New DVDs: 'Shrek' and 'Close Encounters'

Pick of the week: Close Encounters
Dog of the week: Cougar Club

"Shrek the Third" the DVD plays a lot like the hit animated film series -- lots of familiar elements with a few new moves to keep things interesting. Why drain the bog when it's already good and fragrant?

We get the blooper reel (CG animation gone wild), some more story pitch sessions (zzz), the "Tech of Shrek" and a handful of games for the young fans. Click on the Shrek ears and you get a reprise of Donkey's bare-hoofin' musical numbers from the past two DVDs.

The best extra for big kids is the making-of featurette, which checks in with returning vocal stars Michael Myers, Cameron Diaz, Eddie Murphy and Antonio Banderas. The short gives equal time to newcomers Justin Timberlake, Eric Idle and the sassy ladies of "Saturday Night Live." Mixed in with the obligatory praise-a-thon is some interesting footage of these pros at work.

The DVD's audio and visuals are first rate, what you'd expect from this big-bucks project. The 5.1 audio fills the room, but there's not much going on directionally in the rear speaker kingdom. The pop songs sound great, particularly when the 5.1 throws down the funk on Sly's "Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)."

The big releases this week include ""Close Encounters of the Third Kind"" on Blu-ray (review to come), Criterion's sprawling "Berlin Alexanderplatz" and Warner's revival of "That's Entertainment."

Don't overlook "Midnight Movies," one of the lower-profile releases of the week. The docu explores the theatrical phenomenon that started with "El Topo" and slithered on with "Pink Flamingos," "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" and "Eraser Head." The directors all roll out to thank the exhibition geniuses who kept the stoners off the streets and in the theaters. If any of these films bring back some fond hazy memories, be sure to stay up late for this DVD.

New and notable:
Amazing Grace (Fox)
Berlin Alexanderplatz (The Criterion Collection)
Blame It On Fidel (Koch Lorber Films)
Bloodhounds of Broadway (Fox)
The Girl Next Door (Fox)
With A Song In My Heart (Fox)
Christmas Time in South Park (Paramount)
Close Encounters of the Third Kind (Sony)
Golden Boy (Sony)
It's a Wonderful Life (Paramount)
La Vie En Rose (Warner)
Masters of Horror: Dream Cruise (Anchor Bay)
Melrose Place: The Third Season (Paramount)
Midnight Movies (Starz)
Ocean's Thirteen (Warner)
Perry Mason: Season 2, Volume 2 (Paramount)
The Princess Bride (MGM)
Shrek the Third (Universal)
That's Entertainment: The Complete Collection (Warner)
This Is England (Genius Products)
3000 Miles (Revolver Entertainment)
Welcome to the Jungle (Dimension Extreme)

Complete list of this week's releases on my pal Harley's site, onvideo.org