The oldest extant animated feature, The Adventures of Prince Achmed (1926) was made by Lotte Reiniger using the silhouette technique she invented. Reiniger manipulated cutouts made from cardboard and thin sheets of lead under the camera to create an Arabian Nights world of delicate, filigree backgrounds and intricately jointed figures. With the assistance of Aladdin, the Witch of the Fiery Mountain, and a magic horse, the title character battles the evil African sorcerer to win the hand of Princess Peri Banu. Working from surviving nitrate prints, German and British archivists have lovingly restored the film: the backgrounds are tinted in delicate pastels rather than the black and white of previously available versions. Included with the film is Katja Raganelli's pretty documentary on Reiniger, which erroneously insists Prince Achmed was the first animated feature "in the history of cinema. " Unrated: suitable for ages 8 and older; minor violence. -Charles Solomon.

Is your classical Greek rusty? This is just the thing-a feast of epic Greek mythology-and the classic tale of Good (Jason, Theseus, Hercules, Orpheus) versus Evil (angry gods, Poseidon, Harpies, the women of Lemnos) is a great introduction. The plot has been entertaining people for thousands of years and is still going strong-now strengthened by great special effects and good acting. Sure, some people will think this version isn't "high culture" enough (it's a bit reminiscent of The Clash of the Titans), but those folks should probably be reading Bulfinch's Mythology instead of watching TV anyway. The DVD includes a "making of" documentary, "notable and quotable," detailed cast and crew information, scene access, and Dolby surround sound. Even hard-core fans of Ray Harryhausen's 1963 stop-motion-animation version will find room in their hearts (and DVD libraries) for this one. Although the basic plot elements are the same, the two versions achieve very different (and both quite enjoyable) effects. The new Jason and the Argonauts is something kids and adults can all enjoy. -Tara Chace.

If you're a lifetime member of the Jennifer Connelly fan club, you'll be in the passionate minority of people (100% male) who won't care that this 1991 comedy is wallowing in its own oily puddle of lameness. The gorgeous Ms. Connelly is conspicuously put on display in this typically lightweight fluff from writer-producer John Hughes. Frank Whaley does his best to liven up the male-fantasy plot about a semi-nerdy teen who gets a night-watchman job in a variety store, only to find himself locked in overnight with the local knockout (Connelly), who's as rich as she is beautiful. She's also really unhappy with her home life and her bully boyfriend (Dermot Mulroney), so it's Frank's big opportunity to make his move as a sympathetic Romeo. Shallow and contrived, the movie does have its standard moments of John Hughes delicacy, and a cameo by the late John Candy scores bonus points for comedy. Still, it's clear that the movie exists primarily to satisfy adolescent lust-and with Connelly as the object of desire, this otherwise tiresome comedy is a triumph of wish-fulfillment casting. -Jeff Shannon.