The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button is out this week in a two-disc Criterion Collection DVD. What’s even more curious is that I was sure when I saw the trailer for this whimsical tale of a man who is born old and then grows younger starring Brad Pitt, it was going to be Forrest Gump backwards and I was going to hate it. But David Fincher’s (Fight Club, Zodiac) visually sumptuous fable (based on a short story by F. Scott Fitzgerald story) works beautifully. Aside from the technically staggering special effects, this story of an age-challenged man’s journey is especially moving. Through the FX Pitt gives a surprisingly witty, warm and wise performance and Cate Blanchett is simply luminous. Tilda Swinton, Taraji P. Henson and Jared Harris also stand out in memorable roles. The screenplay by Eric Roth, photography by Claudio Miranda and music by Alexandre Desplat all complement this magical manufactured history perfectly. The Criterion disc has wonderful extras -- the step-by-step examination of Pitt's aging/"younging" process, the film’s storyboard, stills gallery, and audio commentary from director Fincher.