Our Picks Reviews - Page 17

This year’s hottest movie (and the second-highest-grossing film of all time, behind only “Titanic”) really shines on DVD, where every detail of its dense fable about good, evil and the murky middle ground in between warrants repeated viewings—especially every electrifying scene with Heath Ledger the maniacal Joker. The top-notch special features include a documentary about the development of Batman’s latest look and gadgets, plus a digital version of the movie for downloading onto a computer or portable players.
—Neil Pond, American Profile

from Amazon.com

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A universe of facts at your fingertips, this hefty oversized paperback—the latest edition of the ultimate reference book—has been updated with comprehensive sections on the 2008 presidential elections (with stats for every county in the United States), baseball’s World Series, Summer Olympic Games coverage and more. The perfect gift for someone who thinks he knows everything—and for everyone else who knows they don’t!
—Neil Pond, American Profile

from Amazon.com

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Chase away the winter blahs with this splash of singin’, dancin’ sunshine, which in 2008 brought the hit Broadway musical built around the songs of ’70s pop group ABBA from stage to screen. The double-disc DVD release includes—among numerous other dandy extras—an onscreen sing-along feature on all 22 musical numbers that lets you join voices with Meryl Streep, Peirce Brosnan, Colin Firth and the other stars, who all look like they’re having an absolutely delightful time.
—Neil Pond, American Profile

from Amazon.com

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Cleverly packaged in a bottle-shaped box, this whopping 20-disc collection conjures up all 139 episodes from the popular 1965-70 sitcom, which starred Larry Hagman as harried astronaut Anthony Nelson and Barbara Eden as his doting magical genie. (Watch closely during the “Mrs. Djinn Djinn” episode for a quick glimpse of Eden’s navel, which TV censors insisted be concealed by her outfit.) A bonus pack of cards feature never-before-seen stills from the show, character bios and trivia.
—Neil Pond, American Profile

from Amazon.com

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Stuart, a lifelong country music performer and shutterbug, creates a one-of-a-kind multi-media experience with this coffee-table collection of original photos (of titans like Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings and Dolly Parton) and a CD of his own stories and songs about the music and stars he so clearly idolizes. It’s a unique walk down a honky-tonk hallway filled with memories and magical moments spanning 40 years of country music’s colorful past.
—Neil Pond, American Profile

from Amazon.com

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Fans of TV’s coolest Stone Age family will yabba-dabba-do with delight over this boxed set of all 166 episodes of Fred, Wilma, Barney, Betty, Pebbles, Bam Bam and all the other characters from the first animated series on prime time. Extras include four hours of special features, including vintage commercials, songs from a Flintstones record album, numerous documentaries and a tutorial on how to draw Fred.
—Neil Pond, American Profile

from Amazon.com

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Comedian Jack Black provides the kick as the voice (and personality) of a roly-poly panda, Po, on a heroic martial-arts mission in this engaging 2008 animated tale for the whole family. A second disc features a short film with a new adventure for Po and his kung-fu co-stars. Bonus materials include games, numerous featurettes, and a tutorial on how to use chopsticks, which feature prominently in one of the movie’s most delightful scenes as Po learns how to hone his skills.
—Neil Pond, American Profile

from Amazon.com

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Animation aficionados and cartoon connoisseurs will treasure this collection of 60 vintage “Looney Tunes,” six-minute shorts—some of them considered controversially racist, sexist or otherwise “off-color” by today’s standards—from the 1940s through the ’60s starring Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Elmer Fudd and other favorites from the Warner Bros. drawing board. In addition to four discs of cartoons, there’s also more than seven hours of bonus materials, including rare shorts, documentaries, commentary and TV specials.
—Neil Pond, American Profile

from Amazon.com

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A great family film released theatrically earlier this year, “The Longshots” is based on the true story of 11-year-old Jasmine Plummer, the first female quarterback to lead a football team to the Pop Warner League championship game. Rapper-turned-actor Ice Cube does a fine job playing a former gridiron star making the most of his second chance to shine as the coach, and KeKe Palmer (“Akleeah and the Bee”) portrays Plummer with an athletic believability that’ll make you cheer as she fires for the end zone. Extras include 20 deleted scenes and several documentaries, including a look at the real-life Plummer.
—Neil Pond, American Profile

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One of Hollywood’s greatest touchstones gets shined up anew for this 3-DVD set, which builds a lavish souvenir package around the classic 1942 romantic drama starring Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman. Extras include seven hours of bonus features, including commentary by movie critic Roger Ebert, and reproductions of movie props and studio memos, like the one stressing how the lead role in this wartime saga could help Bogart break out of his typecasting in gangster roles.
—Neil Pond, American Profile

from Amazon.com

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