Yeah yeah. November was a bad month. Work was busy. The nights were long, the days were short, and generally, I was a bad, bad blogger. What kind of example am I trying to set here? I don't know. My appologies. But as a sign that I'm back, I've decided to share with you a little project that has been eating up a lot of my time. It involves getting tons of DVDs and watching them. The magazine calls it a DVD guide. Well, I guess I'm just doing my part, but here's a sneak peek at what the last two weeks boil down to for me:
Guilty Pleasures
21 Jump Street: The Complete First Season ($39.98)
Long before Johnny Depp was Captain Jack Sparrow in the Pirates of the Caribbean he was Officer Tom Hanson, the baby-faced, tail-kicking, undercover agent in 21 Jump Street. 17 years have elapsed since the first season aired on Fox's fledgling network, but now it's available on a 4-disc DVD set, complete with all 13 original episodes, four cast and crew interviews, and a commentary by co-star Peter DeLuise. However, the guiltiest pleasure of this set is hearing Johnny Depp sing back-up on the theme song every time you play one of the DVDs.
Newlyweds: Nick & Jessica: The First Season ($26.99)
There might be more important questions in life than whether tuna is fish or chicken, but few will be as entertaining. If you missed the pleasure of seeing Nick Lachey and Jessica Simpson settle into married life, or you just can't seem to get enough of their highly amusing antics, then you can't miss the 2-disc DVD set of Newlyweds: Nick & Jessica: The First Season. It's everything that the 10-episode season was, plus exclusive interviews, music videos, biographies, and a "best of" reel packed with the moments that defined Jessica and another one just for Nick. If you have a weak spot for celebrities, reality television, or just want to kick back, this little gem is just the guilty pleasure for your collection.
Cartoons for Grown-ups
Family Guy: Freakin Sweet Collection ($19.98)
From time to time a cartoon comes along with just the right blend of alcoholism, world domination, and slapstick comedy. For our time, that cartoon is Family Guy and for this holiday season there is no better DVD for both die-hard fans and newcomers to the series than the Family Guy: Freakin Sweet Collection. This DVD contains five handpicked episodes by the show's creator, Seth MacFarlane, two interviews, four commentary tracks, including one by characters Stewie and Brian, and an inside look at American Dad. If you enjoy the Simpsons or know someone who does, this DVD is the perfect introduction to a whole new world of dysfunction and comedy.
South Park: The Complete Fourth Season ($49.99)
There are many things very wrong with the humor of South Park, but somehow creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker manage to make it work. In the fourth season of the vulgar, violent, and hilarious series the boys befriend wheelchair-bound Timmy, join NAMBLA, form a boy-band, and still manage to learn a valuable lesson or two. The 3-disc South Park: The Complete Fourth Season contains all 17 episodes from the year 2000 each with a brief commentary by Parker and Stone, which give new life to the episodes you may have seen before. For anyone who might not have made the second check of the nice list, this DVD is just the thing to make him or her happy to be naughty.
Ren & Stimpy: The Complete First and Second Seasons ($38.99)
Before Spongebob Squarepants took the animated world by storm there was another revolution led by a neurotic Chihuahua and a simpleton housecat by the names of Ren and Stimpy. These characters took gross gags and warped comedy to a new level and we loved them for it. Well, now they're back and this time they're uncut. Ren & Stimpy: The Complete First and Second Seasons has 32 unedited episodes from the first two seasons of the show, six commentary tracks, a short featurette, plus one episode that was banned by Nickelodeon. This 3-disc set is perfect for the eediot on your list or any connoisseur of cartoon subversion.
Aqua Teen Hunger Force: Volume Three ($29.98)
When a cartoon only airs after one in the morning on Sunday nights and still as a huge fan base you know it has to be good. This particular cartoon is about the daily adventures of a meatball named Meatwad, a milkshake named Master Shake, and an order of fries named Frylock. Just a few features that make the 2-disc worth adding to your collection are the 4 commentary tracks, deleted scenes, and the outgoing answering machine messages that will give anyone who calls a bad impression. The best part of Aqua Teen Hunger Force: Volume Three is that you won't have to miss any sleep to enjoy it.
strongbad_email.exe ($29.99)
If you've never heard of Homestar Runner, Strong Bad, or the Cheat then you probably don't watch a lot of Web cartoons. But that's okay because Homestar Runner, the best flash-animated Web cartoon that the Internet has to offer is now available on DVD. The 3-disc set has the first 100 E-mails to Strong Bad, complete with all of the hidden scenes and easter eggs that make the Web version so popular. Plus, strongbad_email.exe has three previously unreleased E-mails, four karaoke videos, and behind the scenes footage of the creators in action. This DVD makes the perfect gift for that person who always forwards you those hysterical E-mails at work, at least if you're still on speaking terms (available at homestarrunner.com).
Off the Beaten Path
Napoleon Dynamite ($29.98)
For fans of deadpan, original comedy there is no better DVD than Napoleon Dynamite. If you missed this movie in the theaters, now is the perfect time to watch Napoleon take his sweet moon boots on an adventure to get his friend Pedro elected to student body president. But with his shady Uncle Rico watching the house, be prepared for some seriously amusing side plots. If you have already seen the film, there are still plenty of reasons to take this DVD home, like cast and crew commentary, deleted scenes, the original short film, and a making-of featurette. This DVD is perfect for anyone who's ever laughed at the biggest dork in school or cheered him on.
The Hebrew Hammer ($19.99)
This holiday season make room in your library for the Hebrew Hammer, a self-proclaimed "certified circumcised private dick." When a diabolical Santa Claus decides to destroy Chanukah, it's up to one man to save the day. With the help of the Kwanza Liberation Front, some clever disguises, and enough gags to give Airplane a run for its money the Hebrew Hammer can't lose. Plus, take a look at the original short film by the same name included on the DVD, along with commentary, outtakes, and deleted scenes. You don't have to keep kosher to enjoy this movie, but don't be surprised if you laugh until you shvitz.
Danny Deckchair ($26.98)
If you're looking for a romantic comedy without a lot of Hollywood clich&#eacute;you should take a look at Australian produced Danny Deckchair. Danny is an average guy with an overactive imagination and a desire to get away. During a barbecue, he takes flight in a deckchair strapped to giant helium-filled balloons and ends up leaving his woes behind and meeting his soulmate. This is an extremely cute, feel good flick without a lot of hype or pretense to it. Plus, if you're a fan of the Lord of the Rings, you get to see the beautiful Miranda Otto as Danny's love-interest, Glenda. The DVD also comes with deleted scenes and commentary, but unfortunately no schematics on how to build your own flying chair.
Hero ($29.99)
In the spirit of Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon this movie uses fantastic special effects to take you on a mystical martial arts epic of courage, revenge, and loyalty. In this film a nameless soldier gains access to the emperor where he tells the tale of how he battled the most feared assassins in the land to reach his greatest enemy. Complete with lightning fast sword play, charged emotions, and plenty of epic drama, this film will not dissapoint the lover of action or drama on your list. Plus, if you're against reading subtitles, the DVD features both English and the original Chinese audio tracks, as well as an interview with Quentin Tarantino and Jet Li, and a featurette about the making of the movie.
Buck Rogers in the 25th Century: The Complete Series ($89.98)
Grab your interstellar leisure suit and get ready to blast off to the year 2491 with the 5-disc set Buck Rogers in the 25th Century: The Complete Epic Series. This set marks the first time that the whole series has been released on any format and contains more than 29 hours of Buck Rogers adventures from the television series that aired from 1979 to 1981, complete with bellbottoms, butterfly collars, and space-age polyester. The DVD doesn't pack in any extra features, but with 31 episdoes to keep you busy, you might be watching this set well into the 25th century yourself.
