Fall in 'Love' with new DVD

By Christopher Cousino

Daily Arts Writer

New Line Cinema's "Love and Basketball" just brought its game to the next level. Recently released on DVD, this unique romantic sports film is at the top of its game.

Aside from being one of the better films thus far in such a shoddy year of cinema, Gina Prince-Bythewood's "Love and Basketball" is a charming love story about two basketball players (Sanaa Lathan and Omar Epps) and their quest to become professional basketball players while falling in and out of love. What is so wonderful about this film is its focus.

"Love and Basketball" is a film about people and not about the "big" game or the last second shot. Prince-Bythewood is smart enough to not resort to the sport movie clichés; instead, she treats her audience with an interesting character study of femininity, relationships, parental roles and the price of success.

The real success story seems to lie in New Line's effort and good hustle on the DVD court. Churning out discs within months after their theater releases while chocking them full of extras seems to be a standard for New Line's DVDs (for starters, check out the amazing double-disc "Boogie Nights" and "Magnolia").

With "Love and Basketball," viewers get a playful back-and-forth commentary from both Prince-Bythewood and Lathan, as well as deleted scenes (yes, commentary on them too), animated storyboards, a trailer, a music video, a documentary and some rare audition tapes featuring early moments between Epps and Lathan.

While such a film may not have required such an extensive DVD, "Love and Basketball" may be one of the only films about women's basketball as opposed to men's. And one thing's for certain: Lathan and Prince-Bythewood messed around and scored a whole lot more than a triple-double in "Love and Basketball."