Writer/director Wes Anderson has already established himself as a quirky and unique filmmaker with his first two films, “Rushmore” and “Bottle Rocket.” Last year saw the release of his third film, “The Royal Tenenbaums,” and he proved once again his ability to make an intriguing and charming film.

“The Royal Tenenbaums” has now made its way to DVD, not as a regular release, but as part of one of the definitive DVD collections, The Criterion Collection. With a Criterion release, you are almost assured quality in every aspect, and “Tenenbaums” does not disappoint in any area.

“The Royal Tenenbaums” is an interesting story of a dysfunctional family where each member continues to live in their former glory. The three children, Chas, Margot and Richie (played by Ben Stiller, Gwyneth Paltrow and Luke Wilson, respectively) are child geniuses, each of whom had a unique gift, but have over the last 20 years been abandoning much of what they were.

When their father, Royal Tenenbaum (Gene Hackman) shows up and announces he has six weeks left to live, the family ends up living under the same roof again with mother and wife Etheline (Anjelica Houston), only to start to discover new things about themselves and each other, as well as old grievances.

“The Royal Tenenbaums” has its own unique charm and the whole cast brings a lot of personality to the characters. The story is intriguing and really draws you into the life of the characters, as watching the family interact is an enjoyable experience.

Criterion is known for their quality DVDs, and the same treatment has been given to “Tenenbaums.” The video and sound are just the beginning, as each one is very well done and helps bring alive certain aspects of the film, from the rich colors used throughout, to the perfectly themed-music for each character and scene.

Criterion has not overloaded the DVD with too many extras, but what is included is very nicely done. The main feature is the commentary by Wes Anderson, which, although slow moving, is very informative and interesting. While it would have been nice to have cast members on the commentary, there is a great selection of interviews from the main eight stars as well.

Deleted scenes have been included, but only two of them, so they are not a major feature. There are some outtakes though, which are enjoyable and a nice extra to find. There is also a massive collection of images that includes everything from production photos to storyboards, and even all the art created by Wes Anderson’s brother, Eric, that represents young Richie’s take on the family’s lives.

Rounding out the extras are two features, one focusing on the actors, one on the director. The “Peter Bradley Show” extra has interviews with some of the movie’s extras, but is rather slow and uninteresting.

The other, however, “With The Filmmaker,” is a very good feature, as it follows Wes Anderson through the production of the film and gives a unique view into his work.

Wes Anderson’s movies are certainly not for everyone, but they are unique and charming and worth a try.

If you find you do enjoy his work, The Criterion release of “The Royal Tenenbaums” is an excellent DVD to own and has included enough goodies to keep you interested after the movie is over.