Movies on DVD

Lord of War, Rated R, Lionsgate

A darkly comedic travelogue thriller that features Nicolas Cage in fine form as an amoral gunrunner.

Similar in structure to Blow, but far less pretentious and more professionally shot, Lord of War tells both of a rise to power by Yuri (Cage) by way of supplying arms to third-world warlords and the downfall in keeping his profession a secret to his wife (Bridget Moynahan) and avoiding a dogged international lawman (Ethan Hawke).

The single-disc edition, available in widescreen or fullscreen, includes commentary from cast members and writer-director Andrew Niccol, and deleted scenes. The more expensive two-disc special edition tacks on featurettes about the international arms trade (which Niccol researched extensively in writing the film), the making of the film and the film's armaments.

Two for the Money, Rated R, Universal

Al Pacino zealously chewing the hell out of the word "talons" doesn't spring to mind as something he's done before. So, if for no other reason than to hear how he says it (the two-syllable word somehow becomes two words in the scene-chomper's mouth), rent Two for the Money.

Pacino plays Walter Abrams, the top dog in the lucrative world of sports gambling. Impressed with the low-level success of can't-miss football odds prognosticator Brandon Lang (Matthew McConaughey), Abrams takes him under his dark wing. Brandon enjoys success for a while, but when a cold streak leaves him questioning the business, breaking free is harder than he thought.

Rene Russo and Jeremy "hug it out" Piven co-star for director D.J. Caruso (Taking Lives), who offers a commentary with screenwriter Dan Gilroy on the DVD. The two also offer their thoughts on deleted scenes. Additional features include a making-of featurette, an "inside interview" with "the real Brandon," trailers, TV spots and more.

Also next week

If Samuel L. Jackson and Eugene Levy don't scream "buddy action-comedy movie pair," you're not alone. Blandly titled, The Man took in only $8 million at the box office. Levy stars as a dental-supplies salesman from Wisconsin who inadvertently becomes the linchpin in an ATF agent's (Jackson) sting to retrieve a stolen cache of weapons. Extras include deleted scenes and a gag reel.

OK, how about Nick Cannon and Cheech Marin? Nothing there either, huh? Underclassman was an often-delayed movie dumped in late summer 2005 that features Cannon as a boyish cop undercover at a private high school to break up a stolen-car ring. (Marin is his captain.) Extras include screenwriters and director commentary, deleted scenes, featurettes and cast auditions.

There was enough real-life horror going on in New Orleans late last year, so enthusiasm for Venom, a tale about supernatural backwoods killings, naturally was not the highest. Produced by Kevin Williamson (Scream), the slasher flick offers storyboards, featurettes and cast auditions.

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