‘Fahrenheit 9/11’ available on DVD

“Fahrenheit 9/11”

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Michael Moore takes on the Bush administration’s war on Iraq. Moore’s so-called truth is similar to what Oliver Stone put forth in “JFK,” which paired wishful thinking with a sense of self-

righteous outrage. Yet Moore’s shotgun approach of accusation does, at times, hit dead on. At the very least, he’s forcing public debate instead of joining the lock-step march toward unquestioning support of controversial govern-

mental policies that revered journalists such as Dan Rather tend to do with alarming enthusiasm – only to stumble, later on, when they try to recover their sense of balance. (DVD, VHS; 2:02; rated R for violent and disturbing images, language)

“Aladdin” (DVD)

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This Disney offering, based on the Arabian folk tale, only gets better with repeated viewings (which is what most parents of pre-schoolers are likely to experi-

ence, especially now that the film is out on DVD). While not quite a masterpiece in the vein of “The Little Mermaid” and “Beauty and the Beast” (it aroused controversy because of what was called its “stereotypical” portrayal of Arabs), “Aladdin” remains a fine repre-

sentation of the kind of animated musical that resurrected Disney’s reputation in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s. The Oscar-winning songs are hummable, the animated effects are impressive, the love story is compelling and Robin Williams (as the manic genie of the lamp) proves once again that he’s a top talent – even if you only can hear him. (DVD only; 1:30; rated G)

“The Decline of the American Empire”

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As bad as its sequel (2003’s “The Barbarian Invasions”) is good, French-Canadian filmmaker Denis Arcand’s 1986 look at a group of friends – mostly college professors – has them sitting around, eating and drinking and discussing things to death. Never have observations on sex, in particular, seemed more vacuous and mean-spirited. (DVD; 1:42; rated R for boasting sexual situations, graphic language)

“Saved!”

Director Brian Dannelly satirizes the Christian youth culture with this look at an evangelical high school that stars Jena Malone as the naïve narrator, Mandy Moore as the campus queen who can make even scripture seem like an insult and Macaulay Culkin as her paraplegic brother. A USA Today critic called it “the antidote to the lugubrious and savage piety of ‘The Passion of the Christ’ ” and “a departure from the insipid teen comedies that Hollywood routinely churns out.” (DVD, VHS; 1:32; rated PG-13 for strong thematic issues involving teens, sexual content, pregnancy, smoking, language)

Now available: “Aladdin” (DVD), “Fahrenheit 9/11,” “The Decline of the American Empire” (DVD), “Saved!”

Available Tuesday: “The Day After Tomorrow,” “Raising Helen,” “The Wire: The Complete First Season.”