DVDTalk's own Jason Bailey continues his coverage of the 2009 Tribeca Film Festival in New York City. The festival runs through May 3rd, but Jason's already screened (and written about) an amazing 25 films. Be sure to check out his thoughts on Con Artist, a docu about the 'artist' Mark Kostabi, The Wild and Wonderful Whites of West Virginia, a followup to the cult classic Dancing Outlaw, and the commercial that runs before the press screenings (but ironically not in front of the screenings for the general public apparently.) Oh yeah, and he details what everyone should have in their "film festival survival kit." Don't miss out on Jason's continuing, and frequently updated, coverage of the 2009 Tribeca Film Festival.

More TV shows have made their way on to DVD, and DVDTalk has got them covered. Check out our reviews of the newest TV releases including:  The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp - The Complete Season One - the show neatly combines mythmaking and complex characterization to achieve a memorable first "adult" TV western; and Fallen Angel - the movie has a fun and revelatory backwards timeline that keeps the viewer guessing what things that have already happened will ultimately mean. Other shows recently reviewed include:  Knots Landing - The Complete Second Season and for fans of the bard there are a couple of excellent shows that shouldn't be missed: Playing Shakespeare and Shakespeare's An Age of Kings.  Want more?  Check out all of the TV on DVD reviews in the DVDTalk database.

There are some great titles that have just been announced, including: For All Mankind - Criterion is rereleasing one of their more impressive titles (and that's saying a lot) on DVD and for the first time on Blu-ray this eagerly awaited title will hit shelves on 7-14-09; The 1960's come back into vogue when HBO's Mad Men Season Two arrives on DVD and Blu-ray on 7-7-09; and though poor quality episodes are available on budget discs, The Lucy Show: The Official First Season is sure to please fans of the comedienne. Keep track of all the upcoming DVDs with the DVDTalk Release List.

This week the DVD Savant has a number of new reviews including: The Day The Earth Stood Still (2008) [Blu-ray] - Klaatu's back, and Gort's not far behind, with plenty of exposions, ray blasts and useless military retaliation. The overall point gets lost in this ecological update of the 1951 classic; with Keanu Reeves and Jennifer Connelly; South Pacific 50th Anniversary Edition [Blu-ray] - The 2006 digital restoration of the Rodgers & Hammerstein musical comes to HD picture and audio, with an additional feature documentary as an extra; and Inside Moves - Richard Donner's "little drama" is a crowd-pleasing, handicap-themed sports comeback story with a great cast -- John Savage, David Morse, Diana Scarwid, Amy Wright. Read all this and more in this week's DVD Savant.

Some noteworthy DVDs are coming out this week including: Star Trek: The Original Series - Season 1 (Blu-ray) [review] - this release, for the first time, offers the option to seamlessly branch between the original visual effects and the new CGI effects; The Hit - Criterion Collection [review] a rewarding and intriguing trip, full of first-rate performances and skillful touches from a director (Stephen Frears) who was really starting to show what he could do; and The Reader (Blu-ray) [review] - a powerful film and don't worry, Winslet's Oscar is more than deserved here. Other releases of note include:  Bride Wars [review], Johnny Got His Gun [review], and What Doesn't Kill You [review]. Be sure to check out our DVD Talk Review Database for all the latest reviews including an entire section devoted to reviews of DVDs out this week.

This week the DVD Talk Review Database has some great new entries, including some discs you may have overlooked. Recent DVD Reviews include: Detective Bureau 2-3: Go To Hell Bastards! - directed by crazy crime master Seijun Suzuki and staring his chipmunk-cheeked main man Jo Shishido, this disc is a must-have; The Mysterious Cities of Gold - a timeless animated show that never really talked down to its target audience and sought to educate as well as entertain; and Phill Niblock: The Movement of People Working - a beautiful, minimalist movie that comes highly recommended. Other recent reviews include: Confessions Of An Action Star, Gasoline Alley and Friends, and Lady Cop & Papa Crook.  Visit the DVD Talk Review Database for all the latest reviews including an entire section devoted to reviews of DVDs out this week.

Another month has come and gone since our last installment of Anime Talk. What has changed with the industry in that time? Well, obviously there are still plenty of titles coming out. FUNimation, VIZ, Bandai, and even ADV have all been keeping otaku happy with a few releases to ring in the Spring. From individual volumes of ongoing series to new shows and complete collections, there have definitely been a lot of shows hitting the streets since our last column. This installment, which may be our longest ever, we cover everything from One Piece to Fullmetal Alchemist, to D. Gray-Man. WTK's back with his bargains for you otaku trying to stretch your dollar in this economy too. All this and much more in this month's installment of Anime Talk!

Beyonce Knowles is out to protect her marriage from the wicked sexuality of Ali Larter in the campy revenge thriller Obsessed. Robert Downey Jr. and Jamie Foxx attempt to find a sense of peace in the midst of mental illness in the orchestral drama The Soloist. And Channing Tatum tries to survive as a street brawler and a tender lover in the actioner Fighting. Also in theaters: Disney returns to their nature film heritage with the BBC rehash Earth. Author Bret Easton Ellis is once again mangled on the big screen in the retro drama The Informers. And Mike Tyson is offered an opportunity to explain his hellacious life in the documentary Tyson. Be sure to catch reviews of other recent Theatrical Films: Mutant Chronicles, 17 Again, State of Play, Dragonball Evolution, Observe and Report, Hannah Montana: The Movie, Fast & Furious, Monsters vs. Aliens, Crank: High Voltage, Knowing, I Love You, Man, and Anvil! The Story of Anvil. As always, we invite you to share your thoughts on films In Theaters in our Movie Talk Forum.

Since it was started in 2002 (in response to the 9/11 terrorist attacks) the Tribeca Film Festival has become one of the premier international film events, drawing movies from around the world. This year DVDTalk's own Jason Bailey is in attendance and will be blogging his way through the festival. Some of the more prominent films that are to be screened this year include: Steven Soderbergh's The Girlfriend Experience, a low-budget, low-tech, experimental picture starring porn star Sasha Grey, Kobe Doin' Work, Spike Lee's latest which uses a body mic and multiple cameras to document a Lakers/Spurs game, the SF thriller Moon, directed by Duncan Jones; and Burning Down The House: The Story of CBGB. Jason is planning on screening an amazing 31 films over the festival's 11 days. Will he make it? Check out his complete coverage, updated frequently, and find out.

TV on DVD remains incredibly popular with more and more favorites being released. New TV reviews include:  Top Gear 10: The Complete Season 10 - the material is excellent, worthy of repeat viewing, and strongly encouraged for anyone who's a fan of entertaining television; Mayday - Air Disasters - Harrowing and surprisingly emotional this superior investigative documentary series ratchets up the suspense with its well-done action scenes; and Intelligence: Season 2 this award-winning series, with its tight storytelling and fantastic performances, is sure to please fans of intelligence agency/drug underworld dramas. Other shows recently reviewed include:  Toughest Race on Earth: Iditarod and Light at the Edge of the World.  Want more?  Check out all of the TV on DVD reviews in the DVDTalk database.

This week the DVD Savant has a number of new reviews including: Doubt [Blu-ray] - John Patrick Shanley's play becomes a gripping movie experience, with performances by Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman Amy Adams and Viola Davis that all earned Academy nominations. A very good, very underrated picture.; A Grin Without a Cat - Chris Marker's milestone documentary on the brief flowering of The New Left uses fantastic film resources, candid news clips that prove historical facts still in dispute by those in power who, to quote the film, "would prefer that we have no memory"; and Starlift - This awkward attempt to revive the "Hollywood Canteen"- type all-star revue for the troops of the Korean War is mostly a fizzle, despite good input from the likes of Doris Day, Ruth Roman and Gene Nelson. With a great early appearance by Janice Rule. Read all this and more in this week's DVD Savant.

Some exciting movies and TV shows are going to be released before too long. Recent announcements include: a Disney classic that hasn't been available in any form since 2001, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs will arrive on Blu-ray on 10-6-09, seven weeks before the DVD edition will be released; Lost: The Complete Fifth Season - the penultimate season of the popular show will arrive on both DVD and Blu-ray on 12-8-09; and Glory [Blu-ray] an all-star cast fills this excellent film about the first black unit to serve in the US Army for the North during the American Civil War. Keep track of all the upcoming DVDs with the DVDTalk Release List.

Another banner week for DVDs with the studios releasing some great films and boxed sets such as: Frost/Nixon [DVD review, Blu-ray review] - Among the most exceptional films of 2008, this movie is an unrelentingly gripping character study about two men striving to prove themselves in the daunting shadows of their insecurities; The Wrestler [Blu-ray review] Mickey Rourke's Oscar-nominated performance drives this exceptional film; and Clive Barker's Hellraiser: Lament Configuration Box Set [DVD review] - the two best titles in the franchise (including a Blu-ray copy of the first film) in a sturdy mock up (we hope) of the Lament Configuration Puzzle Box. Other releases of note include:  Squidbillies, Vol. 2 [review], Wolverine and the X-Men: Heroes Return Trilogy [DVD review], and Laid to Rest [DVD review]. Be sure to check out our DVD Talk Review Database for all the latest reviews including an entire section devoted to reviews of DVDs out this week.

Some great DVD reviews have been added to the the DVD Talk Review Database recently including: Cleopatra: 75th Anniversary Edition - still the most pleasing concoction of Cleopatra's story, an amazing spectacle of cinematography prowess and entertaining theatrics; Under Full Sail: Silent Cinema on the High Seas - an excellent collection of silent movies filled with action, suspense, and just the right touch of comedy; and The Broken - a suspenseful exercise in paranoia and doppelgangers that's effectively made and highly recommended. Other recent reviews include: A Day at the Beach (1970), Splinter, and Perkins' 14.  Visit the DVD Talk Review Database for all the latest reviews including an entire section devoted to reviews of DVDs out this week.

The crazy, kooky, hyperactive, violent, trendy, slapstick bullet train continues in the unlikely sequel Crank: High Voltage [1st review, 2nd review.] Bloodthirsty demons have come to take over Earth in the sci-fi combat film Mutant Chronicles. And Russell Crowe investigates murder and corruption in the journalism thriller State of Play. DVD Talk critics Brian Orndorf and Jason Bailey join the hunt. Also in theaters: Zac Efron returns to high school in the time-twisting comedy 17 Again. And Rip Torn, David Carradine, and Bruce Dern portray salty dogs looking for love in The Golden Boys. Be sure to catch reviews of other recent Theatrical Films: Dragonball Evolution, Observe and Report, Hannah Montana: The Movie, Fast & Furious, Adventureland, C Me Dance, Lymelife, Monsters vs. Aliens, Best Worst Movie, Knowing, I Love You, Man, and Anvil! The Story of Anvil. As always, we invite you to share your thoughts on films In Theaters in our Movie Talk Forum.

Last week, the 18th annual Florida Film Festival completed an impressive, immersive 10-day run of events and screenings in Central Florida, and DVDTalk Reviewer Brian Orndorf was there to cover the event. Films shown include: Shall We Kiss? - Emmanuel Mouret's charming, if acidic, "unromantic" comedy; The Wrecking Crew - a documentary about a group of session musicians who put their stamp on nearly every smash hit of the 1960s; Battle for Terra - graceful, luxurious filmmaking that treats the audience with an unusual amount of respect; and Alien Trespass - a loving tribute to the quirks and low-budget determination of 1950's sci-fi schlock. Be sure to read DVDTalk's complete coverage of the 2009 Florida Film Festival.

More TV shows have made their way on to DVD, and DVDTalk has got them covered. Check out our reviews of the newest TV releases including:  The Fugitive - Season Two, Volume Two - The music substitutions continue, but they've been significantly cut back, with most of Pete Rugolo's underscores kept intact; and Head Case: Season 1 - Dirty, politically incorrect and frequently lowbrow,this live-action cartoon that pokes fun at celebrities and fame whores starts predictably but quickly finds its hysterical stride. Other shows recently reviewed include:  The Ruth Rendell Mysteries - Set 4, My Very First Treasury of 50 Storybook Classics - Preschool Stories, and Wildfire: Season 3.  Want more?  Check out all of the TV on DVD reviews in the DVDTalk database.

This week the DVD Savant has a number of new reviews including: The She-Beast - Michael Reeves' first full directorial effort is a surprisingly good movie, finally released in widescreen Cromoscope, mastered from original elements. With Barbara Steele and Ian Ogilvy, both of whom appear on a terrific commentary track; Gigi [Blu-ray] - Vincente Minnelli's musical smash is a knockout in Blu-ray quality. With Leslie Caron, Louis Jourdan, Hermoine Gingold and Maurice Chevalier; and Rachel, Rachel - The Paul Newman Film Series presents the revered actor's acclaimed directorial debut. Joanne Woodward is an unmarried schoolteacher who realizes she'll have to take some chances with life, or settle for spinsterhood. Read all this and more in this week's DVD Savant.

From classic film to TV shows based on classic films, there are a lot of interesting titles scheduled for release. Recently announced DVDs and Blu-rays of note include: The Graduate The film that earned Dustin Hoffman an Oscar nomination and ranked at #7 on the first AFI top 100 movies list gets the Blu-ray treatment on 6-16-09; The Three Stooges Collection, Vol. 6: 1949-1951 - featuring some laugh-out-loud funny shorts featuring Shemp and the other Stooges, it arrives on 6-16-09 too; and Zatoichi: Complete First Season all 26 episodes of first season will be released on 6-2-09. This Japanese TV show (spawned from a very successful series of movies) concerns a wandering blind masseur who also happens to be a deadly swordsman. Keep track of all the upcoming DVDs with the DVDTalk Release List. List.

New from E1 Entertainment... In the blood-soaked tradition of 300 and Braveheart comes 1612 (view trailer) - the new, historical epic from the award-winning writer of Mongol and Prisoner of the Mountains. "The action comes fast and furious" (The Moscow Times) in this battle-filled adventure that the Sunday Herald called "reminiscent of Lord of the Rings." Chaos reigns as foreign invaders converge on Russia. Guided by faith and mysticism, a young serf sets off on a quest to save the missing Tsarevna. Joining forces with the leader of the people's army, he faces down the Polish forces in an explosive battle for Moscow (watch clip). Don't miss 1612 - now on DVD with over 40 minutes of behind-the-scenes bonus material including a making-of featurette!

Some noteworthy DVDs are coming out this week including: Lost in Austen [DVD review] - it's fun, it's smart and most of all it humanizes these characters in extremely unexpected ways. Any Pride and Prejudice fan is going to love this series; speaking of that Austen classic, the BBC mini-series adaptation of Pride and Prejudice [1st review, 2nd review] staring Colin Firth arrives on Blu-ray with an amazing transfer that is certain to open a lot of eyes with its shockingly good clarity and color; and Pillow Talk - 50th Anniversary Edition [DVD review] - a delight even fifty years later, especially with this nicely restored transfer; and . Other releases of note include:  Mean Girls [review], The Spirit [DVD review, Blu-ray review], and House of Saddam [DVD review]. Be sure to check out our DVD Talk Review Database for all the latest reviews including an entire section devoted to reviews of DVDs out this week.

Our reviewers have been busy this week, filling the DVD Talk Review Database more great entries. Some new reviews of note include: Frost/Nixon - Ron Howard's film is a fascinating character study of two men from completely different lifestyles, who were forever changed by their meeting; Clive Barker's Hellraiser: Lament Configuration Box Set - the original horror film on Blu-ray and DVD as well as the sequel on DVD, all wrapped up in a cool package; and Forbidden Hollywood Three - another terrific set for fans of classical Hollywood cinema this collection gathers six films by William A. Wellman. Other recent reviews include: an entry from this year's After Dark Horror Fest The Broken, Poil de Carotte, and a very typical - but enjoyably so - spy / action-thriller from Japan's Nikkatsu Studios 3 Seconds Before Explosion.  Visit the DVD Talk Review Database for all the latest reviews including an entire section devoted to reviews of DVDs out this week.

The 2009 Full Frame Documentary Film Festival was held this past weekend in Durham North Carolina and DVDTalk Reviewer Chris Neilson was there to cover the event. With over 100 films screened in just four days, running from 10 AM till midnight, he had his work cut out. Read all about some of the stand-out documentaries including: Unmistaken Child, the story of a young Tibetan Buddhist monk charged with finding the reincarnation of his recently-deceased teacher; Burma VJ: Reporting from a Closed Country which chronicles the efforts of Burmese citizen-journalists to document their regime's brutal repression of non-violent protests; and Sons of Cuba, a gripping chronicle of 12-year-old Havana boys training for the Olympics. Be sure to read DVDTalk's complete coverage of the 2009 Full Frame Documentary Film Festival

Seth Rogen wades into Paul Blart waters with the particularly acidic mall cop comedy Observe and Report. Miley Cyrus attempts to conquer the big screen with her popular Disney Channel character in Hannah Montana: The Movie. And Goku, Bulma, and Master Roshi jump from the page to the screen in Dragonball Evolution. Also in theaters: A Canadian heavy metal band finally gets their due in the superb documentary Anvil! The Story of Anvil. And disco suburban woes with Alec Baldwin and Emma Roberts are amplified in the drama Lymelife. Be sure to catch reviews of other recent Theatrical Films: Fast & Furious, Adventureland, C Me Dance, Alien Trespass, Monsters vs. Aliens, Sugar, Taken, The Haunting in Connecticut, Best Worst Movie, Knowing, I Love You, Man, and Watchmen. As always, we invite you to share your thoughts on films In Theaters in our Movie Talk Forum.

Some great TV shows have made their way onto DVD this week including:  The Invaders - The Second Season - a highly enjoyable, suspenseful, and generally intelligent and well-acted series; The Venture Bros.: Season Three [Blu-ray review]- another great year for an already great series, maybe its best yet; and One Foot in the Grave: Season 5 this British comedy is brilliantly funny and surreal, as well as touching and thoughtful at times. Other shows recently reviewed include:  Lost in Austen, The Founding of America Megaset, and TV on DVD reviews in the DVDTalk database.

The studios have announced some great shows and movies coming to DVD and Blu-ray including : Desperate Housewives: The Complete Fifth Season the dark comedy/drama returns for a fifth season this fall. It's scheduled to hit shelves on 9/1/09; Louis Malle's famous film about a dinner conversation gets the Criterion Treatment this June 23rd when My Dinner with Andre is released; and music fans will get to see one of the most famous concert events when Woodstock: 3 Days of Peace & Music Director's Cut (40th Anniversary Ultimate Collector's Edition ) is released on DVD and Blu-ray on 6/9/09. Amazon will have exclusive versions of both format that include a bonus disc with "additional never-before-seen performance footage from Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane, and Country Joe and the Fish plus three additional featurettes!" Keep track of all the upcoming DVDs with the DVDTalk Release List.

This week the DVD Savant has a number of new reviews including: Goldfinger [Blu-ray] - Savant takes this opportunity to go nuts over his favorite 007 adventure, the best of the Bonds, in its new 4k HD remaster. Heaven, with John Barry music; ll Generale Della Rovere - A powerful film from Roberto Rossellini. Vittorio De Sica is a con man who preys on his fellow Italians during the German occupation. Finally caught and exposed, the Germans force him to commit an even more heinous con -- posing as an Italian General to help entrap partisan patriots; and The Ghosts of Mars [Blu-ray] - John Carpenter's zombie siege movie looks great in Blu-ray, but can't escapes its own tired ideas. Read all this and more in this week's DVD Savant.

Another banner week for DVDs with the studios releasing some great films (and not so great remakes of great films) such as: The Day the Earth Stood Still (2008) {1st DVD review, 2nd DVD review}- once the aura of the original wears off there will be more serious speculative fiction fans embracing this revamp than rejecting it; Doubt - an excellent film with a top-notch cast including Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman, and Amy Adams; and The Paper Chase: Season One [review]- surprisingly intelligent and warm, this show with a top notch ensemble cast comes with a very strong recommendation. Other releases of note include:  No Country For Old Men: Three-Disc Collector's Edition [review], Jim Carrey's latest Yes Man [DVD review, Blu-ray review], and The Tale of Despereaux [DVD review, Blu-ray review]. Be sure to check out our DVD Talk Review Database for all the latest reviews including an entire section devoted to reviews of DVDs out this week.

This week the DVD Talk Review Database has some great new entries, including some discs you may have overlooked. Recent DVD Reviews include: Treasures IV: American Avant-Garde Film, 1947-1986 - the American Film Archives fourth collection focuses on experimental movies, the vast majority of which are engaging and even mesmerizing; The Loyal 47 Ronin (Chushingura) - an epic film that is very satisfying film and highly recommended; and Slumdog Millionaire [DVD review, Blu-ray review] - an arresting film that will have you glued to your seat for its whole two hour running time. Other recent reviews include: Il Generale Della Rovere - Criterion Collection, Special, and Stranded - I've Come From a Plane That Crashed on the Mountains.  Visit the DVD Talk Review Database for all the latest reviews including an entire section devoted to reviews of DVDs out this week

Vin Diesel and Paul Walker reteam to hunt bad guys and peel out with the automobile actioner Fast & Furious. The conventions and quirks of the 1950's sci-fi genre are reimagined in Alien Trespass. And disgruntled youth take cruddy theme park jobs while they live and love in Adventureland. DVD Talk critics Brian Orndorf and Jamie S. Rich board the time machine. Also in theaters: Andy Griffith is the unlikely lead in the senior sex comedy Play the Game. Forbidden Love author Norma Khouri is revealed to be a scam artist in the documentary Forbidden Lies. Paul Dano and Zooey Deschanel learn about maturity in Gigantic. Monsters run wild in Big Man Japan. And a Dominican Republic pitcher takes his shot at baseball glory in the drama Sugar. Be sure to catch reviews of other recent Theatrical Films: Monsters vs. Aliens, 12 Rounds, Taken, The Haunting in Connecticut, Best Worst Movie, Knowing, I Love You, Man, Last House on the Left, Sunshine Cleaning, Duplicity, Race to Witch Mountain, and Watchmen. As always, we invite you to share your thoughts on films In Theaters in our Movie Talk Forum.

This week the DVD Savant has a number of new reviews including: The Cremator - Dark Sky gives us a weird Czech offering from the late 1960s, a surreal, profane nightmare film about a crematory director given delusions of grandeur by Nazi invaders -- he believes he's been chosen as an angel of death; Pre-Code Hollywood Collection - The Universal Backlot Series gives us six Paramount Pre-Codes featuring lust, sin and a surfeit of unclothed showgirls: The Cheat, Merrily We Go to Hell, Hot Saturday, Torch Singer, Murder at the Vaniities and Search for Beauty. To help check off the violations, it comes with a printed copy of the entire Production Code, every "thou shalt not" included; and Quantum of Solace [Blu-ray] - Daniel Craig's second outing is good entertainment, a Bond with a new style but from the old mold. Read all this and more in this week's DVD Savant.

Interested in the latest TV on DVD reviews? DVD Talk has you covered! This week's notable entries include:  The Beverly Hillbillies - The Third Season - One of the best sitcoms ever produced, this season is brilliant, simply brilliant; Rookies - The Complete Season 1 - a very interesting, involving reality series, providing the viewer with a vivid portrait of field training of police and its enormous pressures; and One Foot in the Grave: Season 5 this British comedy is brilliantly funny and surreal, as well as touching and thoughtful at times. Other shows recently reviewed include:  Barney Miller - The Complete Third Season, The Girls Next Door - Season 4, and The Riches: Season 2.  Want more?  Check out all of the TV on DVD reviews in the DVDTalk database.

The studios have announced some great shows and movies coming to DVD and Blu-ray including : Desperate Housewives: The Complete Fifth Season the dark comedy/drama returns for a fifth season this fall. It's scheduled to hit shelves on 9/1/09; Louis Malle's famous film about a dinner conversation gets the Criterion Treatment this June 23rd when My Dinner with Andre is released; and music fans will get to see one of the most famous concert events when Woodstock: 3 Days of Peace & Music Director's Cut (40th Anniversary Ultimate Collector's Edition ) is released on DVD and Blu-ray on 6/9/09. Amazon will have exclusive versions of both format that include a bonus disc with "additional never-before-seen performance footage from Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane, and Country Joe and the Fish plus three additional featurettes!" Keep track of all the upcoming DVDs with the DVDTalk Release List.

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