Barbershop, the surprise hit of 2002 comes to DVD from MGM as a not-so-surprising special edition. Though the supplements are very good, the highlight of this disc is the image. Framed at 1.85:1, and anamorphic, this transfer is nearly flawless. Detail is amazingly strong, while colors are precise. Skin tones are perfectly realized as well. This is one of those pictures that is equal to the theatrical print in every way. The sound is also quite good, but not outstanding. The 5.1 Dolby Digital track shows some separation, but is basically centered up front. The surrounds show no life, which is a shame, but not altogether a surprise for this type of lower budget, character-driven film. As for those extras, a nice variety is included. For starters, there is a commentary track from director Tim Story, writer Don D. Scott, and producers Robert Teitel and George Tillman Jr. that is a pleasure to listen to. Four featurettes are also quite entertaining. The longest, "The Final Cut," covers the making of the film, while the three shorter ones look at the costumes, set design, and a humorous piece on "hair-do's" and "don'ts." In addition to this are seven deleted scenes. Each is very brief and would have added little to the movie. A standard photo gallery is also included, with pictures of the cast, shots from the movie, and a behind the scenes. Along with trailers for this film are those for Rollerball and What's the Worst That Could Happen?, as well as an MGM promotional spot, and wrapping thing up is a multiple choice barber trivia game. Fans of this film -- and there are plenty -- will no doubt be happy with what is offered.

Dark laughs penetrate director Danny De Vito's black comedy Death to Smoochy. The film is presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen and sports a very solid transfer. The colors (lots and lots of them) and black levels are all detailed and well saturated without any imperfections to mar the image. Overall, Warner has done a very nice job with this film's picture. The soundtrack is presented in Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround in English and French. This is a very pleasant 5.1 mix that features a good amount of directional effects and sounds. While the film isn't a heavy action movie, there are some great effects that pop out of both the front and rear speakers. All aspects of this mix are free and clear of any hiss or distortion. Also included on this disc are English, French, and Spanish subtitles. Death to Smoochy sports a fair amount of extra features, starting with a lively commentary track by director Danny De Vito and director of photography Anastas Michos. This is a very informative commentary that features De Vito slathering the cast and crew with praise, as well as stories about the film's production. Ten deleted scenes (with title card explanations) are included that allow the viewer to see what ended up on the editing room floor. "The Magic Cookie Bag" includes five galleries (production, costume, set design, behind-the-scenes photos, etc.) while a reel of bloopers and outtakes shows how funny the cast can be when they flub their lines. Finally, there is a neat behind-the-scenes documentary with tons of footage from the shoot, three trailers for the film, some DVD-ROM content, cast and director highlights, and a pointless "Interactive Ice Show" that allows the viewer to rearrange the angles from that specific scene.