Things are finally starting to get interesting around here; hopefully the trend will continue as we head into the holidays. I'm starting to find a few things to put on my wish list.
In September, Death Proof, Quentin Tarantino's half of the Grindhouse duo, was released on DVD. This week sees the release of the other half as Robert Rodriguez's Planet Terror makes its uncut and extended way to store shelves. I'm reasonably certain that Planet Terror and Death Proof will find their way under my Christmas tree this season — if you missed this double bill when it hit the theaters earlier this year and you'd like an evening of fun with your popcorn, pop these both into your Netflix queue.
Other recent theatrical releases making their home theater debut this week include Michael Bay's Transformers and the Angelina Jolie vehicle, A Mighty Heart, the story of slain journalist Daniel Pearl as told by his wife Mariane, whom Jolie plays in the film.
A glance down the long list leads me to mention the Critics Choice Collection, which is comprised of four critically acclaimed independent features: Thank You For Smoking, Sideways, Waking Ned Devine, and Garden State. I've seen these all, and there's not a loser in the bunch. For $26.99 (at Amazon), this is a bargain box of entertainment.
People who were disappointed by the cancellation of Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip will be happy to know that the entire series is now available. I lost interest after the first couple of episodes, so I'll be sitting this one out, but it does have its many fans. Another TV release that might be up your alley is Mythbusters: Collection 2. If you haven't seen this Discovery Channel favorite, you're missing out on some fun. Jamie Hyneman, Adam Savage, and company test a variety of myths — haven't you always wanted to know whether or not a hurricane can blow the feathers off a chicken? — often in dangerous fashion. An entertaining combination of ingenuity and craziness, this show manages to be educational, too.
Stay tuned over the next few weeks as you make out your holiday shopping list. In the meantime, I am waiting — not very patiently, I might add — for the third season of Battlestar Galactica. C'mon guys...
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Article comments
1 - El Bicho
"I'm reasonably certain that...Death Proof will find [its] way under my Christmas tree this season"
Is someone mad at you or is Santa out of coal? A better present would be a sharp stick to the eye.
2 - Lisa McKay
I know you hate this movie, El B, but I really had fun when I saw these at the theater. Planet Terror was consistently more fun throughout, but there is something about the women turning the tables on the creep in Death Proof that appeals to me. I probably could have lived without the dialog-heavy first half but that car chase was pretty entertaining.
3 - El Bicho
There was a good 30 mins of stunts.