This month Book Talk looks at a trio of releases, both new and old. Fans of trivia (and who isn't) will want to check out a new book by television historian David Hofstede, Obsessed with TV, that has thousands of easy to impossible questions along with a built in electronic score keeper. Speaking of TV trivia, what was the first prime time show to star a pregnant woman? That's right, I Love Lucy. Get the lowdown on how creation of the show as well as behind the scenes anecdotes in Laughs, Luck, and Lucy by Jess Oppenheimer. Continuing with the trivia theme, who had the longest career as a film director? If you said, King Vidor, you'd be right. This important director gave a very through interview before he died that is reproduced in the simply named King Vidor. Be sure to read the full review in this month's Book Talk.

Quentin Tarantino and Brad Pitt mess with World War II and spell checkers everywhere with the barnstorming combat film Inglourious Basterds. DVD Talk critics Brian Orndorf and Jamie S. Rich join the campaign. Robert Rodriguez makes another film for the kiddies with the booger-smeared fantasy Shorts. And Alexis Bledel tries on the trials of adulthood in Post Grad. Also in theaters: Emily Hagins is a 12 year old trying to make a horror film in the documentary Zombie Girl: The Movie. Vampires meet religious barriers in Park Chan-wook's Thirst. And it's all skateboards and broken bones as action sports find the spotlight in X Games 3D: The Movie. Be sure to catch reviews of other recent Theatrical Films: World's Greatest Dad, District 9, The Time Traveler's Wife, Ponyo, G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, Julie & Julia, A Perfect Getaway, Funny People, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, G-Force, (500) Days of Summer, The Hurt Locker, and The Hangover. As always, we invite you to share your thoughts on films In Theaters in our Movie Talk Forum.

Some great TV shows have been covered recently. Check out these new reviews: The Lucy Show - The Official First Season - Lucille Ball is back with her second TV show that is consistently entertaining; The Color of Magic - the first two installments of Terry Pratchett's Discworld series are brought to life in this very enjoyable film; and The Diary of a Nobody - A completely unique production, featuring a knockout solo performance by Hugh Bonneville. Other shows recently reviewed include:  The Mama Cass Television Program, The Lola Falana Show and The Shape 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: Icons of Sci-Fi: Toho Collection - Sony-Columbia knocks us out with a trio of Toho fantasies they distributed in the heyday of Japanese monsterdom: The H-Man, Battle in Outer Space and Mothra. Terrific Tohoscope thrills in blazing color; Husbands - John Cassavetes' intense, improvised acting showcase about three errant men who run off to London on a tear. Ben Gazzara and Peter Falk join Cassavetes for sustained scenes that "bare the emotional core"; and Sunshine Cleaning - Amy Adams, Emily Blunt and Alan Arkin shine in a great (and ultimately heartening) film about self esteem and economic depression. Adams is quickly becoming one of my favorite actors; her work here is really fine. Read all this and more in this week's DVD Savant

Some great movies and TV shows have been recently announced including: Up - Pixar's latest hit will be released on November 10th on both DVD and Blu-ray and DVDTalk's editor can't wait!; the Elders of the Internet will be lining up on September 15th when The IT Crowd: The Complete Third Season is released in R1; and a legendary film director and promoter gets a boxed set of his works when Sony releases The William Castle Film Collection on October 20th. It includes a mix of new and old releases including the never-on-DVD The Old Dark House (1963). Keep track of all the upcoming releases with the DVDTalk Release List.

Another banner week for DVDs with the studios releasing some great films and boxed sets such as: Last House on the Left [DVD review, Blu-ray review]- More artfully crafted than the original and even more unnerving; Dexter: The Complete Third Season [DVD review] - Managing to cleverly balance itself between dark humor and even darker crimes, this show is one of the most fun and unique series currently on television; and Tyson [DVD review, Blu-ray review]- a fascinating look into the psyche of a deeply troubled man who once had the world by the tail. Other releases of note include:  The Last Starfighter [Blu-ray review], Hannah Montana: The Movie [Blu-ray review], and The Simpsons: The Complete Twelfth Season. 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.

As long as the studios keep releasing new DVDs, DVDTalk will continue to cover them. Check out these new entries to the DVD Talk Review Database: Grave of the Fireflies - a haunting, memorable piece that will stick with you long after the disc has stopped spinning; Icons of Screwball Comedy, Volume One - four great Columbia comedies including If You Could Only Cook, Too Many Husbands, My Sister Eileen and She Wouldn't Say Yes; and Helen West - an unusual, and recommended, diversion for British mystery fans. Other recent reviews include: The Class (Entre les murs), Slime City Grindhouse Collection, and Doctor Who: Attack of the Cybermen.  Visit the DVD Talk Review Database for all the latest reviews

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