A Hefty Serving of Fate

Universal is guilty of a bit of overkill with its collector’s edition of the sentimental holiday fantasy “The Family Man” ($27). Granted, the “It’s a Wonderful Life”-esque comedy-drama took in more than $75 million at the box office, but that doesn’t warrant a DVD filled with tons of extras, including three separate audio tracks.

Nicolas Cage stars in “Family Man” as a high-powered New York executive who gets a chance to see what his life would have been like if he had married his college sweetheart (Tea Leoni). Don Cheadle also stars.

The DVD includes the wide-screen version of the film, a standard behind-the-scenes glimpse at the making of “Family Man,” too many outtakes and deleted scenes, a totally useless montage of the film’s characters saying, “Hi Jack,” to Cage’s character, a Seal music video and a rather unsatisfying “Choose Your Fate” interactive game.

Commentary regarding the score is provided by composer Danny Elfman. Producer Marc Abraham also has his own commentary track.

The third audio track is provided by director Brett Ratner (“Rush Hour”), who is joined by screenwriters David Diamond and David Weissman.

Ratner, who was a bit too cocky and obnoxious on his commentary for “Rush Hour,” seems to have matured over the past two years. He offers warm and generous praise to director of photography Dante Spinotti and frankly discusses how the relationship between Cage’s and Leoni’s characters at the beginning of the film recalled his own love affair with ex-girlfriend Rebecca Gayheart.

Ratner also points out the irony that this Christmas movie was directed, produced, written and composed by Jews. In fact, the suburban holiday scenes were all shot in an Orthodox Jewish neighborhood in Teaneck, N.J.

*

Ratner is also the producer of “Double Take” (Touchstone, $30), an unsatisfying caper comedy starring Orlando Jones as a Wall Street bigwig who is framed for murder and financial misdeeds. While on a train heading toward Mexico, he switches identities with a fast-talking con man (Eddie Griffin).

A very loose remake of the ‘50s classic “Across the Bridge,” the digital edition of “Double Take” includes the wide-screen version, production notes, trailers, writer-director George Gallo’s on-set diary (which starts out promisingly but quickly wears out its welcome) and a look at all the clues Gallo scattered throughout the film to help viewers figure out the murderer’s identity.

Gallo explains that it may take three or four viewings before one absorbs all the clues, but it’s doubtful most viewers will want to watch “Double Take” more than once. Gallo also provides the commentary.

*

Winnie the Pooh and his cuddly friends from the Hundred Acre Wood have several adventures in the new Disney made-for-video “The Book of Pooh: Stories From the Heart” ($24 for the VHS; $30 for the DVD).

Unlike the traditionally animated adaptations of A.A. Milne’s classic stories, “Book of Pooh,” based on the Disney Channel series of the same name, combines character puppets and computer-generated sets.

“Book of Pooh,” which is geared for very young children, finds Winnie the Pooh, Piglet and Tigger in Christopher Robin’s room awaiting the return of their playmate. They find the young boy’s favorite storybook, which is filled with tales about all of them. Each adventure includes a tune.

The DVD features a connect-the-dots game for the wee ones, an interactive puzzle and coloring book, character profiles and the “History of Winnie the Pooh: When Pooh Was Very Young.”

*

The ever versatile Samuel L. Jackson is the best reason to check out the uneven suspense thriller “The Caveman’s Valentine” (Universal, $27).

Based on the bestseller by George Dawes Green, “Caveman’s Valentine” explores the mind of a schizophrenic musician named Romulus (Jackson) who lives in a cave in Manhattan. When he finds a frozen corpse outside his cave, he risks what sanity he has remaining to find the murderer.

The DVD includes the wide-screen version of the film, production notes, deleted scenes and interesting commentary from director Kasi Lemmons and editor Terilyn Shropshire.

*

The comedy “Saving Silverman” (Columbia TriStar, $25) is definitely a guy film. Columbia is offering the comedy in its PG-13 release version or the R-rated version, which includes stronger language and some thoroughly gratuitous nudity.

Jason Biggs plays a young man who falls in love with a demanding shrink (Amanda Peet), much to the chagrin of his two slacker buddies (Steve Zahn and Jack Black).

The DVD includes previews, talent files, deleted scenes and commentary from director Dennis Dugan (“Big Daddy”), who tends to call everybody by their last name (“I love Zahn”) and sounds like a frat guy while discussing how beautiful he finds all the women in the movie.

The glittery Neil Diamond shirt that Black and Zahn keep under glass in their house is really one of Diamond’s vintage shirts and was actually insured for $25,000.

*

Much more entertaining than “Saving Silverman” are the collector’s editions of the silly but very funny comedies “Wayne’s World” (1992) and 1993’s “Wayne World’s 2” (Paramount, $25). In fact, they are “excellent.”

Both films are based on the popular “Saturday Night Live” sketch starring Mike Myers and Dana Carvey as the ultimate party dudes, schwing -ers Wayne and Garth, who host their own TV cable show from the basement of Wayne’s home in Aurora, Ill. .

Both DVDs include very clever animated menus, though Paramount has the wrong date of “Wayne’s World 2” in the menu. The film didn’t come out in 1994 as stated, but in 1993.

Each film features a short but fact-filled documentary, including new interviews with Myers; Carvey; Penelope Spheeris, who directed “Wayne’s World”; Stephen Surjik, who directed “Wayne’s World 2”; producer Lorne Michaels; and co-star Rob Lowe.

The directors also supply interesting audio commentaries on their respective films.