LAT. DVD Sneaks.

Carina Chocano opens "DVD Sneaks," a special section in the Los Angeles Times on, that's right, forthcoming DVDs, with an attack on the notion of the "Chick Flick": "It doesn't do much, actually, beyond legitimize the already generally accepted notion that there are movies for everyone, and then there are movies for women. Like a miracle household product, it marginalizes as it defines." Then, "In this post post-feminist world, there are actually a number of movies that speak to real women." And she lists and annotates 54 of them. Fifty-four.

How about another list: "A dozen Times critics offer suggestions for discs they deem worthy of a spin, or even of a permanent spot on your media shelf." A fun one because, no, the LAT doesn't actually have 12 film critics; its critics from several other sections of the paper chime in, you see.

And another one, less interesting, basically the release schedule divided into genre groups. Then, the same thing, only it's TV DVDs. Don't laugh; it's a booming market, as Judith McCourt reports in Home Media Retailing.

There's a short list of music-related releases and another potential Oscar contenders.

Animals are the new hunks, argues Chris Erksine. They're the only über-sexuals left.

A walloping Harold Lloyd collection is on the way and Geoff Boucher's got background: "Chaplin is a titan as a Hollywood icon, and Keaton was ahead of his time as a sublime master of absurdity, yet Lloyd was the one who remained on the Hollywood scene with the most longevity and the least personal volatility."

When DVD tech upgrades, there'll be even more extras and "interactivity," reports Susan King, who goes on to list five sorts of extras that have "worn out their welcome," while Mary McNamara writes that the problem with trying to get kids to review extras is "coaxing them to higher analysis — 'boring' and 'cool' may not evoke Pauline Kael but it will do. No, it's persuading them to actually sit down long enough."

DVD isn't the only alternative to the theatrical experience, of course. David Colker takes a brief look at a few others. And VHS? Dumped, but recycled, too, reports Casey Dolan, who's also got a few suggestions for your own, too: "Use the tape as ribbon for - what else? - your Christmas DVD gifts."

Posted by dwhudson at November 12, 2005 12:14 PM