Tribune-Review film critic Ed Blank takes a look at a few recent popular and/or critically acclaimed films available on DVD:

“March of the Penguins” G; 2005;

The French documentary was a moderate hit abroad, particularly given its modest production costs. But when it was reedited for North American audiences and given a whole new narrative thrust, delivered by Morgan Freeman, it became the sleeper sensation of the year and by far the most popular animal documentary in history.

It tracks one year in the lives of emperor penguins in southern Antarctica where, beyond all reason, the waddling creatures annually reenact a ritual of trekking, courtship, mating, offspring-rearing and feeding that is off-the-chart dumbfounding.

You cannot fail to be astounded by what the penguins do to maintain their lifestyle despite tremendous inconvenience under the most punishing conditions imaginable.

The main addition to the DVD is National Geographic’s documentary on emperor penguins, “Of Penguins and Men.”

“The War of the Worlds” PG-13; 2005;

The 1953 version of “The War of the Worlds” had the best sci-fi special effects of the 1950s. The one respect in which Steven Spielberg’s 2005 remake beats the earlier version is with its effects. Both versions update the time frame and transplant the focus to a U.S. setting. Spielberg’s creatures more closely resemble those described by author H.G. Wells in his 1898 novel. The newer version eschews 1953’s overriding spiritual component and settles for a secular vantage.

On the wholly reinvented human front, Tom Cruise plays a negligent, divorced father of two who spends screen time bonding with 10-year-old daughter Dakota Fanning.

Extra features on the double-disc DVD concentrates on the effects and the conception of the movie and includes interviews with Spielberg and Cruise.

“Mr. & Mrs. Smith” PG-13; 2005;

The public traditionally doesn’t seem to be interested in seeing real-life spouses co-star on the big screen, and we know from the monumental box-office failure of “Gigli” that romances that have busted up, or are in the process, by the time a picture is released can be lethal at the turnstiles.

But plainly there was and is interest in Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, who are still an item as we speak. Playing hit persons who are married to each other and who are trying to liquidate each other turned out to be hot stuff to audiences who coughed up $429 million worldwide to watch the two snipe freely.

Purists can argue, but in vain in this case, that the film doesn’t make a lick of sense. The DVD contains deleted scenes and full length commentaries by the filmmakers but not involving the globe-trotting stars.

“Airplane” PG; 1980;

Billed as the 25th anniversary “Don’t call me Shirley” edition, the new DVD of “Airplane” has deleted scenes, interviews and a commentary by the filmmakers.

Even though we’re well past the 1970s, when group jeopardy flicks arrived with epidemic regularity, the picture is as hilarious as ever in its spoofing of “The High and the Mighty,” the “Airport” suspense dramas and especially the little-known “Zero Hour.”

The gags don’t stop: the inflatable pilot; the pilot who likes gladiator pictures; the child patient neglected by a guitar-strumming caregiver; the disco interlude and the subtitled jive-speaking Americans. A densely gag-stuffed joy ride.

“Home Improvement” (Season Three) PG in nature; 1993-94;

The best sitcoms are the most character-driven ones. They deliver laughs not only in quantity but repeatedly with re-viewings. The best also make points, albeit not too heavy-handedly, about age, gender, human nature and lifestyle.

Season Three of “Home Improvement” gives plenty of evidence that the show was produced thoughtfully and that even the most familiar situations – Tim Allen’s Tim Taylor misuse of expensive tools, for example – is freshly reconceived for each episode.

Wife Jill (Patricia Richardson) exemplifies with sharp wit the paradox of loving a doltish guy’s guy who thinks he’s cool (Tim). She’s clear that he’s redeemed by his sense of humor.

Half-glimpsed neighbor Wilson (Earl Hindman) has an opportunity in each episode to deliver an understated bromide or nugget of wisdom.

But the series highlight was and is Richard Karn’s portrayal of Al Borland, Tim’s long-suffering assistant on “Tool Time,” the show-within-the-show. A distinctive mixture of loneliness and insecurity, coupled with confidence in his handyman skills, he’s probably the funniest second banana of the past quarter century.

Shirley Temple trio Until I started watching trios of newly issued DVDs of Shirley Temple’s 1930s films, when she was the No. 1 star in America or close to it, I hadn’t realized quite how fixed the formula was for most. What’s bizarre is the frequency with which she played orphans and, more than that, orphans whom people fought to adopt. What’s surreal is that the whole world revolves around her characters. She’s never just a child but the center of everyone’s attention, invariably adored by all but one or two villains. She never met a curmudgeon she couldn’t melt. The latest three Temple opuses to go the DVD route show their age unquestionably but remain microcosms of very popular 1930s family entertainment. “Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm” (G; 1938; ) – Temple, a paragon of sweetness and light, becomes a radio star amidst a fight for custody of her and performs a medley of her greatest hits. With Randolph Scott. “Bright Eyes” PG; 1934; – Temple delivers “On the Good Ship Lollipop” amidst a custody fight for her after her mom, a maid for snooty people, is struck fatally by an auto. With James Dunn and Jane Darwell. “Baby Take a Bow” PG; 1934; – Ex-con and papa James Dunn is blamed for a jewel robbery and must vindicate himself. The better for being a rare Temple childhood film that doesn’t revolve strictly around her. With Claire Trevor. The Muppets Take DVD Maybe you prefer Kermit The Frog, who is the Charlie Brown of the series, or Gonzo. Give me the vainglorious Miss Piggy any day. Something about her invites comparisons to many real stars, which renders her the Muppets’ most satirical character. Catching up with two Muppets feature films that were released earlier on DVD are the other four: “The Muppet Movie” G; 1979; <img src="/images/static/entertainment/images/3stars.gif" alt="Three stars" border=0 height=22 width=105); “The Great Muppet Caper” G; 1981; ; “The Muppet Christmas Carol” G; 1992; , and “Muppet Treasure Island” G; 1996; . Additional Information:

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Additional DVDs released this week:

Murderball CSI (Season 5) Sky High

Coming Tuesday:

Cinderella Man Ladies in Lavender Forbidden Games Where the Sidewalk Ends Kiss of Death (1947 version) The Dark Corner

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