NEW DVDs

Donald Clarkeand Michael Dwyerreview the latest DVDs

WALL-E *****

Directed by Andrew Stanton. Voices of Ben Burtt, Elissa Knight, Sigourney Weaver Gen cert

Achieved with a wealth of imagination and originality, this captivating Pixar picture relates a most unusual - and endearing - love story, as one robot falls for another with beguiling consequences. Its ecological message is effectively expressed without moralising. And animation rarely ever has been more beautiful than in this bold, inspired and thrilling entertainment infused with wit, hope and humanity. MD

MAMMA MIA! ****

Directed by Phyllida Lloyd. Starring Meryl Streep, Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth, Stellan Skarsgård, Julie Walters PG cert

A diva in dungarees and a straw hat, Streep demonstrates how well she can sing and dance. Her effervescent performance is the beating heart of this exuberant, infectiously entertaining musical formed as a slender storyline strung together from the lyrics of Abba songs and shot on gorgeous Greek locations. The movie now ranks second to Titanicas the all-time Irish box-office champion. MD

SUMMER HOURS/L'HEURE D'ÉTÉ ****

Directed by Olivier Assayas. Starring Charles Berling, Juliette Binoche, Jérémie Rénier 12 cert

Assayas returns to the classically structured intimate drama that is forte in his picture of three siblings disagreeing over their mother's estate. The melancholy mood is sustained as the film reflects on the changing values of different generations, the significance of home in the age of globalisation, and the place of art in our lives. MD

CITY OF MEN/CIDADE DES HOMENS ***

Directed by Paulo Morelli. Starring Douglas Silva 15 cert

Not quite a sequel to City of God, Morelli's so-so drama, a spin-off from a TV series, takes some of the characters from the earlier film and sends them back into Rio's favelas. The film looks rather pallid when set beside its forerunner, but it works perfectly well as a high-class soap opera. DC

HANCOCK **

Directed by Peter Berg. Starring Will Smith, Charlize Theron, Jason Bateman, Eddie Marsan 12 cert

Hancock (Smith) is a drunken, foul-mouthed superhero in need of an image retool. The picure does start quite well, but as we topple past the halfway point, it rapidly descends into hopeless chaos. Still, Smith is predictably charismatic in the lead, and Bateman is charming as the PR man who seeks to clean up his act. DC

THE X-FILES: I WANT TO BELIEVE **

Directed by Chris Carter. Starring David Duchovny, Gillian Anderson, Xzibit, Amanda Peet, Billy Connolly 15 cert

Mulder and Scully emerge from retirement. Everything is as before, but the mystery - something involving Billy Connolly as a psychic priest - would seem thin if offered up as a mid-season episode of the late series. Following a disastrous run in cinemas, the film is released in a two-disc edition. DC

THE MUMMY: TOMB OF THE DRAGON EMPEROR *

Directed by Rob Cohen. Starring Brendan Fraser, Jet Li, Maria Bello, John Hannah, Michelle Yeoh, Liam Cunningham 12 cert

"It's the adventure of a thousand lifetimes!" the posters shriek. Well, it certainly feels that way. The third film in the Mummy franchise features yetis, dragons, kung fu and car chases. Indeed, the only thing missing from the movie is a decent mummy. If you thought this dire series had already hit its zenith, this noisy mess will persuade you to think again. DC

THE ACCIDENTAL HUSBAND *

Directed by Griffin Dunne. Starring Uma Thurman, Colin Firth, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Sam Shepard, Isabella Rossellini 12 cert

Thurman, a talkradio  host, advises Morgan's fiance to ditch her beloved. The spurned lover responds by instructing a hacker to alter the records in such a way as to suggest he (Morgan) and she (Thurman) are married. Look on the bright side. One glance at this pile of festering garbage confirms that the modern rom-com can't get any more debased. Or can it? DC

READER OFFER

Ten copies each of Wall-Eand Mamma Mia!are available to readers, courtesy of The Ticket and hmv. Text it8, film title, your name an address to 53307. One copy per person only. Texts cost 60c (network charges vary). Service by Phonovation Ltd (01-2844060). Full terms and conditions from the Promotions Department, The Irish Times(01-6758000)