The lighter side of Vin Diesel

After last year’s disastrous “Chronicles of Riddick,” movie tough guy Vin Diesel scored a box office hit with the Disney family comedy “The Pacifier” ($30).

In this fish-out-of-water comedy, Navy SEAL Diesel must guard a late scientist’s family. Of course, Diesel knows nothing about children, and the four charges are unruly and obnoxious.

But before you can say “Mary Poppins,” Diesel and the kids become the best of friends, and he manages to save the world as well as solve most of their problems.

The DVD extras are a mixed bag. The blooper reel is a bust except for the bits with the trained duck. An interview with Brad Garrett is as unfunny and bombastic as his performance is as a wrestling coach, but the mini-documentary on Diesel’s friendship with the twins who play the baby is cute.

The best extra on the DVD is the playful commentary with director Adam Shankman and screenwriters Thomas Lennon and Ben Grant, who originally wrote the screenplay for Jackie Chan.

Also new

“Diary of a Mad Black Woman” (Lions Gate, $29): One of the surprise hits of the spring was this gospel melodrama from actor/writer/producer Tyler Perry about an African American woman (Kimberly Elise) who is quite literally dragged out of her house by her coldhearted, womanizing lawyer husband (Steve Harris). Extras include a standard behind-the-scenes documentary, lively commentary from Perry and his message on the religious aspects of the film. Lions Gate is also releasing on DVD ($20 each) videotaped performances of several of Perry’s popular plays, including “I Can Do Bad All by Myself.”

“Gray Matter” (New Video, $27): The weak of stomach and the faint of heart will have a hard time watching this haunting documentary from filmmaker Joe Berlinger of “Brother’s Keeper” frame. Berlinger flew to Vienna in the fall of 2002 to be a witness to the funerals of the brains of more than 700 children subjected to experiments in a Nazi mental clinic in the 1930s and ‘40s. The film chronicles his attempts to track down the forensic psychologist, Heinrich Gross, who had allegedly conducted the experiments and continued to work with the brains for several decades. Includes compelling and emotional commentary from the filmmaker.

*

“Overnight” (Thinkfilm, $30): An eye-opening Hollywood documentary about the rise and fall of a bartender, Troy Duffy, who became the hottest property in Tinseltown after Miramax bought his first script, “Boondock Saints.” But Duffy let success go to his head and soon found himself persona non grata. The extras are a few deleted scenes and a cable interview with the directors.

*

“The Doris Day Show -- Season One” (MPI, $40): After starring in movies for 20 years, the popular actress moved to the small screen in 1968 with this CBS sitcom. Day plays a young widow with two sons who returns to the family ranch after living in the big city. The sitcom isn’t a classic, but Day is as perky and winning as ever. The set includes two of her appearances on the TV show “What’s My Line?”; interviews with two of her costars, James Hampton and Philip Brown; and video messages from Day promoting the show back in 1968.

*

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DVD sales

Here are the 10 top-selling DVDs for the week ending June 19. Rankings are compiled from a variety of major retailers, including Amazon.com, Best Buy, Blockbuster and Circuit City.

1. “Hitch”

2. “Tarzan II”

3. “Chappelle’s Show: Second Season”

4. “Be Cool”

5. “The Sopranos: Fifth Season”

6. “The Aviator”

7. “National Treasure”

8. “Casino: 10th Anniversary Edition”

9. “Team American: World Police”

10. “Are We There Yet?”

Source: DVDExclusive.com

Los Angeles Times