Library

21 Jump Street: The Complete First Season

Best known today as the series that helped launch Johnny Depp to stardom, Stephen J. Cannell's 21 Jump Street was also one of the first hit programs for the fledgling Fox network, a status that lasted for most of its five-year run (1987-91), thanks to its engaging mix of youth culture and police drama. As outlined in the pilot, Depp's baby-faced Ofc. Tom Hanson is transferred to the special Jump Street division, a unit that utilized young cops to infiltrate juvenile crime. Unlike many of Fox's youth-oriented shows of the period (i.e., Beverly Hills 90210), Jump Street took its stories seriously, and addressed numerous social issues in its episodes; though some of the fashions and slang seem dated, the program remains entertaining decades later. The Jump Street set compiles all 13 episodes of the debut season, including the two-part pilot; the solid extras feature commentary by co-star Peter DeLuise, as well as interviews with fellow Jump Street officers Dustin Nguyen, Holly Robinson Peete, and Steven Williams (whose Captain Fuller replaced Frederic Forrest's Jenko halfway through the first season), as well as the prolific Cannell. —Paul Gaita

21 Jump Street: The Complete Second Season

21 Jump Street: The Complete Third Season

Absolutely Fabulous

Absolutely Fabulous: Absolutely Special

Absolutely Fabulous: Complete Series 4

The babes of boozeland are back and drunker than ever in the fourth season of the Britcom Absolutely Fabulous. Even after a five-year hiatus, the main characters are unchanged, and the only giveaway that things are different is Eddy's defection from Lacroix to Burberry. Devoted fans will appreciate that this season (which also has the usual dieting, drinking, and manhunting) goes where no Pats and Edina have gone before, from a PR gig with Twiggy to menopause. What's more frightening: Patsy going through "the change" or the two dames dressed to the nines... for a night of moshing at a Marilyn Manson concert? If you're new to the series, have no fears; it won't take long to figure out that Edina (Jennifer Saunders) is the queen of excess, an extraordinary drinker and dieter but horrific mother. (Her daughter, Saffron—played by Julia Sawalha—is the levelheaded one, although as a young adult, her character has less purpose than in previous years.) Patsy (Joanna Lumley) is Eddy's sidekick, with a figure to die for—or at least paralyze for, as her experiences with youth-enhancing Parralox show. This is not a series to miss. —Jenny Brown

Absolutely Fabulous: Complete Series 5

Few things are as addictive as the addictive personalities of Edina Monsoon (Jennifer Saunders) and Patsy Stone (Joanna Lumley), two middle-aged hipsters wallowing in clothes, booze, pills, glamour, celebrity, and anything else their excessive appetites demand. The fifth series of Absolutely Fabulous finds Edina coping with the unexpected pregnancy of her long-suffering daughter Saffron (Julia Sawalha) and the departure of all of her PR clients except for Emma "Baby Spice" Bunton (playing herself with good humor). Every episode chronicles some ridiculous new obsession—Edina gets a panic room (and promptly traps herself inside of it); Patsy rediscovers a bunch of tawdry stag films she starred in and proclaims them works of high camp; the two kidnap Saffron's baby for a fashion shoot with Jean-Paul Gaultier. Saunders and Lumley fuse the ruthless social satire of Molière with the lowbrow physical high jinks of the Three Stooges, ably supported by Sawalha, Jane Horrocks (as Edina's dimwitted assistant Bubble and scheming narcissist Katy Grin), and a host of guest stars like Minnie Driver (in a razor-sharp self-parody), Kristin Scott-Thomas, Elton John, and more. Truly one of the gems of British sitcoms; sheer brilliance. —Bret Fetzer

Across the Universe

The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Vol. 1 (12 Discs)

The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Vol. 2 - The War Years (9 Discs)

The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Vol. 3

Agent Cody Banks

Agent Cody Banks: 2: Destination London

Airwolf: Season 1

Hip spy shows with covert agencies within agencies—like Alias and 24—are missing only one thing: A super-duper armor-plated helicopter with "nuclear-tipped shrike missiles." In the action series Airwolf, a mysterious national security agency called the Firm constructs a "Mach-one-plus chopper that can kick butt," only to have it stolen by the nefarious scientist who designed it (David Hemmings, Blowup, Barbarella). Desperate, the Firm turns to Stringfellow Hawke (Jan Michael Vincent), a soulful, cello-playing, art-loving, eagle-watching, guilt-ridden master pilot. Hawke refuses to help unless the Firm searches for his brother, who went MIA in 'Nam. Of course, he succeeds in his mission, but until the Firm fulfills its side of the bargain, he keeps the chopper—but also agrees to fly covert missions in exchange for tips about government efforts to retrieve Airwolf.

This elaborate setup proves surprisingly durable. The combat scenes in Airwolf are clumsily edited, but the scripts—though firmly in the cheesy techno-thriller vein of Robert Ludlum and Tom Clancy—are pleasantly zippy. While Vincent may have gone on to a straight-to-video career (appearing in such sterling titles as Hidden Obsession, Indecent Behavior, and Animal Instincts), he's a persuasive and sexy pilot; he's got the same kind of rangy, athletic physicality that makes Kevin Costner convincing as an athlete. Add to this mix the ever-zesty Ernest Borgnine (Marty, The Wild Bunch) and it's clear why Airwolf outlived the similar series Blue Thunder. Most episodes feature international skullduggery with foreign agents trying to steal Airwolf and sell it to the Soviets or Libya, but there are enough clever details to keep you from objecting to the larger absurdity of the all-powerful helicopter. Guest stars include Shannen Doherty (Beverly Hills 90210) and David Carradine (Kill Bill). It's too bad Hemmings didn't become a regular; his sadistic, lecherous traitor gave the two-hour pilot some real juice. —Bret Fetzer

Alien Nation: The Complete Series

ALMOST HUMAN: THE COMPLETE SERIES

Almost Human: The Complete Series

Amélie

Perhaps the most charming movie of all time, Amélie is certainly one of the top 10. The title character (the bashful and impish Audrey Tautou) is a single waitress who decides to help other lonely people fix their lives. Her widowed father yearns to travel but won't, so to inspire the old man she sends his garden gnome on a tour of the world; with whispered gossip, she brings together two cranky regulars at her café; she reverses the doorknobs and reprograms the speed dial of a grocer who's mean to his assistant. Gradually she realizes her own life needs fixing, and a chance meeting leads to her most elaborate stratagem of all. This is a deeply wonderful movie, an illuminating mix of magic and pragmatism. Fans of the director's previous films (Delicatessen, The City of Lost Children) will not be disappointed; newcomers will be delighted. —Bret Fetzer

American Dad: Vol. 1

Whether American Dad! will ever enjoy Family Guy's cult status remains to be seen, but the first 13 episodes of its inaugural season, collected in this extras-laden three-disc set, are promising. After a few episodes, CIA agent Stan Smith and family gradually emerge from the Griffins' formidable shadow, and the show finds its own comic voice. And it sounds a lot like Paul Lynde. That would be Roger (voiced by McFarlane), the housebound alien who saved Stan's life at Area 51 and now lives with the Smiths. Not as inspired a creation is Klaus, the German-accented goldfish who lusts after Stan's wife, Francine. He does, though, have an inspired meta-moment in the episode "Bullocks to Stan," in which he provides faux scene-specific commentary (during the episode!) in anticipation of the show's release on DVD ("I wasn't sure about the Squeaky Fromme reference," he offers, "but it's a smart joke, and the fans have come to expect that from us"). As for the rest of the clan, Steve's children are the typical dysfunctional siblings: Steve, a socially awkward geek, and Hayley, a liberal counterpoint to red, white, and blue-blooded Stan—at least liberal enough to sleep with Stan's boss, Bullock (playfully voiced by Patrick Stewart) in the episode "Bullocks to Stan."

Though the jokes in American Dad! are not as free-associative as in Family Guy, McFarlane cannot seem to resist dispensing with character integrity for a gratuitous potshot at, say, Lisa Kudrow. But as with Family Guy, American Dad! tears at the sitcom envelope. The blasphemous episode "Deacon Stan, Jesus Man," had the distinction of being voted "Worst TV Show of the Week" by the Parents Television Council. And American Dad! has its own version of Family Guy's surreal titanic bouts between Peter Griffin and that chicken. The episode "Homeland Insecurity" features a digression in which a Department of Water and Power worker greedily kills his partner over a gem-encrusted gold "turd," only to find out his wife is having an affair. As he wails to the heavens, the words "To be continued" appear onscreen. According to the audio commentary, the writers do indeed intend to continue this compelling soap opera. So that's something to look forward to. —Donald Liebenson

American Dad: Vol. 2

American Dad: Volume Three

An American Werewolf in London (Combo HD DVD and Standard DVD) [HD DVD]

Universal American Werewolf In London - HD-DVD/DVD Combo
It's a rainy night on the Welsh moors. Two American students on a walking tour of Europe trudge on to the next town, when suddenly the air is pierced by an unearthly howl... Three weeks later, one is dead, the other is in the hospital and the nightmare begins for "An American Werewolf In London." David Naughton, Griffin Dunne and Jenny Agutter starin the contemporary story of the macabre which takes you from the Welsh moors to Picadilly Circus, Trafalgar Square and the ground of Windsor Castle.It is written and directed by John Landis, the man who brought you "National Lampoon's Animal House," "The Blues Brothers," "Trading Places," "Innocent Blood" and "Coming To America." To add to the chill, there is art direction by Academy Award-winner Les Dilley of "Star Wars" and "Alien" fame and special makeup effects by six-time Academy Award-winner Rick Baker, whose work includes "Star Wars,""The Nutty Professor," Tim Burton's "Planet Of The Apes," Dr. Seuss' "How The Grinch Stole Christmas" and "Men In Black."

Animaniacs, Vol. 1

As a splendid homage to the legacy of Warner Bros. animation, the Emmy and Peabody award-winning Animaniacs was arguably the most inventive and deliriously entertaining cartoon series of the 1990s. The series' appeal is at least two-fold: kids will enjoy the wacky characters and easy-to-follow comedy, and grownups raised on "Looney Tunes" and "Merrie Melodies" cartoons will love the show's knowledgeable movie spoofs, witty satire, and spontaneous lines of dialogue aimed squarely at an older audience with an appreciation for Hollywood history. Cartoon lovers and film buffs will benefit the most from repeated viewings of Animaniacs since the series was conceived by head writer Tom Ruegger (under the supervision of executive producer Steven Spielberg) as an affectionate tribute to the golden age of Hollywood, with its wild and wonderful cast of cartoon characters led by "Warner Brothers" Wakko and Yakko, and their ever-so-cute Warner sister, Dot, a playful trio of indeterminate species who were (fictionally) created in the early 1930s by the overworked animators of "Termite Terrace" (the actual name given to Warner's animation studios) and wreaked havoc on the Warner Bros. backlot until they were caught and captured in the studio's water tower. Every episode begins with their clever escape, leading to wacky adventures involving the entire cast of Animaniacs, a menagerie of colorful characters worthy of cartoon immortality.

This five-DVD set offers 25 beautifully preserved episodes (out of a five-season total of 99), mostly from the first season (1993), when Spielberg was also enjoying the success of Jurassic Park and Schindler's List. Premiering on the Fox Kids network, the series introduced delighted viewers to Pinky and the Brain; Slappy the Squirrel (a curmudgeonly veteran of decades in show-biz); the Goodfeathers (a pigeon-trio spoof of Martin Scorsese's Goodfellas); Rita and Runt (a dog and cat duo often featured in musical spoofs, the former voiced by Bernadette Peters); and a wide variety of peripheral characters who randomly appeared as part of the series' multi-segment format. Some segments are brief and brilliant (including many original songs that qualify as mini-masterpieces of educational entertainment), while others are cartoon-length adventures like the unforgettable "Bumbie's Mom," a riff on Bambi (and Disney animation) that's one of many first-season highlights. Smart, literate, and totally irreverent, Animaniacs benefited from all the prestige that Spielberg's involvement could bring, including a once-in-a-lifetime voice cast (honored here by disc 3's special featurette "Animaniacs Live," hosted by "Annie"-award-winner Maurice "The Brain" LeMarche) and amazing musical scores (many written or supervised by the late, great Richard Stone) that were recorded in the very same Warner studio where the legendary Carl Stalling scored most of the classic Warner Bros. cartoons. With creative and comedic highlights too numerous to mention, Animaniacs is must-see TV for those who missed it the first time around, and a welcome treasure for established fans who will cherish these DVDs for many years to come. —Jeff Shannon

Animaniacs, Vol. 2

Animaniacs, Vol. 3

Animation Greats!

For most of the '70s and '80's, the National Film Board of Canada (NFB) was the center of international creativity in animation. Artists from all over the world came to experiment with new styles, media, techniques, and content. The results were not only intriguing and challenging but often very funny, as this exceptional collection demonstrates. Richard Condie's Oscar-nominated "The Big Snit" (1985) might well rank as the funniest short film of the '80s. The sort of offbeat logic that underlay Gary Larson's "Far Side" cartoons can be found in this freewheeling spoof of nuclear disaster. Some people might find the weird-looking couple who argue over a Scrabble game odd: the husband delights in sawing the furniture, the wife has the annoying habit of pulling out her eyeballs and shaking them; there's a DC-10 tire in their kitchen, a lawnmower in their bathroom, and a bugle hanging over their bed. But they're quite content, thank you very much. A deliciously macabre tone pervades "Special Delivery," (1978), a cautionary tale of good advice ignored. This Oscar-winning short was drawn in colored pencil on paper, including the transitions and camera movements. Cordell Barker's Oscar-nominated "The Cat Came Back" (1988) proves that cute little animals can be pestilential. His madcap short offers a welcome antidote to the saccharine kitties, puppies, and bunnies that blight children's entertainment. Brad Caslor uses old rock & roll songs to present tips to people applying for work in his frenetic "Get a Job" (1985), and John Weldon offers a mordant lesson in the importance of image over substance in politics in "The Lump" (1991). A disc to treasure. —Charles Solomon

Arrival

Arrival [Blu-ray + Digital HD]

The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford [HD DVD]

Astérix et Obélix : Mission Cléopâtre

Par Toutatis ! Potion magique ou pas, Alain Chabat signe là une version plus enlevée, plus allumée et plus tonique que le premier Astérix réalisé par Claude Zidi. Après Didier, l'ex-Nul s'impose comme un réalisateur malin et efficace. Pour réussir son pari de 55 millions d'euros – plus gros budget du cinéma français, et deuxième place au box-office des films français, avec 14,5 millions d'entrées – il est revenu aux sources des albums de Goscinny et Uderzo, en y greffant son univers décalé et loufoque. Anachronismes, jeux de mots, clins d'œil fleurissent à gogo : de Matrix au Grand Pardon, en passant par Cyrano ou Claude François, un festival...Ju-bi-la-toire ! ! À quoi s'ajoute une avalanche de gags irrésistibles, des dialogues épicés qui jouent avec saveur sur le décalage passé-présent – "Itineris a raison : faut pas se l'SFR" –, des décors et des costumes somptueux dessinés par le créateur de Ranxerox, Tanino Liberatore. Bref, la greffe réussie de l'humour Canal sur le comique traditionnel français, dans un esprit potache qui n'est pas sans rappeler celui qui irrigue les désopilants Y a-t-il un pilote dans l'avion ?. Autour de Clavier et Depardieu – uniques rescapés du premier opus – une légion romaine de comédiens, plus délectables les uns que les autres : Monica Belluci, Gérard Darmon en méchant d'anthologie, Dieudonné, Claude Rich, Isabelle Nanty, Alain Chabat, Mathieu Kassovitz, et même Pierre Tchernia ! ! Et puis, il y a les cas Jamel et Édouard Baer : absolument déjantés, ils dominent l'interprétation par leur tchatche et leur abattage. À revoir plusieurs fois, comme on relit sans cesse les BD originales. —Sylvain Lefort

Austin Powers in Goldmember

Tout y est : le générique fignolé, la voiture extravagante, le style, le succès auprès des femmes… Il ne s'agit pourtant pas de James Bond, mais bien d'Austin Powers, l'espion britannique le plus psychédélique de l'univers. Cette troisième aventure écrite et interprétée par le très drôle Mike Myers, dans laquelle Austin affronte Goldmember, n'est cependant pas le meilleur volet de la série.

Échappé de prison, le Dr Evil s'associe au terrible Goldmember (L'Homme au membre d'or) pour, encore une fois, détruire la Terre. Lorsqu'ils enlèvent Nigel Powers (Michael Caine), espion de grande classe et père d'Austin, ce dernier décide de se débarrasser des malfaiteurs. Il remontera dans le temps et trouvera, en 1975, une partenaire de choix : la féline Foxxy Cleopatra (Beyoncé Knowles).

Bien qu'il soit devenu une vraie star, comblé par l'amour et l'argent, Austin Powers cherche toujours à susciter la fierté de son père, à l'instar d'Indiana Jones dans La Dernière Croisade. Afin d'impressionner son paternel, il tentera de forger une alliance avec un criminel pour en débusquer un autre, comme l'avait fait l'agent Starling dans Le Silence des agneaux. Et la liste s'allonge. Les références au cinéma, à la musique et à la publicité, ainsi que les apparitions de stars (Tom Cruise, Britney Spears, Steven Spielberg, etc.) pleuvent. Même si de très bons moments émergent (comme le générique déployé à la manière d'une comédie musicale) et que l'ensemble se laisse regarder assez facilement, on cherche en vain la substance propre de Goldmember. Car à force de clins d'œil et de pastiches, c'est Austin Powers lui-même qui finit par manquer de corps. —Helen Faradji

Babylon 5: The Complete Collection

'Babylon 5 Complete Collection' - box set includes: Babylon 5: The Complete Series (5 Full Seasons); Babylon 5: The Movie Collection; Crusade: The Complete Series.

Back to the Future: The Complete Trilogy

Filmmaker Robert Zemeckis topped his breakaway hit Romancing the Stone with Back to the Future, a joyous comedy with a dazzling hook: what would it be like to meet your parents in their youth? Billed as a special-effects comedy, the imaginative film (the top box-office smash of 1985) has staying power because of the heart behind Zemeckis and Bob Gale's script. High schooler Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox, during the height of his TV success) is catapulted back to the '50s where he sees his parents in their teens, and accidentally changes the history of how Mom and Dad met. Filled with the humorous ideology of the '50s, filtered through the knowledge of the '80s (actor Ronald Reagan is president, ha!), the film comes off as a Twilight Zone episode written by Preston Sturges. Filled with memorable effects and two wonderfully off-key, perfectly cast performances: Christopher Lloyd as the crazy scientist who builds the time machine (a DeLorean luxury car) and Crispin Glover as Marty's geeky dad. —Doug Thomas

Critics and audiences didn't seem too happy with Back to the Future, Part II, the inventive, perhaps too clever sequel. Director Zemeckis and cast bent over backwards to add layers of time-travel complication, and while it surely exercises the brain it isn't necessarily funny in the same way that its predecessor was. It's well worth a visit, though, just to appreciate the imagination that went into it, particularly in a finale that has Marty watching his own actions from the first film. —Tom Keogh

Shot back-to-back with the second chapter in the trilogy, Back to the Future, Part III is less hectic than that film and has the same sweet spirit of the first, albeit in a whole new setting. This time, Marty ends up in the Old West of 1885, trying to prevent the death of mad scientist Christopher Lloyd at the hands of gunman Buford "Mad Dog" Tannen (Thomas F. Wilson, who had a recurring role as the bully Biff). Director Zemeckis successfully blends exciting special effects with the traditions of a Western and comes up with something original and fun. —Tom Keogh

Battlestar Galactica: The Complete Epic Series

Beyond Reality: The First Season

The Big Bang Theory: Season 1

The Big Bang Theory: Season 3

The third season of the wonderfully smart and silly comedy The Big Bang Theory is even better than the first two. When Sheldon, Leonard, Howard, and Raj—the show's quartet of supreme geeks—return from their research expedition in the Arctic, Leonard and his adorable neighbor Penny fall into each other's arms. In most TV shows, losing that sexual tension would deflate the entire series, but the writers and performers of The Big Bang Theory navigate these treacherous waters with aplomb; after a weak couple of episodes, the show regains its bearings with faux tattoos, sneaky behavior modification, lessons in football, a dislocated shoulder, a trip to Switzerland, pot brownies, and the one true Ring. Guest appearances by comic book legend Stan Lee, Katee Sackhoff from Battlestar Galactica, and former Star Trek boy genius Will Wheaton as themselves are used to remarkably good effect, and Simon Helberg and Kunal Nayyar, as Howard and Raj, get better story lines than ever before.

But make no mistake: Jim Parsons, as Sheldon, drives the show. With Leonard (Johnny Galecki) and Penny (Kaley Cuoco) grappling with fairly conventional relationship issues, it falls to Sheldon to turn every potential cliché into an opportunity for unexpected lunacy. His combination of ruthless rationality, profound narcissism, and yawning neediness make Sheldon a remarkable comic creation, and Parsons plays him to the hilt. Even funnier than his relentless analytical approach to emotions is when he tries to be more human; his attempts to comfort Penny when she's injured are hilariously unnerving. Watching Sheldon "grow" over the course of The Big Bang Theory's progress is one of the show's greatest pleasures. —Bret Fetzer

Bill And Teds: Bogus Journey

Black Adder: Remastered - The Ultimate Edition

Black Adder: Remastered (The Ultimate Edition)

Blood: The Last Vampire

Bride And Prejudice

Bridget Joness Diary

Bruce Lee Ultimate Collection

Bubblegum Crisis: Tokyo 2040: V1 Genesis

The latest adventures of the four women of the Knight Sabers are not a continuation, but an alternate version of their earlier escapades. In 2040, much of the labor in Tokyo is done by Boomers, robots initially manufactured by Genom to rebuild the city after a devastating earthquake. Unfortunately, Boomers sometimes go berserk and attack humans. Only the Knight Sabers, a cadre of female vigilante mercenaries who fight in high-heeled armor suits, can really tackle a rogue Boomer. Klutzy Linna Yamasaki comes to Tokyo hoping to join the Knight Sabers. A rampaging Boomer brings her into contact with the women of the squad: motorcycle-riding rock singer Priss Asagiri, AD Police officer Nene Romanova, and lingerie-boutique owner Sylia Stingray, who heads group. Linna eventually persuades them to give her a tryout. Despite the hard-hitting action scenes, the story begins very slowly, and the characters aren't terribly appealing. Priss is given to sullen silences, Nene sounds like a case of arrested development, and Linna inexplicably shifts between small-town innocent and defiant rebel. The men are all jerks and/or lechers. The settings look less like the blighted dystopia of the earlier entries in the series and more like a standard-issue Tokyo-of-the-Future. Episodes: 1. "Can't Buy a Thrill," 2. "Fragile," 3. "Keep Me Hanging On," 4. "Machine Head." Not rated; suitable for ages 13 and up for violence, profanity, and brief nudity. —Charles Solomon

Bubblegum Crisis: Tokyo 2040: V4 Buried Secrets

After 12 episodes of this female mecha adventure, the main plot finally begins to unfold amid a welter of revelations. Sylia continues her search for the Wiz Lab, the site where her father created the Boomer robots that perform the heavy labor in 21st-century Neo-Tokyo. But the Boomer Project was more significant and more sinister than the other characters realized. At its center was Sylia's father, who used members of his family for bio-technical experiments, like Dr. Ikari in Neon Genesis Evangelion. He created a creature so dangerous, the powerful Genom Corporation deliberately triggered the earthquake that destroyed much of Tokyo to imprison it: that was a less threatening scenario than allowing it to escape. Sylia's dogged efforts to seal off the ruined lab lead Mason, the icy vice president of Genom, to the site beneath the rebuilt city. He outmaneuvers the Knight Sabers, the A.D. Police, and Sylia's eerie brother Mackey, and releases Galatea the Sotai, an innocent-looking little girl who threatens the future of mankind with her powers. This edition of Bubblegum Crisis delivers the mecha action and empowered heroines that earned the series its following, although the story may feel very familiar to anime fans. "Suggested 15 Up" for violence, profanity, and brief nudity. —Charles Solomon

Bubblegum Crisis: Tokyo 2040: V5 Blood And Steel

While rogue Boomer robots under the telepathic command of Galatea the Sotai ravage 21st-century Neo-Tokyo, romance unexpectedly flowers for the members of the all-female vigilante posse, the Knight Sabers. Sylia rediscovers her affection for the mechanic Nigel, who worked with her father to create the Boomers; tough-as-press-on-nails Priss accepts the advances of hard-bitten cop Leon; Mackie continues his pursuit of ditsy computer wizard Nene. (Linna, the newest member of the crew, hasn't met anyone yet, but there are several potential candidates on hand.) Mason, the sinister vice president of the Genom Corporation, freed the mysterious Galatea to help the Boomers reach the next stage of their evolution and supplant humanity, but she proves difficult to control. The robot Boomers begin as standard-issue zombies with glowing eyes but quickly mutate into bizarre forms, ranging from a giant fanged monster to a writhing mass of tentacles large enough to engulf a skyscraper. When they infiltrate Genom's massive system of power cables, they metamorphose into a enormous creature that is half serpent, half lamprey. There are plenty of gun battles, martial arts moves, and scenes of the characters riding to each other's rescue, but the storytelling is less interesting than the visuals and the plot borrows a little too heavily from Akira and other series. "Suggested 15 Up" for violence, profanity and brief nudity; alcohol and tobacco use. —Charles Solomon

Bubblegum Crisis: Tokyo 2040: V6 For All Mankind

As the adventures of the female vigilante posse the Knight Sabers conclude, director Hiroko Hiyashi has too little story to fill too much time, and the last five episodes feel padded. In "Hydra," the increasingly powerful and insane Galatea somehow "merges her consciousness" with the skyscraper of the Genom Company, transforming it into a likeness of herself and launching it into space. Her objective is the Showhamm Project, a network of solar energy-collecting satellites: controlling them will enable her to spread madness among Boomer robots throughout world and make herself the master of mankind. Sylia, from whose tissue Galatea was created and who has sworn to destroy her, withdraws from the conflict, leaving Nene, Linna, and Priss to save the planet. The filmmakers try for an Evangelion-style metaphysical ending. The Knight Sabers suddenly develop the power to bond with the hard suits that give them superpowers, and instead of destroying Galatea, they cause her to merge with the universe; she rains onto the Earth as a shower of glittering particles. The Bubblegum Crisis series owes its popularity to no-holds-barred action and tough, capable female characters, not theological/philosophical speculations. "Suggested 15 Up" for violence, profanity, and nudity; alcohol and tobacco use. —Charles Solomon

Buck Rogers In The 25th Century: The Complete Epic Series (5DVD)

With its campy combination of lightweight adventure and Spandex disco chic, Buck Rogers in the 25th Century is a nostalgic throwback to post-Star Wars opportunism. Series co-creator Glen A. Larson was incapable of originality, and former soap star Gil Gerard (in the title role) was a bland incarnation of the comic-strip hero, so the much-anticipated series premiered on September 20, 1979, with serious disadvantages. Although the two-hour pilot "Awakening" had tested successfully as a theatrical release, Gerard and the show's producers could never agree on a stable tone for the series, which presents Capt. William "Buck" Rogers as a jovial space cowboy who is accidentally time-warped from 1987 to 2491. Earth is engaged in interplanetary war following a global holocaust, and Buck's piloting skills make him an ideal starfighter recruit for the Earth Defense Directorate, where his closest colleagues are Dr. Huer (Tim O'Connor), squadron leader Col. Wilma Deering (former model Erin Gray, looking oh-so-foxy), the wisecracking robot Twiki (voiced by cartoon legend Mel Blanc), and a portable computer-brain named Dr. Theopolis, who's carried by Twiki like oversized bling-bling.

The series struggled through an awkward first season, with routine plots elevated by decent special effects and noteworthy guest stars including Jamie Lee Curtis, ill-fated Playboy Playmate Dorothy Stratten (appearing, with her voice dubbed over, less than a year before her tragic murder), Batman alumnus Julie Newmar, Buster Crabbe (veteran of vintage Buck Rogers movie serials), and several others in a show that favored vamps and vixens over credible science fiction. A full-scale overhaul resulted in a disastrous second season, but devoted fans still gravitate to Hawk (Thom Christopher), the charismatic alien "birdman" who was introduced with new characters and a new, space-faring search for lost tribes from Earth (with echoes of Larson's own Battlestar Galactica). Behind-the-scenes squabbles continued, and by mid-season of 1981, NBC pulled the plug on a breezy, still-engaging series that suffered from uneasy chemistry and never realized its full potential. Existing somewhere between Galactica and Lost in Space in the TV sci-fi food chain, this Buck—with a dearth of DVD extras—now functions as a cheesy stroll down memory lane. —Jeff Shannon

Canada: A People's History, Series 1

Canada: A People's History, Series 2

Canada: A People's History, Series 3

Canada: A People's History, Series 4

Ce qu'il faut pour vivre

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs

The Crow: Stairway To Heaven - The Complete Series

Crusade: The Complete Series

Synopsis: In 2267 the Earth is quarantined, having been infected with a deadly plague by an attacking alien force. Scientists estimate that it will kill every inhabitant within 5 years, no

Dans une galaxie près de chez vous

Dans une galaxie près de chez vous : Serie 1

Dans une galaxie près de chez vous : Serie 2

Dans une galaxie près de chez vous : Serie 3

Dans une galaxie près de chez vous : Serie 4

Deception

Dieppe

Dirk Gently

Mangan/Macduff ~ Dirk Gently

Discworld: Wyrd Sisters - DVD

Doctor Who: The Complete First Series (5DVD)

Doctor Who: The Complete Third Series (6DVD)

Dragon's Lair

Dragon's Lair 2:time Warp

Equilibrium [Region 2]

Exotica

This critically acclaimed psychological drama-mystery won Atom Egoyan a Genie for best picture. Exotica was a real breakthrough for Egoyan; his direction here is deft, and we see his artistic style developing, which later found full expression in The Sweet Hereafter.

Eye Of The Beholder

Family Guy: It's a Trap

Family Guy: Something, Something, Something Darkside/Blue Harvest

Family Guy: Volume 1 (Seasons 1 & 2)

To the ranks of shows too brilliant and outrageous for prime time (The Ben Stiller Show, Andy Richter Controls the Universe), add Seth McFarland's Family Guy. This animated series, which debuted after the 1999 Super Bowl, simply sparked too much controversy and offended too many sensibilities to survive (Entertainment Weekly dubbed it "the Awful Show They Just Keep Putting on the Air"). That the Fox network also played hackysack with its schedule, ensuring viewers would not be able to find it, sealed its fate (it was cancelled in 2002). This boxed set containing all 28 episodes from the first two seasons is payback for the show's devoted cult following, who may be moved to echo the words of infant Stewie Griffin, the megalomaniacal 1-year-old bent on matricide and world domination: "Victory is mine!"

The dysfunctional Griffins of Quahog, Rhode Island, invite comparisons to The Simpsons. The testicular-chinned father, Peter Griffin, is a clueless oaf in the Homer mold. "Peter, what did you promise me last night?" asks his long-suffering wife Lois in one episode. "That I wouldn't drink at the stag party," he replies. "And what did you do?" she asks. "Drank at the stag part—oh ho ho, I almost walked into that one," he cackles. Other family members include teenage daughter Meg, a desperate high school social pariah; 13-year-old son Chris, a chip off his father's blockhead; and Brian, the family's sarcastic talking dog. But this series' true inspiration is football-pated Stewie (voiced by McFarlane, who earned an Emmy), who was born to be a Bond villain once he escaped his mother's "ovarian bastille." Family Guy recklessly ventured where The Simpsons feared to tread. In one episode, Meg's one and only friend turns out to be the member of a suicidal cult. In another, Death (voiced by Norm McDonald) becomes an unwanted houseguest. Each episode plays fast and furious with surreal flashes (in one episode, Peter turns his house into a puppet) and pop-culture references and TV, movie, and commercial parodies that invite repeated viewings. Freed from its own family-hour bastille and the whims of dim network executives, Family Guy can be appreciated at last on its own profane, sacrilegious, and irreverent terms. Welcome to the DVD family, Griffins. —Donald Liebenson

Family Guy: Volume 2 (Season 3)

The third and final season of Seth MacFarlane's late, lamented Family Guy finds television's most dysfunctional cartoon family even more animated than usual. As MacFarlane notes in a bonus segment about the controversial series' censorship battles, he was inspired to go for broke, thinking that the series, already juggled like a hot potato in the schedule (at one point, it aired opposite the mighty Friends), had been cancelled. Just as Spinal Tap walked the fine line between "clever and stupid," so did Family Guy gleefully mock the line between "edgy and offensive." Case in point is this set's holy grail: "When You Wish Upon a Weinstein," not aired during the series' original run, in which clueless Rhode Island patriarch Peter Griffin is convinced that if his lumpen son is to be rich and successful, he must become Jewish.

Like The Simpsons, Family Guy lends itself to multiple viewings to catch each densely packed episode's way-inside "one-percenter" gags (so-called by the creators because that is the percent of the audience who will get them), scattershot pop-culture references, surreal leaps, and gratuitous pot shots at everyone from, predictably, Oprah, Kevin Costner, and Bill Cosby to, unpredictably, Rita Rudner. Also like their Springfield counterparts, this series benefits from a great ensemble voice cast, with surprising contributions from a no-less-stellar roster of guest stars. Yes, that's actually Kelly Ripa as her "real" self, a heart-devouring alien in "Family Guy Viewer Mail #1," and June Foray popping in as Rocky the Flying Squirrel in "Brian Does Hollywood." Family Guy's stock has recently risen with its addition to Cartoon Network's "Adult Swim" lineup, a much better fit than prime time. To see Peter invite Charles Manson to a party for Sharon Tate ("but only if you don't embarrass me") is to marvel how much of this ever got on the air. Happily, it is on DVD. —Donald Liebenson

Family Guy: Volume 3

Family Guy lives! That's great news for the devoted fans who watched in record numbers the reruns on Cartoon Network and made the Family Guy DVDs bestsellers. It's bad news for Mel Gibson, Christina Aguilera, Justin Timberlake, Jimmy Fallon, Rob Schneider, Skeet Ulrich, Corey Haim, My Two Dads, and other pop-culture detritus this show's writers take infinite delight in kicking when they're down (or up, for that matter). The long, long, awaited fourth season begins with a bravado broadside at Fox, which canceled Family Guy in 2002. Peter Griffin (voiced by series creator Seth MacFarlane) recites a litany of 29 doomed replacement shows beginning with Dark Angel and ending with Greg the Bunny. From there, it's like the Griffins never left. The 13 episodes are just as dense with bodily function jokes, surreal nonsense, gratuitous pop-culture references (the more obscure, the better), and edgier gags that recklessly cross the line on any number of levels ("Maybe I was wrong about you," Jodie Foster says to John Hinckley in the episode, "Model Misbehavior." "Maybe I was wrong about all men.").

The new season rewards longtime viewers with appearances by such series icons as the Greased-Up Deaf Guy and the Evil Monkey in Chris's closet, and makes no concessions to newcomers to the show (who will no doubt be scratching their heads over the more than two-and-a-half-minute digression in "Blind Ambition," in which Peter's nemesis, the Giant Chicken, returns to continue the smackdown that started in the season 2 episode "Da Boom." In "World Domination: The Family Guy Phenomenon," one of the bonus features included on this three-disc set, MacFarlane proclaims these new shows to be "the best we've done." A bold claim, but often enough, one is laughing too hard to prove otherwise. One minute, Family Guy dazzles with inspired animation (In "Breaking Out Is Hard to Do," Chris reaches for a carton of milk at the supermarket and finds himself pulled in to A-ha's classic music video, "Take on Me"). The next, it's wallowing in vomit ("8 Simple Rules for Buying My Teenage Daughter"). In addition to the freewheeling episode commentaries, this set also includes a great bonus, excerpts of cast "table reads" of two episodes. Back to the "World Domination" featurette. MacFarlane states, "It's the first time since we've been doing (the show) that I think it's safe to say that we're here to stay for awhile." Are you listening, Fox? —Donald Liebenson

Family Guy: Volume 4

Okay, let's get one thing straight right off the bat: Family Guy is not, never has been, and never will be, The Simpsons. Nor is it South Park, King of the Hill, or any one of a number of other shows on Adult Swim. But yes, it is in many ways a rip-off of those other shows (especially The Simpsons; let's not even pretend otherwise). But so what? By now, you either think the show's funny, or you don't, and the derivativeness either bothers you, or it doesn't. Volume 4 is likely to just cement your feelings one way or the other, because this collection features some of the funniest, and the most offensive material yet. It's also the most cohesive. The show has always been incredibly erratic, turning on a dime to fit in all those jokes from out of the blue that start with Peter saying "Boy, this is worse than that time when..." But by now, the writers and series creator/executive producer Seth MacFarlane have figured out how to more seamlessly integrate them into the show, and that's just what it needed to really come together. In fact, the extra attention being paid to the show recently in the form of swipes from The Simpsons and especially South Park (which dedicated an entire episode to trying to kill off Family Guy) is evidence that this is probably the peak for the series. This volume is 14 episodes, and stand-outs include "The Courtship of Stewie's Father," which gives more face time to creepy old man Herbert (brilliantly voiced by Mike Henry), and "The Father, the Son, and the Holy Fonz," in which Peter starts his own church dedicated to Fonzie from Happy Days. Of course, there is still the lingering question of who the real star of Family Guy is: Peter or Stewie? The little football-head gets his moments to shine in "Sibling Rivalry," in which he battles with half-brother Bertram, and... well, pretty much every other episode, as he continues to get many of the memorable lines. Along with the extra features, over 40 deleted scenes, extensive commentaries, and featurettes, you true fans will get more than your share of laughs from this collection, which is what you watch the show for in the first place. —Daniel Vancini

Family Guy: Volume 5

Family Guy: Volume 6

Fantastic Mr. Fox / Fantastique Maitre Renard

The visually ravishing animated movie The Fantastic Mr. Fox follows a fox, voiced by George Clooney and dressed in a natty brown corduroy suit, as he cheerfully and recklessly takes his thieving ways a little too far and brings down the wrath of some sour-faced poultry farmers on his family and friends. Based on a lesser-known book by children's author Roald Dahl (who wrote Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and James and the Giant Peach), the movie is the work of Wes Anderson (writer-director of Rushmore and The Royal Tenenbaums), who expanded and elaborated on the original story; the combination is inspired. Anderson's sensibility—his fondness for meticulous compositions, coordinated colors, and narrative filigree—can sometimes seem finicky and stiff in live-action movies, but it's exquisitely suited to the painstaking art of stop-motion animation. Every corner of the screen crackles with visual invention and whimsical humor. The top-notch vocal cast (which also features Meryl Streep, Jason Schwartzman, Bill Murray, Michael Gambon, Owen Wilson, and others) create vivid personalities that perfectly mesh with the movie's lush colors and luscious textures. The Fantastic Mr. Fox is an off-beat gem, a giddy mix of adult emotional issues, wild animal behavior, and childlike delight. —Bret Fetzer

Father of the Pride: The Complete Series

Final Destination 2

Firefly: The Complete Series

Fraggle Rock: Complete First Season

The world of Jim Henson's Fraggle Rock is far from the sunny urban buzz of Sesame Street, where many of Henson's most beloved Muppet characters dwell, or the frantic, backstage shenanigans of The Muppet Show, the classic variety program starring Kermit, Miss Piggy, and other icons of children's television. In Fraggle Rock, humans and Muppets live in different worlds. So different, in fact, that the Fraggles—small but diverse creatures who live in a cavernous land behind a wall in the shop of a tinkerer named Doc (Gerry Parkes)—regard the realm of flesh-and-blood people as "outer space."

Fraggles and people live apart, but the order of things is shaken up when the series' central character, Gobo, can't talk his determined uncle, Traveling Matt, from being the first of his kind to explore the great unknown. Matt leaves Fraggle Rock with a promise to get word to Gobo about how things are going. Thereafter, Gobo has to find a way, from time to time, to fetch postcards from Doc's trash can (Doc can't figure out why missives from someone named Uncle Matt keep turning up in his mailbox) by dashing into the tinkerer's warm workshop, avoiding not only Doc's eyes but the suspicions of his wonderful dog, Sprocket. (Doc mutters occasionally about boarding up a hole in the wall that serves as Gobo's door. When he finally does so, mid-season, it poses a crisis for Gobo, who is caught on the wrong side.) While Traveling Matt sees what people are like, Gobo and his fellow Fraggles—Red, Wembley, Boober, Mokey, and others—have adventures (and some misadventures) of their own, trying to get along, learning to say what they mean and how to avoid making the same mistake twice. Over time, they begin to ponder the big questions of their world and lives, questions that have an ethical subtext that can easily be appreciated by young viewers. Such as: Is it okay to eat elaborate structures built by Doozers, small construction builders whose materials apparently are so tasty? Should one ever trick a friend so seriously the latter actually grieves? Helping the Fraggles with these tough issues is all-knowing Marjory the Trash Heap, guru of garbage and life lessons. Not helpful by any stretch are the problematic Gorgs, giants who want to enslave Fraggles and who consider themselves royalty of the universe (such as it is behind Doc's wall). Each busy episode is designed to impart wisdom to kids, but they are also as funny as one might expect from the wisecracking Muppet Factory. Bonuses include recent interviews with cast and crew of the 1980s show, as well as a documentary about Henson. —Tom Keogh

Fraggle Rock: Complete Second Season

From the clap-happy theme to the fuzzy creatures, Fraggle Rock is as flat-out fun as children's programming gets. And even a little profound. In second season premiere "Wembley's Egg," for instance, the youngest Fraggle fears his life has no meaning. When an egg lands on Fraggle Rock, he makes like a mother hen and sits on it. The other Fraggles laugh, but he pays them no mind. When a baby bird emerges the next day, Wembley feels his life has meaning after all. Existentialism with Muppets? Sure, why not! The other Fraggles have adventures of their own. In "Boober Rock," the mopey one moves to the Caves of Boredom for a little peace and quiet, but starts to miss his noisy companions. (This episode features a kaleidoscopic Busby Berkeley-style dance sequence.) In "Red's Sea Monster," the energetic one befriends the last of the Lily Creatures, a gentle purple sea monster. And in "Mokey and the Minstrels," the mellow one joins a group of singers who look like an all-Muppet version of hippie musical Hair. All the while, absent-minded inventor Doc (Gerry Parkes, the show's sole human) shares his discoveries with dog Sprocket (a shaggy cousin to Wallace's Gromit), Marjory the Trash Heap dispenses advice, and Gobo's Uncle Traveling Matt explores outer space, i.e. the real world. Part of the same eco-system, the giant Gorgs and tiny Bob the Builder-like Doozers usually remain in the background, except for a few episodes, most involving Cotterpin Doozer. To be sure, there are lessons to be learned, but the tone is never preachy and the musical sequences are always imaginative. As the cast sings in each episode, "Dance your cares away / Worries for another day / Let the music play / Down at Fraggle Rock!" —Kathleen C. Fennessy

Fraggle Rock: Season 3

Freakazoid - The Complete First Season

Cyber nerd Dexter Douglas surfs the web one fateful night gets swept into a digital techno-electro smash-up that bites him in the gigabytes and ? ZAP! ? goes from geek to freak. To Freakazoid! that is a smart- mouthing butt-kicking mega-voltage superhero with things to do (unless there?s something really good on TV). It?s Freaka-Me Freaka-You fun!Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: TELEVISION/SERIES & SEQUELS UPC: 085391171850 Manufacturer No: 117185

Ghostbusters I & II (Double Feature Giftset)

Greatest American Hero: Season One

Guyver -The Bioboosted Armor: Complete Box Set

A world controlled by a sinister brotherhood who hide their fangs behind masks of humanity known as the Chronos Corporation. While investigating a mysterious explosion near his school Sho Fukamachi happens upon the Chronos Corporation ™s greatest weapon: a techno organic suit of bio armor known as the Guyver. But Chronos is determined to conceal their secrets at any cost. Sho soon finds himself relentlessly pursued by its army of horrific bio-monsters. With nowhere to run Sho is forced to call upon the fearsome power of the Guyver and rip his opponents limb from limb in a desperate struggle.Experience this all new production of this sci-fi anime legend in the most complete rendition of Guyver ever animated. Dare to discover the horror that lies beneath!System Requirements:Running Time: 600 minutesFormat: DVD Genre: ANIMATION/ANIME UPC: 704400097508 Manufacturer No: 0

Happy Feet [HD DVD]

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

First sequels are the true test of an enduring movie franchise, and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets passes with flying colors. Expanding upon the lavish sets, special effects, and grand adventure of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, Harry's second year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry involves a darker, more malevolent tale (parents with younger children beware), beginning with the petrified bodies of several Hogwarts students and magical clues leading Harry (Daniel Radcliffe), Ron (Rupert Grint), and Hermione (Emma Watson) to a 50-year-old mystery in the monster-laden Chamber of Secrets. House elves, squealing mandrakes, giant spiders, and venomous serpents populate this loyal adaptation (by Sorcerer's Stone director Chris Columbus and screenwriter Steve Kloves), and Kenneth Branagh delightfully tops the supreme supporting cast as the vainglorious charlatan Gilderoy Lockhart (be sure to view past the credits for a visual punchline at Lockhart's expense). At 161 minutes, the film suffers from lack of depth and uneven pacing, and John Williams' score mostly reprises established themes. The young, fast-growing cast offers ample compensation, however, as does the late Richard Harris in his final screen appearance as Professor Albus Dumbledore. Brimming with cleverness, wonderment, and big-budget splendor, Chamber honors the legacy of J.K. Rowling's novels. —Jeff Shannon

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Widescreen Two-Disc Deluxe Edition) (Harry Potter 4)

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

He-Man and She-Ra - A Christmas Special

Heavenly Creatures

A starkly original film-going experience based on a true-life story, this film from New Zealand director Peter Jackson (Braindead, The Frighteners) is a stirring drama that offers up the unexpected. The story concerns two girls, outcasts who become best friends, whose bizarre fantasy life becomes more intense as their bond becomes increasingly more obsessive. When the mother of one of the girls tries to intervene and split the girls apart, they kill her and stand trial for murder in what is still to this day a celebrated and controversial case. Kate Winslet (Titanic) and Melanie Lynskey create two sympathetic and yet uncomfortably eerie characters, in riveting portrayals. Featuring some startling and unique moments of visual brilliance as well as a disturbing love story between the two girls, Heavenly Creatures is at once both unsettling and beautiful to behold. —Robert Lane

Heroes: Season 1 [HD DVD]

In Bruges

Incredible Adventures of Wallace & Gromit

The Invasion (2007) [HD DVD]

Jarre, Jean Michel: Oxygene Moscow

Jim Henson's - The Storyteller: The Definitive Collection

Johnny Mnemonic

Key the Metal Idol: V.2 Dreaming (ep.8-13)

Key the Metal Idol: V.3 Singing (ep.14-15)

Kids In The Hall: Death Comes To Town

Kimagure Orange Road: TV Series V.1 (Ep.1-4)

Kimagure Orange Road: TV Series V.2 (Ep.5-8)

Kimagure Orange Road: TV Series V.3 (Ep.9-12)

Kimagure Orange Road: TV Series V.4 (Ep.13-16)

Kimagure Orange Road: TV Series V.5 (Ep.17-20)

Kimagure Orange Road: TV Series V.6 (Ep.21-24)

Kimagure Orange Road: TV Series V.7 (Ep.25-28)

Kimagure Orange Road: TV Series V.8 (Ep.29-32)

Kimagure Orange Road: TV Series V.9 (Ep.33-36)

Kimagure Orange Road: TV Series V10 (Ep.37-40)

Kimagure Orange Road: TV Series V11 (Ep.41-44)

Kimagure Orange Road: TV Series V12 (Ep.45-48)

Kingdom Of Heaven (2-Disc Widescreen)

La Grande Collection de La Petite Vie

Le succès sans précédent de la comédie La Petite Vie – certains épisodes ont dépassé le cap des deux millions de téléspectateurs – tient du phénomène social. Entre le cynisme grinçant et le ridicule le plus débridé, les personnages de la famille Paré, Popa, Moman et leurs enfants détraqués, ont, chaque semaine, repoussé les limites de la vraisemblance. La Grande Collection de La Petite Vie présente l'intégrale de cette série-culte écrite par Claude Meunier, qui y tient également la vedette en compagnie de son ancien complice de Ding et Dong, Serge Thériault.

Les grands moments de La Petite Vie, servis par des comédiens en excellente forme, sont innombrables : Popa (Meunier) et Moman (Thériault) roucoulant dans leur lit vertical; Moman, bonnet de nuit assorti à sa “jaquette de flanellette”, en grande conversation avec la dinde qui cuit; Rénald chantant La Bamba à sa famille accablée. Ils y sont tous : Caro (Guylaine Tremblay) la révoltée, Rénald et Lison (Marc Labrèche et Josée Deschênes) les conformistes, Réjean (Marc Messier) le coureur de jupons, Thérèse (Diane Lavallée), paniquée devant une recette de pâté chinois, et Rod (Bernard Fortin) l'homme-enfant. Sans oublier quelques personnages secondaires réjouissants, comme le couple français de passage chez les Paré ou la mère de Popa, qui rase soigneusement sa barbe tous les matins.

Comme l'a prouvé, par la suite, la vague déferlante d'humoristes québécois, la pratique de l'humour absurde relève d'un art excessivement difficile à maîtriser. En la matière, La Petite Vie s'avère une référence absolue. —Anne-Marie Cloutier

La Guerre des tuques

Pendant les vacances d'hiver, une bataille de boules de neige devient le théâtre d'une petite guerre entre deux groupes d'enfants. Véritable classique du cinéma jeunesse, La Guerre des tuques a fait le tour du monde et a été traduit dans d'innombrables langues, en plus d'être primé dans plusieurs festivals internationaux.

La Vie après l'amour

Produit par Roger Frappier (producteur vedette du Déclin de l'Empire américain), réalisé par Gabriel Pelletier (metteur en scène de Karmina et de sa suite K2), et mettant en vedette Michel Côté (coauteur et vedette du phénomène théâtral Broue), La Vie après l'amour est une comédie grand public soigneusement conçue pour conquérir un vaste public. Mais cette farce bon enfant, qui raconte les mésaventures d'un homme (Michel Côté) abandonné par son épouse (Sylvie Léonard) après 20 ans de mariage, aspire aussi timidement à brosser le portrait d'un mari désespéré par le départ de sa femme. De fait, les première scènes, et leurs effets de montage empruntés à des comédies fines comme Two For the Road et Annie Hall, suggèrent une farce intelligente sur l'usure de la passion dans le mariage. Gabriel Pelletier livre ici efficacement une succession de gags prévisibles sur les maris cocus, les amants jaloux et les visites chez le dentiste. —Georges Privet

The Lady in the Water [HD DVD]

Le Déclin de l'empire américain

Le Dîner de cons

Le Fabuleux Destin d'Amilie Poulain (Id. Collect.)

Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events

Life: Season One

Linea, La

Long Way Round: The Entire Series (Ten Episodes)

Looney Tunes 3 Pk Fun S1 V1-V3

The Looney Tunes Show: There Goes the Neighborhood Season 1 Part 2

Looney Tunes: Golden Collection, Vol. 1

For years, animation buffs have waited impatiently for the Warner Bros. cartoons to appear on DVD. The Warner shorts never commanded the budgets and prestige of the Disney and MGM films, and won fewer Oscars than they deserved. But decades after the best ones were created, they remain the quintessential Hollywood cartoons: brash, fast-paced, aggressively funny and uniquely American. Virtually everyone in the U.S. under the age of 60 grew up on these films, in theaters and on TV. The 56 cartoons in the set (out of a studio output of over 1,000) were transferred from good prints—which means the viewer can see dust, scratches, and occasional mistakes by the cel painters. The films are all presented uncut, in defiance of the killjoys who have insisted on censoring alleged "violence" in the versions shown on television. Warner Bros. is obviously testing consumer response with this set. Although the erratic selection includes many classics, purists will argue (correctly) that it offers neither a fair representation of the directors' oeuvres, nor anything approaching a coherent history of the characters or studio style. (Nearly half the films were directed by Chuck Jones; only three are by Bob Clampett, and there's nothing by Tex Avery or Frank Tashlin.) But it seems petty to carp about omissions and biases when the discs offer excellent, uncensored prints of some of the funniest films ever made in the U.S.—or anywhere else. (Rated G, suitable for all ages: cartoon violence) —Charles Solomon

Looney Tunes: Golden Collection, Vol. 2

Brash, fast-paced, and hysterically funny, the Warner Brothers cartoons rank among the undisputed treasures of American animation and American comedy. This second collection, a follow-up to Looney Tunes: Golden Collection, includes such gems as "Porky in Wackyland," "A Bear for Punishment," "Gee Whiz-z-z," The Great Piggy Bank Robbery," and "I Love to Singa." A short documentary about director Bob Clampett features several cartoon historians, animator Eric Goldberg, Shawshank Redemption director Frank Darabont, and Ren and Stimpy creator John Kricfalusi (enthusiastic but over the top). But Warners continues its scattergun approach to selecting films. There are only eight cartoons by Clampett in the set, plus three by Tex Avery and one by Frank Tashlin. "Rabbit Fire" and "Rabbit Seasoning" appear on the first set, but the third cartoon in Jones's trilogy, "Duck! Rabbit! Duck!" isn't on either. More than two-thirds of the films are by Friz Freleng and Chuck Jones. That's not necessarily a bad thing. "Show Biz Bugs," "Bugs Bunny Rides Again," and the Oscar-winning "Tweety Pie" showcase Freleng's razor-sharp timing. "What's Opera, Doc," "The Dover Boys," and the justly celebrated "One Froggy Evening" rank among Jones's boldest experiments and most brilliant successes.

Volume Two includes some genuine rarities, among them, "Sinkin' in the Bathtub" (1930), the first Looney Tune, and the Oscar-winning documentary "So Much for So Little." With 60-plus cartoons, transferred from good prints Looney Tunes: Golden Collection, Volume 2 is a collection to treasure. (Rated G, suitable for all ages: cartoon violence) —Charles Solomon

Looney Tunes: Golden Collection, Vol. 3

Like the previous entries in the Looney Tunes Golden Collection series, volume 3 confirms how brilliant the Warner Bros. artists were and how durable their creations have proven. The set includes classics that every cartoon buff will recognize: "Duck! Rabbit! Duck!," "Robin Hood Daffy," "Birds Anonymous." Other selections are less familiar but significant in the development of the studio: "Sinkin' in the Bathtub," the first Looney Tune; "I Haven't Got a Hat," the earliest Warners cartoon viewers can watch for fun, rather than as an historic curiosity; "Porky's Romance," in which director Frank Tashlin introduced rapid cutting to cartoons. Some of the caricature films have aged less gracefully. Younger audiences will recognize the drawn versions of W.C. Fields, the Marx Brothers, Katharine Hepburn, and Charlie Chaplin. But will anyone under the age of 60 remember Edna Mae Oliver, George Arliss, or Ned Sparks?

The producers have once again loaded the discs with supplemental material, including "Point Food Rationing," a unseen short explaining wartime ration books; a BBC documentary on Chuck Jones; and interstitial animated sequences for The Bugs Bunny Show. "Philbert" ranks as the oddest of the extras: an unsold (and leaden) pilot from 1963, featuring live actors and an animated title character. Whoopi Goldberg introduces the set, explaining that some of the ethnic gags would no longer be considered appropriate. But she correctly adds that to remove them would falsify both the history of animation and American popular culture. It all adds up to a set every cartoon fan will want. (Unrated, suitable for all ages: cartoon violence) —Charles Solomon

Looney Tunes: Golden Collection, Vol. 4

Like previous installments, the Looney Tunes Golden Collection, Volume 4 mixes favorites from the Warner Bros. archives with relatively obscure older works. Chuck Jones' "Mississippi Hare" and Friz Freleng's "Sahara Hare" and "Knighty-Knight Bugs" (which won an Oscar) offer hilarious performances by Bugs. Two of Jones' earliest films, "The Night Watchman" and "Conrad the Sailor" prefigure his use of subtle expressions in his later cartoons. The disc of shorts by Frank Tashlin includes "Plane Daffy": pigeon see-duck-tress Hatta Mari anticipates Jayne Mansfield in such later Tashlin live-action comedies as Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter?

Not all of these films have aged as gracefully. Younger viewers will probably not catch the references to Charlie McCarthy, Bill Robinson, and other old film and radio stars. The Speedy Gonzalez cartoons feature ethnic humor that seems embarrassing today; it's also crashingly unfunny. Each disc offers a disclaimer about stereotypes, noting, "they were wrong then and are wrong today."

The discs are loaded with extras that range from a partial set of storyboards for "Sahara Hare" to three of the "Private Snafu" shorts, which were made for the "Army-Navy Screen Magazine" during WW II. The oddest extra is the documentary Bugs Bunny Superstar, which infuriated many of the Warner Bros. artists when it was released in 1977. Much of its information should be taken with a grain of salt. (Unrated, suitable for ages 6 and older: cartoon violence, some ethnic stereotypes, mild risqué humor, alcohol & tobacco use) —Charles Solomon

Looney Tunes: Golden Collection, Vol. 5

Lost In Space

Lost In Translation

MacGyver: The Complete 1st Season

Like James Bond—but without the high-tech gadgets—Angus MacGyver (Richard Dean Anderson) is one of those rare beings who can avert any crisis without mussing a hair. (The rest of us should be so lucky.) In the pilot alone, the secret agent dismantles a missile using a paper clip and fashions a rocket thruster out of a pistol. Is there anything MacGyver can't do? As the first season of ABC's long-running adventure series proves, the answer is a resounding no. MacGyver's secret: the everyday items he "finds along the way," like matches or gum wrappers, and the ingenuity to put them to a myriad of uses (a background in physics and chemistry doesn't hurt). Unlike Alias' Sidney Bristow, he isn't a multi-linguist, a martial artist, or a master of disguises. Wits are MacGyver's weapon of choice.

Produced by Henry Winkler (Arrested Development), The Complete First Season includes all 22 episodes from 1985-1986 (alas, there are no extras). MacGyver is joined by Phoenix Foundation director of operations Pete Thornton (Dana Elcar), who is introduced in "Nightmares." Also, his grandfather, Harry Jackson (John Anderson), makes his first appearance in "Target MacGyver," while friend Penny Parker (Teri Hatcher of Desperate Housewives) makes hers in "Every Time She Smiles" (they will appear more frequently in future seasons). Other notable guest stars include Joan Chen (The Last Emperor) in "The Golden Triangle," Nana Visitor (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine) in "Hellfire," and John De Lancie (Star Trek: The Next Generation) in "The Escape."

MacGyver ran for seven seasons and was followed by two made-for-TV movies in 1994, Lost Treasure of Atlantis and Trail to Doomsday). In 1997, after a short-lived series for UPN (1995's Legend), Anderson landed the lead in an even longer-running series, Stargate SG-1, based on the sci-fi extravaganza with Kurt Russell. —Kathleen C. Fennessy

MacGyver: The Complete 2nd Season

MacGyver: The Complete 3rd Season

In "Ghost Ship," MacGyver's boss, Pete (Dana Elcar), is asked to define what makes Mac (Richard Dean Anderson) so special. He replies, "You know, I've known him for eight years now, and I've never quite been able to put my finger on it. He just always comes through, no matter what." And that he does. MacGyver's third season begins with a blast from the past when Mac runs into Lisa (Elyssa Davalos), a woman he thought he had killed (unintentionally, of course). Turns out Lisa's just fine, but she did do a little time in a Russian gulag, proceeding to marry the ex-KGB operative who set her free. The two-part season opener ("Lost Love") allows Mac to make it up to his former flame with a little help from pal Jack (Bruce "D-Day" McGill), AKA "The Great Sheldrake," whose latest career move is magician.

The producers must have felt that Anderson and Davalos had chemistry as she returns a few episodes later ("Fire and Ice")—sans Russian accent—as Nikki, a different, recurring character (oddly enough, Mac fails to note the resemblance). Like Teri Hatcher's Penny, who doesn't appear in the third season, Nikki isn't a love interest, but a friend (and Phoenix Foundation colleague). While Penny will return the following year, Nikki will not. Fortunately, Michael Des Barres' maniacal Murdoc does reappear ("The Widowmaker"), but only once before Mac neatly dispatches him yet again—or does he? Other guest stars include three Kung Fu vets: The Sopranos Joe Santos ("Back From the Dead"), Blade Runner's James Hong ("Lost Love"), and Keye "Master Po" Luke ("Murderer's Sky," the season finale). The latter two appeared in previous years, but—like Davalos—as different characters (whereas Santos's Jimmy "The Eraser" Kendall was first introduced in the second season). —Kathleen C. Fennessy

MacGyver: The Complete 4th Season

The world's most clever secret agent returns for his fourth season of action, humor, and intrigue. Not much has changed for MacGyver (the very personable Richard Dean Anderson) this time around—he's still as offbeat and cerebral as before, but there are a few familiar faces joining him in season 4 (1988-89). His old friend Penny (Desperate Housewives' Teri Hatcher) appears in two episodes: the supernatural-themed season opener "The Secret of Parker House," and later, in "Cleo Rocks," which also features another returning character, though decidedly less friendly—the sinister Murdoc (Michael Des Barres, hissable as always). Also back in rotation this season is Jack Dalton (Bruce McGill), who assists Mac in several adventures before finding himself in a heap of trouble when he's accused of an attempted assassination in "Brainwashed," and Kristian Alfonso as the dangerous Deborah in the season closer "Unfinished Business" (a "clip show" that is probably the weakest episode in the season). There's also a host of well-known performers in guest roles this season, including Cuba Gooding Jr. in "The Challenge," Jason Priestly in "Blood Brothers," and a surprising turn from G. Gordon Liddy in "Collision Course," which puts Mac behind the wheel of a racecar. But the real star of the show, of course, is MacGyver's mind, which manages to get him out of some spectacular jams by the most unusual methods. Action lovers and series fans won't be disappointed by this set, even with the conspicuous lack of extras. —Paul Gaita

MacGyver: The Complete 5th Season

Desperate times call for desperate measures—and the desperate will stop at nothing to get MacGyver's attention. In the fifth season premiere ("Legend of the Holy Rose"), an old friend releases his houseboat from its moorings—while he's in it. Four episodes later ("Halloween Knights"), an old enemy relieves his boat of its belongings. It works, of course. Mac lives to help people in need, even if those people include obnoxious archeology professor Zoë (Lise Cutter), who enlists his aid in tracking down an ancient artifact, and the mysterious Murdoc (Michael Des Barres), who does the same to rescue his kidnapped sister. Joining forces with arch-enemy Murdoc marks a break with previous seasons. Otherwise, the fifth features the same resourceful secret agent as the first four (though he's relying on those inventive "MacGyverisms" less often as the series continues). MacGyver (Richard Dean Anderson) still travels the world on behalf of the Phoenix Foundation, while reporting to supportive superior Pete Thornton (Dana Elcar). As before, he goes it alone: no gun, no back-up, no wisecracking sidekick—not counting reckless rogue Jack Dalton (Bruce McGill), who drops by on occasion to shake up MacGyver's well-ordered world.

Aside from a greater interest in socially conscious causes, like the protection of endangered species, the 1989-1990 season also breaks with the past by an episode set in the Old West ("Serenity") and another set in the afterlife ("Passages"). In the former, Jack and Penny (Teri Hatcher in her final appearance) return as prototypes for their present day characters. Murdoc returns, as well—this time wearing a black hat. In the latter, Grandpa Harry (John Anderson) bids adieu. Other fifth year guests include Blossom's Mayim Bialik ("Cease Fire," "Hearts of Steel"), The Exorcist's Linda Blair ("Jenny's Chance"), and Jerry Maguire's Cuba Gooding Jr. ("Black Rhino," "Serenity"). —Kathleen C. Fennessy

MacGyver: The Complete 6th Season

MacGyver: The Complete 7th Season

Macross Complete 9 Dvd Boxset 36 Episodes

Madness Of King George

The Matrix: The Ultimate Collection [HD DVD]

Memento

Men With Brooms

Mind Your Language: The Complete Collection

Minority Report (Widescreen) [2 Discs]

Mork and Mindy: Season 1

Children who love Robin Williams as the voice of Aladdin or as Mrs. Doubtfire will get a blast out of the show that blasted him into the stratosphere, and made "Nanoo, Nanoo" a national catch-phrase. Mork & Mindy, a spin-off of a season 5 Happy Days episode, was a tailor-made star vehicle for Williams, who won a Golden Globe for this inaugural 1978 season. The role of extraterrestrial Mork from Ork gave free reign to Williams's stream-of-consciousness riffing as Mork observed life on Earth and reported back to his leader, Orson, on all that he learned about friendship, love, family, and emotions. As Mindy, the down-to-Earth Boulder, Colorado, girl who takes the stranded alien under her roof, fresh-faced Pam Dawber does her best to keep up. When Williams is really in the (Twilight?) zone, it's not acting: she does seem like she's dealing with someone from another planet.

The highlight of this first season is "Mork's Mixed Emotions," a tour-de-force that TV Guide ranked among the top 100 TV episodes of all time (#94, to be exact). Mork believes that emotions are bad, and tries to lock them inside himself, but they are unleashed in a lusty, happy, weepy, angry, envious torrent. Helping to launch Williams as a primetime player in the series pilot are Henry Winkler and Penny Marshall in their iconic roles as the Fonz and Laverne. Another notable guest star in season 1 is David Letterman as an abusive EST-like guru in "Mork Goes Erk." Mork & Mindy rapidly jumped the shark, and much of the '70s sitcom trappings have not aged well, but this first season is a giddy time capsule record of Williams at his most spontaneous and out of this world. Shazbot—the set contains no extras. —Donald Liebenson.

Mork and Mindy: Season 2

Moulin Rouge

Moustache, La

Muppet Show: Best Of The

Muppet Show: Best Of The, Vol. 4

This delightful collection of episodes from The Muppet Show celebrates three British comic giants who rose to fame in the 1960s and early '70s. Peter Sellers is right at home immersing himself in layers of costumes and accents, portraying a gypsy violinist getting heckled by his kin and a sadistic orthopedist (with Hitler mustache) tying patients into knots. (During Kermit's ritual interview with a guest, Sellers says, "I do not exist. I had myself surgically removed.") While actor-musician Dudley Moore's guest shot never quite gets traction—the script is dominated by lame jokes about a music-making machine threatening the jobs of the Muppets' house band—there's a funny jam session featuring Moore on piano in a crumbling set. The John Cleese show is best, with the lanky Monty Python genius outraged about having to work with pigs and refusing to participate in cheesy Wagnerian opera. —Tom Keogh

Muppet Show: Best Of The, Vol.1

Muppets

The Muppets - 3-Disc BD Combo Pack (BD+DVD+Digital Copy+Soundtrack Download Card) [Blu-ray]

My Big Fat Greek Wedding

Mylene Farmer: Music Videos

Mylene Farmer: Music Videos 2 & 3

Naked Gun DVD Gift Set [3 Discs]

Neverwhere

Next Goal Wins [Import]

Oliver, Jamie

One Week

Patlabor - The Mobile Police: The TV Series, Vol. 1

In the not-too-distant future, heavy construction work is performed by giant robots called "Labors"; the robots also get involved in accidents and crimes, so the Tokyo police force needs "Patlabors" (an elision of "Patrol Labors") to keep them in check. Masami Yuuki's Mobile Police Patlabor began as a serial in the Shounen Sunday Comics and was adapted to a seven-part OVA in 1988. The subsequent 47-episode broadcast series proved so popular, additional OVAs and two features followed. The television program has a more upbeat tone than moody features, and despite a slower pace, it retains the freshness and good humor that won it so many fans. Although the heroine of the show is perky Noa Izumi, a young officer determined to succeed as a robot pilot, the stories focus on the interactions of the crew of oddballs who make up Special Vehicles Division 2. Noa's partners include the thoughtful Asuma Shinohara, no-nonsense New York police officer Clancy Kanuka, bigmouth Isao Ota, and understated Captain Goto. This ensemble playing suggests a sci-fi version of Hill Street Blues. Unlike their counterparts in other mecha series, the Patlabor pilots are not always seen as heroic. Captain Goto observes that the robots "have been called everything from jokes to money pits to piles of useless waste," but when a military experiment runs amok or a mutant monster gets loose in a forest, Division 2 is there to save the day. Unrated; suitable for ages 8 and up; robot versus robot violence. This collection contains the first five episodes: 1. "Ingram Animated," 2. "Kanuka Appears," 3. "Speed Vehicles Department 2," 4. "Goto Demon Mountain!" 5. "Labor X-10, Out of Control!" —Charles Solomon

Patlabor - The Mobile Police: The TV Series, Vol. 2

The men and women who make up Special Vehicles Division 2 of the Tokyo police force in the not-too-distant future are perennial underdogs. Because they deal with crimes involving the giant industrial robots called Labors, they're known as Patlabors (an elision of "Patrol Labors"). The 47-episode broadcast series based on Masami Yuuki's manga serial "Mobile Police Patlabor" has a lighter tone than the features. The misfits and oddballs who make up Division 2 suggest a comic Hill Street Blues. They watch others get the credit for their work saving a government minister from a construction site in "The Tower: SOS," save an ancient, sacred tree in "The Green Phantom," and thwart a dated terrorist plot in "Red Labor Landing." All the episodes offer the combination of mecha adventure and ensemble comedy that have made Patlabor such a popular franchise. Unrated; suitable for children 8 and older; minor violence, tobacco use. —Charles Solomon

Patlabor - The Mobile Police: The TV Series, Vol. 3

The misfits of the Special Vehicles Division #2 of the Tokyo police force continue to deal with crises—on and off duty—and renegade giant industrial robots ("Labors") are often the least of their problems. Isao, the squad's resident big mouth, finds himself with a lovely girl in an omiai, a preliminary meeting for an arranged marriage. Naturally, the entire crew butts in. The adolescent prince of an oil-rich Middle Eastern realm visits Japan—and finds a kindred spirit in mecha-loving Noa. When the male members of the squad are injured in a judo match, Captain Goto has to make peace between irreverent Noa and no-nonsense Kanuka. He stages a drinking contest that produces new bonds (and hangovers), as the 47-episode broadcast series based on Masami Yuuki's manga serial "Mobile Police Patlabor" careens along its merry way. (Unrated; suitable for ages 8 and older; minor violence, alcohol use) —Charles Solomon

Pinky and the Brain: Vol. 1

Are you pondering what I'm pondering, animation fans? Yes! Pinky and the Brain have finally arrived on DVD, and they're going to take over the world! Well, at the very least, these genetically engineered lab mice are going to prove, once and for all, that they're the best comedy duo ever created for an animated series aimed at children.... but, why limit their appeal to kids? As executive producer Steven Spielberg said to the show's creators, he wanted this brilliant, Emmy®-winning half-hour cartoon series to lure adults into watching it with their kids, and like the classic Warner Brothers cartoons of the past, it's likely the grown-ups will enjoy it even more! This is largely due to the fact that Pinky and the Brain was produced under the radar, almost as if nobody was watching, so while this delightfully inventive spin-off from Animaniacs is purely entertaining for kids, it also includes a wide variety of in-jokes, movie spoofs, and outrageous dialogue that only older viewers can truly appreciate. It's all innocent fun, but if you watch and listen closely, you'll quickly realize that the writers and first-rate voice cast were having the time of their lives, inventing absurd plots and one-liners purely for their own creative pleasure. How else can you explain Pinky's bizarrely suggestive responses when The Brain asks "Are you pondering what I'm pondering?" or the hilarious send-ups of classic movies like The Third Man (spoofed here as "The Third Mouse"), The Manchurian Candidate ("The Pink Candidate"), and the tearjerking TV classic Brian's Song (satirized, of course, as "Brain's Song")?

Better yet, these 22 episodes culled from P&TB's four-season run (1995-98) demonstrate how the show's basic concept—two talking lab mice ("one is a genius, the other's insane") and their nightly attempts at global domination—lent itself to a broad spectrum of hilariously ingenious plots, with no restrictions of timeframe. So you've got episodes in ancient Egypt, Napoleonic France, and 1940s Vienna, along with contemporary schemes and shorter, time-filler episodes (like "Cheese Roll Call") that qualify as mini-masterpieces of educational comedy. "A Pinky and the Brain Christmas" is a bona-fide sentimental classic (offering proof that the Brain's got a soft heart, after all), and the polar-opposite pairing of Pinky and the Brain is just about perfect, largely due to the voice talents of Maurice LaMarche (expertly channeling Orson Welles as the Brain) and Emmy-winner Rob Paulsen as Pinky (both seen, to splendid effect, in disc 2's behind-the-scenes featurette). Additional voice talents include Roddy MacDowall (as the Brain's nemesis, Snowball) and Ernest Borgnine, but the show's primary strength is its go-for-broke writing, brilliant animation (a flawless homage to Warner Bros. tradition, yet uniquely styled to match the material), and music scores (mostly by Richard Stone) that pay tribute to the late, great WB cartoon composer Carl Stalling while incorporating frequent passages from the classical repertoire. All in all, Pinky and the Brain is perfect entertainment for the young and young-at-heart, destined for cult-favorite status as one of the best overlooked TV series of the 1990s. As Pinky might say, "Poit! Narf! Oh, this is SO much fun!" —Jeff Shannon

Pinky and the Brain: Vol. 2

Pinky and the Brain: Vol. 3

Pinky, Elmyra & the Brain: The Complete Series

Steven Spielberg Presents: Pinky, Elmyra & Brain The Complete Series

Planet Earth - The Complete BBC Series [HD DVD]

As of its release in early 2007, Planet Earth is quite simply the greatest nature/wildlife series ever produced. Following the similarly monumental achievement of The Blue Planet: Seas of Life, this astonishing 11-part BBC series is brilliantly narrated by Sir David Attenborough and sensibly organized so that each 50-minute episode covers a specific geographical region and/or wildlife habitat (mountains, caves, deserts, shallow seas, seasonal forests, etc.) until the entire planet has been magnificently represented by the most astonishing sights and sounds you'll ever experience from the comforts of home. The premiere episode, "From Pole to Pole," serves as a primer for things to come, placing the entire series in proper context and giving a general overview of what to expect from each individual episode. Without being overtly political, the series maintains a consistent and subtle emphasis on the urgent need for ongoing conservation, best illustrated by the plight of polar bears whose very behavior is changing (to accommodate life-threatening changes in their fast-melting habitat) in the wake of global warming—a phenomenon that this series appropriately presents as scientific fact. With this harsh reality as subtext, the series proceeds to accentuate the positive, delivering a seemingly endless variety of natural wonders, from the spectacular mating displays of New Guinea's various birds of paradise to a rare encounter with Siberia's nearly-extinct Amur Leopards, of which only 30 remain in the wild.

That's just a hint of the marvels on display. Accompanied by majestic orchestral scores by George Fenton, every episode is packed with images so beautiful or so forcefully impressive (and so perfectly photographed by the BBC's tenacious high-definition camera crews) that you'll be rendered speechless by the splendor of it all. You'll see a seal struggling to out-maneuver a Great White Shark; swimming macaques in the Ganges delta; massive flocks of snow geese numbering in the hundreds of thousands; an awesome night-vision sequence of lions attacking an elephant; the Colugo (or "flying lemur"—not really a lemur!) of the Philippines; a hunting alliance of fish and snakes on Indonesia's magnificent coral reef; the bioluminescent "vampire squid" of the deep oceans... these are just a few of countless highlights, masterfully filmed from every conceivable angle, with frequent use of super-slow-motion and amazing motion-controlled time-lapse cinematography, and narrated by Attenborough with his trademark combination of observational wit and informative authority. The result is a hugely entertaining series that doesn't flinch from the predatory realities of nature (death is a constant presence, without being off-putting).

At a time when the multiple threats of global warming should be obvious to all, let's give Sir David the last word, from the closing of Planet Earth's final episode: "We can now destroy or we can cherish—the choice is ours." —Jeff Shannon

More Planet Earth
Planet Earth on Blu-ray
Planet Earth on DVD
More BBC DVDs

Stills from Planet Earth (click for larger image)

Planet of the Apes

Police Squad! The Complete Series

Princess Mononoke

Project A-ko 2/3/4 DVD: Love and Robots

Psych: The Complete 5th Season

Psych: The Complete 6th Season

Psych: The Complete Seventh Season

Quantum Leap: The Complete First Season

Quantum Leap: The Complete Second Season

Rbo 2006-2007: Bye Bye

The Reaping [HD DVD]

ReBoot Season 4 Movie: Daemon Rising / My Two Bobs

Reboot Seasons 1 and 2

Record of Lodoss War: The Complete Series

Since the first chapters debuted as a direct-to-video release in 1990, this sprawling sword-and-sorcery epic has delighted fantasy fans with its ancient prophecies, lost kingdoms, enchanted swords, dragons, and wizards. The tangled story line borrows heavily from The Lord of the Rings, the Star Wars films, and numerous other fantasy works. Six mismatched characters find themselves thrown together to protect the land of Lodoss from imminent destruction: Parn is the impetuous young warrior with heroic potential who typifies the genre; in place of the usual spunky girl, there's Deedlit, an elf with magical powers. They're joined by Etoh, a young priest and healer; Ghim, a dwarf-warrior with a heavy heart; Slayn, a wizard in training; and the rascally thief Woodchuck. Their allies include the dashing lord of a desert realm, a mercenary and her Berserker companion, and a benevolent, Arthurian king. They're pitted against an array of villains that includes human warriors, an evil sorcerer, dragons, kobolds, zombies, and Karla, the mysterious "Gray Witch" [sic]. An elegant art nouveau sensibility runs through the designs of Lodoss War, especially the extravagant armor of the warriors. But the film lacks a coherent plot, probably the result of producing so much animation in a short time with multiple directors. Characters are forever dropping in and out of the story: the initial villain, the evil emperor Beld, is replaced by his henchman, Ashram, who is superseded by the dark sorcerer, Wagnard. The last three episodes build to a titanic climax that leaves a lot of plot points unresolved. Hard-core fantasy fans will love Lodoss War; but other viewers are likely to tire of its drawn-out and needlessly complicated story. Unrated; suitable for ages 12 and up; considerable violence and an extremely complicated plot. —Charles Solomon

Red Dwarf: Series 1

Notoriously, and entirely appropriately, the original outline for Doug Naylor and Rob Grant's comedy sci-fi series Red Dwarf was sketched on the back of a beer mat. When it finally appeared on British television in 1988, the show had clearly stayed true to its roots, mixing jokes about excessive curry consumption with affectionate parodies of classic sci-fi. Indeed, one of the show's most endearing and enduring features is its obvious respect for genre conventions, even as it gleefully subverts them. The scenario owes something to Douglas Adams's satirical Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, something to The Odd Couple, and a lot more to the slacker sci-fi of John Carpenter's Dark Star. Behind the crew's constant bickering there lurks an impending sense that life, the universe, and everything are all someone's idea of a terrible joke.

Later seasons broadened the show's horizons until at last its premise was so diluted as to be unrecognizable, but in the six episodes of the first season, the comedy is witty and intimate, focusing on characters and not special effects. Slob Dave Lister (Craig Charles) is the last human alive after a radiation leak wipes out the crew of the vast mining vessel Red Dwarf (Episode 1, "The End"). He bums around the spaceship with the perpetually uptight and annoyed hologram of his dead bunkmate, Arnold Rimmer (Chris Barrie, the show's greatest comedy asset), and a creature evolved from a cat (dapper Danny John Jules). They are guided rather haphazardly by Holly, the worryingly thick main computer (lugubrious Norman Lovett). —Mark Walker

Red Dwarf: Series 2

The second series of Red Dwarf was, as Danny John-Jules says in the accompanying DVD commentary, "the one where it really went good." First broadcast in the autumn of 1988, these six episodes showcase Rob Grant and Doug Naylor's sardonic, sarcastic humor to perfection. The cast had gelled and the occasionally erratic tone of the first series—which was made a little too much in the shadow of Dark Star and The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy—is replaced by a confident assurance that the show's mix of sci-fi in-jokes and gags about bodily functions really does work. There's more color this year, too, as the drab sets are spiced up, a little more money has been assigned to models and special effects, and the crew even goes on location once in a while.

"Kryten" introduces us to the eponymous house robot (here played by David Ross), although after this first episode he was not to reappear until series 3, when Robert Llewellyn made the role his own. Then in "Better Than Life" the show produced one of its all-time classic episodes, as the boys from the Dwarf take part in a virtual reality game that's ruined by Rimmer's tortured psyche. Other highlights include "Queeg," in which Holly is replaced by a domineering computer personality; the baffling time-travel paradox of "Stasis Leak"; the puzzling conundrum of "Thanks for the Memory"; and the astonishingly feminine "Parallel Universe." —Mark Walker

Red Dwarf: Series 3

The third series of Red Dwarf introduced some radical changes—all of them for the better—but the scripts remained as sharp and character-focused as ever, making this a fine candidate for the show's best year. Gone were the dull metallic grey sets and costumes, gone too was Norman Lovett's lugubrious Holly, replaced now by comedienne Hattie Hayridge, who had previously played Hilly in the Series 2 episode "Parallel Universe". New this year were custom-made costumes, more elaborate sets, the zippy pea-green Starbug, bigger special effects and the wholly admirable Robert Llewellyn as Kryten.

The benefits of the show's changes are apparent from the outset, with the mind-bending hilarity of "Backwards," in which Kryten and Rimmer establish themselves as a forward-talking double-act on a reverse Earth. After a modest two-person episode that sees Rimmer and Lister "Marooned", comes one of the Dwarf's most beloved episodes, "Polymorph." Here is the ensemble working at its best, as each character unwittingly has their strongest emotion sucked out of them. Lister loses his fear, Cat his vanity, Kryten his reserve, and Rimmer his anger ("Chameleonic Life-Forms. No Thanks"). "Body Swap" sees Lister and Rimmer involved in a bizarre attempt to prevent the ship from self-destructing. "Timeslides" delves deep into Rimmer's psyche as the boys journey haphazardly through history. Finally, "The Last Day" shows how completely Kryten has been adopted as a crewmember, when his replacement Hudzen unexpectedly shows up. —Mark Walker

Red Dwarf: Series 4

Red Dwarf: Series 5

It's brown alert time all over again for Red Dwarf fans with the fifth season of the much-loved U.K. sci-fi/comedy series. Episode-wise, it's business as usual for the crew of the Red Dwarf—that is, if one considers encountering an alien squid that squirts a despair-inducing hallucinogen ("Back to Reality," later voted the best episode of the series by British viewers—and Stephen Hawking!), evil (and not particularly bright) versions of the crew ("Demons and Angels"), a virus that causes insanity ("Quarantine"), and a trip to a moon created entirely from the mind of the insufferable hologram Rimmer ("Terrorform") business as usual. In short, it's six hilarious episodes, highlighted by the typically terrific writing of creators Rob Grant and Doug Naylor (who also direct two episodes). As with the previous deluxe DVD releases, Series V features a wealth of supplemental features, the most intriguing of which is a look at the failed attempt to recreate the show in America (with U.K. cast member Robert Llewellyn and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine's Terry Farrell as Cat). Also included are cast and fan commentaries, featurettes on the show's "science" and villains, special effects tests, blooper reels, and a sampling of Grant and Naylor's BBC 4 radio sketch "Dave Hollins, Space Cadet," which served as the inspiration for Red Dwarf. Dedicated DVD owners will also be rewarded by Easter eggs lurking throughout the menus. —Paul Gaita

Red Dwarf: Series 6

Series 6 is possibly the most eagerly awaited of the Red Dwarf DVD sets, due to its acclaimed third episode, "Gunmen of the Apocalypse," which earned the program an International Emmy Award in 1994. However, the five other episodes in the series have their own share of absurd laughs, and the two-disc set features enough supplemental features to keep even the most demanding RD fan happy. The crux of series 6 is that the Red Dwarf has been stolen (no thanks to Lister, who can't remember where he left it), and the crew must recover it; their pursuit brings them in contact with brain-consuming aliens ("Psirens," with guest star Jenny Agutter), a polymorph that turns Rimmer and Cat into their alternate identities from Series V ("Emohawk—Polymorph II"), the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse tricked out as gunslingers ("Gunmen of the Apocalypse"), an army of Rimmer clones ("Rimmerworld"), and finally, their own future selves, who turn out to be particularly awful (worse than the present-day ones, that is), and cause a cliffhanger ending that just might spell the end for the Red Dwarf crew.... In short, series 6 more than earns its popular status among Red Dwarf's fanbase, thanks to its sharp writing (sadly, it would be the last series to feature scripts by co-creator Rob Grant) and energetic performances. And the double-disc set matches the quality of the programs with some terrific extras, including commentaries by the RD crew and fans (the latter on "Gunmen of the Apocalypse" only), and featurettes on composer Howard Goodall and series director Andy de Emmony; these are rounded out by the usual collections of "smeg-ups" (bloopers), deleted scenes, behind-the-scenes footage, and another episode of the "Dave Hollins, Space Cadet" radio sketch that inspired the show. And again, the most patient of viewers will find Easter eggs on the menus (happy hunting). —Paul Gaita

Red Dwarf: Series 7

Here's what you'll find in the seventh season of Red Dwarf: the truth behind the assassination of John F. Kennedy, the return of Ace Rimmer (or a reasonable facsimile), an emotional rollercoaster created from real emotions, a very seductive virus, and numerous mishaps involving dimensional accidents, wormholes, nanobots, and male-female relationships. If that makes perfect sense to you, you're undoubtedly a fan of the cult comedy/science fiction series, but even if you're not, there are plenty of laughs to be had. Of course, not every Red Dwarf fan will be in accordance—Series 7 has been the subject of much controversy since its original airing in 1997-98, due mostly to the departure of co-creator Rob Grant, the departure of Chris Barrie's Arnold Rimmer, and the arrival of new castmate Chloe Annett as Dave Lister's ex-girlfriend, Christine Kochanski (who had been played by another actress, Clare Grogan, in earlier episodes). But no matter which side you happen to pick for this debate, there are still enough amusing and thought-provoking moments in each episode to please even the most demanding fan.

Highlights for the season include the opener, "Tikka to Ride," which turns a trip for curry into a visit to Dallas circa '63; "Blue," which addresses the departure of Rimmer and the uncomfortable relationship between Kochanski, Lister (Craig Charles), and Kryten (Robert Llewellyn), and "Nanarchy," in which the aforementioned microscopic robots create more havoc than actual repair. Supplemental features have always been one of the main attractions to the Red Dwarf DVD sets, and Series 7 doesn't disappoint: included are commentary by the cast (including Norman Lovett, the original Kryten) on "Nanarchy"; "Back from the Dead," a 90-minute featurette with new interviews and previously unseen footage; a pair of short films made by fans for a competition; extended editions of three episodes (with no laugh track); 40 minutes of deleted scenes; early effects footage; and lots more. —Paul Gaita

Red Dwarf: Series 8

What's in store for the crew of the Red Dwarf in their final adventures? Well, for one, they've all been re-created—even Arnold Rimmer (unfortunately)—by the Nanobots, but Lister, Kochanski, Cat, and Kryten are almost immediately in hot water for allegedly stealing the Starbug. From there, things get stranger (or back to normal by Red Dwarf standards): it seems that everything the crew is experiencing is an artificial-reality creation programmed by the Red Dwarf's captain, Hollister ("Back in the Red, Part 2"); Rimmer discovers that despite his recent revival, he's doomed to die soon ("Cassandra"), which puts a serious crimp in his plan to finally make officer; the rewired Kryten turns a pet sparrow into a rampaging dinosaur ("Pete, Part 1") and turns a tidy profit by secretly filming women in the shower ("Krytie TV); and finally, the Grim Reaper comes to call in the series finale, "Only the Good Die Young," which reveals the fate of the entire crew. More bizarre than bittersweet, series 8 is classic Red Dwarf lunacy and an inspired sendoff for this unique and clever U.K. cult TV series. As with previous DVD sets, series 8 is loaded with extras, including commentary by the cast on "Cassandra"; "The Tank," which offers interviews with the cast and crew; and featurettes on the show's origins and special model effects designer Bill Pearson. Rounding out the extras are deleted scenes, raw effects footage, a gallery of stills, a frothy "Fight!" music featurette comprised of brawl scenes from the series, a battery of promotional spots filmed for BBC and American PBS stations (as well as the amusing Star Wars, Episode I: The Phantom Menace parody that heralded the beginning of series 8), a 1984 "Dave Hollings: Space Cadet" radio sketch, and as always, a collection of "smeg-ups" (bloopers). —Paul Gaita

Red Dwarf: Series 9 - Back to Earth

Robocop: Trilogy

Robotech: New Generation: V6 Robotech Legacy

Robotech (1985), the early sci-fi epic that helped to foster an audience for Japanese animation in America, was created by the producers at Harmony Gold, who edited together the unrelated series Super Dimension Fortress: Macross, Genesis Climber Mospeada, and Super Dimensional Cavalry Southern Cross. The episodes in this penultimate collection begin the New Generation story line, originally Genesis Climber Mospeada. Drawn by the Protoculture generated during the Second Robotech War, the alien Invid have invaded and conquered Earth. The only opposition to their tyranny comes from the survivors of Admiral Rick Hunter's space fleet and a few rebels on the devastated planet. Lieutenant Scott Bernard manages to assemble a cadre of resistance fighters in record time: sardonic Rand, the obnoxious little girl Annie, cyclone rider Rook, and engineer Lunk. The most curious member of the group is Lancer, who appears as the transvestite performer Yellow Dancer, a singer who models himself after Minmei, the heroine of the first continuity. This unlikely posse is soon battling not only the Invid, but human traitors and gang members. The Elements of Robotechnology disc includes a stolid presentation of the 1985-86 line of toys from Matchbox—now sought-after collectibles. The unaired pilot for Genesis Climber Mospeada allows viewers to compare the original story line with the recut version of episode 1, "The Invid Invasion." The New Generation story line is considerably more violent than the previous Robotech continuities. Unrated; suitable for ages 10 and up: Violence (human versus human, spaceship and robot battles). —Charles Solomon

Robotech: New Generation: V7 Robotech Legacy

The episodes in this collection conclude the New Generation/Mospeada story line—and the entire series. As the war between the Earthlings and the alien Invid escalates, the Regis of the Invid creates two additional "Invid larvae humanoids" (aliens in human form), Sera and Corg. Sera argues for understanding between species, while Corg becomes a fanatic warrior. Meanwhile, Lieutenant Scott Bernard and his motley crew of freedom fighters prepare to join Admiral Rick Hunter's returning star fleet for a final attack on the Invid stronghold. Faced with imminent defeat, the Regis, who invaded Earth and enslaved humanity, delivers an address denouncing war to Scott's crew and transports her people "to a higher plane." Only Marlene/Ariel and Sera remain, and their romances with Scott and Lancer parallel the peace-through-intermarriage theme that began with Max and the Zentraedi Miriya in the Macross continuity. It's a surprisingly lame conclusion to three interstellar wars. This early sci-fi epic helped foster an audience for Japanese animation in America and was created by the producers at Harmony Gold, who edited together the unrelated series Super Dimension Fortress: Macross, Genesis Climber Mospeada, and Super Dimensional Cavalry Southern Cross. The seventh Elements of Robotechnology disc includes an assortment of deleted scenes—some only a few seconds long—but no translations or explanations as to why they were cut, and a gallery of print material about various Robotech products. Unrated; suitable for ages 10 and up: Minor nudity, violence (human versus human, spaceship and robot battles). —Charles Solomon

Robots

Rock Et Belles Oreilles, 1986-1987: Dvd

Rock et Belles Oreilles, 1988

Plonger dans l'univers de Rock et Belles Oreilles, c'est retrouver un esprit adolescent franchement audacieux. En 1988, sa deuxième année au petit écran, RBO avait choqué en montrant Jésus sous sa croix, se faisant essuyer et photocopier le visage par une pleureuse. Le clip était suivi du slogan : “Xerox, une Christ de bonne machine.” The DVD : 1988 donne à apprécier toutes les spécialités du groupe, notamment ses parodies de films (“Kenny”), de vidéoclips (“Gros twit, gros tas” des Gipsy Kings), de séries télévisées (“Snappe pis bourdonne”, pastiche de Lance et compte) et de pubs (“Contribution au distributeur”), passés au hachoir de leur joyeuse méchanceté.

Fidèles à eux-mêmes, les humoristes s'adonnent aussi à l'humour grossier, voire scatologique, mais au milieu des gags de “crastillon” et de crottes de nez, la critique socio-politique trouve sa place. Ainsi, “Le 4e Reich de John Parano” pousse à l'extrême la peur de l'assimilation ressentie par les Anglo-Montréalais. Il faut revoir ces pauvres anglophones, prisonniers d'un camp de concentration, forcés à jurer en joual… Enfin, ce cocktail explosif contient son lot de classiques, dont la succulente chanson “Pourquoi se droguer ?”, du plus-que-quétaine Ringo Rinfret.

Ajoutons que l'édition DVD comprend plus de 40 minutes de sketches supplémentaires, des capsules cachées, tous les épisodes de “Jack Travis” – exercice de style en forme de feuilleton policier – et près d'une demi-heure d'entretiens avec les membres. Tout pour éveiller la nostalgie de ce véritable party télévisuel. Et après avoir renoué avec ces enfants terribles, une question persiste : leurs successeurs se feront-ils bientôt entendre ? —Julie Parent

Rock Et Belles Oreilles, 1989-1990: Dvd

Rock et Belles Oreilles, 1994-95

Ce texte se rapporte à l'édition DVD
L'émission RBO Hebdo, télédiffusée à Radio-Canada durant la saison 1994-1995, marquait le dernier passage de Rock et Belles Oreilles au petit écran. Si la fin était proche, le quintette, devenu quatuor avec le départ de Chantal Francke, demeurait en pleine possession de ses moyens. Comme on peut le constater dans The DVD : 1994-95, il peaufine son art en mettant l'emphase sur les parodies. Dans le genre férocement méchant, mais terriblement drôle, il faut (re)voir la patineuse Josée Chouinard annoncer le shampoing “Prêt Pusse” entre deux chutes, ou Jean-Marc Parent promouvoir “Clearabil”, un produit contre l'acné. Tout aussi réussies sont la parodie du bulletin de nouvelles Pulse (“Repulse”), celle de la publicité des céréales All Bran (“All Brun”), les chansons des Feux sauvages (“Québécois”, “Suzie Robidoux”) et la visite de l'extraterrestre Stromgol chez Raël.

The DVD : 1994-95 ne se limite pas à ces deux heures de meilleurs moments. On y retrouve plus de 40 minutes de scènes rigolotes supplémentaires, tous les vidéoclips de RBO (de “Ça rend rap” à “Bonjour la police”), ainsi que des entrevues avec les membres du groupe. Cette dernière année du quatuor à la télévision n'avait connu qu'un succès mitigé. Elle s'avère pourtant aussi divertissante que les autres. Voici donc l'occasion rêvée de la redécouvrir. —Nicolas Houle

Running Man

S.W.A.T.: First Season

Sanctuary: The Complete First Season

Saviour of the Soul

Shakespeare in Love (Widescreen) (Collector's Series)

Shallow Grave

Shaun Of The Dead

Silent Hill

Sin City-Hartigan & Nancy

Sledge Hammer!: Season One

Sledge Hammer!: Season Two

Sliding Doors (1998)

Son of the Pink Panther (1993)

Space Ace

Spirit of Wonder: The Movie

Spirit of Wonder is not a feature, but a pair of linked 1992 OVAs based on Kenji Tsuruta's manga, combined with two shorts involving the voluptuous restaurant owner Miss China. The fragmentary plot evokes the stories of Jules Verne and boys' science-fiction novels from the original "Tom Swift" series to the juvenile yarns of Robert Heinlein. The overage delinquents of the Boys' Club dream of going to Mars and finally achieve their goal in 1958, using the unorthodox physics of the brilliant, endlessly patient Miss Windy. Light oscillating through "ether" powers their dirigible-like ship across interplanetary space. The graceful lines and pastel colors in this disjointed but visually- rich sci fi adventure recall the look of European graphic novels. Unfortunately, Spirit of Wonder is marred by a weary sexism that was already a cliché in 1992. (Rated 16 and older: violence, nudity, risqué humor, alcohol use) —Charles Solomon

Spy Kids

Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams

Star Wars Lego: The Padawan Menace [Blu-ray]

Star Wars, Episode I: The Phantom Menace

Star Wars, Episode III: Revenge of the Sith

Star Wars: Animated Adventures: Droids

Star Wars: Animated Adventures: Ewoks

Star Wars: Clone Wars, Vol. 1 (Animated)

Star Wars: Clone Wars, Vol. 2 (Animated)

Stardom

Stargate Atlantis: Season 1

Stargate Atlantis: Season 2

Stargate Atlantis: Season 3

Stargate Atlantis: Season 4

Stargate Atlantis: Season 5

Stargate Continuum

Stargate SG-1: Children of the Gods, Final Cut

Stargate SG-1: Season 2 (Widescreen) (5 Discs)

The 1994 movie Stargate was originally intended as the start of a franchise, but creators Roland Emmerich and Dean Devlin were distracted with Independence Day. Episodic TV treatment was the natural next step. Replacing the roles of Colonel Jack O'Neill (Kurt Russell) and Dr. Daniel Jackson (James Spader) are, respectively, Richard Dean Anderson and Michael Shanks. They're joined by Captain Samantha Carter (Amanda Tapping) and former alien baddie Teal'c (Christopher Judge) to form the primary unit SG-1. With a seemingly endless network of Stargates found to exist on planets all across the known universe, their mission is to make first contact with as many friendly races as possible. Chasing their heels at almost every turn are the "overlord" pharaohnic Goa'uld—the ancient Egyptian gods from the original film. The welcome notion of a continued plot thread sees offshoots that follow the reincarnation of Daniel's wife, Sam's father literally joining a renegade faction of the Goa'uld, and Jack in an unending quest to out-sarcasm everyone. Amid a dearth of derivative look-alikes, Stargate SG-1 has held its own with stories that put the science fiction back into TV sci-fi.

Among season 2's 22 episodes, "The Serpent's Lair" concludes the cliffhanger from the end of season 1 in a rollercoaster of wit, plot twists, and cutting-edge special effects as the SG-1 team resign themselves to a suicide mission. In the two-parter "The Tok'ra," Sam's estranged father is dying of cancer, but her obligations sway her toward saving a member of the Goa'uld renegade Tok'ra who is also dying. In "Show and Tell," the central story arc takes a dramatic turn when a child arrives to warn that some survivors of a Goa'uld attack are determined to eliminate anyone who might host their enemy—which means Earth as a whole. There's great fun to be had in "1969," with a time-travel plot that loops many aspects of the show's story lines together, and the cliffhanger finale, "Out of Mind," has Jack experience an Aliens-style awakening 79 years into his future. —Paul Tonks

Stargate SG-1: Season 3 (Widescreen) (5 Discs)

To resolve the season 2 cliffhanger, General Hammond rounds up every conceivable ally to rescue the SG-1 team from Hathor's clutches and gets a much-needed field trip in the process. "Into the Fire " is actually a weak opening for the new year, but does boast some impressive visuals as Hammond and Brat'ac pilot a shuttle through an open Stargate (euphemistically called "threading the needle"). In subsequent episodes, Daniel Jackson is intrigued by the planet Orban's scientific advances over only a few years. An exchange of knowledge is agreed and the precise "Learning Curve" of their children is revealed. Still recalling the original movie, O'Neill is concerned for the siblings because of the loss of his son. In "Demons" some serious lambasting of organized religion occurs in a storyline concerning a medieval Christian village that's being terrorized by a giant Goa'uld servant creature. This episode both brings to light and questions each of the principal characters' beliefs.

"Forever in a Day" begins an important storyline about Daniel's wife Sha're's stolen child who is a "Harcesis," an illegal breeding between Goa'uld hosts. Then an earlier thread is picked up in "Past and Present" on planet Vyus whose people all suffer amnesia. Their leader Ke'ra (played by Megan Leitch who's portrayed Mulder's missing sister in The X-Files) is a link to the earlier "Prisoners" episode and the dangerous "destroyer of worlds". In a two-part cliffhanger, Sam must attempt to rescue her father, face Satan himself on a prison moon, and resurrect "Jolinar's Memories" from the Goa'uld she was briefly possessed by, then "The Devil You Know" reveals an embarrassing secret that could allow the team to escape the clutches of Satanic Sokar. "Pretense" is one of those sci-fi series staples as a character is put on trial to prove their guilt on behalf of another. "Urgo" expands the general sardonic humor with a little pathos for the guest appearance by Dom DeLuise. Lots of slapstick ensues.

"A Hundred Days" is the three months O'Neill spends stranded on planet Edora by the fire rain of a passing asteroid belt. Then in "Shades of Grey" he appears to suffer a total personality switch when he steals technology from the Tollan and is insubordinate in the extreme. Both these are terrific concepts but are scarcely enough story to have stretched across more than one episode. —Paul Tonks

Stargate SG-1: Season 4

It wasn't until the beginning of Stargate SG-1's fourth season that fans knew to take the Replicator threat seriously. The spidery nasties had only seemed like one of many new enemies introduced in previous years. But when the one seemingly omnipotent backbone of the galaxy was asking Earth for help, clearly we were in real trouble! In fact, the team's list of enemies expanded and got far more complicated this year. Proving without a shadow of a doubt that this is science fiction, the Russians reveal they have their own Stargate program and ask the Americans for help. This twist allows for exploration of all the political machinations occurring behind the scenes of the SG-C, all of which appear to stem from the embittered Senator Kinsey (Ronny Cox).

There were quite a few Earth-based stories in the year, but not all the new enemies were originally local. Willie Garson comically guest-starred as Martin, a geekily suspicious guy with too much knowledge of the Stargate. More sinister was an old flame of Daniel's turning into something far more painful than an old wound (thanks to an ancient Egyptian curse). Thankfully, the writers hadn't forgotten the importance of one-off storylines too. In "Upgrades" the team learns a lesson in abuse of power. In "The Other Side" (featuring DS9's Rene Auberjonois) they learn about blind trust. In "Scorched Earth" a dangerous claim for a planet's ownership means they learn to value Daniel's contribution to the group dynamic. If only this last lesson were learned better, season 5 might not have ended up as muddled as it did. —Paul Tonks

Stargate SG-1: Season 5 (Widescreen) (5 Discs)

It now seems clear that season 5 of Stargate SG-1 will be remembered as the one in which something went awry with Daniel Jackson. Lots of behind-the-scenes rumors fueled the idea of cast tension, but whatever the problem, his sudden departure from the show was obviously through a quickly contrived scenario. In retrospect, there must have been a problem for some while before the weird penultimate episode ("Meridian"). Michael Shanks looks frequently bored in his rare moments of individual screen time as he infiltrates a Goa'uld meeting and even when making friends with a creature everyone else wants dead. In fact, there's only one point when everyone really seems to be having fun, and that's in the spoof 100th episode "Wormhole X-treme!"

Most shows go through a run-around, skin-of-their-teeth period awaiting renewal, and it certainly seems to have affected storylines this year. For example, a next generation of younger SG teams is introduced. Replacements? The most unfortunate aspect of things, however, was that not a single episode managed to stand alone on its own merits. Every single story was dependent on a part of the greater interwoven warring-species threads. Some of the one-off tales were terrific in and of themselves, but it was as if the writers fell into the trap of having to refer to as much backstory as possible, perhaps to ensure loose ends could be easily wrapped up? Ultimately none of this mattered since the show went on for quite a while. —Paul Tonks

Stargate SG-1: Season 6 (Widescreen) (5 Discs)

The biggest change for Stargate SG-1's sixth season was its move to the Sci-Fi Channel. Financial rescue or genre haven from cancellation? Whatever the behind-the-scenes politics, the departure of Daniel Jackson (actor Michael Shanks) the previous year most certainly contributed to the need to run a tighter ship somewhere. With the addition of his replacement, Jonas Quinn, the new show dynamic (hinted at by the new title theme) meant far more convolutedly involved story arcs and less individual focus. One of very few solo spotlights came from Christopher Judge writing his own show, when "The Changeling" saw Teal'c act out a life as a fireman. One reason for its being a fan favorite was the cameo from still-alive-after-all Daniel Jackson. There'd be several more through the year, culminating in a finale that relied on how much attention you'd been paying to that all-important back-story. Other kooky cameos included Dean Stockwell in one of the many spotlights on the energy resource n'quadria, Ian Buchanan as one of the devilish Replicators (and hopefully the end of that plotline), and regular spots from John DeLancie, Ronny Cox, and Tom McBeath as the Earth-bound series bad guys. More pertinently, we also saw The X-Files' Byers (Bruce Harwood) as a scientist involved with the Antarctic Gate. Lest we forget, there are other portals on Earth. Is that an already planned spin-off on the horizon? —Paul Tonks

Stargate SG-1: Season 7

A gradual shift in overall style, character homecomings and departures, and evolving on- and off-screen roles for the major players are among the attractions of the seventh season of Stargate SG-1. Spread out over five discs, these 21 episodes are ample indication that changes notwithstanding—and admittedly, not all of them are for the better—the series remains arguably the best-made, most compelling sci-fi program on television.

Perhaps most noticeable is the reduced role of star Richard Dean Anderson, who opted to limit his number of trips to Vancouver, where Stargate SG-1 is filmed. But that's not a bad thing. The show's ability to poke fun at itself has always been a strong suit, and while Anderson still brings a welcome sense of humor to his portrayal of wiseacre and loose cannon Col. Jack O'Neill, his act is getting a little smug by now. What's more, the other principal cast members have taken up the slack, both behind and in front of the camera: Michael Shanks (Daniel Jackson, who rejoins the cast in episode 1) wrote one episode and co-wrote another; Christopher Judge (Teal'c) wrote one as well; Amanda Tapping (Lt. Col. Samatha Carter) directed episode 19, "Resurrection"; and even Corin Nemec (Jonas Quinn, who appears in just a few episodes) contributed one story.

The seventh season also finds the series somewhat more earthbound than in the past; indeed, there are episodes in which the Stargate (the "wormhole" our heroes use to travel to different worlds) doesn't appear at all. On balance, the stories are more personal, and more political—especially the final two, with the newly elected U.S. President (William Devane) struggling to decide the fate of the Stargate program (and, of course, the fate of the entire known universe as well!). And then there's the ultimate villain, Anubis, who makes perennial nemeses the Goa'uld (of which Anubis is one... sort of) look tame. He's a combination of Star Wars' Darth Vader and evil Emperor, but hey, at least these guys borrow from the best.

Stargate SG-1's production values remain first-rate. The bonus DVD features are also much better than they once were, with audio commentary (mainly by directors and writers) for every episode, as well as director profiles and "Beyond the Gate" featurettes focusing on individual characters. —Sam Graham

Stargate SG-1: Season 8

Stargate SG-1: Season 9 (Bilingual)

Stargate SG-1: Season 10

Stargate: 15th Anniversary Edition [Blu-ray]

15th Anniversary Edition/Edition 15 Anniversaire.

Stargate: The Ark of Truth

The Starlost - The Complete Series

Stay

Storyteller: Collection

Superman - The Movie [HD DVD]

Warner Brothers Superman The Movie - HD-DVD
The story begins with Superman's birth on the doomed planet Krypton and follows him on his arrival to Earth, his childhood in Kansas and his career as reporter for the Daily Planet.

The Animatrix

Matrix writer-directors Larry and Andy Wachowski commissioned seven artists from Japan, America and Korea to make nine short films set in the world of their feature trilogy. Some of the top anime directors contributed to this anthology, including Yoshiaki Kawajiri (Ninja Scroll), Koji Morimoto (Robot Carnival), and Shinchiro Watanabe (Cowboy Bebop). Some of the films tie directly into the narrative of the live- action movies. Drawn in a style reminiscent of Jean "Moebius" Giraud, Mahiro Maeda's The Second Renaissance (Part I & Part II) depicts the human-machine wars that caused the enslavement of humanity and the creation of the Matrix. The duel between two flamboyantly costumed Kabuki warriors in Kawajiri's Program is an expanded version of the cybernetic training Neo (Keanu Reeves) undergoes in the first Matrix film. Watanabe evokes the look of old newspaper photographs in A Detective Story, which falls outside the storyline of the features. Fast-paced, violent and grim, The Animatrix is an uneven but intriguing compilation that represents a new level in the ongoing cross-pollination between Japanese animation and American live action. (Not rated, suitable for ages 16 and older: considerable violence, violence against women, grotesque imagery, brief nudity, alcohol use) —Charles Solomon

The Arrow

The Bionic Woman, Vol. 1

The Critic: The Entire Series [3 Discs]

The Curse of the Pink Panther (1983)

The Flash: The Complete Series

The Greatest American Hero: Season Three [3 Discs]

The Greatest American Hero: Season Two

The Guyver, Vol. 1

The Guyver, Vol. 2

The Island

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

The Matrix & The Matrix: Revisited (Widescreen/Full Screen)

The Muppet Show (Best of) [Full Screen 25th Anniversary Edition]

The Muppet Show (Best of), Vol. 3

The emphasis is on music in this lively minicollection of episodes from The Muppet Show, but that doesn't mean the late Jim Henson's creative genius goes on holiday. Linda Ronstadt, at the height of her popularity in 1976, belts out her hit "Blue Bayou," though accompanied by Henson's delightful swamp critters. Gentle eco-warrior John Denver has no shortage of lovely nature songs, yet nothing tempers the rage of Miss Piggy, forced to share Kermit with Denver on a camping trip. In a classic Muppet showstopper, this DVD includes Harry Belafonte joined in a Guinea folk song by breathtaking African masks, which move and sing in a moment of true television magic. Brian Henson (Jim's son) introduces all three episodes with some shared memories; the most touching includes footage of Belafonte singing that same Guinea song, years later, at a joyful memorial for Jim. —Tom Keogh

The Muppet Show: Season 1

The charm, the zaniness, the corny jokes, the showbiz cliches—every element of The Muppet Show holds up 30 years after Jim Henson's legendary variety series' debut season. Well, perhaps not everything: Today's younger viewers might have a hard time placing some of The Muppet Show's then-guest stars, such as Florence Henderson or Ruth Buzzi. But then, the Show's real celebrities are perennial icons Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, Gonzo the... whatever, Fozzie Bear, Animal, and the rest of the Muppets' harried, well-meaning family of entertainers.

Season One finds the show pretty much in the basic shape longtime fans will remember: A musical introduction followed by backstage chaos, another musical number, a sketch, a scene with the guest star, and so on. A half-hour episode can fly by pretty quickly, but it's interesting to note that the series hadn't quite found its familiar tone through much of the first year. A reliance on too many disposable verbal jokes and redundant, so-so material for sketch fodder ultimately gives way to more creative premises and the development of key relationships between characters. By the final half-dozen episodes in the first season, The Muppet Show is truly cooking. Season highlights include Kermit's confession to guest Juliet Prowse that he always wanted to be a dancer, and Prowse's comparison of the little green superstar to Robert Redford. Joel Grey does a cabaret-style act for a roomful of Muppets and is later outraged when Kermit's introduction of the actor proves so thorough there is nothing left for the latter to say. Rita Moreno proves quite game in a funny piece, set in a French cafe, in which her dance with a man-size Muppet turns from romantic to table-smashing violent. Harvey Korman plays bumbling ringmaster Maurice the Magnificent, easily the worst animal trainer in history. Phyllis Diller bats out shameless one-liners ("I sang 'Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star,' and it fell on me"), and Vincent Price toys with his own horror film image by playing a ghoul who turns into a maudlin orchestra conductor at midnight. —Tom Keogh

The Muppet Show: Season 2

The Muppet Show: Season 3

The Office: The Complete First Series

The Serpents Kiss

The Tick Vs. Season One

The Tick: Entire Series

He's the Wild Blue Yonder, and The Tick is back to show why this outlandishly funny TV series should never have been canceled! After proving his mettle in comic books and animated TV, creator Ben Edlund's blue-insect superhero made his auspicious debut on Fox (in November 2001), portrayed in live action (in a buff-muscled rubber suit) by Patrick Warburton, the popular Seinfeld guest star (as "Puddy"), who instantly perfected the role he was born to play. In his appreciative commentary track, co-executive producer (and Men in Black director) Barry Sonnenfeld calls the pilot episode "the best thing I've ever directed," and it's easy to agree: wide-angle lenses, stylized sets, hilarious dialogue and a comedically gifted cast make the episode (and the entire series) a perfect summation of Sonnenfeld's wacky style. Edlund concurs, observing that The Tick is "something you get or you don't," and the impatient Fox executives obviously didn't get the show's expert blend of absurdity, stupidity, and good-natured irreverence. They axed the series after eight of these nine episodes aired, only proving that The Tick was too hip for their bean-counting mentalities.

In the title role, Warburton (with highly expressive antennae) hits all the right notes of dimwitted innocence and brute-force gallantry, aided immeasurably by his moth-costumed sidekick Arthur (David Burke), wannabe lothario Batmanuel (Nestor Carbonell), and buxom beauty Captain Liberty (Liz Vassey). Attentive to the more mundane aspects of superheroism, The Tick offers outrageous villains (like the nefarious "Destroyo") and eccentric allies (like Ron Perlman's hilarious "Fiery Blaze") while showing that even crimefighters have everyday problems and desires. Brilliantly conceived and executed, The Tick can now be enjoyed by an audience it never had a proper chance to cultivate. —Jeff Shannon

The Tick: Season 2

The Transporter (Special Delivery Edition) (2002)

The Weird Al Show: The Complete Series

Those who remember Spike & Mike's Sick and Twisted festivals might also recall that the creators of No Neck Joe, Peyton Reed and Keith Alcorn, were simultaneously dosing The Weird Al Show with a similar bizarre humor. Not until one revisits this freakish TV series does one realize how "Weird" Al Yankovic really was. Like Jerry Lee Lewis, he perfected the art of being corny, with his frizzy, long hair, gaudy Hawaiian shirts, and nerdy voice. Known mostly as a musician who spoofed radio hits, Weird Al's show placed Yankovic in stand-up situations, albeit scripted, involving props like x-ray spray or an electric toenail-cutting machine. Each episode was thematically established for kids, with lessons like, "Be Yourself," "Don't Make Promises You Can't Keep," and "Settle Conflicts with Peaceful Communication," setting Al up for comedic failure. Watching a grown man turn infantile harkens back to Pee Wee's Playhouse, as do The Weird Al Show's colorful, kitschy sets. In "One For the Books," Al accidentally microwaves his best friend, Harvey the Wonder Hamster, turning Harvey into a "grotesque radioactive mutant." When Harvey gets into the Guinness Book of World Records for Largest Rodent and gains several groupies, Al gets jealous and begins searching, in vain, for his own records to break. Al learns that it isn't record-breaking that counts, but the effort that goes into a given task. Each of the 13 episodes showcase classic Weird Al, at best when he sinks into his Skull Chair to watch self-invented commercials on TV, like one for Pirate Roofers, or for a barber who gives terrible haircuts. Random guest-appearances, like those from John Tesh and Alex Trebek, add mystery, and the commentaries by Al & cast are authentically entertaining. The Weird Al Show is so stupid it's funny. —Trinie Dalton

The Young Riders: The Complete First Season

The premise behind this revisionist Western from executive producer Jonas McCord (Earth: Final Conflict, Ask the Dust) was novel enough: veteran character actor Anthony Zerbe ran a Pony Express station, and counted among his diverse group of riders such future legends of the Old West as Wild Bill Hickok (Josh Brolin) and Buffalo Bill Cody (Stephen Baldwin; Christopher Pettiet would join them in the series' third and final season as a youthful Jesse James). Ostensibly, the Riders' job was to deliver the U.S. mail, but somehow, adventure kept intervening, and the Riders rallied valiantly to defend escaped slaves ("Black Ulysses"), give testimony in the case of a stagecoach massacre ("Speak No Evil"), and even deal with their own growing fame ("Ten-Cent Hero," which addresses the pulp mythologizing of Hickok). Of course, there was always time for a little romance as well, especially between Hickok and comely housemother Emma Shannon (Melissa Leo, who departed the show after this season for more modern pastures on Homicide: Life in the Street). A host of notable guest stars supported the uniformly fine cast, including Cynthia Nixon ("Gathering Clouds") and Chris Penn ("Matched Pair"). The lack of any extras is something of a disappointment. —Paul Gaita

They Call Me Bruce?

Time Machine (2002)

While the 1960 version of The Time Machine remains a science fiction classic, this adaptation of the H.G. Wells novel benefits from a dazzling CGI facelift. Digital wizardry shows us the awesome splendor of eons passing in an eye blink, while Wells's heroic time traveler—played with appealing conviction by Memento's Guy Pearce—is given a stronger motivation for piloting his time machine 800,000 years into the future. Long after New York City has crumbled and the moon shattered by a nuclear accident, Pearce finds a new home with the peacefully primitive Eloi, after confronting the subterranean Morlocks (courtesy of Stan Winson's monster shop) and their evil overlord (Jeremy Irons in wicked, pigmentless makeup). Trading Wells's social commentary for pure adventure, director Simon Wells (the author's great-grandson) maintains the story's legacy of wonder, despite a few hokey embellishments. Catering to a younger audience, this Time Machine is fun without being particularly distinguished—a treat for the eyes, if not the brain. —Jeff Shannon

Top Secret! (Version française)

Trail of the Pink Panther (1982)

Transporter 2

Transporter 2 knows what its audience wants and—like its title character—it delivers. This is a movie that has not only a fight choreographer but also a car stunt choreographer; a movie in which a female assassin wears nothing but a bra and panties because, presumably, additional clothing would be too cumbersome; a movie in which crashing through a concrete wall in order to leap over a four-lane street will not even rumple the hood of the hero's car; a movie in which a drunken supermodel, after her advances are chastely and gently rebuffed by the hero, says "Thanks for the respect—that's what I needed most"; a movie, in short, for those who liked the first Transporter but found it too subdued and character-driven. Jason Statham (The Italian Job) reprises his role as Frank Martin, a perhaps overly diligent chauffer who will break bones if his duty is impeded. The sheer glee with which Transporter 2 casts aside logic, probability, and the laws of physics is infectious. If the sequence in which Frank flips his car upside-down in order to detach the bomb attached to his undercarriage doesn't reduce you to intoxicated giggles, well...you're watching the wrong movie. Transporter 2 is utterly shameless, unstoppably ridiculous, and completely enjoyable. Also featuring Amber Valetta (Hitch), Jason Flemyng (Snatch), and Matthew Modine. —Bret Fetzer

V for Vendetta

V: The Complete Series

Vampire Princess Miyu (Original Series) - Vol. 2

Vampire Princess Miyu: Initiation

Toshihiro Hirano (Magic Knight Rayearth) directed both the earlier Vampire Princess Miyu OAVs and these less dramatic but more graphic broadcast episodes based on the manga created by his wife, Narumi Kakinouchi. Instead of wandering, Miyu enrolls in an urban high school, makes a few friends, and battles the local "demon-gods" or Shinma. "Larva" has become "Lava," more of a companion than a servant, who removes his stark mask to reveal the face of a standard bishonen, or beautiful boy. He and Miyu are joined by Shina, a spirit who resembles a cross between a rabbit and the Pokémon Clefairy. Hirano and the writers draw on more Western elements in these stories, despite the sakuhachi (bamboo flute) music. This version of Miyu is less aloof and more human, although she remains a formidable warrior. Still, the broadcast adventures lack the panache of the OAVs. Unrated; suitable for ages 13 and up: violence, brief nudity, grotesque imagery. —Charles Solomon

Vampire Princess Miyu: V5 Dark Love

Vampire Princess Miyu: V6 Last Shinma

Video Girl Ai

Based on a manga by Masakuza Katsura, this deservedly popular comedy-romance suggests a cross between The Velveteen Rabbit and The Little Mermaid. Gentle, empathetic Yota is dismissed by his high school classmates as a "dateless loser"; he nurtures a crush on Moemi, who's in love with his best friend, Takashi. Then Ai materializes from his VCR: she's a "video girl," designed to provide company and comfort. She and Yota unwittingly fall in love, which Ai is forbidden to do. Yota learns from their relationship that love and life are transitory, rather than permanent (a recurring theme in Japanese literature) and that sometimes having loved and been loved is sufficient. Mizuho Nishikubo directs with unobtrusive polish, although the script saddles him with unnecessary cheesecake shots and slapstick violence. Voice actors Maggie Blue O'Hara and Brad Swaile offer nuanced performances as Ai and Yota. Unrated; suitable for ages 16 and up: Nudity, sexual humor, mature themes. —Charles Solomon

Vidocq (Version française)

"Vidocq est mort !" Jamais l'annonce de la disparition d'un voleur n'aura à ce point bouleversé le Tout-Paris. Et pour cause ! Passé du clan des chassés à celui des chasseurs, cet ex-bagnard, devenu préfet de police sous l'Empire et la Restauration, était sur la piste d'un effroyable tueur masqué et son enquête semblait toucher au but. Sur un scénario original et percutant de Jean-Christophe Grangé (Les Rivières pourpres), dont on reconnaît aisément ici et là les touches macabres, le légendaire François Vidocq reprend du service sous les traits de notre bon vieux Gérard Depardieu. Mais le principal intérêt de ce thriller gothique réside dans le procédé novateur employé puisqu'il s'agit du tout premier film au monde réalisé en cinéma numérique. S'il faut certes un temps d'adaptation non négligeable à cette nouvelle technique, le résultat n'en est pas moins impressionnant : les décors et l'environnement extérieur, entièrement reconstitués par ordinateur, offrent une minutie du détail propre à reconstituer l'univers froid, lugubre et malsain du Paris de 1830, et à renforcer la peur viscérale latente et le rythme effréné imposés par Grangé et Pitof. Vidocq ne pouvait s'accompagner que d'une prestigieuse édition de deux DVD, bardée de suppléments aussi instructifs que ludiques, à même de satisfaire la curiosité des amateurs de nouveaux procédés. —Frédéric Thorens

White Collar: Season 2

White Collar: Season 3

With his high cheekbones and piercing blue eyes, Matt Bomer plays con man Neal Caffrey with a smooth, handsome gloss. White Collar follows Caffrey's adventures as a sort of indentured servant to the FBI, under the watchful eye of Agent Peter Burke (Tim DeKay). At the end of the previous season, Caffrey found himself in possession of a trove of classical art recovered from a sunken Nazi U-boat. His moral quandary—whether or not to sell the art and run—is the thread woven throughout the season, tying together assorted single-episode high jinks about stolen objects like an Egyptian scarab amulet or a Stradivarius violin, a forged will that turns out to be a treasure map, and speed dating with a possible black widow murderess. Another element recurring over the course of the season: Both Peter and Neal are deviled by figures from their respective pasts—Peter's former mentor (Beau Bridges) and Neal's former partner (Ross McCall). Lies, false identities, and shifting allegiances are the bread and butter for White Collar.

White Collar has a light touch that harks back to '60s and '70s shows like Banacek or It Takes a Thief, with elaborate scams carried out by snappy dressers with a glib comeback to parry any threat. While the emotional stakes are occasionally high for the characters (in one episode, Peter's wife Elizabeth—played by Tiffani Thiessen—is kidnapped, giving DeKay plenty of opportunities for clenched-jaw machismo), a good outcome is never really in doubt for the audience. This is cheerful fun with plenty of eye-candy. Guest appearances included Mädchen Amick (Twin Peaks), Eliza Dushku (Dollhouse), Lena Headey (Game of Thrones), Dylan Baker (Happiness), and Tom Skerritt (Alien). —Bret Fetzer

Who Framed Roger Rabbit

This zany, eye-popping, knee-slapping landmark in combining animation with live-action ingeniously makes that uneasy combination itself (and the history of Hollywood) its subject. Who Framed Roger Rabbit is based on classic Los Angeles private-eye movies (and, specifically, Chinatown), with detective Eddie Valiant (Bob Hoskins) investigating a case involving adultery, blackmail, murder, and a fiendish plot to replace LA's once-famous Red Car public transportation system with the automobiles and freeways that would later make it the nation's smog capital. Of course, his sleuthing takes him back to the place he dreads: Toontown, the ghetto for cartoons that abuts Hollywood and that was the site of a tragic incident in Eddie's past. In addition to intermingling cartoon characters with live actors and locations, Roger Rabbit also brings together the greatest array of cartoon stars in the history of motion pictures, from a variety of studios (Disney, Warner Bros, MGM, Fleischer, Universal, and elsewhere): Betty Boop, Bugs Bunny, Mickey Mouse, Woody Woodpecker, Droopy Dog, and more! And, of course, there's Maroon Cartoon's greatest star, Roger Rabbit (voice by Charles Fleischer), who suspects his ultra-curvaceous wife, Jessica Rabbit (voice by Kathleen Turner: "I'm not bad; I'm just drawn that way"), of infidelity. Directed by Robert Zemeckis (Back to the Future, Forrest Gump, Contact), not since the early Looney Tunes' "You Oughtta Be in Pictures" has there been anything like Roger Rabbit. —Jim Emerson

Willow

Wonder Woman: The Complete First Season

Wonder Woman: The Complete Second Season

With World War II coming to an end, what will Amazonian Diana Prince (Lynda Carter) do for Wonder Woman's second season? Sporting the biggest continuity jump in TV history, Wonder Woman's new network (now on CBS from ABC) decided to catapult the show 35 years into the future into "modern day" Los Angeles, 1977. Not surprisingly, the 35 years haven't aged the immortal one bit. In fact, she seems to have gotten stronger, her super powers have increased, and her mind is sharper and focused on fighting the evils of the modern world: nuclear weapons, terrorists, aliens, and the mind controlling influences of rock music. Season 2 kicks off with the awesome hour-and-a-half season premiere, "The Return of Wonder Woman." Returning once again from Paradise Island, Diana Prince (a.k.a. Wonder Woman) teams up this time with former colleague Major Steve Trevor's son (still played by Lyle Waggoner) to protect humankind and to keep Paradise Island hidden from the free world. In the 21 episodes that follow, Wonder Woman will take on a nuclear facility planning to build near Paradise Island, a mad scientist plotting against the super heroine with telekinesis, mind-stealing aliens from outer space, an evil toymaker's demented androids, and a rock star(Martin Mull?!) who is using hypnosis to control the minds of his fans. In this new millennium, Wonder Woman may seem a bit cheesy to some, but to others this show and Lynda Carter represent the pinnacle of '70s television culture. Wonder Woman: The Complete Second Season is a completely satisfying guilty pleasure for those who want to indulge. —Rob Bracco

Wonder Woman: The Complete Third Season

The Amazon princess returns once again for the third and final season of the wonderfully dated, iconic super series Wonder Woman. These final 24 episodes are the epitome of late-'70s television: high in camp, filled with semi-famous special guest stars, riddled with sexual innuendos, and a showcase for all the trends of the time. This time around Wonder Woman must face, and stop, mind-controlling music in "Disco Devil" (with special guest star Wolfman Jack). On "Skateboard Wiz," Wonder Woman teams up with a skateboarding teen to uncover an illegal gambling ring. Capitalizing on the roller coaster craze, the series finale "The Phantom of the Roller Coater Parts 1 & 2" (with special guest star Ike Eisenmann) has our hero battling surveillance planting spies in the tunnels beneath the "Fun Universe" amusement park. But all kidding aside, Wonder Women still stands the test of time as one of the best comic book television series ever. Its legendary status can be easily be attributed to Lynda Carter and her perfect performance as the beautiful, powerful, and patriotic Amazonian princess. —Rob Bracco

Airplane!

David Zucker Jim AbrahamsThe quintessential movie spoof that spawned an entire genre of parody films, the original Airplane! still holds up as one of the brightest comedic gems of the '80s, not to mention of cinema itself (it ranked in the top 5 of Entertainment Weekly's list of the 100 funniest movies ever made). The humor may be low and obvious at times, but the jokes keep coming at a rapid-fire clip and its targets—primarily the lesser lights of '70s cinema, from disco films to star-studded disaster epics—are more than worthy for send-up. If you've seen even one of the overblown Airport movies then you know the plot: the crew of a filled-to-capacity jetliner is wiped out and it's up to a plucky stewardess and a shell-shocked fighter pilot to land the plane. Robert Hays and Julie Hagerty are the heroes who have a history that includes a meet-cute à la Saturday Night Fever, a surf scene right out of From Here to Eternity, a Peace Corps trip to Africa to teach the natives the benefits of Tupperware and basketball, a war-ravaged recovery room with a G.I. who thinks he's Ethel Merman (a hilarious cameo)—and those are just the flashbacks! The jokes gleefully skirt the boundaries of bad taste (pilot Peter Graves to a juvenile cockpit visitor: "Joey, have you ever seen a grown man naked?"), with the high (low?) point being Hagerty's intimate involvement with the blow-up automatic pilot doll, but they'll have you rolling on the floor. The film launched the careers of collaborators Jim Abrahams (Big Business), David Zucker (Ruthless People), and Jerry Zucker (Ghost), as well as revitalized such B-movie actors as Lloyd Bridges, Peter Graves, Robert Stack, and Leslie Nielsen, who built a second career on films like this. A vital part of any video collection. —Mark Englehart

Hot Shots!

Jim Abrahams

Hot Shots! Part Deux

Jim Abrahams

Bubblegum Crisis: Megaseries (4 dvd boxset)

Hiroki Hayashi Katsuhito AkiyamaThese OAVs were among the first Japanese series released as such in the U.S. and are remembered fondly by fans. An early example of cyberpunk that borrows heavily from Blade Runner and Robocop, Bubblegum Crisis depicts the adventures of the female vigilante group the Knight Sabers. In form-fitting, high-heeled mecha suits, Sylia, Priss, Linna, and Nene fight the rogue cyborgs of the sinister Genom Corporation in MegaTokyo, 2032. Sylia's brother Mackie, and A.D. Cop Leon, Priss's long-suffering suitor, assist them. The first three episodes (1987) form a single continuity; "Revenge Road" (1988) depicts a battle between an embittered man and a motorcycle gang. "Moonlight Rambler" (1988) and "Red Eyes" (1989) pit the Saber Knights against vampire cyborgs prowling MegaTokyo. "Double Vision" (1990) introduces the mysterious pop star Vision, and "Scoop Chase" (1991), in which a high school journalist tries to unmask the Knight Sabers, ends the series on a silly note. The direction and design in the first trilogy look decidedly old-fashioned, but the later adventures grow increasingly sophisticated. Odd notes include suggestions of lesbianism, officer Daley's homosexual passes at Leon (who gets better-looking in each redesign), and Mackie trying see his sister in her underwear. Included in the set are Hurricane Live! 2032 and 2033, collections of music videos, and concert footage of the Japanese voice actresses singing the pop songs used in the series. Unrated; suitable for ages 16 and up: Violence, grotesque imagery, profanity, brief nudity, tobacco use, and sexual situations, including prostitution. —Charles Solomon

Logan's Run (Widescreen/Full Screen)

Michael Anderson

Enemy at the Gates

Jean-Jacques Annaud

Darren AronofskyPatterns exist everywhere: in nature, in science, in religion, in business. Max Cohen (played hauntingly by Sean Gullette) is a mathematician searching for these patterns in everything. Yet, he's not the only one, and everyone from Wall Street investors, looking to break the market, to Hasidic Jews, searching for the 216-digit number that reveals the true name of God, are trying to get their hands on Max. This dark, low-budget film was shot in black and white by director Darren Aronofsky. With eerie music, voice-overs, and overt symbolism enhancing the somber mood, Aronofsky has created a disturbing look at the world. Max is deeply paranoid, holed up in his apartment with his computer Euclid, obsessively studying chaos theory. Blinding headaches and hallucinogenic visions only feed his paranoia as he attempts to remain aloof from the world, venturing out only to meet his mentor, Sol Robeson (Mark Margolis), who for some mysterious reason feels Max should take a break from his research. This movie is complex—occasionally too complex—but the psychological drama and the loose sci-fi elements make this a worthwhile, albeit consuming, watch. Pi won the Director's Award at the 1998 Sundance Film Festival. —Jenny Brown

Vampire Hunter D

Toyoo AshidaD, a haunted half-human, half-vampire warrior, wanders the countryside of a feudalistic future, hunting his own kind while battling his own evil nature. Like a rogue samurai, the silent, solitary hero wanders into a small hamlet terrorized by the all-powerful Count, a monstrous vampire lord, and his demonic minions from a castle that casts a long shadow over the countryside. The Count has claimed the human Doris (who wields a mean cutlass herself) as his bride. D becomes her protector and—when she's captured by the Count's shape-shifting minions—her savior. Designed in slashes and sharp, angular images and directed with abrupt explosions of lightning-fast action, Vampire Hunter D is violent and bloody in the mode of a samurai adventure. The sleek D is appropriately dark and quiet, cutting a mysterious figure, while the Count is a veritable demon of a vampire, a supernaturally powerful monster whose appetites know no bounds. The undercurrent of sexuality never spills over into the sadistic vein of so many "adults only" thrillers, but it is recommended for mature audiences.

The DVD features both English and Japanese language soundtracks with optional English subtitles. It also has a documentary featurette, deleted footage, and an artwork gallery by Amano among its supplements. —Sean Axmaker

A Town Called Panic: The Collection

Stephane Aubier, Vincent Patar

The Lord of the Rings

Ralph BakshiAlthough it was ultimately overshadowed by Peter Jackson's live-action Lord of the Rings trilogy, Ralph Bakshi's animated adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's fantasy classic is not without charms of its own. A target of derision from intolerant fans, this ambitious production is nevertheless a respectably loyal attempt to animate the first half of Tolkien's trilogy, beginning with the hobbit Frodo's inheritance of "the One Ring" of power from Bilbo Baggins, and ending with the wizard Gandalf's triumph over the evil army of orcs. While the dialogue is literate and superbly voiced by a prestigious cast (including John Hurt as Aragorn), Leonard Rosenman's accomplished score effectively matches the ominous atmosphere that Bakshi's animation creates and sustains. Bakshi's lamentable decision to combine traditional cel animation with "rotoscoped" (i.e., meticulously traced) live-action footage is jarringly distracting and aesthetically disastrous, but when judged by its narrative content, this Lord of the Rings deserves more credit than it typically receives. —Jeff Shannon

Romeo Must Die

Andrzej Bartkowiak

The Tomorrow People: Set One

Gabrielle Beaumont, Michael Minus, Peter Yolland

Alien Apocalypse

Josh Becker

La Femme Nikita

Luc Besson

The Fifth Element (Widescreen/Full Screen)

Luc Besson

Strange Days

Kathryn Bigelow

The Incredibles

Brad Bird

The Iron Giant (Widescreen/Full Screen)

Brad Bird

The Secret of NIMH

Don Bluth

Anastasia

Gary Goldman Don BluthStomping out their usual cuteness and carbon copying Disney's grand animation style to a T, directors Don Bluth and Gary Goldman (An American Tail) create a successful musical comedy from the story of the lost Russian princess. Adapting the story of imperialism and revolution is tricky, and subsequently the film's opening is weak. Once Anya (voiced by Meg Ryan, sung by Liz Callaway) is a teenager and on her own (suffering from some degree of amnesia), the film is quite pleasing though never refreshingly new.

Twentieth Century Fox's big-money gamble to horn in on Disney's realm is worthy. The songs, especially the recurrent "Once Upon a December," by Broadway team Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty are better than Disney's recent efforts. It's worth picking up the soundtrack. The mix of cell animation and computer work is vivid. The collection of vocal talent is also strong, from John Cusack (as Dimitri, who wants to earn the reward by bringing Anya to Paris) to Hank Azaria as an amusing albino bat. Kelsey Grammer helps turn a roly-poly sidekick into a warm and strong supporting character.

The biggest drawback is Bluth/Goldman's insistence on having a typical villain. Surprisingly, the story would be strong enough without one, and the undead corpse of Rasputin (Christopher Lloyd) is unneeded and unoriginal. —Doug Thomas

Noises Off!

Peter Bogdanovich

Excalibur

John Boorman

Giorgino - Edition collector 2 DVD

Laurent Boutonnat

Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit

Nick Park Steve BoxA decade after their last hilarious short, the Oscar-winning A Close Shave, Claymation wonders Wallace and Gromit return for a full-length adventure. Daffy scientist Wallace (voiced by Peter Sallis) and his heroic dog Gromit are doing well with their business, Anti-Pesto, a varmint-hunting outfit designed to keep their English town safe from rabbits chomping on prized vegetables. Wallace meets Lady Tottington (Helena Bonham Carter), who appreciates Wallace's humane way of dealing with rabbits (courtesy of the Bun-Vac 6000), and sets up a rivalry with the gun-toting Victor Quartermaine (Ralph Fiennes, enjoying himself more than ever). Creator Nick Park, with co-director/writer Steve Box, delivers a story worthy of the 85-minute running time, although it stretches the act a bit; the formula plays better shorter, but the literally hand-crafted film is a joy to watch. Taking a chapter from classic horror films, a giant were-rabbit is soon on the prowl, and the town is up in arms, what with the annual vegetable contest close at hand. (Anyone who's seen the previous three shorts knows who saves the day.) Never content to do something simply when the extravagant will do, W&G's lives are filled with whimsical Rude Goldberg-style devices, and the opening number showcasing their alarm system is pure Aardman Animation at its finest. Even though there's a new twist here—a few mild sight gags aimed at adults—this G-rated film will delight young and old alike as Park, like team Pixar, seems incapable of making anything but an outstanding film. —Doug Thomas

28 Days Later

Danny BoyleEven though it's only a single disc, the 28 Days Later DVD includes a lot of very interesting features, including the alternate ending that was shown after the end of the film a couple months into its theatrical run. It's much bleaker, as director Danny Boyle and writer Alex Garland say in their optional commentary. Another alternate ending is almost the same as the theatrical ending but slightly less happy. Most interesting is the "radical" alternate ending that takes an entirely different path midway through the film. It wasn't filmed, however, so Boyle and Garland narrate the action over storyboards, and it's a surprisingly engrossing 11 minutes. Boyle and Garland also did a commentary track for the film, and they talk about how they were able to get the shots of deserted London and why they used the ending they did. There are also six very watchable deleted scenes, and Boyle and Garland's comments range from "great sequence" to "a disgrace." Slightly less relevant is a 24-minute documentary that spends its first 10 minutes on the real-life threat of infectious diseases before recapping the film and discussing such elements as the use of digital video and the boot camp the actors had to attend. If you need any further proof that the DVD was a labor of love, even the stills galleries have commentaries. —David Horiuchi

A Life Less Ordinary

Danny Boyle

Trainspotting

Danny Boyle

Blazing Saddles (Widescreen/Full Screen)

Mel Brooks

Mel Brooks' History of the World, Part I

Mel Brooks

Spaceballs (Widescreen/Full Screen)

Mel Brooks

Free Enterprise

Robert Meyer Burnett

Big Fish

Tim BurtonVéritable fable pour adulte, Big Fish : la légende du gros poisson, adapté d'un roman de Daniel Wallace, fait encore une fois la preuve que son auteur, Tim Burton (The Nightmare before Christmas, Ed Wood), est un des rares cinéastes à avoir su préserver l'existence d'un univers fantastique dans le paysage cinématographique américain.

Appelé au chevet d'Ed, son père malade, le jeune William Bloom est bien décidé à faire la part du vrai et du faux dans les histoires que son père a toujours racontées à propos de sa vie. Comment croire, en effet, à ces légendes mythiques où se sont croisées sorcières, géants et chanteuses de cabaret siamoises ?

Plongeant délibérément dans l'extraordinaire en illustrant les récits fabuleux d'Ed, Tim Burton met alors sa poésie et sa fantaisie au service d'un conte sur l'imagination et la transmission. Comptant sur l'énergie d'Ewan McGregor (Ed jeune) et sur la sensibilité d'Albert Finney (Ed vieux), le film utilise également les talents d'interprètes aussi attachants que Jessica Lange, Helena Bonham Carter, Danny DeVito, Steve Buscemi ou Marion Cotillard. Dans une réalisation soignée et inventive, soulignant magnifiquement toute la dimension épique de son récit, Big Fish : la légende du gros poisson apparaît alors comme un film aussi enchanté qu'enchanteur. - Helen Faradji.

Corpse Bride

Tim BurtonWho else but Tim Burton could make Corpse Bride, a necrophiliac's delight that's fun for the whole family? Returning to the richly imaginative realm of stop-motion animation (after previous successes with The Nightmare Before Christmas and James and the Giant Peach), Burton, with codirector Mike Johnson, invites us to visit the dour, ashen, and drearily Victorian mansions of the living, where young Victor Van Dort (voiced by Johnny Depp) is bequeathed to wed the lovely Victoria (Emily Watson). But the wedding rehearsal goes sour and, in the kind of Goth-eerie forest that only exists in Burton-land, Victor suddenly finds himself accidentally married to the Corpse Bride (Helena Bonham Carter), a blue-tinted, half-skeletal beauty (how pleasantly full-bosomed she remains!) with a loquacious maggot installed behind one prone-to-popping eyeball. This being a Burton creation, the underworld of the dead is a lively and colorful place indeed, and Danny Elfman's songs and score make it even livelier, presenting Victor with quite a dilemma: Should he return above-ground to Victoria, or remain devoted to his corpse bride? At a brisk 76 minutes, Burton's graveyard whimsy (loosely based on a 19th century Russian folktale) never wears out its welcome, and the voice casting (which includes Tracey Ullman and Albert Finney) is superbly matched the film's gloriously amusing character design, guaranteed to yield a wealth of gruesome toys and action figures for many Halloweens to come. —Jeff Shannon

Ed Wood

Tim Burton

Edward Scissorhands

Tim Burton

Sleepy Hollow

Tim Burton

Sleepy Hollow [HD DVD]

Tim BurtonThe films of Tim Burton shine through the muck like a jack-o-lantern on a foggy October night. After such successes as The Nightmare Before Christmas and Edward Scissorhands, it should come as no surprise that Sleepy Hollow is a dazzling film, a delicious reworking of Washington Irving's The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. Dark and moody, the film is a thrilling ride back to the turn of the 19th century. Johnny Depp stars as Ichabod Crane, a seemingly hapless constable from New York City who is sent to the small town of Sleepy Hollow to solve the mystery of the decapitations that are plaguing the town. Crane is a bumbling sort, with a tremendous faith in science over mysticism, and he comes up against town secrets, bewitching women, and a number of bodies missing heads. Christina Ricci, as beautiful as ever, is Katrina Van Tassel, the offbeat love interest who alternately charms and frightens Crane.

The film, while occasionally gory (as one should expect from a movie about a headless horseman), is not terribly frightening, although it is suspenseful. Both Depp and Ricci are convincing, and the art direction and production values give the village its harsh feel. Toward the end, once the secrets are revealed, the film does slow down; however, this stylistic horror film provides many tricks and even more treats. —Jenny Brown

Classic Game Room: The Rise and Fall of the Internet's Greatest Video Game Review Show

Mark Bussler

American Dad - Volume 4

Albert Calleros, Anthony Lioi, Bob Bowen, Brent Woods, Caleb Meurer

American Dad - Volume 5

Albert Calleros, Anthony Lioi, Bob Bowen, Brent Woods, Caleb MeurerWhat's funnier than American Dad on television? American Dad on DVD. This three-disc set contains the 14 consistently funny episodes that conclude season 4. Rollicking audio commentaries, even more fun when they digress and completely ignore the episode at hand, are provided for each. There is a generous serving of so-called deleted scenes that are more accurately deleted jokes. Where warranted, episodes are presented either as televised or uncensored. "We don't work blue, that's the lazy man's comedy," comedy geek Steve proclaims at one point, but beware stray F-bombs that seem as if the writers just want to make sure you're paying attention. And American Dad requires pretty strict attention to catch the dizzying mélange of lowbrow and highbrow humor, meta-gags, scattershot pop culture references, and celebrity disses. Standout episodes include "Bar Mitzvah Hustle," featuring Seth Green as a wealthy spoiled rival for Steve's plus-size girlfriend, Debbie; "Wife Insurance," in which Stan (voiced by Seth MacFarlane) reveals he has picked a backup wife in case of Francine's death; and "Daddy Queerest," in which Stan is compelled to pose as gay. Extraterrestrial Roger (MacFarlane) has two of his better outings, "The Wiener of Our Discontent," in which he discovers that he was not, as he thought, sent to our planet to be "The Decider" on whether or not the Earth is destroyed, and "Phantom of the Telethon," in which he sabotages Stan's telethon for the CIA to raise funds for the agency's torture program. While not as reckless an offender as Family Guy, American Dad is not averse to violating character integrity for the sake of a good joke. In "Wife Insurance," ultra-right-wing warrior Stan bawls like a baby when captured by arms smugglers, and Francine (Wendy Schaal), a traditional homemaker not up on current events and who doesn't even know how to vote, gets off a good Che Guevara gag. And in "Every Which Way But Lose," feminist daughter Hayley (Rachael MacFarlane) is revealed to be a prize-winning baker ("It's not what you think," she tries to cover when caught, "I'm making meth"). American Dad, too, often crosses the PC line, but Steve is no doubt speaking for MacFarlane and company when, after one of his jokes offends, he proclaims, "Apologize for being hilarious? Never." —Donald Liebenson

Aliens

James Cameron

Terminator 2: Judgment Day

James Cameron

The Abyss

James CameronMeticulously crafted but also ponderous and predictable, James Cameron's 1989 deep-sea close-encounter epic reaffirms one of the oldest first principles of cinema: everything moves a lot more slowly underwater. Ed Harris and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, as formerly married petroleum engineers who still have some "issues" to work out, are drafted to assist a gung-ho Navy SEAL (Michael Biehn) with a top-secret recovery operation: a nuclear sub has been ambushed and sunk, under mysterious circumstances, in some of the deepest waters on earth, and the petro-techies have the only submersible craft capable of diving down that far. Every image and every performance is painstakingly sharp and detailed (and the computerized water creatures are lovely) but the movie's lumbering pace is ultimately lethal. It's the audience that ends up feeling waterlogged. For a guy who likes guns as much as Cameron (his next film after all, was the body-count masterpiece Terminator 2: Judgment Day), it's interesting that the moral balance here is weighted heavily in favor of the can-do engineers; the military types are end-justifies-the-means amoralists, just like the weasely government bureaucrats in Aliens. —David Chute

The Terminator

James Cameron

True Lies

James Cameron

Man with the Screaming Brain

Bruce Campbell

Bon Cop, Bad Cop

Eric Canuel

Smokin' Aces [HD DVD]

Joe Carnahan

The City of Lost Children (Widescreen/Full Screen)

Jean-Pierre Jeunet Marc Caro

The Last Starfighter (Collector's Edition)

Nick Castle

The Full Monty

Peter Cattaneo

The Big Bang Theory: Season 2

Mark Cendrowski, Peter Chakos

Bend It Like Beckham

Gurinder ChadhaBend It Like Beckham is true girl power. This glorious comedy centers on Jess (Parminder Nagra), an Indian girl born in England whose only desire is to become a football—or, as we say on this side of the Atlantic, soccer—star like her idol, David Beckham; but her traditional family refuses to even consider it. With the help of her new friend Juliet (Keira Knightley), Jess secretly joins a girls' team under the guidance of a male coach (Jonathan Rhys Meyers). As the team starts to gain some attention, Jess's secret can't be kept forever. The story of Bend It Like Beckham is so genuine and detailed that it transcends all the sports-movie formulas that it also fulfills with cheeky exuberance. Wonderfully acted, and written and directed with loving care by Gurinder Chadha (Bhaji on the Beach, What's Cooking?), this movie is pure delight from start to finish. —Bret Fetzer

Quest for Camelot

Frederik Du ChauFollowing their animated/live action hit Space Jam, Warner Bros. jumped into the fully animated feature competition by playing it safe, giving the Arthurian legend a conspicuously Disneyesque facelift. Ingredients from Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid, and Pocahontas are evident in the tale of a girl named Kayley (Jessalyn Gilsig) whose father, a Knight of the Round Table, is killed by Sir Ruber (Gary Oldman), a maniacal brute who steals Excalibur and threatens to seize King Arthur's Camelot. Kayley enlists the blind, reclusive knight-aspirant Garrett (Cary Elwes) to brave the Enchanted Forest and retrieve the magic sword, and their adventure is (of course) fraught with danger. Adding extra punch to the movie's commercial appeal, the soundtrack songs are performed by big names like LeeAnn Rimes and Celine Dion. And if that's not enough to hold a kid's attention, there's a two-headed dragon ("we're the reason cousins shouldn't marry") voiced by Eric Idle and Don Rickles. With so much talent involved, it's entertaining but uninspired, although cleverly harmless riffs from Dirty Harry, Taxi Driver, and other movies spice up the adventure with enjoyable pop-culture references. —Jeff Shannon

All's Well, Ends Well

Clifton Ko Alfred Cheung

Kung Fu Hustle

Stephen Chow

A Fish Called Wanda

Charles Crichton John Cleese

The Hudsucker Proxy

Joel Coen

Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story

Rob Cohen

Farinelli

Gérard Corbiau

Bubba Ho-Tep

Don Coscarelli

Dances With Wolves

Kevin Costner

Scanners

David Cronenberg

The Fly / The Fly 2

David Cronenberg

Children of Men (Combo HD DVD and Standard DVD) [HD DVD]

Alfonso CuaronUniversal Pictures Children of Men (Combo HD DVD and Standard DVD) In 2027 as humankind faces the likelihood of its own extinction a disillusioned government agent agrees to help transport and protect a miraculously pregnant woman to a sanctuary at sea where her childs birth may help scientists to save the future of mankind.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

Alfonso Cuarón

My Fair Lady

George Cukor

Amazon Women On The Moon

Joe Dante, Carl GottliebContrary to popular rumor, this 1987 collection of comedy skits is not about a group of female employees from Amazon.com on a mission to the lunar surface. It's a series of unrelated spoofs and sketches designed to resemble an aimless night of TV channel-surfing, and the satirical targets include grade-Z science fiction films of the 1950s, sex films of the 1930s, hospital soap operas, and Playboy video centerfolds. There's a charity drive in which legendary bluesman B.B. King pleas for donations to help "Blacks Without Soul," and Ed Begley Jr. thinks he's the son of the Invisible Man, which would be fine if he weren't as visible as everyone else. The various sketches feature an all-star cast including Rosanna Arquette, Griffin Dunne, Carrie Fisher, Michelle Pfeiffer, the late Phil Hartman in an early role, and many others. It's strictly hit-or-miss, and many of the sketches fall flat, especially since the subjects being spoofed (the title sketch is a send-up of the actual 1954 movie Cat Women on the Moon) are funny enough without being satirized. Even though Leonard Maltin's Movie & Video Guide describes most of the sketches as "astonishingly unfunny," this can be a very amusing movie if you're in the mood for a no-brainer with a lot of familiar Hollywood faces. Now a modest little cult film, it's the kind of disposable entertainment that maintains its appeal almost in spite of itself. —Jeff Shannon

Explorers

Joe Dante

Gremlins

Joe Dante

The Majestic

Frank Darabont

The Shawshank Redemption (Widescreen/Full Screen)

Frank Darabont

The Fugitive [HD DVD]

Andrew DavisDo you know anyone who hasn't seen this movie? A box-office smash when released in 1993, this spectacular update of the popular 1960s TV series stars Harrison Ford as a surgeon wrongly accused of the murder of his wife. He escapes from a prison transport bus (in one of the most spectacular stunt-action sequences ever filmed) and embarks on a frantic quest for the true killer's identity, while a tenacious U.S. marshal (Tommy Lee Jones, in an Oscar-winning role) remains hot on his trail. Director Andrew Davis hit the big time with this expert display of polished style and escalating suspense, but it's the antagonistic chemistry between Jones and Ford that keeps this thriller cooking to the very end. In roles that seem custom-fit to their screen personas, the two stars maintain a sharply human focus to the grand-scale manhunt, and the intelligent screenplay never resorts to convenient escapes or narrative shortcuts. Equally effective as a thriller and a character study, The Fugitive is a Hollywood blockbuster that truly deserves its ongoing popularity. —Jeff Shannon

Laser Mission

B.J. Davis

Little Miss Sunshine

Jonathan Dayton, Valerie FarisPile together a blue-ribbon cast, a screenplay high in quirkiness, and the Sundance stamp of approval, and you've got yourself a crossover indie hit. That formula worked for Little Miss Sunshine, a frequently hilarious study of family dysfunction. Meet the Hoovers, an Albuquerque clan riddled with depression, hostility, and the tattered remnants of the American Dream; despite their flakiness, they manage to pile into a VW van for a weekend trek to L.A. in order to get moppet daughter Olive (Abigail Breslin) into the Little Miss Sunshine beauty pageant. Much of the pleasure of this journey comes from watching some skillful comic actors doing their thing: Greg Kinnear and Toni Collette as the parents (he's hoping to become a self-help authority), Alan Arkin as a grandfather all too willing to give uproariously inappropriate advice to a sullen teenage grandson (Paul Dano), and a subdued Steve Carell as a jilted gay professor on the verge of suicide. The film is a! crowd-pleaser, and if anything is a little too eager to bend itself in the direction of quirk-loving Sundance audiences; it can feel forced. But the breezy momentum and the ingenious actors help push the material over any bumps in the road.— Robert Horton

Stills from Little Miss Sunshine

Wolfcop BD [Blu-ray]

Lowell Dean

Rogue Trader

James Dearden

Lilo And Stitch

Chris Sanders Dean DeBlois

Dans une galaxie près de chez vous

Claude Desrosiers

The Emperor's New Groove: The Ultimate Groove

Mark Dindal

Pete Docter, Peter DocterAt a time when too many animated films consist of anthropomorphized animals cracking sitcom one-liners and flatulence jokes, the warmth, originality, humor, and unflagging imagination of Up feel as welcome as rain in a desert. Carl Fredericksen (voice by Ed Asner) ranks among the most unlikely heroes in recent animation history. A 78- year-old curmudgeon, he enjoyed his modest life as a balloon seller because he shared it with his adventurous wife Ellie (Ellie Docter). But she died, leaving him with memories and the awareness that they never made their dream journey to Paradise Falls in South America. When well-meaning officials consign Carl to Shady Oaks Retirement Home, he rigs thousands of helium balloons to his house and floats to South America. The journey's scarcely begun when he discovers a stowaway: Russell (Jordan Nagai), a chubby, maladroit Wilderness Explorer Scout who's out to earn his Elderly Assistance Badge. In the tropical jungle, Carl and Russell find more than they bargained for: Charles Muntz (Christopher Plummer), a crazed explorer whose newsreels once inspired Carl and Ellie; Kevin, an exotic bird with a weakness for chocolate; and Dug (Bob Peterson), an endearingly dim golden retriever fitted with a voice box. More importantly, the travelers discover they need each other: Russell needs a (grand)father figure; Carl needs someone to enliven his life without Ellie. Together, they learn that sharing ice-cream cones and counting the passing cars can be more meaningful than feats of daring-do and distant horizons. Pete Docter (Monsters, Inc. ) and Bob Peterson direct the film with consummate skill and taste, allowing the poignant moments to unfold without dialogue to Michael Giacchnio's vibrant score. Building on their work in The Incredibles and Ratatouille, the Pixar crew offers nuanced animation of the stylized characters. Even by Pixar's elevated standards, Up is an exceptional film that will appeal of audiences of all ages. Rated PG for some peril and action. —Charles Solomon

Singin' in the Rain

Gene Kelly Stanley Donen

Conspiracy Theory (Widescreen/Full Screen)

Richard Donner

Goonies

Richard Donner

Ladyhawke (Widescreen/Full Screen)

Richard Donner

Superman II - The Richard Donner Cut [HD DVD]

Richard Donner, Richard LesterThe Richard Donner cut of Superman II is an infamous legend come to life. Director Donner shot most of the sequel at the same time as his first blockbuster film, but somewhere along the line, the producers and studio lost confidence and brought in Richard Lester (The Three Musketeers) to rework the film, and receive sole credit. For years fans speculated on how different the final film was from Donner's original until an underground copy appeared showing a fully formed feature. In an unprecedented move, Warner Brothers officially embraces this alternate version. For those who have not been part of the rumor mill, know that Donner shot all the footage with Lex Luthor (Gene Hackman). You can find blow-by-blow descriptions of what is new/changed elsewhere, but most of the changes deal with Christopher Reeve and Margot Kidder as the comic-book couple. Donner's cut provides alternate scenes for how Lois tests her hunch that Clark is Superman, the moment he reveals his identity, and how Lois unlearns that truth. Thing is, Lester's reshots are stronger, adding weight to the romance between the two, lifting the picture's stature. Lester also added the dandy Eiffel Tower opening. Donner's chief additions are in the Fortress of Solitude, where Marlon Brando returns to teach (Susannah York, as Superman's mom, appears in the Lester cut). The producers cut Brando's footage so they wouldn't have to pay him millions. The Brando/Reeve scenes continue the father/son dynamic of the first film. There is a great lesson in editing—Lester's less is better than Donner's more—when you compare how Kent turns back into Superman after losing his powers. The Donner cut is completely formed but does use some rehearsal footage, new effects, and some pieces shot by Lester. The history of cinema has many of these stories of movies reshot, hijacked, and changed from the original version, but here the underdog wins and Donner gets his chance to change history, even adding a note in the end credits about the use of fur and smoking as regrettable choices of the time.

Director Donner and creative consultant Tom Mankiewicz have a jolly good time revisiting their past on the commentary track. You get a clearer picture of who shot what, but the two have nothing good to say about Lester's edition. Donner doesn't go much into why he was dropped, just a difference of opinion and the need not to pay Brando. He also explains why the déjà vu ending of this edition was used in the first movie and a new ending would have been thought up for part 2. A quick featurette looks at how Michael Thau and a small crew reconstructed the film and compares several scenes from both versions. Also added are additional scenes shot by Donner but not used, most with Hackman. —Doug Thomas

Joan of Arc

Christian Duguay

Delicatessen

DVD

Die Hard

DVD

Letters from Iwo Jima [HD DVD]

Clint Eastwood

Mists of Avalon

Uli Edel

Revenge of the Pink Panther (Widescreen/Full Screen)

Blake Edwards

Shot in the Dark

Blake Edwards

The Pink Panther (Widescreen/Full Screen)

Blake Edwards

The Pink Panther Strikes Again (Widescreen/Full Screen)

Blake Edwards

The Return of the Pink Panther

Blake EdwardsPeter Sellers's third go-around as the prideful but bumbling Inspector Jacques Clouseau is funny enough, but this 1975 Blake Edwards revival of the Sellers-Clouseau connection is a little weak in comparison to predecessors The Pink Panther and A Shot in the Dark (both made in 1964). Costar Christopher Plummer actually gets some of the most interesting screen time as a retired cat burglar whom Clouseau accuses of getting back into the business. (If it sounds like there might be a To Catch a Thief vibe mixed in here, you're right.) Herbert Lom is hilarious as Clouseau's psychologically eroding boss, and Clouseau's ritualistic collisions with valet Cato (Burt Kwouk) are great examples of Edwards's delicious comic timing. —Tom Keogh

Independence Day

Roland Emmerich

Stargate

Roland Emmerich

Race to Witch Mountain

Andy FickmanFasten your seat belts for the thrill ride of your life in Disney's fun family action-adventure - Race To Witch Mountain, starring Dwayne Johnson, Jack Bruno (Johnson), a Las Vegas cabdriver struggling to stay on the right path gets an out-of-this-world incentive when two aliens, disguised as teenagers, suddenly appear in his taxi. In a race against government agents, an alien hunter and time itself, Jack must help the children recover their lost spaceship so they can return home and save their planet and ours. Breathtaking chases, close calls and special effects make this an action-adventure the whole family will enjoy.

Alien 3

David FincherThe least successful film in this series was directed by stylemaster (and content-underachiever) David Fincher. Ripley, the only survivor of her past mission, awakens on a prison planet in the far corners of the solar system. As she tries to recover, she realizes that not only has an alien gotten loose on the planet, the alien has implanted one of its own within her. As she battles the prison authorities (and is aided by the prisoners) in trying to kill the alien, she must also cope with a distinctly shortened lifespan that awaits her. But the striking imagery makes for muddled action and the script confuses it further. The ending looks startling but it takes a long time—and a not particularly satisfying journey—to get there. —Marshall Fine

Airplane! 2: The Sequel

Ken FinklemanThe 1982 sequel to Airplane! is basically more of the same class-clown ironies but with a more forced feeling to the jokes. In the first film, veterans such as Peter Graves, Robert Stack, and Lloyd Bridges were feeling their way through self-parody, and the air of experimentation was part of the fun. By this film, however, everybody knows what's up, and the assuredness of new cast members Raymond Burr, William Shatner, and Chuck Connors is almost counterproductive. Still, there's lots to laugh about. —Tom Keogh

Corruptor

James Foley

Man on the Moon

Milos Forman

A Walk Among the Tombstones

Scott FrankA Walk Among The Tombstones

The Muppet Movie (Widescreen/Full Screen)

James Frawley

Fire and Ice

Ralph Bakshi Frank Frazetta

The Exorcist: The Version You've Never Seen

William Friedkin

Spiderman and His Amazing Friends - Complete Box Set

Spiderman and His Amazing Friends

Stitch!: Movie

Tony Craig Roberts Gannaway

12 Monkeys

Terry GilliamInspired by Chris Marker's acclaimed short film La Jetée, 12 Monkeys combines intricate, intelligent storytelling with the uniquely imaginative vision of director Terry Gilliam. The story opens in the wintry wasteland of the year 2035, where a virulent plague has forced humans to live in a squalid, oppressively regimented underground. Bruce Willis plays a societal outcast who is given the opportunity to erase his criminal record by "volunteering" to time-travel into the past to obtain a pure sample of the deadly virus that will help future scientists to develop a cure. But in bouncing from 1918 to the early and mid-1990s, he undergoes an ordeal that forces him to question his own perceptions of reality. Caught between the dangers of the past and the devastation of the future, he encounters a psychiatrist (Madeleine Stowe) who is initially convinced he's insane, and a wacky mental patient (Brad Pitt in a twitchy Oscar-nominated role) with links to a radical group that may have unleashed the deadly virus. Equal parts mystery, tragedy, psychological thriller, and apocalyptic drama, 12 Monkeys ranks as one of the best science fiction films of the 1990s, boosted by Gilliam's visual ingenuity and one of the finest performances of Willis's career. —Jeff Shannon

Bartok the Magnificent

Don Bluth Gary GoldmanIt's no secret that the popular animated feature release Anastasia played fast and loose with Russian Imperialist history. Never mind that the movie's debut coincided with DNA proof—provided by Britain's Prince Phillip, no less—that Anna Andersen was not Tsar Nicholas II's daughter Anastasia, and that Russian-discovered bones were indeed that of the Tsar and his brutally murdered family.

Anastasia's made-for-video sequel, Bartok the Magnificent, doesn't let historical fact get in its way either. Still, the animated adventure, which features Bartok the excitable albino bat (voiced again by Hank Azaria), is cute and funny, thanks to clever writing and great voice work. Bartok and his sidekick bear friend (an excellent Kelsey Grammer, who voiced Vlad in the original) have become street performers and become embroiled in the evil Ludmilla's plot to get rid of the next heir, a prince. While it's not a particularly fresh tale, Bartok the Magnificent is kept alive through Azaria and Grammer's well-timed and -executed voiceovers. —N.F. Mendoza

The Italian Job [HD DVD]

F. Gary GrayThough it bears little resemblance to the original 1969 thriller starring Michael Caine, the 2003 remake of The Italian Job stands on its own as a caper comedy that's well above average. The title's a misnomer—this time it's actually a Los Angeles job—but the action's just as exciting as it propels a breezy tale of honor and dishonor among competing thieves. Inheriting Caine's role as ace heist-planner Charlie Croker, Mark Wahlberg plays straight-man to a well-cast team of accomplices, including Mos Def, Jason Statham, and scene-stealer Seth Green in a variation of the role originally played by Noel Coward. As the daughter of Croker's ill-fated mentor (Donald Sutherland), Charlize Theron is recruited to double-cross a double-crosser (Edward Norton in oily villain mode), and once again, speedily versatile Mini Coopers play a pivotal role in director F. Gary Gray's exhilarating car-chase climax. It's perhaps the greatest product placement in movie history, and just as fun the second time around. —Jeff Shannon

The Bourne Supremacy [HD DVD]

Paul GreengrassGood enough to suggest long-term franchise potential, The Bourne Supremacy is a thriller fans will appreciate for its well-crafted suspense, and for its triumph of competence over logic (or lack thereof). Picking up where The Bourne Identity left off, the action begins when CIA assassin and partial amnesiac Jason Bourne (a role reprised with efficient intensity by Matt Damon) is framed for a murder in Berlin, setting off a chain reaction of pursuits involving CIA handlers (led by Joan Allen and the duplicitous Brian Cox, with Julia Stiles returning from the previous film) and a shadowy Russian oil magnate. The fast-paced action hurtles from India to Berlin, Moscow, and Italy, and as he did with the critically acclaimed Bloody Sunday, director Paul Greengrass puts you right in the thick of it with split-second editing (too much of it, actually) and a knack for well-sustained tension. It doesn't all make sense, and bears little resemblance to Robert Ludlum's novel, but with Damon proving to be an appealingly unconventional action hero, there's plenty to look forward to. —Jeff Shannon

The Bourne Ultimatum [HD DVD]

Paul Greengrass

A Mighty Wind

Christopher Guest

Best in Show

Christopher Guest

Waiting for Guffman

Christopher GuestOne of the funniest films in many a moon was hiding at art house theaters in 1998. Former Saturday Night Live comedian and Spinal Tap member Christopher Guest creates the ultimate parody of small-town dramatics, Waiting for Guffman. Corky St. Claire (Guest), an overwhelming drama director hiding out in Blaine, Missouri, thinks he has found the vehicle to put him back on Broadway: the city's 150th anniversary play, Red, White, and Blaine. As rehearsals start, we learn of the town's history ("the stool capital of the world") including a brush with a UFO. The mockumentary follows the various townsfolk wishing for stardom: Parker Posey as a Dairy Queen clerk, Catherine O'Hara and Fred Willard as stage-struck travel agents, Matthew Keeslar as the town's bad boy, and Eugene Levy (who cowrote the film with Guest) as a dentist who dreams of glory on the stage. The film is a hoot from beginning to end, and be sure to watch the closing credits. Fans of Guest's deft dry humor should not miss his other parody of the entertainment world, The Big Picture (Kevin Bacon as a student filmmaker who goes to Hollywood). —Doug Thomas

The Muppets: Kermit's Swamp Years (Widescreen/Full Screen)

David Gumpel

Guardians of the Galaxy [Blu-ray 3D + Blu-ray + Digital Copy]

James GunnFrom Marvel, the studio that brought you the global blockbuster franchises of Iron Man, Thor, Captain America and The Avengers, comes a new team-the Guardians of the Galaxy. An action-packed, epic space adventure, Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy expands the Marvel Cinematic Universe into the cosmos, where brash adventurer Peter Quill finds himself the object of an unrelenting bounty hunt after stealing a mysterious orb coveted by Ronan, a powerful villain with ambitions that threaten the entire universe. To evade the ever-persistent Ronan, Quill is forced into an uneasy truce with a quartet of disparate misfits-Rocket, a gun-toting raccoon, Groot, a tree-like humanoid, the deadly and enigmatic Gamora and the revenge-driven Drax the Destroyer. But when Quill discovers the true power of the orb and the menace it poses to the cosmos, he must do his best to rally his ragtag rivals for a last desperate stand-with the galaxy's fate in the balance.

Dolores Claiborne

Taylor Hackford

Les Nouveaux Héros [Blu-ray + DVD + Digital HD]

Don Hall, Chris Williams

Mylene Farmer: Music Videos, Vol. 4

Francois Hanss

Exorcist: Beginning

Renny Harlin

Dune

John Harrison

Bubblegum Crisis: Tokyo 2040: V2 Crusade

Hiroki HayashiSylia continues to direct the battles that Knight Sabers Linna, Priss, and Nene wage against the increasing numbers of Boomers (robots) that go berserk. The AD Police should destroy the rogue machines, but they're hopelessly inept. In flashbacks, the viewer learns that Sylia's father created the Boomers and may have used her tissue in his experiments. Her younger brother Mackie arrives unexpectedly from wherever he'd been staying. His mechanical aptitude enables him to bond with Nigel, the gruff technician who maintains the Knight Sabers' armor suits and repairs Priss's motorcycle. Soon Mackie is helping the Knight Sabers, despite Sylia's initial objections. The main story line suffers from weird incongruities. Quincy Rosenkreutz, the evil president of Genom, wants everyone to love his Boomers, even the Knight Sabers. Yet Rosenkreutz has his staff working on a way to make the Boomers "go rogue" on command. Rosenkreutz's lieutenant Brian Mason is heading the Showhamm Project, an orbital system that would give Genom control of much of the world's power supply. But Mason, who is carrying on a kinky affair with a Boomer, is an unlikely candidate for such an important job. There are also some strange differences between the dubbed dialogue and the subtitles. Episodes: 5. "Rough and Ready," 6. "Get It On," 7. "Look at Yourself," 8. "Fireball." Not rated; suitable for ages 13 and up for violence, profanity, brief nudity, and sexual situations. —Charles Solomon

Bubblegum Crisis: Tokyo 2040: V3 Leviathans

Hiroki HayashiTensions rise as Nene's reckless behavior leads Priss to question whether she belongs in the Knight Sabers. Nene redeems herself in a two-part adventure that pits the Knight Sabers, the AD Police, and Genom agents against a gargantuan blue monster that eats robot Boomers. Hacking into an ancient database, Nene finds the creature's only weak point and learns that it emerged from a biotechnical lab that was buried in the earthquake that destroyed much of the original Tokyo. Family histories come to the fore in episodes 11 and 12. Linna returns to her parents' home in the country and meets a handsome candidate for her hand. The lure of the Knight Sabers proves stronger, and she returns to Tokyo. Mason, the sinister vice president of Genom, searches for the Wiz Lab, where Sylia's father created the Boomers. He attempts to buy the assistance of Nigel, the Knight Sabers' taciturn mechanic, who worked in the lab years ago. Sylia is terrified that her father's lab may not have been destroyed in the great quake. Concerned about the nascent affection she and Mackie feel, Nene searches the Stingray family files and discovers that Mackie's appearance hasn't changed in 10 years. Episodes: 9. "My Nation Underground," 10. "Woke Up with a Monster," 11. "Sheer Heart Attack," 12. "Made in Japan." Not rated; suitable for ages 13 and up for violence, profanity, and sexual situations. —Charles Solomon

Velvet Goldmine

Todd Haynes

V: The Final Battle

Richard T. HeffronThough followers of current science fiction television series may dismiss V: The Final Battle as a quaint relic from the pre-computer animation days, the six-hour miniseries about an alien invasion of Earth was a ratings juggernaut for NBC in 1984 and should still provide some entertainment for hard-bitten devotees and fans of '50s-style sci-fi. The Final Battle picks up four months after the shock conclusion of the 1983 prequel miniseries, with a small group of humans known as the Resistance struggling to convince their fellow humans that a fleet of seemingly friendly visitors from space are in fact bent on world domination.

Executive producer Kenneth Johnson (who oversaw most aspects of the first series) only supervised the sequel's script (which underwent several changes before its airing), and the writing occasionally suffers due to the lack of his attention. But the series still delivers its share of action and intrigue, as well as one showstopping gruesome moment involving the birth of interspecies twins. Acting is again a stumbling block, with leads Marc Singer and Faye Grant as bland as any performers from the American International Pictures stable; character actor Michael Ironside makes the strongest impression as a tough Resistance member, and a pre-Freddy Krueger Robert Englund is amusing as a kind-hearted alien. The miniseries was followed by an inevitable weekly series featuring most of the same cast, which was demolished in the ratings by Dallas, but a faithful Resistance-like following remains to this day. —Paul Gaita

A Knight's Tale

Brian Helgeland

The Order

Brian Helgeland

Payback

Paul Abascal Brian Helgeland

Muppet Treasure Island

Brian Henson

The Muppet Christmas Carol

Brian HensonBrian Henson directs his late father's creations in the Charles Dickens classic, the best known (and most oft-filmed) Christmas story of all time. Michael Caine plays the old miser Scrooge with Kermit as his long-suffering but ever-hopeful employee Bob Cratchit, Miss Piggy as Cratchit's wife, and a host of Muppets (including the Great Gonzo as an unlikely Charles Dickens) taking other primary roles in this bright, playful adaptation of the somber tale. Or at least it starts brightly enough—the anarchic humor soon settles into mirthful memories and a sense of melancholy as the ghosts of Christmas past, present, and future take Scrooge on a journey of his lonely, wasted life. Michael Caine makes a wonderful Scrooge, delightfully rediscovering the meaning of life as fantastic creations from Henson's Creature Shop (developed specially for this film) take the reins as the three ghosts. While the odd mix of offbeat humor and somber drama undercuts the power of Dickens's drama, this kid-friendly retelling makes an excellent family drama that adults and children alike can enjoy. —Sean Axmaker

The Dark Crystal

Frank Oz Jim Henson

Great Muppet Caper (Widescreen/Full Screen)

Jim Henson

Labyrinth

Jim Henson

Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure

Stephen HerekLike, radical, dude—but not nearly as funny as it should be, even though it was a box-office hit. Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter are a pair of dim Valley boys, whose life is made heinous by a school history project. Enter George Carlin as a futuristic dude with a time-traveling phone booth. So Bill and Ted go back in time to round up a gang of historical figures (Socrates, Joan of Arc) to bring back for their presentation. Abe Lincoln at the mall? That's about as witty as it gets, rendering this the kind of comedy that gives teenaged audiences a bad name. —Marshall Fine

Brassed Off!

Mark Herman

The Men Who Stare at Goats [Blu-ray]

Grant HeslovHard to define but easy to enjoy, The Men Who Stare at Goats is the preposterous yet more-true-than-not story of a small-town journalist named Bob Wilton (Ewan McGregor) who, trying to prove himself in Iraq, stumbles upon a man named Lyn Cassady (George Clooney) who claims to be a psychic spy for the U.S. Army. With dazzling cinematic efficiency, the movie bounces back and forth between the origins of the New Earth Army—a squad of American Jedi warriors—and Bob and Lyn wandering through war-torn Iraq, pursuing a mission that turns out to have been assigned by a vision. The movie shifts from giddy comedy to melancholy as a portrait of human pettiness, manifested in military paranoia and corporate greed, unfolds. The ending loses a bit of steam, but most of The Men Who Stare at Goats is a delight—unusual yet satisfying, funny and thoughtful in turns. Jeff Bridges plays—of course—the addled yet charismatic founder of the New Earth Army, while Kevin Spacey plays—of course—the weaselly, manipulative psychic spy who turns what was meant to transform the world for the better into a mechanism for propaganda and worse. Adapted from the bestselling nonfiction book of the same title by British journalist Jon Ronson, The Men Who Stare at Goats niftily balances surface lunacy with serious undercurrents, buoyed by excellent performances from all involved. —Bret Fetzer

Muppets From Space (Widescreen/Full Screen)

Tim Hill (III)

Last Man Standing (Widescreen/Full Screen)

Walter Hill

Garth Marenghi's Darkplace [DVD] [2004]

Matt Holness, Richard Ayoade

A Beautiful Mind (Widescreen Awards Edition) (2002)

Ron HowardA Beautiful Mind manages to twist enough pathos out of John Nash's incredible life story to redeem an at-times goofy portrayal of schizophrenia. Russell Crowe tackles the role with characteristic fervor, playing the Nobel prize-winning mathematician from his days at Princeton, where he developed a groundbreaking economic theory, to his meteoric rise to the cover of Forbes magazine and an MIT professorship, and on through to his eventual dismissal due to schizophrenic delusions. Of course, it is the delusions that fascinate director Ron Howard and, predictably, go astray. Nash's other world, populated as it is by a maniacal Department of Defense agent (Ed Harris), an imagined college roommate who seems straight out of Dead Poets Society, and an orphaned girl, is so fluid and scriptlike as to make the viewer wonder if schizophrenia is really as slick as depicted. Crowe's physical intensity drags us along as he works admirably to carry the film on his considerable shoulders. No doubt the story of Nash's amazing will to recover his life without the aid of medication is a worthy one, his eventual triumph heartening. Unfortunately, Howard's flashy style is unable to convey much of it. —Fionn Meade

Johnny English

Peter Howitt

From Hell

Albert Hughes Allen Hughes

Bulletproof Monk

Paul Hunter

End of Days

Peter Hyams

Stay Tuned

Peter Hyams

Family Guy: Volume 7

Brian Iles, Cyndi Tang-Loveland, Dominic Bianchi, Greg Colton, Jerry LangfordLike John Waters' shock-value comedies of yore, Family Guy keeps moving the taste-be-damned line. "You laughed at that?" these episodes spanning seasons six and seven challenge viewers. "Okay, then laugh at this!" AIDS, cancer, incest, September 11, and the films of Matthew McConaughey are all grist for the mill. Though it has taken its lumps from the South Park contingent, Family Guy merrily stays true to its absurdist, arbitrary muse. The stories are ludicrous: James Woods steals Peter Griffin's identity; Brian discovers he has a son; Stewie, Brian, and nebbish pharmacist Mort time travel back in time to Hitler's Germany; and Peter discovers Jesus Christ working at a used record store. You got a problem with that? "Go on the Internet and complain," Brian suggests. The pop-culture references are as ever arcane. "That's more of a letdown than Fruit Stripe gum," Peter remarks at one point. And the politically incorrect jokes can be jaw-droppingly wrong, as witness the game show Are You Smarter Than a Hispanic Maid, the flamboyant gay stereotypes flaunted in the episode "Family Gay," and a bit in which hearing-impaired actress Marlee Matlin tries unsuccessfully to connect with Moviefone. And how does a series on Fox get away with the moment when Stewie finds a McCain/Palin campaign button on a Nazi uniform? From Dane Cook to Jay Leno, Family Guy is always up for celebrity bashing, but some are in on the joke. In "Family Gay," Meredith Baxter spoofs her signature women-in-crisis Lifetime movies, and Seth Rogen good-naturedly supplies his own voice when Peter is injected with the Seth Rogen gene that "gives you the appearance of being funny even though you haven't actually done anything funny." And kudos to Andy Dick for his room-clearing cameo in "Tales of a Third Grade Nothing."

Each episode can be viewed as originally televised or uncensored with F-bombs and other crudities unbleeped. Curiously missing in action from "Ocean's Three and a Half" is one of Family Guy's most inspired bits in which Peter's voice is mixed in to the now-infamous Christian Bale rant tape (you can find it on YouTube). Loyal Family Guy viewers are also rewarded with deleted scenes, lively episode commentaries, an entertaining behind-the-scenes look at the episode "Tales of a Third Grade Nothing," featuring Frank Sinatra Jr., and the Family Guy 2008 Comic-Con panel discussion. Family Guy, observes Mr. Sinatra, "is not comedy. It's satire." What it is, still, is way more often than not flat-out funny. —Donald Liebenson

Tampopo

Juzo Itami

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King: Special Extended Edition

Peter JacksonThe greatest trilogy in film history, presented in the most ambitious sets in DVD history, comes to a grand conclusion with the extended edition of The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. Not only is the third and final installment of Peter Jackson's adaptation of the works of J.R.R. Tolkien the longest of the three, but a full 50 minutes of new material pushes the running time to a whopping 4 hours and 10 minutes. The new scenes are welcome, and the bonus features maintain the high bar set by the first two films, The Fellowship of the Ring and The Two Towers.

What's New?
One of the scenes cut from the theatrical release but included here, the resolution of the Saruman storyline, generated a lot of publicity when the movie opened, as actor Christopher Lee complained in the press about losing his only appearance. It's an excellent scene, one Jackson calls "pure Tolkien," and provides better context for Pippin to find the wizard's palantir in the water, but it's not critical to the film. In fact, "valuable but not critical" might sum up the ROTK extended edition. It's evident that Jackson made the right cuts for the theatrical run, but the extra material provides depth and ties up a number of loose ends, and for those sorry to see the trilogy end (and who isn't?) it's a welcome chance to spend another hour in Middle-earth. Some choice moments are Gandalf's (Ian McKellen) confrontation with the Witch King (we find out what happened to the wizard's staff), the chilling Mouth of Sauron at the gates of Mordor, and Frodo (Elijah Wood) and Sam (Sean Astin) being mistaken for Orc soldiers. We get to see more of Éowyn (Miranda Otto), both with Aragorn and on the battlefield, even fighting the hideously deformed Orc lieutenant, Gothmog. We also see her in one of the most anticipated new scenes, the Houses of Healing after the battle of the Pelennor Fields. It doesn't present Aragorn (Viggo Mortensen) as a savior as the book did, but it shows the initial meeting between Éowyn and Faramir (David Wenham), a relationship that received only a meaningful glance in the theatrical cut.

If you want to completely immerse yourself in Peter Jackson's marvelous and massive achievement, only the extended edition will do.
And for those who complained, no, there are no new endings, not even the scouring of the Shire, which many fans were hoping to see. Nor is there a scene of Denethor (John Noble) with the palantir, which would have better explained both his foresight and his madness. As Jackson notes, when cuts are made, the secondary characters are the first to go, so there is a new scene of Aragorn finding the palantir in Denethor's robes. Another big difference is Aragorn's confrontation with the King of the Dead. In the theatrical version, we didn't know whether the King had accepted Aragorn's offer when the pirate ships pulled into the harbor; here Jackson assumes that viewers have already experienced that tension, and instead has the army of the dead join the battle in an earlier scene (an extended cameo for Jackson). One can debate which is more effective, but that's why the film is available in both versions. If you feel like watching the relatively shorter version you saw in the theaters, you can. If you want to completely immerse yourself in Peter Jackson's marvelous and massive achievement, only the extended edition will do.

How Are the Bonus Features?
To complete the experience, The Return of the King provides the same sprawling set of features as the previous extended editions: four commentary tracks, sharp picture and thrilling sound, and two discs of excellent documentary material far superior to the recycled material in the theatrical edition. Those who have listened to the seven hours of commentary for the first two extended editio ns may wonder if they need to hear more, but there was no commentary for the earlier ROTK DVD, so it's still entertaining to hear him break down the film (he says the beacon scene is one of his favorites), discuss differences from the book, point out cameos, and poke fun at himself and the extended-edition concept ("So this is the complete full strangulation, never seen before, here exclusively on DVD!"). The documentaries (some lasting 30 minutes or longer) are of their usual outstanding quality, and there's a riveting storyboard/animatic sequence of the climactic scene, which includes a one-on-one battle between Aragorn and Sauron.

One DVD Set to Rule Them All
Peter Jackson's trilogy has set the standard for fantasy films by adapting the Holy Grail of fantasy stories with a combination of fidelity to the original source and his own vision, supplemented by outstanding writing, near-perfect casting, glorious special effects, and evocative New Zealand locales. The extended editions without exception have set the standard for the DVD medium by providing a richer film experience that pulls the three films together and further embraces Tolkien's world, a reference-quality home theater experience, and generous, intelligent, and engrossing bonus features. —David Horiuchi

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (Special Widescreen Extended Edition) (4 Discs)

Peter JacksonIn every aspect, the extended-edition DVD of Peter Jackson's epic fantasy The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring blows away the theatrical-version DVD. No one who cares at all about the film should ever need to watch the original version again. Well, maybe the impatient and the squeamish will still prefer the theatrical version, because the extended edition makes a long film 30 minutes longer and there's a bit more violence (though both versions are rated PG-13). But the changes—sometimes whole scenes, sometimes merely a few seconds—make for a richer film. There's more of the spirit of J.R.R. Tolkien, embodied in more songs and a longer opening focusing on Hobbiton. There's more character development, and more background into what is to come in the two subsequent films, such as Galadriel's gifts to the Fellowship and Aragorn's burden of lineage. And some additions make more sense to the plot, or are merely worth seeing, such as the wood elves leaving Middle-earth or the view of Caras Galadhon (but sorry, there's still no Tom Bombadil). Extremely useful are the chapter menus that indicate which scenes are new or extended.

Of the four commentary tracks, the ones with the greatest general appeal are the one by Jackson and cowriters Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens, and the one by 10 cast members, but the more technically oriented commentaries by the creative and production staff are also worth hearing. The bonus features (encompassing two complete DVDs) are far superior to the largely promotional materials included on the theatrical release, delving into such matters as script development, casting, and visual effects. The only drawback is that the film is now spread over two discs, with a somewhat abrupt break following the council at Rivendell, due to the storage capacity required for the longer running time, the added DTS ES 6.1 audio, and the commentary tracks. But that's a minor inconvenience. Whether in this four-disc set or in the collector's gift set (which adds Argonath bookends and a DVD of National Geographic Beyond the Movie: The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring), the extended-edition DVD is the Fellowship DVD to rule them all. —David Horiuchi

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (Widescreen, Collector's Boxed Set)

Peter JacksonIn every aspect, the extended-edition DVD of Peter Jackson's epic fantasy The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring blows away the theatrical-version DVD. No one who cares at all about the film should ever need to watch the original version again. Well, maybe the impatient and the squeamish will still prefer the theatrical version, because the extended edition makes a long film 30 minutes longer and there's a bit more violence (though both versions are rated PG-13). But the changes—sometimes whole scenes, sometimes merely a few seconds—make for a richer film. There's more of the spirit of J.R.R. Tolkien, embodied in more songs and a longer opening focusing on Hobbiton. There's more character development, and more background into what is to come in the two subsequent films, such as Galadriel's gifts to the Fellowship and Aragorn's burden of lineage. And some additions make more sense to the plot, or are merely worth seeing, such as the wood elves leaving Middle-earth or the view of Caras Galadhon (but sorry, there's still no Tom Bombadil). Extremely useful are the chapter menus that indicate which scenes are new or extended.

Of the four commentary tracks, the ones with the greatest general appeal are the one by Jackson and cowriters Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens, and the one by 10 cast members, but the more technically oriented commentaries by the creative and production staff are also worth hearing. The bonus features (encompassing two complete DVDs) are far superior to the largely promotional materials included on the theatrical release, delving into such matters as script development, casting, and visual effects. The only drawback is that the film is now spread over two discs, with a somewhat abrupt break following the council at Rivendell, due to the storage capacity required for the longer running time, the added DTS ES 6.1 audio, and the commentary tracks. But that's a minor inconvenience. Whether in this collector's gift set (which adds Argonath bookends and a DVD of National Geographic Beyond the Movie: The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring) or the unadorned four-disc set, the extended-edition DVD is the Fellowship DVD to rule them all. —David Horiuchi

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (Widescreen Collector's Edition) (5 Discs with Gollum Figurine)

Peter JacksonThe extended edition of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring was perhaps the most comprehensive DVD release to date, and its follow-up, The Two Towers, proves a similarly colossal achievement, with significant extra footage and a multitude of worthwhile bonus features. The extended version of The Two Towersadds 43 minutes to the theatrical version's 179-minute running time, and there are significant, valuable additions to the film. Two new scenes might appease those who feel that the characterization of Faramir was the film's most egregious departure from the book, and fans will appreciate an appearance of the Huorns at Helm's Deep plus a nod to the absence of Tom Bombadil. Seeing a little more interplay between the gorgeous Eowyn and Aragorn is welcome, as is a grim introduction to Eomer and Theoden's son. And among the many other additions, there's an extended epilogue that might not have worked in the theater, but is more effective here in setting up The Return of the King. While the 30 minutes added to The Fellowship of the Ring felt just right in enriching the film, the extra footage in The Two Towers at times seems a bit extraneous—we see moments that in the theatrical version we had been told about, and some fleshed-out conversations and incidents are rather minor. But director Peter Jackson's vision of J.R.R. Tolkien's world is so marvelous that it's hard to complain about any extra time we can spend there.

While it may seem that there would be nothing left to say after the bevy of features on the extended Fellowship, the four commentary tracks and two discs of supplements on The Two Towers remain informative, fascinating, and funny, far surpassing the recycled materials on the two-disc theatrical version. Highlights of the 6.5 hours' worth of documentaries offer insight on the stunts, the design work, the locations, and the creation of Gollum, and—most intriguing for rabid fans—the film's writers (including Jackson) discuss why they created events that weren't in the book. Providing variety are animatics, rough footage, countless sketches, and a sound-mixing demonstration. Again, the most interesting commentary tracks are by Jackson and writers Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens and by 16 members of the cast (eight of whom didn't appear in the first film, and even including John Noble, whose Denethor character only appears in this extended cut). The first two installments of Peter Jackson's trilogy have established themselves as the best fantasy films of all time, and among the best film trilogies of all time, and their extended-edition DVD sets have set a new standard for expanding on the already-epic films and providing comprehensive bonus features. —David Horiuchi

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (Widescreen Extended Edition) (4 Discs)

Wonder Woman

Patty JenkinsNEW! Double Pack (Blu-ray & DVD+Digital Dics)

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

Garth Jennings

Shrek

Andrew Adamson Victoria Jenson

A Very Long Engagement

Jean-Pierre JeunetBoth epic and intimate, A Very Long Engagement reunites Audrey Tautou and Jean-Pierre Jeunet, the star and director of the hugely popular Amelie. A young woman named Mathilde (Tautou, Happenstance)separated from her lover by World War I refuses to believe he's been killed and launches an investigation into his fate—an investigation that spins in all directions, creating dozens of miniature stories (including that of an Italian prostitute avenging the death of her own lover by elaborate means) that shift to and fro in time. The dazzling curlicues of narrative put brutality and tenderness back to back, shifting between crushing inevitabilities and miraculous rescues with deft storytelling skill and the lush visual style of the director of Delicatessen and The City of Lost Children. Through it all, Tautou—fierce and luminous—anchors the movie effortlessly. She's among the most emotionally engaging actresses in cinema, with the kind of expressive beauty that transcends language. A gorgeous, far-reaching film; the huge cast also includes Jodie Foster (The Silence of the Lambs), Gaspard Ulliel (Strayed), and Dominique Pinon (Alien: Resurrection). —Bret Fetzer

Alien Resurrection

Jean-Pierre JeunetPerhaps these films are like the Star Trek movies: The even-numbered episodes are the best ones. Certainly this film (directed by French stylist Jean-Pierre Jeunet) is an improvement over Alien 3, with a script that breathes exciting new life into the franchise. This chapter is set even further in the future, where scientists on a space colony have cloned both the alien and Ripley (Sigourney Weaver), who died in Alien 3; in doing so, however, they've mixed alien DNA with Ripley's human chromosomes, which gives Ripley surprising power (and a bad attitude). A band of smugglers comes aboard only to discover the new race of aliens—and when the multi-mouthed melonheads get loose, no place is safe. But, on the plus side, they have Ripley as a guide to help them get out. Winona Ryder is on hand as the smugglers' most unlikely crew member (with a secret of her own), but this one is Sigourney's all the way. —Marshall Fine

Lord of Wutang

Wong Jing

V: The Original Miniseries

Kenneth JohnsonIn its day, V was a monumental event that for one generation remains a pop-culture touchstone. Close Encounters of the Third Kind may have reassured us that perhaps we have nothing to fear from alien visitors and E.T. introduced us to a benign extraterrestrial who only wanted to go home, but Kenneth Johnson's 1983 television miniseries knew better. Visitors who claim to come in peace are revealed to be nothing but human-looking reptilians on human conversion and conquest. As in the dark days of fascism, some collaborate with the enemy; others form the resistance.

At the time, the epic scale of this production was unprecedented. Those 50 motherships that hover over Earth's major cities anticipate Independence Day by more than a decade. The special effects and makeup are still awesome. Less so is the often-hackneyed dialogue. But thanks to their signature roles, the mostly no-star cast, most of whom would be reunited for a sequel and subsequent television series, have ensured themselves standing invitations to sci-fi conventions. Marc Singer is cameraman-turned-freedom-fighter Mike Donovan. Julie Parrish is a medical student-turned-rebel. Richard Herd is the aliens' supreme commander. Jane Bradler is Diana, the ravishing but ruthlessly ambitious alien science officer. Leonardo Cimino lends dignity to his heavy-handed allegorical role as a Holocaust survivor. Look for a pre-Freddy Krueger Robert Englund as one of the aliens.

The DVD is presented for the first time in widescreen format. Supplemental features include an amiable and enlightening director's commentary and a brief "making of" segment. —Donald Liebenson

Looney Tunes: Golden Collection, Vol. 6

Chuck Jones

Interview with the Vampire

Neil Jordan

Quills

Philip Kaufman

Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust

Yoshiaki KawajiriBased on a series of fantasy novels by Hideyuki Kikuchi, Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust is a bloody anime adventure. Set in the distant future, the story focuses on D (voice by Andrew Philpot), the son of a vampire and a mortal who has dedicated his life to exterminating vampires. D is pursuing Charlotte (Wendee Lee), who has been carried off by vampire Meier Link (John Rafter Lee). The bounty-hunting Markus brothers and tough-talking Leila (Pamela Segall) are also on the trail. A long, violent chase brings them to the Castle of Carmila the Bloody Countess (Julia Fletcher), where the narrative founders in a series of confusing illusions that lead to an inconclusive ending. Bloodlust looks better in still images that evoke Yoshitaka Amano's intricate illustrations than it does in motion. The very limited drawn animation clashes visually with the more fluid computer-generated imagery—D's cape billows dramatically, but his expression rarely changes. Fans of such violent anime features as Sword for Truth and Ninja Resurrection will enjoy the no-holds-barred action sequences, but more squeamish viewers will be put off by the beheadings, impalements, disembowelments, etc. Vampire Hunter D, an earlier, more modest feature based on the same material, is a better adaptation. —Charles Solomon

Macross Plus, Vol. 1

Shoji Kawamori

Are You Being Served? The Movie

Bob KellettWriters Jeremy Lloyd and David Croft managed something quite clever with this, the film version of the 1970s sitcom Are You Being Served? The idea of this cheery collection of comedy stereotypes—the pompous one, the vulgar one, the camp one, the shifty one, and so on—being confined within a department store was a master stroke, as it allowed any kind of situation to arise without the plot having to exceed the restrictions imposed by the set. How, then, to keep the same theme for the big screen without just offering the television series writ large? Simple: send the whole cast on holiday together but make sure they can't leave their hotel, a state of affairs contrived easily enough by throwing a guerilla uprising into the plot. So it is, then, that the staff of Grace Bros. descends on the Costa Plonka while the store is closed for refurbishment. There are all the usual jokes involving knickers, boobs, toilets, and gay sex (sometimes all at once), adding up to a good slice of nostalgic fun for anyone who was there when lapels really were that wide. —Roger Thomas

Donnie Darko

Richard Kelly

Millennium Actress

Satoshi KonThe second film by director Satoshi Kon and screenwriter Sadayuki Murai recalls Perfect Blue, but Millennium Actress is a more complex, subtle, and sophisticated work that evokes the history of Japanese cinema. After nearly 30 years of living in strict seclusion, the aged film star Chioyoko Fujiwara grants an interview to journalist Genya Tachibana. As their conversation begins, Kan intercuts scenes from Chioyoko's films with her memories of pursuing the mysterious artist she met as a young girl. Accompanied by his blasé cameraman, Tashibana finds himself within Chioyoko's memories and films, alternately observing and aiding the woman he adores. Kon's skillful direction and subtle use of color strengthen the intriguing story: Chioyoko's memories are rendered in shades of gray, with hints of muted color highlighting the overall composition. American viewers will find their appreciation of this shimmering, spiral narrative deepens with repeated viewings. (Rated PG: violence, mature themes) —Charles Solomon

Whisper of the Heart

Yoshifumi KondoBased on a manga by Aoi Hiiragi, the gentle coming-of-age story Whisper of the Heart (1995) was scripted and storyboarded by Hayao Miyazaki, and directed by the late Yoshifumi Kondo. Shizuku Tsukishima is an absent-minded, insecure junior high school student who reads book after book of fairy tales, helps her friends, and does most of her chores, but remains dissatisfied. When she encounters a wonderfully supercilious cat on the train, she follows him and meets Seiji Amasawa, a student in her class who hopes to become a violin maker. Seiji's commitment to his dream helps Shizuku find her voice, literally and figuratively: she realizes she wants to become a writer. A statue of a cat in the antique store of Seiji's kindly grandfather inspires her first story, "Whisper of the Heart."

Shizuku and Seiji exhibit believable strengths and flaws: their warm humanity contrasts markedly with the shabby superficiality of the characters in many American animated films. The lively performances of Brittany Snow and David Gallagher transcend the geographic limits of the story to make Shizuku and Seiji the kids the viewer wishes lived next door. Miyazaki's script suggests that a sense of magic can exist, even in everyday Tokyo. Whisper of the Heart was the only film Yoshifumi Kondo directed before his untimely death at age 47, but its understated charm stands as a monument to his talent. (Rated G, suitable for ages 10 and older: tobacco use) —Charles Solomon

White Collar: Season 1

John T. Kretchmer, Paul Holahan, Michael Smith, Sanford Bookstaver, Kevin BrayWhite Collar: Season 1

2001 - A Space Odyssey [HD DVD]

Stanley KubrickWhen Stanley Kubrick recruited Arthur C. Clarke to collaborate on "the proverbial intelligent science fiction film," it's a safe bet neither the maverick auteur nor the great science fiction writer knew they would virtually redefine the parameters of the cinema experience. A daring experiment in unconventional narrative inspired by Clarke's short story "The Sentinel," 2001 is a visual tone poem (barely 40 minutes of dialogue in a 139-minute film) that charts a phenomenal history of human evolution. From the dawn-of-man discovery of crude but deadly tools in the film's opening sequence to the journey of the spaceship Discovery and metaphysical birth of the "star child" at film's end, Kubrick's vision is meticulous and precise. In keeping with the director's underlying theme of dehumanization by technology, the notorious, seemingly omniscient computer HAL 9000 has more warmth and personality than the human astronauts it supposedly is serving. (The director also leaves the meaning of the black, rectangular alien monoliths open for discussion.) This theme, in part, is what makes 2001 a film like no other, though dated now that its postmillennial space exploration has proven optimistic compared to reality. Still, the film is timelessly provocative in its pioneering exploration of inner- and outer-space consciousness. With spectacular, painstakingly authentic special effects that have stood the test of time, Kubrick's film is nothing less than a cinematic milestone—puzzling, provocative, and perfect. —Jeff Shannon

Aeon Flux [HD DVD]

Karyn KusamaLike the animated series it's based on, Aeon Flux is the kind of sci-fi that's best appreciated by the MTV generation. It's a serious attempt at stylized, futuristic action/adventure (the title character, played by Charlize Theron, is essentially a female James Bond for the cyberpunk era) and taken for what it is, it's not all that bad. The action takes place in the year 2415, four centuries after a virus nearly decimated the human race, leaving only five million survivors in a utopian city called Bregna. Aeon belongs to the Monicans, a secret rebel resistance force that is struggling to destroy the Goodchild regime led by its namesake, Trevor Goodchild (Martin Csokas), the ruler of Bregna and a descendant of the man who found a cure for the deadly virus. As instructed by the Handler (Frances McDormand, gamely playing along in ridiculous sci-fi regalia), Aeon is assigned to assassinate Goodchild, but there are deeper secrets to be discovered, and conspiracies to be foiled. This leads director Karyn Kusama (who fared much better with her debut feature Girlfight) to indulge in all sorts of routine action and fast-paced gunplay, but the elusive pleasures of Aeon Flux are mostly found in the sleek athleticism of Theron and costar Sophie Okonedo (as a fellow Monican), who commit themselves 100% to roles that are dramatically flat yet physically dynamic. Other highlights include Aeon's high-tech gadgetry (including an eyeball that doubles as a microsocope) and the amusing sight of Pete Postlethwaite in a costume resembling a construction-site disposal tube, but Flux fans may wonder what happened to the surreal, chromium sheen future that gave the MTV series its visionary appeal. As a live-action feature, Aeon Flux is a miscalculated exercise in cheesy style and dour tone, but it's entertaining enough to earn a small cadre of admirers. —Jeff Shannon

An American Werewolf in London

John LandisRemember back in the early 1980s when special-effects makeup artists were tripping over themselves to create the next big effect? The Howling boasted a fantastic werewolf transformation scene courtesy of makeup wizard Rob Bottin. Then along came Bottin's mentor, Rick Baker, with his own spectacular effects in this popular horror comedy directed by John Landis. An American Werewolf in London is more of a makeup showcase than a truly satisfying movie, but the film is effectively moody when David Naughton discovers that a wolf attack has turned him into a bloodthirsty lycanthrope. Jenny Agutter plays his love interest (watch out, he bites!), and who can forget Griffin Dunne as Naughton's best friend, an undead corpse who progressively rots away as the plot unfolds? All things considered, it's easy to see why An American Werewolf in London became a modern horror favorite. —Jeff Shannon

The King and I

Walter Lang

Bug's Life (Widescreen/Full Screen)

Andrew Stanton John Lasseter

Toy Story/Toy Story 2 [Widescreen & Ultimate Toy Box] [3 Discs]

John LasseterToy Story
There is greatness in film that can be discussed, dissected, and talked about late into the night. Then there is genius that is right in front of our faces—we smile at the spell it puts us into and are refreshed, and nary a word needs to be spoken. This kind of entertainment is what they used to call "movie magic," and there is loads of it in this irresistible computer animation feature. Just a picture of these bright toys on the cover of Toy Story looks intriguing, reawakening the kid in us. Filmmaker John Lasseter's shorts (namely Knickknack and Tin Toy, which can be found on the Pixar video Tiny Toy Stories) illustrate not only a technical brilliance but also a great sense of humor—one in which the pun is always intended. Lasseter thinks of himself as a storyteller first and an animator second, much like another film innovator, Walt Disney.

Lasseter's story is universal and magical: what do toys do when they're not played with? Cowboy Woody (voiced by Tom Hanks), Andy's favorite bedroom toy, tries to calm the other toys (some original, some classic) during a wrenching time of year—the birthday party, when newer toys may replace them. Sure enough, Space Ranger Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) is the new toy that takes over the throne. Buzz has a crucial flaw, though—he believes he's the real Buzz Lightyear, not a toy. Bright and cheerful, Toy Story is much more than a 90-minute commercial for the inevitable bonanza of Woody and Buzz toys. Lasseter further scores with perfect voice casting, including Don Rickles as Mr. Potato Head and Wallace Shawn as a meek dinosaur. The director-animator won a special Oscar for "the development and inspired application of techniques that have made possible the first feature-length computer-animated film." In other words, the movie is great. —Doug Thomas

Toy Story 2
John Lasseter and his gang of high-tech creators at Pixar create another entertainment for the ages. Like the few great movie sequels, Toy Story 2 comments on why the first one was so wonderful while finding a fresh angle worthy of a new film. The craze of toy collecting becomes the focus here, as we find out Woody (voiced by Tom Hanks) is not only a beloved toy to Andy but also a rare doll from a popular '60s children's show. When a greedy collector takes Woody, Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) launches a rescue mission with Andy's other toys. To say more would be a crime because this is one of the most creative and smile-inducing films since, well, the first Toy Story.

Although the toys look the same as in the 1994 feature, Pixar shows how much technology has advanced: the human characters look more human, backgrounds are superior, and two action sequences that book-end the film are dazzling. And it's a hoot for kids and adults. The film is packed with spoofs, easily accessible in-jokes, and inspired voice casting (with newcomer Joan Cusack especially a delight as Cowgirl Jessie). But as the Pixar canon of films illustrates, the filmmakers are storytellers first. Woody's heart-tugging predicament can easily be translated into the eternal debate of living a good life versus living forever. Toy Story 2 also achieved something in the U.S. two other outstanding 1999 animated features (The Iron Giant, Princess Mononoke) could not: it became a huge box-office hit. —Doug Thomas

Brotherhood Of The Wolf

Christophe Gans Pascal Laugier

Constantine

Francis Lawrence

Black Mask

Daniel Lee (II)

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

Ang Lee

Eat Drink Man Woman

Ang LeeThis is not a movie to see on an empty stomach. Writer-director Ang Lee's 1994 Oscar nominee tells a family story about a chef and his three daughters through the meals the chef prepares and serves his family. This touching, dryly funny story of a family coping with personal lives and the way those lives intersect with the family relationships captures a shift in generations in Taipei. The father, a famous chef who has lost his taste buds, still cooks, though he draws no pleasure from eating. His daughters, meanwhile, deal with both the disappointments and surprises of daily living and the way their adult lives compare to the expectations the widowed father had for them. A subtle, amusing—and mouth-watering—comedy of impeccable manners. —Marshall Fine

Showdown in Little Tokyo

Mark L. Lester

Unleashed [HD DVD]

Louis LeterrierLuc Besson wrote and directed the stylish thrillers La Femme Nikita and The Professional; though he didn't direct Unleashed, the script has his trademark fusion of outrageous sentimentality and over-the-top violence. Hong Kong action superstar Jet Li (Romeo Must Die, Hero) stars as Danny, a man raised to be a brutal attack dog by a nasty gangster named Bart (Bob Hoskins, Mona Lisa)—when Bart removes Danny's collar, Danny pulverizes everyone in the room. But a chance encounter with a blind piano tuner (Morgan Freeman, Million Dollar Baby) reveals to Danny the possibility of a less brutal life, and when a retaliation attack gives him the chance to escape, he does—but Bart won't let him go that easily. The fighting in Unleashed is effectively jolting; Li and fight choreographer Yuen Wo Ping (The Matrix) have purposefully stripped away the smoothness of most movie combat (especially with a genuine martial artist like Li) with raw, unnerving results, especially when juxtaposed with the sweet and earnest scenes of Li regaining his humanity with Freeman and his step-daughter (Kerry Condon). This freewheeling cocktail of bloody noses and ice-cream cones isn't for everyone, but fans of both Besson and Li will leave satisfied. —Bret Fetzer

Valiant

Gary Chapman Rob Letterman

Don Juan DeMarco

Jeremy Leven

UHF

Jay Levey

The Bourne Identity [HD DVD]

Doug LimanFreely adapted from Robert Ludlum's 1980 bestseller, The Bourne Identity starts fast and never slows down. The twisting plot revs up in Zurich, where amnesiac CIA assassin Jason Bourne (Matt Damon), with no memory of his name, profession, or recent activities, recruits a penniless German traveler (Run Lola Run's Franka Potente) to assist in solving the puzzle of his missing identity. While his CIA superior (Chris Cooper) dispatches assassins to kill Bourne and thus cover up his failed mission, Bourne exercises his lethal training to leave a trail of bodies from Switzerland to Paris. Director Doug Liman (Go) infuses Ludlum's intricate plotting with a maverick's eye for character detail, matching breathtaking action with the humorous, thrill-seeking chemistry of Damon and Potente. Previously made as a 1988 TV movie starring Richard Chamberlain, The Bourne Identity benefits from the sharp talent of rising stars, offering intelligent, crowd-pleasing excitement from start to finish. —Jeff Shannon

Before Sunrise (Widescreen/Full Screen)

Richard Linklater

Before Sunset

Richard Linklater

Waking Life

Richard Linklater

Tron

Steven Lisberger

Woman Wizard

Robert Llewellyn

Firewall (Combo HD DVD and Standard DVD) [HD DVD]

Richard LoncraineHarrrison Ford brings his reliable brand of focused intensity to Firewall, a family-in-peril thriller that fits Ford like a comfortable old sweater. The venerable action star is visibly growing older now, but he's got a quiet, simmering quality here that perfectly suits his role as Jack Stanfield, Vice President of security at a large Seattle bank that's recently upgraded to a state-of-the-art computer security system (resulting in conspicuous Dell product placement throughout the film). Jack's the only one who can safely crack the system, so he's targeted by a would-be robber (Paul Bettany) whose jittery crew of thugs and hackers kidnaps Jack's wife (Sideways star Virginia Madsen), daughter, and young son, threatening to kill them if Jack doesn't transfer $100 million into the robber's secret offshore account. Like Bruce Willis in 2005's Hostage, Ford rises above the film's familiar generic trappings, and British director Richard Loncraine maintains a low-key escalation of tension that keeps Firewall on track toward a routine but satisfying conclusion. Supporting roles for Alan Arkin, Robert Forster and Robert Patrick add little to the film's turnabout plotting, but fans of Mary Lynn Rajskub (better known as ace computer nerd "Chloe" on the hit series 24) will enjoy her performance here as a loyal secretary who factors into Stanfield's bid to outsmart his captors. Firewall may not be an instant Ford classic like The Fugitive, but it's comparable to Ford's 2000 thriller What Lies Beneath in terms of overall intelligence and crowd-pleasing suspense. —Jeff Shannon

Chicken Run

Nick Park Peter Lord

Star Wars Trilogy (Widescreen Edition) (4 Discs)

George Lucas

Star Wars, Episode II: Attack of the Clones

George Lucas

Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace

George Lucas"I have a bad feeling about this," says the young Obi-Wan Kenobi (played by Ewan McGregor) in Star Wars: Episode I, The Phantom Menace as he steps off a spaceship and into the most anticipated cinematic event... well, ever. He might as well be speaking for the legions of fans of the original episodes in the Star Wars saga who can't help but secretly ask themselves: Sure, this is Star Wars, but is it my Star Wars? The original elevated moviegoers' expectations so high that it would have been impossible for any subsequent film to meet them. And as with all the Star Wars movies, The Phantom Menace features inexplicable plot twists, a fistful of loose threads, and some cheek-chewing dialogue. Han Solo's swagger is sorely missed, as is the pervading menace of heavy-breather Darth Vader. There is still way too much quasi-mystical mumbo jumbo, and some of what was fresh about Star Wars 22 years earlier feels formulaic. Yet there's much to admire. The special effects are stupendous; three worlds are populated with a mélange of creatures, flora, and horizons rendered in absolute detail. The action and battle scenes are breathtaking in their complexity. And one particular sequence of the film—the adrenaline-infused pod race through the Tatooine desert—makes the chariot race in Ben-Hur look like a Sunday stroll through the park.

Among the host of new characters, there are a few familiar walk-ons. We witness the first meeting between R2-D2 and C-3PO, Jabba the Hutt looks younger and slimmer (but not young and slim), and Yoda is as crabby as ever. Natalie Portman's stately Queen Amidala sports hairdos that make Princess Leia look dowdy and wields a mean laser. We never bond with Jedi Knight Qui-Gon Jinn (Liam Neeson), and Obi-Wan's day is yet to come. Jar Jar Binks, a cross between a Muppet, a frog, and a hippie, provides many of the movie's lighter moments, while Sith Lord Darth Maul is a formidable force. Baby-faced Anakin Skywalker (Jake Lloyd) looks too young and innocent to command the powers of the Force or wield a lightsaber (much less transmute into the future Darth Vader), but his boyish exuberance wins over skeptics.

Near the end of the movie, Palpatine, the new leader of the Republic, may be speaking for fans eagerly awaiting Episode II when he pats young Anakin on the head and says, "We will watch your career with great interest." Indeed! —Tod Nelson

Dune

David LynchEven more than most of David Lynch's deliberately bizarre and idiosyncratic movies, Dune is a "love-it-or-hate-it" affair. An ambitious, epic, utterly mind-boggling—and, let's admit it, all-out weird—adaptation of Frank Herbert's classic science fiction novel, Dune remains one of the most controversial films in the director's exceedingly provocative career. The story (if Dune can be said to have just one story) is complex and convoluted in the epic tradition; it has something to do with political intrigue and a planet that is home to a precious spice and gigantic sand worms. Think Shakespeare's Henry IV with a dash of Tremors, and set in another galaxy. But despite plenty of strangely whispered voice-overs that explain the characters' thoughts (and endlessly detailed exposition), storytelling is not really among the film's strong points. There are, however, a lot of memorably fantastic/grotesque images, an extraordinary cast, and a soundtrack featuring Toto. I told you it was weird. Among the stars are Kyle MacLachlan, José Ferrer, Dean Stockwell, Brad Dourif, Sting, Kenneth McMillan, Patrick Stewart, Sean Young, and Linda Hunt. The DVD contains the original release version; a shorter version cut for television has been disowned by Lynch, who insisted his name be replaced by that famous Hollywood pseudonym "Alan Smithee." —Jim Emerson

Dune [HD DVD]

Clue

Jonathan Lynn

The Whole Nine Yards (Widescreen/Full Screen)

Jonathan Lynn

Young Adam

David MackenzieEwan McGregor (Big Fish) gives the performance of his career in this shocking hriller based on the cult novel by Scottish Beat poet Alexander Trochhi. Ella may have been the boss's wife but Joe (mcGregor) couldn't have cared less. Their torrid affair took his mind off the beautiful dead girl found floating in the river. Her name was Cathie and Joe was the last person to see her alive. Was Cathie's death an accident? Suicide? Or was it murder? Only Joe knows for certain. And the shocking truth could save the life of an innocent man..or send a guilty one to the gallows. "A jabbing, intense noir" Elvis Mitchell, The New York Times.

Theremin: An Electronic Odyssey

Steven M. Martin

The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle

Des McAnuff

Mirrormask

Dave McKean

Stargate SG-1: Season 1

Jim Kaufman Chris McMullenHollywood's film archives overflow with the carcasses of dismal movies based on lame '60s and '70s television shows, a syndrome that shows no sign of abating. But here's evidence that the reverse effect, turning a movie into a TV series, can have surprisingly positive results. Indeed, based on the 21 episodes produced for the first season of Stargate SG-1, it could be argued that this show is significantly better than the 1994 feature it's derived from.

The central conceit of the original Stargate—the existence of an artificially created "wormhole" through which one can travel to different worlds light years away from Earth—was an intriguing one. In seizing on the obvious possibilities for expanding on that premise, series executive producers-writers Jonathan Glassner and Brad Wright have smartly retained some of the film's basic elements (its amalgam of myth and theoretical hokum, or the ongoing clash of wills between scientists and soldiers), while adding a variety of fresh ideas (including new characters, new locations, and a welcome dose of humor, much of it supplied by Richard Dean Anderson, MacGyver himself, who replaces Kurt Russell in the central role of Colonel Jack O'Neill). The result is a show with multidimensional heroes and villains and consistently compelling story lines (many of them introduced in the pilot and carried forward through subsequent episodes) balancing excellent special effects and production values. All this and full frontal nudity, too (at least in the aforementioned pilot). Who can resist?

The first season is spread out over five DVDs; the 100-minute pilot shares the first volume with two other episodes, while discs 2 to 5 contain anywhere from three to five shows each. Sound and visuals (in widescreen format) alike will take full advantage of any home system's capabilities. But aside from language and subtitle options, bonus features are limited to brief featurettes that play like commercials and provide little in the way of background information or insight (there are no features at all on the first disc). Then again, if you really want to know what that symbol on Teal'c's forehead means, or why the nasty, parasitic Goa'ulds look a lot like the fledgling stomach monsters in the Alien series, there is no doubt a Web site out there just for you. —Sam Graham

JCVD [Blu-ray]

Mabrouk El Mechri

Cruising Bar (Version française)

Robert Menard

Shadow of the Vampire

E. Elias Merhige

Shrek the Third [HD DVD]

Chris Miller, Raman HuiIt's not easy being an ogre, but Shrek finds it doubly difficult for an ogre like himself to fill in for a king when his father-in-law King Harold of Far, Far Away falls ill in this third Shrek movie. Shrek's attempts to fulfill his kingly duties play like a blooper reel, with boat christenings and knighting ceremonies gone terribly wrong, and to say that Shrek (Mike Myers) is insecure about his new role is a gross understatement. When King Harold (John Cleese) passes away, Shrek sets out with Donkey (Eddie Murphy) and Puss-in-Boots (Antonio Banderas) to find Arthur (Justin Timberlake), the only heir in line for the throne besides himself. Just as Shrek sets sail to find Artie (as Arthur is more commonly known), Fiona (Cameron Diaz) shocks Shrek with the news that she's pregnant. Soon after, Prince Charming (Rupert Everett) sends Captain Hook (Ian McShane) in pursuit of Shrek and imprisons Fiona and her fellow Princesses as part of his plan to install himself as King of Far, Far Away. Shrek finds an awkward Artie jousting with his high school classmate Lancelot (John Krasinski) and, while Artie is certainly no picture of kingliness, Shrek is determined to drag him back to Far, Far Away to assume the throne. Mishaps and comedy abound, including a spell gone wrong that locks Donkey and Puss-in-Boots inside one another's bodies. While Fiona and the other Princesses prove they're anything but helpless women, Artie and Shrek battle their own fears of inadequacy in a struggle to discover their own self-worth. In the end, Shrek, Artie, and Fiona each learn a lot about their individual strengths and what truly makes each of them happy. Of course, it's the pervasive humor and wit that make Shrek the Third so side-splittingly appealing. Rated PG for some crude and suggestive humor, but appropriate for most families with children ages 6 and older. —Tami Horiuchi

The LEGO Movie / Le Film LEGO [Blu-ray + DVD + UltraViolet]

Christopher Miller, Phil Lord

Neverending Story 2: The Next Chapter (Widescreen/Full Screen)

George Miller

Castle In The Sky

Hayao Miyazaki

Howl's Moving Castle

Hayao Miyazaki

Kiki's Delivery Service

Hayao Miyazaki

My Neighbor Totoro

Hayao Miyazaki

My Neighbor Totoro

Hayao Miyazaki

Nausicaa Of The Valley Of The Wind

Hayao Miyazaki

The Secret of Kells

Tomm MooreMagic, fantasy, and Celtic mythology come together in a riot of color and detail that dazzle the eyes in a sweeping story about the power of imagination and faith to carry humanity through dark times.

In a remote medieval outpost of Ireland, young Brendan embarks on a new life of adventure when a celebrated master illuminator arrives from foreign lands carrying a book brimming with secret wisdom and powers. To help complete the magical book, Brendan has to overcome his deepest fears on a dangerous quest that takes him into the enchanted forest where mythical creatures hide. It is here that he meets the falry Aisling, a mysterious young wolf-girl, who helps him along the way. But with the barbarians closing in, will Brendans determination and artistic vision illuminate the darkness and show that enlightenment is the best fortification against evil?

The Cat Returns

Hiroyuki Morita

Highlander

Russell Mulcahy

The Crow: Wicked Prayer

Lance Mungia

The Crow: Salvation

Bharat Nalluri

The Black Hole

Gary NelsonDisney's foray into big-budget science fiction, close on the heels of Star Wars, had some of the most impressive special effects to grace theater screens in the 1970s. Graced by handsome production design—most notably a glass and latticework interstellar craft that looks like a battleship crossed with a modern skyscraper—The Black Hole is in many ways the most beautiful science fiction film of its era. Unfortunately, the graceful and gorgeous picture is jarred by dialogue that wouldn't pass muster in a comic book and a silly conclusion that plays like a murky, dime-store knockoff of 2001. Too bad, because the visual realization of the film is a veritable haunted house of futuristic phenomena, from the cloaked zombie-like drones shuffling through corridors to the devilish, crimson robot Maximillian, the strong arm of the mad scientist played by Maximilian Schell (a kind of wild man Captain Nemo with an even more ruthless temperament). Only the way-too-cute robot V.I.N.CENT (voiced by Roddy McDowall), a merchandising gimmick that looks like a Fisher-Price toy, mars the technological landscape. Robert Forster is the quietly authoritative captain of an exploration ship that stumbles across the seemingly derelict ship, and Anthony Perkins, Yvette Mimieux, Ernest Borgnine, and Joseph Bottoms fill out his crew. This is one case of a triumph of art direction and special effects over story—it's worth sitting through it to see the magnificent scene of the fireball rolling through the ship's enormous hull alone. The rest is just atmospheric gravy. —Sean Axmaker

Transylvania Television: Season 2

Transylvanian Television Network

Psych: The Complete 1st Season

USA Network

Psych: The Complete 2nd Season

USA Network

Psych: The Complete 4th Season

USA Network

All Men Are Brothers - Blood of the Leopard

Chan Wui NgaiImported Original Hong Kong Edition.

Gattaca

Andrew Niccol

The Good Shepherd [HD DVD]

Robert De Niro

Project A-Ko

Katsuhiko Nishijima

Golgo 13: Kowloon Assignment

Yukio Noda

Batman Begins [HD DVD]

Christopher NolanBatman Begins discards the previous four films in the series and recasts the Caped Crusader as a fearsome avenging angel. That's good news, because the series, which had gotten off to a rousing start under Tim Burton, had gradually dissolved into self-parody by 1997's Batman & Robin. As the title implies, Batman Begins tells the story anew, when Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) flees Western civilization following the murder of his parents. He is taken in by a mysterious instructor named Ducard (Liam Neeson in another mentor role) and urged to become a ninja in the League of Shadows, but he instead returns to his native Gotham City resolved to end the mob rule that is strangling it. But are there forces even more sinister at hand?

Co-written by the team of David S. Goyer (a veteran comic book writer) and director Christopher Nolan (Memento), Batman Begins is a welcome return to the grim and gritty version of the Dark Knight, owing a great debt to the graphic novels that preceded it. It doesn't have the razzle dazzle, or the mass appeal, of Spider-Man 2 (though the Batmobile is cool), and retelling the origin means it starts slowly, like most "first" superhero movies. But it's certainly the best Bat-film since Burton's original, and one of the best superhero movies of its time. Bale cuts a good figure as Batman, intense and dangerous but with some of the lightheartedness Michael Keaton brought to the character. Michael Caine provides much of the film's humor as the family butler, Alfred, and as the love interest, Katie Holmes (Dawson's Creek) is surprisingly believable in her first adult role. Also featuring Gary Oldman as the young police officer Jim Gordon, Morgan Freeman as a Q-like gadgets expert, and Cillian Murphy as the vile Jonathan Crane. —David Horiuchi

Batman at Amazon.ca
All Batman DVDs
Batman: The Animated Series, Vol. 4
Where Have I Seen Christian Bale?
All Batman Comics and Graphic Novels
Batman Begins: The Official Movie Guide
Batman Begins Soundtrack

Stills from Batman Begins (click for larger images)

Blade

Stephen Norrington

The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen

Steve Norrington

Kung Pow! Enter the Fist

Steve Oedekerk

Millenium: La Trilogie

Niels Arden Oplev, Daniel Alfredson

Patlabor 1: The Movie

Mamoru OshiiThis stylish science fiction detective story bears the stamp of director Mamoru Oshii (Ghost in the Shell). "Labors" are gigantic robots used for everything from construction work to law enforcement, but a massive land reclamation project in Tokyo Bay is threatened by robots going on unexplained rampages.

Patlabor cops Noah Izumi and Azuma Shinohara are called in to investigate, and soon find themselves trying to decipher the apocalyptic visions of E. Hoba, who wrote the operating system for the Labor robots and then committed suicide. Hoba introduced a virus into the software that could affect robots all over world and cause unparalleled destruction. In abandoned slum apartments and high-tech construction sites, he left clues about what he was doing—and why. But are Noah, Azuma, and their friends clever enough to second-guess a genius? And will their superior officers accept their conclusions?

The first Patlabor feature has a darker tone and look than the previous OVA series. Oshii assumes the viewer already knows the characters, and doesn't bother introducing them. But this powerful tale of the dangers of over-reliance on technology is far superior to ordinary mecha features. The recent attacks of powerful computer viruses give the story an added relevance.

Unrated; suitable for ages 10 and older: occasional profanity and robot vs. robot violence. —Charles Solomon

Patlabor 2: The Movie

Mamoru OshiiLabors are giant construction robots piloted by humans, and the Patlabor team is a mobile police force whose job is to protect the population from people who might hijack or sabotage these powerful tools. Though events of the first movie called Labor technology into question, the needs of big business outweighed the concerns of citizens, and eventually they came back into common use. The military had also begun to adopt and adapt the technology, amidst some controversy. The story picks up with a terrorist attack on a Tokyo city bridge. The suspects include Americans who want to destabilize the Japanese government, corrupt forces within the Japanese government who want to increase military spending, and Tsuge, the genius of labor technology who was misused by the government three years prior. The animation is gorgeous, particularly the cityscapes and long shots, but that's not surprising coming from director Mamoru Oshii (Ghost in the Shell). Sparkling animation would mean very little without a good story or good characters, which Patlabor 2 has in spades. At the core of the story is a quiet dialogue about the nature of peace in post-WWII Japan—how the peace has been unjust because they've ignored poverty-stricken countries in times of prosperity. Then it's back to unraveling the conspiracy and the requisite action-packed ending. These Patlabor movies are excellent, and not just for fans of anime. —Andy Spletzer

Steamboy - Director's Cut

Katsuhiro OtomoThe first feature Katsuhiro Otomo has written and directed since his watershed Akira (1988), Steamboy offers a fantastic, sepia-toned vision of the past-as-future. In place of the dystopic Neo-Tokyo of Akira, Steamboy is set in England in 1866. Young Ray Steam receives a Steam Ball, a mysterious, powerful device, from his inventor grandfather. Governments and businesses covet the Steam Ball, and Ray finds himself in a murderous conflict over its possession. He's also caught between his father, a 19th century Darth Vader who builds terrible weapons for an American arms merchant, and his grandfather, who believes science should improve people's lives. Otomo uses computer graphics to create dazzling visuals that few recent films—animated or live action—can match: monumental systems of gears and pistons; machines that dwarf the Tower of London; antique weapons of mass destruction. But the dazzling imagery can't disguise the lack of a coherent plot and the flimsiness of the characters.

Steamboy is being released in a dubbed version that's been shortened by 20 minutes, and a more satisfying subtitled version that preserves Otomo's original pacing. Both versions suggest that Steamboy is the work of an important filmmaker who can't quite shape his awesome visions into a effective narrative. (Rated PG-13 for action violence.) —Charles Solomon

Muppets take Manhattan (Widescreen/Full Screen)

Frank Oz

The Indian in the Cupboard (Widescreen/Full Screen)

Frank Oz

Mei gui mei gui wo ai ni

Eva Pang

Creature Comforts (Widescreen/Full Screen)

Nick Park

The Mothman Prophecies (2002)

Mark Pellington

Brokeback Mountain [HD DVD]

Geraldine Peroni, Dylan Tichenor, Ang LeeUniversal Brokeback Mountain - HD DVD
Winner of three Academy Awards(R), including Best Director, the moviethat became a cultural phenomenon is now available in a remarkable 2-Disc Collector's Edition. Relive the sweeping epic that explores the lives of two young men (Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal), a ranch hand and a rodeo cowboy, who meet in the summer of 1963 and unexpectedly forge a lifelong connection. With all-new bonus features, never-before-seen footage and highly collectible postcards, this definitive set magnifies the emotion, drama and power of one of cinema's most groundbreaking films.

The Neverending Story

Wolfgang Petersen

Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow [HD DVD]

Sabrina Plisco, Kerry ConranWhile setting a milestone in the progress of digital filmmaking, Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow resurrects a nostalgic fantasy world derived from a wide variety of vintage inspirations. It's a dazzling dream for anyone who appreciates the look and feel of golden-age sci-fi pulp magazines, drawing its unique, all-digital design from such diverse sources as Howard Hawks adventures, Fritz Lang's Metropolis, Buck Rogers, Blackhawk comics, The Third Man, cliffhanger serials, and the action-packed Indiana Jones franchise. Writer-director Kerry Conran's feature debut is also guaranteed to inspire digital dreamers everywhere, suggesting a paradigm shift in the way CGI-dominated movies are made. It's a giddy adventure for the young and young-at-heart, in which ace pilot "Sky Captain" Joe Sullivan (Jude Law) and intrepid reporter Polly Perkins (Gwyneth Paltrow) must save the world from a mad scientist whose vision of the future has tragic implications for all humankind. Angelina Jolie drops in for a glorified cameo, but it's the ultra-fortunate neophyte Conran who's the star here. His clever riff on The Wizard of Oz is a marvel to behold, and the method of its creation is nothing less than revolutionary. —Jeff Shannon

The Ghost Writer

Roman Polanski

Ninth Gate

Roman Polanski

The Crow: City of Angels

Tim Pope

Dark City (Widescreen/Full Screen)

Alex Proyas

The Crow (2 Discs)

Alex Proyas

Army Of Darkness

Sam RaimiA movie that only true horror buffs could love, Army of Darkness is officially part 3 in the wild and wacky Evil Dead trilogy masterminded by the perversely inventive director Sam Raimi, who would later serve as executive producer of the popular syndicated TV series Hercules: The Legendary Journeys. Raimi's favorite actor, Bruce Campbell, returns as Ash (hero of the first two Evil Dead flicks), a hardware-store clerk who is magically transported—along with his beat-up Oldsmobile and a chainsaw attachment for his severed left forearm—to the brutal battlefields of the 14th century. He quickly assumes power (who else in the Middle Ages packs a shotgun and a chainsaw?), and unites his band of medieval knights against the dreaded Army of the Dead. Raimi gleefully subverts almost every horror-movie cliché as he serves up a nonstop parade of blood, gore, and vicious sword-bearing skeletons—an affectionate homage to animator Ray Harryhausen's classic Jason and the Argonauts. The frantic action is fun while it lasts, but even at 80 minutes Army of Darkness nearly wears out its welcome. You know that Raimi can maintain the mayhem for only so long before it grows tiresome, and fortunately this madcap movie quits while it's ahead. —Jeff Shannon

Army of Darkness [HD DVD]

Evil Dead

Sam Raimi

Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn (Widescreen/Full Screen)

Sam Raimi

Spider-Man

Sam Raimi

Down With Love

Peyton Reed

The Princess Bride

Rob Reiner

The Princess Bride (Widescreen/Full Screen)

Rob Reiner

Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves (Special Extended Edition) (2 Discs)

Kevin Reynolds

Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (Widescreen/Full Screen)

Guy Ritchie

Snatch

Guy Ritchie

Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery (Widescreen/Full Screen)

Jay Roach

Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me

Jay Roach"I put the grrr in swinger, baby!" a deliciously randy Austin Powers coos near the beginning of The Spy Who Shagged Me, and if the imagination of Austin creator Mike Myers seems to have sagged a bit, his energy surely hasn't. This friendly, go-for-broke sequel to 1997's Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery finds our man Austin heading back to the '60s to keep perennial nemesis Dr. Evil (Myers again) from blowing up the world—and, more importantly, to get back his mojo, that man-juice that turns Austin into irresistible catnip for women, especially American spygirl Felicity Shagwell (a pretty but vacant Heather Graham). The plot may be irreverent and illogical, the jokes may be bad (with characters named Ivana Humpalot and Robin Swallows, née Spitz), and the scenes may run on too long, but it's all delivered sunnily and with tongue firmly in cheek.

Myers's true triumph, though, is his turn as the neurotic Dr. Evil, who tends to spout the right cultural reference at exactly the wrong time (referring to his moon base as a "Death Star" with Moon Units Alpha and Zappa—in 1969). Myers teams Dr. Evil with a diminutive clone, Mini-Me (Verne J. Troyer), who soon replaces slacker son Scott Evil (Seth Green) as the apple of the doctor's eye; Myers and Troyer work magic in what could plausibly be one of the year's most affecting (and hysterically funny) love stories. Despite a stellar supporting cast—including a sly Rob Lowe as Robert Wagner's younger self and Mindy Sterling as the forbidding Frau Farbissina—it's basically Myers's show, and he pulls a hat trick by playing a third character, the obese and disgusting Scottish assassin Fat Bastard. Many viewers will reel in disgust at Mr. Bastard's repulsive antics and the scatological bent Myers indulges in, including one showstopper involving coffee and—shudder—a stool sample. Still, Myers's good humor and dead-on cultural references win the day; Austin is one spy who proves he can still shag like a minx. —Mark Englehart

Fiddler on the Roof

Norman Jewison Jerome Robbins

Sneakers

Phil Alden Robinson

Psych: The Complete 3rd Season

James Roday, Eric Laneuville, Jay Chandrasekhar, John Badham, John Landis

Watership Down

Martin RosenMuch like Richard Adams's wonderful novel, this animated tale of wandering rabbits is not meant for small children. It is, however, rich storytelling, populated with very real individuals inhabiting a very real world. The animation is problematic, sometimes appearing out of proportion or just subpar; but it seems to stem from an attempt at realism, something distinguishing the film's characters from previous, cutesy, animated animals. A band of rabbits illegally leave their warren after a prophecy of doom from a runt named Fiver (Richard Briers). In search of a place safe from humans and predators, they face all kinds of dangers, including a warren that has made a sick bargain with humankind, and a warren that is basically a fascist state. Allegories aside, Down is engaging and satisfying, and pulls off the same amazing trick that the novel did—you'll forget that this is a story about rabbits. —Keith Simanton

V: The Complete First Season

Bobby Roth, Bryan Spicer, David Barrett, Dean White, Fred ToyeThere's a lot to like about V, an exceptionally well-made series combining science fiction, action-adventure, and personal drama (and debuting here on DVD with all 12 first-season episodes on three discs). From the moment 29 enormous spaceships appear over an equal number of major cities (the principal action takes place in New York and aboard the mother ship that hovers over it), nothing will ever be the same. But the Visitors, commonly known as Vs, "are of peace"—or so says Anna (Morena Baccarin), their young, beautiful, preternaturally serene leader (the Vs look human, but as we soon discover, their appearance is only one part of them that isn't what it seems). Folks around the globe are smitten as the Vs perform Christ-like medical miracles and use their awesome technology and messianic powers of persuasion to wow the Earthlings—especially a smarmy, headline-hugging TV "journalist" (Scott Wolf) who becomes their willing mouthpiece, helping the Vs seduce the entire global population… almost. Of course, there are some who know better, specifically the "Fifth Column," a resistance group comprised of humans (with Elizabeth Mitchell as an FBI agent whose son is in thrall to the aliens) and a few "traitor" Vs who've lived on Earth for years (including Morris Chestnut as a V whose human girlfriend is pregnant). They know what the Visitors' real agenda is—and that dirty deeds like establishing terror cells and surreptitiously injecting drugs into humans are only the beginning.

All of this is offered in a very slick, entertaining package; the plotting is clever and just unpredictable enough, the effects work is outstanding (especially good is a technique whereby Vs on their mother ship are rendered like video game characters), and while V is hardly what you'd call profound, it does touch on some interesting ideas (such as the role of emotions, of which the Vs have none, or the danger of putting one's faith in false gods). That will help viewers overlook some of the show's more dubious elements. For instance, the utter gullibility of the vast majority of humans in the face of the aliens' transparent duplicity is preposterous, even by sci-fi standards; by the same token, it's hard to swallow that the Fifth Column, which seems to consist of about four people, could possibly pose a threat to the omnipotent Visitors. Still, by the time it reaches its season-ending cliffhanger, V has given us more than enough reasons to tune in again next year. —Sam Graham

Eraser (Widescreen/Full Screen)

Chuck Russell

The Scorpion King [HD DVD]

Chuck RussellThere's nothing original in The Scorpion King, but this derivative action franchise gets off to a rousing start by cleverly stealing from a lot of better movies. Capitalizing on his brief cameo in The Mummy Returns, Dwayne Johnson (a.k.a. World Wrestling Federation star the Rock) stars as Mathayus, an Akkadian assassin in the age preceding Egyptian pharaohs, who vows to avenge his brother's murder by an undefeated warlord (Steven Brand) prophesied to become the desert-ruling Scorpion King. Their battle for supremacy comprises most of the film's brisk 95-minute running time, punctuated by comic relief from Mathayus's obligatory sidekick (Grant Heslov), romance with a beautiful sorceress (Kelly Hu), and alliance with a massive Nubian (Michael Clarke Duncan) on the eve of their climactic showdown. There's no rhyme or reason to the film's depiction of ancient civilization (the costuming is particularly ludicrous), but the Rock demonstrates adequate action-star potential, and director Chuck Russell (The Mask) wraps it all in a slick, professional package. —Jeff Shannon

Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within

Hironobu Sakaguchi Motonori Sakakibara

Ice Age

Chris Wedge Carlos Saldanha

Key the Metal Idol: V.1 Awakening (ep.1-7)

Hiroaki Satô

Falling Down (Widescreen/Full Screen)

Joel Schumacher

Alien: 20th Anniversary Edition

Ridley Scott

Blade Runner: Ultimate Collector's Edition [HD DVD]

Ridley Scott

Gladiator (2 Discs)

Ridley Scott

Legend

Ridley Scott

Get Smart

Peter Segal

James and the Giant Peach

Henry Selick

The Nightmare Before Christmas

Henry Selick

Turning Red

Domee Shi

V: The Complete Second Season

Bryan Spicer^David Barrett^Dean White^Jeff Woolnough^Jesse Warn^John Behring^Ralph Hemecker^Steve ShillV ~ Season 2

Transformers: Movie

Nelson Shin

Family Guy Presents Stewie Griffin: The Untold Story

Pete Michels Peter Shin

X-Men

Bryan Singer

The Dish

Rob Sitch

Radioland Murders

Mel Smith

300 (Combo HD DVD and Standard DVD) [HD DVD]

Zack SnyderStudio: Warner Home Video Release Date: 07/31/2007 Run time: 116 minutes Rating: R

Ocean's Eleven (2001)

Steven Soderbergh

Welcome to the Dollhouse (Widescreen/Full Screen)

Todd Solondz

Mummy: Ultimate Edition (2 Discs) (Widescreen/Full Screen)

Stephen Sommers

The Mummy Returns

Stephen SommersFans of the special edition of the original Mummy will find just as satisfying a treasure room in this sequel DVD. Director Stephen Sommers and executive producer-editor Bob Ducsay are back with an animated play-by-play commentary, complementing the movie with technical tidbits and entertaining production stories. The "Spotlight on Location" featurette is the usual promotional puff piece, but the Visual and Special Effects Formation galleries dig deep into four key effects scenes (including the pygmy mummy attack), each broken down into four stages of development and illustrated with work-in-progress footage, raw animation, and production sketches. In addition to the historical factoids, production notes, games, and promotions for The Scorpion King is a five-minute collection of outtakes cleverly cut together like a mock movie trailer. —Sean Axmaker

Men In Black (Collector's Series)

Barry Sonnenfeld

Close Encounters of the Third Kind

Steven Spielberg

E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (Boxed Set, 3 Discs)

Steven SpielbergSteven Spielberg's 1982 hit about a stranded alien and his loving relationship with a fatherless boy (Henry Thomas) struck a chord with audiences everywhere, and it furthered Spielberg's reputation as a director of equally strong commercial sensibilities and classical leanings. Henry Thomas gives a strong, emotional performance as E.T.'s young friend, Robert MacNaughton and Drew Barrymore make a solid impression as his siblings, and Dee Wallace is lively as the kids' mother. The special effects almost look a bit quaint now with all the computer advancements that have occurred since, but they also have more heart behind them than a lot of what we see today. —Tom Keogh

The Adventures of Indiana Jones (Raiders of the Lost Ark / The Temple of Doom / The Last Crusade)

Steven SpielbergAs with Star Wars, the George Lucas-produced Indiana Jones trilogy was not just a plaything for kids but an act of nostalgic affection toward a lost phenomenon: the cliffhanging movie serials of the past. Episodic in structure and with fate hanging in the balance about every 10 minutes, the Jones features tapped into Lucas's extremely profitable Star Wars formula of modernizing the look and feel of an old, but popular, story model. Steven Spielberg directed all three films, which are set in the late 1930s and early '40s: the comic book-like Raiders of the Lost Ark, the spooky, Gunga Din-inspired Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, and the cautious but entertaining Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. Fans and critics disagree over the order of preference, some even finding the middle movie nearly repugnant in its violence. (Pro-Temple of Doom people, on the other hand, believe that film to be the most disarmingly creative and emotionally effective of the trio.) One thing's for sure: Harrison Ford's swaggering, two-fisted, self-effacing performance worked like a charm, and the art of cracking bullwhips was probably never quite the iconic activity it soon became after Raiders. Supporting players and costars were very much a part of the series, too—Karen Allen, Sean Connery (as Indie's dad), Kate Capshaw, Ke Huy Quan, Amrish Puri, Denholm Elliot, River Phoenix, and John Rhys-Davies among them. Years have passed since the last film (another is supposedly due soon), but emerging film buffs can have the same fun their predecessors did picking out numerous references to Hollywood classics and B-movies of the past. —Tom Keogh

Poltergeist (Widescreen/Full Screen)

Tobe Hooper Steven Spielberg

Absolutely Fabulous Complete DVD Collection

Bob SpiersEach of the first three discs in the four-disc set features a season of the show, complete with outtakes and a photo gallery (which proves slightly frustrating, as you are unable to skip around the photos—they are shown only in order). The fourth disc has the majority of the extra features: How to Be Absolutely Fabulous, a delightful behind-the-scenes look at the show; Ab Fab Moments, a retrospective of the entire series; Modern Mother and Daughter, the brilliant original skit from French and Saunders with Dawn French in the role of Saffy; picture galleries of the stars and guest celebrities; and a map of all the places Eddy and Patsy visited on the show. —Jenny Brown

John Wick: Chapter 2

Chad Stahelski

John Wick

David Leitch & Chad Stahelski

Wall-E

Andrew StantonAs the last robot left on earth wall-e is one small robot who holds the future of earth and mankind squarely in the palm of hismetal hand. Studio: Buena Vista Home Video Release Date: 11/18/2008 Starring: Ben Burtt Run time: 98 minutes Rating: G Director: Andrew Stanton

Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory

Mel Stuart

My Neighbors The Yamadas

Isao TakahataAlthough it's technically a feature film, Isao Takahata's My Neighbors the Yamadas (1999) plays like a series of comedy sketches or sitcom episodes. The Tokyo household of Takashi and Matsuko Yamada includes their son and daughter, Noboru and Nonoko, Matsuko's cranky mother Shige, and their lumpish dog. Stolidly middle-income and middle-class, the Yamadas have a family life that falls somewhere between Married... with Children and The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet. Affectionate but undemonstrative, they rarely face crises more challenging than a lost umbrella or what to have for dinner. But they manage to find (or create) drama within their humdrum existence: the struggle for the TV remote becomes a stylized battle that spoofs karate matches; when a girl calls Noboru, his mother and grandmother cling to him like remoras. Many of the Yamadas' adventures end with an elegant haiku. Does Basho's "How cruel, a grasshopper trapped under a warrior's helmet" really apply to Takashi Yamada? He thinks it does. Much of the film's charm comes from the loose, cartoony style that suggests pencil lines and watercolor washes. (Rated PG, Parental Guidance Suggested: Mild thematic elements) —Charles Solomon

Next [HD DVD]

Lee TamahoriThe weirdness of actor Nicolas Cage and the weirdness of science-fiction author Philip K. Dick seem like a natural fit. The premise, taken from a short story by Dick, is a good one: A mediocre Las Vegas magician named Chris Johnson (Cage) can see into the future—but only about two minutes at the most. Just enough to pull off his act and to make some money at the gambling tables, so long as he's discreet. Unfortunately, he hasn't been discreet enough; a government agent (Julianne Moore) has sussed out his precognitive talent and wants to use him to track down terrorists. But all Johnson cares about is a beautiful young woman (Jessica Biel, The Illusionist) that he can see in his future—much further in his future than he's ever seen before. Next has flashes that point to a much, much better movie than it turned out to be. A sequence in which Johnson, clairvoyantly explores all the different permutations of how he might approach his mystery woman is both funny and thought-provoking, and when Johnson avoids pursuers by knowing just the right moment to turn a corner or duck his head, it's smart and suspenseful. Unfortunately, the terrorist part of the plot is utterly perfunctory and precognition is reduced to an action movie gimmick. Somewhere in there is the kernel of a romantic comedy about precognition that's just waiting to be made. Cage gives a solid if unsurprising performance, Moore is basically earning a paycheck, but Biel is unexpectedly good (and her part is considerably better-written than your usual romantic interest); her performance suggests a better future than anyone might have predicted. —Bret Fetzer

Beyond Next
More Nick Cage on DVD
The Author that Inspired the Movie
The Soundtrack

Stills from Next (click for larger image)

Butterfly Sword

Michael Mak Chi Li Tang

The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr.: The Complete Series

Andy Tennant, Joe Napolitano, Joseph L. Scanlan, Kevin Bright, Larry ShawA science fiction-Western and comedy-drama with echoes of The Wild Wild West and Raiders of the Lost Ark, The Adventures of Brisco County Jr.: The Complete Series is uniquely entertaining. Anchored by the comically heroic style of likable B-movie actor Bruce Campbell, Adventures lasted one television season in 1993-94. But it left behind a full 27 episodes (including two two-part stories) full of classic TV Western production values and a running storyline that resembles The X-Files after awhile.

Campbell plays Brisco County Jr., a bounty hunter and son of a legendary U.S. marshal (R. Lee Ermey) gunned down by the villainous John Bly (Billy Drago) and his band of misfits. The younger Brisco is hired by a consortium of businessmen to protect their interests from the likes of Bly, and while he's dedicated to that cause, Brisco is also determined to avenge his father's murder. Helping him do a little of both is a fussy attorney, Socrates Poole (Christian Clemenson); a rival bounty hunter, Lord Bowler (Julius Carry); a wacky inventor, Professor Wickwire (John Astin); and a sultry saloon singer, Dixie (Kelly Rutherford). Rockets, mysterious orbs, and superhuman strength are some of the delightfully out-of-their-element phenomena that find themselves alongside more conventional cowpoke ingredients, including a horse so smart he can chew the ropes binding Brisco's hands. For the most part, the stories stand alone. But as the season progresses, a lot of things get weirder, albeit in a good way: the truth about Bly and his connection to a golden orb everyone wants, for example, are certainly unexpected. But the show is always dazzling, often satiric ("Oy!" Dixie exclaims when Brisco outlines the steps involved in stopping a runaway wagon they're trapped within), yet heartening in an old-fashioned way. Special features include Campbell's reading of a chapter about the series in his autobiography. —Tom Keogh

The Muppets' Wizard of Oz

Kirk R. ThatcherJoin Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, and all the Muppets as they turn everyone's favorite classic tale into a musical madcap adventure that shines brighter than Emerald City! The fun starts when the Muppets team up with an all-star cast that includes Grammy Award winner Ashanti, Oscar(R) nominee Queen Latifah (2002, Best Supporting Actress, CHICAGO), David Alan Grier, Academy Award(R) winner Quentin Tarantino (1994, Best Original Screenplay, PULP FICTION), and Jeffrey Tambor. Ashanti sparkles as Dorothy, an aspiring singer whose dreams of fame and fortune seem worlds away from coming true in the Kansas trailer park where she lives with her Aunt Em and Uncle Henry. But when a tornado transports her and Toto (Pepe the King Prawn) to the magical land of Oz, Dorothy meets the Wizard, who promises to make her a superstar — if she and her wacky new friends, the Scarecrow (Kermit), the Tin Thing (Gonzo), and the Cowardly Lion(Fozzie), can defeat Oz's #1 diabolical diva, the Wicked Witch of the West (Miss Piggy)! Featuring original music, hilarious performances, and 20 minutes of never-before-seen footage, THE MUPPETS' WIZARD OF OZ will lift your spirits and blow you away!

Strange Brew

Rick Moranis Dave Thomas

Thundercats: Season 1

Thundercats

Thundercats: Season 2

Thundercats

Rumble In The Bronx

Stanley Tong

Beauty and the Beast

Kirk Wise Gary TrousdaleThe film that officially signaled Disney's animation renaissance (following The Little Mermaid) and the only animated feature to receive a Best Picture Oscar nomination, Beauty and the Beast remains the yardstick by which all other animated films should be measured. It relates the story of Belle, a bookworm with a dotty inventor for a father; when he inadvertently offends the Beast (a prince whose heart is too hard to love anyone besides himself), Belle boldly takes her father's place, imprisoned in the Beast's gloomy mansion. Naturally, Belle teaches the Beast to love. What makes this such a dazzler, besides the amazingly accomplished animation and the winning coterie of supporting characters (the Beast's mansion is overrun by quipping, dancing household items) is the array of beautiful and hilarious songs by composer Alan Menken and the late, lamented lyricist Howard Ashman. (The title song won the 1991 Best Song Oscar, and Menken's score scored a trophy as well.) The downright funniest song is "Gaston," a lout's paean to himself (including the immortal line, "I use antlers in all of my de-co-ra-ting"). "Be Our Guest" is transformed into an inspired Busby Berkeley homage. Since Ashman's passing, animated musicals haven't quite reached the same exhilarating level of wit, sophistication, and pure joy. —David Kronke

Rumble in Hong Kong

Hdeng Tsu

The Chronicles of Riddick - Pitch Black (Unrated Director's Cut) [HD DVD]

David TwohyOwing a major debt to Alien and its cinematic spawn, Pitch Black is a guilty pleasure that surpasses expectations. As he did with The Arrival, director David Twohy revitalizes a derivative story, allowing you to forgive its flaws and submit to its visceral thrills. Under casual scrutiny, the plot's logic crumbles like a stale cookie, but it's definitely fun while it lasts.

A spaceship crashes on a desert planet scorched under three suns. The mostly doomed survivors include a resourceful captain (Radha Mitchell), a drug-addled cop (Cole Hauser), and a deadly prisoner (Vin Diesel) who quickly escapes. These clashing personalities discover that the planet is plunging into the darkness of an extended eclipse, and it's populated by hordes of ravenous, razor-fanged beasties that only come out at night. The body count rises, and Pitch Black settles into familiar sci-fi territory.

What sets the movie apart is Twohy's developing visual style, suggesting that this veteran of B-movie schlock may advance to the big leagues. Like the makers of The Blair Witch Project, Twohy understands the frightening power of suggestion; his hungry monsters are better heard than seen (although once seen, they're chillingly effective), and Pitch Black gets full value from moments of genuine panic. Best of all, Twohy's got a well-matched cast, with Mitchell (so memorable with Ally Sheedy in High Art) and Diesel (Pvt. Caparzo from Saving Private Ryan) being the standouts. The latter makes the most of his muscle-man role, and his character's development is one more reason this movie works better than it should. —Jeff Shannon

Finding Nemo

Andrew Stanton Lee Unkrich

Monsters, Inc. (Widescreen) (2 Discs)

Peter Docter Lee Unkrich

Psych: The Complete Eighth Season

VariousDisc 1:
Deleted Scenes
Lock, Stock, Some Smoking Barrels and Burton Guster’s Goblet of Fire Extended Version Podcast with Steve Franks, Chris Henze, Kelly Kulchak, Carlos Jacott, Todd Harthan, and David Crabtree
S.E.I.Z.E. The Day Podcast with Steve Franks, Chris Henze, Kelly Kulchak, Todd Harthan, David Crabtree, and Carlos Jacott
Cloudy…with a Chance of Improvement Podcast with Steve Franks, Chris Henze, Kelly Kulchak, Andy Berman, and Todd Harthan
Cog Blocked Podcast with Steve Franks, Chris Henze, Kelly Kulchak, Dule Hill, Carlos Jacott, and Todd Harthan
Disc 2:
Deleted Scenes
“Was It Something I Said?” Music Video
1967: A Psych Odyssey Podcast with Steve Franks, Chris Henze, Kelly Kulchak, Kirsten Nelson, James Roday, and Tim Meltreger
A Touch of Sweevil Podcast with Steve Franks, Chris Henze, Kelly Kulchak, Todd Harthan, and Andy Berman
A Nightmare on State Street Director’s Cut Podcast with Steve Franks, Chris Henze, Kelly Kulchak, James Roday, Kirsten Nelson, and Carlos Jacott Disc 3:
The Break Up Deleted Scenes
Psych: The Musical Episode
Psych: The Musical Extended Scene
Behind the Scenes of Psych: The Musical
I Know, You Know That I’m No Good with Goodbyes: A Psych Farewell
Gag Reel
MontagesThe Break Up Podcast with Steve Franks, Chris Henze, Kelly Kulchak, James Roday, Kirsten Nelson, Andy Berman, and Tim Meltreger
Psych: The Musical Podcast with Steve Franks, Chris Henze, Kelly Kulchak, James Roday, Kirsten Nelson, Maggie Lawson, and Adam Cohen

Steven Spielberg Presents Animaniacs: Vol. 4

Various

Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets

VariousViewed once.

Stardust [HD DVD]

Matthew VaughnStardust settles over the viewer like a twinkly cloak. The film, which captures the magic and vision of author Neil Gaiman's fantasy graphic fable, is a transportive journey into a world of true enchantment, which fans of the Harry Potter books will enjoy as well as will adults looking for the perfect date movie. The tale is a not-so-simple love story and adventure, set in 19th century England—and an alternate universe of witches, spells and stars that turn human—and hold the key to eternal life.

Young Tristan (played with wide-eyed vigor by Charlie Cox) vows to retrieve a fallen star for the most beautiful girl in the village, the shallow Victoria (Sienna Miller), and in his quest, finds his true love—in a true "meet-cute" moment (by Babylon-candle-speeding into the just-crashed human incarnation of the star, Claire Danes). Much of the film involves the duo's journey back home—though home for Tristan is his village, and home for the celestial Yvaine is, of course, in the heavens. There are villains, notably Michelle Pfeiffer as the vain witch who seeks the fountain of youth a fallen star can give, and the seven venal sons of the dying king of the mythical realm, backstabbing, grasping, and hilarious—even in death as a ghostly Greek chorus.

While the sparks of love between Tristan and Yvaine are resonant and touching, Stardust truly succeeds as a brilliant fantasy yarn—and as a comedy with more than its share of belly laughs. Much of the humor belongs to Robert De Niro, who plays a notoriously wicked air pirate, who is secretly a bit light in his swashbucklers. Ricky Gervais has a small but memorable role essentially channeling his character from Extras, including his catchphrase, "Are you having a laugh?!" The special effects are all that any fan of Gaiman would wish for. Catch a bit of Stardust and you'll feel enchanted for a good long while. —A.T. Hurley

Closet

Francis Veber

The Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2 Discs)

Gore Verbinski

Total Recall: Special Edition

Paul Verhoeven

Shrek 2

Andrew Adamson Conrad Vernon

What The Bleep Do We Know?

Betsy Chasse Mark VicenteThe unlikeliest cult hit of 2004 was What the (Bleep) Do We Know?, a lecture on mysticism and science mixed into a sort-of narrative. Marlee Matlin stars in the dramatic thread, about a sourpuss photographer who begins to question her perceptions. Interviews with quantum physics experts and New Age authors are cut into this story, offering a vaguely convincing (and certainly mind-provoking) theory about... well, actually, it sounds a lot like the Power of Positive Thinking, when you get down to it. Talking heads (not identified until film's end) include JZ Knight, who appears in the movie channeling Ramtha, the ancient sage she claims communicates through her (other speakers are also associated with Knight's organization). What she says actually makes pretty good common sense—Ramtha's wiggier notions are not included—and would be easy to accept were it not being credited to a 35,000-year-old mystic from Atlantis. —Robert Horton

Blade Runner 2049

Denis Villeneuve

Titan A.E.

Don Bluth Art VitelloA visual knockout, Titan A.E. is an ambitious animated feature that combines traditional animations, computer-generated imagery, and special effects in the service of a science fiction adventure plotted with narrative conventions familiar from Star Wars and Star Trek. Credit directors Don Bluth (An American Tail, The Secret of NIMH, Anastasia) and Gary Goldman with crafting a vivid, convincing look to this deep space saga, which conjures some stunning images. A tense opening sequence climaxing in the destruction of Earth, a watery planet where delicate but deadly hydrogen trees float, joyriding in a starship while pursued by playful "space angels," and a nerve-wracking journey through a lethal maze of massive ice crystals each qualify as mesmerizing sequences in any film context.

What's visually stunning proves intermittently stunted on the narrative front, however. Orphaned when the evil Drej atomize Earth, protagonist Cale (voiced by Matt Damon) must journey across space to unlock the mystery of his late father's final project, the Titan spacecraft, in a test of faith and filial identity that echoes Star Wars. The Titan itself ultimately poses a cosmic potential familiar to admirers of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. Comical sidekicks (Nathan Lane, Janeane Garofalo, John Leguizamo), a sultry love interest (Drew Barrymore), and a roguish mentor (Bill Pullman) all verge on the generic, narrowly redeemed by dialogue from a writing team including Buffy the Vampire Slayer creator Joss Whedon.

It's likely that Titan's target audience of young males prompted the filmmakers to walk a tightrope between softer family features and more violent, hard-edged anime. Titan's brief bloodshed and coy nudity stop short of PG-13 terrain, though younger viewers might be unsettled by the violence. Young teens will find the proceedings tamer than the video games and anime fantasies that have influenced it. —Sam Sutherland

The Matrix Reloaded (Widescreen) (2 Discs)

Andy Wachowski Larry WachowskiConsidering the lofty expectations that preceded it, The Matrix Reloaded triumphs where most sequels fail. It would be impossible to match the fresh audacity that made The Matrix a global phenomenon in 1999, but in continuing the exploits of rebellious Neo (Keanu Reeves), Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne), and Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss) as they struggle to save the human sanctuary of Zion from invading machines, the codirecting Wachowski brothers have their priorities well in order. They offer the obligatory bigger and better highlights (including the impressive "Burly Brawl" and freeway chase sequences) while remaining focused on cleverly plotting the middle of a brain-teasing trilogy that ends with The Matrix Revolutions. The metaphysical underpinnings can be dismissed or scrutinized, and choosing the latter course (this is, after all, an epic about choice and free will) leads to astonishing repercussions that made Reloaded an explosive hit with critics and hardcore fans alike. As the centerpiece of a multimedia franchise, this dynamic sequel ends with a cliffhanger that virtually guarantees a mind-blowing conclusion. —Jeff Shannon

The Matrix Revolutions (Widescreen) (2 Discs)

Andy Wachowski Larry WachowskiDespite the inevitable law of diminishing returns, The Matrix Revolutions is quite satisfying as an adrenalized action epic, marking yet another milestone in the exponential evolution of computer-generated special effects. That may not be enough to satisfy hardcore Matrix fans who turned the Wachowski Brothers' hacker mythology into a quasi-religious pop-cultural phenomenon, but there's no denying that the trilogy goes out with a cosmic bang instead of the whimper that many expected. Picking up precisely where The Matrix Reloaded left off, this 130-minute finale finds Neo (Keanu Reeves) at a virtual junction, defending the besieged human enclave of Zion by confronting the attacking machines on their home turf, while humans combat swarms of tentacled mechanical sentinels as Zion's fate lies in the balance. It all amounts to a blaze of CGI glory, devoid of all but the shallowest emotions, and so full of metaphysical hokum that the trilogy's detractors can gloat with I-told-you-so sarcasm. And yet, Revolutions still succeeds as a slick, exciting hybrid of cinema and video game, operating by its own internal logic with enough forward momentum to make the whole trilogy seem like a thrilling, magnificent dream. — Jeff Shannon

Stigmata

Rupert Wainwright

Macross Plus, Vol. 2

Shoji Kawamori Shinichiro Watanabe

House of Yes

Mark S. Waters

Serenity

Joss Whedon

Haunted Honeymoon

Gene Wilder

Dudley Do-Right (Widescreen/Full Screen)

Hugh Wilson

Merlin

Steven Barron David Winning

Spirited Away

Hayao Miyazaki Kirk Wise

The Sound of Music

Robert Wise

The One

James Wong

Face/Off [HD DVD]

John WooAt his best, director John Woo turns action movies into ballets of blood and bullets grounded in character drama. Face/Off marks Woo's first American film to reach the pitched level of his best Hong Kong work (Hard-Boiled). He takes a patently absurd premise—hero and villain exchange identities by literally swapping faces in science-fiction plastic surgery—and creates a double-barreled revenge film driven by the split psyches of its newly redefined characters. FBI agent Sean Archer (John Travolta) must play the villain to move through the underworld while psychotic terrorist Castor Troy (Nicolas Cage) becomes a perversely paternal family man while using every tool at his disposal to destroy his nemesis. Travolta vamps Cage's tics and flamboyant excess with the grace of a dancer after his transformation from cop to criminal, while Cage plays the sullen, bottled-up agent excruciatingly trapped behind the face of the man who killed his son. His attempts to live up to the terrorist's reputation become cathartic explosions of violence that both thrill and terrify him. This is merely icing on the cake for action fans, the dramatic backbone for some of the most visceral action thrills ever. Woo fills the screen with one show-stopping set piece after another, bringing a poetic grace to the action freakout with sweeping camerawork and sophisticated editing. This marriage of melodrama and mayhem ups the ante from cops-and-robbers clichés to a conflict of near-mythic levels. —Sean Axmaker

Sanctuary: The Complete Second Season / Le sanctuaire: L'Intégrale de la deuxième saison

Martin WoodSanctuary: The Complete Second Season / Le sanctua

Transylvania Television: Season 1

Transylvania Television Workshop

Hot Fuzz (Combo HD DVD and Standard DVD) [HD DVD]

Edgar WrightIn Shaun of the Dead, it was the zombie movie and the anomie of modern life. In Hot Fuzz, Edgar Wright and Simon Pegg set their sights on the buddy cop blockbuster and the eccentric English village. The two worlds collide when overachieving London officer Nicholas Angel (Pegg) is promoted to sergeant. The catch is that he's being transferred to Agatha Christie country. His superiors (the comic trifecta of Martin Campbell, Steve Coogan, and Bill Nighy) explain that he's making the rest of the force look bad. On the surface, Sandford is a sleepy little burg where the most egregious crimes, like loitering, are committed by hoody-sporting schoolboys. In truth, it's a hotbed of Willow Man-style evil. Upon his arrival, Chief Butterman (Jim Broadbent) partners Angel with his daft son, Danny (Nick Frost, Pegg's Shaun co-star), who aspires to kick criminal "arse" like the slick duo in Bad Boys II. When random citizens start turning up dead, he gets his chance. With the worshipful Danny at his side, Angel shows his cake-eating colleagues how things are done in the big city. As in Shaun, their previous picture, Wright and Pegg hit their targets more often than not. With the success of that debut comes a bigger budget for car chases, shoot-outs, and fiery explosions. Though Hot Fuzz earns its R-rating with salty language and grisly deaths, the tone is more good-natured than mean-spirited. A wall-to-wall soundtrack of boisterous British favorites, like the Kinks, T-Rex, and Sweet, contributes to the fast-paced fun. —Kathleen C. Fennessy

Children of Dune [2 Discs]

Greg Yaitanes

Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them

David Yates

Krull

Peter Yates

Jet Li's Fearless [HD DVD]

Ronny Yu

Beowulf (Director's Cut) [HD DVD]

Robert ZemeckisStudio: Paramount Home Video Release Date: 02/26/2008 Run time: 114 minutes Rating: Ur

Dinosaur

Eric Leighton Ralph Zondag

Rat Race

Jerry Zucker

The Last Samurai [HD DVD]

Edward ZwickWhile Japan undergoes tumultuous transition to a more Westernized society in 1876-77, The Last Samurai gives epic sweep to an intimate story of cultures at a crossroads. In America, tormented Civil War veteran Capt. Nathan Algren (Tom Cruise) is coerced by a mercenary officer (Tony Goldwyn) to train the Japanese Emperor's troops in the use of modern weaponry. Opposing this "progress" is a rebellion of samurai warriors, holding fast to their traditions of honor despite strategic disadvantage. As a captive of the samurai leader (Ken Watanabe), Algren learns, appreciates, and adopts the samurai code, switching sides for a climactic battle that will put everyone's honor to the ultimate test. All of which makes director Edward Zwick's noble epic eminently worthwhile, even if its Hollywood trappings (including an all-too-conventional ending) prevent it from being the masterpiece that Zwick and screenwriter John Logan clearly wanted it to be. Instead, The Last Samurai is an elegant mainstream adventure, impressive in all aspects of its production. It may not engage the emotions as effectively as Logan's script for Gladiator, but like Cruise's character, it finds its own quality of honor. —Jeff Shannon