Video TapeWorm

New, encore and low-price releases on Tuesday, Dec. 2

THIS WEEK’S TWIN PEEKS
CASABLANCA
1942; $64.95, PG-13

What could we possibly say that hasn’t been said before? A triple Oscar winner and the greatest love story ever put to film. Humphrey Bogart is a man once greater than the Third Reich, now broken by love. And Ingrid Bergman: strong but vulnerable; intelligent yet foolish; breathtakingly beautiful. OK, so the whole thing’s an enormous pile of romantic shiitakes, it’s still a joy to behold. Available in two-disc Blu-ray or three-disc DVD with an embarrassing array of bonus materials, enough to satisfy even our insane appetites.

THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL
1951; $19.95, G

Wow. A two-disc Special Edition of the most intelligent, well-acted and masterfully crafted sci-fi film of the 1950s. Compassionate, hyper-intelligent, technologically advanced alien missionary Michael Rennie comes to Earth to save us from our violent ways. The Army shoots him. Directed by Robert Wise and co-starring Patricia Neal, it features a classic ooh-wee-ooh score by Bernard Hermann, and Gort, the baddest ’bot in movie history. Simply a must-own set with an astounding array of geeky bonus stuff.

 
 
BAM MARGERA PRESENTS: WHERE THE #$&% IS SANTA?
2008; $24.95-$28.95, R/UR

If you’re a fan of Bam Margera and remember him fondly from back in the “CKY” days before “Jackass” became a media phenom, you’ll probably like this crude, raunchy stab at seasonal family bliss.

FLY ME TO THE MOON
2008; $25.95, G

A fun, colorful 3-D CGI brat-fest about a trio of housefly-kids who stow away on board Apollo 11. The 3-D is pretty cool, but the real treat is voicework by Tim “Dr. Frankenfurter” Curry, Christopher Lloyd, Nicollette Sheridan, Ed Begley Jr., Adrienne Barbeau and … Buzz Aldrin!

GROWING UP GIFT PACK
2003; $39.95, UR

A great guilty pleasure from Animal Planet: a boxed set of their “Growing Up” series, featuring orphaned baby animals, rescued and rehabilitated by humans. Features five episodes on five discs: “Growing Up Arctic,” “Wildcats,” “Safari,” “Wilderness” and (our fave) “Primates.” A steal.

IN THE GUTTER
2008; $19.95, UR

An uncensored Starz Channel doc on the history of fart jokes, slapstick, bathroom humor, puke gags, food fights and all the other snort-inducing nonsense that makes theater so much fun. John Waters, Lin Shaye and a score of others present their favorite clips from gross-out comedies of the past and present.

LOWER LEARNING
2008; $26.95, R

Jason Biggs, Eva Longoria Parker, Monica Potter, Will Sasso and Rob Corddry (“The Daily Show”) run completely amok in this over-the-top, savagely psychotic comedy about life in an inner-city high-school hell-hole. The flick takes gags waaaay too far at times, but that’s obviously their intent.

METALOCALYPSE: THE COMPLETE FIRST TWO SEASONS
2008; $59.95, UR

Brendon Smalls, who created “Home Movies,” has hit the jackpot with this hilarious animated “Spinal Tap”-inspired satire that completely nails both rampant celebrity worship and the unrepentant joys of head-banging music. Simply amazing, and highly recommended.

STEP BROTHERS
2008; $24.95-$43.95, R/UR

Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly star in this kinda-funny/mainly-dumb tale of two spoiled losers, overgrown adult children whose parents marry. No longer being the center of attention, they embark on insane schemes to tear the new family apart.

THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: PRINCE CASPIAN
2008; $29.95, PG

Disney/Walden Media’s C.S. Lewis follow-up to “The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe” finds the kids once again in Narnia, though far removed from the time they knew. Joining Prince Caspian in a desperate adventure to restore the rightful crown, they seek a magical balance in order to put men’s clothes on Eddie Izzard (who provides the voice of Reepicheep).

THE LONGSHOTS
2008; $28.95, PG

Ice Cube, KeKe Palmer and Tasha Smith star in this unpolished gem. Based (loosely) on the true story of Jasmine Plummer, the first girl ever to play Pop Warner football, it covers all the usual sports clichés, yet saves room for a bit of testicular-damage and other real, honest drama. Worth your time.

THE MAN WHO CAME BACK
2008; $26.95, R

A brand-new, good, old-fashioned Western starring Eric Braeden as a man standing alone against injustice. Well, not exactly “alone” — he has help from George Kennedy, Armand Assante, Sean Young, Billy Zane and Carol Alt.

THE X-FILES: I WANT TO BELIEVE
2008; $39.95, PG-13

Scully and Mulder are called back to the FBI — she having become a doctor in a faith-based hospital, and he having gone underground to escape prosecution — as paranormal experts when a defrocked priest (the amazing Billy Connolly) has visions of gruesome kidnappings, including that of an FBI agent. Plays as an expanded episode from the show; “just OK,” but still very entertaining. Most people were disappointed, since the first “X-Files” movie was such a blockbuster, but it stands well enough on its own and sets the stage for future “little” “X-Files” films. We welcome them.

TREASURE ISLAND KIDS 3: THE MYSTERY OF TREASURE ISLAND
2004; $14.95, UR

A fun little family-friendly flick, part of a franchise that kinda reminds us of the old “Land of the Lost” series. In this one, the kids discover an extraterrestrial on their island, leading to an “E.T.”-inspired escape from The Adults.

WANTED
2008; $29.95-$69.95, R

A lot of critics crapped all over this admittedly silly Angelina Jolie/James McAvoy/Morgan Freeman super-assassin-in-training flick, but we liked it. Gangs of fun, impossible stunts involving flying cars and bending bullets — plus Angie struts around as hot as ever. What more could you want?

 
Other DVDs of Interest:
 
HI-5 SEASON ONE
2008; $34.95, UR
JAKE AND THE FATMAN: SEASON ONE
$66.95, UR
PEACH AWARD WINNERS SERIES: CRUISIN’ JENNAVILLE
$19.95, UR
THE MAN CALLED FLINTSTONE
1966; $19.95, UR
 

 A more complete listing and free vids at www.videotapeworm.com