My Rating Scale

0 out of 5 (stay away at all costs)

.5 out of 5 (abysmal)

1 out of 5 (not recommended)

1.5 out of 5 (weak)

2 out of 5 (below average)

2.5 out of 5 (average)

3 out of 5 (above average)

3.5 out of 5 (decent)

4 out of 5 (recommended)

4.5 out of 5 (almost perfect)

5 out of 5 (see/buy it now)

Live Free or Die Hard

Worth it for: Seeing Bruce Willis back in the roll that made him a movie star.
Plot: An attack on the vulnerable United States computer infrastructure begins to shut down the entire nation. The mysterious figure behind the shattering scheme has figured out every digital angle - but he never figured an old-fashioned, "analog" fly-in-the-ointment: John McClane.

My Thoughts: I have always been a fan of Die Hard and Bruce Willis as John McClane so this movie was a dream come true for me. I have been waiting years for Bruce to get back to this roll and I had no problems with his age while watching it. I know the action is unbelievable but that is what makes it awesome, I love seeing Bruce get the shit beat out of him and yet be completely unaffected. And his humor is just impeccable, which is what makes the character so great. The only problem I had with the whole movie is that it was rated PG-13 which means he couldn’t finish his signature line. If you have seen and enjoyed the original Die Hards you know what to expect and this movie delivers.
It's Kinda like: It is a lot like the original Die Hards and it also reminded me of 16 Blocks only with more action.

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Worth it for: This is debatable, but I actually liked the new Oompa-Loompa songs better, I found the old ones annoying.
Plot: Charlie Bucket, a boy from an impoverished family under the shadow of a giant chocolate factory, wins a candy bar contest and is given a tour, along with four other children, of the amazing factory run by the eccentric Willy Wonka and his staff of Oompa-Loompas.

My Thoughts: I keep hearing people describe this movie as “pretty weird” and if you have seen the first one, you know it is “pretty weird” (Oompa-Loompas and shnosberries). I love this movie, but it is hard to say if I like it more than the original, for everything that I like better about this one, there is something I like less. The beginning of the movie is way better, but I don’t know if I liked the end. I’m glad some of the songs from the original weren’t in it, but at the same time I missed a couple of them. I liked the Oompa-Loompas better this time, there songs were longer this time and different each time, and I didn’t like the green hair, orange faces, and ugly clothes of the original Oompa-Loompas. This is a good movie that anyone can enjoy especially fans of the original, but if you loved the original keep in mind that this isn’t a straight up remake so there will be changes, this is just another way the original could have been made.
It's Kinda like: It is very similar to the original, but not exactly.

My Rating: 4 out of 5

Wedding Crashers

Worth it for: I have an obsession with Will Ferrell so his small roll made me happy, and I guess Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn are cool, too.
Plot: Vaughn and Wilson star as a pair of divorce mediators who spend their weekends crashing weddings in a search for Ms. Right...for a night. But when one of them falls for the engaged daughter (Rachel McAdams) of an influential and eccentric politician (Christopher Walken) at the social event of the year, they get roped into spending a weekend at the family's palatial waterfront estate and quickly find themselves in over their heads.

My Thoughts: This movie is immensely entertaining. I laughed pretty much the whole time, then when my guy Will Ferrell showed up I laughed even more. I have loved Owen Wilson for a long time and I love Vince Vaughn more and more every time I see him, they have great chemistry in this movie, and you believe that they are actually best friends. This is a good movie for the 16-40 range. If you want to laugh and have a good time I suggest you see it.
It's Kinda like: It reminds me of Old School, sort of.

Blade: Trinity

Worth it for: The action and fight and special effects are pretty sweet.
Plot: For years, Blade has fought against the vampires in the cover of night, with the world above unaware of the brutal ongoing war. But now, after falling into the crosshairs of the FBI, he is forced out into the daylight where he is driven to join forces with a clan of human vampire hunters he never knew existed - The Nightstalkers. Together with Abigail (Jessica Biel) and Hannibal (Ryan Reynolds), two deftly trained Nightstalkers, Blade follows a trail of blood to an ancient creature that is hunting him...the original vampire, Dracula.

My Thoughts: This Blade movie isn’t as good as the previous two, but I think it was a pretty good way to end the trilogy. You could say it’s different from its predecessors, but that is hard to say because they are all so different. In this one Blade interacts with the real world (humans) a lot more than in the other, and I don’t know if that always works. At one point he kills a human and the cops drive up and he just runs away and they don’t even chase him, and at another point he is surrounded by cops and a car comes and picks him up, and again the cops don’t chase him, they just shoot at the car as he drives away. But I can look past that because maybe they were scared of him he is a scary guy. I didn’t really like the beginning of the movie because it took to long to introduce Blade and it was boring, you don’t seem him until 7 minutes into the film. I like Ryan Reynolds and Jessica Biel, Ryan Reynolds talks a lot, sometimes it’s funny and sometimes it’s not, but it stays true to the character in the comics, and Jessica Biel is hot. If you are a fan of Blade you will probably enjoy this one, but some people may be a little disappointed,
It's Kinda like: The first two Blade flicks.

The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie

Worth it for: Patrick is darn funny.
Plot: SpongeBob SquarePants is an optimistic, free-spirited sponge that was born in a rectangular shape, much like a kitchen sponge. Living at the bottom of the sea in a pineapple in the community of Bikini Bottom, SpongeBob works as a fry cook at the Krusty Krab diner, where his friends include Squidward the squid and Patrick the starfish.

My Thoughts: SpongeBob SquarePants is probably the dumbest cartoon ever, but I love it. How can you not like SpongeBob, he is so cute. Patrick has to be the dumbest character ever created, but he is hilarious. The story is kind of like a road trip for SpongeBob and Patrick, when the go out in search of the king’s crown. I like the road trip aspect and it’s kind of neat watch SpongeBob and Patrick in the real world when they make it to land. And David Hasselhof is just plain crazy, “DOOOO!” All the voices are good, but I don’t think Scarlett Johansson fits in this movie, with all the other crazy voices. I don’t think the movie was as good as the TV show though, because it was different, a lot of the secondary characters weren’t in it very much. Sandy only had like two lines and Squidward wasn’t as big of a jerk as he normally is. This movie was created for fans of the show, if you don’t like the show there is no way you would like this movie.
It's Kinda like: It’s just like the TV shows just longer.

Without a Paddle

Worth it for: Seth Green, Dax Shepard and Matthew Lillard are all very funny.
Plot: Three young guys go into the Oregon wilderness in search of lost treasure. They take a canoe upriver and everything that can go wrong does go wrong. Hunted by two backwoods farmers, they encounter death-defying rapids, tree-hugging hippie chicks and a crazy old mountain man played by Burt Reynolds.

My Thoughts: I am a fan of Seth Green because he is hilarious, and Dax Shepard always made me laugh when he was on Punk’d, and Matthew Lillard can be funny at times, I liked him in 13 Ghosts even though that movie was pretty dumb. I think they all acted really well together in this film, like they are all actually best friends. This is an awesome comedy that will make you laugh and it is just a good movie to sit down and enjoy. It’s not likely that any of the situations in the movie would really happen and if it was real they probably would have died a number of times, but it is still a pleasure to watch. If you are a fan of any of the lead actors or treasure hunts then you will enjoy the hell out of this film. If you are looking for something deep and meaningful then well I just feel sorry for you.
It's kinda like: It’s like a grown up version of The Goonies and it also kind of reminded me of City Slickers.

The Punisher

Worth it for: The action is great along with everything else in this film.
Plot: Frank Castle (Thomas Jane) is a man who has seen too much death in his life, first as a Delta Force Op and later as an FBI special agent. He has managed to beat considerable odds, and is finally moving out of the field and into a normal life with his wife and son. On his final assignment, Castle plays his undercover role perfectly, but the operation spins out of control. This places the FBI on the wrong side of Tampa businessman Howard Saint (John Travolta) and his glamorous wife Livia (Laura Harring). Notwithstanding their glossy social profile, the Saints are no genteel Florida couple; behind their copious wealth are violent beginnings, underworld ties – and a chilling capacity for brutality. Castle’s worst nightmare is about to come true, as Howard Saint and his lieutenants unleash hell at the Castle family reunion. But Castle, to his everlasting torment, survives. Drawing upon all he has learned in 20 years, Castle sets in motion a brilliant plan to punish the murderers. He takes up residence among in a dilapidated tenement building on Tampa’s industrial waterfront, where his fellow tenants include Joan (Rebecca Romijn-Stamos), a waitress at a nearby diner who is trying to put her life back on track. Castle’s neighbors become his last link to the idea of human community and warmth. It is this makeshift family – forgotten men and women with no one to protect them - who enable Castle to find the one thing he least expects: redemption.

My Thoughts: I am usually a pretty big fan of comic book movies and action movies and I like Tom Jane so I thought I might like this movie. I wanted to see The Punisher for a while and it was in fact extremely awesome. The action in this movie is done really well and I enjoyed every minute of it. I loved watching Frank Castle seek his revenge… wait not revenge… punishment; it is very clever. If you’re a fan of other comic book movies definitely check this one out. I don’t know why the box office income wasn’t higher, but the DVD sales have been pretty good so I really really really hope that is enough to get them to decide to make a sequel, really.
It's Kinda like: Other movies based on comic books or movies were the main character seeks revenge.

The Chronicles of Riddick
Worth it for: I love Vin Diesel, in a non-gay way, and watching him kick ass is awesome.
Plot: The further adventures of Riddick (Vin Diesel) continue five years later, as the escaped convict with the ability to see in the dark finds himself caught in the middle of a galactic war between two opposing forces, with the key figure being the Lord Marshal (Colm Feore), the leader of a sect called the Necromongers waging the "10th Crusade" in the 26th century. Helping Riddick is Aereon (Judi Dench), the Ambassador of the "Elemental" race, who helps Riddick unearth the secrets of his origin and Kyra (Alexa Davalos), who has grown up since Riddick knew her as a preteen girl in the first movie. Attempting to free himself and Kyra from a subterranean prison, Riddick ends up on board the Necromonger flagship, where he gets his chance to face off against the Lord Marshal in a battle over the future of all beings in the galaxy, both living... and dead.
My Thoughts: Vin Diesel is one of my favorite actors so of course I may be a little bias towards this movie, plus I loved Pitch Black; which this is a sequel of. The movie is probably a little confusing if you haven’t seen Pitch Black and even if you have some parts could still be a little confusing. Once you see the whole movie it should make sense, but there are a few references to Pitch Black that you won’t understand. If you like Vin Diesel or movies with a lot of action and fighting you should see this movie, but first you should watch Pitch Black because that is a good movie, too. Riddick was originally supposed to be a trilogy, but because this movie didn’t make as much money as they hoped, it may not happen. I really hope it does because this movie was great, in my opinion, but we will have to wait and see.
It's Kinda like: The movie kind of reminds me of a cross between Star Wars and The Matrix, Riddick would be the Jedi master and some of the fight scenes look like that of The Matrix.
My Rating: 5 out of 5

Team America: World Police 
Worth it for: The whole movie is hilarious, but the music is extra funny.
Plot: This politcally-minded comedy action adventure tells the story of Team America, a group of superhero-style adventurers who travel the world fighting terrorism and other evils. Specifically, the story focuses on a typical "action hero" who is recruited to join Team America for a special mission, as a satire of the typical Hollywood action movie, using a combination of wood marionette-driven action sequences and stirring tongue-in-cheek musical numbers.
My Thoughts: This movie is all around funny from start to finish. It contains every action movie cliché that you can think of, and it also makes fun of a lot of people, especially all the actors that speak out politically. Kim Jong Il is funny in this movie just listening to him talk, and when he sings that is probably the funniest part. If you like South Park you should enjoy this movie because it’s the same tip of thing, but different. You can find some aspects of South Park in it, like the voices and one of the songs was used in the show. There are actually a lot of things blowing up on this movie, which is pretty humorous, plus the way the puppets walk and stuff looks awesome because it’s like they didn’t even try to make them walk normal. If you like laughing see this movie once or twice or more.
It's Kinda like: It reminds me of South Park because it’s from the same people, but I have never seen a movie like this before in my life.
My Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Hellboy
Worth it for: Seeing some demon get tossed all over the place and kill monsters.
Plot: When a Nazi mystical experiment goes awry in 1944, the target of a wizard's spell, the child of Satan, Hellboy, is wrenched from his home, and adopted by the U.S. agents who intercept his arrival. Raised as a force of good, Hellboy grows up to be a full-fledged demon in the form of a man, complete with fierce red skin, a tail, a giant rock-like hand, and two large circles where his horns should be (if they ever grow back, Hellboy is quick to break them off). Now, the adult Hellboy, an investigator of the paranormal, is sent on a mission that brings him back in touch with the evil genius that started it all... that Nazi wizard (and just who is *he* anyway?). Accompanying him along the way are other agents, including Liz, a pyrokinetic woman Hellboy has feelings for, and Abe Sapien, a mysterious amphibian hominid...
My Thoughts: This starts off kind of slow, but once it gets into the action and stuff it’s rather enjoyable. The story is original, a devil that is good and fights other monsters and the Nazis. I think seeing a big demon acting like a human is rather funny, which makes the movie that much better. The action in this movie is great, Hellboy gets his ass kicked at times, but it doesn’t bother him because he’s a devil. He is also fighting monsters way bigger than him or a large amount of them at once, which is exciting. Guillermo del Toro, the writer and director of Hellboy is working on a sequel to Hellboy, so if it greenlit I would love to see it.
It's Kinda like: Other movies based on comic books. It kinda reminded me of Blade because he is a good vampire that is protecting the world against other vampires.
My Rating: 4 out of 5

Anchorman
Worth it for: Well personally I am in love with Will Ferrell
Plot: Set in 1970s San Diego, this is the story of local TV anchorman Ron Burgundy, God's gift to the ladies and the area's most respected reader of the teleprompter of the news fit to be known, who finds his position challenged by an ambitious female newscaster who, unlike Ron, actually knows something about journalism.
My Thoughts: This is a really funny movie that has a lot of clever people in it. Even the cameos in this movie are good like, Jack Black, Vince Vaughn, Luke Wilson and Ben Stiller. I love any movie that has Will Ferrell in it and this movie is no different. He could make me laugh all day, but then I might get sick or something. Steve Carell (he used to be on The Daily Show) has one of the most humorous characters I have ever seen in any movie. Most people have probably already seen this movie, but if you haven’t and you enjoy laughter then you should see it and if you don’t see it then you’re a douche bag.
It's Kinda like: Other Will Ferrell movies especially because a lot of people who are in his other movies are also in this one.
My Rating: 4 out of 5

Napoleon Dynamite
Worth it for: This movie is just really funny.
Plot: Napoleon Dynamite is a quirky teenager growing up in the remotes of Idaho with a love for dancing and the way of the ninja who's really just trying to understand his life while living with his Uncle Rico, whose shady business deals are just some of the things that make Napoleon's social life in small-town Idaho all the more difficult.
My Thoughts: There really is no point to this movie, but it made me laugh a lot. Pretty much anything Napoleon said would make me laugh just the way he talked, same with many other characters in this film. Going into this movie nobody knew what it was about, coming out of this movie still nobody knew what it was about, but we did get a night of laughs out of it. If you want to laugh for an hour and a half then go see this movie, but if you want a movie with a plot I suggest you steer clear. Go see it gosh.
It's Kinda like: I can’t think of any movie that is like this.
My Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Starsky & Hutch
Worth it for: Seeing Will Ferrell has even though it’s not a big part.
Plot: Set in the 1970s in a metropolis called "Bay City," this is the tale of two police detective partners, Ken "Hutch" Hutchinson, and Dave Starsky, who always seem to get the toughest cases from their boss, Captain Dobey, rely on omniscient street informer Huggy Bear and race to the scene of the crimes in their souped-up 1974 Ford Torino hot rod, telling the story of their first big case (as a prequel to the TV show), which involved a former college campus drug dealer who went on to become a white collar criminal.
My Thoughts: This movie was quit good. Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson work so well together because they have been in so many movies together; I think they are both comical. Plus the other people in the cast are great, too like Snoop Dogg, Vince Vaughn, Will Ferrell and a few other people. This movie is a comedy first and everything else second which I think is good because I like comedies. This movie is good for a few laughs and you can never go wrong with Todd Phillips (Old School, Road Trip) as the director, you know it has to be good.
It's Kinda like: The old TV show, the Very Brady Movie because it’s a comic take on an old show, Old School because there is a lot of the same cast and same director, and other buddy cop comedies.
My Rating: 4 out of 5

Harold & Kumar go to White Castle
Worth it for: The hilarious comedy.
Plot: Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle follows two likeable underdogs who set out on a Friday night quest to satisfy their craving for White Castle hamburgers and end up on a mind-altering road trip of epic proportions.
My Thoughts: I wasn't sure if this movie would be that cool, but once I saw it I decided it was really sweet. The movie was really funny and really pointless and I like pointless comedies. The two guys who played Harold and Kumar (John Cho & Kal Penn respectively) are hilarious and you may remember Cho from his small role in American Pie and Penn from his role in Van Wilder and Malibu's Most Wanted. The characters Harold and Kumar meet on the way to White Castle will stay in your mind forever. This movie also makes you hungry for White Castle. If you like movies like Dude Where's My Car this is a definite must see or if you like movies with stoners in them.
It's Kinda like: Dude Where's My Car but maybe because its made by the same person.
My Rating: 4 out of 5

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
Worth it for: Seeing how the trilogy ends, if you read the book you should already know, but it's still awesome.
Plot: The Fellowship's journey is coming to an end. Sauron's forces have attacked Gondor's capital of Minas Tirith in his final siege against mankind. Watched over by a fading steward, the once great kingdom has never been in more desperate need of its king. But will Aragorn find the strength to become what he was born to be and rise to meet his destiny? As Gandalf desperately tries to move the broken forces of Gondor to act, Théoden unites the warriors of Rohan to join in the fight. Even in their courage and passionate loyalty, the forces of men with Éowyn and Merry hidden among them are no match against the swarming legions of enemies raining down on the kingdom. With each victory comes great sacrifice. Despite their great losses, The Fellowship charges forward in the greatest battle of their lifetime, united in their singular goal to give Frodo a chance to complete his quest. Traveling across treacherous enemy lands, Frodo must rely increasingly on Sam and Gollum as The Ring continues to test his allegiance and, ultimately, his soul.
My Thoughts: Like the other 2 previous movies this one is awesome. They finally destroy the ring and there is a bunch of battles that take up most of the movie, but the battles are cool if you like that sort of thing. It would have been better if you saw more of Frodo, Sam and Gollum, but it works this way, too. The end of the movie wasn't great, but thats the way the book ends so I can't complain. If they had changed the end than it would just make me mad. The movie is pretty long, but it is so good that I don't even mind. I wanted to give this movie a 5 out a 5, but if a movie comes out better than this one I'm screwed.
It's Kinda like: Well it's like the first two movies and the book.
My Rating: 5 out of 5

Arrested Development: Season One - Three

The Show: Winner of the Outstanding Comedy Series Emmy its first year out, Arrested Development is the kind of sitcom that gives you hope for television. A mockumentary-style exploration of the beleaguered Bluth family, it's one of those idiosyncratic shows that doesn't rely on a laugh track or a studio audience; it's shot more like a TV drama, albeit with an omniscient narrator (executive producer Ron Howard) overseeing the proceedings. Holding the Bluths together just barely is son Michael Bluth (Jason Bateman), the only normal guy in a family that's chock full of nuts. Hardworking and sensible, Michael's certain he's going to be given control of his family's Enron-style corporation upon the retirement of his father (Jeffrey Tambor). The fact that he's passed over instead for his mother (Jessica Walter) is only a blip when compared to his father's immediate arrest for dubious accounting practices, and the resulting freeze on the family's previously limitless wealth.

My Rating: 5 out of 5

The Extras:

The Extended Pilot

Commentary is available on some episodes

Deleted and extended scenes are offered for every episode

Several documentaries

My Rating: 3 out of 5

My Thoughts: This is one of the greatest comedies of the past several years. The writing is brilliant and the acting is even better. Every episode is pretty much brilliant with call back to previous episodes. There are some great guest stars including Henry Winkler, Scott Baio, and Carl Weathers. The way the show is shot is very original, kind of documentary style, but with hardly any references to the camera. I imagine some people were put off by Ron Howard’s narration that goes on throughout the show but I think it is great and adds a lot. I still don’t know why people didn’t watch this show, it was highly critically acclaimed and won several Emmy’s, and I am glad Fox stuck with it for three season even when the ratings were bad.
Overall Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Saturday Night Live: The Best Of Will Ferrell

The Show:

My Rating: 4.4 out of 5

The latest in the line of Saturday Night Live's great character players (including Dan Aykroyd and Phil Hartman), Will Ferrell showcases his fearlessness in this 72-minute collection. Whether exposing skin or taking a pause beyond the normal limits, Ferrell induces hard laughs like with the cowbell rocker in the first sketch. The selection includes Ferrell's spot-on impressions of Cub announcer Harry Caray, game-show icon Alex Trebek, President Bush, and Inside the Actor's Studio host James Lipton. As with other SNL Best of... retrospectives, there are short snippets to go along with the full-length sketches that include excellent selections of Ferrell's returning characters Craig the Cheerleader and the swinging Culp brothers. A must for fans, and the DVD includes an intriguing audition footage in which Ferrell leaps from character and character.

The Extras:
My Rating: 3.8 out of 5

• Audition Tape
• Photo gallery
• Dress rehearsal footage
• Outtakes
• TV appearances

My Thoughts: Saturday Night Live is on of the greatest shows on TV and throughout it’s history it has had some of the funniest people on the cast, including Chris Farley, Adam Sandler, David Spade, and many more. One of my favorite cast members has always been Will Ferrell. The Best ofs... are awesome because you get to see all of the great moments from your favorite cast member. The one thing that I would like to have seen on this DVD would be a commentary by Will Ferrell and Lorne Michaels.
Overall Rating: 4.6 out of 5

Saturday Night Live: The Best Of Will Ferrell: Volume 2

The Show:

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5

There is no drop-off in laughs from the first to second volume of Will Ferrell's work on Saturday Night Live. Giggle along with his recurring characters, including James Lipton (interviewing Kate Hudson as a wonderfully ditzy Drew Barrymore), a wickedly clever George W. Bush, and one-half of the smarmy Lovers couple. This volume spotlights Ferrell's ability to go successfully over-the-top whether as an overbearing boss (check out how long he keeps stabbing a doomed coworker), a strict airplane pilot, an absent-minded doctor, or the world's oldest baby. There's plenty of unabashed (near) nudity and risky violence, which keeps the SNL tradition of "Not Ready for Prime Time"; check out what longtime hosts of the morning talk show resort to when the much-needed teleprompter fails. All that plus "Janet Reno's Dance Party" (with guest Rudy Giuliani) makes this the perfect pick-up for those who could not get enough of Ferrell with volume 1.

Extras:
My Rating: 3.3 out of 5

• Photo gallery
• Dress rehearsal footage
• TV appearances

The Simpsons: The Complete Fifth Season

The Show:

My Rating: 5 out of 5

Sixteen seasons (and counting) of pop culture-rocking brilliance, the first four of which have already been gloriously archived on DVD. But in the words of Krusty the Clown: What has The Simpsons done for me lately? Well, how about all 22 episodes of season 5, each accompanied by commentary, deleted scenes, and other encyclopedic extras that hopelessly devoted Simpsons fans crave, no, demand? Season 5 is perhaps not as classics-packed as the third and fourth seasons, but no self-respecting Simpsons fan should be without the episodes "Homer's Barbershop Quartet," featuring George Harrison, "Cape Feare," one of Sideshow Bob's (and guest voice Kelsey Grammer's) finest half-hours, "Rosebud," "$pringfield (Or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Legalized Gambling)," and "Bart Gets Famous," with the Springfield-sweeping catchphrase "I didn't do it." Plus, the star power this season is impressive: Michelle Pfeiffer as Homer's comely, donut-loving co-worker in "The Last Temptation of Homer," Albert Brooks as a self-help guru who unleashes "Bart's Inner Child," Kathleen Turner as the creator of Malibu Stacy in "Lisa vs. Malibu Stacy," and, as themselves, the Ramones ("Rosebud"), James Woods ("Homer and Apu"), Buzz Aldren ("Deep Space Homer"), and even Robert Goulet ("Springfield").

But it is the writers and the core ensemble cast who exhibit, to quote "Deep Space Homer," "the right... What's that stuff?" Series milestones include the first appearance of yokel Cletus in "Bart Gets an Elephant," and Maggie's infant nemesis, The Baby with One Eyebrow in "Sweet Seymour Skinner's Badasssss Song," which also happens to be The Simpsons' 100th episode. Add in a very good "Treehouse of Horror" episode, (which outs Ned Flanders as the Devil and Marge as the head vampire), and one Emmy-nominated musical extravaganza ("Who Needs the Quick-E-Mart" from "Homer and Apu"), and you have a Simpsons season that's not just great, it's DVD-box-set great.

The Episodes:
My Rating: 4 out of 5

All 22 episodes of season 5 on four discs: Homer's Barbershop Quartet, Cape Feare, Homer Goes to College, Rosebud, Treehouse of Horror IV, Marge on the Lam, Bart's Inner Child, Boy-Scoutz N the Hood, The Last Temptation of Homer, Springfield, Homer the Vigilante, Bart Gets Famous, Homer and Apu, Lisa vs. Malibu Stacey, Deep Space Homer, Homer Loves Flanders, Bart Gets an Elephant, Burns' Heir, Sweet Seymour Skinner's Badasssss Song, The Boy Who Knew Too Much, Lady Bouvier's Lover, Secrets of a Successful Marriage

Extras:
My Rating: 4.8 out of 5

• Commentary on all episodes, including Matt Groening, David Mirkin, James L. Brooks, and Conan O'Brien
• Animation showcase
• Audio intro with Matt Groening and montage
• Commercials
• Deleted scenes
• Special language feature
• Animatics
• Illustrated commentaries
• Audio outtake
• Original sketches
• A look back with James L. Brooks
• Number of discs: 4

Home Improvement: The Complete First Season

The Show:

My Rating: 4.8 out of 5
There's no more reliable engine for comedy than the differences between men and women; Home Improvement puts that topic front and center. Launched from the stand-up comedy of Tim Allen, this sturdy sitcom rests on the endearing, befuddled machismo of Tim Taylor (Allen), the host of a how-to-build-stuff show called Tool Time, who finds raising three sons and being a supportive husband isn't always as easy as sanding down a door frame. In the show's first season, the tried-and-true domestic plotlines are given a fresh spin by Home Improvement's embrace (and gentle mockery) of the men's movement that flourished in the early '90s. Tim's neighbor Wilson (Earl Hindman), whose face is always obscured by the fence between their yards, proves to be a font of Iron John-style wisdom--wisdom that Tim comically garbles when he puts it into practice. Allen and Patricia Richardson (as Tim's prickly but tolerant wife, Jill) immediately established a cozy but smart banter with enough bite to rise above the bland bickering of too many sitcoms. Some jokes degenerate into schtick--Tim's manly grunting becomes rote by the second episode--but Allen and his writing team consistently found surprises in this familiar territory. The capable supporting cast also includes Tim's sensitive and woefully single assistant Al (Richard Karn), his three cute sons (Jonathan Taylor Thomas, Zachery Ty Bryan, and Taran Noah Smith), and Tool Time's eye-candy (future Baywatch sex bomb Pamela Anderson).

The Episodes:
My Rating: 4.3 out of 5

• All 24 episodes from the 1991-92 season

Extras:
My Rating: 1.8 out of 5

• Loose Screws - The Show's Most Hilarious Moments
• Audio Commentary From The Show's Co-Creators And Executive Producers: Carmen Finestra & David McFadzean
• Number of discs: 3