Transformers - Michael Bay has achieved the unthinkable: he's directed a crushingly entertaining movie.  This live action version of the 80's cartoon is a rock 'em, sock 'em piece of thunderbolt summer escapism.  The DVD looks and sounds great, and the extras are really quite nice for anyone who wants to know more about the film's technical marvels.  [Read Francis Rizzo III's full DVD review, Brian Orndorf's theatrical review, as well as Eric D. Snider's full theatircal review]

The Film Crew: Hollywood After Dark - Mystery Science Theater 3000 is back. Well, sort of. MST alumni Mike Nelson (host), Kevin Murphy (Tom Servo), and Bill Corbett (Crow, after Trace left the show), have gotten together to give the MST-treatment to a new set of movies and are releasing them directly to DVD. Their first release, a send up of Hollywood After Dark, is a sweet treat for the faithful who've missed watching these affable B-movie slayers in front of the camera, entertaining the pants off viewers like nobody's business. [Read Brian Orndorf's full review. Additional recommendations include The Film Crew: Killers From Space, The Film Crew: Wild Women of Wongo, and The Film Crew: The Giant of Marathon.]

Grindhouse Presents, Planet Terror - Extended and Unrated - Part of the Grindhouse double feature that fizzled in theaters, this film is as over the top as anything to come out of Hollywood in the last decade. The film is exactly what it should be, and that's sheer entertainment. The disc looks and sounds very good and the commentary is strong. This un-rated cut of Planet Terror comes highly recommended. [Read Ian Jane's full review. Additional recommendations include the other half of the theatrical double feature, Grindhouse Presents, Death Proof - Extended and Unrated or check out some of the orignal grindhouse productions that inspired these films Welcome to the Grindhouse Double Feature - The Teacher and Pick-Up, and Welcome to The Grindhouse: The Bodyguard/Sister Street Fighter.]

The Third Man - Criterion Collection - Sometimes a cliché is a cliché because it's true, and sometimes a movie is a classic because it's that good. The Third Man is just such a movie, a knotty post-War thriller, a sort of Hitchcock noir. It made a fad out of the zither and gave Orson Welles one of his most famous personas. Now, the Criterion collection gives The Third Man the kind of extensive examination it deserves. [Read Jamie S. Rich's full review.]

Dreamgirls - This 2-disc release of Dreamgirls is exactly what DVD fans want for their favorite movies: a beautiful transfer, a well-done sound mix, and extras that give us a greater understanding of how the film was put together. Of course, all of that would just be empty glitz if the movie wasn't worth the treatment, and if any blockbuster from recent years was worth rolling out the red carpet for, Dreamgirls is it. The story is a rollercoaster ride of emotion, with outstanding musical numbers and phenomenal performances from an all-star cast. [Read Jamie S. Rich's full review.]
 

 

 

Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends - The Complete Season 1 - The Powerpuff Girls creator Craig McCracken's visionary flight of fancy, Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends - The Complete Season 1 is an animated mix of "creative wonder, comic genius and well-crafted chaos," according to reviewer David Cornelius. Utilizing some of the best vocals talents at work in animation today, Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends - The Complete Season 1 combines expert verbal timing with McCracken's endearing celebration of silent comedy conventions, creating a blend of fantasy and reality, filtered through a bizarre, silly sensibility, that produces a cartoon like nothing else on TV today. [Read David Cornelius' full review.]

The Three Stooges Collection - Volume One: 1934-1936 - The Picassos of low-brow slapstick, The Three Stooges have been making adults and children laugh for over seventy years now, and finally, after numerous questionable DVD releases, Sony Pictures has finally done the boys proud with the flawlessly transferred The Three Stooges Collection - Volume One: 1934-1936. Sporting the trio's first 19 two-reel comedies produced for Columbia Pictures, The Three Stooges Collection - Volume One: 1934-1936 reintroduces loyal fans and newcomers to the surreal, manic, and paralyzingly funny antics of Moe, Larry and Curly. Although never given the critical attention they deserved, millions of fans have paid tribute with ticket sales and boffo TV ratings, so here's your chance to read reviewer Stuart Galbraith IV's terrific rundown of this seriously funny DVD release. Come on; you know you love the Stooges....

The Muppet Show: Season Two Jim Henson fans rejoice! After two long years, the wait is over. The Muppet Show: Season Two finally arrives on DVD, and according to reviewer Todd Douglass, Jr., it was well worth the wait. The show to appear on if you were a celebrity in the 1970s, The Muppet Show: Season Two offered a brilliant mix of satirical skit comedy mixed with masterful puppetry and a gloss of high-toned star power. Walt Disney Studios finally gave the show its due, and released a disc set that will please dedicated fans and delight young children new to Kermit and Miss Piggy and Fozzie Bear. [Read Todd Douglass, Jr.'s full review.]

Ratatouille With its unusual premise and its less-than-marketable lead character, pundits predicted Pixar's first box-office disappointment in Ratatouille, the story of a French rat who wishes to be a top chef. But against all odds, Ratatouille delivered the goods this past summer, and now Walt Disney has released on DVD, according to reviewer Randy Miller III, "perhaps the most sophisticated CGI film to date." Colorful characters, plenty of funny, clever sight gags, and a strong, evocative production design equal another quality film from the people at Pixar. [Read Randy Miller III's full review.]

The Legend of Isis: The Complete Series Lithe, confident, serene super-heroine Isis, as portrayed by Joanna Cameron, entered pop culture icon status with this beloved 1975 CBS Saturday morning live-action adventure series. And now, BCI Eclipse has released The Legend of Isis: The Complete Series in all its campy glory, with a boatload of extras that will satisfy any vintage TV lover - as well as their children. Plenty of fantasy-based action (but no overt violence), moral lessons that don't preach, and some familiar faces guest starring every week make The Legend of Isis: The Complete Series work even better today. And don't forget: when Joanna Cameron looks straight at you, and commands you to be a better person, you're powerless to resist. [Read Paul Mavis' full review.]

 

 

Stanley Kubrick - Warner Home Video Directors Series - Five of Kubrick's finest films (2001 - A Space Odyssey, A Clockwork Orange, The Shining, Full Metal Jacket, and Eyes Wide Shut) have been re-mastered and given upgraded audio and video, which in and of itself is reason enough to recommend this set. Tack on the fact that there's a fantastic array of insightful and genuinely interesting extra features included and the choice becomes obvious. Consider Stanley Kubrick - Warner Home Video Director's Series highly recommended. [Read Ian Jane's full review.]

Late Ozu - Eclipse Series 3 - With Late Ozu, Criterion's boutique Eclipse Series continues its winning streak. Picking five thematically linked movies from the last years of Yasujiro Ozu's career, they have created a primer of the great Japanese director's work. These dramas about the bonds of family and the struggle between the generations as traditions pass away and social expectations change are all captivating, thoughtful creations. In a parallel line to the narrative themes, we see a change in style and skill as the veteran filmmaker also transitions from black-and-white to color. [Read Jamie S. Rich's full review. Additional recommendations include other Eclipse releases including The Early Bergman, The Documentaries of Louis Malle, and Raymond Bernard.]

The War: A Film by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick - For documentary fans and WWII buffs alike, Ken Burns' The War offers a thoughtful portrait of life on the front line and back home in America. The combination of vintage clips and photographs with newly-recorded interviews adds a finely-tuned, emotional weight to the proceedings, while the layers of Wynton Marsalis' tasteful score and carefully-added sound effects brings much of the wartime footage to life. Paramount's six-disc package supports the main feature nicely, combining a strong technical presentation with an assortment of appropriate bonus features. [Read Randy Miller III's full review. Additional recommendations include World War II - When Lions Roared, World War 1 - American Legacy, and The History Channel Ultimate Collections: World War II.]

World War II Collection, Vol. 2 - Heroes Fight for Freedom - This set includes six movies, Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo, Command Decision, Hell to Eternity, 36 Hours, The Hill, and Air Force, and all of the pictures are winners: two morale-boosters made during the fighting, a belated sideways argument supporting the questionable science of strategic bombardment, a powerful civil rights-era examination of a war hero from a Japanese-American background, a slick 1960's "what-if" spy picture and a protest against the military mindset that sticks a dozen great actors in the desert to scream their heads off. It's one of the best Warner boxed sets this year. [Read Glenn Erickson's full review.]

 

 

Heroes: Season One - Heroes is a popular and successful primetime television drama from NBC about a group of individuals who find they have super powers. The show focuses on the development of each individual as they come to terms with their newfound abilities, as well as how they tie into the big picture, which is (of course) saving the world. As for the quality, Heroes' first season proves to be an engaging and entertaining experience. The season encompasses drama and mystery, as well as some comedy and action. The DVD set comes packed with extras; fans will definitely want to check out the unaired pilot episode and all of the audio commentaries. For the sci-fi nut, this season set is a the perfect gift. [Jeffrey Robinson's full review, Francis Rizzo III's full review, Daniel Hirshleifer's full HD-DVD review] Additional recommendations for similar TV on DVD releases include: The Dead Zone: The Complete Fifth Season, Stargate Atlantis: The Complete Second Season, Medium: The Complete Third Season, and Jericho: The Complete First Season.

Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip: The Complete Series - In the spirit of Sports Night and The West Wing, television veteran Aaron Sorkin embarked on a new television series entitled Stuido 60 on the Sunset Strip. The series was cancelled after a season, but deserved a second. The show had a strong cast with rich and quick dialogue that resembles Sports Night and The West Wing. On that note, the characters and dialogue were not the problem most viewers ran into, rather the storylines. "Studio 60" is a show about people who work in television and some of the problems they deal with fail to have the same excitement as other Sorkin concepts have had, e.g., The West West. Regardless, Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip: The Complete Series is well-written series with a strong cast. Unfortunately, the storylines will not appeal to everyone. However, if rich series like The West Wing and Sports Night have appealed to the individuals you are shopping for, this epic drama will be the perfect holiday gift. [Francis Rizzo III's full review] Additional recommendations for similar TV on DVD releases include: The Sopranos - Season Six, Part 2, Rome - The Complete Second Season, Deadwood: The Complete Third Season, and Brothers and Sisters - The Complete First Season.

Two and a Half Men - The Complete First Season - Two and a Half Men is a fun-filled sitcom about a bachelor (Charlie Sheen), and his recently separated brother (Jon Cryer) and son (Angus T. Jones) under one roof. The three of them adapt to their new lifestyles, which produces a lot of comical and goofy situations. The season one collection is made up of twenty-four hilarious episodes with a topnotch cast and excellent writing. It is the kind of show you do not want to miss out on. While the season one set is sparse on extras (two featurettes and a gag reel), the season episodes alone make this set worth picking up. It is solid investment for those who enjoy rich comedy. [Jeffrey Robinson's full review]Additional recommendations for similar TV on DVD releases include: How I Met Your Mother - Season Two, 30 Rock - Season 1, til Death - The Complete First Season, and The Drew Carey Show - The Complete First Season.

Friday Night Lights - The First Season - NBC Universal was so confident about successful DVD sales of Friday Night Lights: The First Season that they offered a money back guarantee. From the release date to December 31, 2007, the studio is offering a full refund for unsatisfied consumers. And the fact of the matter is that Friday Night Lights: The First Season will not disappoint. The series takes place in Dillon, Texas, where high school football is everything. After the star quarterback suffers an injury that leaves him a paraplegic, the head coach must guide an unseasoned second-string quarterback to lead the team to victory. Surrounding this premise is a cadre of characters, melodrama about relationships, politics, teenage angst, and more. To summarize, the content delivers complex storylines with a large ensemble cast and develops characters and key plotlines well. The only real shame about this season set is the limited extras: deleted scenes and a behind-the-scenes featurette. Nonetheless, it is a fantastic drama. Think One Tree Hill meets Varsity Blues. [Jeffrey Robinson's full review]. Additional recommendations for similar TV on DVD releases include: Ugly Betty: The Complete First Season - The Bettyfied Edition, My So-Called Life: The Complete Series (Shout Factory, 2007), Beverly Hills, 90210 - The Second Season, and Grosse Pointe: The Complete Series

The Shield - The Complete Fifth Season - The Shield is a television series that needs no introduction. This compelling crime-drama, created by Shawn Ryan, is a nitty-gritty look at a Los Angeles police detective and his small team of tough cops that bend the law to get the job done. They work out of the most crime-ridden areas in city. This season is of particular interest: Vic Mackey (Michael Chiklis) and his team are under investigation by internal affairs. Leading the investigation is Jon Kavanaugh (Forest Whitaker). Whitaker gives an amazing performance and his storyline helps drive this season to the top. It's psychological, compelling, dramatic, and intense. The DVD set includes the full season's eleven episodes and some nice extras that include audio commentaries (one for each episode), a 90-minute documentary, deleted scenes, and a season six prequel. Be sure to check out season 1, 2, 3, and 4 if you are new to the show. [David Walker's full review] Additional recommendations for similar TV on DVD releases include: CSI Miami: The Fifth Season, The Closer: The Complete Second Season, Criminal Minds - The Second Season, and House, M.D. - Season Three.

Jumong, Volumes 1, 2, 3, 4 - Jumong is a South Korean television drama from the MBC network. The series is a historical drama based loosely on the real life accounts of a historical king named Jumong. He formed a kingdom to protect his people from the oppressive Han Empire. The series is comprised of eighty-one episodes, which has been divided into four volumes for DVD. The series is very melodramatic with a soap opera like subtext. The four volume collection offers a compelling tale with fascinating characters, romance, revenge, jealousy, hatred, action, drama, mystery, intrigue, and bits of comedy that will dazzle and entertain. Jumong is an exciting K-drama that is easy to get into and hard to put down. It is the perfect holiday gift for those who enjoy long drawn out stories with complex characters, soapy melodrama, and intense action. [Jeffrey Robinson's full reviews of volumes 1, 2, 3, & 4]. Additional recommendations for similar TV on DVD releases include: Dae Jang Geum, Volumes 1, 2, and 3, What Planet Are You From?, Lovers in Prague, and Singles.

 

 

The Monster Squad: Two-Disc 20th Anniversary Edition is, without a doubt, worth all the years of waiting. Sure, it may not be the perfect disc that every fan has been begging to have since 1998, but it's pretty darn close (and probably the most complete disc on the film you're ever likely to see). I know everyone's all upset that Lionsgate didn't use the original cover art for the DVD, but if you put that fact aside for a moment, you can see just how excellent this little package really is. If you're a fan of The Monster Squad from way back (like me), you're going to have a great time just wading through the second disc of this DVD set. I could sit and tell you about the plot of the film (but chances are you already know it), about how fun/funny/silly/hilarious/classic/etc, etc the film is (but chances are you've already heard it), about how many times I watched it as a kid (but you probably did too), and how much it means to finally have it on DVD (but you, more likely than not, feel the same way). The Monster Squad is one of those films that my sister and I watched over and over until we wore out the VHS tape. People have called it the "poor-man's Goonies," but I think it's so much more than that. It's a mix of so many things genre fans love, with a little bit of heart, and a whole lot of nostalgia. And, really, what more could you ask for from a film? You want to know if The Monster Squad: Two-Disc 20th Anniversary Edition is not only worth picking up on DVD but worth all the year's of waiting? My answer for you is a resounding YES. It's worth all those years, and more. If you've been waiting since 1998, when you picked up your first DVD player, to find out if Wolfman's still got nards, well you'll have your answer pretty much as soon as you open the case. As Fred Dekker also says in his excellent little insert essay, Wolfman does, indeed, still have nards. And The Monster Squad is still just as fun today as it was when you were a kid. I can't recommend the disc highly enough. Kudos, Lionsgate. Thanks for finally giving us Monster Squad fans something to cheer about.

I can't even begin to explain just how great it is to find a film that you expect to be a complete waste of time and, instead, it turns out to be one of the best surprises of the entire year. Wrong Turn 2: Dead End shouldn't have been good. It should have been a horrible, boring, and cheesy straight-to-DVD flick. Well, it is slightly cheesy and it is straight-to-DVD, but it's far from boring or horrible. It's violent, gory, fun as hell and, oh yeah, it features Henry Rollins. How can you go wrong with Henry Rollins in your cast? Exactly. Here's a little of what David Walker said about Wrong Turn 2: Dead End in our DVD Stalk column: "Wrong Turn 2: Dead End wasn't half bad. In fact, it was really pretty good...If the opening sequence of Wrong Turn 2: Dead End was all it had to offer, it would still be head and shoulders about crap like Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning...While the original Wrong Turn drew its primary inspiration from the horror flicks of the 1970s, Wrong Turn 2: Dead End draws deep from the well of '80s horror, which saw an incredible number of sequels that relied heavily on sex, nudity, and graphic violence--often mixed with a touch of really dark humor--all of which upped the ante of the films that begat these endless follow-ups. In that regard, Wrong Turn 2: Dead End is everything that defined the sequel-heavy horror boom of the 1980s. But where this film deviates from both the sequels and the stand-alones of the Reagan-era is that Wrong Turn 2: Dead End is more entertaining than the original that spawned it..If spilled guts and severed limbs are what floats your boat, Wrong Turn 2: Dead End is well worth watching. It is violent, clever, well-acted, and while it swims deep in an ocean of genre conventions and cliches, it does so with such reverence and fun that it gets away with more than a lot of films do."

I'd love to sit here and tell everyone why Guillermo Del Toro's Pan's Labyrinth is such an amazing film (and one that fits quite nicely into the horror genre), but Randy Miller III did such a great job with it in our column, I think I'll just let him take over: "Movies are a visual medium, but a truly memorable fantasy film needs more than pretty sights and a convincing atmosphere to make a lasting impression. Believable characters, a solid story and room for viewer interpretation are all hallmarks of a truly successful effort; after all, we need a sense of familiarity to accept a given world, but it needs to be surreal enough for us to stick around willingly. Guillermo Del Toro's most recent project, Pan's Labyrinth, blends fantasy with horror---and while it's certainly not the first film to do so, it's one of the most effective in recent memory. In other words, those who enjoy carefully-woven dramas sprinkled with mystery, imagination and suspense have come to the right place...The film's solid production design also anchors Pan's Labyrinth nicely, from detailed and carefully-framed sets to amazing costume design and practical effects. It's literally a feast for the eyes...but as mentioned before, it's got plenty of substance to back up the style...Lush and immersive, Pan's Labyrinth is truly a film to get lost in. Skillfully blending equal parts fantasy and horror, the cold and warm corners of our young protagonist's world are well-rendered and striking. It's almost disarming in its simplicity, yet subtle layers lurk underneath for those who enjoy digging. In all respects, this is a truly amazing work of art..." Guillermo Del Toro simply expands his visions with each and every film he makes. Pan's Labyrinth is a revelation and an excellent piece of filmmaking. Don't let the subtitles scare you away. This is one film that should not be missed under any circumstances.

Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon is probably one of the best DVDs of the year that you haven't heard of. It's an incredibly smart indie satire that will give horror fans a little something different to enjoy this holiday season. Take it from Bill Gibron's advice in our column: "Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon is one of the best, most original horror spoofs to come down the movie macabre pipeline in a very long time. Like a substantially sharper Scream, it wants to deconstruct the slice and dice genre staples while creating some terror benchmarks all its own. First time filmmaker Scott Glosserman should be proud of what he accomplishes here. The narrative is fresh, innovative, intelligent as Hell, and completely capable of delivering both scares and satire. Taking the slasher storyline as a literal lifestyle choice, and tossing in a solid murderer's mythology, he resurrects a long dormant fear factor and makes it sing with new cinematic significance. To call this a love letter to the archetypal fright flick crafted by a true fan (or in this case, fans, since David J. Stieve helped with the script) would be doing this movie a grand, over-generalized disservice. This is a clever compendium of every splatter riff we're used to, with a unique perspective which turns the entire serial killer premise on its pointed, provocative head...Definitely one of the best DVDs out this year, fright fans should rejoice. Something this special doesn't come around that often...Come December, when a year's worth of DVD viewing is reduced down to a single set of ten titles, one thing is definitely for certain - Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon will be among said 'Best of' number. It is hard to imagine a better example of post-modern motion picture reimagining than this laugh out loud lark." If you're looking for something different from the genre this holiday season, this is the film for you.

All the "torture porn" naysayers be damned! Hostel: Part II is a helluva lot of gruesome fun. By taking the formula he established with the first film in the series - and then basically flipping that format on its head and popping in some females instead of males - Eli Roth has created a flick that just about every horror fan can enjoy (in one sick way or another). There are touches, nods, and inside jokes to past genre films, cameos from genre legends, and a brutal, nearly-slavish dedication to his intended endgame. Roth pulls no punches and Hostel: Part II is all the better for it. Here's a bit of what Bill Gibron had to say about the film in our DVD Stalk column: "Hostel: Part II is a fantastic sequel, one of the best franchise revisits in the legacy of such motion picture money grabs...Hostel: Part II does everything a good splatter horror movie should - it disturbs as it delights, providing ample examples of nauseating nastiness along with its inventive narrative. It's the perfect companion piece to the extraordinary original." If you're looking for something shockingly gruesome and incredibly entertaining for someone this holiday season, you probably can't do much better than Hostel: Part II.

The Lives of Others - Winner of the Oscar Award for Foreign Language Film in 2006 Das Leben der Anderen offers an unprecedented look at Stassi, the now defunct East German Secret Police, and those who suffered its existence before the fall of the Berlin Fall. Writer-director Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck's treatment of the subject is flawless delivering a commendable degree of authenticity. In addition to an excellent transfer the DVD, courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics, also offers an array of extras which will meet the expectations of those curious to find more about the project. [Read Glenn Erickson's full review.]

The Wind That Shakes the Barley - Winner of the Palme d'Or Award at Cannes Film Festival this is arguably Ken Loach's most accomplished work to date. Passionate, edgy, and impressively bold the film offers an interesting read of key events: the establishment of the Free State of 1922, the rise of the IRA, the role of the Church. The DVD, courtesy of IFC Films, provides a solid transfer for the main feature and a set of interesting extras. [Read Svet Atanasov's full review.]

Carlos Saura's Flamenco Trilogy - One of the greatest Spanish directors of our time has finally received a deserving North American treatment thanks to Criterion and their Eclipse collection. Saturated with color, music, and the provocative flamenco this is the quintessential Spanish film trilogy. I doubt there will ever be another director who could capture Spain and its culture as Saura has. [Read Glenn Erickson's full review.]

The Italian- Last year's official Russian Oscar entry is every bit as gut-wrenching and disturbing as is Lukas Moodysson's Lilja-4-ever. Revealing a country in a state of free falling where kids are sold to wealthy foreigners in exchange for pennies the story of Vanya and his friends is a testament that poverty is a disease. The DVD is distributed in America by Sony Pictures Classics. [Read Svet Atanasov's full review.]

Viva Pedro: The Almodovar Collection - Even though this collection was released very early in 2007 I think that it deserves to be included in this list. It offers nine films which transformed the Spaniard into one of the most important directors of our time. Women on the Verge of Nervous Breakdown, All About My Mother, Talk To Her, The Flower of My Secret, Live Flesh, Law of Desire, Matador, and Bad Education belong in every film lover's collection. [Read Stuart Galbraith IV's full review.]

 

 

 

Personalized Home Theater Intro - Having trouble finding a gift for the film buff who seems to have everything?  How about a DVD that welcomes guests to their home theater, just like in commercial movie houses?  These cool intro discs can be personalized, so the recipient can finally see their name in lights up on the screen.  A great gift that's sure to impress.

Movie Posters - Make a viewing area, whether it be a living room or dedicated home theater, sparkle with a movie poster.  From Appocolypse Now to Zardoz, either an original or an affordable reproduction, one-sheets are fantastic, and decorative gifts.

Popcorn Machine - Nothing goes better with movies than a nice hot heaping bowl of popcorn.  Now you can have the taste of theater popcorn in your own home.  This traditional hot oil popper makes 1-1/2 gallons of movie-house-quality popcorn in just minutes.  It's easy to use, easy to clean, and fun to watch.  The perfect compliment to any home theater.

Disc Cleaner - The perfect gift for people who rent a lot of DVDs.  This device removes surface grime, fingerprints, and dust that can be found on rented discs and often causes skipping or disc errors.  It also cleans CDs, video game discs and photo CDs.