The Abyss: Special Edition - Finally! The Abyss on DVD, spanning two separate discs. This set is so loaded with features, I can't believe it. And to have the extra 20 minutes of restored footage restored is the biggest bonus of all! I've always loved this movie, and I even got it for $20 at Sam's Club instead of $30 everywhere else. Can't beat that with a stick!

Ace Ventura: Pet Detective - What can I say? It's Jim Carrey acting stupid, and I love it.

Army of Darkness (Limited Edition 2-Disc Set) - Part 3 in the Evil Dead trilogy...by far the tamest of the three, but still entertaining in a goofy sorta way. It's hard to pull off a "slapstick horror" flick, but Sam Raimi's done it. There are 2 versions of the movie in this set, plus the original ending and lotsa cut footage.

The Alien Legacy - I could have done without "Alien 3", talk about a waste of film. But the box set came with it, and the others hold up well on their own, chock-full of extra features... "Alien Resurrection" was hated by many people, but I enjoyed it...it's got its own unique character. (OK, the Baby Alien bit was a little much!) The first two flicks are, of course, classics in their own right!!

Amelie - This is another movie that Hollywood could never make because it trades violence, explosions, car chases, and recycled plots for romance, playfulness, eccentricity, simple beauty, desperate longings, and life-transforming experiences for its characters.  Think it sounds sappy?  You'll finish the movie smiling and thoughtful after this one.  When was the last time a movie did that to you?  I'm not going to rehash the plot here...just watch it!!  The extra features are nice, too.

Björk: All is Full of Love - I've never seen a "DVD single" before, but here it is. This disc contains the video for the song, plus two remixes (audio only). What an incredible video...and great lyrics, though they're hard to make out sometimes. Look 'em up. :-)

Björk: Volumen - Finally, Björk's videos on DVD! She makes some of the most interesting and beautiful videos ever. A couple are real stinkers, but most of them are excellent and feature a lot of computer graphics, which is a plus with me.

Back to the Future Trilogy - Jeezus, this one took years to hit DVD, but finally they got it together.  I forgot how good these movies were, so I watched them all one lazy afternoon and really enjoyed it.  The extras are interesting too, though there's no footage of the original actor who was to play Marty McFly (I forget his name...but he must have been pretty bad).

Bananas Is My Business - Yes, it's Carmen Miranda! This is actually a documentary about her life, which is pretty interesting. Hey, everyone has a favorite diva!  Mine's just a little more fruity than the rest.

Blade - I was surprised by how good this movie is, to be honest. I really enjoyed it...great action & effects, fun story, and Snipes kicks ass! This DVD is absolutely packed with extra features, too.

The Blair Witch Project - Yeah, I bought the damn thing. I thought it was good to see in the theater, but it's not quite as creepy on a T.V. screen. The commentary is great, though...it gives me a little more respect for the movie and what the actors went through.

Blazing Saddles - One of my all-time favorite comedies. This was cracking me up since I was a kid, and it's still as raunchy as ever. If only Mel Brooks' movies were this good today...

Bram Stoker's Dracula - OK, so Keanu Reeves is an absolute dork as an Englishman. Otherwise, this movie kicks ass. Dark and tragic and romantic, and just violent enough for the average American's tastes.

Braveheart - Yeah, since I have Scottish blood slurping thru my veins, it's a given that I would own this movie when it (finally) hit DVD. (Plus, it was on sale for $12.99, so how could I not?)

Brazil - What to say about this movie? It cleverly paints a bizarre future (alternate reality?) of ultra-efficiency, government red tape, and neverending paperwork to be processed. Sounds dull, right? Well, give it a chance...the humor is sharp, the production design is great, and the fantasy sequences are VERY Terry Gilliam. It's not for everyone, but if you feel trapped in your office, you'll appreciate it.

Carlin at Carnegie - Finally, George's old HBO specials are being released on DVD!  This is one of my favorites...it includes the "expanded" list of dirty words, which went from the original count of seven to several hundred.

George Carlin: Jammin' in New York / Doin' It Again - Yes! Carlin on DVD! It's a dream come true... Too bad that not all the photos on the cover are from the shows in question. The big photo is from years ago, I think. He doesn't use that "Wha...?" look anymore...he tends to look much more pissed now. :-)

The Capercaillie Collection - This has videos and concert footage of one of my favorite bands.  It's only as recent as 1996, though, so it's somewhat dated...but it's good nonetheless, and it's a nice addition to the collection.

Cats & Dogs - Warner Brothers screwed things up again...they released this DVD in two separate screen formats (widescreen & fullscreen), creates confusion and leads widescreen-lovers like me to buy the wrong version by accident.  After a lot of searching I finally found the widescreen version, so all is well.  Anyway, this is a fun movie with great humor and animal effects (live, animatronic, and computer), and it's not as heavy on the cutesy stuff as you might expect.  If Disney had done this movie, you never would have seen those Ninja cats, that's for sure.

Margaret Cho:  I'm The One That I Want - Margaret Cho is one of my new favorite comedians.  I have seen her perform now and then over the years, in short segments, but nothing like this!  She's honest, she's raunchy, and she's brilliant.  Her detailed description of her abuse on the set of her T.V. show is jaw-dropping, as well as her amazing handle on the humorous (and ridiculous) aspects of the gay community.  Her Asian humor is spot-on, always funny but never cruel.  You won't be disappointed!!

The City of Lost Children - This is one bizarre French flick.  The visuals are excellent, the story is interesting, and the characters are odd enough to hold your attention. Directed by the guy who did "Delicatessan" and the much-maligned "Alien Resurrection".

Contact - Another fantastic flick. Great story, great effects, great speculation about a lot of "what if?" issues.  The first hour of the movie is a realistic look (I think) at what would happen if we got an "intelligent" signal from space, and the effects it would have on science & society.  The fantasy parts are good, too!

Dark City - Now, this is great sci-fi. The story sucks you in, the the atmosphere and effects are surreal, and the alternate commentary track by Roger Ebert is fascinating. The man knows his stuff! I also never thought I would enjoy ANY movie with Keifer Sutherland, but there you go.

Dragonheart - OK, so it's not the best-written story in the world. And the acting is kinda crappy. And the script is pretty lame. But it's decent. The dragon (Sean Connery) is well-done, you gotta give it that much! My friend Troy gave this to me.

Erin Brockovich - Usually I shudder at the sight of Julia Roberts. She just reminds me of a mannequin or something. But I watched this movie and actually liked it! The story is an important one and needed to be told, although in real life the story after the big settlement is less than flattering for the real Erin and her lawyer buddies. This was another gift from Troy.

The Evil Dead (Special Edition) - The cult classic trilogy, now in digital glory! If you don't mind the sight of mindless low-budget gore, this is definitely one to see. Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell are da bomb!  (Whatever that means.)

Evil Dead 2 (Special Limited Edition) - By far my favorite of the Evil Dead trilogy. This one comes in a tin box crammed with stuff. The movie is as gory, nutty, and twisted as ever.

The Exorcist - Another horror classic, one that scares the living hell out of many people even to this day. I had never sat down and really watched it all the way through until I got the DVD, and I'm glad I did.

Falling Down - Michael Douglas absolutely loses it in this movie. The stupidity of the average American just gets to him, and he lashes out in all the ways you wish you could!!

The Fifth Element - Another Bruce Willis sci-fi epic, loved by many, misunderstood and despised by many more. One of my all-time faves! The picture quality on this DVD is excellent, and even the soundtrack is worth buying (which I did).

Fight Club - I knew as soon as I saw this movie in the theaters that I would own it on DVD...I just knew it. Not only is the story a very odd and entertaining one, but the "free yourself from meaningless structure" message is something to think about. Oh yeah...this thing has a HUGE amount of extra features, probably the most I've ever seen.

A Fish Called Wanda - Another of my top five favorites of all time. The story is SO good, the script is SO smart and funny, and the actors work together SO well, I almost can't stand it. The DVD is seriously lacking in extra features, but oh well...at least it's widescreen. ("Don't call me stupid!")

The Frighteners - This is a very strange movie, with bizarre effects and some pretty intense scenes. That's why I love it! And who would have thought that Michael J. Fox could have pulled off a role like this? I think it worked out great, though it remains unappreciated by a lot of people who were expecting something else.

Fright Night - I used to love this movie in the 80's, and it still holds up as a classy flick with a good balance of horror and humor.  It has an interesting cast as well... Chris Sarandon is perfect as the smugly confident vampire next door.  He later voiced Jack Skellington in "The Nightmare Before Christmas"...how cool is that?  Amanda Bearse, convincingly de-lesbianizing herself for her part here, went on to play Marcy D'Arcy in Fox's "Married With Children".  Roddy McDowall, with plenty of great roles under his belt, is wonderful as the made-for-T.V. vampire killer Peter Vincent.  William Ragsdale (Charley) went on to star in horrifying shows such as "Herman's Head".  And Stephen Geoffreys (Evil Ed) now makes gay porn movies.  Ahh, show business!

Galaxy Quest - This excellent flick was one of my favorites of 1999. The script is great, the characters are dead-on ripoffs from Star Trek, the effects are totally tubular, and the humor is great if you're a Trek fan. Normally I don't go for Tim Allen movies, but this one totally won me over! Sigourney Weaver does a great job repeating the computer, too. :)

Ghost in the Shell - I'm not an expert on anime, but I do know that this is considered to be a classic. Great animation and story...this is the kind of movie that Disney only dreams of making.

Hannibal - Many people complained that this movie wasn't as exciting or "involved" as "Silence of the Lambs".  Well, duh!  (Actually I had the same reaction when I first saw it...but now that I've seen it again, I appreciate it more.)  It' s a completely different movie from its predecessor.  "Lambs" was a psychological thriller.  "Hannibal" is basically a detective story, with Lecter as the hunted.  I thought it was a pretty faithful adaptation of a very bizarre book, and I'm very glad that they filmed the dinner scene more or less the way it occurred in the book.  Ridley Scott was using his noggin...pun intended.

The Impostors - This is absolutely hilarious. Kind of an absurdist screwball comedy. Very well-written and scripted, these two guys work great together. And their dance during the end credits is a total hoot!

In & Out - Kevin Kline is great in this one.  A lot of gay people actually hate this movie, but I didn't think it was so bad.  Looking back, I probably wouldn't have bought it after seeing it again.

The Indiana Jones Collection - Finally, finally, FINALLY this is available.  I have enjoyed these movies so much over the years, and finally I can watch 'em in renewed quality with some nice extras.  The documentaries are each an hour long...very nice.

Jurassic Park III - Finally, they get back to action and monsters in this installment.  No more Spielbergian cheesiness, no more annoying teenage girls doing absurd gymnastics moves (as in JP2), no more stupefyingly ugly actors (Jeff Goldblum).  Just big scary monsters chasing screaming humans.  Ahhhh....

The Last Broadcast - I actually bought this sight unseen...I had only heard about it, so I took a chance. (Plus, it was on sale for $15.) Yes, I think the Blair Witch people based their entire movie on the "documentary in the woods" aspect of this film, but both are different enough to stand out. This movie isn't nearly as creepy (or annoying) as the Blair Witch, but it's a good flick nonetheless and very well put together for an all-digital production. And, unlike the Blair Witch movie, this one actually solves the mystery in the end. And what a twist it is!

The Lion King - Yes, I bought a Disney movie.  Despite Disney's outrageous amount of hype, this is still a great flick, and (in my opinion) the last great traditionally-animated move they've done.  The rest have been copycats and re-hashings of previous films.

Lord of the Rings Trilogy (Special Extended Editions) - Twelve discs of coolness.  Peter Jackson really did kick ass with these movies, and it's always amusing to go back and see his older flicks which seem so unlike this one ("Dead Alive" for instance).  Finally some quality fantasy cinema instead of badly-written schlock!

Lost in Space - OK, so the script was bad. And the story was lacking. So what? We're talking great effects here, so of course I had to grab a copy. Hey, it was on sale...it's nice eyecandy if nothing else.

Mars Attacks! - Another Tim Burton masterpiece. Bitchy aliens, oddball characters, biting satire, a soundtrack by Danny Elfman, and Jack Nicholson as the President. What more could you possibly want?

The Matrix - Yeah, it's the high-tech gorefest of the decade. Keanu once again shows what his acting prowess isn't, but the story is a good one and the effects...oh GOD the effects are good. Especially on DVD!

Meet the Feebles - I'm not sure what to say about this movie, so here's a description I found on the Net: "Extremely bizarre gross-out/vicious satire about demented showbiz puppets rehearsing for a TV special. Cult favorite is definitely not for kids, but pleases fans of excessively offbeat, graphically explicit, 'tasteless' black comedy." And that's why it's so good!

The Nightmare Before Christmas (Special Edition) - Finally they put this out on a special edition DVD! I bought the old one ages ago but the disc was defective and I took it back for a replacement...Circuit Shitty didn't have another copy, so I chose "Ghost in the Shell" instead. :-) Anyway this DVD has all the extras found on the laserdisc, I believe...great stuff.

Memento - Yes, this movie is as good as you've heard.  It's also a bit confusing at first, but if you pay attention, soon you'll be sucked in.  It runs backwards, so you are constantly collecting information about the plot in reverse, which makes for some very interesting watching.  Oh yeah, and the lead character can't remember anything for longer than 15 minutes, which makes for some great paranoia and a convoluted plot.  This is a wonderful, fascinating movie and I highly recommend it for anyone who wants something radically different from the mindless peepeecaca we usually have to choose from out there.

Monty Python & the Holy Grail:  The Ultimate Definitive Final Special Edition - They recently re-released this in theaters with an extra 24 seconds of footage, which is typical Python humor.  A few months later that version came out in a special 2-disc set, with loads of extras, and I snatched it up quick.  The commentaries are great, as well as the "Quest for the Holy Grail Locations", where Michael Palin & Terry Jones travel to the castles and other places which were made famous by the movie, 25 years earlier.  If you're a Python buff and you don't have this in your collection, your brain must be Spam.

Monty Python's Flying Circus: Sets 1-5 - This is why DVDs can be an expensive addiction...when something like Flying Circus comes out, you'll pay almost anything!!  These are very well put together, with plenty of extras to keep us rabid fans happy.  Now I'm glad I didn't invest in those crappy videotape collections years ago.

Moulin Rouge! - When I saw this in the theaters, I was floored.  The first two thirds of the movie is a barrage of music, humor, and dance, often at a breakneck pace.  Towards the end of the movie, however, it gets VERY heavy with the death drama, but it's worth it.  This is a movie about love, love, love, and love.  It beats you over the head with love, and then it gives you a few more whacks for good measure.  But love is what life is all about, folks...and the characters in this movie know it.  Kick back and enjoy this for what it is:  a visually creative love story with great music, oddball humor, heavy emotional drama, and plenty of interesting characters.

Pi - For someone who has always hated math, I sure like this movie.  Algebra always irked me, but "natural" math like geometry and Fibonacci's work always fascinated me, and those play a large part in the story.  In this movie, mathematics are the key to such heavy stuff as unlocking the secrets of the stock market and decoding the name of God.  It's a dense, often disturbing movie, but it makes for great fiction based on real theories and laws.

Pleasantville - I highly recommend this one. It's great on SO many levels. A lot of conservatives labeled this movie a bunch of politically correct crap, but I think it hit home for a lot of them and they didn't know how else to react. This movie goes beyond conservative or liberal...it's about being true to yourself and how hard that can be. Great acting and interesting effects.

Poltergeist - This is one of my top five favorite movies of all time. I've seen this one again and again and again over the years, and it still creeps me out. Even the music is chilling! This is why I don't leave the T.V. on while I sleep...

Psycho Beach Party - A great parody of old beach party and slasher movies, loaded with camp, twisted humor, hunky shirtless guys, surfer chicks with bouncy boobs, and multiple personalities. Oh yeah, and a transvestite police investigator. What more could you ask for?

Requiem for a Dream - This movie is absolutely brutal, yet it's also brilliant. It portrays four central characters and their lives as they spiral slowly down into destruction and despair. It's realistic, it's as subtle as a brick to the head, and it's wonderfully acted and filmed. It's not a "pretty movie" where everything is all right at the end, but that makes it more real. Ellen Burstyn is magnificent and heartbreaking here... Rent this, but be prepared.

The Ring - Absolutely creepy, and set in Seattle to boot.  Though it sometimes goes off on tangents that drag the story down a bit, I'm a huge fan of this movie.  I also saw the original Japanese movie "Ringu", which was also very creepy and better than the remake in some ways, but both hold up well individually.

Ronin - I'm not much for action movies in general, but this one is different. It's got a story, it's got interesting characters, and it's got two of the BEST chase scenes I have ever seen. And normally I hate chase scenes. You won't believe these ones, folks! The rest of the movie is great, too. :)

Saving Private Ryan (Special Edition) - This is a movie you have to watch only when you're in the mood for it. If you've seen it, you know what I mean...a very emotional movie to say the least. I would have preferred an unknown actor playing Ryan instead of mega-popular Matt Damon, but oh well.

Seven - Well, finally they re-released this movie and gave it the treatment it deserves. The original release was a "flipper" (you had to flip the disc in the middle of the movie), which is why I didn't buy it. Like "Fight Club", they gave this movie star treatment and crammed it full of extras, on 2 discs. Yes!!

Shrek - I loved this movie when it first came out...those nasty little digs at Disney really appealed to me, as well as the incredible animation and the sharp humor & voice acting.  This is another 2-disc set with plenty of extras to keep you busy for a few hours (12 hours, according to the box).

Soapdish - This is one of my favorite movies, which I finally found on DVD.  The personal lives of the actors in the fictional T.V. soap "The Sun Also Sets" are just as twisted and depraved as real soaps are.  The plot has one twist after another, with many digs at the T.V. soap biz, and the way the actors play off each other is a lot of fun to watch.  Kevin Kline (the loser actor making a comeback) torments Sally Field (the aging soap actress) with delicious nastiness...and the revelation of über-bitch Montana Morehead's dirty secret at the end is well worth the buildup.

South Park: Volume 1-3 - I don't know if I'll ever get around to buying the rest of these things...  I'm so far behind now.

South Park: Bigger, Longer, & Uncut - Yes, this is without a doubt the most offensive movie of 1999. And I'm proud to own the damn thing!! It lacks extra features, which is typical of Paramount DVDs, but oh well.  It's got Satan and Saddam as gay lovers, so you can't go wrong with that, eh?

Spaceballs - Ah yes...another Mel Brooks classic.  In my opinion, this was Brooks' last funny movie.  The movies he's done since, like "Robin Hood:  Men in Tights" and "Dracula:  Dead and Loving It", just aren't funny.  In fact, they approach suckhood.  Stick with "Spaceballs" for dumb laughs and plenty of jokes aimed at the whole "Star Wars" thing.

Species II - I have no idea why I bought this...I think it was on sale for $10 off or something. The acting is terrible, the story is only marginally interesting,...but the effects are pretty good. That must have been it. Oh yeah, and I love H.R. Giger's designs.

Stargate (Special Edition) - Pure sci-fi, and a good movie to boot. Normally Kurt Russell movies don't do much for me, but this one has an interesting story and plenty of action to fill in the gaps. In fact I wrote a short story VERY similar to this movie in high school...hmmmm.

True Lies - Yes, I bought an Ah-Nuld movie.  Why?  Because I suspect this flick may be discontinued shortly because of all the terrorist stuff going on.  This movie contains turban-wearing terrorists, nuclear bombs, military planes shooting up (and crashing into) big city buildings, and plenty of other things which might be considered "inappropriate" lately.  So just in case they decide to discontinue this disc, I thought I'd pick up a copy since I've always kinda liked it.

UHF - Yes, it's the Weird Al movie.  But why, you may ask?  Because it's a severely twisted flick, and I've always been a fan of  his absurdist humor.  This has had a sort of cult following ever since it came out in the late 80's, and finally it's on DVD, complete with deleted scenes introduced by Al himself, and other weirdness.  If you like Al, you've gotta see this.

Wallace & Gromit - Their first 3 movies, in all their claymation glory. These things are hilarious! If you've never seen any of them, buy or rent it NOW.

"Weird Al" Yankovic: Live - I love Al, but this concert was just a little too "tame" for me. He has the ability to really have an edge with his humor...some of the humor in this show works, other times it just looks kinda pathetic. Plus, the audience is filled with pre-teens who have NO idea what songs he's parodying, I'll bet. Oh well...

"Weird Al" Yankovic: The Videos - I've been a fan of Al since I was 13 years old. The man is a genius, and his videos are every bit as funny as (most of) his songs. And here they are, a disc full of memories for me!

Who Framed Roger Rabbit? - This is another movie I've loved for years, and watching it on DVD is quite a trip.  The quality of the animation is staggering, especially considering the amount of time that went into each second of footage.  CGI couldn't look this good.