A fine assortment of titles highlight this week's new releases, or, as Dave Chappelle would say, "Bam!"

Dave Chappelle's Block Party (2005; $21.75). What better way could there be to well and truly kick off the summer? Writes Salon's Stephanie Zacharek: "Block Party - directed by Michel Gondry, and shot on film, not video, by Gondry's frequent collaborator, cinematographer Ellen Kuras - is partly a performance documentary, a record of an afternoon-into-evening concert at the L-shaped intersection of two quiet Bed-Stuy streets: The artists featured on the program include Erykah Badu, Jill Scott, Kanye West, the Roots... as well as, remarkably, the reunited Fugees. But Block Party is also a record of Chappelle just horsing around, both in New York and Ohio. And Chappelle's horsing around is often funnier, and more brilliant, than the routines other comedians spend months honing."

Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005; $20.98). Shane Black, the screenwriter who created the Lethal Weapon franchise, bites the hand that feeds him in his directorial debut. His own hand, basically, in a "violent, neo-Chandleresque LA thriller with a convoluted plot, lashings of hellzapoppin' comedy, and a design that absorbs the pulpiness and cynicism of Quentin Tarantino, Elmore Leonard and Modesty Blaise," writes the Guardian's Peter Bradshaw. Featuring Robert Downey, Jr. and Val Kilmer having a blast.

Valley of the Dolls Special Edition (1970; $19.74) and Beyond the Valley of the Dolls (1973; $19.74). "The glory of Valley of the Dolls - the flashy, trashy '67 inside-showbiz epic based on the Jackie Susann novel - is that no one involved seemed in on the joke; they took all the eyelash-batting, pill-popping histrionics seriously," writes Michael Musto in the Village Voice. "Three years later, Russ Meyer's Beyond the Valley of the Dolls added a layer of perspective to the big-haired theatrics. Though Meyer reportedly spent much time on the set discussing 'motivations' with his cast, the raunchmeister was clearly leading them on; he knew he was serving up a giant camp tease, the latest in his tit-and-wit epics like Mondo Topless and Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!"

The World's Fastest Indian (2005; $20.41). Anthony Hopkins charms in the true story of New Zealander Burt Munro takes his 1920 Indian Scout motorcycle to the annual Speed Week at Bonneville Salt Flats, Utah. Doesn't sound like much, we know, but as Philip French put it in the Observer, it's "the most determinedly feel-good picture we're likely to see this year." The disc also features the original documentary, Offerings to the God of Speed, also by the same director, Roger Donaldson.

Also out this week: Forty Shades of Blue (2005; $18.65); Green Street Hooligans (2005; $20.98); The Pink Panther (2006; $23.85); The Rat Pack Collection (1960 - 1964; $33.95); 16 Blocks (2005; $25.45); Before the Fall (2005; $21.75).

New anime: Gilgamesh - Tablet 07: All Fall Down (2005; $19.91). The series "is worth watching just for its many visual and textual novelties," says SciFi.com. "Series this consistently grave and adult are as rare as series with such an unusual design. But as the plot keeps opening up, it also promises that there's far more going on than has yet met the eye."

A complete list of this week's New Releases | Coming Soon | New Releases Archive | Your Queue

 With his Tristram Shandy: A Cock and Bull Story now officially coming to DVD July 11, ye shall revisit our recent interview with Michael Winterbottom. "Tristram Shandy, the unfilmable novel, is not so unfilmable after all," writes David D'Arcy, introducing the conversation he had with the director when his meta-adaptation of Laurence Sterne's 18th century classic, starring Steve Coogan, premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival. Read Full Article >>

GreenCine Daily maps the path of an independent film, while also checking in with the Seattle Int'l Film Fest, along with the usual suspects - events, links and tips from the world of film.

The above rock-doc may be a perfect gift for Father's Day, which is this coming Sunday. And just for that occasion, GreenCine honors dads everywhere with a list of favorite Dad-centered movies. See it now on the right side of the GC home page.

Speaking of lists, the member list of the week shout-out goes to csouther for his "If my desert island was a hospital bed" list. DVDs to get one through a long recovery process... Get well soon, CS!