Kristen Bell fends off lovers from all sides when she picks up a few magic coins in When in Rome. Nick Nolte covers his life and career against his will in the documentary Nick Nolte: No Exit. And Mel Gibson returns with guns blazing in the thriller Edge of Darkness. Read reviews from Brian Orndorf, Jamie S. Rich, and Tyler Foster. Also in theaters: A friendly game of war turns into murder in the chiller Paintball. And join the Sundance Festival celebration with The Shock Doctrine, Daddy Longlegs, and 7 Days. Be sure to catch reviews of other recent Theatrical Films: Legion, Extraordinary Measures, Creation, Tooth Fairy, The Book of Eli, The Last Station, The Lovely Bones, Avatar, Sherlock Holmes, Crazy Heart, Up in the Air, It's Complicated, and The Blind Side. As always, we invite you to share your thoughts on films In Theaters in our Movie Talk Forum.

DVD Talk writer Jack Giroux recently had the chance to attend a round table interview with director Jonathan Mostow (U-571, Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines). Mostow discussed his latest project, Surrogates, which has just been released on DVD and Blu-ray. Check out the interview to hear the director's thoughts on the special effects, the comparison between the movie and graphic novel and much more. And in case you missed them, be sure to read Jack's other recent interviews with Terry Gilliam and the Spierig Brothers.

More TV shows have made their way on to DVD, and DVD Talk has got them covered. Check out our reviews of the newest TV releases including: The Simpsons: The Complete Twentieth Season - a potent mix of goofy storytelling, uproarious non-sequiturs, surprisingly biting social satire, and good old-fashioned family comedy; Callan - Set 2 - This series ranks with the best television espionage offerings out there; and Cranford: Return to Cranford - this sequel to the 2008 Cranford miniseries is a rare treat and comes highly recommended. Other shows recently reviewed include:  Bonekickers, The Philanthropist: The Complete Series and Weeds: Season Five.  Want more?  Check out all of the TV on DVD reviews in the DVDTalk database.

Some classic films and TV series have been scheduled for release. Check out these newly announced titles: The African Queen on DVD and Blu-ray - Humphrey Bogart and Katharine Hepburn star in this John Huston classic. It arrives on 3/23/10; Doctor Zhivago Anniversary Edition on DVD and Blu-ray - David Lean's epic spectacle arrives on 5/4/10; and Poldark, Series 1 on DVD - Hailed as a British Gone with the Wind, this Masterpiece Theatre favorite makes long-awaited DVD debut. It will be on store shelves on 3/2/10. Keep track of all the upcoming releases with the DVDTalk Release List.

This week the DVD Savant has a number of new reviews and articles including: Pandorum - This generic mutant attack on a long-haul spaceship has good acting, an intelligent script and some great atmosphere, slotting it higher than the norm; The Unsuspected - Michael Curtiz puts a high polish on a complicated, eclectic noir murder mystery featuring amnesia, radio technology, a scheming seductress, and a heroine returned from the grave; and Lost Boundaries - An absolutely engrossing true-life drama about the practice of black Americans "passing" for white in a racist environment. Not well enough known, Louis De Rochemont's daring social document was produced in the middle of the HUAC Blacklist years. Read all this and more in this week's DVD Savant.

Some great discs are being released this week. Check out these new movies: Pride & Prejudice (2005) [Blu-ray review] - a lovely, romantic film that is beautiful in both appearance and spirit; Michael Jackson: This Is It - this behind-the-scenes documentary gives a hint at what Michael Jackson's mega-show would have looked like, had he not passed away weeks before it was scheduled to begin; and Whip It [DVD review] - Drew Barrymore's masterful movie is well crafted and downright fun. Other releases of note include:  Surrogates [DVD review, Blu-ray review], The Boys Are Back [DVD review], and Pontypool [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: Che (Criterion Collection) [DVD review, Blu-ray review]- a fascinating, intelligent picture that provides a detailed treatment of two key segments of Ernesto "Che" Guevara's life; Departures - an unexpected powerhouse - a delightfully sublime blend of beauty, drama, comedy and contemplation; and Louis Armstrong: Good Evening Ev'rybody - This documentary about Louis Armstrong's appearance at the Newport Jazz Festival in 1970 is both an excellent concert film and a great tribute to music. Other recent reviews include: Chantal Akerman in the Seventies - Eclipse Series 19, Jerichow, and The Skeptic.  Visit the DVD Talk Review Database for all the latest reviews.

It's a war of angels, demons, and bullets as humanity meets the Legion. Harrison Ford and Brendan Fraser join forces to create a new drug in Extraordinary Measures. And the life of Charles Darwin is explored in Creation. Read reviews from Brian Orndorf and Jason Bailey. Also in theaters: Dwayne Johnson tarnishes his career as the Tooth Fairy. And the battle over the future of Leo Tolstoy is waged in The Last Station. Be sure to catch reviews of other recent Theatrical Films: The Book of Eli, The Spy Next Door, Universal Soldier: Regeneration, The Lovely Bones, Mine, Avatar, Youth in Revolt, The White Ribbon, Sherlock Holmes, Crazy Heart, A Single Man, Up in the Air, It's Complicated, Leap Year, and The Blind Side. As always, we invite you to share your thoughts on films In Theaters in our Movie Talk Forum.

So what was your New Years resolution? Get in shape? Eat better? Save more money? Watch more anime? Okay, maybe that last one was one of Todd's. He's ready to tackle 2010 and take whatever the anime industry has to throw at him. You hear that? Bring it on! So for this column we're kicking things off a little on the quiet side, sadly. The amount of time John and Todd had for reviews during the holidays wasn't exactly abundant, but there wasn't much released either. This time around we look at such shows as El Cazador de la Bruja, Spice and Wolf, and Story of Saiunkoku. We've also got some manga reviews for those looking for something different to sink their otaku teeth into. For the collector in you we also took a look at some upcoming figure releases that are available for pre-order from your favorite importer. Check out all this and more in this month's Anime Talk!

TV on DVD remains very popular with more and more favorites being released. New TV reviews include: The Best of Spike Jones - Time has been kind to Jones and his legacy and the bulk of the material is still pretty funny; Fraggle Rock: The Complete Animated Series - a faithful resurrection of Henson's colorful, charming original; and The Sherlock Holmes Collection - Peter Cushing takes on the role of the master detective in this rare BBC series. Other shows recently reviewed include:  Small Wonder: The Complete First Season, Dallas: The Complete Twelfth Season and Kendra: The Complete First Season.  Want more?  Check out all of the TV on DVD reviews in the DVDTalk database.

From critically acclaimed dramas to family animated films there are some interesting titles coming to DVD. Check out these upcoming titles: Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire on DVD and Blu-ray - the buzz has it that this film will be a big winner at this year's Academy Awards. Find out if it lives up to all the praise when it arrives on 3/9/10; Planet 51 on DVD and Blu-ray - Dwayne Johnson voices an astronaut who lands planet whose inhabitants think he's the start on an invasion force. It arrives on 3/9/10; and Pirate Radio on DVD and Blu-ray - It's rock and roll vs. the British Government in this comedy directed by Richard Curtis (Love, Actually, Notting Hill). It will be on store shelves on 3/9/10. Keep track of all the upcoming releases with the DVDTalk Release List.

This week the DVD Savant has a number of new reviews and articles including: District 9 - Neill Blomkamp mixes up twenty older Sci-Fi themes and comes up with something reasonably original and intelligent, thanks to his lead actor. Castaway aliens are confined in a concentration camp when a government worker gets a faceful of green bio-glop and begins to undergo a really inconvenient transformation. It's security forces versus Prawns in the climactic showdown; Goodbye, Gemini - The new label Scorpion releasing brings out a cult Mod horror from England circa 1970, starring Judy Geeson and Martin Potter. With a new commentary featuring Ms. Geeson and the film's producer; and Split Second - Think fast! You've got a car with a full tank of gas but you're half a mile from a nuclear bomb that's going to go off in fifteen minutes -- and the roads aren't paved. Any ideas? Dick Powell's atomic suspense thriller stars Jan Sterling, Stephen McNally and Alexis Smith. Read all this and more in this week's DVD Savant.

We're still in the middle of the after holiday slump, but some pretty cool discs are being released this week none the less. Check out these new titles: Weeds: Season Five [Blu-ray review] - If you've been a fan of the series all along, you're going to have a blast with this fifth season; Che - Criterion Collection [Blu-ray review] - a fascinating, intelligent picture; and Cranford: Return to Cranford [DVD review] - this sequel to the 2008 Cranford miniseries is a rare treat and comes highly recommended. Other releases of note include:  The Invention of Lying [theatrical review], Angus, Thongs, and Perfect Snogging [review], and Kingdom of the Spiders [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: Whip It - a warm, funny charmer, and there's not a bad performance in the thing; American Experience: The 1930s - five exemplary programs from TV series, all well worth viewing and owning; and The Magic Mountain - with an emphasis on lurking horror behind the doors of a supernaturally animated lung clinic this film provides a memorably unsettling viewing experience. Other recent reviews include: Sita Sings The Blues, Riot On 42nd St., and Doctor Death Seeker of Souls.  Visit the DVD Talk Review Database for all the latest reviews.

DVD Talk writer Jack Giroux had the amazing opportunity to talk with Terry Gilliam, the man behind Brazil, 12 Monkeys, The Adventures of Baron Munchausen, The Fisher King, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas not to mention being a member of Monty Python. They mainly discussed his latest endeavor The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus but also touched on a few of his more recent films. Fans of this unique and talented director will want to check out what he has to say in our latest DVD Talk interview.

Denzel Washington faces off against Gary Oldman to protect the power of words in The Book of Eli. Read reviews from Brian Orndorf and Jamie S. Rich. Jackie Chan is in charge of the kids in the family comedy The Spy Next Door. And Peter Jackson crosses into the afterlife with the thriller The Lovely Bones. Read reviews from Brian Orndorf and Jason Bailey. Also in theaters: Teenage life in England is put to the test in Fish Tank. Ray Winstone leads a group of brutes on a path of revenge in 44 Inch Chest. The life of Leo Tolstoy is examined in The Last Station. Pets survive Hurricane Katrina in the documentary Mine. Jean-Claude Van Damme and Dolph Lundgren return from beyond the grave in Universal Soldier: Regeneration. And it's nothing but guns, guns, and more guns as the bad guys assemble for Smokin' Aces 2: Assassins' Ball. Be sure to catch reviews of other recent Theatrical Films: Daybreakers, Avatar, Youth in Revolt, The White Ribbon, Sherlock Holmes, Crazy Heart, District 13: Ultimatum, Bitch Slap, A Loss of a Teardrop Diamond, A Single Man, Up in the Air, It's Complicated, Leap Year, and The Blind Side. As always, we invite you to share your thoughts on films In Theaters in our Movie Talk Forum.

TV on DVD remains very popular with more and more favorites being released. New TV reviews include: Glee, Vol. One: Road to Sectionals - a show that deserves all of the critical and popular acclaim it has received; Taxi - The Final Season - American situation comedy doesn't get much better than this, a funny, perceptive show cancelled before its time; and Brick City - a fast-paced, fascinating look at the complexities of city government and urban life. Other shows recently reviewed include:  United States of Tara: Season One, McLeod's Daughters: The Original Movie and Mighty Mouse: The New Adventures - The Complete Series.  Want more?  Check out all of the TV on DVD reviews in the DVDTalk database.

Some of last summer's would-be blockbusters along with the first HD release from the country's largest independent studio have been recently announced. Check out these upcoming titles: Poultrygeist [Blu-ray] - Troma's most critically-acclaimed film of the decade is scheduled for their first High Def title. It will be available on 2/23/10; 2012 on Blu-ray and DVD - Director Roland Emmerich destroys the world in spectacular fashion in this big budget disaster flick. It arrives on 3/2/10; and Astro Boy on Blu-ray and DVD - Osamu Tezuka's robot boy was generally passed over when he jumped onto the big screen last summer. Will he find the same fate on disc? We'll find out on 3/16/10. Keep track of all the upcoming releases with the DVDTalk Release List.

This week the DVD Savant has a number of new reviews and articles including: The Green Berets - John Wayne's patriotic Vietnam War movie showed just how polarized the country was over that undeclared war; Bill Warren Interview - Stuart Galbraith IV interviews the author of the newly-revised 21st Century Edition of Keep Watching the Skies!; and 8½ - Federico Fellinio's art film triumph is the high point for the phenomenon of The Film Director as Genius. Looks fantastic in HD... Read all this and more in this week's DVD Savant.

What better way to chase away the post-holiday blues than with a new movie? Check out these films that are being released today: The Hurt Locker [DVD review] - this is a very rare movie: a character-driven action drama that is both thrilling and astutely-scripted. Kathryn Bigelow's directorial mastery deserves an Oscar; Moon [Blu-ray review] - an intelligent space story with an excellent characterization and real suspense; and In the Loop [DVD review] - a fast-paced and quick-witted political satire that avoids being stuffy or, really, overly political. Other releases of note include:  Passing Strange [review], Onimasa - A Japanese Godfather [review], and By the People: The Election of Barack Obama [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.

If you've grown tired of second rate vampire films that lack any presence of blood then you'll be more than happy to know that Daybreakers will satisfy your needs. In a time of Twilight and The Vampire Diaries it's refreshing to see someone put a spin on this overly populated genre. That someone is the Spierig Brothers. They've delivered a true original with a fully realized world, unique ideas and a heap of well-executed blood-work. It's a hybrid of science fiction and horror and it works. It also happens to be a great amount of fun that marks for an impressive second feature film for the Spierig brothers. DVD Talk columnist Jack Giroux had a chance to sit down with the sibling directors and discuss the film. See what that had to say in this exclusive DVD Talk interview!

The DVD Talk review panel has been snowed in like the rest of the country. Check out what they've been watching while trying to stay warm: Cinematic Titanic Live - East Meets Watts - the live act amplifies the Cinematic Titanic energy to new heights of bellylaughs; Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs - a prime example of what can be done with a little imagination, a lot of dedication, and a creative crew who know how to maximize both; and Blind Date - a small, challenging gem of a movie, lovingly crafted by its crew and gifted leads. Other recent reviews include: No Impact Man, The Zombies: The 40th Anniversary Concert, and One Way Out.  Visit the DVD Talk Review Database for all the latest reviews.

The spirit of Russ Meyer is returned to the screen in the campy, bosomy action bonanza Bitch Slap. Amy Adams attempts to destroy her career with the rancid romantic comedy Leap Year. And Ethan Hawke is a vampire facing the end of humanity in Daybreakers. Read reviews from Brian Orndorf and Jason Bailey. Also in theaters: Michael Cera invents a whole new self as the Youth in Revolt. Matthew Broderick looks to the brighter side of life in Wonderful World. Tennessee Williams returns to the screen in the drama A Loss of a Teardrop Diamond. There's a psychological and sexual invasion in Michael Haneke's The White Ribbon. Sheep are herded in Sweetgrass. And Christopher Masterson isn't having sex with Bijou Phillips in Made for Each Other. Be sure to catch reviews of other recent Theatrical Films: Avatar, Nine, Sherlock Holmes, Crazy Heart, District 13: Ultimatum, The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, A Single Man, Up in the Air, It's Complicated, Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel, The Young Victoria, and The Blind Side. As always, we invite you to share your thoughts on films In Theaters in our Movie Talk Forum.

More and more TV on DVD is being released, and the DVDTalk review panel is committed to covering as many sets as they can. Check out these recent releases: Robot Chicken: Season Four - the hilarious series continues to skewer movies, music, television and other facets of pop culture using... action figures; Destroyed in Seconds - an addictive show, especially if you like to watch things crash, implode, explode, fall over, disintegrate and/or take a beating; and Family Guy Presents: Something, Something, Something Dark Side - The Family Guy cast returns to the Star Wars universe in this Lucas-approved parody of The Empire Strikes Back. Check out all of the TV on DVD reviews in the DVDTalk database.

This week the DVD Savant has a number of new reviews and articles including: Glenn Erickson's DVD Wish List 2010 - 2009 carries over to 2010, thanks to the input of Savant readers -- even with the downturn in library titles the wish list was VERY active last year. This year's essay delves into the new Burn On Demand home video disc sales model; Paranormal Activity - The year's viral-marketed horror sensation hits Blu-ray in a pricey package. Oren Peli taped this effective supernatural shocker in his own home for almost nothing. The story of its trip to movie screens is far more amazing than the picture itself -- as if happily terrorized theater audiences cared; and Bootleg Film - Masahiro Kobayashi's micro-budgeted noir comedy combines Tarantino film references with deadpan sitcom dialogue, John Woo standoffs and affected visuals -- proudly presented in B&W 'scope! Read all this and more in this week's DVD Savant.

We're in the post-holiday slump where few discs are released, but there are still a few new titles you should check out including: Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs [Blu-ray review] - One of the most enjoyable family films to come along in some time, this film is one of those movies that kids and adults will both like; Chuck: The Complete Second Season [DVD review, Blu-ray review] - even better than Season 1, upping the ante in every way imaginable while creating an incredible cast of characters you just want to spend more and more time with; and 10 Things I Hate About You - 10th Anniversary DVD Edition [DVD review]- a movie that has held up well for over said decade, thanks to really sharp performances by one of the best up-and-coming ensemble casts assembled for a film. 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.

2009 was a year filled with good solid films, but for every Star Trek or Inglourious Basterds, there was also a Miss March and I Love You, Beth Cooper. DVD Talk reviewer Brian Orndorf, who sees more theatrical releases than just about anyone, separates the wheat from the chaff and gives us The Best Theatrical Releases of 2009 as well as The Worst Theatrical Releases of 2009. Did your favorite (or most-hated) film make the lists? Check them out!

Though the DVD releases may have slowed in the post-holiday season, DVDTalk's review panel continues to crank out the write up on the latest discs. New reviews include: Mel Brooks Collection [Blu-ray] - containing eight of the eleven movies that Brooks directed, this set is like manna from heaven; District 9 - one of 2009's best films, and Sony's Blu-ray is one of the best HD releases of last year by doing the film justice; and Miss Mend - a fun and thrilling Russian serial from the silent days of cinema. Visit the DVD Talk Review Database for all the latest reviews.

Welcome to the New Year's edition of Talking Out of Frame, DVD Talk's look at Art House films. This month we look at the BBC production In the Loop - a realistic, if comedicallly charged, portrayal of politicians on the job; Kobe Doin' Work: A Spike Lee Joint - a great movie for sports fans; and Beautiful Losers - a documentary named for a recent art show reuniting a group of NYC-based artists who had come through the same galleries and reached prominence in the early 1990s. Check out all that and much, much more in this month's installment of Talking Out of Frame: Arthouse Cinema on DVD.

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