Overview:The traditional interpretation of history has focused largely on human factors. Yet the natural environment has also shaped history since the dawn of time. This series reveals for the first time on television how geology, geography and climate have had a far more powerful influence on mankind than has previously been acknowledged.

DVD: Geologist and senior lecturer Iain Stewart does a phenomenal job in explaining clearly to a broad audience how much influence climate, geography, and geology have had on the destiny of humanity. Too often, human beings do not acknowledge how much they owe to Planet Earth.

Stewart successively reviews the impact of deep earth, fire, water, and wind on what humanity has accomplished. Stewart also looks at the comprehensive influence that men and women have had on shaping the environment around them. Teachers can use the two-DVD set under review to help make geography and history appealing to their secondary school students.

Every child should see this in school. Especially children in poor neighborhoods. Every parent should see it. Every person on the planet should be able to see and know about how the planet works. This presentation is well written, well thought out, and well said and illustrated. It's as good as "Planet Earth" series. It covers at least three subjects that should be taught in our schools at the elementary school level. And it does this in an enjoyable format. This is a Widescreen Presentation (1.78:1) enhanced for 16x9 TVs and comes with the Special Features of:

Filming in Extremes: An interview with Iain Stewart

Overview: Another longtime cast member departs and another regular joins in ER's 13th season, as the Emmy-hoarding drama neared the end of its run. But first things first: tying up the sensational cliffhanger from the previous season, in which a pregnant Abby (Maura Tierney) was left bleeding on the ER floor and Sam (Linda Cardellini) and her annoying son, Alex (Dominic Janes), were abducted, leading to a deadly conclusion.

DVD: I can remember first watching this show when I was 8 years old and absolutely loved it. They say that the original is always the best and in some cases that may be but to me all the ER seasons or at least up to season 9 are great. The actors are all wonderful but who could not like George Clooney, his character in the first season is so heart warming and likeable I enjoy him a lot.

It's probably unfair to compare this with other hospital TV series, but it's inevitable - at least, it is for me. For the most part this is an excellent series, but not quite as good as 'Grey's Anatomy,' because I didn't identify as closely with the characters. Anthony Edwards was fine in the lead, and, again George Clooney was surprisingly good. The one character I found distasteful was the one played by Eriq La Salle. I don't think it was the actor's fault. He didn't write the lines, nor was he the director. It's just that his character is always negative and makes all sorts of contorted, smirking faces to show his displeasure at everything, and with everyone.

As with other seasons on DVD, in this 13th season I do have a problem - being that there are no gag reels! The bloopers are one of the favorite things I love about the show, but they haven't been included on seasons 11, 12, and now, 13!! There IS a gag reel for season 13, because I've seen it! I miss the bloopers!

One more thing. I don't see why so many people hate the Africa episodes so much. They take us along with Luka, Carter, and Pratt, to a hugely neglected part of the world and show us what needs to be done in those countries. These episodes gave me a reason to live, when I was terribly depressed, and I intend on making a difference in central Africa one day - thanks to ER.

So, if you're anxious to recapture some fond memories with the original cast of ER and remember why this show continued to work so well, then you can't go wrong with the first season of ER. This is a Widescreen Presentation (1.78:1) enhanced for 16x9 TVs.

Overview: Based on a true story, this comic tale of three would-be entrepreneurs set out to invent a rocket belt. The venturesome partnership soon takes an unhealthy toll as their mismatched personalities clash and some unexpected success lead to retaliations and kidnapping in this parable of American dreams and delusions.

DVD: Being that this film stems from an actor making the transition to feature filmmaking, 'Pretty Bird' is a very, very watchable, enjoyable film to behold. The actor-turned-filmmaker is a man called Paul Schneider ... and yes, while most all of you may not even know who that is (I didn't) he had a starring role in another Sundance film, David Gordon Green�s 2003 romance 'All the Real Girls' and supporting roles in other films such as, 'Elizabethtown,' 'The Family Stone' and even 'The Assassination of Jesse James.'

'Pretty Bird' tells the story of Curtis Prentiss (Billy Crudup), a wannabe entrepreneur who enlists an old friend (David Hornsby) and an out-of-work aerospace engineer (Paul Giamatti) into trying to come up with a plan to build a rocket belt. Having raised enough money to now do such a thing, in various, respecable ways, they get to work.

But, as with most stories such as this, the path ahead is not smooth and all plain sailing - and internal turmoil ensues. The film itself is very colorful to watch and regardless of the speedbumps these guys come across, the ending is satisfying enough also.

'Pretty Bird' is storytelling at its Sundance finest, and is a great filmmaking debut for Schneider. Billy Crudup, as a man with smart ass personality is pefect for the role, and the always on form Paul Giamatti is as into is gruff role as Rick Honeycutt, ashe's ever been into any other role therein. This is a Widescreen Presentation (1.85:1) enhanced for 16x9 TVs.

Overview: The boys are back! The sixth season of the Emmy�, Golden Globe� and Peabody award-winning hit comedy series Entourage� returns to store shelves on June 22, 2010 from HBO Home Entertainment�!

DVD Verdict: Don't get me wrong, I'm a HUGE fan of 'Entourage' and have watched every season multiple times, however this season just seemed like it had no direction. Vincent Chase was on vacation the whole time with nothing really to do. E goes gaga over a girl who is, well to be nice, less then attractive.

I got bored over Turtle's story arc and Drama didn't really make much of an impression this season until he ultimately gave up on his career at the end, which was one of the few highlights of the season. Since Vince wasn't working Ari had no one to rain his wrath upon so the writers dragged out Lloyd becoming an agent to give him something to scream about.

Another thing done by the show that mimics real life is that Kevin Dillon was always the not so spectacular looking brother (to real life Matt) just like his character is to the fictional Vinnie (Adrien Griener). I applaud the creators for giving us such a richly ironic portrayal. Lloyd has to do battle this season with Ari to try and make it as an agent himself rather than remaining Ari's eternal assistant.

Ari also has brought in another partner who is hilarious as he almost ruins Ari's business as his marriage comes apart, with both marital partners acting out semi-violently at the agency. This partner almost steals the whole show when he runs his car through his lavish house in order to secure a client (it works!).

All and all it was a lukewarm season, here's hoping they bring it back to its greatness next season. This is a Widescreen Presentation (1.78:1) enhanced for 16x9 TVs and comes with the Special Features of:

"Life at the Top": An exclusive look at the making of season 6 featuring interviews with the cast and crew
"A Day at the Speedway": Behind the scenes with the Entourage cast and crew as they race Ferraris at the Auto Club Speedway
ONEXONE PSA (directed by Matt Damon)
Three audio commentaries by creator-executive producer Doug Ellin, executive producer Ally Musika, Jeremy Piven, Kevin Connolly, Kevin Dillon, Jerry Ferrara, Adrian Grenier, and Bob Saget

Overview: Larry David is back in Curb Your Enthusiasm: The Complete Seventh Season, and this time, he has a little help from his friends! Jerry Seinfeld, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Jason Alexander and Michael Richards come together for the moment everyone has been waiting for � the Seinfeld reunion show!

DVD Verdict: YES! The wait is (finally) over - Larry David is back! In Season 7, Larry contemplates his future with an ailing Loretta, and decides on a novel approach to winning back Cheryl. In addition to Larry finding himself embroiled in usual cauldron of self-made crises, he orchestrates a reunion with the entire cast of Seinfeld!

Indeed, there are just so many funny things this season that any reviewer could write a small book about the joys of Season 7. We open with his girlfriend having breast cancer and Larry's wanting to end the relationship. Somehow he manages to find a therapist who ends up blaming him for the cancer!

We revisit his mother's death via her tombstone and Larry even manages to get the tombstone cutter mad at him. He becomes persona non grata at his country club after killing another member by making him mad and the guy had high blood pressure (which explodes), all over the inanity of playing through, or not, in golf.

He wears women's underwear as an alibi for Suzie's husband when she finds panties in his glove compartment. He and Richard Lewis seriously come unhinged together again--Lewis and David have a friendship which thrives on maximum antagonism and misunderstanding. Then there is the biggest thing going on in Season 7: Larry decides to put on a Seinfeld reunion.

He does so as only Larry could where you see the reunion coming together behind the scenes. You are not left out of anything in the entire process. The major thing you discover doing this is how much of Seinfeld was Larry--tons. When George (Jason Alexander) and Larry come together, it is clear that George WAS Larry. They are mirrors of one another, willing to obsess and argue over any minutiae.

This may be the best season yet of this show. I hope Larry David keeps doing it. It is a breath of fresh air among the comedic mediocrity that is the usual tv fare. [CI] This is a Widescreen Presentation (1.85:1) enhanced for 16x9 TVs and comes with the Special Features of:

�The Seinfeld Reunion: It Could Only Happen on Curb�� � Find out how the Seinfeld story arc came about from Curb and Seinfeld cast members who talk about the much-anticipated reunion.
�Rebuilding the Seinfeld Sets� � Production designers, set decorators, and more discuss what it was like to bring Seinfeld back to life by resurrecting the sets and modernizing them for 2009.
�Larry David as George Costanza� � Jason Alexander coaches Larry on how to play George, a character that was originally based on Larry himself.
�A Seinfeld Moment on Curb: Interview with Larry David and the Seinfeld Cast� � Interview featuring Larry, Jerry, Julia, Jason and Michael talking about what it was like to reunite again after eleven years.

Overview: Something of a genre homecoming, Antoine Fuqua's latest film once again finds him delving into the gritty, brutal realm of cops and crooks�as he did in Training Day. Tango is an undercover officer on a narcotics detail that forces him to choose between duty and friendship. Having been to hell and back, he wants out, but the powers that be won't let him quit.

DVD Verdict: 'Brooklyn's Finest' is about three cops working in different units in the NYC police department, who struggle with the perils of the crime-infested streets, particularly the drug trafficking operations.

Ethan Hawke delivers probably his best performance to date. He plays Sal Procida, a NYPD narcotics officer who's a devout Catholic with mostly good intentions, but is plagued with his own demons as he chases after ruthless drug dealers while struggling to support more kids at home than he can afford on a cop's salary.

Don Cheadle plays the role of "Tango", an ambitious undercover cop working double-duty on a drug sting operation. He's burned out and wants out of the game before it's too late, but he's in too deep and the powers that be on the corrupt police force won't let him escape. Ellen Barkin plays the hard-ass boss lady in charge of the sting operation. She has Cheadle by the balls and couldn't care less about his survival.

Richard Gere plays Officer Dugan, a washed-out, suicidal veteran cop who is just a week away from retirement. His goal (aside from enjoying the services of a certain "professional" whom he likes more than he should) is to maintain his sanity, keep his nose clean and keep his rookie cop partner under control for just a few more days so that he can cash in on his pension with a little pride. But as it turns out, his last week on the job is probably the worst of his entire career.

Wesley Snipes returns to the big screen as the smart, ruthless drug lord "Caz" running the streets of Brooklyn. He's been in the game for too long as well and appears to be losing his "street cred", as he doesn't know who to trust anymore. His most trusted partner however, happens to be Tango who, unbeknownst to Caz, is working undercover to bust his operation.

Brooklyn's Finest tells a graphic story about each of these characters and the double lives and personal struggles that each one has to deal with on a daily basis. All three are "fine" cops in their own way, but the demands of their dangerous jobs, in a corrupt world, gets the best of them. Neither cop knows the other one, but their fate is ultimately intertwined.

This movie starts out quite slow but it eventually progresses into a very good film. This is a serious cop drama that is very raw in its portrayal of crime and corruption on the mean urban streets. It contains certain elements of other movies, such as "Training Day", "New Jack City", "American Gangster" and "Crash" all meshed together into one powerful movie.

The casting and acting are superb, but the story leaves nothing to the imagination and exploits stereotypes to the max. Highly recommended, nonetheless. [DF] This is a Widescreen Presentation (2.35:1) enhanced for 16x9 TVs and comes with the Special Features of an audio commentary with director Antoine Fuqua; Chaos & Conflict: The Life of a New York Cop; Boyz N the Real Hood; An Eye for Detail: Director Featurette; From the MTA to the WGA: Writer Featurette; deleted scenes; and the theatrical trailer.

Overview: 'The Children's War' is a documentary by Andrew Krakower that sheds a light on the lives of children in North Uganda who must avoid being consigned into Joseph Kony's Lord's Resistance Army.

DVD Verdict: When originally setting out to make this film, Andrew Krakower intended to tell a story about the reversal of the HIV/AIDs infection rates in Uganda, but once there found the more chilling reality of the war in progress so he changed the focus of his film to bring this frightening tale to light.

This film contains the only interview with reclusive leader, Joseph Kony conducted by the BBC. According to him, all photographic evidence and the stories people tell about the atrocities committed by the Lord's Resistance Army are all propaganda and that not a word of it is true. He claims to hear voices and receive commands to do things and that people are being punished for not following the "Ten Commandments of God."

At a running time of 64 minutes, this film exposes a shocking truth about the kidnapping of children, some of whom only six years old, who are formed into killing machines for the so-called greater good. After being abducted, the children are divided according to their education levels and then are sent into training. Once the allotted training periods are finished, the children are tested with raiding villages for food and people to earn a rank.

With all the raping going on, it spreads the HIV/AIDs virus until many children worry that they are "dead people walking." The problem of abductions has gotten so extreme that the parents send children away on foot at night in hopes that they will find safer shelter instead of being easy targets. They are called "night commuters" and they sleep in town on the street. Kony still remains at large despite a warrant for his arrest. [HF] This is a Widescreen Presentation (1.85:1) enhanced for 16x9 TVs and comes with the Special Features of an interview with the reclusive Kony himself!

Overview: As our nation reels with the damage caused by the BP Oil Spill, FUEL, the high-octane film high-energy personal journey of biofuel evangelist, Josh Tickell, is set to street on DVD in North America with an array of �how to� special features that offer a road map to ending dependency on oil.

DVD Verdict: Every American who considers themselves a patriot must see this movie. It changes the way you think about America's dependence on oil. It also provides a path for a sustainable future that will not only make a greener planet, but save us all.

My husband and I enjoy documentaries, particularly ones that have an environmental bend, and Fuel is at the top of my list. It is entertaining and educational and inspires hope for a better future. Fuel uses a good mix of humor and fact to interest the viewer while educating us all about the reality of climate change. What I like best about Fuel is that it made me leave my comfy couchthe ready to make changes in my own life and inspire others to do the same!

Where most films of the sort leave you with a sinking feeling in your stomach, "Fuel" leaves you with hope and a sense of empowerment that you can, and will, make a difference. Own this film and share it with everyone you know. This is a Widescreen Presentation (1.85:1) enhanced for 16x9 TVs and comes with the Special Features of:

Sustainable Biodiesel Extra with HERObx
Building a Green Bottom Line with John Paul DeJoria
How To Get 150MPG from Your Prius
How To Save Thousands Through Energy Efficiency
Director and Creative Team Commentary
DVD-ROM Content (e-book written by Tickell: From the Fryer to the Fuel Tank: The Complete Guide to Using Vegetable Oil as an Alternative Fuel)
Eco-Packaging: 100% recycled plastic DVD case with 50% recycled paper casewrap printed with soy ink.

Overview: When airport security guard Kirk (Jay Baruchel, best known from supporting roles in Knocked Up and Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist) recovers the cell phone of knockout Molly (Alice Eve, Crossing Over), she asks him out to a hockey game as thanks. When a romance blossoms, Kirk is amazed--but not half as amazed as his buddies!

DVD Verdict: After a slow and rough start, the movie finally gets running when Kirk meets the beautiful Molly at the airport where he works. And after picking up her lost phone, Molly invites Kirk to attend a Pittsburgh Penguins hockey game with her and her deadpan friend Patty, played by Krysten Ritter - who I don't think I've seen before, but really steals the movie especially when she hurls insults at everybody in her path!

This is when the movie becomes its own as we follow the building relationship between Kirk and Molly, which includes a familar ex-boyfriend encounter. Dealing with themes of stereotypes, love, and low self-esteem, sometimes the movie isn't sure what it wants to accomplish. But don't get me wrong, the comedy really hits home when it isn't drowned with cheese and dramatic fluff.

Penned by "Hot Tub Time Machine" scribes Sean Anders and John Morris, the comedy and humor relies on the awkward coming of age cliches everybody passes through; such as the "shaving bit" which expands on a gag so-so used in "American Wedding". But don't let the groin shots in the trailers fool you, we are also thrown cute and lovely moments that sometimes go too far to the extremes to break our heart.

Despite a slow start and speed bumps along the way when the movie fails to be a Judd Apatow joint, there's still enough smarts, hearts, and farts to garner a hilarious watch with a couple of your buddies. Just remember to bring an extra pair of jeans if you're going to play with the family dog!! [WG] This is a Widescreen Presentation (1.85:1) enhanced for 16x9 TVs and comes with the Special Features of:

Deleted Scenes�With optional commentary by director Jim Field Smith
Extended Ending
Blooper Reel
Devon�s Dating Show�A hilarious �do�s & don�ts� guide to dating for guys
Commentary by director Jim Field Smith

www.paramount.com

Overview: In the spring of 1971 the Rolling Stones departed the UK to take up residence in France as tax exiles. Keith Richards settled at a villa called Nellc�te in Villefranche-sur-Mer and this became the venue for the recording of much of the band s masterpiece Exile On Main Street. 'Stones In Exile' tells the story in the bands own words and through extensive archive footage of their time away from England and the creation of this extraordinary double album, which many regard as the Rolling Stones finest achievement.

DVD Verdict: At just about an hour, "Stones in Exile" seems to wrap up just as it's getting going, and as a consequence it leaves a lot of biographical territory unexplored ("Hello, Gram Parsons?").

And yet, this is so much better than I was expecting. Aside from opening and closing segments featuring interviews with celebrity fans of Exile on Main St. the bulk of the movie is a well-choreographed montage of clips (footage from "C.S. Blues" and "Ladies & Gentleman..." plus home movies) and photographs (largely by Dominique Tarle, whose book "Exile" is about $1,000 beyond most fans' price ranges).

I had no idea there was so much period material out there, and the filmmakers structure it with the songs perfectly. The resulting whole does a great job of putting "Exile" into the context of the Stones' history as well as the era in which it was made. Interview audio from the band as well as Jimmy Miller, Marshall Chess and Bobby Keyes (who, decades after the fact, still sounds elated to have been there) round out the reporting. And the film also occasionally just sits back and lets songs play out.

I'm frequently disappointed in music docs, and as a longtime fan of "Exile" I was prepared to be let down (much as I was with the recently released "sweetened" extra tracks on the "Exile re-release). But this movie gets so much right, I can't begrudge its brevity. I've seen much longer documentaries that were a lot worse. [CQ] This is a Full Screen Presentation (1.33:1) enhanced for 16x9 TVs and comes with the Special Features of: Extensive additional footage including interviews with all the band members, footage from Csucker Blues and Mick Jagger and Charlie Watts returning to Olympic Studios and Jaggers country house Stargroves, where a lot of the early work on the album was done.

Overview: Of course, that's Johnny Depp narrating When You're Strange, the 2010 documentary about the Doors: who else but Hollywood's biggest fan of counterculture history? The film's other prominent attraction is the treasure trove of heretofore unscreened footage from the band's heyday, including backstage material, film-school stuff, and a curious project shot by (and starring) Jim Morrison after the group had broken through.

Blu ray Verdict: Let's get all the cards on the table here ... we all know that Jim's alcohol and drug abuse (public common knowledge) was his baby, and it seems to be the basic plot of this film too. So, if that pisses yu off or upsets you, well, back away from this disc NOW!

The narrator, the one and only (who else) Johnny Depp, mentions this repetitively until becoming very grim and tiresome. When you're strange is an 86 minute dead horse beating. The film should have focused more on the talent and charisma of Jim and the strange mystique that makes this band interesting enough to have two films made about them and still sell millions of records today.

Friends of mine have commented that the film could have used more interviews from people who personally knew Jim and the band. I couldn't agree more. Before viewing this film I had the opportunity to see an interview with Jim's father Admiral George Morrison and his sister Anne Morrison on the American Masters website, for me these interviews alone were more interesting than this dismal film. I am sure there are dozens of friends, associates, relatives and girlfriends still living who could have contributed an abundance of insight.

Someone needs to film interviews with these people while they are still alive to create a true documentary film. One can only assume the three remaining band members are very controlling when it comes to the content of any authorized Doors film fearing outside contradictions may smudge the picture they have painted of the Doors and Jim.

I can't help but notice that remaining band member's consistently come off as if they were three innocent and naive schoolboys stuck in a band with a raging, uncontrollable alcoholic who ruined everything. If that is the case what is with the glassy eyes and indoor sunglasses commonly seen is the archive footage and photos of the other three? Jim wasn't the only 60's rock star living this lifestyle. There is much more to Jim Morrison than alcohol and drug abuse, if there wasn't the band would have faded and been forgotten long ago.

This film seems to have overlooked this. It was Jim's raw talent that made the Doors legendary. I wonder if the other three feel abused and cheated when they are cashing in on all those royalty checks compliments of Jim Morrison. [JD] This is a Full Screen Presentation (1.33:1) enhanced for 16x9 TVs.

Overview: It�s Vegas, baby, and Nomi�s (Elizabeth Berkley) dreams and desires to make it big are as sharp as a stiletto heel. When she catches the eye of Cristal (Gina Gershon), the Stardust�s sexy headliner, Nomi is on the brink of living her dream. But she soon realizes that there is only room for one starlet on the marquee.

Blu ray Verdict: At the 1995 Golden Raspberry Awards, director Paul Verhoeven proudly appeared to receive the Razzie for worst picture. That spoke volumes to me. If "Showgirls" was deemed one of the worst films of the decade, and the director accepted the Razzie with grace, something tells me that he knew what he's doing. Probably. Some of you have probably heard that it's a mess...it IS a mess. The movie is definitely raunchy and offensive to the core, but to me, that's the point of the whole film.

"Showgirls" is devoid of class, despite the luminous lights and vivid colors that are on constant display. There were stripper joints where all the girls are going full-frontal and the private dances are VERY explicit, the women bicker and backstab each other, men are worse than pigs with their misogynist words of exchanges (and ladies somehow find them flattering), every single event has been outrageous and unrealistic; I may not have been to Las Vegas but I'm certain it isn't as grody as the film depicted, but then no one really talks about what happens in Vegas.

The lead character, Nomi Molane, is established as a hostile, unlikable character who laughably thinks isn't a hooker even though she's doing all those dirty moves in full-on nudity and the girl doesn't grow to be much better; she gets worse as she tries to steal another woman's success in a gaudy "All About Eve" fashion. Her relationship with popular showgirl Cristal is a bizarre one. Cristal loves to damage Nomi's pride even though she gave her the opportunity to join her dance troupe, almost as she wants to get hurt by her; the sadistic relationship is almost random, especially since Nomi started to hate her because she insulted her nails.

There's not a single redeemable character among the cast, almost everyone is represented on the dark side of the Fabulous Las Vegas, and yet the characters are so repulsive, they're actually amusing. I'm not sure if everything that happened in this movie is a satire or not. It's so over-the-top in the performance and the so-called 'dancing' that the movie must've been one big joke, but everyone seems to take it so seriously, not to mention the rape scene.

It has flaws and it's mean-spirited, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't enjoying it a bit. Maybe that's why this film is a camp classic. Too bad this film also ruined Elizabeth Berkley's career (and no Woody Allen or anime movie can save it) and began the downfall of MGM. That said, and to the movie's credit, I've seen worse!! [DK] This is a Widescreen Presentation (2.35:1) enhanced for 16x9 TVs and comes with the Special Features of:

Pole Dancing: Finding Your Inner Stripper
Lap Dance Tutorial Featuring the World-Famous Girls of Scores
�The Greatest Movie Ever Made� � A Commentary by David Schmader
Showgirls Fact-Up Trivia
A Showgirls Diary

Overview: God bless �American Dad!� Volume 5 � the hilariously over-the-top adventures of CIA Agent Stan Smith, a red, white and blue-blooded, one-man war on terror, and his delightfully dysfunctional family. Volume 5 celebrates that great American pastime: revenge.

DVD Verdict: 'American Dad' has become somewhat of a toon in a place all it's own as of late. By this I mean it has managed to establish itself as clearly "Not Family Guy" - and that to me is what separates it from the rest. You have funny/misunderstood/over exaggerated characters in a pretty simple environment, yet unusual circumstances that allows hilarity to ensue.

Stan, his dim-witted narcissism is a case in point. He's over exaggerated in that respect, but this is what gives him his self assured holier then thou bigger then life nature/personality.

Ok, away from Psychoanalyzing and moving on and is this fifth series any better then the rest of them? Well yes, and no. Yes it is better because in this series we get way more variety, a good number of episodes (14 in all), and a bonus disc of "Peter: Best bits Uncensored." So this alone gives it two thumbs up from me. I mean, these are inclusive of things that never aired on FOX - both the episodes and, of course, the f-bombs!

"Phantom Of The Telethon" and "Roy Rogers Mcfreely" are worth the price of admission alone, I would say, along with some other episodes - but their names escape me, sorry!

Season 2 and 3 have some of the greatest episodes ever ("Roger n'Me")(Roger and Stan get high) but the only thing missing from this series that would make it perfect would be the "Armageddon Future" episode - which was, in my humble opinion, the best episode in the history of 'American Dad.'

I really hope they do more like that one, it was not only so humorous on so many levels but epic. Hopefully there will be more series' of this funny/twisted show. For any fan this is a must-have product! [EA] This is a Widescreen Presentation (2.35:1) enhanced for 16x9 TVs and comes with the Special Features of:

Deleted Scenes
Animatics

Overview: Steve Austin stars as a man with no name, no memory and absolutely nothing left to lose. When he finds himself hunted by both the FBI and the Russian mob, he decides to fight back. And with every beating, bullet and betrayal, he ll remember another piece of the horror that took away his career, his family and his identity.

DVD Verdict: Sorry, but for those of us who thought "The Condemned" and "Damaged" were decent enough movies, you will most likely be disappointed, but not surprised to find out this movie, 'The Stranger,' is a major flop. To start things off, the plot is not original. It's a very watered down, and not too well thought out version of every other movie that evolves around a hero who can not remember who he is, but can remember all his combat and weaponry skills. Steve Austin plays that same guy from those kinda movies, an FBI agent who is through to have gone rouge, but it's really because he just has no idea who he is, while all this other boring stuff is going on inside the FBI. Sound familiar enough for you to decide to skip seeing this?

Ok, how about this then ... the camera work in this movie is sickening. It's one of those nauseating 'hand held' feel movies where the camera keeps shaking around... whatever idiot came up with that has got to wish he had amnesia so he can't recall ever having to see such poor image quality presented for a movie. And let's not forget the development. What is with these movie makers insisting on drowning out color and making everything look stale? It looked horrible years ago in 'Superman Returns,' what makes them think it would look any better now?

The editing is also pretty poor. Between the overly long intro/title sequence, and the annoying music chosen to be played over it, it makes it unforgivable later in the film when scenes keep switching back and forth between the main characters memories as he slowly remembers things - which was done very poorly. By the time the end of the movie came and all the pieces of the puzzle came together, I just did not care anymore.

In fact, I didn't care from the start. The pace of the whole movie is very slow. It just goes on and on and on and then a gun shot here, a bad car chase there, then more snorefest-o-rama, big bang, the end.

If you have never seen Steve Austin in a movie, then I recommend "The Condemned", you may or may not like "Damaged" but if you liked the latter and not the last, you are definitely going to hate this one too. [MH] This is a Widescreen Presentation (2.35:1) enhanced for 16x9 TVs and comes with the Special Features of:

'The Stranger': Behind The Scenes
Theatrical Trailer

Overview: One of the best-ever British TV series, Minder stars the legendary George Cole (A Christmas Carol) as smooth-talking used car salesman Arthur Daley, a man synonymous with dodgy goods and shady deals, who knows a "nice little earner" when he sees one. He hires former boxer Terry McCann (Dennis Waterman - The Sweeney) to be his 'minder' (bodyguard) to protect him from other small-time crooks. Consistently entertaining, the two make a living - one more than the other - on the grimy streets of London.

DVD Verdict: 'Minder' ran for ten series (yes, I know, I'm British and I was blown away by that fact too!) from 29 October 1979 to 10 March 1994, and starred Dennis Waterman as Terry McCann, an honest and likable bodyguard (minder in London slang), and George Cole as Arthur Daley, a well-dressed but unscrupulous importer-exporter, wholesaler, used-car salesman, and anything else from which there was money to be made whether inside the law or not!

In the series opener, 'Gunfight at the O.K. Laundrette,' and just after the history between Authur and Terry is cleverly revealed in the black and white segments of the opening credits, Terry is quickly embroiled in a hold-up at a local launderette. This episode is a very solid one to open with, but features some racial slurs: Authur to Terry over the phone, "You let three dopey spades turn you over?"

In 'Bury my Half at Waltham Green,' a nice story build up sees Terry stretch his drama chops here ... and it comes complete with a nice twist ending. This episode is all about some buried bank heist money that seemingly more than just the guy who buried it are after!

In 'The Smaller They Are,' we get the first appearance of The Winchester Club (and its original setting/location), and Dave the aimable, if not dopey bar man. This episode is all about a briefcase chock full of half a million dollars, and also gives us our first run in with Detective Constable Rycott ... not to mention, Scotch Harry!

In 'A Tethered Goat,' Terry guards a visiting Lebanese businessman/politician at a West Kensington flat. Initially told it�s a simple job, he finds that the visitor has been set up for a politically-motivated assassination! This episode features the GREAT acting talents of Kenneth Griffith as man servant, Dai Llewellyn.

In 'The Bounty Hunter,' Terry and Arthur help a young widow who�s been swindled out of her life savings in a Majorcan property scheme run by Freddie Fenton, a crooked businessman. She gets her money back, but only after Des and Terry hijack Fenton�s Rolls-Royce and blackmail him! Great scene here features an Off Licence called Mr. Booze ... and Terry seems to have a different flat!

In 'Aces High � and Sometimes Very Low,' after being banned by several casinos for being too successful, Maurice Michaelson (the always-brilliant Anthony Valentine), a professional gambler, participates in a illegal high-stakes card game, with Terry minding him. The game is rigged but Maurice manages to win anyway � with a spot of cheating, of course! Way too many minutes upon minutes of card playing scenes bog this one down though.

In 'The Bengal Tiger,' Terry and Arthur are drawn into the problems of newspaper shop owner Mr. Mukerjee, whose daughter Indira has been promised in arranged marriages to several older wealthy Indian businessmen in returns for dowery payments! Nothing much plays out here, save for the fact that Terry seems to now be back in his old/original flat!

In 'Come in T64, Your Time is Ticking Away,' Terry goes undercover as a driver to find out who�s sabotaging the minicab firm Arthur co-owns. He eventually discovers that Arthur�s minority partner wants out, but there is more to the whole thing than meets the eye. Watch out for the kids in the room for this one, as it features some fully-nude women!

In 'Monday Night Fever,' Arthur falls heavily for Sharon, a glamorous would-be nightclub singer and offers to manage her career, despite her terrible voice! He is ripped off by the club owner and as he has fallen out with Terry, engages some thug to deliver retribution ... but not all goes according to plan! Mr. Chisholm appears again in this one, if only briefly, but enough to get us salivating at knowing what a major character he was to this series as it progressed. Mind you, Arthur having a fling was quite unexpected to watch!

In 'The Dessert Song,' Terry and Arthur assist Charlie, a Greek Cypriot newly arrived in London, but learn that he�s come with a shot gun in order to kill the Turkish Cypriot man he believes killed his brother in Cyprus. This tale features some HORRIBLE fake Greek accents, but some great guest stars: Peter Bland as Charlie; Dianne Keen as Christina; and the annoying owner guy of the retirement home in 'Waiting For God'!

Finally, in 'You Gotta Have Friends,' Billy Gilpin turns up at Arthur�s home, badly injured, and begging for assistance. Terry drives him to where he want to go, but Billy is later found dead. It emerges that he was involved in a lucrative racket selling fake bearer bonds. A heavy episode for a season ender, for sure, but this one shows the true bond, no pun intended, between Arthur and Terry. George Baker (Inspector Wexford) stars here as the thug trying to get his money back. This is a Full Screen Presentation (1.33:1) enhanced for 16x9 TVs.

Overview: Based on a true story, Bare Knuckles shows how far a woman will go to provide for the ones she loves.

DVD: 'Bare Knuckles' is the story of Samantha (Jeanette Roxborough), who tries to make ends meet by entering the rough and tumble world of underground women�s bare-knuckle boxing. To make matters harder for her, Samantha is raising a handicapped child, played by Roxborough�s real-life, deaf-mute daugher Teya.

For those that don't know, Jeanette Roxborough is a stunt double trying to turn actress, which might explain the badly-timed/acted punches, and complete lack of facial tone. Indeed, some of the fights in the tournaments felt rushed, with most lasting something like 30 seconds. And, hey now, I'm not talking about highlights of the fight, I'm talking about from start to finish of the actual match!

For my money, they should have used less people in the tournament and made the fights a little longer and more competitive. The grand finale fight is actually OK though, and was shot on location at Castle Kashan in Malibu, California. Sometimes known as Hodge Castle or Malibu Castle the 10,000 square ft replica of a Scottish castle was also used for filming 'Highway to Heaven (1984).

As for additional info, one of her opponents is played by kickboxing champ Bridgett �Baby Doll� Riley; and Samantha�s trainer is played by Cobra Kai sensei Marin Kove. This is a Widescreen Presentation (1.85:1) enhanced for 16x9 TVs and comes with the Special Features of:

Behind the Ropes Featurette
American Girl Music Video
Trailer

Overview: Known as England's answer to The Ventures, underrated British rock group The Shadows started out as Cliff Richards' 1950s backup band, but went on to score solo success as surf-guitar instrumentalists throughout the 1960s and '70s. This 2004 concert reunites original members Hank Marvin, Bruce Welch, and Brian Bennett as they perform Shadows classics such as "Apache," "Man of Mystery," "FBI," "Kon Tiki," "Wonderful Land," "Theme for Young Lovers," and many more.

Blu ray Verdict: Like many young boys growing up in the mid 1960 era, Hank Marvin was my guitar hero. Almost fifty years later, he still is as well as for some heavy weight guitar players. The Blu ray is a great production and features the main trio - Hank Marvin, Bruce Welch and Brian Bennett - very equitably. The tunes (and songs) are executed perfectly.

Yes, they are seasoned professionals but remembering 41 numbers with such accuracy and passion is amazing. All the big hits are there as well as some outings from Marvin, Welch and Farrar and some of their own interpretations of other composers' work.

Assisted by keyboardist Cliff Hall (an 80's Shadow) and bassist Mark Griffiths, the band run through an extensive set of their huge repertoire, as well as a couple of Marvin, Welch & Farrar tunes, and a selection of Cliff Richard tunes written by members of the band.

"Theme For Young Lovers" is still as gorgeous a melody as it was in 1963. "The Stranger" & "Kon-Tiki" is a great combination of rock and roll and Island melody together in one medley. "Don't Make My Baby Blue" and "The Rise and Fall of Flingel Bunt" represent the Shadows's middle years with two top notch performances.

"Shadoogie", "Foot Tapper", "Dance On" , "Gonzales", "FBI" & "The Savage" showcase the Shadows' more rocking side, while songs like "Peace Pipe", "The Frightened City", "Atlantis" and "Wonderful Land" highlight the band's more melodic material.

The 80's material is highlighted by "Mountains of the Moon", "Equinox V", "Going Home", "Cavatina" and "Don't Cry For Me, Argentina".

It's so difficult to pick a favourite but for me, it's a non-Shads tune; I think they played the perfect "Equinox" which is just before the interval. This is a Full Screen Presentation (1.33:1) enhanced for 16x9 TVs and comes with the Special Features of:

2004 Interview with The Shadows.

Overview: Ethan Hawke plays Edward Dalton, a researcher in the year 2019, when an unknown plague has transformed the world�s population into vampires. As the human population nears extinction, vampires must capture and farm every remaining human, or find a blood substitute before time runs out.

DVD Verdict: 'Daybreakers' is a breath of fresh, garlic and blood scented air, that steers clear of the recent abomination of sparkly vampires, and holds true to the genre's rich history while still managing an infusion of originality.

When a shortage of blood causes widespread hunger and panic amongst the predominant vampire population of the world, global blood banks - the primary one is run by sinister Bromley Marks (Sam Neill) - begin to ration for survival and plan for a synthetic substitute, headed by Edward Dalton (Ethan Hawke), a vampire who shows great empathy for his most likely food source.

Meanwhile, the remaining humans scurry about in the dark like field-mice, hoping to avoid the keen night-vision of the vampire hunters who wish to capture the humans for harvesting. When Edward runs into crossbow-toting, former vampire Elvis (Willem Dafoe), he takes the steps towards discovering, testing, and implementing a cure.

An accessible plot and adequate direction by the Speirig brothers makes Daybreakers enjoyable, but not overbearing. With interlaced social commentary (substitute blood for today's oil crises) and similarities to previous vampire movies - most notably the cinematographic stylings of the Blade Collection and the cure for a "disease" from I Am Legend - the film is intelligent without unnecessary comedic aspects (although I found the concept of exploding vampire animals causing forest fires to be quite hilarious).

Special effects are a mix of CGI and old-school, with almost enough to satisfy a gore-hound. Add in an homage to the classic look of Nosferatu vampires and the result is an entertaining addition to the vampire genre, with just enough action and storyline to make up for a lack of character development.

Highly recommended for horror and sci-fi fans. Not recommended for fans of glittery, emo vampires. [JBA] This is a Widescreen Presentation (2.35:1) enhanced for 16x9 TVs and comes with the Special Features of:

Making of 'Daybreakers' (edited version)
Commentary with co-directors Peter and Michael Spierig and creature designer Steve Boyle
Trailer
Poster Art Gallery

Overview: 'The Spy Next Door' stars Jackie Chan as Bob Ho, an undercover CIA superspy who decides to give up his career in espionage to settle down with his next-door neighbor and girlfriend, Gillian (Amber Valletta). But Bob has one more mission to complete before Gillian agrees to marry him: winning over her three opinionated kids.

DVD Verdict: 'The Spy Next Door' is a feel-good comedy flick for all ages. Indeed, it was a well-put-together movie and an overall enjoyable experience for both me and my wife. The short of it is that Jackie plays a CIA agent who lives next door (in a CIA house) to a woman (Amber Valletta) that he is falling in love with and she with him.

She happens to be single with three children, two of which totally despise him for being such a geek - played adeptly by Chan with his "geek" glasses and batting eyelashes - and one, the youngest, who kind of likes him. The relationship between Jackie and Amber cannot go any further until he can try to get the kids to accept him, and that's where the story begins. They don't know he's a spy, and he doesn't want to be one anymore.

A friend of mine was complaining about wires being used instead of Jackie going full bore with his stunts and stunt team (Sing Ga Ban or Jackie Chan Stuntman Association). But look, the guy is pushing 60, and most of the "wire" stunts are done by other characters in the movie, not Jackie. Come to think of it, I can only think of one particular instance where Jackie was obviously using wires. Jackie can still perform stunts with the best of them.

Overall, a cute, funny, and wholesome movie for the entire family to enjoy![JL] This is a Widescreen Presentation (2.35:1) enhanced for 16x9 TVs and comes with the Special Features of:

Jackie Chan: Stunt master and mentor
Working with the king of action
Adventures in acting with the kids from The Spy Next Door
Bloopers

Overview: James Reece (Jonathan Rhys-Meyers), personal aide to the U.S. Ambassador to France, is secretly moonlighting as a low-level CIA operative. Looking for more action, Reece accepts a job that teams him with wise-cracking special agent Charlie Wax (John Travolta), a trigger-happy loose cannon sent to Paris on a mission of international importance!

DVD Verdict: 'From Paris With Live' is an odd title for this 93 minutes of slaughtering in the name of smoking out Terrorists. But then it is an odd movie, too, one that fans of John Travolta's screen chewing side will love.

There is so little story that it doesn't need summary. Two guys - one Special OPs wannabe James Reece (Jonathan Rhys Meyers with an American accent) is assigned to partner with an infamous spy called Charlie Wax (John Travolta in top edgy comedic form) to first uncover a cocaine ring of Chinese (they accomplish this by killing everyone) and then the two jump around on buildings and stairwells and car chases and explosions to uncover planned terrorist attack from the Pakistanis - again accomplished by killing everyone.

There is a bit of twist in the relationship of Reece and his beautiful girlfriend Caroline (Kasia Smutniak) that adds a bit of story to the otherwise bullet-infested goings-on, but best that be not revealed as it is the only part of the film that resembles story.

The reason this creation by writers Luc Beeson and Adi Hasak works in the hands of director Pierre Morel lies completely in the entertainment provided by Travolta - and the straight guy image of Rhys Meyers. Their banter does little to make us get into the characters, but they do provide a vaudeville-like dance with weapons peppered with some funny set-ups and dialog to make this movie entertaining.

At least everyone appreciates the purpose of making the movie is not a serious one and watching it can be a fairly good evening's past time. [GH] This is a Widescreen Presentation (2.35:1) enhanced for 16x9 TVs and comes with the Special Features of:

Audio commentary with director Pierre Morel
The making-of 'From Paris with Love'
Spies, Spooks and Special Ops: Life Under Cover
Secrets of Spy Craft: Inside the International Spy Museum
Theatrical Trailer

Overview: David Tennant and Patrick Stewart star in this critically acclaimed production of Shakespeare�s masterpiece from Britain�s renowned Royal Shakespeare Company.

DVD Verdict: I have no doubt that this updated rendition of Hamlet looks marvelous on stage. Unfortunatly the production of this film cannot seem to shake it's stage roots, making it a sometimes awkward experience.

This version of 'Hamlet' (as you probably know) updates the tale top modern day times with a bit of cold-war mentality mixed in. The use of 'black and white' security footage is a nice homage to old thrillers giving it a cold, isolated atmosphere and the feeling of paranoia between chracters comes off quite well throughout the story.

Unfortunatly the director decided to keep the camera stationary throughout most of it's scenes eliminating any personal connection you have with the setting and characters. The close-ups look great as do the more enclosed scenes (the bit on the stairs with Ophelia and Laertes was very well shot, as was the 'mouse-trap' performance scene) but with bigger sets the movie looks stagey and unauthentic (the opening with the ghost looks rediculous!).

The one consistanly good thing about this movie version of Hamlet is it's acting. David Tennant is VERY impressive as the title character (with not a hint of Dr. Who, even in Hamlet's more humerous scenes). With every motion, every expression perfectly in tune his performance is really something to see!

Patrick Stewart is equally good as Claudius (though I'd expect nothing less from the theater veteran). Mariah Gale plays a more laid-back, reserved Ophelia but I quite liked her performance (her break-down scenes are terrific!).

In fact the whole cast is perfectly in character and really do comendable jobs. It's really unfortunate the sometimes boring camera work (which I mentioned above) makes alot of the more emotional scenes look cheesy and awkward. Suprisingly though the characters addressing the camera didnt' bother me as much as I thought it would.

While I have mixed feelings about this TV production of Hamlet the performances and updating of this familir tale are absoluely stunning! I know I'll never get to see this version of Hamlet on stage which is really a shame because there's no doubt in my mind it would look terrific. Unfortunatly the sometimes boring camera work makes for a very uneven TV experience. [JB] This is a Widescreen Presentation (1.78:1) enhanced for 16x9 TVs and comes with the Special Features of:

Commentary by Gregory Doran, Sebastian Grant, and Chris Seager
The Making of 'Hamlet'

Overview: Every episode of Tom and Diana's adventure at Bayview Retirement Village is now available in one complete set! At the Bayview Retirement Village the elderly are expected to grow old gracefully, enjoying their final years in peace, quiet and comfort... but not if Tom (Graham Crowden) and Diana (Stephanie Cole) have anything to do with it!

DVD: Come on now, is there anything better than a grouchy 'ol lady being forced to put up with a crazy 'ol man in the setting of a retirement home? This is a fantastic comedy just about that and it is so side-splittingly funny that you will keep on laughing after every episode is over. I think that all generations will love this.

Clever, angry, annoyed and freakin' brilliant! The off-friendship between Diana Trent and Tom Ballard makes for quite a comedy. British television program Waiting For God's Season One is a great example of classic and thoroughly entertaining (and enjoyable) comedy, and no doubt shows the reason it was so well-received by viewers. One of the definitive British comedies of all time!

Tom and Diana are perfect in the way that the banter. He's an optimist who lives in a fantasy world. His wretched family provides plenty of cannon-fodder for his off-beat observations and odd humor. Diana is a hardcore realist who has a sharp tongue and a suspicious nature. Between the two of them, there isn't much that can withstand their combined wit and sly humor.

Their arch-nemesis is a narcissistic manager who's official (within the old folks home) nickname is "The Idiot Baines" and his timid sycophant/ admirer Jane.

What kept me watching the episodes is the way the characters are presented. Even in the very first season, Diana puts it thusly: "We are not a group to be managed." Fighting for the respect they deserve - in a society that reveres age in everything but itself - Diana and Tom carve such a niche at Bayview that Harvey spends the entire run of the show trying to chuck them out!

Ideas that would be handled with all the tact of a road roller in the US get treated with a sense of decorum. Indeed, the first season episode entitled "Scandal," first aired in October of 1993, is proof of that.

And, as much as many, oh so many things/mishaps happen to this lively 'couple' throughout the five season, come the final one, and, well, the last season of the award-winning comedy series has Tom landing in jail after a driving lesson goes awry!

Meanwhile, following Diana's rejection of his marriage proposal, Tom decides to go bungee jumping. At the very edge of his leap, Diana withdraws her refusal but lays down strict ground rules for their future married life. Now the only challenge left is to live happily ever after! This is a Full Screen Presentation (1.33:1) enhanced for 16x9 TVs and comes with the Special Features of:

All five seasons on nine discs
1992 and 1993 Christmas Specials
A "Funny Women" Featurette: Stephanie Cole
Cast Biographies
Season 1: mono; Seasons 2-5: stereo

Overview: Superintendent Andy Dalziel is no typical supersleuth; though canny and observant, he's also crude and pushy to the point of brutish--but in the hands of Warren Clarke, the lumpy yet charismatic actor who plays Dalziel, he's the driving force of a very-long-lived British crime series. His partner is Detective Inspector Peter Pascoe (Colin Buchanan), who approaches crime from a more educated, intellectual perspective.

DVD: The Dalziel and Pascoe mysteries' greatest strength is the relationship between one of television's most interesting odd couples. One would expect the bombastic Dalziel to take an instant dislike to the young, educated, sophisticated and smart Pascoe, but exactly the opposite happens. It is the unexpected nature of this relationship and unexpected nuances of both characters that keep this series interesting.

This series succeeds in keeping the viewer guessing about the motivations of not only the suspects, but of the lead detectives as well. Pascoe's girlfriend, later wife, may not be my choice for the detective, but the character adds a real dimension to the show and is not there merely to support the lead actors.

All in all, an outstanding series, especially considering that I did not care for Reginald Hill's books. My only disappointment is that there are only three episodes in this series - which I still don't understand how that can add up to one 'complete first season'?!

Anyway, the series starts off with a high-standard that it managed to maintain almost to the end ... before sadly the BBC ended it! The acting and banter between the two main leads is a continual joy with Buchanan's educated young officer locking horns with Clarke's apparently ham-fisted detective.

Happily the series starts with the moment the two leads meet for the first time and the instant friction between them is excellently played, especially if you've seen only later episodes where they have both learnt to respect each others' abilities and so there's less banter between them.

The first two episodes are the strongest featuring a murder connected to Dalziel's rugby club and on old buried secret at a college. The third is the so-called weak link, for it simply isn't a standard D&P tale. Feeling, and for all intents and purposes, looking more like an Agatha Christie style whodunnit in a stately home, Pascoe is largely absent for the entire tale.

That said, this third, and last of the first season episode is hilarious in that there are so many one-liners coming forth from Dalziel that it'll make your head spin! Continually wet, always on the end of a snarky, upper crust comment, and eventually falling into bed with the lady of the house, the episode may not be a typical one, but it sure fires on all cylinders ... for me, at least.

On a personal note, the lady that plays Pascoe's wife is someone I find irritating beyond all belief ... as she speaks, and acts in a VERY smug way that doesn't make her believable as someone Pascoe would marry. There, I said it! This is a Full Screen Presentation (1.33:1) enhanced for 16x9 TVs.

Overview: As Z02, they re the hard-rocking Brooklyn band that s toured with KISS. And as The Z Brothers, they pay the rent playing kids birthday parties. But as this new season begins, Paulie Z, David Z and Joey D have left music altogether.

DVD: The stars of this series (real life bandmates of the band ZO2) Paulie Z, David Z and Joey Cassata who share a great chemistry along with a long list of guest stars bring this series to life. The humor is raunchy and fun and Lynne Koplitz as band manager Dina and Jay Oakerson as club owner Neil definitely share their own brand of crude humor.

Not for kids, Zrock gives the adults a full 30 minutes of hilarious entertainment. Sprinkled throughout is some of the band's actual music. If I had to change anything, it would be that more of ZO2's music would be showcased. Check out ZO2's cds, Tuesdays and Thursdays, Ain't It Beautiful and Casino Logic, all available here on amazon. And cross your fingers for a season 3 of Z rock.

As 'Z-Rock: Season 2' opens, the boys have gone their separate ways and ended the dream of becoming rock and roll legends. Could this really be the end? No way, not with their promiscuous manager and a depraved club owner trying to get the band back together again. And so what we get next is another round of crazy ex-girlfriends, manic MILFs, and some truly bizarre gigs!!

'Z-Rock: Season 2' features an eclectic list of guest stars to help the boys out, including Daryl Hall, Dave Navarro, John Popper, Bethenny Frankel, Dee Snider, Jim Norton, Chris Jericho, Frank Stallone, Jeffrey Ross, Warren Sapp, Constantine Maroulis, Marky Ramone and Joan Rivers! [KG] This is a Widescreen Presentation (1.85:1) enhanced for 16x9 TVs.

Overview: �The screen needs smooth comics like this one,� The New York Times� Bosley Crowther wrote about Red Skelton�s starring debut in Whistling in the Dark [Disc 1]. What was true then is true today when Red unleashes live-wire goofiness as the Fox, a radio sleuth kidnapped by crooks wanting him to devise a perfect murder. The result? Perfect chaos!

DVD Verdict: In 'Whistling in the Dark' (1941), Red plays a radio actor/writer who does a weekly murder mystery radio show. Coming up with near perfect crimes for his radio character to solve. But he is kidnapped by the mob. They want him to plan perfect murders for them that they will actually carry out.

It`s a laugh a minute as Red`s cowardly character tries to keep his own skin intact and escape with same without becoming involved in a real murder.

The light-hearted thrills, laughs and fun start from there and never let you down. Be forewarned, this film is in black and white, but don't let that stop you!

In 'Whistling in Dixie' (1942), Red stars once again as Wally "The Fox" Benton who is still trying to marry the love of his life, Carol Lambert, played by Ann Rutherford. When Ann receives their sorority distress call pin from a sorority sister summoning her and her fiance to help in solving a murder, wedding bells are once again put off in exchange for whistling around with another murder.

Indeed, 'Whistling in Dixie' is almost as good as the first film in the series. Wally and his girl go way down south and become involved in trying to solve a murder with absolutely hilarious results.

Rags Regland plays a duel role in this film as one of the good guys and one of the bad guys. He is nearly as funny as Skelton as he plays twins Chester and Sylvester.

'Whistling In Brooklyn' (1943) is Red's third, and final outing here as radio detective the Fox. This time he's mixed up with a villian named Constant Reader but still finds time to clown around with the Brooklyn Dodgers. You'll want to pay close attention to the umpire's calls when Red is at bat, especially ball 3.

Rags Ragland and Jean Rogers are also hilarious. At times, I even find Ragland funnier than Skelton. But my favorite is still Ann Rutherford (Carol, the reporter) - I've never seen her in such a role!

Red Skelton was one of the best comedians who ever lived. It was often said that he could do more with less than just about any other comedian. He was a natural born clown. This is a Full Screen Presentation (1.33:1) enhanced for 16x9 TVs.

'RED SKELTON - Whistling Collection' is exclusively available via the WarnerArchive.com: http://bit.ly/WAC_RedSkelton

Overview: Undisputed III: Redemption follows a group of prisoners from maximum security prisons around the world who are brought together by a powerful underground gambling syndicate. Their challenge: to compete, and survive, in a secret, survival-of-the-fiercest battle competition.

Blu ray Verdict: Scott Adkins ("Ninja", "X-Men Origins: Wolverine") returns as Uri Boyka, former prison fighting champion, who now has a bum knee after his crushing defeat at the end of "Undisputed 2". He wants Russian mob boss Gaga (Mark Ivanir, who makes a very welcome return) to enter him in the first international prison tournament where the grand prize is total freedom.

Gaga refuses, knowing of his bad leg and absense from competition, until Boyka absolutely wastes the current Russian champ. Boyka then packs for the Republic of Georgia and the 8-man elimination contest. There are fighters from France, Croatia, Brazil, Greece, Korea, America, and the favorite, Columbian born Dolor (Marko Zaror, "Kiltro"), resident of the host prison.

If the odds were not already stacked against Boyka, prison officials and mob bookies may have a few tricks up their collective sleeve to favor Dolor.

The fights? Awww, yeah! Adkins has already proven he belongs at the top of the list of current martial arts actors. I was particularly excited to see Lateef Crowder again after his awesome fight with Tony Jaa in "The Protector". He has two fights here, neither of which disappoints! The casting of Chilean actor Marko Zaror as the lead bad guy is really where the brilliance comes in to play.

I had heard much about his skill from word-of-mouth and youtube clips but I really didn't know what to expect. He is fantastic, not only in physical skill, but in his character portrayal as well. He speaks excellent English, even to the point where his sly wit comes shining through. I want to see a lot more of this dude! He is 6-and-a-half-feet of spin kicking mayhem! [ML] This is a Widescreen Presentation (1.85:1) enhanced for 16x9 TVs and comes with the Special Features of:

Feature film on Blu-ray Disc
Feature film on DVD
Digital Copy on Disc

Overview: Animation fans will want to join Johnny Bravo, the dim-witted, girl-chasing, muscle-flexing, sunglasses-wearing, clown-hating, mama-loving pretty boy as he karate-chops his way through 13 outrageous episodes of action-packed antics that�ll rock your world!

DVD: This series (along with other former CTN greats such as Dexter's Lab) should have come out a long time ago. Johnny Bravo was part of the golden age of CTN (back when they still had toonami and showed things like reboot). A very good cartoon that ecompasses modern and old school style humor. Like a lot of good cartoons though it went south towards the end of its time. For the most part though it's all around good fun for the kids with some jokes adults can apperciate too.

Guest appearances from Scooby-Doo and the Mystery, Inc. gang along with celebrities like Farrah Fawcett, Adam West and Donny Osmond, with illustration and scripts by Family Guy creator, Seth MacFarlane, boost this two-disc collection to hubba-hubba status. Play it cool, like Johnny would, and play this heaping helping of pure Bravo! In truth, the show is a pretty silly one without any real lessons to learn and just a lot of fun watching Johnny try to be a ladies' man ... and always getting beaten up by them eventually! None the less, it's still a great find for fans of Hanna Barbara animation. Hilarious pop-culture references include spoofs of Schoolhouse Rock, The Wizard of Oz, The Jungle Book and Dr. Seuss! This is a Full Screen Presentation (1.77:1) enhanced for 16x9 TVs and comes with the Special Features of:

Bringing Up Bravo � Series documentary that will allow viewers to explore the beginnings, middles, endings, and everything in between of Johnny Bravo
Audio Commentary � With Van Partible, Jeff Bennett, and Seth MacFarlane
Johnny Bravo Original Pencil Tests � Introduced by Van Partible, featured are some of the original pencil tests used in the production process
Seth McFarlane Audio Track � Listen to Seth MacFarlane lay down an entire temp track on his own well before he would become known for his hit show Family Guy

Overview: Warner Home Video (WHV) celebrates the most enduring team in animation history, Tom and Jerry, with the release of Tom and Jerry: Deluxe Anniversary Collection.

DVD: 'Tom and Jerry' was one of my absolute favorite cartoons growing up. And this new Deluxe Anniversary 2-Disc Collection is worth every penny ... and then some. As soon as I received the DVD box-set for review from my wonderful editor, I popped them into the DVD player ... and soon, myself and my children were cracking up!

I will say they are much more violent than I remember but I personally never associated Tom and Jerry with violence, just a great cartoon that I loved to watch. For the most part, children know the difference between what is real and not. For 50 years, children grew up watching Tom and Jerry and to ban it now seems ridiculous to me. Especially compared to what is shown on TV these days.

I sat down and watched Cartoon Network with my 5-year-old daughter recently and was appalled at some of the inappropriateness of new cartoons!

Anyway, 'Tom and Jerry: Deluxe Anniversary Collection' features seven shorts that became Oscar� winners for Best Short Subject, Cartoons. They include Yankee Doodle Mouse, Mouse Trouble, Quiet Please!, The Cat Concerto, The Little Orphan, Johann Mouse and Two Mousketeers.

The set begins with the short that started it all, the Oscar� nominated Puss Gets the Boot. Puss Gets the Boot, not only catapulted the then-unnamed Tom and Jerry to meteoric stardom but also served as the launching pad for the collaborative efforts of another gifted legendary duo, William Hanna and Joseph Barbera.

Also included on the DVD is an excerpt from the 1945 live action film Anchors Aweigh, in which Jerry performs a dance routine with Gene Kelly. Another featured excerpt is from the 1953 musical film Dangerous When Wet, in which Tom and Jerry appear with Esther Williams in a dream sequence where they perform a synchronized swimming routine. This is a Full Screen Presentation (1.77:1) enhanced for 16x9 TVs.

www.kidswb.com

Overview: The Miami crime scene continues heating up for Master spy-for-hire Michael Westen as the Third Season of USA Network original series �Burn Notice� arrives on to DVD.

DVD: So, as many people have asked, and I'm sure many more will continue to, why is this show soooooo great?! Well, the show's writing remains very sharp, even three seasons in, the main acting trio has superb chemistry, and getting weekly spy stories makes it easier to bear the surprising lack of good spy films coming out these days!

Sure, the Cold War is over, but spies are and will always be cool fodder for entertainment. Michael, Sam (Bruce Campbell), and Fi (Gabrielle Anwar) have the three essential parts of any crack team: the frontman to go undercover (Michael), the surveillance and heavy hitter (Sam), and the demolitionist with sex appeal (Fi).

It's the best of all the spy characters rolled into three leads tempered by a sort of A-Team mentality where the team takes on the problems of the everyman as they work out problems in the deeper, darker corners of the spy world.

The formula worked well for two seasons, the reason it falters in the third season is because they use the exact same stakes as in the previous season, the troublesome figure keeping tabs on Michael's team from season two, played by Tricia Helfer, gets replaced by the less threatening Moon Bloodgood whose methods aren't nearly as vindictive and who ultimately accepts Michael as a force for good.

The Spy vs. Spy plot, which was also taken up by Helfer in the second season, never fully materializes until the final episodes of this season and even then they're little more than a pretense to setup Michael's potential rejoining of the fold.

The evil spy of the third season comes in the form of Chris Vance who plays the British, sexually ambiguous Mason Gilroy and who runs Michael through the usual don't ask, don't tell missions where Michael undertakes seemingly unconnected missions towards some greater goal. Will he figure it out in time? Yes, yes he will. Because Michael Westen is awesome.

The cast's chemistry makes 'Burn Notice' what it is. Jeffrey Donovan, Bruce Campbell, and Gabrielle Anwar are hilarious in their quick-paced banter, and when Sharon Gless is added into the mix as Michael's increasingly jaded mother - every episode has at least 5 solid comedic bits. Additionally, the series boasts occasional appearances by the likes of Paul Tei, Tim Matheson (who also directs a few episodes), and Jay Karnes (Dutchboy of The Shield).

The visual aesthetic of the show uses Miami's perpetual sunshine to great effect and the show has retained its stunning look from its onset. [ML] This is a Widescreen Presentation (1.77:1) enhanced for 16x9 TVs and comes with the Special Features of:

Smash, Crash, Boom: Inside the Burn Notice Stunt Unit
2009 San Diego Comic-Con International Panel

Overview: At work, L.A. Deputy Chief Brenda Johnson is a woman in charge. Got a suspect to grill, a case to crack, a murderer about to walk? Call Brenda in and watch the fireworks. But at home...well, that�s another story. Kyra Sedgwick headlines a sizzling 4-Disc, 15-Episode Season 5 of the series that combines heart, humor and homicide into a show that�s equally compelling as a police procedural and a personal drama.

DVD: Kyra Sedgwick is a thoroughly believable as Brenda Leigh Johnson. In fact, I was floored when I saw her do an interview and realized that she doesn't really have a Georgia accent! Brenda is so human. Yes, she is great at extracting confessions, one way or another, but she also has her foibles, like her penchant for chocolate, her reluctance to throw away old love letters from Will Pope, her rather high-handed and ineffective parenting style with her niece, Charlie (played by her real-life daughter, Sosie Bacon, which is pretty funny).

It's not just Brenda, though. All the characters are fascinating. Personally, I identify with Lt. Provenza because, well, he's me. But Sgt. Gabriel, Flynn, Fritz, Lt. Tao, Buzz, and all the rest are just interesting, believable characters, brilliantly portrayed. And J. K. Simmons, as Chief Will Pope is a delight. That man can say more with one brief facial expression than many actors can in an entire speech. And I look forward to visits from Brenda's mother (Frances Steenbergen) as much as Brenda dreads them.

As a writer, what grabs me most about this show is the writing. The plots are always realistic, the story lines tightly interwoven. For instance, frequently, some little detail in Brenda's "real life," some little detail arising out of a sub-plot about her relationship with Fritz, or her mother, will give her the sudden insight that lets her close her case. But these story points never seem contrived. The interwoven subplots never seem out of place - you don't realize until the end how neatly everything fits together.

If you are new to 'The Closer,' I recommend starting with Season 1, to get the background on Brenda's being in L.A., and her relationship with Will Pope. If you are familiar with the show, then this review is probably unnecessary except to say that Season 5 is better than ever. [MJM] This is a Widescreen Presentation (1.85:1) enhanced for 16x9 TVs and comes with the Special Features of:

Police Files: Unaired Scenes
Seen at the Crime Location Map � A featurette that takes viewers to various locales where memorable series moments were shot.
Gag Reel

www.closerdvd.com

'THE CLOSER - Season 5' NOW in HD!

All Season in HD on July 5th: bit.ly/HD_TheCloser

Overview: In The 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo, mystery and mayhem prevail when Scooby-Doo and Shaggy accidentally set free a pack of troublemaking spooks. On a trip to Honolulu, Daphne�s plane winds up landing in Tibet. While visiting a temple, Scooby and Shaggy are tricked into opening the Chest of Demons, which houses 13 of the most-frightening ghosts and ghouls to ever haunt the earth.

DVD: For those with long minds on the subject, or simply Scooby-Doo fans/freaks, 'The 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo' originally premiered September 1985 on ABC! Funnily enough, this show doesn't even have Velma or Fred, but they have got new characters ... along with the well known Scooby Doo, Shaggy, Scrappy, and Daphne, of course.

The new characters consists of Flim-Flam and Vincent Van Ghoul who help the gang with what the main plot line. Said main plot is that they are trying to put the 13 ghosts that they had released from the Chest of Demons by accident! While trying to do this, two not-so-intelligent ghosts - Weerd and Bogel - get in the way, always trying to stop the gang; just never really succeeding!

There were thirteen episodes produced, of course, I mean, come on now, just check the title out, and they run as: 1. To All the Ghouls I've Loved Before; 2. Scoobra Kadoobra; 3. Me and My Shadow Demon; 4. Reflections in a Ghoulish Eye; 5. That's Monstertainment; 6. Ship of Ghouls; 7. A Spooky Little Ghoul Like You; 8. When You Witch Upon A Star; 9. It's A Wonderful Scoob; 10. Scooby in Kwackyland; 11. Coast to Ghost; 12. The Ghouliest Show on Earth; and 13. Horror-Scope Scoob.

And so, to prevent these 13 ghosts from wreaking havoc upon the world, the gang embarks on a global quest to recapture them. Scooby-Doo�s nephew, Scrappy-Doo, and new 'team members' Flim-Flam and warlock Vincent Van Ghoul join in the chase too, as they set out to trap the escaped specters! This is a Widescreen Presentation (1.85:1) enhanced for 16x9 TVs.

www.kidswb.com

Overview: In the not-too-distant future, some 30 years after the final war, a solitary man walks across the wasteland that was once America. Empty cities, broken highways, seared earth--all around him, the marks of catastrophic destruction. There is no civilization here, no law. The roads belong to gangs that would murder a man for his shoes, an ounce of water...or for nothing at all. But they're no match for this traveler.

Blu ray: I will start by saying that I have waited quite a while to view 'The Book of Eli.' I can also say that this has got to be one of the most talked about films of the year. It seems that there is a massive loss of solid entertainment in 2010, so the pickings are quite slim. The truth is that if this were a better year for film Eli would be considered a "good" movie. Yet because there is so little to watch some are calling this film great. I can honestly say that The Book of Eli is solid entertainment not to be taken too seriously.

The story is simple. There has been a catastrophic war and somehow the sun has scorched the planet - I'm guessing the atmosphere can no longer protect humans from the UV rays because everyone in the film wears some form of goggles. Nevertheless I'll move on. Humans as we know them are no more. Mankind has reverted into a society of uneducated heathens with little recollection of the world before the great apocalypse.

There is no real form of currency so people trade their findings (random things like blankets and gloves - now considered valuable). Yet the major "find" turns out to be written text, despite the fact that very few people know how to read.

This brings us to Denzel's character (beautifully acted by Washington) who is the keeper of the most sought-after book on the planet apparently--the Bible. All but this sole copy has been erased from the earth and Washington or Eli is on a mission from God to bring the last copy to a safe place, and he will do anything or kill anyone necessary in order to do so.

Along the way he takes on droves of bad guys and henchmen, and nearly kills an entire town of people to protect this book. He also meets a young lady along the way played by Mila Kunis who clings to Eli as somewhat of a "savior."

Everything is very metaphorical in the film. You would have to be a complete idiot to not feel as though you were being hammered with the message in every conceivable way. The world is destroyed by fire (the sun - the great flash as they call it), good versus evil in the valley of death. It's all very glorious and other-worldly, and dare I say it - enjoyable!

Religious or not, the film succeeds in keeping you entertained. You care for Eli. Washington does the impossible and makes this man vulnerable despite the fact that he is at times a monster himself. Yet you want him to succeed and come out victorious. He faces the ferocious Gary Oldman who is delicious as the villain and town founder determined to use the good book for bad.

This is truly a story of David versus Goliath, and perhaps one of the most entertaining and worthwhile films I have seen all year. It's fun, suspenseful and different. In a time when the well seems to be running dry The Book of Eli stands out like water in the desert. [JJ] This is a Widescreen Presentation (2.40:1) enhanced for 16x9 TVs and comes with the Special Features of:

Maximum Movie Mode: 40 minutes of picture-in-picture commentary with Denzel Washington and the Hughes Brothers, and 10 Focus Points
Additional Scenes
A Lost Tale: Billy - animated short covering Carnegie's backstory
Starting Over: Explore the role we might play in reshaping society after a global catastrophe
Soundtrack: Co-director Allen Hughes and composer Atticus Ross compare notes about the soundtrack's construction and deconstruction
Eli's Journey: Probe the historical and mythological roots of the film's central themes

Available on Blu-ray Combo Pack, DVD, On Demand and for Download 6/15!
bit.ly/bRdqNb

Official Website

Overview: Four years in the making, filmed over 3000 days, across every continent and in every habitat, with a production budget of �14 million ($22 million) Life is the latest wildlife blockbuster from the BBC�s award-winning Natural History Unit, the producers of Planet Earth and The Blue Planet.

DVD: OK, let me say this first, and get it quicly off my chest - I am disgusted that the Discovery Channel has wasted money in re-narrating this Life series, just as they did with the Planet Earth series.

And they must have wasted quite a bit of money to get Oprah Winfrey. They paid for "one of the most influential voices of our time", but actually got an inferior narration track for their money. And I'm not just talking about the tone of Oprah's voice or the odd rhythm of her sentences. The narration is Americanized and "dumbed down" so that as some reviewers noted, it seems like it is aimed at children!

The children they are targeting would be much better off listening to Attenborough and stretching their vocabulary a bit. Actually, about the only slightly unfamiliar terms in the British version are those of the metric system, which is part of the language of science; all of us Americans would do well to finally become familiar with metric terms, and if you want to be a scientist or understand science, you must.

I also think that the Discovery Channel's re-narration is an insult to Sir Attenborough who personifies this genre. It is difficult to put my finger on exactly what is so good about his narration, but it adds another dimension to the experience, while Oprah's distracts.

And there is also the matter of the authenticity of the narrator: compare Sir Attenborough's 50+ years of experience as a naturalist to Oprah's shameless promotion of the paranormal, psychics, spiritualism, quack celebrity diets, past life regression and the poppycock of "The Secret".

I must say that while the photography of this new Life series is wonderful, I do prefer the organization and flow of the Planet Earth series. Furthermore, the Life series relies too much on slow motion photography; many scenes are shot ONLY in slow motion, so the viewer really has no idea what the behavior looks like in real time. In many cases it would be better to show a real-time sequence followed by a slow motion one in order to fully appreciate what the slo-mo shot reveals.

Still, I can't get enough of this type of material and have not been able to resist WATCHING it on the Discovery Channel. I suggest you do what I'm doing: turn down Oprah, put on "Dark Side of the Moon", and enjoy the Life visuals now. Then, watch it all again when the BBC version is released; it won't hurt you a bit to watch this stuff twice. If you don't get the Discovery Channel, by all means wait and purchase the BBC blu-ray version. This is a Widescreen Presentation (1.85:1) enhanced for 16x9 TVs and comes with the Special Features of:

The 10-episode miniseries on four discs
The Making of Life, narrated by Oprah Winfrey
Making-of segment for each episode, narrated by David Attenborough
Deleted Scenes
Option to play without narration

www.BBCAmerica.com

DVD Purchase Link

Overview: Filled with gut-busting laughs and crass humor, the ridiculously funny film follows Andy (Callen), who needs to hook up with a hottie, pronto, because he hasn't had sex in... well, forever � and his luck isn�t the only thing that�s hard. His equally horny teenage roommates also need it superbad, and with the help of their nerdy pal, McAnalovin� and his fake I.D., they may tap more than just a keg.

DVD: OK, I watched this entire movie ... all the way through ... no breaks ... no distractions ... and boy, IT IS HORRIBLE! There are no laugh-out-loud moments, no chuckle moments, no laughing-on-the-inside moments, ... NOTHING of any funny bone material.

Indeed, Bryan Callen is the only reason to watch this entire thing, but only because he reminds me ALL the time of Joe from 'News Radio'! Anyway, I always assumed that a parody is supposed to be funnier, or at the very least as funny as the original. This is one of those movies that will be on Comedy Central every Saturday at two in the morning for a month or so and then fade into obscurity.

The formula for comedy is ridiculous in this movie. They basically take a funny moment from an original Apatow movie and turn it into an extreme, over the top, ridiculous moment. It doesn't work. I sat down watching this movie thinking that it must have some shred of originality or else it would have never been made, right? Wrong!

I want to write so much more and give a million examples of why this movie sucks the big one, but like I said, it's not worth my effort. By the way, I don't want to discourage anybody from watching this. You can all learn the hard way like I did!!! This is a Widescreen Presentation (1.85:1) enhanced for 16x9 TVs and comes with the Special Features of:

The Making of 'The 41-Year-Old-Virgin Who Knocked Up Sarah Marshall And Felt Superbad About It'

The Business Of Gags
Being Jonah Hill
Bryan Callen: Internet Sex Deity
The Teaser: How They Got The Movie Made

Overview: �Ghost Hunters� is the #1 paranormal franchise on cable television. In this hit spin-off of SyFy�s popular series � which debuted to record-breaking ratings with over 2.8 million viewers tuning in � you�ll see medieval ruins, Victorian mansions and more as the hunters travel from Great Britain to Germany to New Zealand, sifting through history and mystery.

DVD: Ghost Hunters International is a spin-off series of Ghost Hunters that airs on Syfy. The series premiered on January 9, 2008. Like its parent series, GHI is a reality series that follows a team of paranormal investigators; whereas, the original series primarily covered only locations within the United States, the GHI team travels around the world and documents some of the world's most legendary haunted locations.

These GHI investigators tread around dark hallways, with flashlights in hand, looking to register unusual sounds with their equipment. Some of them jump at their own shadows and are easily startled when they hear a creak or see a flash of light!

Look, 'GHI' is basically a real version of the fictional film, 'Paranormal Activity' - just in TV show form. And even though the series can be a little rough around the edges, it's pretty solid overall, and usually fairly scary throughout � even if it is staged! This is a Widescreen Presentation (1.85:1) enhanced for 16x9 TVs and comes with the episodes of:

Chillingham Castle
Evil Unearthed
Whispers from Beyond
Haunted Village
Fortress of Fear
Headless Haunting
Frankenstein�s Castle
Larnach Castle
Devil Dogs
Castle of the Damned
Shattered Spirit

Overview: Thomas Haden Church is Don McKay: a janitor haunted by the memories of a terrible mistake he made when he was a teenager. Suddenly, after 25 years of self-imposed exile, he hears from Sonny (Elizabeth Shue), his ex-girlfriend and still the love of his life. She is dying and wants to spend her final days with him. Although it means returning to the site of the tragedy, Don rushes to her side.

DVD Verdict: Thomas Haden Church stars as the eponymous Don McKay. Don is a single, lonely janitor who sends letters each year to his high-school sweetheart, Sonny, whom he left behind. And then, completely out of the blue, and some 25 years on, Sonny (Elisabeth Shue) writes back! She tells him she�s dying and wants to spend her last days with him.

Hmmmm, ok, doesn't sound like a trap ... does it?! Anyhoo, Don IMMEDIATELY goes back to his hometown to see Sonny - who is single and now being cared for by creepy live-in nurse Marie (Melissa Leo).

The clues to who both Don and Sonny truly are, or were, are scattered throughout, giving you a little mind game jigsaw of pieces to put togetehr for 90 minutes. But, and as much as the film doesn't exactly fly off the screen, it�s frustratingly unclear what is going on sometimes, who is telling the truth, and why no one is asking certain questions begging to be asked!

Finally, the tangled plot quickly unravels at the end with an unexpected surprise ending. And all the questions running around throughout the film get an answer - THANKFULLY! This is a Widescreen Presentation (1.85:1) enhanced for 16x9 TVs and comes with the Special Features of:

Feature Commentary with Director Jake Goldberger and producer Jim Young
Deleted Scenes
Trailer

Overview: Something strange is happening in the picture-perfect Midwestern town of Ogden Marsh. One by one, the inhabitants are transforming into mindless killers�and no one is immune.

DVD: I love Romero, especially some of his not too often seen movies like The Crazies (original) and Martin. So we get an updated version, a more glossier, edgier, scarier update of the Crazies, i for one am not up for classics being remade. I just know somewhere down the line John Boorman's classic Deliverance will be remade unfortunately and Sleep Away Camp.

Anyways, this remake was actually enjoyable, as I do like the actors, Timothy Olyphant plays small town Iowa Sheriff, where people start acting in strange manners and soon whole town is in a pandemic except for a few who aren't affected like the sheriff, his wife and his loyal deputy ( Joe Anderson) who turns in a good performance as the deputy who soon starts turning into a "crazy" and so desperately trying to keep his grip on what is happening but knows he has the "crazies".

So we find that the Government had a secret biological weapon that was on a plane that crashed into a swamp and said biological crap got into the town's water supply. Then all hell breaks loose, Government guys come in, the town is under martial law, people getting executed by own government, people who are affected are contained.

This is A good thriller, but lacked what all Romero movies had, the social commentary, where back in the 70s when this was made, Romero touched upon, Government, Military, weapons, cannot trust your military. Stuff like that.

This is just an updated straight thriller/ horror, where it's selling point: quick scares, nice action sequences, cat and mouse chases between Sheriff and Military. A good pop corn movie over all, do no expect anything too deep, in fact I feel this could have been an X Files episode, whole Government Conspiracy crap and all. But I liked it for the performances, over all direction was good, nice soundtrack, and some decent scares. Indeed, this is great Saturday night popcorn movie date stuff at its finest! This is a Widescreen Presentation (1.85:1) enhanced for 16x9 TVs and comes with the Special Features of:

The Romero Template Featurette
Paranormal Pandemics
Behind-the-Scenes Featurette
Rob Hall Makeup Featurette
Audio Commentary
Still Gallery

Overview: A spin-off of Perfect Strangers, Family Matters began as the at-home adventures of elevator operator Harriette Winslow and her multigenerational family. But midway through the first season, Jaleel White made a one-shot appearance as neighborhood nerd Urkel. With oversized glasses, undersized body, screechy voice and indomitable self-confidence, Urkel proved irresistibly funny, turning White into an overnight sensation and a new star of the show!

DVD: Anybody growing up or alive in the 90's knows the name Steve Urkle. Urkle became a household name and now fans can revisit, and newcomer's can finally be introduced to, the man who did do that. Though Steve Urkle easily became a star the show wasn't only great because of him, (in fact Urkle wasn't written in until the 12th episode but became so popular they made him a regular and fit him into some earlier episodes not yet aired), but it was also great because of Carl, Harriette, Laura, Eddie and the entire Winslow family and how audiences related to them and the issues they dealt with.

Which is an even rarer thing this day and age. I still remember the way Carl would drag out "Harr-i-ette" or how Steve would be told "go home Steve" only to then respond "I don't have to take this, I'm going home." This show is classic American sticom at it's finest and they just can't make them like this anymore.

I don't know if it's because the world has changed or if they just don't know how to capture the innocence, comedy and family values the way sitcoms once used to. This show in particular had great stories that at their core taught us family does matter and it still does just as much if not more so today.

2010 is a great year for the 'Most Wanted TV Series on DVD' crowd, shows like Daria and Family Matters that fans have waited for patiently for so many years are finally getting released. Everybody, get out there and buy this, it's the bigger love of the family! This is a Full Screen Presentation (1.33:1) enhanced for 16x9 TVs.

Overview: Now in hi-def: the debut season of the series that�s �unexpectedly smart and unpredictably spooky.� � David Blum, THE NEW YORK SUN The Creepy. The Demented. The Unexplained. The Unearthly. Sam Winchester (Jared Padalecki) grew up hunting such terrifying things. But that�s all past. Law school beckons him. So does safety and normalcy. That is, until Sam�s estranged brother Dean (Jensen Ackles) appears with troubling news: their father has disappeared, a man who�s hunted evil for 22 years.

Blu ray: With so many shows based on the supernatural passing in and out of existence over the past decade, this is one that stands out. This isn't just a story of a couple of guys going out and hunting and killing things that go bump in the night, this is a story about a family whose lives have been torn apart and are desparately trying to piece them back together.

It's about a family and it's bond and the strength of that in the face of all adversity. Though, the fact that they kill ghosts, vampires, werewolves, demi-gods and demons along the way is pretty sweet too. This show is very similar to the X-Files in the sense that it has a main storyline, or mythos, that is sort of an underlying bond that holds the series together.

Even though each episode is radically different from the next in terms of story and setting, bits and pieces of the mythos are revealed throughout the season leading toward the climatic season finale. It's also very similar to the X-Files due to the show's Monster of the Week setting where each week the two protaganists, Dean and Sam, face off against a new supernatural horror.

While they are doing this, they search desparately for the man they've idolized all of their lives, their father John, who went missing during a "hunting" trip at the onset of the series. Anybody who's a fan of the X-Files, any classic horror films, or general myth and folklore will really enjoy 'Supernatural.'

Quite a few of these legends I remember even hearing as a kid and what's cool is the writers/producers of Supernatural take different aspects of a folklore/myth and kind of combine it into their own unique canon. However, as with any show that has such a long season (22 episodes) there is of course some episodes that are duds, but there are none that are flat-out unwatchable and more often than not they're just awesome. This is a Widescreen Presentation (1.85:1) enhanced for 16x9 TVs and in addition to over 2 1/2 hours of special features from the original DVD release, the Blu-ray edition features a BRAND NEW interactive road map complete with over an hour of new interviews and insights into the show.

www.supernaturaldvd.com

Overview: Sergio Leone's trilogy of operatic spaghetti Westerns with Clint Eastwood made the former television star into an international sensation as the scraggly, silent Man with No Name, a wandering rogue with a scheming mind and a sense of humor drier than the dusty, wind-scoured desert.

Blu ray: In all three, Clint plays a mysterious master gunhand, shady yet strangely charismatic. Fistful was inspired by Akira Kurosawa's samurai film Yojimbo, with Clint putting himself in the middle of a turf war in a small town overrun with criminals. More casts him as a bounty hunter teamed with a rival (Lee Van Cleef) to take down a particular nasty hombre.

The first in the collection, 'A Fistful of Dollars,' a unique take on Kurosawa's cynical samurai hit Yojimbo, reveals the transformation of the Western hero into a crafty mercenary.

Clint Eastwood plays "the man with no name" other than the name given to him by one of the characters in the film, Joe. In what is now a classic style, he rides into town on a mule and witnesses the brutality of the town bullies. Without saying a word to them, they harass him and he calmly goes into one of the town bars, has some food and listens to what the bar owner has to tell him about the town's situation.

He casually decides to stay and do something about the entire situation, walks out and takes out four of the bad guys. What follows from there is such an outstanding film that is fraught with a certain degree of humor as he deftly plays both sides against his middle and walks away with "A Fistful of Dollars."

The follow-up, 'For a Few Dollars More,' teams Eastwood up in an uneasy alliance with Lee Van Cleef (High Noon) in a tale of revenge.

This movie has a wonderful beginning as we are introduced to Lee Van Cleef's character while he's in the performance of his role of a bounty killer. We are then treated to the reintroduction of Clint Eastwood's character, which actually does have the name of Monco, while he is taking care of his business as a bounty killer as well.

Once the director has shown these two acts, he deftly shows how they end up on the same path as they both find out that they can score it big by killing Gian Maria Volonte's character, Indio and his gang. From there, we're taken to El Paso where the film's intrigue and suspense kick into high gear as both Eastwood and Van Cleef's characters meet.

If you've never seen this movie or its predecessor, I highly suggest you check these movies out as they're basically the mold for many of the westerns that followed. Prior to this movie and 'A Fistful of Dollars,' westerns were much tamer, which lends to the popularity of these movies which have a lot more grit and realism to them.

But the masterpiece of the set is 'The Good, The Bad and The Ugly,' an epic scramble for buried gold set against the violence of the Civil War. In this film good is a relative term as three criminals make a series of tenuous partnerships broken in double-crosses and betrayals in Leone's epic vision of the American southwest as endless deserts and clapboard towns infested with gunmen.

The film is especially memorable for its pace and cinematography. The opening scene, for example, juxtaposes closeups of anxious faces with vast panoramas of the Western landscape, and 10 minutes passes before a single word is said. It's like Tarkovsky transplanted to a vastly different setting. That's not to say it's all so serious, though. In a sense the film is a "two buddies on the road" movie, with Tuco the wisecracker and Eastwood's character the straight man.

It is also a war film, with Leone apparently sparing no expense in presenting a realistic image of hundreds of men charging each other on the battlefield. This is not among the greatest films I've ever seen, but it's very well-made.

Because this is a "spaghetti Western", an effort in the genre realized by a joint Italian-Spanish production team with American lead actors, the film has some curious qualities. Because of the use of locals, all the faces of Civil War soldiers are so clearly Italian, even though Italian immigration into the US picked up only later.

The Mexican bandit Tuco is played by a Jew from New York, and furthermore Leone mocks the character's Catholicism in a way that Americans of the era would, although the faith would be in no way foreign to his Italian audience. This is a Widescreen Presentation (2.35:1) enhanced for 16x9 TVs and comes with the Special Features of:

A Fistful Of Dollars:
The Christopher Frayling Archives: A Fistful of Dollars
Commentary by Film Historian Christopher Frayling
A New Kind of Hero
A Few Weeks in Spain: Clint Eastwood on the Experience of Making the Film
Tre Voci: A Fistful of Dollars
Not Ready for Primetime: Renowned Filmmaker Monte Hellman discusses the Television Broadcast of A Fistful of Dollars
The Network Prologue with Actor Harry Dean Stanton
Location Comparisons: Then to Now
10 Radio Spots
Double Bill Trailer
Theatrical Trailer

For A Few Dollars More:
The Christopher Frayling Archives: For A Few Dollars More
Commentary by Film Historian Christopher Frayling
A New Standard: Frayling on For A Few Dollars More
Back for More: Clint Eastwood Remembers For A Few Dollars More
Tre Voci: For A Few Dollars More
For A Few Dollars More: The Original American Release Version
Location Comparisons
12 Radio Spots
Theatrical Trailer 1
Theatrical Trailer 2

The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly:
Commentary by Film Historian Richard Schickel
Commentary by Film Historian Christopher Frayling
Leone�fs West
The Leone Style
The Man Who Lost the Civil War
Reconstructing The Good, The Bad and the Ugly
IL Maestro: Ennio Morricone and The Good, The Bad and the Ugly - Part One
IL Maestro: Part Two
Deleted Scenes
�� Extended Tuco Torture Scene
�� The Socorro Sequence: A Reconstruction
Easter Egg #1 Uno, Due, Tre
Easter Egg #2 Italian Lunch
Easter Egg #3 New York Actor
Easter Egg #4 Gun in Holster
Theatrical Trailer
French Trailer

Overview: ABC Family�s #1 show is back for an exciting and inspirational fourth volume. The Secret Life of the American Teenager, the critically acclaimed original series follows teenage mother Amy (Shailene Woodley) and her friends as they survive high school jealousies, betrayals, break-ups and make-ups, while also experiencing the drama of home life.

DVD: The drama and secrets continue in the top rated fourth season of the hit ABC Family original series that has fans and critics buzzing all across America. Good girl band geek Amy is smart, talented and pregnant. That's just one of the secrets that Amy, her friends and family deal with in this poignant portrait of modern day high school life.

The series does a great job at handling the character development of each character and of course, with topics focusing on sex and friendship but also ramifications that result from sex (one night stands, cheating, affairs, etc.).

Some of my friends are very vocally against this show. They say that this show is pure propaganda and plain horrible. The acting is dreadful, the plot is laughable and there is not 30 seconds that goes by without the mention of "sex". But, well, of course all the guys in this are cast as sex hungry jerks and the girls as naive. Didn't we all deal with this in High School people?!

Anyway, come and rediscover every struggle and success with Amy and the rest of the gang uninterrupted on 'The Secret Life of the American Teenager: Volume Four' ... you won't regret the visit, I promise. This is a Widescreen Presentation (1.85:1) enhanced for 16x9 TVs and comes with the Special Features of:

Cast on Family
Behind �The Secret� Scenes
Read the first diary entry of the new Secret Life teen novel, �The Secret Diary of Ashley Juergens,� published by Hyperion on June 15th.

Overview: The world�s most talented pooch is back in a heartwarming and hilarious sports adventure. When Buddy meets Molly and they have puppies, the hotshot hound is in for an all-new challenge, but the fun is just beginning. Catch all the action as Buddy joins his teenage owner Josh on the field in pursuit of the state soccer championship. You can relive every moment in an exciting Special Edition that will have you cheering for more!

DVD: Yes indeed ... the world's most talented pooch is back in a heartwarming and hilarious sports adventure. When Buddy meets Molly and they have puppies, the hotshot hound is in for an all-new challenge, but the fun is just beginning.

'Air Bud: World Pup,' the second sequel to the 1997 sleeper hit, also still stars Kevin Zegers, the child actor who starred in the first two films!! He's back as Buddy's owner Josh Framm with the only other returning lead actor being Shayn Solberg as Josh's goofy friend Tom.

The basic story remains similar to the one told twice before. This time, a high school soccer field takes over from a grade school gridiron, which itself replaced a basketball court. In forming a soccer team, Fernfield High is two members short.

Enter Josh and Buddy, as the team's tenth and eleventh players. Whether it's because Buddy, played by five dogs (none the original, who died in 1998), could only do so much or, the more likely reason, that Americans aren't all that crazy about watching soccer, the sport seems to play a lesser role here.

The few other significant parts have been recast, including, for the second time, Josh's mother and younger sister Andrea. The more prominent latter is now played by tanned actress Caitlin Wachs, who sould be upgraded to star for the next outing. This all-new 'AIR BUD: WORLD PUP SPECIAL EDITION' will give audiences of all ages something to cheer about! This is a Widescreen Presentation (1.85:1) enhanced for 16x9 TVs and comes with the Special Features of:

All-New: The Buddies Sports Channel: Soccer Edition
Making Of Air Bud World Pup Production Featurette (from the original release)
Exclusive In-Pack �Air Bud� Sport Cinch Bag

www.disneydvd.disney.go.com

Overview: Bigger and Blackerer was taped during two such shows, back-to-back on the same evening at Boston�s Wilbur Theatre. As you may have surmised from the packaging, this title applies to both a CD and a DVD. These are separate releases in separate formats with the same name.

DVD: 'Bigger and Blackerer' is both David Cross� third album and second DVD on Sub Pop Records, preceded by the albums 'It�s Not Funny' (2004) and 'Shut Up, You F**king Baby!' (2002), and the 2003 DVD tour documentary 'Let America Laugh.'

As for this latest release, 'Bigger and Blackerer', well, let's be honest, if you're easily offended, back off now, buddy! But, admitedly, the first 20 mins or so are not exactly 'explosive,' as he gets his sights set for later in the act. Soon, though Cross finds his 'uncorrect footing' in some politically (in) correct banter; and, luckily for us fans, things only get bigger and better from then on in!

So, I hear you ask, which part of this routine is the one that could have us shaking our heads and turning to each other in mock horror?! Well, the portion of the show that might just do it for you is when Cross shoe shuffles (as on he can) through racial humor! Entitled, if you wish to search it out via Chapter, 'Black Stuff, Cross states that black people tend to be particularly touchy about race (sure) - and then Cross carries on, in a manner to prove this, by telling us his story of his (once) intention to get a custom license plate with the Martin Luther King Jr. Freedom Foundation logo and the letters �NGR LVR� ... simply to confuse people about his intentions!!!!

Anywaaaaaaay ... the fold-out digipack not only contains the DVD but a poster version of the cover too. This is a Widescreen Presentation (1.85:1) enhanced for 16x9 TVs and comes with the Special Features of:

Deleted Scenes (31 mins.)
Easter Egg - Blooper Reel (main menu!)

Overview: 'StarStruck', a music and adventure-filled romp that hits all the right notes for kids and tweens, tells the story of Jessica Olson (Danielle Campbell, Prison Break) and her older sister Sara (Maggie Castle, Time Traveler�s Wife), who are heading to Hollywood from Kalamazoo, Michigan, on a family trip to visit their grandmother. Sara is obsessed with pop star Christopher Wilde (Sterling Knight, Sonny with a Chance) and hopes to track him down while in California, but Jessica could care less about the stuck-up star and would rather go sightseeing.

DVD: 'StarStruck,' the latest flick from Disney Channel, is a polished and tween-adjusted product for the hardcore Disney Channel fan base and a perfect film to its target group. While its not the very best original movie that I've seen from Disney Channel, it still makes a decent and passable watch to pass 90 minutes with.

It seems as Disney loves to milk the concept about pop stars connecting with the "real world", something that they've tried on "Hannah Montana", "Camp Rock" and now "StarStruck". Not that the concept is specifically worn out, but it has been used a couple of times to make the concept absent of any surprises or plot twists. "StarStruck" follows the same pattern and delivers a quite predictable story, without any innovative twists and turns. However, despite that and a few unsolved subplots, the film delivers a sincere and sweet love story, which actually works and comes off as believable.

Sterling Knight ("17 Again", "Sonny With a Chance") is spunky and charming as the pop star Christopher Wilde. The beautiful Danielle Campbell is passable in her role as the girl lead, Jessica Olsen and does look distractingly young compared to Knight (according to sources, she was fourteen during the filming). Although she's been given a less compelling part, she does pull some emotional moments quite well.

Brandon Mychal Smith ("Phil of the Future", "Sonny With a Chance") is likeable as Chris' friend Stubby, while Maggie Castle is quite convincingly annoying as the Jessica's sister Sara, which is obsessed with Chris Wilde. However, its a pity that the likeable Chelsea Stub ("JONAS") has been given a rather thankless role.

The music, however, is the component on the film which disappoints a bit. Former Disney concepts as "High School Musical", "Hannah Montana" and "Camp Rock" has included catchy and enjoyable songs, the music of "StarStruck" is passable, but rather generic. Perhaps its time for Disney to hire some new songwriters/musicians for their films?

Overall, 'StarStruck' may not be the greatest teen movie of all time, but its a cute, watchable movie on its own merit and delivers a cute, emotional love story. Take it for what it is. Oh, and this special set comes with both the DVD of the movie and all the music on a CD too! [DFP] This is a Widescreen Presentation (1.85:1) enhanced for 16x9 TVs and comes with the Special Features of:

Exclusive Extended Music Scene - Featuring the song 'Got To Believe'
Music Videos: 'StarStruck,' 'Something About The Sunshine,' 'Party Up'
Rock Along - Your chance to take center stage and sing along with the Movie!

Overview: An ambitious young New Yorker (Kristen Bell), disillusioned with romance, takes a whirlwind trip to Rome where she defiantly plucks magic coins from a fountain of love, inexplicably igniting the passion of those who threw them in: a sausage magnate (Danny DeVito), a street magician (John Heder), an adoring painter (Will Arnet) and a self-admiring model (Dax Shepard). But when a charming reporter (Josh Duhamel) pursues her with equal zest, how will she know if his love is the real thing?

DVD: 'When In Rome' is, I think, meant to be a flat out comedy, but it just doesn't work on so many levels. Kristin Bell plays an art curator at the Guggenheim Museum in New York. She is a determined young woman, eager to excel in her job and try to please her uptight boss (Anjelica Huston). She learns her younger sister is getting married in Rome; she flies there and meets the best man (Josh Duhamel). While there, she takes five coins out of the Trevi Fountain, and naturally males living in New York threw in all five coins.

When she returns home, she realizes she has captured the love of the five men and can't concentrate on building the relationship with the man she wants (Duhamel). So an endless parade of four whacked out guys (Danny DeVito plays the Sausage King, Dax Shepherd plays a model who likes to rip off his shirt to admire his body, Jon Heder plays a magician and Will Arnett plays an Italian artist) tries to get closer to Bell and, as a result, makes her life more difficult. But who does the fifth coin belong to?

The biggest problem with 'When In Rome' is the uneven nature of the film. Bell seems to be playing it straight, trying to create a real character, someone who might actually exist. Despite a brief moment of slapstick comedy at her sister's wedding, she just isn't funny. And the four men chasing her are just so off the wall; they don't match Bell's character or the tone of her performance.

Worse, they aren't even funny. Shepherd's stick seems to be that he rips his shirt off at any opportunity and wants people to look at him. Arnett is a forlorn artist who has one of the worst wigs I have ever seen. DeVito seems to think saying "Sausage King" is enough to make his character funny. And Heder just does magic tricks and tries to appear mysterious.

Later, the actor who played Pedro in "Napoleon Dynamite" pops up as Heder's assistant/ videographer. I'm sure someone somewhere thought this was a great idea, but it is just strange. Late in the film, Pedro pops up again and kind of winks at the camera.

Josh Duhamel is the most innocuous thing in the film. But as the leading man, should he be that forgettable? He was recently credited saying he would welcome a return to the television soap "All My Children". Hmmmmm ...! [TH] This is a Widescreen Presentation (1.85:1) enhanced for 16x9 TVs and comes with the Special Features of:

Bloopers
Deleted Scenes
Music Videos
�Starstruckk� and �Stupid Love Letter�

Overview: Based on the novel by Patricia Highsmith (The Talented Mr. Ripley), a young woman becomes inexplicably attracted to a man who is stalking her. When her boyfriend goes missing, the stalker is the immediate suspect, until a game of jealousy and betrayal turns deadly.

DVD: OK, so, if you feel like halfway through this thriller that you've seen the plot before, well, 'The Cry of the Owl' is based on the 1962 thriller by Patricia Highsmith; herself, the late misanthropic author of 'Strangers on a Train' and the five Tom Ripley novels. Indeed, Highsmith is a fine writer of suspense fiction, one of the better ones of the past many, many year, if truth be told. So, does it help this movie and its plot strive for the light of viewer adoration? Nope, sorry!

Despite featuring a few familiar actors, 'The Cry of the Owl' just isn't that good, and isn't likely to stay in your mind much thereafter, unfortunately. I mean, it's a shame as I love (or should that be, I am IN love) with Julia Stiles, but even she can't get the party started here.

The other main actor is Brit Paddy Considine ('The Bourne Ultimatum'), who stars here as an American aeronautics designer. He has left the big city and moved to a small town in the country, where he's in the process of divorcing his (annoying) wife - played with gusto by Caroline Dhavernas.

Anyway, having battled depression and troubling homicidal urges, he is now basically just lonely - until is passion for voyeurism kicks in and he is found watching a young banker (Stiles) contentedly do her dishes in the kitchen of quiet home!

Now, if I said to you which one would make the most sense as the next step for her, the moment she spies him spying on her, which would you choose: a) She freaks, calls the police and he is arrested, or b) she invites him for coffee, a chat, and a cookie to go?! Yup, she chooses the later, which is where I'm gonna end the review - 'cause, come on now, who in their right mind, in her shoes, does that to a peeping tom?!??!

As a tidbit of info, the film is adapted and directed by Brit Jamie Thraves, the same man that has helmed music videos form such bands as Coldplay and Radiohead. This is a Widescreen Presentation (1.85:1) enhanced for 16x9 TVs.

www.paramount.com/homeentertainment

Overview: The cozy villages of Midsomer County reveal their most sinister secrets in these contemporary British television mysteries. Inspired by the novels of Caroline Graham, modern master of the English village mystery, the series stars John Nettles (Bergerac) as the unflappable Detective Chief Inspector Tom Barnaby, with Jason Hughes (This Life) as his earnest, efficient prot�g�, Detective Sergeant Ben Jones.

DVD: For the record, and starting on the right foot re: the big reveal for all Midsomer fans, this Set 15 (within the US) is actually Part 1 of Series 11 in the UK! Yes, yes, I can hear you all now: 'Why do they do this to us? Why can't we have the whole series in one lovely box-set?' Come on now, I think we all know the reason why companies keep putting out Part One, Volume One box-sets, but that aside, let's get into this one in particular, shall we.

'Blood Wedding' kicks everything off, when a series of bizarre murders at an upper-class wedding leave Barnaby distracted from his main weekend plans ... his own daughter Cully�s wedding day! The episode begins in 1971 with the birth of an unwanted baby, before leaping into the here and now. This episode shows us the huge difference found in classes, still existing within the UK, and if you remember the show 'Upstairs, Downstairs,' well, you'll instantly get the picture.

Also, as we progress, Barnaby has a VERY near death experience, one that still can't manage to get him into a rant or a flap, and yet one that would have had me soiling my underwear in seconds flat! And, for the first time that I can recall, Jones has a digital camera, taking snaps all over the place! As for Cully's big day, Barnaby is still catching the bad guys all the way up to the alter! It's actually the last time we ever get to see Cully, as after 40 episodes she bows out in this one.

'Shot at Dawn' features two of Britain�s finest actors - George Cole (Minder) and Donald Sinden (Two's Company) - and they play off each other in fine style. In it, a long-standing family feud erupts into violence after a disgraced soldier�s name is placed on a World War I memorial. The episode begins in 1916, black and white war scenes, and well played out they are too. True, the tale itself starts to unravel about half an hour in, the slow pace of the story becoming more methodical as we progress, but that's just to lull you in - for the big ending, the huge reveal is the BEST I have ever encountered within the murky depths of any Midsomer mystery!

Finally, episode wise, we get 'Left for Dead,' a tale of a young boy, left for dead by his 'friends,' back some 19 years prior. Indeed, Barnaby discovers a potential link between a double murder and this decades-old disappearance in the sleepy Midsomer town of Dunstan. Not only that, but all these 'friends' are also friends of DC Jones! Now, this episode also brings us another first, for me, as we have a double murder within the first three minutes of the show - before even the opening credits have run!

And, as the tale unfolds, unfortunately it side-steps off into one of property developers buying up land, old houses and wanting to knock them down, but the residents put up a human shield, etc. And that theme runs alongside the main theme for the entire episode, bogging it down along the way. But, we get another murder some 20 minutes in, so at least we're kept on our toes here!

This episode features the lovely, oh so lovely Maggie Steed (Pie In The Sky), but here, in this 62 episode of the 82 run that John Nettles as Barnaby will play before retirement from the role, he looks older, slower, and doesn't feature as much as usual. Also, the central aspect of the plot is clearly evident from 15 minutes in so there are no surprises when the big reveal comes, sorry!

The 'bonus disc' with �Super Sleuths: Midsomer Murders� on it is nothing more than a 47 minute parade of everyone backslapping creator Caroline Graham, high-fiving the woman's novels and murderous creativity from minute one to minute 47, sorry. Personally, I would much rather have had another murder/mystery to solve from the comfort of my sofa!

But, that said, and aside from what has just been mentioned weighing this disc down (I mean, come on, why couldn't this 'special feature' have been added to a disc that had a full episode already one it ie: killing two birds with one stone?!), it does reveal some wonderful tidbits.

Did you know that Michael Williams was chosen for the role of Barnaby, but thought to be too old soon thereafter? Did you know Nettles was then chosen because of his 10 years in the role prior of another detective, Bergerac? Did you know that in the first episode, March, 1997, that there were four murders and three suicides?! And did you know the whole cast agree with you re: Midsomer ... in that there's a death there every week so why don't people flee the area as quickly as possible?!

But no revealed fact is more INCREDIBLE than how the opening title music, 'The Midsomer Waltz' was actually created/played! And trust me, you have to see the woman performing the piece on her "instrument" to believe it! This is a Full Screen Presentation (1.66:1) enhanced for 16x9 TVs and comes with the Special Features of:

'Super Sleuths' Featurette
Cully Barnaby Photo Gallery
Caroline Graham Biography

Overview: Narrated by Academy Award�-winner Morgan Freeman, The Eastwood Factor Extended Version�s debut coincides with the upcoming release of Eastwood�s latest film, Invictus, as well as the world premiere May 31 of Turner Classic Movies� airing of the documentary.

DVD: In 'The Eastwood Factor (Extended Edition),' Clint Eastwood's dear friend, Morgan Freeman narrates as silk-toned as he ever has done anything before. Running at just under an hour and a half, it is what is known in the trade as a crash course of sorts on the man and his work.

And sure, it's not as engrossingly biographical as it could be, but all that's been done before. It is a look back at his work, how he turned himself from a humble, hardworking actor into a great a filmmaker, and how he went from there to being able to appear on both sides of the camera.

Here, Richard Schickel�s 'The Eastwood Factor' covers all noted-above sides of Eastwood's long and still successful career - in fact, all the way to 'Invictus.' So, if you love the man, and who doesn't, and you have yet to find out how his life all came together - and wish to do it in under 90 mins all told - this is the DVD for you!

And, for you technical geeks out there, the Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo is just fine for a documentary and the audio from older film clips is in good shape. But, sadly, the only let down is there are no extras. This is a Widescreen Presentation (1.85:1) enhanced for 16x9 TVs.

ADDITIONAL INFO: This very same documentary narrated by Morgan Freeman, and other Clint Eastwood film classics, are also being made available On Demand and For Download.

'THE EASTWOOD FACTOR' arrives on iTunes this Tuesday, June 1: Download Here!

Overview: Academy Award� winner Kevin Costner stars in this brand-new thriller as John, a newly divorced father who moves into a rural South Carolina home with his adolescent daughter Louisa and young son Sam. But when Louisa begins to behave in a bizarre and increasingly violent manner, John must uncover the truth behind her transformation. Is the former owner s shocking secret to blame? And how far will a father go to protect his daughter from an ancient evil determined to take her over?

DVD: Being that this had a (very) limited theatrical release and then made an even quicker appearance onto DVD, well, that usually barks big time at me: "Stay away from me! I am a paycheck mistake!"

That said, and with me still holding firm to my belief that somewhere within Costner lies a very decent actor, the whole flow of 'The New Daughter' was absolute chaos! Ant people associated with Native American mounds?! Purlease! That was an insult to my ancestors who built these mounds in the south!

And, what was with the spiders in the doll? What did that have to do with ants? What was the relevance of those nest-looking things in the closet? Not to mention the total misperceptions placed on Native American ancient history of the mounds? Come on, there was no consistency or flow to the actual scary parts of this movie.

In addition, what were the bites on her back? Were they spider bites? Were they ant bites? All in all this movie lacked all of the necessary ingredients that make a quality movie. I hope that Costner's agent finds more quality roles for him or that he gets fired!

Furthermore, I hope that Ivana Baquero either develops an acting range or completely gets out of acting and does something useful - like host bland encounter group seminars. I feel sorry for all of those people who spent their hard earned money on viewing this in the theatres, and who might well have already picked this up to rent, or, God forbid, buy! [RM] This is a Widescreen Presentation (1.85:1) enhanced for 16x9 TVs.

Overview: Greenskeeper Carl Spackler is about to start World War III � against a gopher. Pompous Judge Smalls plays to win but his nubile niece Lacey Underall wants to score her own way. Playboy Ty Webb shoots perfect golf by becoming the ball. And country club loudmouth Al Czervik just doubled a $20,000 bet on a 10-foot putt. Insanity? No. Caddyshack.

DVD: 'Caddyshack' is often thought of as little more than entertainment and laughs. I received it as a gift, and probably would not have bought it on my own. But that said, it is interesting and deeper than we may have thought.

While it seems to be full of slapstick comedy, there are interesting aspects to it. The story seems to be attacking people who consider golf almost sacred, and people who think that because they belong to a club, they are above and beyond everyone else. (A doctor who is more worried about his golf scores than his patients, a judge who treats people quite contemptuously, etc).

On the other hand, we have characters like Chevy Chase who just enjoy golf, and don't need to beat anyone or play for money. We also have Danny (a caddy) who is trying to do his job to make a future for himself.

Rodney Dangerfield is an interesting character who (in all his comedy) carries the theme of the movie. (Especially when he calls the club a 'snobitaurium') And he seems to be fully aware that there is nothing sacred about a country club.

It is also interesting that while the Judge is made to be the villain of the movie who hates everyone, he has some redeeming traits. (He loves his wife and is understandably hurt when Rodney makes a sexual business offer to her; he allows a student to clerk for him while he is finishing law school; and he is concerned when his friend, the Lutheran Bishop is drinking too much.) And to be fully honest, it is hard not to feel sorry for him when he comes home and finds his bed occupied by his niece and Danny. The judge is made out to be the bad guy in this story, but he is after all human.

Another fine point worth mentioning is the gradual reconciliation of Danny and another caddy who have been at odds with each other from the start of the film. (Early on, they are ready to have a fist exchange; he takes some verbal shots at Danny throughout; but somehow, we never really hate him; and in the end, he is cheering Danny on at the final golf game.)

The conflicts of ideology eventually lead up to an illegal tournament. And rather than it appearing to be over who is the better golfer, somehow we get the impression that it is the ego driven players versus the more human players. (The final triumph avoids the cliche ending and instead offers a hilarious conclusion with a bang.)

Granted, its not Shakespeare. But there is more interest in this film than we may have guessed. Oh, and for all those that care, these 'special features' were the exact same two found on the 19th Anniversary VHS editon, sorry! [BH] This is a Widescreen Presentation (1.77:1) enhanced for 16x9 TVs and comes with the Special Features of:

'Caddyshack: The 19th Hole'
Theatrical Trailer

'Caddyshack' is now available On Demand and For Download including iTunes at: http://bit.ly/EM_CaddyShack

www.warnerbros.com

Overview: �Hi, everybody!� Fans of �90s sitcoms know those words mean Steve Urkel has come to call, bringing lots of geeky, goofy fun with him. A spinoff of Perfect Strangers, Family Matters began as the at-home adventures of elevator operator Harriette Winslow and her multigenerational family.

DVD: I have watched Family Matters for most of the nine years it has been on the air and catch reruns every chance I get. I have enjoyed this show for so long becuase it was an uplifting, and quick paced combination of comedy and drama with a lesson to teach in every episode. The range of character profiles in the show and how they interacted with each other was poetry in motion.

To me, this was what the show that took over the slot once the Cosby show ran its course. I enjoyed watching all the characters get in and out situations, especially Steve Urkel and it was one of the few shows I followed from beginning to end.

And now, finally, it is here on DVD!

Let's be honest though about this great show, sometimes a great show comes about almost by accident! The wind blows in just the right creator, just the right performers and the kind of writing that extends beyond the domestic audience into something universal that can be enjoyed at many levels by many kinds of people.

Family Matters has the kind of classic formula that made The Three Stooges, The Munsters and Seinfeld great in and beyond their time, and features the kind of endearing personalities that transcend the usual American barriers of color.

Though going from top billing to next in line after unexpected bombshell Jaleel White hit the show could not have been easy for the rest of the crew, all the support they gave him for as long as they could endeared each of their characters to the viewers even more.

The show does suffer from some errors in continuity and inconsistencies / exaggerations, many most probably stemming from network pressure to ride the Urkel wave at the expense of all else. Even so, it has an indescribable attraction and adorable nature that has made viewers like me die hard fans forever. Enjoy this wonderful box-set for all it's worth - and trust me, you will! [KH] This is a Widescreen Presentation (1.77:1) enhanced for 16x9 TVs.

Overview: On the bustling streets of Saigon, three very different people all seeking connection are about to collide. A beautiful flight attendant looking for love. A zookeeper hiding within his animal kingdom to nurse a broken heart. And the young flower-selling runaway who brings them together. But to avoid the authorities and a strict uncle tracking her down, she will need all of her cleverness and determination if she is going to grab any chance at lasting happiness.

DVD: 'The Owl and the Sparrow' centers around a 10 year-old girl, Thuy (played incredibly by Pham Thi Han), who is mostly confined to working in her uncle's bamboo factory - located in a small Vietnamese village. This changes when she runs away to Saigon. They must come to grips with the challenges of daily survival and becomes part of an interconnected relationship with beautiful flight attendant Lan (Cat Ly) and lonely zookeeper Han (Le The Lu).

To avoid the authorities and her strict uncle tracking her down, Thuy must summon all her cleverness and determination in her attempt at lasting happiness.

The film is somewhat predictable but is remarkable in its feeling of hope. Young Han is immediately endearing. Though she elicits sympathy, we admire her independence and ability to survive day to day in the crowded streets of Saigon. The film starts to feel contrived when the two characters Thuy meets merge so neatly.

Though we get a sense of Thuy's less-than-ideal existence, director Stephane Gauger downplays harsher elements of life on the streets in favor of a more romanticized perspective. [MM] This is a Widescreen Presentation (1.77:1) enhanced for 16x9 TVs and comes with the Special Features of:

In Vietnamese with English Subtitles
Director's Audio Commentary
Behind-The-Scenes Featurette
Deleted Scenes.