DVD Release Recommendation 9/12/2006

Anything Worth Buying?

Every week, there are TONS of DVD releases. Some are just re-releases, like a second printing; others are special-interest DVDs with limited appeal; and some of them are just lame releases using the poorest-quality transfers possible (but at least they're out for the public until the appropriate studio decides to do something with it, if ever).

I know I really need to work on the colors on this site.

Something Special for this post: I love Audrey Hepburn. Now, before you roll your eyes, this is not the special part (it is for me). Have you seen the Gap commercial featuring Audrey dancing to AC/DC's "Back in Black"? The dancing is from the movie Funny Face (which I've never seen), and I kind of like it. It is almost as though her steps were choreographed to the modern song. Purists will declare this awful, but I kind of think she would like it.

TV DVD Release of the Week

SpongeBob Squarepants: Season 4 Vol 1

SpongeBob rocks. He's one of my favorite cartoons of the past few years, and I really laugh at with him.

Honorable Mentions

• Moonlighting: Season 4
  Great example of great dialog reminiscent of the early screwball comedies. And the stories were fun, too.
  


• The Office: Season 2
  I watched the original British series two or three years ago and loved it. I watched the first episode of the American version and thought it just missed being its own series rather than a pale imitation of the British show. Having watched more episodes in the past couple of weeks, I find that it has found its own voice that is just as strong and funny as the British show without being just an imitation.
  


• Smallville: Season 5
  I love Superman. This is a very nice fresh look at Superman as a young lad before coming out of the super-hero closet.
  

DVD Release of the Week

Lucky Number Slevin

This movie just looks interesting. It's about a case of horribly mistaken identity and the mob. Hilarity must ensue. Most critics I read didn't seem to like it too much, but that really just means it's not a great piece of art, not that it's necessarily unenjoyable.

Honorable Mentions

• Star Wars IV, V, VI
  

  The only reason I picked these is that they apparently contain the only releases of the very original movies that will ever be on DVD. If George Lucas had just released the originals rather than lumping them with his later revamps and inherent price-gouging, these would be a great buy and highly recommended. However, if you bought the original three-movie DVD release a couple of years ago or so, you already have the main feature and are forced to re-purchase them. (Just wait until the final season of MASH is released to find out what I think of Fox.)