DVD Guide

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (PG)

The fact that Ann Brashares's bestselling novel lost none of its charm or sweetness as a movie may be even more surprising than a pair of jeans that somehow fit four very different friends. The girls, preparing to spend their first summer apart, decide to mail the pants back and forth as a way to stay connected. Shy Lena (Alexis Bledel) is visiting her grandparents on the gorgeous Greek isle of Santorini. Reckless Bridget (Blake Lively) is bound for soccer camp in Mexico, while Carmen (America Ferrera) is spending the summer with her dad. Tibby (Amber Tamblyn) is stuck at home, working at a megastore and making a documentary about how pathetic her town is. Extras: A high tolerance for giggling is vital. Deleted scenes, "Fun on the set" and the actresses commenting on several scenes are among the options. Grade: B+
- Yvonne Zipp

For readers who missed this terrific noir on UPN (and that would be most of you, given the ratings), here's an opportunity to sink into the best-written TV show of last season. Veronica Mars (Kristen Bell) is a high-schooler who moonlights as a private detective (more Philip Marlowe than Nancy Drew, complete with hardboiled dialogue). Her best friend was murdered, and Veronica is determined to bring the killer to justice. Funny, dark, and multilayered, the mystery boasts one of the few TV finales worthy of the term "shocking." If you hurry, you can catch up with Season 2. Extras: Call Veronica, quick! Someone seems to have pilfered them - a few deleted scenes and an extended pilot are all that's left. Grade: A-
-Y.Z.