 24 episodes, with commentary by Lee and co-stars (and even the actors’ mothers on one episode). The set also has deleted scenes and a short adventure featuring Earl and friends exclusive to the DVD. DVD set, $49.98. (20th Century Fox)

“The Chris Rock Show: Seasons 1 & 2” — Caustic comic Rock tells it like it is in his late-night show that features monologues, interviews, spoofs and musical guests including Usher, Erykah Badu and Busta Rhymes. The three-disc set has the first 17 episodes, with commentary by Rock. DVD set, $39.98. (HBO)

“The Unit: Season 1” — Dennis Haysbert and Robert Patrick star in this military drama centered on a Special Forces team handling covert missions. A four-disc set contains the first 13 episodes of the series created by playwright David Mamet and Shawn Ryan (“The Shield”), the latter providing commentary on one episode. DVD set, $49.98. (20th Century Fox)

“Everybody Loves Raymond: The Complete Seventh Season” — Ray Romano returns as the sportswriter with the nutty family. Year seven’s 25 episodes come in a five-disc set, with commentary by Romano and other cast and crew on four episodes, plus deleted scenes. DVD set, $44.98. (HBO)

MORE FROM DVDS

DVDs reviews: ‘Nights in Rodanthe,’ ‘W.’

DVDs reviews: ‘Nights in Rodanthe,’ ‘W.’ DVDs: ‘Madagascar 2,’ ‘Secret Life of Bees’ DVD reviews: ‘Lakeview Terrace,’ ‘Fireproof’ DVD reviews: ‘Max Payne,’ ‘Saw V’ DVD reviews: ‘Vicky Cristina,’ ‘Mirrors’ DVD reviews: ‘Prince Caspian,’ ‘Wanted’ DVD reviews: ‘Hancock,’ ‘24: Redemption’ DVD reviews: ‘WALL-E,’ ‘Tropic Thunder’ DVD reviews: ‘Kung Fu Panda,’ ‘Hellboy II’   Add DVDs headlines to your news reader: