DEVIL WEARS PRADA DVD TALK REVIEW

The Movie

Talk about defying expectations � I sat down earlier this year to watch The Devil Wears Prada fully anticipating that I'd be bored out of my mind by this chick-lit adaptation. Was I ever wrong: Meryl Streep delivered a performance that had people talking Oscar in June, director David Frankel (who cut his teeth on several HBO series, including "Entourage" and - you guessed it - "Sex and the City") somehow managed to make this fluffy dramedy about couture seem effortless and actually engage this reviewer, who could care about who's wearing what and even elicit a scene-stealing performance from the terrific Emily Blunt, who more or less thieved The Devil Wears Prada right out from under Anne Hathaway's nose.

If nothing else, The Devil Wears Prada was a light-as-air antidote to the humdrum sequel-infested summer, a breezy, date night cinch that actually holds up upon repeated viewings, proving that screenwriter Aline Brosh McKenna did a very solid job extracting the humanity from Lauren Weisberger's acclaimed roman-a-clef about her tour of duty with Vogue magazine's editatrix Anna Wintour (upon whom Streep may or may not have based her character, wink wink, nudge nudge). And again, upon revisiting the film for this review, it's clear that Streep, at the very least, should be considered a dark horse Oscar candidate for a deeply human portrayal that, in lesser hands, would've been the unpleasant caricature of a stone-cold bitch.

Hathaway stars as perky, idealistic J-school grad Andrea (Andy for short) Sachs, who's landed in New York City with ambitions towards a career in the world of magazine journalism � a slight detour is in order, however, as Andy finds herself serving as an assistant to Miranda Priestly (Streep), one of the most feared and respected editors in the business. As her haughty co-worker Emily (Blunt) informs her, if she can last a year with Miranda, Andy can land a job at any magazine she chooses. Disgusted with the uptight, glitz-obsessed world of fashion but determined to stick it out, Andy desperately tries to hold on � not only to her job, but also her sense of self, as she slips ever deeper into the seductive, glamorous world of haute couture. Her boyfriend Nate ("Entourage" star Adrian Grenier) feels her job is changing her while Nigel (a fantastic Stanley Tucci), Miranda's right-hand man, encourages the young woman to embrace her sense of adventure. Building to a poignant climax at the height of the Paris showcases, The Devil Wears Prada has some bittersweet reality to mix in with its flighty fantasies, underscoring that success very nearly always comes at a heavy price.

I can't really underscore enough just how much fun and how touching The Devil Wears Prada really is � aside from Streep's commanding, humanistic performance as the iron maiden of magazines, much of the cast makes this film soar; arguably, the one weak link would be Hathaway herself. While she makes for a convincing clothes horse, Hathaway can't really handle the shifts in tone from bubbly to sober � surprising, considering that her work in Brokeback Mountain was some of her strongest to date and called upon her to tap into a much more difficult range of emotions. Nevertheless, The Devil Wears Prada is an effervescent delight, a film that will surprise you and deliver one of the year's most rewarding entertainments. Remember, you can't always judge a magazine by its cover.

The DVD

The Video:

The Devil Wears Prada arrives on DVD sporting a very clean, crisp 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer � colors are vivid and rich, blacks are inky and sharpness is excellent. There were a few instances of video noise and a little smearing, but this is quite likely due to the fact that Fox provided a check disc for review rather than final product. Should any significant video issues arise once I've assessed the final retail version, I'll amend my review accordingly.

The Audio:

The well-chosen pop songs and atmospheric city streets provide plenty of work for this lively Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack � dialogue is heard clearly and without distortion, while the immersive New York City and Paris scenes feel vibrant. A French Dolby 2.0 stereo soundtrack and a Spanish Dolby 2.0 stereo soundtrack, with optional English and Spanish subtitles, is also available.

The Extras:

20th Century Fox serves up a sizable helping of supplements that are Devilishly enjoyable: an overstuffed commentary track featuring Frankel, producer Wendy Finerman, costume designer Patricia Field, screenwriter Aline Brosh McKenna, editor Mark Livolsi and director of photography Florian Ballhaus kicks things off � it's an appropriately chatty, light listen, with plenty of information and camaraderie; it's clear these filmmakers had a great time putting this project together. Five featurettes � the 12 minute, two second "The Trip to the Big Screen"; the six minute, 25 second "NYC and Fashion"; the eight minute, 45 second "Fashion Visionary: Patricia Field"; the two minute, 53 second "Getting Valentino" and the two minute, 36 second "Boss From Hell" � cover everything from adapting a novel to film and the dazzling array of costumes to New York City's relationship with the fashion industry and securing the climactic locations in Paris. Fifteen deleted scenes, all presented in anamorphic widescreen and Dolby Digital 5.1 or with optional Frankel/Livolsi commentary, are included, playable separately or all together for an aggregate of 21 minutes, 35 seconds. A mildly amusing five minute, nine second gag reel, also presented in anamorphic widescreen and Dolby Digital 5.1, is here with trailers for The Devil Wears Prada and The Illusionist, TV spots for The Family Stone and In Her Shoes and a promo for The Devil Wears Prada soundtrack completing the disc.

Final Thoughts:

The Devil Wears Prada is an effervescent delight, a film that will surprise you and deliver one of the year's most rewarding entertainments. It features a few tremendous performances � a sure-to-be-nominated Meryl Streep, a scene-stealing Emily Blunt and a fantastic Stanley Tucci. Remember, you can't always judge a magazine by its cover. Highly recommended.

ROCKY THE COLLECTOR'S EDITION DVD TALK REVIEW

The Movie

Growing up in Philadelphia you learn at any early age: The Eagles are holy, Cheese Steaks are mother's milk, and Rocky is god. How cool it was as a kid to see Rocky in the movies or on TV -- and there he was! Running up the same art museum steps that we ran up last week! Running through the Italian Market! Wow, look, there's I-95!

Of course there's a lot more to Rocky than just the setting, but for a kid growing up in Rocky's own neighborhood, the flick always had a very special appeal. And it only got better as I grew older and learned a little bit about how movies were made. Several years and gradually worsening sequels later, it might be easy to forget what a fantastic movie the original Rocky is, but I guess that's why we re-watch the classics over and over. And if you happen to be a fan of sports movies, Rocky might not have been the first, but it sure as hell turned out to be one of the most influental ... even if most copycatters don't have the stones to stick with Rocky's fantastic ending.

You want simplicity in plot? Here you go: Rocky Balboa is a Philadelphia palooka, a tough-willed but aimless young pugilist who works as muscle for a sleazy street crook -- even if sweet ol' Rocky doesn't actually have the venom that's required for such a position. So what's the guy do? He decides to actually work at being a great boxer. Forget that he's a low-income nobody from a gigantic blue collar town. Who cares that nobody thinks he has a hooker's chance in hell of succeeding? So what if it all turns out to be a huge embarrassment for all involved? The guy has to try dammit, and try he does.

Five sequels later, he's still trying, dammit, but there's nothing as sweet as that first big battle.

Written by actor / second-time screenwriter Sylvester Stallone, Rocky should stand as the eternal retort when someone implies that Sly is a dummy. Say what you will about the guy's late-career movie choices, but I firmly believe that the guy who wrote Rocky is a pretty intelligent person. Plus the flick went on to be nominated for ten Oscars (winning three, including Best Picture) while earning untold millions for MGM and inspiring and inviting new fans all over the planet. Find me someone who doesn't love Rocky. (The first one, not necessarily the sequels, though I do have a soft spot for Rocky 2.)

In every way a quintessential '70s flick, Rocky is supported by John Avildsen's gritty-yet-strangely warm visual style, Bill Conti's stunningly rousing score acts as the absolute backbone of the piece, the performances (from Sly and the timid Talia Shire to the grizzled Burt Young and the lovably crotchety Burgess Meredith) are aces across the board... and the ending. A thing of unexpected beauty it must have been back in 1976, and it still moves me every time I see it. Frankly it turns a perfectly watchable underdog story into a thing of cinematic beauty.

And then came the sequels...

The DVD

Video: I no longer own the single-disc Special Edition from a few years back, but I do believe we're working with the same transfer here. The mild grainies pop up in several of the darker sequences, but overall the movie looks pretty damn nice.

Audio: Dolby Surround 5.1, and I can't hear Conti's trumpets blare loudly enough. Good stuff. Also available are French and Spanish mono tracks. Optional subtitles are offered in English and Spanish.

Extras

When I heard there was a new 2-discer on the way, I passed my old edition off to a grateful pal. And damn if this new set isn't a small slice of Philadelphian heaven.

Disc 1 greets us with three separate audio commentaries: a solo track with Sly Stallone, another with legendary boxing trainer and veteran boxing commentator Bert Sugar, and another with a big batch of filmmakers: director John Avildsen, producers Irwin Winkler & Robert Chartoff, actors Burt Young, Talia Shire & Carl Weathers and Steadicam inventor Garrett Brown. If you're a bigtime fan of this particular flick, you'll probably want to down all the chat tracks eventually, and together they offer some rather eclectic perspectives on the movie. Stallone comes off as both intelligent and insightful; the boxing experts offer some really colorful takes on the film (and the sport); the filmmakers fill in all the blanks in between. (I do believe this commentary is the same as on the old SE, only with a few new participants "spliced in.")

Also on disc 1 is a 4.5-minute featurette called 3 Rounds with Lou Duva, in which the old-school boxing trainer shares his approach to the sport.

Moving over to disc 2 we find ... yo, good stuff! We start off with In the Ring, an exceedingly thorough three-part making-of documentary. Get comfy.

Part I (23:34) is a great look at the project's earliest stages, from Stallone's script on the producer's desk to the (flawless) casting to the preparations for production.

Part II (22:26) focuses exclusively on the contributions of Talia Shire and the late great Burgess Meredith.

Part III (29:41) covers the fantastic work by Burt Young, the underrated performance of Carl Weathers, and several random musings and memories about the production, the movie, and its impact. All three chapters feature new interview segments with Stallone, Shire, Young, Weathers, Chartoff, Winkler, and Avildsen.

Steadicam: Then and Now with Garrett Brown (17:26) is a really excellent look at what this groundbreaking camera technology did for Rocky -- and ultimately for movies in general. Make Up! The Art and Form with Michael Westmore (15:09) is a welcome and illuminating visit with the man who gave Rocky all his scars, bruises and blood streams. Staccato: A Composer's Notebook with Bill Conti (11:29) is yet another fantastic featurette (which obviously deals with the film's stunning musical score). The Ring of Truth (9:34) is a visit with Rocky art director James Spencer, and yet another solid little look at the film. Behind the Scenes with Director John Avildsen (12:24) is a collection of the filmmaker's on-set 8mm home movie footage, complete with introduction/commentary from the director. Pretty cool stuff.

Returning from the previous DVD release are Tribute to Burgess Meredith (7:43), Tribute to James Crabe, (3:34) and Video Commentary with Sylvester Stallone (28:53), but new to DVD is the 17-minute Sylvester Stallone on Dinah! (1976), which is just what it sounds like: Sly visiting Dinah Shore to hype his baby blockbuster.

Also included inside the case is a rather nifty little booklet, which is actually a pocket-sizes excerpt from a new book called Rocky: The Ultimate Guide. Neat.

Final Thoughts

A "guy movie" mega-classic that's really gotten better with age, Rocky finally (after numerous re-releases) has the DVD package it deserves. Maybe I'm a little biased because Rocky is a local hero in my neighborhood, but I think this could very well be one of the best DVDs of the year.

BOB NEWHART SEASON 4 DVD TALK REVIEW

Like all of MTM's best shows - especially the sitcoms Mary Tyler Moore and WKRP in Cincinnati and the dramas Lou Grant and St. Elsewhere - The Bob Newhart Show only seemed to get better as it went along, and now only continues to improve with age, like fine wine. What all of these shows have in common is that that succeeded in building upon fruitful characterizations while seizing upon avenues of comedy and drama that weren't necessarily expected, but once stumbled upon knew enough to run with the material.

Writing DVD reviews of such shows is difficult because there's not much one can add to earlier season set reviews except to note character milestones, behind-the-scene staff changes, subtle shifts in tone, etc. All the above shows hit the ground running. Each got better after a first season of character tweaking and once each show found its voice it didn't change all that much. In the case of The Bob Newhart Show (1972-78) the general trend was to embrace the absurd with greater frequency, taking every opportunity to introduce more eccentrics for Newhart, whose comedy is mostly rooted in reaction, to make as many low-key, often sardonic and subtly cutting understatements as possible.

In Season Four, The Bob Newhart Show introduces Cliff Murdoch, alias "The Peeper" (Tom Poston), a college friend of psychologist Bob Hartley's (Newhart) who never really grew up - and whose stories about Bob's past come as a revelation to Bob's school teacher wife Emily (Suzanne Pleshette, who married Poston in 2001). Poston would make several return visits before landing a regular series role on Newhart's subsequent show, ah, Newhart (1982-90), more or less in the Bill Dailey role, who on The Bob Newhart Show plays Bob and Emily's childlike commercial jet navigator Howard Borden.

And, speaking of Howard, another memorable eccentric this season arrives in the form of Howard's older brother Gordon (William Redfield), in "Warden Gordon Borden," with Gordon a veritable (if more competitive) clone of his sibling. Redfield (One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest) might have become a semi-regular like Poston had he not died of leukemia not long after the episode aired. (Redfield does look rather sickly in the episode).

Bob's secretary, the fiercely independent, pithy Carol Kester (Marcia Wallace), gets married this season. Nowadays such milestones would fall, oh, say around November or February (rating "sweeps" months), but back in the fall of 1975 such things weren't really a consideration. Other memorable shows include "Death of a Fruitman" (written by Tom Patchett and Jay Tarses), a hilarious episode in which a semi-regular is killed off, anticipating Mary Tyler Moore's famous "Chuckles the Clown" episode by a year or two; "Over the River and Through the Woods" (by Bruce Kane), in which Bob and the gang get blasted while Emily is away on Thanksgiving; and "Who is Mr. X" (also Kane) in which Bob reluctantly crosses swords with a talk show host (Jennifer Warren) who sandbags Bob and tries to discredit the entire field of psychology.

Besides Warren, Poston, and Redfield, other guest stars include Cliff Osmond, Rene Auberjonois, Keenan Wynn, William Daniels, Martha Scott, Malcolm Atterbury, Gail Strickland, and Veronica Hamel, as well as semi-regulars Pat Finley (as Bob's sister), John Fiedler, Renee Lippin, Florida Friebus, and Jack Riley.

Married writers Gordon and Lynne Farr contributed many of the best Bob & Emily scripts, while Sy Rosen, an aspiring writing working at a Goodwill shop in Palo Alto, joined the gang and was even appointed story editor the following season.**

Video & Audio

The Bob Newhart Show is presented in its original full-frame format and the image is again disappointing, especially when one compares it with the Gag Reel of bloopers included as an Extra Feature. Though the gag reel has slightly faded color and is a little bit scratchy, it looks a lot better than the shows, which appear drawn from old masters dating back perhaps 15 years or more. Episodes are spread across three double-sided discs, with four episodes per side. There's no Spanish audio track this time, though optional Spanish and English subtitles are available.

Extra Features

Included are welcome audio commentary tracks for the episodes "The Longest Goodbye" (with Newhart, Pleshette, Tom Poston, and director James Burrows), "Who is Mr. X?" (Newhart and Wallace), "Over the River and Through the Woods" (Newhart, Burrows, and Jack Riley), "My Boy Guillermo" (Newhart, Wallace, and writer Sy Rosen), and "Guaranteed Not to Shrink" (Newhart, Pleshette, Wallace, and Burrows). The additional participation of Pleshette and Poston is especially welcome, as is the continued acknowledgment of the writers and directors on all of MTM's DVDs.

A Second Family again finds Newhart warmly discussing the season's highlights. It runs 11 minutes. The aforementioned gag reel is a lot of fun.

Parting Thoughts

Fans of The Bob Newhart Show will want to rush out and get this, possibly the series finest year, one that Newhart himself acknowledges offers what are probably the two or three best-remembered episodes. Highly Recommended.

BOB NEWHART SEASON 3 DVD TALK REVIEW

Season three (1974-75) of The Bob Newhart Show is little more than a further refinement of the strides made in season two with a few additions. The show's regular characters duly established, this season sees some interesting additions but mostly further explores its cast of eccentrics, characters not limited to psychologist Bob Hartley's group therapy sessions.

As in the previous year, The Bob Newhart Show divides its time between the floor of Dr. Hartley's Chicago-based medical building, whose tenants include self-absorbed dentist Jerry (Peter Bonerz), and acerbic man-hungry secretary Carol (Marcia Wallace). Bob's high-maintenance patients meanwhile include milquetoast Mr. Peterson (John Fiedler), grandmotherly Mrs. Bakerman (Floria Friebus), and sardonically petulant Mr. Carlin (Jack Riley). Sadly missing is combative Mr. Gianelli (Noam Pitlik), though the character turns up in the first third season show in the form of Daniel J. Travanti. Howard Hessman and Lucien Scott also show up as new patients in several shows. Other guest stars this season include John Anderson, Edward Winter, Barnard Hughes, Martha Scott, Ann Rutherford, John Randolph (returning as Emily's father), Bill Quinn (Newhart's real-life father-in-law), Fred Willard, and Mike Henry.

The big changes this year, such as they are, happen at Bob's apartment, which he shares with school teacher wife Emily (Suzanne Pleshette). Perhaps acknowledging her equal status in the household, new opening titles have, in a neat twist, Bob welcoming Emily home from work - he gets home before she does. The other change concerns babe-in-the-woods airline pilot Howard (Bill Daily), the Hartley's neighbor and closest friend, a divorcee who begins a serious relationship with Bob's sister, Ellen (Pat Finley), a fact that Bob is not exactly comfortable with.

Some of the best shows of the season revolve around this crisis, peaking with "Sorry, Wrong Mother," in which Howard's son, Howie (Moosie Drier), has trouble adjusting to his father's new girlfriend. One terrific scene is set in an ice cream parlor obviously modeled after Farrell's, a '70s dessert icon whose raucous atmosphere of player pianos, wailing sirens, and obnoxious straw-hatted waiters writer Charlotte Brown mercilessly, hilariously satirizes. (John Ritter guest stars as one particularly grating employee.)

Most of the 24 shows this season were written by Tom Patchett & Jay Tarses, Jerry Mayer, and Charlotte Brown, and directed by MTM veterans Alan Rafkin, Jay Sandrich, George Tyne, and actor-turning-director Peter Bonerz (making him the second TV dentist to become a prolific sitcom director). Kudos to whoever came up with the titles of the last three shows: "Emily Hits the Ceiling," "Bob Hits the Ceiling," and "The Ceiling Hits Bob."

Video & Audio

The Bob Newhart Show is presented in its original full-frame format, but the image, once again is a big disappoint. Though the shows were shot on film and are presented here unedited and not time-compressed, they appear to be drawn from very old masters that look grainy and washed-out. Episodes are spread across three double-sided discs, with four episodes per side. An alternate Spanish audio track is available, along with Spanish and English subtitles.

Extra Features

Included are five audio commentary tracks, featuring Newhart ("The Ceiling Hits Bob"), Newhart and Peter Bonerz ("Battle of the Groups," "Sorry, Wrong Mother"), Newhart and Fred Willard ("Tobin's Back in Town"), and Newhart and director James Burrows ("The Way We Weren't").

What's labeled only as "Featurette" runs nine minutes and includes an amusing interview with Newhart talking about the season, acknowledging the writing staff ("The writers were king, as they should have been") and up-and-coming actors. He also does an uncanny imitation of Buddy Hackett, who acted as matchmaker to his wife of more than 40 years.

Parting Thoughts

For fans of The Bob Newhart Show, this is a no-brainer, while those less familiar with the program will want to sample a few shows, then perhaps work their way through starting with Season 1. Highly Recommended.

BOB NEWHART SEASON 2 DVD TALK REVIEW

A very funny comedy created by The Mary Tyler Moore Show's David Davis and Lorenzo Music, The Bob Newhart Show is an excellent vehicle for its star while carrying over some of MTM's best features with a slightly wackier sensibility all its own. This second season (1973-74) boxed set offers 24 mostly very funny episodes, and a handful of worthwhile supplements, a couple of audio commentaries and a brief on-camera interview with Davis and Newhart.

For the uninitiated, the series is set in Chicago, where psychologist Dr. Bob Hartley (Bob Newhart) lives with working wife Emily (Suzanne Pleshette). Bob's is a universe populated by eccentrics: besides his oddball roster of patients - mild-mannered Mr. Peterson (John Fiedler), grandmotherly Mrs. Bakerman (Floria Friebus), petulant deadpan Mr. Carlin (Jack Riley), and combative, emotional Mr. Gianelli (Noam Pitlik) - Bob must also contend with self-absorbed ladies man Jerry (Peter Bonerz), a dentist that works down the hall; man-hungry secretary Carol (Marcia Wallace); and Bob and Emily's neighbor, affable but child-like airline pilot Howard (Bill Daily).

Like The Mary Tyler Moore Show, The Bob Newhart Show doesn't quite have the enduring following other '70s shows like M*A*S*H seem to enjoy - it's just an extremely well-written, funny show. Its very '70s fashions have dated a whole lot faster than M*A*S*H's timeless khaki wardrobe (check out Bob's plaid slacks and giant gold bracelet!), but at its best no sitcom was funnier.

In the tradition of The Jack Benny Show, much of the program's humor is derived from the star's reactions to the wild characters and situations swirling around him. Newhart's halting, stammering delivery and knack for hilarious understatement is a perfect contrast to Bob's needy, illogical, demanding, and petulant patients, who provide the show's writers with a steady source of prime material. As a stand-up comic and on his best-selling comedy albums, Newhart's telephone monologues became his signature, and in these second season shows at least, the writers look for any excuse to get Bob on the phone.

Highlights include "Last Show," where Bob's group therapy session is disastrously coaxed into recreating their sessions on a public television program; "Motel," in which Bob is subtly propositioned by a hooker at a hotel; "Mr. Emily Hartley," in which Bob is humiliated after learning that his I.Q. is substantially lower than his wife's; and "Blues for Mr. Borden," which features a great gag involving guest star Julius Harris. Most of the shows were written by Tom Patchett, Jay Tarses, Jerry Mayer, and Charlotte Brown. Guests this season include Michael Conrad, Mariette Hartley, Jeff Corey, Bill Quinn (Newhart's real-life father-in-law), Henry Corden, Katherine Helmond, John Randolph, Raul Julia, Sharon Gless, Henry Winkler, Ron Rifkin, and Teri Garr.

Video & Audio

The Bob Newhart Show is presented in its original full-frame format, but the image is disappointing. Though the shows are unedited and not time-compressed, they are frequently grainy and washed-out, with weak audio requiring higher-than-average amplification to be understood much of the time. It's not clear why these shows look as blah as they do (the Mary Tyler Moore shows look just fine), but they cry out for remastering. Episodes are spread across three double-sided discs, with four episodes per side. Menu screens, with caricatures of the cast, are notably ugly. An alternate Spanish audio track is available, along with Spanish and English subtitles.

Extra Features

Fans will enjoy the set's five audio commentary tracks, featuring Newhart and, at various times, co-creator David Davis, Marcia Wallace, and Jack Riley. These are both informative and funny in and of themselves, with a lot of background on the show (there were no extras on the Season 1 set), appreciation for the writers and cast members, and some fine humor from Newhart. A short and much less well-done documentary featuring Newhart and Davis covers much the same territory.

Parting Thoughts

Those too young to remember The Bob Newhart Show when it was new would do well to catch a few episodes on DVD, and chances are you'll want to catch the entire run of this series, one of the best comedies of the 1970s.

Stuart Galbraith IV is a Kyoto-based film historian whose work includes The Emperor and the Wolf - The Lives and Films of Akira Kurosawa and Toshiro Mifune and Taschen's forthcoming Cinema Nippon. Visit Stuart's Cine Blogarama here.

BOB NEWHART SEASON 1 DVD TALK REVIEW

The Show:

Bob Newhart was working as bookkeeper for a Chicago advertising company and living in his parent's basement when he started writing stand-up comedy routines. He recorded some of these at home, and lent the tapes to a friend. Eventually a talent scout heard these tapes and based on their strength, signed Newhart to a recording contract. His first album, The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart, was a phenomenal success. It was the first comedy album to ever reach #1 on the Billboard charts. His follow-up recording, The Button-Down Mind Strikes Back, also did extremely well, with those two albums holding the first and second slots in the charts for an amazing eight months.

After an aborted attempt at a TV show in 1961, Bob Newhart had little interest in staring in another show. When David Davis and Lorenzo Music, writers for the Mary Tyler Moore Show, presented him with a script about a mild mannered psychologist and his trials and tribulations, he agreed to star in the show, and The Bob Newhart Show was born.

In case you have managed to miss seeing this funny and intelligent comedy during its oridinal run or any of the frequent re-runs, Bob Newhart stars as Bob Hartley, a psychologist who lives with his wife Emily (Suzanne Pleshette) in Chicago. His life is filled with treating his neurotic patients, and dealing with his equally necrotic co-workers and neighbors.

This comedy was different from others that were on the air. Bob wasn't the goofy father, who had to be extricated from some mess every week. Newhart refused to let Bob and Emily have children for just that reason. (In the sixth season of the show, the writers came up with a plot in which Emily gets pregnant. When asked what he thought of the script, Newhart replied "It's very funny. Who are you going to get to play Bob?") It is a more intelligent type of comedy, with humor arising out of plausible situations, rather than the usual contrived plots that sitcoms usually generate. One of my favorite shows in this first season has Emily trying to get people to visit the elementary school class that she teaches for 'career day.' Bob is insulted that she doesn't ask him, but she explains that what a psychologist does would be too hard for eight year olds to grasp. When someone cancels at the last minute, Bob steps in and has a horrible time in class. Not because the children were smart-alecs throwing out witty lines of banter, but because it is hard to describe what a psychologist is in second grade terms. "How many of you know yourselves? I mean, really know yourselves?"

I enjoyed this show when it was first on the air, though I haven't seen an episode in years. I was very pleased to discover that this is one of the few sitcoms to really stand the test of time. Though the hair styles, fashions, and furnishings are a little dated, the show is still as funny as it was when it was first broadcast. I laughed several times in every show, something that doesn't happen with most sitcoms.

The program is very low keyed, yet it had a healthy mix of satire and humor with a little sarcasm thrown in. Bob was an everyman type of character, someone the audience could relate to. A lot of his problems weren't all his doing, but you could see how he contributed to the messes he found himself in.

Like silent comedian great Buster Keaton, Newhart met most problems and difficulties with a dead-pan reaction. These were more effective at showing his thoughts (not to mention more humorous) than if he ran around the room waving his arms in the air. Newhart often has long pauses in his delivery when someone asks him a difficult or embarrassing question. This almost forces the viewer to imagine what they would say in that situation, and Bob's reply is always more bizarre and off the wall than anything I'd come up with. Odd, but realistic and believable.

This show really had an ensemble cast, with all of the supporting characters doing an outstanding job. Suzanne Pleshette played Bob's wife wonderfully, making her his equal. She wasn't a dingbat air-head, nor was she the one always solving his problems. She was his partner, and though they occasionally fought (like in the hilarious episode Don't Go to Bed Mad) one never dominated the other.

Other cast members include Bill Daily, well known for his role as Major Roger Healy in I Dream of Jeanie, who plays Bob's always hungry neighbor Howard, Marcia Wallace as the receptionist Carol and Peter Bonerz (sound like the name of a porno star doesn't it?) who plays the orthodontist with an office next to Bob's Jerry Robinson. My favorite supporting member though is one of Bob's patients, Eliot Carlin magnificently played by Jack Riley. This morose, terminally depressed man had a quick tongue capable of flinging out the most hilarious insults, backhanded compliments, and bizarre observations. The fact that he always talked in a monotone just added to the characters appeal. You'd never think that something funny would come out of the mouth of such a loser. Riley managed to steal just about every scene he was in, and was a regular character for the full run of the show.

The DVD:

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This set contains all 24 episodes from the first season on three double sided discs.

Audio:

The show is presented with English and Spanish audio tracks, both in two channel mono. Originally airing on TV in the 70's, the soundtrack isn't dynamic or exciting, but it gets the job done. The dialog is clear, and the show sounds very good for a show this old.

Video:

The full frame video is also looks very good for a show over 30 years old. There is a small amount of grain to the picture, and the occasional piece of dirt, but overall the image is clear and clean. They did a good job encoding the shows too. With only four episodes on most sides, there is plenty of room on the disc and digital defects are rarely seen.

Extras:

Unfortunately, there are no extras on this set. Bob Newhart has said that he'd love to contribute commentaries and interviews, and I presume that Fox is testing the waters with this first season. Hopefully if this set sells well future seasons will include more bonus features.

Final Thoughts:

Ironically, The Bob Newhart Show gained critical acclaim throughout its entire run, but never won an Emmy award. Now the show is often eclipsed by some of the other great 70's sitcoms like All in the Family, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, and MASH, but The Bob Newhart Show is just as funny and intelligent as its more famous contemporaries. The show has aged very well, and each episodes contains a lot of laughter. No collection of quality TV shows would be complete without this gem of a show. Highly Recommended.

DEGRASSI NEXT GENERATION SEASON 1 BOX SET DVD TALK REVIEW

The First Season

Degrassi: The Next Generation is a spin-off series of the Canadian television series Degrassi Junior High and Degrassi High. These parent series were more or less the same. After the cast in Degrassi Junior High finished junior high school, they moved onto high school and the series was renamed Degrassi High. The spin-off series takes place approximately ten years after the cast of Degrassi High finished high school. Like the parent series, Degrassi: The Next Generation focuses on the dramatic daily lives of several junior high school students. Some of the topics that this season touches upon include drugs and alcohol, sex, cyber stalking, young love, and family values. Unlike the parent series, this new series adds another twist, modern technology. A small, but a very integral portion of this series includes computer savvy stuff like instant messaging, e-mail, and the internet. This series is intended for young teenagers, but not entirely limited to. However, the majority of folks who are past their early teens probably will be less than excited by this series. Being that I'm passed my early teens, I found that a lot of this show just wasn't that entertaining.

The reason that I didn't find a lot of the stories in the first season very entertaining is because they just don't appeal to me. The stories focus upon the difficulties of being a young teenager, each ending with a righteous moral lesson. Basically, I just didn't enjoy the show's tempo. This show can be a little bit corny. However that isn't necessarily bad, because it creates the proper mood for the series. The stories are supposed to be through the eyes of a young teenager. The fact of the matter is that they can get away with it, because they're young. You can't expect someone inexperienced with life to make mature, logical, and prudent decisions in every kind of situation. Hell, I don't even know if you can expect an adult to act in that manner all the time. This concept of young teenagers being inexperienced with life is a big part of this series. But it's also something that I really didn't enjoy. The mood of the series just didn't work well with me.

In the first season, we see the various cast members make some very bad decisions. The series opens with a very important message. It's expressed in the two part episode "Mother and Child Reunion". In this episode, we have a very powerful message about the dangerous of meeting strangers on the internet. Other episodes like "Eye of the Beholder", "Basketball Diaries", and "Jagged Little Pill" include some important messages that touch upon the dangers of drugs and alcohol. There are also episodes that cover topics upon sexual intercourse, peer pressure, relationships and dating, family values, and the dangers of being a rumormonger. Overall, I felt that the bulk of the episodes in this first season were filled with very important messages, but it doesn't change the fact that they weren't that entertaining.

From the aspect of presentation, these episodes are written fairly well. The corniness factor exists, but as mentioned earlier, it fits the show well. The situations that the cast encounters, whether it is sex, peer pressure, or drugs and alcohol, they are presented in a manner that feels fairly realistic. For instance, some shows like Saved By the Bell attack the same kinds of issues, but the situations are far too unreal. Of course, Saved By the Bell takes an entirely different approach, comical versus dramatic. Another good point about the show's writing relates to the cast. In this series the cast is pretty big, with a lot of characters who all have different personalities. There wasn't a lot of focus on character development. However, I found that the characters were all very likeable and it was very easy to really care about them. This left you wanting, hoping that they would make the right decisions.

The fact of the matter is there were some positive aspects of the first season of Degrassi: The Next Generation, but as a whole, the series just didn't pull together to provide a really gripping experience. This series should be restricted for those who enjoy a little corny drama and those who can benefit from an important moral lesson. To say the least, it's great for young teenagers. However, everyone else probably won't find it that exciting.

Episode Guide
1. Mother & Child Reunion (1)
2. Mother & Child Reunion (2)
3. Family Politics
4. Eye of the Beholder
5. Parent's Day
6. The Mating Game
7. Basketball Diaries
8. Secrets & Lies
9. Coming of Age
10. Rumours & Reputations
11. Friday Night
12. Wannabe
13. Cabaret
14. Under Pressure
15. Jagged Little Pill

The DVD

Video:
The complete first season of Degrassi: The Next Generation is given in its original television aspect ratio of 1.33:1 full frame color. The picture quality is decent, but it suffers from a hazy grain and slight compression artifacts. In comparison to most current television series, the picture looks relatively good and it's better than what you would expect from broadcast or cable television.

Sound:
The audio track in this DVD release is an English 2.0 Dolby digital stereo sound track. The sound quality is fairly good, with only a barely audible distortion. Like most other television series releases on DVD, the audio is relatively flat, as it consists of spoken dialogue. Also, there is very little distinction in separation between audio channels.

Extras:
Fans of this series should be pretty happy that there are a lot of special features included with this release. However, those who aren't fans will probably be less than thrilled with them. The majority of the extras are bloopers and deleted scenes. Since I wasn't a big fan of this release, the deleted scenes weren't that interesting. On the other hand, some of the bloopers were pretty entertaining. This was because these kids can be pretty funny. My favorite extra was the audition tapes, which has auditions for ten of the cast members. This is an interesting extra that isn't usually included with most releases and I wish more TV on DVD releases would include them. This same extra can be found in Freaks & Geeks � The Complete Series. The other extras are less than entertaining, a photo gallery with screenshots of the first season, character descriptions, cast biographies, and a karaoke version of the Degrassi theme song. Overall, it's a very nice set of extras, but best suited for the fans.

Final Thoughts:
Despite that I didn't find watching the first season of Degrassi: The Next Generation to be one of the most exhilarating experience, there were enough entertaining episodes that I remotely enjoyed this release. If you're interested in a television drama through the eyes of several young teenagers, this first season DVD release should appeal to you. However, if you prefer more intense drama, this series should be the last on your list. I'd highly recommend it to young teenagers, but that's about it.

ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW THE FINAL SEASON DVD TALK REVIEW

Watching syndicated reruns of The Andy Griffith Show as a kid, I had the same experience that many fans of the show have talked about; turning it on, there was always an element of anticipation to see if it was a going to be a "Barney" or "post-Barney" episode. And as fans of the show know, a "post-Barney" also meant a color episode of The Andy Griffith Show, which quit broadcasting in black-and-white at the beginning of the 1965 season � the same season Don Knotts moved off the show and into his movie career. Inevitably, there would be a small sense of let-down if it proved to be a color show. There are still memorable, classic episodes of The Andy Griffith Show contained in those final 90 stories, but at least for a kid, the peripatetic, blustering, hilariously inept Barney Fife, as conceived by the brilliant Don Knotts, was the main reason to watch The Andy Griffith Show.

There was always something lonely about the series after Knotts left. You could see it in Andy Griffith's face. Griffith, who has stated that a lot of his pleasure playing the part left when Knotts left, seemed more irritated, more anxious or preoccupied if you will, in some indefinable way, that may have been the result of carrying on the show without his strongest player on the team. The sense of family that the series had so artfully created for five seasons was irrevocably changed in 1965, and not for the better. Other characters had or would come and go (most notably Jim Nabors' Gomer Pyle), but the loss of Andy's sidekick Barney left an emotional hole in the show that even a kid could sense when he or she watched the later color episodes. Not helping matters, either, were the losses that same year of producer/story consultant Aaron Rubin, and writers Everett Greenbaum and Jim Fritzell (who were so adept at creating the almost surreal, small-town country antics of early black-and-white Mayberry). By the final season, Griffith, visibly bored with the role, was utilizing a whole new writing team, and their haphazard approach to the Mayberry myth is unfortunately evident in The Andy Griffith Show: The Complete Final Season, an odd, anti-climatic hodgepodge of shows that fail to live up the challenge of closing out this classic series.

Of course you wouldn't have known that back in 1967-1968, if you were watching the Nielsen ratings. The final eighth season of The Andy Griffith Show ended up as the number one rated show for the year � the only time the series attained that honor. Why it ended up number one is hard to say. Perhaps viewers wanted to hang on to the homey little series that had been like family to them for eight years. Certainly Knotts' successful movie career helped (when Knotts guest-starred for the last time on this final season, that episode received the highest single rating of the entire series). Looking back on the final season now, it's difficult, though, to capture a sense of what viewers back then might have been experiencing. There are a few episodes in this final chapter of the series that seem to indicate a rite of passage for the show (such as the various Opie stories where he's growing up and away from being a small boy dependant on Andy), but those are quickly followed by odd-ball shows that have nothing to do with the spirit of the original conception (such as Howard going off to live on a desert island). The introduction of the Sam Jones character, played by Ken Berry, who would take over the series when it was renamed Mayberry R.F.D., is artlessly accomplished. A character that supposedly everybody in Mayberry knows (but whom we the viewers have never heard of), Sam Jones is the epitome of the colorless, anonymous, bumbling suburban "everyman/Dad" that was already a cliche on TV back in 1968. What happened to the wild, crazy goings-on that made fictional Mayberry a direct descendant of the wacky, screwball, distinctly American comedy lineages of Preston Sturges and Frank Capra? It's a telling, reoccurring image in The Andy Giffith Show: The Complete Final Season when the first shot of the first episode of the season shows Griffith asleep on the couch: inert, lifeless, oblivious. There are other shots of Griffith, throughout the season, were he's miming nodding off, while supporting characters drone on behind him. It's a startling departure in Griffith's approach to the character, especially when seen against the joyous, almost raucous tone he imparted to Sheriff Taylor at the beginning of the series. Perhaps this depressing change in tone only served to illustrate how much Griffith wanted to move on with his career outside the confines of Mayberry.

What's missing from The Andy Giffith Show: The Complete Final Season is a sustained effort to impart to the viewer a sense of passing, a feeling of completing the cycle that was started with those first shadowy black-and-white episodes. What I wanted was an acknowledgment from Griffith and the cast that I was seeing the final days of Andy Taylor and family in Mayberry. Of course, there may have been studio pressure (or it may have been Griffith's idea) to keep such a sense of closure out of the final season. After all, Griffith was involved with the continuation of the series into Mayberry R.F.D., and the studio certainly wanted viewers to stick around the coming season for their number one show on television. And yes, the first episode of Mayberry R.F.D. did show Andy getting married and moving away from Mayberry (which, by all rights, should have been included in this DVD set). But still, there is almost no effort on the part of the writers or Griffith to sum up the Mayberry experience here, to put a point on their eight year effort that, although not yet the pop culture phenomenon it would become, was still a wildly popular success with critics and the public.

Instead, we're treated to numerous stories where nagging concerns about money and personal success weigh down the buoyancy of the show's earlier spirit; it's a curious preoccupation with finances and money worries that puts an edge of anxiety onto many of the episodes. This much more subdued, somber tone to the proceedings unfortunately isn't balanced by a reflective approach to the material. One can only wonder what was on Griffith's mind when he did stories about Sheriff Taylor worrying about not having enough money for Opie's college fund, or doubting his own self-worth after sending Opie off to a ritzy day camp to hobnob with rich kids, as well as having Emmett and Goober be depressed about their stations in life. Were these personal concerns of Griffith, who knew he was leaving a highly successful TV series? Other supporting characters get their chance to worry and fret about their lives, as well (the ridiculous Howard's New Life episode, where Howard tries to find meaning in his life...by moving to a desert island). The writers of the final season even go so far as to invent a criminal past for Helen Crump, which almost breaks up her relationship with Andy (after hearing Andy's totally unconvincing explanation of her acquittal, I'm sure most lawyers out there would agree that she's still guilty of those felony charges!). This emphasis on more moody concerns � whether through the efforts of the new writing staff or from Griffith � hampers the comedic appeal of the show; frankly, there just aren't nearly enough outright laughs in The Andy Giffith Show: The Complete Final Season. I'm not saying there aren't occaisional sparks of the old show's hallmark of genuine warmth and feeling in these final episodes. Several of these stories, in particular the Goober story about going to the auto show and meeting his old buddy from trade school, as well as a couple of the Emmett stories, where he sells life insurance and where he tries to buy his wife a mink coat, have moments of real depth for the audience -- an achievement that owes more to the acting talents of George Lindsay and Paul Hartman rather than to any special screenwriting. But what was once a heartwarming, affirmative, affectionate comedy that had moments of surreal, almost perverse comedy, had descended into a relatively moody, melancholy drama, with moments of mild laughter spread thinly about.

It's a good indication of how far things went out of kilter in The Andy Giffith Show: The Complete Final Season when the final episode that was actually shot (although it wasn't the final episode aired) has Goober -- with absolutely no irony -- forgoing his comic books and reading Aristotle for god's sake, in an effort to improve his mind and impress his computer date. This is the last episode that made it to the production schedule? This is the definitive note that Andy Griffith wanted to close the show out on? Where's Andy's last, understanding word of advice for Opie on a problem he's having at school? Where's the final, funny moment where Aunt Bee fusses lovingly over Andy and Opie? And where's that closing front porch moment, with Andy and his family quietly listening to the night sounds as they say goodbye to the day, and to us? Maybe it's on that first episode of Mayberry R.F.D. (although honestly, I don't remember � that show didn't run as often in syndication -- nor was it particularly memorable in its own right). But it's not anywhere here in this last season, and it should be.

Here are the episodes included in The Andy Giffith Show: The Complete Final Season:

DISC ONE:

Opie's First Love
Opie is dejected when Mary Alice Carter cancels their date so she can attend Arnold's thirteenth birthday party with the popular Fred Simpson.

Howard, the Bowler
Howard is on his way to bowling immortality with a perfect game � until a power failure at the bowling alley disrupts his winning streak on the very last frame! Will his luck hold out when the match is rescheduled?

A Trip to Mexico
When Aunt Bee wins a trip to Mexico, she invites her close friends Clara and Myrtle to go with her. But when they return from the trip, none of the women are speaking to one another!

Andy's Trip to Raleigh
Andy's jaunt to Raleigh and back opens up a can of worms with Helen Crump when he tries to explain away the mysterious sunburn he acquired while away "on business."

Opie Steps Up in Class
Opie's new buddy is a boy from a wealthy family, and the newfound friendship begins to affect Opie in not-so-positive manner.

Howard's Main Event
Howard falls head-over-heels for Millie Hutchins, the new woman at the bakery. But his romantic bliss evaporates when he discovers the identity of Millie's former boyfriend!

DISC TWO:

Aunt Bee, The Juror
There's disorder in the court when Aunt Bee, while seated on a jury, becomes the sole holdout against convicting a man accused of a department store burglary.

The Tape Recorder
When Opie and Arnold secretly bug one of the jail cells with a new tape recorder, the device picks up a conversation that throws the entire Mayberry Police Department into a perplexing legal predicament.

Opie's Group
Opie's rockin' and rollin' as the new guitar player for a local band � until his school grades begin to suffer from his preoccupation with his new musical endeavor.

Aunt Bee and the Lecturer
A visiting lecturer becomes smitten with Aunt Bee and expresses an interest in tying the knot. Could wedding bells be about to chime for Aunt Bee?

Andy's Investment
T ensure that there will be plenty of money for Opie's college education, Andy goes into the laundromat business on the side � but the new venture is soon running him ragged.

Howard and Millie
When Howard and Millie decide to marry in Millie's home state of West Virginia, they ask Andy and Helen to come along to serve as best man and maid of honor. But by the time the travelers reach their destination, the wedding is off!

DISC THREE:

Aunt Bee's Cousin
Aunt Bee's well-to-do, globe-trottin' cousin, Bradford, is due to arrive for a visit � but Andy discovers that Bradford my have an ulterior motive for his visit.

Suppose Andy Gets Sick
Pandemonium reigns in Mayberry when Andy is bedridden with the flu and the town's "Police Emergency Committee" takes over � a questionable team consisting of Goober, Emmett and Howard!

Howard's New Life
Howard decides to bid Mayberry good-bye and moves to the Caribbean. But he soon discovers that life in an island paradise isn't all it's cracked up to be.

Goober, the Executive
Goober, intent on becoming his own boss, buys the gas station from Wally � and becomes overwhelmed by the trials and tribulations that come with running a business.

The Mayberry Chef
Aunt Bee lands her very own cooking show on a local television station in Silver City � but her new showbiz career takes its toll on the Taylor household.

Emmett's Brother-in-Law
Emmett's brother-in-law, Ben Beecham, convinces Emmett to leave his beloved fix-it shop and get involved in the insurance business.

DISC FOUR:

Opie's Drugstore Job
To earn money to buy a new electric guitar, Opie gets a job at the drugstore � and learns an important lesson in responsibility when he is left alone in charge of the store.

The Church Benefactors
The Mayberry church members agree to disagree over how a $500 endowment for the church should be spent � should it go towards new choir robes, or for much-needed structural repairs?

Barney Hosts a Summit Meeting
Barney Fife returns to Mayberry as a man with an important mission � he is to arrange accommodations for an upcoming U.S.-Soviet summit. Will his efforts result in an international incident?

Goober Goes to the Auto Show
Goober encounters an old friend during a visit to an automobile show � which triggers an accelerating case of one-upmanship between the two men.

Aunt Bee's Big Moment
Aunt Bee aims for the sky � literally � when she decides that she needs a little more excitement in her life � and promptly signs up to take flying lessons!

Helen's Past
Helen must face a shocked school board when news of a prior arrest surfaces � and the bearer of the stunning news is none other than Sheriff Andy Taylor!

DISC FIVE:

Emmett's Anniversary
Emmett's innocent plan to surprise his wife with a fur for their anniversary snowballs into a misunderstanding � one in which his wife accuses the hapless Emmett of having an affair behind her back!

The Wedding
When Howard's domineering mother remarries and moves out of the house, a gleeful Howard turns the home into a swinging bachelor pad and plans a wild party to celebrate the momentous occasion.

Sam for Town Council
There's a showdown brewing on the streets of Mayberry when a town council seat comes up for grabs and the two candidates are the wily Emmett and gentleman farmer Sam Jones.

Opie and Mike
When Sam's son Mike is targeted by a bully, Opie decides to step in and act as Mike's protector � until he's sidetracked by the new girl in town, Heather Campbell.

A Girl for Goober
Goober's responses on a dating service's application results in a perfect (mis)match � he's paired with Dr. Edith Gibson, an intellectual woman with a Ph.D. degree!

Mayberry R.F.D.
Sam Jones hires an immigrant Italian family to work his farm, but the newcomers have difficulty adapting to their new surroundings. The final episode of The Andy Griffith Show, which introduces the new spin-off series, Mayberry R.F.D..

The DVDs:

The Video:
The video image for The Andy Giffith Show: The Complete Final Season is quite good, although there are obvious color shifts and washes throughout some of the episodes. Still, the full-frame images look a lot better than they did during all those years of syndicated reruns.

The Audio:
The strong Dolby Digital English mono soundtrack preserves the original audio presentation of the series. Close-captioning is not an option on the menus, but it does work when you use your TV's close-captioning function.

The Extras:
Criminally, there are no extras for the final season of this great series. One can only assume that extras are being carefully compiled for the inevitable massive box set of the entire series, but for now -- nothing.

Final Thoughts:
There's still some of the old Mayberry magic in a few of the episodes of The Andy Giffith Show: The Complete Final Season, but overall, it's a rather melancholy affair, with emphasis put more on drama -- and rather depressing drama, at that -- rather than on comedy. Whether it was new writers, or Andy Griffith wanting to move on quickly from the series, it's hard to say, but there are many episodes in The Andy Giffith Show: The Complete Final Season that fail to live up to the standards set by the earlier shows. Perhaps most sad of all about The Andy Giffith Show: The Complete Final Season is the fact that no one involved bothered to give the viewers a proper send-off of the series. Yes, Andy does get married in the first episode of Mayberry R.F.D. (not included, unfortunately, as a bonus on this set), and leaves Mayberry. But in The Andy Giffith Show: The Complete Final Season, there's no sense of summation, no nostalgic feeling of an era coming to an end. Audiences had welcomed these characters into their homes, as if they were family, for eight years, but the show unfortunately didn't conclude on a note worthy of that admiration -- or indeed, worthy of its own accomplished comedic heritage. I'm recommending The Andy Giffith Show: The Complete Final Season because there are still flashes, still glimpses of what would eventually make Sheriff Taylor and Mayberry cultural icons for generations to come. However, it's an inconclusive, faltering, and ultimately unsatisfying end to a truly brilliant series.

INVINCIBLE DVD TALK REVIEW

Disney keeps cranking out these fact-based inspiring sports movies, throwing everything at the wall to see what sticks. Now and then, something does. "Invincible" does. It's a lean, efficient, classy film, uplifting without being schmaltzy. It clearly was made by people who didn't just want to churn out another football story; they wanted to make a good movie.

The ads tout it as being "from the producers of 'The Rookie,'" but you'd probably have made the connection anyway. Both stories are about schoolteachers who take a once-in-a-lifetime chance to try out for a professional sports team. It was baseball in "The Rookie," and in "Invincible," it is that burliest, manliest of sports, football.

The film is set in Philadelphia (a burly, manly town) in 1976 (a burly, manly era -- just check out those mustaches). The economy is lousy, and so are the Philadelphia Eagles. Both factors are depressing to the men of South Philly, among them a just-fired, just-divorced man named Vince Papale (Mark Wahlberg). His buddy Max (Michael Rispoli) owns the neighborhood bar and lets Vince work a few hours there to stay afloat, serving drinks to and commiserating with his pals.

The Eagles' new coach, Dick Vermeil (Greg Kinnear), a fresh-faced maverick from UCLA, sets up open tryouts as a publicity stunt. He doubts seriously that he'll find any worthwhile players by throwing open the gates to the local wannabes and former high school heroes, but at least it will get people excited about the Eagles again. Besides, who knows? Maybe there's a star out there, just waiting to be found.

Vince Papale is that star, convinced by his buddies, with whom he plays vacant-lot football some evenings, that he's a natural. If you are a football fan, perhaps you already know the name of Vince Papale, which means you already know what happens when he goes to those tryouts.

Of all the underdog-sports films in existence, this is one of the few to successfully re-create the spirit of "Rocky" (which I consider the gold standard), and not just because they're both set in Philadelphia in the mid-'70s. First-time writer Brad Gann and first-time director Ericson Core capture the moodiness of Vince's unemployment, the general low morale among his friends, the sheer loneliness, even with a team sport, of working out, training and preparing. There are even scenes of Vince jogging through Philadelphia, during which it is impossible not to think of the Italian Stallion.

Vince's goal, like Rocky's before him, isn't to win but to go the distance. Having failed at so many things, he expects to fail at this, too. Even his father (Kevin Conway) expects it. Dad isn't disappointed by his son's lack of success in life; he merely accepts it as who he is and loves him anyway. Their relationship takes a sweet turn as things start to work out for Vince, and it's one of the film's more moving scenarios.

Core acts as his own cinematographer (a rarity in Hollywood), and while he shoots the game scenes in that same jittery style that has become standard for football movies, he demonstrates a knack for composition and interesting visuals in other ways. He uses the camera to help tell the story, not just as a mechanical device to record the images. Not all directors bother, especially not for studio-produced crowd-pleasers. But the extra effort is appreciated.

He also captures the camaraderie of Vince's down-and-out Philly friends and the brotherly love that goes on among devoted football fans. It's Vince's story that matters most -- and Wahlberg, always a reliable actor, gives him the proper weight and emotional range -- but it's also the story of a neighborhood that needs to feel good about itself again. You'll find that as their spirits rise, so do yours, right up to the triumphantly tearful finale.

CRISSANGEL MIND FREAK SEASON 2 DVD TALK REVIEW

The Story So Far...
Criss Angel combined traditional stage magic with dark and dramatic imagery to create a unique and highly entertaining show that earned him a cult following and the respect of the magic community. He then parlayed that success into a series on A&E, a gig at the Aladdin in Las Vegas, and a spot as one of America's top magicians. The show, "Mindfreak" followed Angel as he performed his magic and travelled the country. Two DVD releases were culled from the show's first season, including a season set and the Halloween special. DVDTalk has reviews of both: Season One | Halloween Special

The Show
After delivering a solid, if melodramatic first season for A&E, Criss Angel returned to his series with a bit more fame and a few changes. Among the changes made are a simplification of the opening sequence (reducing the cheese level greatly), the almost-total elimination of the unnecessary "Surreal Family" bumpers that preceded and followed commercial breaks, and the addition of a spectator's point-of-view camera, that's handed to an audience member to tape from their perspective. Though the subtraction are certainly welcome, the new P.O.V. perspective only adds to the show if you care about the believability of Angel's tricks, as it attempts to show the on-the-scene perspective. Considering that most of the segments that include the spectator's P.O.V. camera are done in the middle of groups of people, and the camera never goes behind "the curtain," it's less of an addition and more of a gimmick.

The magic in this season is as interesting as it was in Season One, with tricks like the vanishing acts in "Vanish," his motorcycle trick in "Bike Jump Vanish," and the excellent quick change from "Metamorphosis." In addition to his vanishing tricks, Angel shows a propensity toward escape acts, with four episodes featuring various versions. But it's his "street magic," done up close and personal, as seen in "Party" and throughout the season, that really blows people away. Thanks to the immediacy and proximity of the tricks they are hard to attempt to explain, and the lack of stage theatrics leaves no camouflage to blame for hiding the mechanics of magic.

There are a few episodes that are a bit weaker than the rest, like the somewhat hokey "Building Float," Angel's "Walk on Water," and the main event of the outtakes episode "My SecretCabaret ," where the performer stops his pulse at five points on his body at the same time. These are impressive tricks, but they lack the visual punch of his best work. The same goes for the episodes with his celerity friends, like "Celebrity Minds," "Celebrity Seance" and "Prophecy." Mentalism just doesn't translate well to TV, though they managed to make it work in "Motorcyle Roulette," as they placed Carrot Top's life on the line.

Angel's background in traditional magic is a boon to the series, as it leads to guest appearances by magicians including Lance Burton, Penn and Teller and Jeff McBride, the cooperation of the famed Magic Castle in Los Angeles, and an episode where Angel is named "Magician of the Year" for an unprecedented third time. Even better, is "Suckers," which exposes the less ethical applications of magic skills. These touches help ground Angel's more out-there concepts, as do a pair of sentimental episodes. "Military Salute" takes Angel to an Air Force base, in a tribute to the Armed Forces that features soldiers saying high to deployed relatives and friends, while "Chad's Story" shows Angel helping a boy recovering from cancer achieve his magic dreams. They are a bit out of line with the rest of the series' tone, but they're still entertaining.

On a purely personal note, this season was fun thanks to plenty of tricks shot on Long Island, where I live. I drive by several of the locations on a daily basis, and one is less than a mile from my house, which is interesting to me at least. So, if you live near me, which I'm sure means a large percentage of you readers, there's another reason to check this set out and play, "Hey, I know that place!"

The DVDs
Consistency be damned! Admittedly, it wouldn't have made sense to stick with the keepcase used for season one, with the change from two to three discs (holding 21 episodes), but it's still unfortunate that the cases don't match from season to season. This time, the discs are packaged in three clear slipcased ThinPaks, which have one-sided covers (another negative mark.) The discs feature a slightly-animated full-frame menu, with options to watch all the episodes, select individual shows and check out bonus features (where applicable.) There are no subtitles, closed captioning or audio options available.

The Quality
The video quality of the full-frame transfers is what you would expect from a recent non-HD TV show, as there's a very clean image with solid color and no obvious dirt or damage. Some minor pixelation can be seen along straight edges, but it's mostly clear of digital artifacts.

The Dolby Digital 2.0 soundtrack is a tight presentation of the show's strong music mix, delivering the sound pretty evenly. The dialogue is clear and well-mixed, avoiding any distortion.

The Extras
Though at first glance the set seems to have a good amount of extras, most of them aren't very substantial. The first disc starts things off with a pair of commentaries by the magician on, for "Building Float" and "In Two." Once again, he talks about the prep work that goes into his tricks and his inspirations, but again, he doesn't tell how his magic works. Occasionally, he'll start describing what's happening on-screen, and at one point he invites listeners to an event that happened two months ago, but for the most part its a friendly track that covers similar ground to the first set's commentaries.

The second disc offers nothing up in terms of bonus material, but the final DVD has five featurettes, beginning with "Teach A Trick." This is just a compilation of the magic lessons offered during the season though. "Interviews" starts off well, with a very informal interview between Angel and Penn and Teller, as well as a special guest. It also has short chats with magicians Todd Robbins and Jeff McBride. Five minutes of "Practical Jokes" is silly, but not really funny, nor are they really practical jokes. It's just the crew messing around mainly. "Criss Angel Special Gifts" might be the weakest extra, as it's 3:30 of Angel being given two special gifts. It's followed by "Criss Uncensored," which is actually just more outtakes stitched together.

The Bottom Line
Criss Angel's always walked a line between cool and goofy, but he's leaning a bit too much toward his gangsta-goth persona these days, as this collection of stunts and street magic somewhat shows. His magic is continuously above reproach though, as he pushes every trick to the limit. This set presents the show in nice shape, with a few decent supplements, which should makes Angel's fans happy. If you want to see a quality magician at work, with a touch of theatrics, this is as good a DVD as any.

HOME OF THE BRAVE DVD TALK REVIEW

Stationed in Iraq, four military professionals, Will (Samuel L. Jackson), Vanessa (Jessica Biel), Tommy (Brian Presley), and Jamal (Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson, who is completely unintelligible in this film), are bound together when they come into devastating contact with a roadside bomb and insurgent ambush. Sent back to America to recuperate, the soldiers discover they're not ready for their lives, striving to find their footing in a world that was once easy for them to recognize.

"Home of the Brave" arrives in the tradition of such post-war films as "The Best Years of Our Lives," "Born on the Fourth of July," and "Coming Home." It's a feature about the toxic effects of combat, and how it trickles into the war at home. Unfortunately, instead of a requiem for a stable life, "Brave" reduces everything to riotously loathsome television movie standards, bleeding the potency of what should be a very significant and disturbing story dry.

"Brave" commences with a heady depiction of Iraq war life, kicking the film off on a note of urgency and horror. These characters collide during a fiery trap, and director Irwin Winkler uses the brutal glimpse of combat hell to illustrate the despondent and hair-trigger nature of the country. If you can buy Chad Michael Murray as a butch military grunt (nope), then "Brave" does a solid job getting the audience into a claustrophobic state of mind as these soldiers' worst fears are realized.

As the story returns to America, and the characters begin to piece their hopes and dreams back together, the screenplay (by Mark Friedman), and especially the emotional intensity, begins to stall. Winkler is hunting for a weighty movement of heartbreak as the seams start to split on the homecomings: Will can't embrace his Bush-hating son, Vanessa has to relearn life with only one hand, Tommy can't find employment, and Jamal...lord help me, I have no idea what Jamal was after. Does 50 Cent even speak English? Winkler wants us to pity these damaged goods; essentially to reveal our own unsophisticated thoughts on a war fought thousands of miles away. Friedman takes great pleasure in hammering home this shaming formula every chance he gets.

A far more elaborate script might've achieved that lofty goal, but Friedman's take on post-war blues is dangerously cyclical in its condescension. Friedman doesn't write dialogue for his characters, instead he issues out talking points on the pointlessness of civilians who debate the war, the abysmal medical standards for vets, and necessary mental defragging. It's a crudely-penned valentine to guilt, reducing enormously real-word truths to after-school special pantomime.

Winkler hurts the film even more with his wooden, flavorless direction. He reduces good actors like Samuel Jackson, and promising ones like Biel, to wildly gesticulating cartoons. As the script pushes the drama to alcoholism (unintentional laughter might escape your lips watching Samuel Jackson play drunk), rage, and melodramatic breakdown, Winkler loses the punch of it all through his one-dimensional work.

"Home of the Brave" encompasses such an essential, topical subject that to see it bestowed a half-assed treatment here is criminal. The Iraq War, and all the insanity that it contains, is going to be fodder for dramas for decades to come; I pray future filmmakers learn from the monumental mistakes this dreadful movie makes because this subject deserves all the respect and attention it can be afforded.