DVD Domain

Walt Disney Treasures Whether or not you're an animation buff, it's hard not to be impressed with the care and quality placed in this current series from Disney's home entertainment division. Having released the first four titles in the series last December, they now follow up with three more. Mickey Mouse In Black and White includes all MM cartoons released between 1928 and 1935; The Complete Goofy showcases all 46 Goofy shorts shown between 1939 and 1961; and Behind the Scenes at the Walt Disney Studio offers a backstage look at the tricks of the toon trade. Each 2-disc DVD set comes in an attractive metal tin and includes bonus material as well as a limited-edition lithograph. As an educational tool for budding film historians, these sets are invaluable -- and they're not bad as entertainment, either. 1/2

Also New:

Austin Powers In Goldmember If we must compare, this third entry in Mike Myers' satiric spy series is better than the first but not as sharp as the second, with high points including a terrific opening sequence featuring several surprising cameos, the addition of Michael Caine as Austin's spy daddy, and an expanded role for Verne Troyer, again stealing scenes as the diminutive Mini-Me. 1/2

Happy Times Director Zhang Yimou (Raise the Red Lantern) has long earned his status as a world-class filmmaker, but his penchant for irony and tragedy feels more forced than flowing in this erratic flick about a middle-aged screw-up (Zhao Benshan) aiding a blind girl (Dong Jie).

Lilo & Stitch Overrated in some quarters, this animated Disney hit about a troubled Hawaiian girl and the annoying alien (basically a Gremlins toss-off) she befriends is lumpy and unwieldy, with a remarkably rough screenplay that shows little regard for smooth transitions or believable character arcs.