DVD guide

Duma (PG)

"Duma" is one cool cat. We're first introduced to Duma (which means "cheetah" in Swahili) as an orphaned cub when he wanders onto a South African highway and is almost run over by Peter (Campbell Scott) and his son, Xan (Alex Michaeletos). The cheetah grows up on the family's farm until Xan's father dies, forcing the boy and his mother to move to the city. Realizing that his pet will be put into captivity, Xan runs away on a mission to return his fleet-footed friend to the wild. Director Carroll Ballard knows his way around animals, having made "The Black Stallion" and "Fly Away Home." As in those films, he tugs at the heartstrings but deftly avoids yanking them. Finding a family film that doesn't pander to its audience is as refreshing as the oasis that Xan and Duma find at the far edge of a desert. Grade: A-
- Stephen Humphries

Brilliant But Cancelled (Not Rated)

"Brilliant But Cancelled," the Trio network's self-explanatory, edgy series featuring great TV killed before its time, is coming not just to DVD on May 23, but to a website as well (www.brilliantbutcancelled.com). The two, separate DVDs feature shows that showcase big names from TV history, current and beyond, including "Delvecchio" a detective show from Steven Bochco back in the 1970s, and "Gideon Oliver," a crime drama from Law & Order's Dick Wolf. Also included: "EZ Streets," a crime drama from Paul Haggis, creator of the Oscar-winning "Crash." In 1997, critics voted the series program of the year but it was canceled all the same. The discs and website are a good way to cut through the clutter of the DVD marketplace and find, well, the truly brilliant. Grade: A
- Gloria Goodale