Here’s my take on 2008’s best movies and TV shows

Okay, I confess. I haven’t been the most dedicated cinephile this year.

Although I watched an amazing number of childhood classics, action movies, comedies, dramas and foreign films, I acknowledge a few major holes in my viewing habits in 2008.

I missed “Rachel Getting Married.” I’ve yet to see “Happy-Go-Lucky,” “Changeling” or “Slumdog Millionaire,” and Martin Scorsese’s supposedly brilliant Rolling Stones documentary, “Shine A Light,” is waiting patiently in my Netflix queue.

Meanwhile, I’ve got a few Oscar contenders to tackle — “Doubt” and “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,” in particular. I might get some breathing room this weekend, as most of those serious, depressing dramas — such as “Frost/Nixon,” “The Wrestler” and “Revolution Road” — have yet to reach my home town here on California’s sunny Central Coast.

So here’s an incomplete list of the movies that made me gasp, chuckle or cry over the course of 2008. I promise to catch up soon.

BEST OF THE BIG SCREEN

“The Dark Knight”: Universally praised and feverishly anticipated, “The Dark Knight” was the movie that got everyone talking. Awesome special effects combined with a decidedly dark storyline and strong performances from Christopher Nolan, Heath Ledger, Aaron Eckhart — heck, just about the entire cast.

“The Diving Bell and the Butterfly”: Mathieu Amalric (”Quantum of Solace”) wowed as a real-life Vogue editor whose perfect world is ripped asunder when he’s paralyzed in an auto accident. I dare you not to cry.

“Hellboy II: The Golden Army”: Mexican director Guillermo Del Toro delivered another fun romp replete with mythical beasts, fantastic battles and the occasional Barry Manilow sing-along.

“In Bruges”: There may be hope for Colin Farrell yet. He provided the surprisingly sweet, sorrowful center in this dark comedy about two hitmen (Farrell and Brendan Gleason) vacationing in “the most boring city in Belgium.”

“Iron Man”: If “Batman Begins” and “The Dark Knight” paved the way for brooding comic book dramas, director Jon Favreau’s smart, slick “Iron Man” made the world safe for more mainstream superhero flicks. Tons of fun.

“Man on Wire”: In 1974, French tightrope walker Philippe Petit took a stroll between the World Trade Center towers in New York City. This well-crafted documentary told audiences how he did it and — more importantly — why.

(A side note: 2008 was a solid year for documentaries. We also welcomed Werner Herzog’s “Encounters at the End of the World,” Alex Gibney’s “Taxi to the Dark Side” and the Hurricane Katrina doc “Trouble the Water.”)

“Milk”: Operatic yet intimate, Gus Van Sant’s “Milk” featured yet another stunning performance by Sean Penn as gay rights activist Harvey Milk.

“Persepolis”: Mainstream audiences might have been intimidated by this film’s subject matter (life during the Islamic Revolution in Iran) or its style (black-and-white animation), but why? “Persepolis,” based on the graphic novel by Marjane Satrapi, was oh-so-poignant.

“WALL-E”: Who knew 2008’s most memorable character would turn out to be a cute little robot with a fondness for “Hello Dolly”?

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BEST OF THE TUBE

“30 Rock” (NBC): Liz Lemon, the smart, single and hilariously screwy producer of a late-night sketch comedy show, cemented her reign this season as America’s sweetheart.

“Battlestar Galactica” (SciFi): Few science-fiction shows are this well-written, this compelling and this addictive. Riveting television at its best. (The rest of the fourth season kicks off Jan. 16.)

“Flight of the Conchords” (HBO): Oddball characters and ridiculous music videos made this comedy an offbeat charmer.

“Mad Men” (AMC): Chain-smoking, cocktail-swilling advertising execs with sordid personal lives? Tell me more!

“True Blood” (HBO): This steamy drama about Louisiana vampires and the humans who love them is as fun, sassy and delightfully trashy as any episode of “The Jerry Springer Show.”

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BEST ONLINE SENSATION

“Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog”: Fans of that famously musical “Buffy” episode, “Once More, With Feeling,” gave thanks this summer for “Dr. Horrible.” The three-part show proved, once again, why Neil Patrick Harris rocks, why supervillains deserve our love and why creator Joss Whedon is a geek’s best friend.

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BEST GUILTY PLEASURES

“Rock of Love” franchise: The appeal of Bret Michaels’ eternal search for true love stems from two factors: the trashy, nasty women who compete for his heart, and Michaels himself. How could anyone possibly find the vain, Botoxed former lead singer of Poison attractive? Spin-offs include “Rock of Love: Charm School,” “Trophy Wife,” “Daisy of Love” and “I Love Money,” which includes contestants from VH1 sister show “Flavor of Love.”

“Speed Racer”: How did the Wachowski siblings adapt this beloved Japanese cartoon for the big screen? With screamingly bright neon, adorable lead actors and quick-moving, CGI-heavy action, of course! “Speed Racer” cheerfully assaulted the senses.

“Wanted”: Yes, that’s right. I said “Wanted.” Although many of the plot points — such as curving bullets and flipping cars — would drive any physicist crazy, this gleefully ridiculous action flick provided 110 minutes of solid fun.

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MOST DISAPPOINTING BLOCKBUSTERS

“Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull”: Everyone knows that Indy, the whip-cracking treasure hunter with the crooked grin, is at his best when he’s fighting Nazis and searching for religious relics. Why mess with a winning formula?

“The Day the Earth Stood Still”: Speaking of formulas, Hollywood should have checked its math before making this overblown blockbuster. Keanu Reeves + science fiction classic = disaster.

“Pineapple Express”: What looked like a surefire summer comedy turned out to be a dull, meddled mess. Although there were a few funny moments, the movie’s main saving grace was James Franco, playing a comically clueless pot dealer with unusual zest.

“Sex and the City: The Movie”: What happened to the sexy, sassy goddesses we watched on HBO? The women in this big-screen version were disappointingly tedious, trite and shallow.

“Star Wars: The Clone Wars”: George Lucas continued his campaign to tarnish our collective memories of “Star Wars” with a clunky, poorly animated flop. Ugh.

I could go on and on, but I’ll just list some other films that — while often entertaining — fell short of expectations: “The Happening,” “Hancock,” “Quantum of Solace,” “W.” and “Vicky Cristina Barcelona.”

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Photos courtesy of MovieWeb.com.

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Happy holidays! Batman wishes each and every one of you a merry Christmas

Merry Christmas, everyone! It’s the Bat-Man, bringing you holiday cheer in the form of a big ol’ slap across your smug mug.

Batman isn’t exactly the merriest of fellows, but he does love Christmas.

Just ask Chris Sims of Chris’s Invincible Super-Blog. My favorite comic-book blogger has crafted a hilarious tale of holiday hijinx and Christmas cheer based on Dr. Seuss’ “How the Grinch Stole Christmas.” It’s called (duh!) “How Batman Saved Christmas.”

I dare you to read it, either silently or aloud. Seriously. You’ll spray your sister with eggnog.

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Chris got in the Christmas spirit earlier this week with “Six Days of Santa Claus.” Scroll down to read it here.

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Christmas releases include “Valkyrie,” “The Spirit” and “Benjamin Button”

By this time tomorrow, I’ll be winging my way to the great frozen Midwest, en route for a holiday hootenanny.

If I had my druthers, however, I’d be spending Christmas at the movies.

A crop of films open this week, just in time for the biggest holiday of the year. It’s a mixed bag, ranging from such light-hearted fare as “Bedtime Stories” and “Marley & Me” to more serious stuff — “Valkyrie” and “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” to name a couple.

Although most of the Golden Globe nominees have yet to reach local theaters (I’m looking at you, “Revolutionary Road” and “The Reader”), moviegoers should have plenty to keep themselves occupied this holiday. Here’s my take on your Christmas Day choices, based on trailers, gossip and my own razor-sharp instincts.

“Bedtime Stories”

When I see the name “Adam Sandler” in a movie’s credits, I tend to get worried.

Back in the days of “Billy Madison,” Sandler was a silly, albeit, pretty reliable comedian. Now he’s the showboating stooge who sucks the entertainment out of potentially solid family films.

“Bedtime Stories” — about a man whose nighttime stories to his sister’s kids come true — looks like the same manufactured mush that Sandler has been making for years. Remember “Click”? Remember “I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry”? Why should you?!

Save your money and rent “Happy Gilmore” instead.

“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”

Moving. Magical. Marvelous.

Based on the beloved F. Scott Fitzgerald story, “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” pairs with high-tech wizardry with old-fashioned movie magic to tell the story of a man who — like Merlin — is born old and ages backwards.

Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett, who played a couple in “Babel,” have great chemistry as the mysterious Mr. Button and his lifelong sweetheart. And the supporting cast, which includes Elias Koteas, Tilda Swinton and Julia Ormond, couldn’t be better.

Screenwriter Eric Roth has worked on “Forrest Gump” and “Ali,” so an inspirational epic is pretty much guaranteed. I’m just excited to see how David Fincher, the director of “Fight Club” and “Se7en,” will handle such a lyrical, romantic story.

“Doubt”

A feverish battle of wills begins when a nun accuses a priest of abusing a young black student at their Catholic school.

There’s no denying that “Doubt” comes with the highest of pedigrees.

As Sister Aloysius, Meryl Streep seems to be channeling her steely fashionista in “The Devil Wears Prada.” Screen veteran Philip Seymour Hoffman plays the priest, Father Flynn, and adorable Amy Adams — fresh from “Enchanted” and “Mrs. Pettigrew Lives for a Day — is the innocent Sister James.

Director John Patrick Shanley (”Moonstruck”) wrote the screenplay and the play on which it’s based. Although it’s always difficult to translate a work from stage to screen, this drama seems to have enough firepower to make for a riveting dissertation on faith and fallen virtue.

“Marley & Me”

What is it about Hollywood and dogs?

There are already tons of movies about Man’s Best Friend, including 2005’s “Must Love Dogs” and this year’s “Beverly Hills Chihuahua.” But here’s one more: a tale-wagging comedy about one family’s relationship with a cute, cuddly and mischievous Labrador who is also “the world’s worst dog.”

Marley (in the trailer, at least) upstages nearly every human on screen.

Roll over Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston. Hollywood has clearly gone to the dogs.

“The Spirit”

I’m happy that Frank Miller is finally getting his proper due.

For decades, Frank was just another drone in the movie industry’s eyes — respected in the comics community, but shunned by studios. Then came “Sin City.” “Batman Begins.” And”300.”

Now one of Hollywood’s annointed, he’s taken on of the finest comic book series ever — Will Eisner’s “The Spirit” — and given it a sassy, sexy makeover.

Sure, the inspiration is still Eisner. But this is clearly Miller’s movie — from the scantily clad femme fatales to the hard-boiled dialog to the comically large, complicated guns.

Sadly, it looks heavy on style and short of substance.

“Valkyrie”

On one hand, you have the first collaboration between Bryan Singer and Christopher McQuarrie since “The Usual Suspects.” An awe-inspiring story. A $100 million budget. A bevy of British talent — Tom Wilkinson, Kenneth Branaugh and Bill Nighy to name a few.

On the other hand, you have Tom Cruise. As a Nazi. With an eyepatch.

See my dilemma?

“Valkyrie” chronicles the real-life plot to assassinate Adolf Hitler during World War II, led by Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg (Cruise, of course.) As the trailer reveals, it was a dangerous plan fraught with peril and plenty of opportunities for failure.

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“Flight of the Conchords” is back; so is John Malkovich

Are you ready to laugh your butt off? FunnyOrDie.com has your “Flight of the Conchords” fix.

Watch the Season 2 premiere right here, right now.

The episode premieres on HBO.com today but doesn’t hit the airwaves until Jan. 18 (!), so this is the perfect chance to spend some quality time with Brett and Jemaine.

For those who don’t watch the show, “Flight of the Conchords” follows the American misadventures of two quirky New Zealand musicians who break into song at the slightest provocation. They’re clueless, comical and wonderfully nerdy. Seriously. There’s no reason you shouldn’t be watching this.

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The science fiction fanatics over at io9.com have produced some sweet content in recent days.

First up are the 10 worst science fiction remakes in recent movie history, just in time for Keanu Reeve’s “The Day the Earth Stood Still.” The post explains “what when wrong” with each project, noting that even usually reliable directors like Tim Burton (”Planet of the Apes”) and Frank Oz (”Stepford Wives”) have produced some stinky sci-fi garbage.

As luck would have it, Frank Miller has apparently signed on to direct “Buck Rogers.” And James Cameron is eying “Forbidden Planet.”

All of this begs the question: Will a tanking economy and international turmoil diminish filmgoers’ taste for bleak Hollywood epics?

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Meanwhile, do you have enough John Malkovich in your life?

NBC’s “Saturday Night Live” scored a hit recently with “La Rivista Della Televisione con Vinny Vedecci” — starring Bill Heder as a sexy, chain-smoking Italian talk show host.

In this hilarious clip, he interviews actor John Malkovich in nonsense Italian, promotes his “sex movie” and coddles his overgrown youngster.

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Bad Horse welcomes new minions to the Evil League of Evil 

Looks like the Evil League of Evil has a few new members.

“Buffy” creator Joss Whedon and company have made their picks for the nastiest, most dastardly supervillains in cyberspace. The winners will appear on the upcoming DVD of the online sensation “Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog.”

CliqueClack.com and io9.com found three inductees worthy of additional attention.

Lord Viscount Genghis Napoleon Stabbington III, pictured above, is a legacy candidate — the latest in a long line of charmingly patricidal English noblemen. Ol’ Stabby doesn’t quite seem to have his heart in homicide; he appears a bit conflicted about doing in dear old dad at “the moment when he would least expect it — his death bed.” Poor bugger.

Mr. Terrible offers a musical explanation for his superiority over Dr. Horrible, interrupting his musical diatribe only to take a call from Mom.

The most magnificent entry, however, is the video sent by Tur-Mohel, a wise-cracking Jewish mohel who dreams of lopping the top off the Washington Monument and “keeping the tip.” (Nyuck nyuck nyuck.) Production quality is high, and the Yiddish-inspired puns are absolutely spot on.

There’s more at the official Dr. Horrible fan site. And you can watch some of my favorites here.

“Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog” is available on Amazon.com on Friday and presumably later in stores. (My advice: Pre-order now.)

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You should also vote now to make “Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog” the “Favorite Online Sensation” at the People’s Choice Awards. Joss Whedon is counting on YOU!

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Feeling down? Here’s some inspiration

Sometimes, we all need a little pick-me-up.* A boost. A shot in the arm.

Matthew Belinkie’s “40 Inspirational Speeches in 2 Minutes” may be the boost you’ve been looking for.

Cobbled together from 40 blockbusters, epics, sports flicks and male weepies, this expertly crafted video from OverthinkingIt.com exploits every cliché in the book to make you feel pumped. Amped. Excited.

We open with a now-classic exchange from “Braveheart” and continue with this speech:

“Shame on you. This could be the greatest night of our lives, but you’re going to let it be the worst. And I guarantee a week won’t go by in your life you won’t regret walking out, letting them get the best of you. Well, I’m not going home. We’ve come too far! And I’m going to stay right here and fight for this lost cause. A day may come when the courage of men fails… but it is not THIS day. The line must be drawn HERE. This far, no further! I’m not saying it’s going to be easy. You’re going to work harder than you ever worked before. But that’s fine, we’ll just get tougher with it! If a person grits his teeth and shows real determination, failure is not an option. That’s how winning is done! Believe me when I say we can break this army here, and win just one for the Gipper. But I say to you what every warrior has known since the beginning of time: you’ve got to get mad. I mean plum mad dog mean. If you would be free men, then you must fight to fulfill that promise! Let us cut out their living guts one inch at a time, and they will know what we can do! Let no man forget how menacing we are. We are lions! You’re like a big bear, man! This is YOUR time! Seize the day, never surrender, victory or death… that’s the Chicago Way! Who’s with me? Clap! Clap! Don’t let Tink die! Clap! Alright! Let’s fly! And gentlemen in England now abed shall know my name is the Lord when I tell our enemies that they may take our lives, but they’ll never take our Independence Day!”

See what I mean? I don’t know about you, but I’m feeling better already.

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* Especially these days, when we’re facing a world without ’50s pinup queen Bettie Page. (Don’t recognize the name? Watch “The Notorious Bettie Page”, starring Gretchen Mol, to see what you’re missing.)

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Thanks to Cinematical.com and FusedFilm.com for the tip.

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“Benjamin Button,” “Doubt” and “Frost/Nixon” head this year’s Golden Globe nods

The nominations are in for the 2009 Golden Globe Awards, and the results are … well … not exactly shocking.

“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,“ “Doubt” and “Frost/Nixon” lead the pack with five nominations each, followed by “The Reader,” “Revolutionary Road,” “Slumdog Millionare” and “Vicky Cristina Barcelona” with four apiece.

Like its big brother Oscar, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association likes its drama big and bold — with issues like love, religion and politics in the forefront.

What could be better than a defamed former president deftly manipulating his interviewer (”Frost/Nixon”)? What about a Nazi war criminal trial (”The Reader”) or a priestly sex scandal (”Doubt”)?

Those are the kind of subjects that scream “awards fodder.”

Granted, the Golden Globes do honor comedies, musicals and blockbusters with greater regularity than other award ceremonies. (Witness the love this year for some of my favorites, including “In Bruges,“ “The Dark Knight” and “WALL-E.“)

And they pay tribute to exemplary television programs such as “Mad Men,” “True Blood” and HBO’s “John Adams” miniseries.

But here’s the galling part. Very few of the films on HFPA’s list have actually reached local theaters.

In fact, most of this winter’s biggest movies will hit Central Coast screens weeks after they’ve been screened by critics and fawned over by film buffs — just a few weeks, in fact, before celebrities stroll the red carpet. Cinematic superiority is decided by the lucky stiffs who live in Los Angeles and New York City, not in the suburbs.

I guess I’ll have to take HFPA’s word that the nominees are, in effect, “worth it.”

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Want to see these “golden” films? You can catch some of this year’s Golden Globe nominees in theaters or on DVD.

NOW PLAYING:

• “Bolt”
• “Changeling” (ends today)
• “Happy-Go-Lucky”
• “Milk”

NOW ON VIDEO

• “The Dark Knight”
• “In Bruges”
• “Kung Fu Panda”
• “Mamma Mia!”
• “Tropic Thunder”
• “WALL-E”

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This week’s treats include a winter sports documentary, “Ghost Busters” and “Bad Santa”

Hit the slopes with “Warren Miller’s Children of Winter,” playing tonight at the Performing Arts Center in San Luis Obispo.

Winter sports filmmaker Warren Miller built a reputation over 50 years for annual ski and snowboard movies known for their stunning cinematography, humor and showcases of top talent, including Olympic athletes. Miller has officially retired, but his legacy lives on in the form of Warren Miller Entertainment.

Their latest title, “Children of Winter,” follows world-class athletes as they tackle the snowy mountain peaks of Japan, Austria, British Columbia, Alaska and Iceland. Get ready for a wild ride.

“Warren Miller’s Children of Winter” will be screened at 7 p.m. at the PAC. Tickets cost $15 for adults and $12 for students, and include a lift pass for Sierra Summit Mountain Resort.

Proceeds benefit Youth Outreach for the Performing Arts Center.

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I’m personally looking forward to “Ghostbusters,” which also plays tonight.

When a trio of wisecracking scientists get booted from their paranormal research program, the guys (Harold Ramis, Dan Aykroyd and Bill Murray) go into business for themselves — as the Ghostbusters.

After tackling their first real challenge, a glowing green ghost nicknamed Slimer, the Ghostbusters get a call from Dana Barrett (Sigourney Weaver), a sexy concert cellist who’s just witnessed spooky phenomena in Central Park apartment. Sounds like a normal haunting, right? Wrong.

All hell is literally about to break loose.

“Ghostbusters” earns its “classic” status with a light-hearted, fantasy-tinged plot, terrific chemistry between its leads (who are real-life pals), and hilariously off-beat, endlessly quotable lines. (”Back off, man! I’m a scientist!”) Could there be a better comedy?

Don’t miss “Ghostbusters” tonight at the Fremont theater, 1025 Monterey Street in San Luis Obispo. The show starts at 7:30 p.m. following a half-hour of trivia and prizes.

Tickets are $7.50.

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Christmas gets nasty with “Bad Santa,” Wednesday at The Palm Theatre.

Billy Bob Thornton stars as Willie, a bitter, boozing loser who dons the red and white Santa Claus suit every year to spread holiday cheer. But this is no jolly old elf. Willie and his “Little Helper” Marcus (Tony ) are actually cussing con men with a plan to rob their department store on Christmas Eve.

Will Willie ever learn? Or can a pudgy pre-teen, nicknamed The Kid, and a bartender (Lauren Graham of “Gilmore Girls”) with a soft spot for Santa to teach him the true meaning of Christmas?

“Bad Santa” screens at 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Palm Theatre, 817 Palm St. in San Luis Obispo. Tickets are $7.50.

(The Palm Wednesday series returns in January 2009.)

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Meanwhile, a local celebrity returns home this weekend for that holiday favorite, “The Nutcracker.”

Paso Robles native Jesus “Chuy” Solorio was a Top 20 finalist on the hit Fox reality show “So You Think You Can Dance.”

He’ll dance the role of the Prince in “The Nutcracker,” presented by Class Act Dance of Paso Robles and the North County Dance and Performing Arts Foundation. Solorio appeared as the Cavalier last year alongside fellow finalist Jimmy Arguello.

“The Nutcracker” runs Thursday through Sunday, as well as Dec. 12 and 13, at the Templeton Performing Arts Center, 1200 Main St. in Templeton. Tickets are $20 for general admission, $15 for children and seniors.

For more information, call 239-3668 or 835-1915.

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Want to know more about Wes Anderson? Stanley Kubrick? The Coen Brothers?

“The Films of”, a YouTube series created by Barringer82, is the perfect movie primer for novices and experts alike.

Barringer82 — nom de reality Paul Proulx — presents clips of each filmmaker’s most famous flicks in music video format, setting bits of David Fincher’s disturbing, darkly comic movies to The Dust Brothers and Donovan’s “Hurdy Gurdy Man.” “Fight Club,” “Se7en,” “Zodiac,” even a split second of “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” — they’re all there.

In his homage to Quentin Taratino’s five feature films, Paul pairs the obvious (gunplay and bloodshed) with the subtle (a terrific sequence of bare feet. Just feet). Clever moments like that are a trademark of his films.

Other videos pay paean to Michael Mann, Paul Thomas Anderson, Martin Scorsese, Tim Burton, David Lynch and Kubrick, identified by our host as “the greatest filmmaker of all time.”

Each video features dialog and songs from a myriad of films. In fact, half the fun is linking each clip to its respective masterpiece.

Now that you’ve wet your whistle, try the Cinefiles series, also available on YouTube.

Hosted by former contestants of IFC’s “The Ultimate Film Fanatic,” The Cinefiles review both genres (UK crime dramas, Bond movies) and individual filmmakers (Mel Brooks, Peter Jackson).

They offer insightful, in-depth commentary about movies (sans video clips, unfortunately), much like our very own “Take Two” radio hosts.

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Thanks to loyal reader I Love A Magician for the tip.

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The best gift of all? A full wallet

Today is Black Friday*.

For most of the nation, the day after Thanksgiving is a chance to hit the mall in search of super-sales, to barge down store aisles stocking carts with the best bargains and sweetest deals. For a smaller segment of the population, however, today is also Buy Nothing Day.

My plan is to buy nothing today.

No gadgets. No toys. Not even a pack of gum.

Not to spite struggling retailers or to skimp on my Christmas list, but to take a stand against the rampant consumerism that has gripped our nation in its vulture-like talons.

That’s not to say that I won’t be getting in a little Christmas shopping this weekend. And I certainly might take advantage of some of those so-called “deals” — without spending more than I planned to, of course.

But the majority of my money will stay where it is. In my wallet.

Recognize our economic crisis. Acknowledge the vicious cycle of credit cards, international profiteering and national debt. Celebrate Buy Nothing Day.

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If you simply can’t resist the siren song of eager retailers on Saturday and Sunday, there are a few tips that can make your shopping experience more pleasant.

Gizmodo offers “Best of Black Friday Deals” guide for high tech fanatics. Gamers can check out the coolest titles for Wii, XBox 360 and Playstation 3 over at Kotaku.com. And there are bargains aplenty at Amazon.com, BestBuy.com and the last stalwart souls at CircuitCity.com.

If you’re looking to improve your DVD collection, here are a handful of recent released titles that caught my eye:

“A Man Named Pearl”: The inspiring story of self-taught topiary artist Pearl Fryar, this inspiring documentary shows how one man can transform himself and his community.

“Futurama: Bender’s Game”: When “Futurama” — Matt Groening’s hilarious scifi show — kicked the bucket in 2003, fans everywhere breathed a huge sigh of disappointment. Those fans will be happy to hear the direct-to-DVD “Futurama” films (essentially four sequential episodes back-to-back) are just as sharp and funny as the original animated series.

“Hellboy II: The Golden Army”: Awesome special effects, wisecracking humor and fantastic new worlds make for an amazing ride. If you liked “Hellboy,” you’ll love the sequel. If you haven’t seen either, you’re in for a major treat.

“Monty Python’s Holy Trinity”: What could be better than one awesome movie starring the British comedy troupe? How ’bout three?! This collection features the films known by fans as “Holy Grail,” “Life of Brian” and “Meaning of Life.”

“Project Runway: The Complete Fourth Season”: I can’t get enough of this reality show about future fashion superstars and their vicious catfights. My only request: More fashion, less Heidi Klum.

“Sukiyaki Western Django”: Spaghetti westerns and samurai epics collide in Takashi Miike’s interesting, if uneven, paean to “Yojimbo.” Although the cast and setting are Japanese, Quentin Tarantino shows up for entirely no reason.

“Tropic Thunder”: Offensive at some points and laugh-out-loud funny at others, “Tropic Thunder” is a ludicrous comedy with serious bite. Five words: “Robert Downey Jr. in blackface.”

“Wall-E”: You’ll be utterly charmed by this sweet, beautifully animated family film about a lonely robot looking for love and friendship. One of Pixar’s best.

My advice? Buy only what you originally wanted, keep track of receipts and put those credit cards AWAY.

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* There’s a movie called “Black Friday” — but it’s about the series of bombings that rocked Bombay in 1993, not crazed shoppers hunting for holiday scores. For that, you can watch “Jingle All the Way.”

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Above image courtesy of Adbusters.org.

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