VIDEODVD

The latest video releases reviewed

LAYER CAKE ***

Directed by Matthew Vaughn. Starring Daniel Craig, Colm Meaney, Kenneth Cranham, Sienna Miller, Michael Gambon 18 cert

Vaughn, the producer of Lock Stock and Snatch, turns director with a sleek gangster thriller that is altogether more serious in tone and intent, although once again populated by wholly amoral characters. Craig is excellent as a successful criminal operator whose plans for early retirement are undermined when he takes on that venerable movie staple, One Last Job. Michael Dwyer

ALIEN VS PREDATOR **

Directed by Paul W. S. Anderson. Starring Sanaa Lathan, Raoul Bova, Lance Henriksen, Ewen Bremner, Colin Salmon 15 cert

Moronic but admirably unfussy science fiction beat-em-up in which well, you've read the title. The deluxe two-Disc set comes with a commentary by director Paul W.S. (that's to say, not the Boogie Nights bloke) Anderson. Perhaps he will deign to tell us what on earth is going on during the film's numerous, frustratingly stygian underground sequences. Donald Clarke

DE-LOVELY **

Directed by Irwin Winkler. Starring Kevin Kline, Ashley Judd, Jonathan Pryce, Allan Corduner, Kevin McNally, Sandra Nelson 12 cert

Hello, I'm Kevin Kline and welcome to the audio commentary on Irwin Winkler's clumsy Cole Porter biopic, which features the perfectly acceptable me in the title role. If I weren't in the wretched thing, then the combination of horrible musical cameos - Robbie Williams, Alanis Morissette, etc - and laboured storytelling would render the movie close to unwatchable. Definitely not the tops. Donald Clarke