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(VCI, Not Rated, DVD-$39.95 SRP) In 1963, producer Jay Ward (of Rocky & Bullwinkle fame), launched a series called Fractured Flickers. Aided by his trusty
writers, the series took old silent short subjects and newsreel footage and replaced the audio – to hilarious results. Long before What's Up Tiger, Lily?, Fractured Flickers
was creating re-dubbed gems, all 26 episodes of which are collected in this 3-disc DVD set. Huzzah! |
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(Rhino, Not Rated, DVD-$49.95 SRP) I'm a sucker for G.I. Joe. Much like the Transformers, it was one of those shows that helped define my pop culture saturated
childhood. Maybe that's why the G.I. Joe: Season 2 Part 1
set went to the top of my viewing list, as I rewatched the arrival of Serpentor in the 5-part "Arise Serpentor Arise!" and the classic "Cobrathon" episode. The 3-disc set contains 15 episodes, plus an interview with voice actor Hank Garrett (Dialtone) and producer/storyboard artist Larry Houston.
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(Rhino, Not Rated, DVD-$24.95 SRP) I don't know why, but after years of holding the home video license for Mystery Science Theater 3000, Rhino decided in the last year or so to
really kick their release schedule into over drive… Not that I'm complaining, mind you. I love their 4-film Collection
box sets, and I'm also happy they finally got around to releasing a true MST classic in their Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Essentials
2-disc set. While the set contains the previously released (but still classic) Manos: The Hands of Fate, the real draw is the new-to-disc release of Joel & the Bots taking on
Santa Claus Conquers the Martians. I'm positively giddy. The set contains the bonus short Hired: Part II (Part 1 runs before Manos) and the original MST3K
blooper reel. Did I mention how giddy I am? |
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(Buena Vista, Not Rated, DVD-$69.99 SRP) It was during the third season of Alias
that all of the severe mindf**** began to occur, leaving our heroine with a two-year memory gap, unaware of who trust and what exactly happened. While not as good as the previous seasons (one can take only so many twists before burnout sets in), it's still better than most of the dreck on TV (that means you,
Enterprise). The 6-disc set contains all 22 episodes in anamorphic widescreen, plus an animated segment filling in some of Sydney's 2-year gap, a behind-the-scenes featurette, deleted
scenes, bloopers, commentaries, the Monday Night Football teaser, and a presentation from the Museum of Television & Radio about creating characters. |
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(Universal, Not Rated, DVD-$89.95 SRP) The strongest part of the period primetime soap opera American Dreams
– which looks at the changing social and political landscape inhabited by a mid-sized northeastern family in the early 60's – are the recreations of classic music performances from Dick Clark's
American Bandstand
(a venue integral to the plot). The complete first season set features extended versions of the musical sets, which find stars like Usher, Michelle Branch, Ashanti, and Kelly Rowland portraying some of the legends of that era. The 7-disc set features audio commentaries, classic
Bandstand clips, and a Brian Williams-hosted episode of Timeline about the 1963-64 period of time the show's first season takes place in. |
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(Fox, Not Rated, DVD-$59.95 SRP) In some ways, the fourth season of Joss Whedon's Angel
was both its strongest and weakest outing. I enjoyed the year-long attempt at a heavy continuity, but was disappointed that it came at the expense of completely destroying the character of Cordelia Chase. That they also squandered the potential of Angel's son, Connor, was just criminal. You can decide for yourself by jumping into the 6-disc set, containing all 22 episodes plus audio commentaries, featurettes, and outtakes.
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(Miramax, Rated R, DVD-$34.95 SRP) I first heard about Clerks
from my cousin during a visit while I was attending NYU. She raved up and down about this black & white flick that looked like crap, but was really, really funny. Oh – and it had lots of cussing. A true cinephile, my cousin. During that visit, she popped the tape in, and within about 15 minutes I fell asleep. Sound asleep. Despite my reaction, my cousin kept on watching. It took me another few years to try viewing Kevin Smith's debut again, and by this time I had seen and enjoyed
Chasing Amy, and was a bit intrigued by the film that had so turned me off. The second time around, I both stayed awake and got a kick out of the linear misadventures of Dante &
Randall, enthralled by the rough-around-the-edges charm of the whole affair. Well, imagine my shock when I learned that the film was celebrating its 10th
anniversary with a 3-disc special edition, Clerks: X. All of the bonus materials from the original release are duplicated, while new goodies include the original cut of the film (with a
brand-new commentary allowing an angle switchover to video recorded during the commentary session), the Tonight Show
"Flying Car" short, restoration featurettes, a massive documentary on the making of the film, a 10th
anniversary Q&A with the cast and crew, articles and reviews, and more. And I didn't sleep through a bit of it. |
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(Universal, Not Rated, DVD-$59.98 SRP) It's always a treat when a show that you remember liking a great deal still holds the same charm and quality when you experience it on DVD sometimes years
later. Such is the case with Columbo: The Complete First Season. Even if the writing wasn't there to support it, Peter Falk's shuffling, unkempt detective would still have been memorable,
as the 7 films (plus the two original movies) in this 5-disc set attest. Trivia buffs should also keep in mind that the third TV movie was directed by a young Steven Spielberg. |
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(Miramax, Rated PG-13, DVD-$29.95 SRP) I'm not going to eviscerate Kevin Smith's first non-Askewniverse flick, Jersey Girl. That's mostly because I don't want to discourage him from
trying to branch out again, instead of crawling back to Jay & Silent Bob (which, sadly, he's already announced). Honestly, the real problem with this outing is the decided lack of confidence by which
Smith executes his rather heartfelt tale of a widowed single father (Ben Affleck) who begins to put his life back together with a new love (Liv Tyler) and the support of his eccentric father (George
Carlin). You can do it, Kev! Bonus features include an audio commentary with Smith and Affleck, a second commentary (with Smith, producer Scott Mosier, and Jason Mewes), a conversation with Affleck and
Smith, the Tonight Show "Roadside Attractions" segments, and a behind-the-scenes special. |
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(MGM/UA, Not Rated, DVD-$14.95 SRP) Few people remember that William Shatner had quite a powerful role in the original Judgement at Nuremberg. Pathetic geek that I am, I did know
that, and it was one of the main hooks that originally got me to watch this remarkable tale of a post-WWII war crimes tribunal, headed by an American judge (Spencer Tracy) forced to make a difficult
decision. |
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(Universal, Not Rated, DVD-$59.98 SRP) It's still hard to accept, but while watching the first season of Magnum: P.I., I could see why Lucas & Spielberg wanted Tom Selleck to play
their adventuring archeologist, Indiana Jones. Selleck is affable and roguish, but it was his contractual obligation to Magnum
that allowed Harrison Ford to step into the fabled fedora. The first season holds up well… But personally, I was always a Higgins fan. |
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(Fox, Rated PG, DVD-$14.98 SRP) I don't care what people say – I love The Man With One Red Shoe. It was made in a time before Tom Hanks got an lodged firmly up his… career… and
it co-starred Carrie Fisher and the great Charles Durning. I love anything with Charles Durning in it. He's my Kryptonite. |
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(Paramount, Not Rated, DVD-$39.95 SRP) Before it lost its energy, Mork & Mindy
was – and I say this honestly – one of the funniest shows on television. Of course, I was a kid when I first saw it (and yes, I owned a Mork doll and a pair of rainbow suspenders, but that's besides the point). But if you doubt my assertion, check out the
Complete First Season and see what I'm talking about. There was a time when Robin Williams was funny and not just annoying… Seriously… |
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(Lion's Gate, Rated, DVD-$27.95 SRP) I honestly think that The Punisher – along with Hulk and Daredevil
– should be required viewing for anyone even attempting an adaptation of a classic comic character. Let that triumvirate of crap be a cautionary tale to all those seeking to follow the same path of half-a**ed execution. Avi – why don't you go form a production company with Berman & Braga in a deep, dark hole somewhere. The anamorphic DVD contains an audio commentary with director Jonathan Hensleigh, a making-of featurette, an interview with comic writer Garth Ennis, and more.
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(MGM/UA, Not Rated, DVD-$26.95 SRP) I guess they were trying to make an urban version of Airplane!, but maybe the makers of Soul Plane
should have tried for funny instead. The DVD contains outtakes, deleted scenes, an audio commentary, a making-of featurette, survivor safety video, photo gallery, trailer, and a spotlight on the director.
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(Lion's Gate, Not Rated, DVD-$44.95 SRP) Even though the third season of Will & Grace
provided the first glimpses of the stunt-casting gone awry that would envelope the show in later seasons, the ensemble was still firing on all cylinders – and they really are one of the most pitch-perfect comedy troupes on TV today. As far as bonus materials go, ignore the lame "themed featurettes" (basically just clips set to music) and go for the blooper reels from the first three seasons – there's the gold.
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(HBO, Not Rated, DVD-$39.95 SRP) The HBO miniseries adaptation of Tony Kushner's Pulitzer Prize-winning play Angels in America
is a vivid, heartbreaking, and beautiful piece of work. It handles its subject matter – the scourge of AIDS in the 80's and the lives it affects – with a force and emotion not often seen on the small screen, and it pulls no punches in its presentation of the social and political machinations at work during that period.
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(Columbia/Tristar, Not Rated, DVD-$29.95 SRP) I have a power over you. If I were to even type the first line of a certain theme song, it's a pretty safe bet that you would instantly be compelled to finish
the entire tune… That's the horrible power that pop culture holds over my generation. Here… Let's try… "Oh the world don't move to the beat of just one drum…" You finished it, didn't you? You'll probably
also want to pick up the complete first season of Diff'rent Strokes. You know – the season with Mrs. Garrett (Charlotte Rae), before she left for The Facts of Life
("You take the good, you take the bad…"). Bonus materials include a pair of featurettes featuring all the principals save for Gary Coleman (yes, Conrad Bain still lives), and audio commentaries with writer Fred Rubin.
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(HBO, Not Rated, DVD-$44.98 SRP) When people aren't clamoring for Seinfeld to get its DVD release, they've been demanding Ray Romano's Everybody Loves Raymond.
Well, they can feel happy on both counts, but the complete first season of Raymond
is the first to make it out of the gate with a 5-disc set featuring all 22 episodes. Bonus features include 2 audio commentaries (with Romano and series creator Phil Rosenthal), three behind-the-scenes featurettes, and Romano's
Letterman appearance that led to the idea for the show. |
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(Walt Disney, Rated PG, DVD-$29.95 SRP) Okay, so it signaled the death knell for Disney and traditional animation, but is Home on the Range
all that bad? Sadly, yes. Those groan-inducing trailers full of poor bovine jokes weren't lying, folks. There's plenty of beautiful animation to behold – the technical aspects of recent Disney films have been top-notch – but the story is just a mess. Well, that's what happens when executives stick their empty heads into the script process. The anamorphic DVD contains deleted scenes with filmmaker intros, a making-of featurette, a bonus short, and a wretched music video (Disney, please stop this).
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(Touchstone, Rated R, DVD-$29.95 SRP) While it in no way approaches of the genius of the Alec Guinness original, I did enjoy the Coen Brothers's offbeat southern gothic remake of
The Ladykillers. Filling Guinness's shoes as the oily ringleader seeking to take advantage of the proximity of a kindly old woman's home to a nearby casino, Tom Hanks acquits himself admirably.
If you didn't catch this in theaters, I suggest you give it a shot. Bonus features include outtakes, deleted music scenes, and a featurette on guitar-maker Danny Ferrington. |
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(Fox, Not Rated, DVD-$39.95 SRP) I don't know what it is, but a certain "something" was lost when the various TV series that had begun their run in the 1960's made their transition to color.
The Andy Griffith Show, Gilligan's Island, Bewitched… There's just some kind of intangible quality missing. Another show that went through that transition is
Lost in Space, and you can see the differences for yourself in the previously available black & white first season and the first volume of Season 2, which contains the first half of the
inaugural color season. There are no bonus features to speak of – just 16 episodes filled with the mincing creepiness of Dr. Smith and the lovable robotic cries of "Danger, Will Robinson!" |
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(Fox, Rated R, DVD-$29.95 SRP) While it's a bit too hyperkinetic for my tastes, there are worse ways to kill a weekend than watching Denzel Washington rampage across the screen as a
washed-up CIA operative who's begun to rebuild his life while guarding a young girl (played by creepy Dakota Fanning) - who gets kidnapped on his watch. Hence the rampaging. Man on Fire
is like Michael Bay on acid, and I'm not sure yet if that's a good thing… Right now, it's just profoundly headache-inducing. The DVD contains audio commentaries with director Tony Scott, Fanning, producer Lucas Foster, and screenwriter Brian Helgeland.
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(Warner Bros., Rated PG, DVD-$27.95 SRP) Let this in no way be construed as an endorsement, but the second Scooby-Doo film, Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed, *is* better than the first
live action outing. Of course, considering how abysmal that first film was, it really doesn't take much to be better. Both Linda Cardellini (as Velma) and Matthew Lillard (as Shaggy) are standouts, and
there are plenty of nods to old school Scooby fans as the Mystery, Inc. crew take on supernatural manifestations of some of their classic villains. Tar monster, anyone? Bonus materials include additional
scenes, 2 music videos, a featurette on how they made Scooby dance, the True Ghoul Hollywood Story, and a look at the moviemaking process. |
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(Fox, Not Rated, DVD-$14.95 SRP) While we deal with the interminable wait between seasonal sets, Simpsons
fans can get a quick, cheap fix from another of Fox's single disc, 4-episode smorgasbord releases. The Simpsons Gone Wild features "Homer's Night Out," "Sunday, Cruddy Sunday," "The
Mansion Family," and "Homer the Moe." |
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(Paramount, Not Rated, DVD-$49.95 SRP) I was able to pull myself away from the jaws of the Survivor
beast after the end of their second outing (the Outback) and never looked back. Sadly, my curiosity got the better of me and I got sucked into watching Survivor: All-Stars. It's like the
best and worse things you can imagine about, say, your average family reunions – there are only a few people you care to see, the rest are annoying, and you can't help but laugh at how dysfunctional it
all is. All-Stars delivers this in spades. The 7-disc complete seasons features the 2 reunion specials, bonus footage, audio commentary by various castmembers, and a half-dozen featurettes.
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(Warner Bros., Rated R, DVD-$26.99 SRP) If anyone wants to backtrack to the moment when George Lucas became an embittered Hollywood outsider, they need look no further than the harsh treatment his
avant garde (and, truth be told, tedious) first film received at the hand of both Tinsletown execs and the viewing public. If Stanley Kubrick had decided to make an adaptation of both Star Wars
and 1984 as a single film, it probably would have looked and felt like THX 1138, Lucas's stark tale of a man (Robert Duvall) whose mind and body are controlled by the
government. It's also probably the most honest Lucas has been about his own cold, clinical emotional style as a filmmaker (later films would be humanized via collaborators or in the case of the
Star Wars
prequels, not at all). The 2-disc special edition DVD is worth picking up for its stunning presentation (both remastered sound and video), plus a solid assortment of bonus materials including an audio commentary (with Lucas and co-writer/sound designer Walter Murch), an isolated music and effects track with branching video segments, a documentary examining the early years of Coppola's American Zoetrope filmmaking experiment, a making-of documentary, Lucas's original student film version of
THX 1138, a vintage production featurette, and trailers. |
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(MGM/UA, Rated R, DVD-$29.95 SRP) A series of short story vignettes with an edge (aided and abetted by the stark black & white presentation), Jim Jarmusch's Coffee and Cigarettes
is a brilliant little experiment in the art of conversation. Loaded with combinations both brilliant (Bill Murray with rappers RZA & GZA) and engrossingly baffling (Tom Waits and Iggy Pop), every
vignette is told over – you guessed it – coffee and cigarettes. The DVD contains a Billy Murray outtake, Taylor Mead interview, "Tabletops," and the theatrical trailer. |
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(Paramount, Not Rated, DVD-$29.95 SRP) There's nothing so gut-level funny as a good old-fashioned crank call. Add puppets into the mix and you get two things – surreal delirium and Crank
Yankers: Season 1. This 2-disc collection of all 10 episodes is presented uncensored, meaning no bleeps to be found. Bonus features include two unaired calls and the "Dial 'T' for Torment"
documentary on the creation of the show (and here's a shout-out to my buddy BJ Guyer… Just because...). |
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(Buena Vista, Not Rated, DVD-$59.99 SRP) So Keri Russell's hair was still short and the ratings were still limping along, but the third season of Felicity
was still a fun little ride (although not nearly as fun as the completely bizarre final season, replete with alternate realities). Th 5-disc set contains a season retrospective featurette and an audio commentaries on select episodes. Best of all, the set also includes the
MadTV parody of the show. Brilliant addition. |
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(Paramount, Rated PG-13, DVD-$29.95 SRP) Every generation needs a Heathers… You know, a subversive, darkly comic look at the psychological warzone that is high school. The closest we've
come in the 21st century is Tina Fey's biting look at the female clique, Mean Girls. Home-schooled in the African Bush by her zoologist parents, 15 year-old Cady gets thrown into
the social deep end of public high school, encountering a group of socia-nistas out to destroy all those who land in their path. I loved it. I also love Tina Fey… But don't tell her I said that. Special
features include an audio commentary (with Fey, producer Lorne Michaels, and director Mark Waters), featurettes, bloopers, deleted scenes (with optional commentary), interstitials, and the theatrical
trailer. |
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(HBO, Not Rated, DVD-$34.95 SRP) In the pantheon of truly great (and consistent) comedy on TV, the list is short – you've got Monty Python, SCTV,
The Kids in the Hall, and Mr. Show. When it comes to the often surreal nature of Pythonesque comedy, the closest successor in spirit of the list I just gave you is, without a doubt,
Mr. Show. Anchored by Bob Odenkirk and David Cross, it was unafraid to go anywhere, launching into often fearless (and sometimes baffling) directions that left the viewer thrilled for
having leapt off the cliff with them. With the release of The Complete Fourth Season, the entire series is now on DVD and ready to be rediscovered. The fourth season set contains audio
commentaries on all 10 episodes, a blooper reel, "The Naked Improv" 1998 Comic Relief appearance, "The Grand Reunion" featurette, and songs from the series. |
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(Buena Vista, Not Rated, DVD-$59.99 SRP) If you were to make a more mainstream version of the classic Freaks & Geeks, it would probably be Popular
– which revolves around the eternal struggle between the popular and unpopular at the fictional Kennedy High School. Like F&G, the show attempted to blend humor and drama which – while
mostly successful – never reached the levels of the former. Still, it's a quirky bit of fun that made its contemporaries (like channel-mate Dawson's Creek) look all the more stilted. The
5-disc set contains all 22 first season episodes, plus audio commentaries on select shows. |
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(HBO, Not Rated, DVD-$99.95 SRP) I know a lot of friends and colleagues who are positively enamored with HBO's drug scene drama The Wire. Personally, it's always left me a bit
cold, although I can see where the multiple perspective look at the Baltimore inner-city drug trade – from both sides of the law – can suck in those looking for a quality piece of television. Decide for
yourself with the Complete First Season, which also features audio commentaries on select episodes. |
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(Columbia/Tristar, Not Rated, DVD-$29.95 SRP) When 227
first hit the airwaves, I was living not too terribly far away from Washington, DC, where the show was set. At that point in my childhood, even this most tenuous connection to my realm of experience elevated even the most mediocre of programs. That the post-
Jeffersons
Marla Gibbs vehicle, about the goings-on in building 227, was actually a pretty funny show was definitely a plus – and you can see if I'm completely off my rocker by checking out the Complete
First Season for yourself. The 3-disc set also contains a trio of featurettes. Should I mention that the show also blew my young mind by having a main castmember in Alaina Reed – Olivia from
Sesame Street? |
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(Touchstone, Rated PG-13, DVD-$29.95 SRP) The real story of The Alamo
is in the political machinations that led to its fall and the interpersonal backstories of the participants – not in the actual battle. The Alamo
tries to capture a bit of that tale, but instead comes off as a turgid – and conflicted - popcorn flick. You can tell filmmaker John Lee Hancock wanted to take a comprehensive look at the story, but… well, let's just say that commerce won out, and the loser is the audience. I'd be fascinated to know if there's an alternate cut of the film out there. Bonus materials include featurettes, a making-of, and deleted scenes.
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(Columbia/Tristar, Rated R, DVD-$19.95 SRP) Now that the adaptation of Stephen King's Christine
has made it to DVD – as a special edition, no less – I think we've finally got all of the major John Carpenter flicks accounted for. It's by no means his best (I think that honor lies in a 3-way tie between
Big Trouble, They Live, and The Thing), but it's still a enjoyable piece of schlock… I mean, it's about a killer car, for cripes sake. The disc contains an audio
commentary with Carpenter and Keith Gordon, 3 featurettes, and 20 deleted and alternate scenes. |
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(Columbia/Tristar, Rated R, DVD-$29.95 SRP) The actual disc for 35th Anniversary Edition of Easy Rider
is identical to the remastered release from a few years back, including the "Shaking the Cage" documentary and Dennis Hopper commentary. What's new in this edition is a bonus CD with selections from the film's landmark soundtrack (although, sadly, it fails to include The Band's version of "The Weight") and a copy of the
BFI Modern Classics book examining the flick. |
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(A&E, Not Rated, DVD-$39.95 SRP) It's nowhere near as funny as it would become in its second and third seasons (after a major cast shake-up), but the first season of Ellen Degeneres's sitcom
vehicle Ellen
still had a lot going for it – namely Ellen's charm and ability to wring a laugh out of even the flattest of punchlines. The 2-disc set contains the 13 episodes comprising that rarely-seen first season (when the show was titled
These Friends of Mine), plus an audio commentary with stars Ayre Gross and Holly Fulger. |
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(Paramount, Rated PG, DVD-$14.95 SRP) I don't know if anyone was crying out for a special edition of that Kevin Bacon chestnut, Footloose, but the sad little child of the 80's I'm
unable to shake from my soul is happy that it exists. Sad, sad little inner pop culture geek. The new disc contains an audio commentary with Bacon, a second commentary with producer Craig Zadan and
writer Dean Pitchford, a 2-part documentary, a spotlight on the soundtrack, and the original theatrical trailer. |
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(A&E, Not Rated, DVD-$99.95 SRP) Slowly but surely, the release of one of my favorite departed TV series is drawing to a close. With Homicide: Season 5
hitting shelves, that only leave two more seasons of one of the best cop dramas ever to grace the boob tube. This season also contained one of the best episodes of this - or any – series, "The Documentary." The 6-disc set features all 22 episodes (sequenced in the order intended by the producers, as opposed to how the network aired them), an audio commentary on "The Documentary," and an interview with David Simon & James Yoshimura.
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(Fox, Not Rated, DVD-$24.95 SRP) Not as fresh and exciting as the inaugural season, but not the tired hulk it would become in the very near future, In Living Color: Season 2
finds the cast comfortable in their niche, and fully exploring some of the breakout characters introduced in the previous year – such as "Men On…," Homey the Clown Fire Marshall Bill, and Vera de Milo. The 4-disc set features all 26 episodes, plus commentaries on select episodes (with writers Kim Bass and Buddy Sheffield) and a trio of featurettes.
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(A&E, Not Rated, DVD-$29.95 SRP) I still find the animated Mr. Bean to be a little creepy. Luckily, I also find him to be almost as funny as his side-splitting live action counterpart, so all
is good. The third set of Mr. Bean: The Animated Series
collects another 8 episodes, but I found myself more fascinated by the bonus materials, which included Rowan Atkinson's live action guide for two of the episodes, plus footage from one of the voice recording sessions.
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(Paramount, Rated PG, DVD-$19.95 SRP) In the grand scheme of things, Generations is not the worst Trek film. That's Nemesis. In fact, Generations
doesn't even make it into the number two slot – which is firmly held by Insurrection. No, the sad thing about Generations
is that it's just so completely unremarkable as to be a phantom Trek flick. With it's awkward attempt to make a transitional film between the classic cast and the Next Gen,
it winds up being neither fish no fowl… And don't get me started on the pathetic storytelling involved with that whole "nexus" crap. I mean, seriously, you can choose any exit point (supposedly), but you
decide to go after Soran about 15 minutes before he launches his missile? Why not go back a few weeks? Or months? Or go back and save his ship from entering the nexus and tearing his family away from him
years ago! Crappy storytelling! This 2-disc special edition contains the usual complement of behind-the-scenes featurettes and looks at the franchise as a whole (the tribute to Star Trek
designer Matt Jefferies was appreciated), but the real draw are the deleted scenes – particularly the original opening and death of Kirk. There are quite a few trims missing from this section that leaked onto the net a while back, including a few scene extensions during the crash sequence that would have made the film much more intense (a quality sorely missed).
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(Paramount, Not Rated, DVD-$139.95 SRP) Although introduced very briefly in the third season finale, it was during the 4th season of Star Trek: Voyager
that Jeri Ryan's Seven of Nine became a member of the crew, and the show began in earnest its descent into mediocrity. I don't fault Ryan with this – she's a good actress. No, the problem was the increasingly pathetic scripts that gave a fine ensemble of actors virtually nothing to work with. The highlights that do come from this season revolve almost entirely around the performances of that ensemble, particularly Robert Picardo's holographic doctor (whose spotlight episode, "Ship in a Bottle," was a fun pairing of the Doctor with the EMH v.2, played by Andy Dick). Bonus features include the usual complement of featurettes, including crew profiles of Seven and Harry Kim, an overview of Season Four, a look at the development of Species 8472, and a behind-the-scenes look at matte painting. Best Buy stores have also continued to offer exclusive bonus discs with the
Star Trek sets purchased at their stores (which frustrates me to no end). The Season Four disc includes featurette focusing on special effects and interviews from the
Voyager DVD launch party in conjunction with NASA. |
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(Paramount, Not Rated, DVD-$29.95 SRP) I pity those that have yet to discover the comedic genius of the late, lamented Strangers with Candy. Created by Paul Dinello, Amy Sedaris, and
Stephen Colbert, Strangers
was a gloriously bent skewering of the afterschool specials that browbeat my entire generation with poorly acted morality plays and treacly lessons learned. With the release of Season 3
, you can now complete your SWC
collection in one fell swoop and get caught up before the feature film is released early next year. Bonus features include blooper reels for all 3 seasons, a dance sequence compilation, storyboards for the animated opening, and a couple of easter eggs. Sadly, no commentary tracks this go round.
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(Hart Sharp, Rated PG-13, DVD-$19.95 SRP) If you're overweight, where does the fault lie? In your own eating habits and exercise regimen (or lack thereof)? Is it your parents fault? How about the
corporate fast-food purveyors and their obnoxiously huge portions? Maybe a small gnome named Nobbly who put you under a curse? Filmmaker Morgan Spurlock attempts to look for the answers in his
documentary Super Size Me, in which he also decides to eat nothing but McDonald's fare for an entire month in an effort to prove… Well, I don't know what it proves. He gets sick and gains
weight, but it's certainly not a scientific (or intelligent) study. It's entertaining, though, and despite the sideshow aspect of "The Amazing SuperSized Man," a lot of solid information on the
nutritional pitfalls of our current society is imparted. So is Spurlock successful in his exploration? In a roundabout way, yes. Did we need to see him fast food his way to illness for his point to be
proven? Not really. The DVD contains an audio commentary with Spurlock, deleted scenes, an interview with Eric Schlosser (author of Fast Food Nation), extra interviews, and more. |
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(Acorn Media, Not Rated, DVD-$59.95 SRP) Roald Dahl was a master of the darkly humorous – macabre with a twist of lime, if you will – but few people remember that his work extended past the printed
page into the realm of television with the UK series Tales of the Unexpected. Think of it as a playful Twilight Zone
and you wouldn't be far off the mark. The first two seasons (contained in Set 1) were all written by Dahl, and are worth picking up and experiencing firsthand. |
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(MGM/UA, Rated PG-13, DVD-$25.95 SRP) Nothing can beat the Joe Don Baker original, but if you're going to remake Walking Tall, you can't get more cognitive dissonance than by
recasting the story of defiance in the face of southern corruption with The Rock as your lead. Seriously. I'm not kidding. Is it good? Like cotton candy. The DVD contains an audio commentary with The
Rock, a director/crew commentary, deleted scenes, bloopers, alternate ending, a stunts featurette, photo gallery, and the theatrical trailer. |
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Tibby's Bowl Entertainment Magazine copyright 2004 by Kenneth Plume. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction in part or
in whole without permission is prohibited. All articles, stories, and columns contained within are copyright their respective authors. |
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