By Christopher Smith

So, it's the weekend after Black Friday. You survived it without getting a black eye (or maybe didn’t, and we’re sorry to hear that)--but you also know from the crush of today’s ads alone that deals are still out there. Big time--and so the game is still on. Nobody is resting. And nobody is taking a sale away from you today, baby. Forget Friday. Get back into the ring. Strap on your gloves. You've still got your game on.

Okay, so maybe you don't.

For those who feel like paring down their list and getting through the melee that will be the weekend, the following are recommended DVDs and Blu-ray discs to get you into stores--and to get you out of them--without a visit to the emergency room.

High definition continues to soar, so we'll start with the clarity it offers. As with all of the titles that follow, the retails prices are listed. You will be happy to know that each can be found locally and online at steep discounts.  If you click on any of the links, we'll make it really easy for you--it will take you directly to Amazon, where you can shop, shop, shop.

One of the best choices on Blu-ray is the BBC High Definition Natural History Collection ($179.98), which is so good, it’s worth making the time to watch it twice. The set includes the BBC’s acclaimed series “Planet Earth,” as well as the documentaries “Galapagos,” “Wild China” and “Ganges.” The photography is as rich as anything you’d expect from the BBC, which has some of the world’s finest cinematographers.

Also recommended on Blu-ray are Mad Men: Second Season ($49.99); Scrubs: Complete Eighth Season ($54.99); Warner’s comprehensive Gone With the Wind: 70th Anniversary Ultimate Collector's Edition($84.99), which looks fantastic in high definition; the 25th anniversary edition of Stephen King’s Cujo ($19.99); It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia: A Very Sunny Christmas ($29.99); "The Negotiator ($28.99), with Samuel L. Jackson and Kevin Spacey; and two children’s movies in Shorts ($35.99) and Gremlins ($28.99).

The complete series of Joss Whedon’s terrific sci-fi series Firefly ($89.98) is available on Blu-ray, as are Reese Witherspoon and Vince Vaughn in the comedy Four Christmases ($35.95), Ben Stiller in Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian ($39.99), Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs ($39.99), and four titles from the History Channel--The Crusades ($29.95), Expedition Africa ($39.95), Life After People ($29.95) and the fine documentary Moonshot ($24.95). Rounding out recommended Blu-ray titles are four from Disney, with highest marks going to one of the year’s best animated films, Up ($29.99), as well as Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs ($39.99), Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure ($39.99) and the newly released Santa Buddies ($39.99).

Obviously, all of the Blu-ray titles mentioned above also are available on standard-definition DVD. They’re equally recommended and, as a bonus, all are less expensive than their Blu-ray counterparts. The downside? They won’t look or sound nearly as nice, so go ahead, think about getting that new Blu-ray player twice.

For children, it's a grab bag of good choices as many solid titles now are available on standard DVD, such as Bob the Builder: Call in The Crew ($14.99), Treasury of Classic Bedtime Stories from Scholastic ($29.99), Barney: Jungle Friends The Movie ($16.98), and Superman: The Animated Series ($53.98). Also recommended are Speed Racer: The Next Generation Comet Run ($29.98), Gotta Catch Santa Claus ($19.98), Frosty Friends ($14.98), A Christmas Story ($19.98 DVD, $28.99 Blu-ray) and Ben 10: Alien Swarm ($19.97 DVD, $29.99 Blu-ray).

From the BBC comes a bounty, including the vast Michael Palin Collection ($249.98), which includes on 19 discs all of his previously released, globe-trotting adventures; the seriously good comedy series Absolutely Fabulous: Absolutely Everything ($129.98); BlackAdder Remastered: The Ultimate Collection ($79.98); and 'Allo 'Allo! The Complete Collection ($249.98), which is set during World War II and follows the carousing French café owner Rene Artois as he flirts with his waitresses while trying to handle a difficult wife and mother-in-law. He might not always succeed, but this show does.

Same goes for the five films (“Oliver Twist,” “The Old Curiosity Shop,” “Bleak House,” “Little Dorrit,” “Great Expectations”) included in Charles Dickens Masterworks Collection ($119.98); the smart Britcom One Foot in the Grave: The Complete Series ($179.98); and Ian McShane in Lovejoy: The Complete Collection ($299.98). Among the best of the BBC lot is Monarch of the Glen: The Complete Series ($198.98), which takes place in the Scottish Highlands at the Glenbogle estate, which Archie MacDonald (Alistair Mackenzie) is charged to save from financial ruin. To do so, he'll need to reconcile with his father, hardly an easy task, but as this engrossing series proves, nothing really is easy in the life of this young laird.

Joining that last title in being among the season’s best choices are the recently discounted The Sopranos: Complete Series ($299.98), which last year was offered at just under $600; Mystery Science Theater 3000: XVI ($64.99), Dawson's Creek: The Complete Series ($119.95) and beautifully restored The Wizard of Oz: 70th Anniversary Ultimate Collector's Edition ($69.99).

For those seeking boxed sets, the best come down to Columbia Best Pictures Collection ($135.95), which includes 11 films, all of which won the Academy for Best Picture. A broad range of movies are included, from 1934’s “It Happened One Night” and 1953’s “From Here to Eternity” to 1954’s “On the Waterfront,” 1962’s “Lawrence of Arabia,” 1979’s “Kramer vs. Kramer” and 1982’s “Gandhi,” among others.

Another must is Alfred Hitchcock: The Premiere Collection ($119.99), which features eight key films, including “Lifeboat,” “Notorious,” “Sabotage” and “Rebecca.” Extras abound in each set. Also look for Paul Newman: The Tribute Collection ($89.98), The Official World Series Film Collection ($229.95) and Schwarzenegger Collection ($29.98), which includes “Terminator 2: Judgment Day,” “Total Recall,” “Red Heat” and “The Running Man.”

Though at least one other DVD gift guide will follow on this site before the holidays strike, it would be a mistake not to recommend the three comedy boxed sets that best reflect the sort of lunacy you’ll need to get through weekend: The Complete Monty Python's Flying Circus: Collector's Edition Megaset ($159.95), which is a boon of hilarity on 21 discs; Mr. Bean: The Ultimate Collection ($69.95); and Get Smart: The Complete Series Giftset ($199.95), the latter of which hails from HBO and follows the loopy adventures of Maxwell Smart and Agent 99 in 138 episodes on 25 discs.

By Christopher Smith

So, it's the weekend after Black Friday. You survived it without getting a black eye (or maybe didn’t, and we’re sorry to hear that)--but you also know from the crush of today’s ads alone that deals are still out there. Big time--and so the game is still on. Nobody is resting. And nobody is taking a sale away from you today, baby. Forget Friday. Get back into the ring. Strap on your gloves. You've still got your game on.

Okay, so maybe you don't.

For those who feel like paring down their list and getting through the melee that will be the weekend, the following are recommended DVDs and Blu-ray discs to get you into stores--and to get you out of them--without a visit to the emergency room.

High definition continues to soar, so we'll start with the clarity it offers. As with all of the titles that follow, the retails prices are listed. You will be happy to know that each can be found locally and online at steep discounts.  If you click on any of the links, we'll make it really easy for you--it will take you directly to Amazon, where you can shop, shop, shop.

One of the best choices on Blu-ray is the BBC High Definition Natural History Collection ($179.98), which is so good, it’s worth making the time to watch it twice. The set includes the BBC’s acclaimed series “Planet Earth,” as well as the documentaries “Galapagos,” “Wild China” and “Ganges.” The photography is as rich as anything you’d expect from the BBC, which has some of the world’s finest cinematographers.

Also recommended on Blu-ray are Mad Men: Second Season ($49.99); Scrubs: Complete Eighth Season ($54.99); Warner’s comprehensive Gone With the Wind: 70th Anniversary Ultimate Collector's Edition($84.99), which looks fantastic in high definition; the 25th anniversary edition of Stephen King’s Cujo ($19.99); It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia: A Very Sunny Christmas ($29.99); "The Negotiator ($28.99), with Samuel L. Jackson and Kevin Spacey; and two children’s movies in Shorts ($35.99) and Gremlins ($28.99).

The complete series of Joss Whedon’s terrific sci-fi series Firefly ($89.98) is available on Blu-ray, as are Reese Witherspoon and Vince Vaughn in the comedy Four Christmases ($35.95), Ben Stiller in Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian ($39.99), Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs ($39.99), and four titles from the History Channel--The Crusades ($29.95), Expedition Africa ($39.95), Life After People ($29.95) and the fine documentary Moonshot ($24.95). Rounding out recommended Blu-ray titles are four from Disney, with highest marks going to one of the year’s best animated films, Up ($29.99), as well as Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs ($39.99), Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure ($39.99) and the newly released Santa Buddies ($39.99).

Obviously, all of the Blu-ray titles mentioned above also are available on standard-definition DVD. They’re equally recommended and, as a bonus, all are less expensive than their Blu-ray counterparts. The downside? They won’t look or sound nearly as nice, so go ahead, think about getting that new Blu-ray player twice.

For children, it's a grab bag of good choices as many solid titles now are available on standard DVD, such as Bob the Builder: Call in The Crew ($14.99), Treasury of Classic Bedtime Stories from Scholastic ($29.99), Barney: Jungle Friends The Movie ($16.98), and Superman: The Animated Series ($53.98). Also recommended are Speed Racer: The Next Generation Comet Run ($29.98), Gotta Catch Santa Claus ($19.98), Frosty Friends ($14.98), A Christmas Story ($19.98 DVD, $28.99 Blu-ray) and Ben 10: Alien Swarm ($19.97 DVD, $29.99 Blu-ray).

From the BBC comes a bounty, including the vast Michael Palin Collection ($249.98), which includes on 19 discs all of his previously released, globe-trotting adventures; the seriously good comedy series Absolutely Fabulous: Absolutely Everything ($129.98); BlackAdder Remastered: The Ultimate Collection ($79.98); and 'Allo 'Allo! The Complete Collection ($249.98), which is set during World War II and follows the carousing French café owner Rene Artois as he flirts with his waitresses while trying to handle a difficult wife and mother-in-law. He might not always succeed, but this show does.

Same goes for the five films (“Oliver Twist,” “The Old Curiosity Shop,” “Bleak House,” “Little Dorrit,” “Great Expectations”) included in Charles Dickens Masterworks Collection ($119.98); the smart Britcom One Foot in the Grave: The Complete Series ($179.98); and Ian McShane in Lovejoy: The Complete Collection ($299.98). Among the best of the BBC lot is Monarch of the Glen: The Complete Series ($198.98), which takes place in the Scottish Highlands at the Glenbogle estate, which Archie MacDonald (Alistair Mackenzie) is charged to save from financial ruin. To do so, he'll need to reconcile with his father, hardly an easy task, but as this engrossing series proves, nothing really is easy in the life of this young laird.

Joining that last title in being among the season’s best choices are the recently discounted The Sopranos: Complete Series ($299.98), which last year was offered at just under $600; Mystery Science Theater 3000: XVI ($64.99), Dawson's Creek: The Complete Series ($119.95) and beautifully restored The Wizard of Oz: 70th Anniversary Ultimate Collector's Edition ($69.99).

For those seeking boxed sets, the best come down to Columbia Best Pictures Collection ($135.95), which includes 11 films, all of which won the Academy for Best Picture. A broad range of movies are included, from 1934’s “It Happened One Night” and 1953’s “From Here to Eternity” to 1954’s “On the Waterfront,” 1962’s “Lawrence of Arabia,” 1979’s “Kramer vs. Kramer” and 1982’s “Gandhi,” among others.

Another must is Alfred Hitchcock: The Premiere Collection ($119.99), which features eight key films, including “Lifeboat,” “Notorious,” “Sabotage” and “Rebecca.” Extras abound in each set. Also look for Paul Newman: The Tribute Collection ($89.98), The Official World Series Film Collection ($229.95) and Schwarzenegger Collection ($29.98), which includes “Terminator 2: Judgment Day,” “Total Recall,” “Red Heat” and “The Running Man.”

Though at least one other DVD gift guide will follow on this site before the holidays strike, it would be a mistake not to recommend the three comedy boxed sets that best reflect the sort of lunacy you’ll need to get through weekend: The Complete Monty Python's Flying Circus: Collector's Edition Megaset ($159.95), which is a boon of hilarity on 21 discs; Mr. Bean: The Ultimate Collection ($69.95); and Get Smart: The Complete Series Giftset ($199.95), the latter of which hails from HBO and follows the loopy adventures of Maxwell Smart and Agent 99 in 138 episodes on 25 discs.

First off, Amazon is running an amazing deal on the boxed set of Battlestar Galactica: The Complete Series. Regular price? $279. Sale price? $179. Deal! Had to tell you about it.

And because I'm a Blu-ray deal junkie, you have to check out their ridiculously low prices on Blu-ray titles here: Blu-ray deals up to 60% Off. Score!

And then there's this: Sci-Fi Extravaganza: Save up to 55% on over 600 Sci-fi DVDs and Blu-ray Discs..

And there's also this: Hot New Releases. Those, by the way, have huge discounts.

Finally, if you're in the market for a high-definition television, you can't beat Amazon's prices. And you especially can't beat this deal, which happens to be on my favorite LCD television, the Samsung (I have two--and they're fantastic): 24-Month No Interest Financing on Samsung LCD Televisions.

So, you know, now you know!

But now onto this week's best-selling DVDs and Blu-ray discs at Amazon. True Blood rules the week! Check them out (in order) below:

First off, Amazon is running an amazing deal on the boxed set of Battlestar Galactica: The Complete Series. Regular price? $279. Sale price? $179. Deal! Had to tell you about it.

And because I'm a Blu-ray deal junkie, you have to check out their ridiculously low prices on Blu-ray titles here: Blu-ray deals up to 60% Off. Score!

And then there's this: Sci-Fi Extravaganza: Save up to 55% on over 600 Sci-fi DVDs and Blu-ray Discs..

And there's also this: Hot New Releases. Those, by the way, have huge discounts.

Finally, if you're in the market for a high-definition television, you can't beat Amazon's prices. And you especially can't beat this deal, which happens to be on my favorite LCD television, the Samsung (I have two--and they're fantastic): 24-Month No Interest Financing on Samsung LCD Televisions.

So, you know, now you know!

But now onto this week's best-selling DVDs and Blu-ray discs at Amazon. True Blood rules the week! Check them out (in order) below:

First off, Amazon is running an amazing deal on the boxed set of Angel: Seasons 1-5 (Collectors Set). Regular price? $140. Sale price? $52.99. Deal! Had to tell you about it.

And because I'm a Blu-ray deal junkie, you have to check out their ridiculously low prices on Blu-ray titles here: Blu-ray deals up to 60% Off. Score!

And then there's this: Buy One, Get One Free Horror Sale. So, you know, now you know!

But now onto this week's best-selling DVDs and Blu-ray discs at Amazon. Tinker Bell rules! Check them out (in order) below:

First off, Amazon is running an amazing deal on the boxed set of Angel: Seasons 1-5 (Collectors Set). Regular price? $140. Sale price? $52.99. Deal! Had to tell you about it.

And because I'm a Blu-ray deal junkie, you have to check out their ridiculously low prices on Blu-ray titles here: Blu-ray deals up to 60% Off. Score!

And then there's this: Buy One, Get One Free Horror Sale. So, you know, now you know!

But now onto this week's best-selling DVDs and Blu-ray discs at Amazon. Tinker Bell rules! Check them out (in order) below:

So, the holidays are coming. You walk into stores and already they've sprung on you holiday decorations, festive trees, fake snow, and special discounts on just about everything. And music! Let's not forget the music. Can we please just get past Halloween, people? Apparently not.

What's especially curious is that as we get closer to the holidays, my email box has been unusually filled with questions about what LCD TV to get, what Blu-ray player do I recommend, what sound bar is best for a flatscreen TV. After 13 years of doing this professionally, I can offer an informed opinion.

Here's the deal--and, in fact, let's talk about deals. Because over at Amazon, where I buy pretty much everything because it's really tough to beat their prices, there are several televisions, Blu-ray players, and other electronic equipment that I do recommend.

In the no-brainer category for which Blu-ray player to purchase, I have to recommend the PlayStation 3. It's $299. Not only is it a great gaming system, but it also is one of the best Blu-ray players on the market. It's what I use in my office and just wait until you surf the Web with it. Killer. For a remote, I use the Sony PlayStation 3 Blu-ray Disc Remote. Just under $20.

Once you have this set up, you can buy just about every Blu-ray disc that's been released on the market here: Blu-ray Discs. And let's not forget the games since you likely will be playing your share of them. Check them out here: PlayStation 3 Games

If you're seeking a more traditional Blu-ray player, prices have come way down. You can't go wrong with Sony, since they created the technology.

You'll find a list of Blu-ray players here: Blu-ray Players.




Okay, so now LCD TVs. I'm all for Samsung, Sony and Panasonic--I think they easily have the best products on the market. Make sure you go with 1080p. Make sure that you have plenty of HDMI ports (I'd recommend three), so you can connect your many devices to it (such as that PlayStation 3 above, a soundbar, TiVo, etc.).

Also, while you're at it, see if the TV that catches your eye has a USB port--that way, you can add your computer to it to play, say, Hulu wirelessly on your TV. It's amazing. And nearly commercial free.

(By the way, if you're seeking computers, check out Amazon's great prices on them. We recommend Apple but you'll find all computers here.) Back to LCD TVs. Here are your best options for reliability, clarity and quality:

Samsung
Sony
Panasonic

All 1080p LCD TVs are Here

Now, as for sound bars or sound equipment, you're going to need to buy something in order to have the best experience. The quality of sound on these TVs are okay, but they are far from great. They need assistance. I really like the Sony system you see at the left. I use it myself and love the quality of the sound--it's terrific and not terribly expensive. You can find it here: Sony HTCT100 Sound Bar with Sub-Woofer - Black.

You can find a list of all sound bars here: Sounds Bars. If you're seeking something more elaborate, you can go all out and literally be surrounded by speakers. In this case, there's nothing better than Bose. A list of all surround sound system is here: Surround Sound Systems. Make sure you consider wireless systems--they'll make you're life a lot easier, particularly when it comes to installation. Trust me on this!

Good luck shopping--and here's hoping that if you are looking, you find the right system for you.

So, the holidays are coming. You walk into stores and already they've sprung on you holiday decorations, festive trees, fake snow, and special discounts on just about everything. And music! Let's not forget the music. Can we please just get past Halloween, people? Apparently not.

What's especially curious is that as we get closer to the holidays, my email box has been unusually filled with questions about what LCD TV to get, what Blu-ray player do I recommend, what sound bar is best for a flatscreen TV. After 13 years of doing this professionally, I can offer an informed opinion.

Here's the deal--and, in fact, let's talk about deals. Because over at Amazon, where I buy pretty much everything because it's really tough to beat their prices, there are several televisions, Blu-ray players, and other electronic equipment that I do recommend.

In the no-brainer category for which Blu-ray player to purchase, I have to recommend the PlayStation 3. It's $299. Not only is it a great gaming system, but it also is one of the best Blu-ray players on the market. It's what I use in my office and just wait until you surf the Web with it. Killer. For a remote, I use the Sony PlayStation 3 Blu-ray Disc Remote. Just under $20.

Once you have this set up, you can buy just about every Blu-ray disc that's been released on the market here: Blu-ray Discs. And let's not forget the games since you likely will be playing your share of them. Check them out here: PlayStation 3 Games

If you're seeking a more traditional Blu-ray player, prices have come way down. You can't go wrong with Sony, since they created the technology.

You'll find a list of Blu-ray players here: Blu-ray Players.




Okay, so now LCD TVs. I'm all for Samsung, Sony and Panasonic--I think they easily have the best products on the market. Make sure you go with 1080p. Make sure that you have plenty of HDMI ports (I'd recommend three), so you can connect your many devices to it (such as that PlayStation 3 above, a soundbar, TiVo, etc.).

Also, while you're at it, see if the TV that catches your eye has a USB port--that way, you can add your computer to it to play, say, Hulu wirelessly on your TV. It's amazing. And nearly commercial free.

(By the way, if you're seeking computers, check out Amazon's great prices on them. We recommend Apple but you'll find all computers here.) Back to LCD TVs. Here are your best options for reliability, clarity and quality:

Samsung
Sony
Panasonic

All 1080p LCD TVs are Here

Now, as for sound bars or sound equipment, you're going to need to buy something in order to have the best experience. The quality of sound on these TVs are okay, but they are far from great. They need assistance. I really like the Sony system you see at the left. I use it myself and love the quality of the sound--it's terrific and not terribly expensive. You can find it here: Sony HTCT100 Sound Bar with Sub-Woofer - Black.

You can find a list of all sound bars here: Sounds Bars. If you're seeking something more elaborate, you can go all out and literally be surrounded by speakers. In this case, there's nothing better than Bose. A list of all surround sound system is here: Surround Sound Systems. Make sure you consider wireless systems--they'll make you're life a lot easier, particularly when it comes to installation. Trust me on this!

Good luck shopping--and here's hoping that if you are looking, you find the right system for you.

The Blu-ray version of Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen is the number-one selling disc at Amazon this week. It is breaking records far and wide.

Following is a list of all DVDs and Blu-ray discs on Amazon's site. Hover over each link for a preview:















Blu-ray Bestsellers

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (Two-Disc Special Edition) [Blu-ray]

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo + BD Live w/ Blu-ray packaging) [Blu-ray]

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Blu-ray/DVD Combo + Digital Copy & BD-Live) [Blu-ray]

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (Single-Disc Edition)

Star Trek (Three-Disc +Digital Copy) [Blu-ray]

The Hangover (Unrated Edition) [Blu-ray]

Terminator Salvation (Director's Cut) [Blu-ray]

The Proposal (Single Disc Widescreen)

The Blu-ray version of Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen is the number-one selling disc at Amazon this week. It is breaking records far and wide.

Following is a list of all DVDs and Blu-ray discs on Amazon's site. Hover over each link for a preview:















Blu-ray Bestsellers

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (Two-Disc Special Edition) [Blu-ray]

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo + BD Live w/ Blu-ray packaging) [Blu-ray]

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Blu-ray/DVD Combo + Digital Copy & BD-Live) [Blu-ray]

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (Single-Disc Edition)

Star Trek (Three-Disc +Digital Copy) [Blu-ray]

The Hangover (Unrated Edition) [Blu-ray]

Terminator Salvation (Director's Cut) [Blu-ray]

The Proposal (Single Disc Widescreen)

Clicking each title will bring you to Amazon.

"The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3" DVD, Blu-ray
Following the 1974 original, Tony Scott’s brisk remake takes place mostly in the bowels of New York City, specifically its subway system, which long has carried its share of baggage, particularly with terrorists, who have gone on record to say that one day, they would target it again. Scott understands the fear underlying this notion and he employs it with jolts that aren’t much of a stretch. Well, not too much of a stretch. The film begins with a crazed faction of American terrorists led by the mysterious Ryder (John Travolta). Together, these men hijack a subway train, take their share of hostages, and demand $10 million for their release within one hour. If the mayor (James Gandolfini) can’t come up with the money in time, Ryder promises that one passenger will die for every minute that passes beyond the one-hour limit. Their point man is Walter Garber (Denzel Washington), a transit officer whose bad luck is that on this particular day, it’s he who’s in charge of the route taken by Ryder’s hijacked train. And so when the train fails to move along its path, Garber reaches out to speak to its conductor, finds himself connected with Ryder, and suddenly is in the position of hostage negotiations. Assisting him to that end is John Turturro as one of the city’s key hostage negotiators. Scott long has been a director who relies on slick, quick-cut editing to drive his films, and that’s no exception here, particularly in the opening credits, which are so hyped up, they’re annnoying. The good news is that eventually the busy work being done in the editing bay is taken over by movie, which absorbs the false sense of momentum rapid editing provides with real momentum propelled by the story, the fine acting and the characters themselves. Rated R. Grade: B

"Air Force One" Blu-ray
Harrison Ford is the President of the United States and Glenn Close is his Vice President in a movie that features an engaging script and genuinely gripping scenes. When Air Force One is taken hostage by a group of terrorists led by Ivan Korshunov (Gary Oldman), the president is thought to have slipped through a special escape pod. He hasn’t. Hiding on board, the presient finds himself fighting to keep himself, his family and his country safe. A former Vietnam Vet, he proves a formidable opponent to Oldman’s equally formidable terrorist, who relishes killing off hostages in an effort to get what he really wants--the release from prison of General Radek (Jurgen Prochnow), a powerful man who will threaten a Communist return to Russia if he is set free. Who has the power to free Radek? The president, of course. In this fine, high-definition transfer of the film, audiences likely will have a grand time watching this particular war between terrorist and president play out. Rated R. Grade: B+


"Love Actually" Blu-ray
It's "the absolute torture of love" that this romantic comedy has in its sights, and the net it casts over the whole sprawling affair is about as broad as it gets. This busy, relentlessly shameless comedy also is funny, with an expert cast on hand to help smooth over the rough spots. The movie doesn't so much star anyone as it co-stars everyone. Some of the highlights including Hugh Grant as England's disco-dancing prime minister who falls for a foul-mouthed tea girl (Martine McCutcheon); Alan Rickman and Emma Thompson as a couple facing a marital impasse; Laura Linney as a woman torn between her love for the smoky-eyed office stud (Rodrigo Santoro) and her mentally ill brother; and Colin Firth as a famous crime writer who falls hard for his Portuguese cleaning woman (Lucia Moniz). Adding to the laundry list of subplots are a wheelbarrow of other characters, too many to list here, though the hilarious Bill Nighy must be singled out for his outrageous performance as Billy Mack, a has-been pop singer who launches a holiday comeback. He is the best part of the movie. Rated R. Grade: B+

March of the Penguins/On the Wings of Penguins
It's their bodies you notice first. Not made for flying, not particularly well made for walking, the emperor penguins of the Antarctic are awkwardly built, their rotund heft, stunted limbs and gnarled feet creating a curious waddle that's at once comical and endearing. It's only when they swim in the freezing waters of the Antarctic that these creatures realize a ballet of physical release that seems beyond their capabilities. There, in the electric blue of a faraway deep, they become tuxedoed missiles--as slick as dolphins, as graceful as seals, faster than you could imagine, able to dart with ease to the feast of fish fretting along the fringes of the icebergs that sustain them. Still, on land, where these penguins spend most of their lives, they are designed in ways that appear completely wrong for the process that takes up so much of their lives--breeding. Pegged to a life of almost impossible difficulty, these driven, nearly 4-foot-tall birds must walk more than 70 miles through the most treacherous terrain and weather in order to come to a place in which they feel safe to hatch their chicks. And then, to find food, they must walk those 70 miles again. And again. And again. Meanwhile, starvation is a thief that has its way with them. Morgan Freeman narrates their moving journey--the lives that spring from it, those that fall because of it. Winner of the Academy Award for Best Documentary, the film has been re-released in a limited-edition giftset that includes the feature-length documentary “On the Wings of Penguins,” an African penguin toy and collectible postcards. All are fine, but it’s the core movie that resonates. Rated G. Grade: A

"Star Trek: The Original Series Complete Second Season" Blu-ray
It never gets old. That’s the thing about the original episodes of “Star Trek,” which prickly old Paramount refused to share with us (you’d think they were going belly up), and so we bought it for review. The high-definition print is so bright and clear, Trekkies likely will faint at the quality of the print. Also enhanced are the special effects, which have been updated, though not at the cost of the show’s tongue-in-cheek charm. The 1967-68 season was memorable, featuring such iconic episodes as “The Trouble with Tribbles,” surely one of the series’ funniest, as well as everything from “The Doomsday Machine” and “Mirror, Mirror” to “The Immunity Syndrome” and “Amok Time.” Set your phasers to stun, because that’s pretty much the effect these remastered episodes will have on its legions of fans. Grade: A

"Watchmen: The Ultimate Cut, The Complete Story" DVD, Blu-ray
Stop the madness! If there was going to be an “Ultimate Cut” of this dog, it should have involved scissors, trumpets, a marching band and the celebrated cutting of this movie to shreds. But no. In its new, longer incarnation, Zack Snyder’s unfortunate take on Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons’ popular graphic novel, “Watchmen” is even more pretentious and long, so much so that it collapses under the weight of its own bloated ideas. This pseudointellectual superhero mess is self-indulgent, self-important and, worst of all, boring. The film--and this is a review of the film, not the novel, a distinction some of the novel’s more passionate fans nevertheless will overlook--is such a misfire, it’s no wonder Moore himself removed his name from the project. He didn’t want to be directly associated with something he knew wouldn’t translate well onto the screen. Turns out he was right. While Snyder achieves a dark, beautiful-looking movie that complements Gibbons’ surreal illustrations, the dense storyline, while fleshed out, still remains made for the page, where one’s imagination can take root and fill in the corners--and where layers can not only deepen, but thrive. Rated R. Grade: D

Clicking each title will bring you to Amazon.

"The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3" DVD, Blu-ray
Following the 1974 original, Tony Scott’s brisk remake takes place mostly in the bowels of New York City, specifically its subway system, which long has carried its share of baggage, particularly with terrorists, who have gone on record to say that one day, they would target it again. Scott understands the fear underlying this notion and he employs it with jolts that aren’t much of a stretch. Well, not too much of a stretch. The film begins with a crazed faction of American terrorists led by the mysterious Ryder (John Travolta). Together, these men hijack a subway train, take their share of hostages, and demand $10 million for their release within one hour. If the mayor (James Gandolfini) can’t come up with the money in time, Ryder promises that one passenger will die for every minute that passes beyond the one-hour limit. Their point man is Walter Garber (Denzel Washington), a transit officer whose bad luck is that on this particular day, it’s he who’s in charge of the route taken by Ryder’s hijacked train. And so when the train fails to move along its path, Garber reaches out to speak to its conductor, finds himself connected with Ryder, and suddenly is in the position of hostage negotiations. Assisting him to that end is John Turturro as one of the city’s key hostage negotiators. Scott long has been a director who relies on slick, quick-cut editing to drive his films, and that’s no exception here, particularly in the opening credits, which are so hyped up, they’re annnoying. The good news is that eventually the busy work being done in the editing bay is taken over by movie, which absorbs the false sense of momentum rapid editing provides with real momentum propelled by the story, the fine acting and the characters themselves. Rated R. Grade: B

"Air Force One" Blu-ray
Harrison Ford is the President of the United States and Glenn Close is his Vice President in a movie that features an engaging script and genuinely gripping scenes. When Air Force One is taken hostage by a group of terrorists led by Ivan Korshunov (Gary Oldman), the president is thought to have slipped through a special escape pod. He hasn’t. Hiding on board, the presient finds himself fighting to keep himself, his family and his country safe. A former Vietnam Vet, he proves a formidable opponent to Oldman’s equally formidable terrorist, who relishes killing off hostages in an effort to get what he really wants--the release from prison of General Radek (Jurgen Prochnow), a powerful man who will threaten a Communist return to Russia if he is set free. Who has the power to free Radek? The president, of course. In this fine, high-definition transfer of the film, audiences likely will have a grand time watching this particular war between terrorist and president play out. Rated R. Grade: B+


"Love Actually" Blu-ray
It's "the absolute torture of love" that this romantic comedy has in its sights, and the net it casts over the whole sprawling affair is about as broad as it gets. This busy, relentlessly shameless comedy also is funny, with an expert cast on hand to help smooth over the rough spots. The movie doesn't so much star anyone as it co-stars everyone. Some of the highlights including Hugh Grant as England's disco-dancing prime minister who falls for a foul-mouthed tea girl (Martine McCutcheon); Alan Rickman and Emma Thompson as a couple facing a marital impasse; Laura Linney as a woman torn between her love for the smoky-eyed office stud (Rodrigo Santoro) and her mentally ill brother; and Colin Firth as a famous crime writer who falls hard for his Portuguese cleaning woman (Lucia Moniz). Adding to the laundry list of subplots are a wheelbarrow of other characters, too many to list here, though the hilarious Bill Nighy must be singled out for his outrageous performance as Billy Mack, a has-been pop singer who launches a holiday comeback. He is the best part of the movie. Rated R. Grade: B+

March of the Penguins/On the Wings of Penguins
It's their bodies you notice first. Not made for flying, not particularly well made for walking, the emperor penguins of the Antarctic are awkwardly built, their rotund heft, stunted limbs and gnarled feet creating a curious waddle that's at once comical and endearing. It's only when they swim in the freezing waters of the Antarctic that these creatures realize a ballet of physical release that seems beyond their capabilities. There, in the electric blue of a faraway deep, they become tuxedoed missiles--as slick as dolphins, as graceful as seals, faster than you could imagine, able to dart with ease to the feast of fish fretting along the fringes of the icebergs that sustain them. Still, on land, where these penguins spend most of their lives, they are designed in ways that appear completely wrong for the process that takes up so much of their lives--breeding. Pegged to a life of almost impossible difficulty, these driven, nearly 4-foot-tall birds must walk more than 70 miles through the most treacherous terrain and weather in order to come to a place in which they feel safe to hatch their chicks. And then, to find food, they must walk those 70 miles again. And again. And again. Meanwhile, starvation is a thief that has its way with them. Morgan Freeman narrates their moving journey--the lives that spring from it, those that fall because of it. Winner of the Academy Award for Best Documentary, the film has been re-released in a limited-edition giftset that includes the feature-length documentary “On the Wings of Penguins,” an African penguin toy and collectible postcards. All are fine, but it’s the core movie that resonates. Rated G. Grade: A

"Star Trek: The Original Series Complete Second Season" Blu-ray
It never gets old. That’s the thing about the original episodes of “Star Trek,” which prickly old Paramount refused to share with us (you’d think they were going belly up), and so we bought it for review. The high-definition print is so bright and clear, Trekkies likely will faint at the quality of the print. Also enhanced are the special effects, which have been updated, though not at the cost of the show’s tongue-in-cheek charm. The 1967-68 season was memorable, featuring such iconic episodes as “The Trouble with Tribbles,” surely one of the series’ funniest, as well as everything from “The Doomsday Machine” and “Mirror, Mirror” to “The Immunity Syndrome” and “Amok Time.” Set your phasers to stun, because that’s pretty much the effect these remastered episodes will have on its legions of fans. Grade: A

"Watchmen: The Ultimate Cut, The Complete Story" DVD, Blu-ray
Stop the madness! If there was going to be an “Ultimate Cut” of this dog, it should have involved scissors, trumpets, a marching band and the celebrated cutting of this movie to shreds. But no. In its new, longer incarnation, Zack Snyder’s unfortunate take on Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons’ popular graphic novel, “Watchmen” is even more pretentious and long, so much so that it collapses under the weight of its own bloated ideas. This pseudointellectual superhero mess is self-indulgent, self-important and, worst of all, boring. The film--and this is a review of the film, not the novel, a distinction some of the novel’s more passionate fans nevertheless will overlook--is such a misfire, it’s no wonder Moore himself removed his name from the project. He didn’t want to be directly associated with something he knew wouldn’t translate well onto the screen. Turns out he was right. While Snyder achieves a dark, beautiful-looking movie that complements Gibbons’ surreal illustrations, the dense storyline, while fleshed out, still remains made for the page, where one’s imagination can take root and fill in the corners--and where layers can not only deepen, but thrive. Rated R. Grade: D

It's like robbing a grave! Stealing from the dead! Pick-pocketing a corpse!

I just went over to Amazon to check out their Halloween sale and wanted to make sure you were aware of it.

I bought Dawn of the Dead, The Evil Dead and Day of the Dead--all for next to nothing. And they'll be here by Halloween, which is sort of key.

Obviously, I like zombie movies.

Check out all the gory goodness at their new Halloween sale here.

It's like robbing a grave! Stealing from the dead! Pick-pocketing a corpse!

I just went over to Amazon to check out their Halloween sale and wanted to make sure you were aware of it.

I bought Dawn of the Dead, The Evil Dead and Day of the Dead--all for next to nothing. And they'll be here by Halloween, which is sort of key.

Obviously, I like zombie movies.

Check out all the gory goodness at their new Halloween sale here.

Hawaii Five-O: Seventh Season
The challenge is obvious--how to make each episode as energetic as Morton Stevens' iconic theme song? For this seventh season of the long-running series, the good news is that most episodes are. Set in Hawaii, the show finds Jack Lord bringing back the heat and the cool as Steve McGarrett, the pompadoured leader of an elite four-man police team that finds Chin Ho Kelly (Kam Fong) and Danny "Danno" Williams (James McArthur) working to bring down the evil Chinese agent Wo Fat. Among others. Highlights include “The Two-Faced Corpse,” “Right Grave, Wrong Body” and “I’ll Kill ‘Em Again.” With any luck, look for the show to reprise its run--with an all new cast--should a new pilot currently in production pass muster with CBS. Grade: B+







Monsoon Wedding: Criteron Collection
An arranged marriage in Dehli causes a whirlwind of hysteria that rivals that of “My Big Fat Greek Wedding.” With the bride already involved with a married man and the groom wanting to date before he rushes down the aisle, what ensues is a monsoon of emotions--Bollywood style. In this special Criterion Collection, look for many extras, including a restored high-definition digital transfer, audio commentary from director Mira Nair, three short documentaries from Nair, as well as four fictional short film, the best of which is 2007’s “Migration.” Rated: R. Grade: A-.





The William Castle Film Collection
B-movie bumps in the night. This excellent collection from Sony sets the mood to camp, arrives just in time for Halloween, and features several stand-out horror movies from the 1960s, such as an ax-wielding Joan Crawford as poor Lucy Barbin in the incomparable “Strait-Jacket,” as well as “13 Frightened Girls,” “13 Ghosts,” “Homicidal,” “The Old Dark House,” the hilarious “Mr. Sardonicus,” Vincent Price in “The Tingler” and “Zoltz!” It’s unfortunate that “Macabre” and “The Night Walker” weren’t included, but this otherwise impressive set does include an insightful documentary on Castle in “Spine Tingler! The William Castle Story.” Grade: B+


Also on DVD and Blu-ray disc

Several television are available, the best of which is the seventh season of Girlfriends, a fine option for those seeking an alternative to Sex and the City. The show isn’t as daring or as baring (it didn’t, after all, appear on HBO), but its humor is cheeky and it does tackle similar issues, with its four female leads fighting to make it in Los Angeles. Also available is the fine final season of The L Word, the first season of the action-drama Flashpoint, and the fifth season of the FBI drama Numb3rs, which solves crimes with the help of…algebra!





On Blu-ray, beware three colossal wrecks--the horror movie Wrong Turn 3: Left for Dead, which is suitably titled; the horror movie The Craft, which ironially lacks a trace of craft itself; and Kevin Costner’s triumphant flop, Waterworld.









Savin,g the week is the terrific Blu-ray release of Stop Making Sense which focuses on the Talking Heads in concert at Hollywood’s Pantages Theater in 1983 (David Byrne was in his prime--and it shows); the DVD and Blu-ray release of Red Dwarf: Back to Earth; Tracy Morgan hosting the amusing Scare Tactics: Season Three; and Warner’s boxed set of Peanuts 1970s Collection, Vol. 1, which includes such memorable shorts as “It’s a Mystery, Charlie Brown,” “A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving” and “It’s the Easter Beagle,” among others.






Finally, don’t miss TCM Spotlight: Esther Williams Collection, Vol. 2, as it features six Williams films, including “Fiesta,” “Pagan Love Song,” “Easy to Love,” “This Time for Keeps,” “Thrill of Romance” and the best of the lot, “Million Dollar Mermaid.”

Hawaii Five-O: Seventh Season
The challenge is obvious--how to make each episode as energetic as Morton Stevens' iconic theme song? For this seventh season of the long-running series, the good news is that most episodes are. Set in Hawaii, the show finds Jack Lord bringing back the heat and the cool as Steve McGarrett, the pompadoured leader of an elite four-man police team that finds Chin Ho Kelly (Kam Fong) and Danny "Danno" Williams (James McArthur) working to bring down the evil Chinese agent Wo Fat. Among others. Highlights include “The Two-Faced Corpse,” “Right Grave, Wrong Body” and “I’ll Kill ‘Em Again.” With any luck, look for the show to reprise its run--with an all new cast--should a new pilot currently in production pass muster with CBS. Grade: B+







Monsoon Wedding: Criteron Collection
An arranged marriage in Dehli causes a whirlwind of hysteria that rivals that of “My Big Fat Greek Wedding.” With the bride already involved with a married man and the groom wanting to date before he rushes down the aisle, what ensues is a monsoon of emotions--Bollywood style. In this special Criterion Collection, look for many extras, including a restored high-definition digital transfer, audio commentary from director Mira Nair, three short documentaries from Nair, as well as four fictional short film, the best of which is 2007’s “Migration.” Rated: R. Grade: A-.





The William Castle Film Collection
B-movie bumps in the night. This excellent collection from Sony sets the mood to camp, arrives just in time for Halloween, and features several stand-out horror movies from the 1960s, such as an ax-wielding Joan Crawford as poor Lucy Barbin in the incomparable “Strait-Jacket,” as well as “13 Frightened Girls,” “13 Ghosts,” “Homicidal,” “The Old Dark House,” the hilarious “Mr. Sardonicus,” Vincent Price in “The Tingler” and “Zoltz!” It’s unfortunate that “Macabre” and “The Night Walker” weren’t included, but this otherwise impressive set does include an insightful documentary on Castle in “Spine Tingler! The William Castle Story.” Grade: B+


Also on DVD and Blu-ray disc

Several television are available, the best of which is the seventh season of Girlfriends, a fine option for those seeking an alternative to Sex and the City. The show isn’t as daring or as baring (it didn’t, after all, appear on HBO), but its humor is cheeky and it does tackle similar issues, with its four female leads fighting to make it in Los Angeles. Also available is the fine final season of The L Word, the first season of the action-drama Flashpoint, and the fifth season of the FBI drama Numb3rs, which solves crimes with the help of…algebra!





On Blu-ray, beware three colossal wrecks--the horror movie Wrong Turn 3: Left for Dead, which is suitably titled; the horror movie The Craft, which ironially lacks a trace of craft itself; and Kevin Costner’s triumphant flop, Waterworld.









Savin,g the week is the terrific Blu-ray release of Stop Making Sense which focuses on the Talking Heads in concert at Hollywood’s Pantages Theater in 1983 (David Byrne was in his prime--and it shows); the DVD and Blu-ray release of Red Dwarf: Back to Earth; Tracy Morgan hosting the amusing Scare Tactics: Season Three; and Warner’s boxed set of Peanuts 1970s Collection, Vol. 1, which includes such memorable shorts as “It’s a Mystery, Charlie Brown,” “A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving” and “It’s the Easter Beagle,” among others.






Finally, don’t miss TCM Spotlight: Esther Williams Collection, Vol. 2, as it features six Williams films, including “Fiesta,” “Pagan Love Song,” “Easy to Love,” “This Time for Keeps,” “Thrill of Romance” and the best of the lot, “Million Dollar Mermaid.”