UNIVERSAL Uncle Buck [DVD]

John Candy plays the jobless, happy-go-lucky slob of an uncle who is asked to babysit his niece and nephew (Gaby Hoffman and Macaulay Culkin) at short notice. His hidden flair for childcare soon emerges, even as his relationship with long-suffering girlfriend Chanice (Amy Madigan) takes a turn for the worse. John 'Home Alone' Hughes directs. Amazon.co.uk Review John Candy has one of his finest opportunities in this film by John Hughes (The Breakfast Club) about a perpetual screw-up (Candy) who gets his act together enough to watch over his brother's kids effectively. The late actor scores big points resurrecting elements of his more decadent persona from SCTV days, but he also has some persuasively touching, sentimental moments. Hughes's direction is not as focused as it was only a few years before, but there's no mistaking his touch. The DVD release has a widescreen presentation, production notes, biographies, Dolby sound, optional Spanish and French soundtracks. --Tom Keogh