Pineapple Express
It might seem like your everyday stoner comedy, but Pineapple Express is a strange comedic beast. It was helmed by dramatic indie filmmaker David Gordon Green, it brought Huey Lewis and the News back to the world of cinema songwriting, and, of course, it gave us an excellent duo to get high with -- Seth Rogen and James Franco. Buy it on DVD or Blu-ray.

Righteous Kill
Righteous Kill is right, but not in the way that makes the eyes blaze with excitement, but the way that makes you groan in disappointment. While joining heavy weights Robert De Niro and Al Pacino was a big to-do, that was the only noteworthy piece of this police v. serial killer story. Still, it's Rob and Al, so if you're curious: Rent it on DVD or Blu-ray.

Disaster Movie
Oh, if only we could be back in the days of Airplane. Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer show no signs of stopping their terrible spoof addiction, and this time it's all about disasters. Need I say more? Skip it on DVD or Blu-ray.

Hit the jump for more new releases.

Scott Weinberg and I are the Cinematical night owls. You're probably reading this at a very sensible time of the day, enjoying something called "sunshine" and a "blue sky," and we're probably sleeping. That's how dedicated the folks at Cinematical are -- we work around the clock!

I tell you this because you might be wondering why one Cinematical writer is posting about another. That's because Mr. Weinberg likes to shyly send me links to prove he never actually does sleep, and instead works 24/7 watching, reviewing, and compiling the best and worst in horror films all year long. He's gone and done it again over at GreenCine, compiling the Top 50 Horror DVDs of 2008. I've seen maybe three of these, because I actually do require sleep.

So heck -- I decided to be the Pepper Potts to his Tony Stark and write up a little something, since he was too modest to do it himself. Plus, the real reason Weinberg sent me the link was to show me GreenCine, which I'm itching to explore further. This place is like an indie-Netflix, with the added benefit of being able to access a community of lists, reviews, and recommendations. You can rent, download, and buy movies here -- it's going to be a lot of fun to watch this place grow. Between this and Netflix, movie fans may be leaving their houses less and less. I know you and I will -- we've got to beat Weinberg at his own movie watching game!

You may have noticed there was no release list this past Tuesday, as the big releases are all hitting shelves today (or yesterday or tomorrow -- it' seriously varies depending on store), and we're fully in the Christmas lull. Read on for today's handful of Hollywood films and 12/23 releases.

The Duchess
Ah, another film with Keira Knightley in period clothing. This time around, she's Georgiana, the Duchess of Devonshire, and she's a powerful woman reduced to love in secret under the reign of a rigid and mean husband (Ralph Fiennes). However, while Mr. Fiennes pulls off a chilling performance as the Duke of Devonshire, this period offers little of Georgiana's triumphs, much of her romantic turmoil, and not enough compelling cohesiveness to give her story a chance. Skip it.

Eagle Eye
First, DJ Caruso brought us Shia LaBeouf under house arrest in Disturbia. Now he's let Shia run around maniacally with Michelle Monaghan for Eagle Eye, as two innocent strangers become at the whim of a powerful phone caller who turns them into fugitives. This is one of those action flicks that did well in the box office, but didn't get a lot of critical love. Nevertheless, it's action to break up the holiday monotony, so Rent it.

The Dark Knight
I'm so tempted to just begin and end with The Dark Knight. Even stacked against a myriad of films, this sucker would hold up. In this case, Batman picked the perfect time to slide his way onto DVD shelves -- nothing else comes close to the power of Heath Ledger's Joker surrounded by the likes of Bale, Eckhart, Gyllenhaal, and Oldman. I doubt I need to extol the virtues of this film, so I'll just say: BUY IT, as a single-disc, double-disc, limited edition, or Blu-ray. Click here for all the details.

Horton Hears a Who!
But ... if you want something a bit more family oriented, Horton is the way to go. This new CG feature, based on the classic Dr. Seuss tale, was a stunning collection of famous comedic voices attached -- Jim Carrey, Steve Carell, Carol Burnett, Will Arnett, Seth Rogen, Dan Fogler, Isla Fisher, Jonah Hill and Amy Poehler. Best of all -- it doesn't suck like the Grinch remake or that Cat in the Hat, as Jeffrey M. Anderson reviewed. Buy It on DVD or Blu-ray.

Note: Extreme Movie came out December 5. Do I need to even say: SKIP IT?

The biggest film of 2008 arrives on Blu-ray and DVD this December 9th, and Cinematical is here to share our initial impressions, likes and dislikes, as well as let you know whether this monster piece of home entertainment is worth the purchase. Perhaps time will tell if The Dark Knight is the best comic book movie ever made, but in the meantime it's fairly easy to declare it the best comic book movie of 2008. Director Christopher Nolan and his team of Bat-freaks brought out the bigger guns for this sequel, adding more explosions, more depth, more darkness and more Gotham. The result is an action-packed psychological salad full of delicious performances and fantastic visuals.

In fact, that's exactly why you'll want to own this thing -- it just looks ... so ... good. On the Blu-ray disc, for example, the film alternates between aspect ratios, showing the IMAX-filmed scenes in 1.78:1, and the rest in 2.40:1. Sure, it's a bit different than watching it on a seven-story screen, but the IMAX sequences (in particular the opening bank heist) will no doubt take your television hostage and seduce every inch of your geek-obsessed body. Is it somewhat annoying to dance between two aspect ratios during the film? Not really, except that you'll wish the entire saga was shot with IMAX cameras. If you haven't yet watched a flick on Blu-ray, do yourself a favor and pop your HD cherry on The Dark Knight.

Now follow us after the jump for more ...

Hancock
As Thanksgiving approaches, we've got the wild superhero Hancock crashing into shelves. While it might have been led by mega-star Will Smith, it didn't get much love from critics and certainly bowed in the shadows of some old-school, established superheroes. That being said, it's still Will Smith and is said to have a powerful start that just falls flat. Teamed with a bunch of solid special features, it's worth a glimpse. Rent it.

Meet Dave
And then there's Eddie Murphy. In his latest wacky film, Murphy gets to play a human spacecraft for a bunch of tiny aliens. The DVD holds the obligatory extras -- gag reel, deleted scenes, alternate ending -- but I'd still say Skip it, even if the box office still gives the dude love.

Freaks and Geeks Yearbook Edition
No, this isn't a film. But considering the fact that this is Judd Apatow's baby, and starred the likes of big-screen names Linda Cardellini, John Francis Daley, James Franco, Samm Levine, Seth Rogen, and Jason Segel, it's certainly a great addition to any DVD shelf. Tons of extras, tons of fun. Buy it.

Other mainstream releases: Superman Doomsday, Space Chimps, Fred Claus

There are DVDs you might want to rent on a rainy day, and then there are DVDs you absolutely must buy the day they arrive in stores. Already one of the best reviewed films of the year -- and a strong candidate for a Best Picture Oscar nod -- Pixar's WALL-E finally arrives on DVD this Tuesday, November 18th in spectacular fashion. Folks, if you haven't converted to Blu-ray yet, I'd seriously recommend penning a letter to Santa real soon, because not only are WALL-E and The Dark Knight unveiling pretty ridiculous Blu-ray DVDs during the next month, but the format is really starting to produce some outstanding product.

That all being said, you've probably already realized that I'll be giving you a sneak peek at the 3-Disc Blu-ray DVD for WALL-E, which is all sorts of awesome, but I'll also clue you in on what the regular DVD offers too. First off, feel free to check out the gallery below, which includes images from the brand new short film BURN-E (featured on both Blu-ray and DVD), along with a few Fun Fact Sheets, like one called Hidden Things (little Pixar Easter Eggs throughout the film) and one called How Did They Make That Sound (pretty self-explanatory).



Now follow us after the jump for more ...

Hellboy II: The Golden Army
The red beastie with a penchant for kittens is back. This time, Hellboy must stop an underworld leader bent on awakening an army of unstoppable gizmos created to take over the world. He's got problems with Liz, and new aggravations from Johann (voiced by Family Guy creator Seth Macfarlane). You can pick up the regular old simple edition, a big 3-disc set, or if you like collectibles, a boxed collector's set with a statue, poster, and book on regular DVD or Blu-ray. (More info on the DVD right here.) Buy it.

Mister Foe
On the less flashy front, there's the excellent Jamie Bell in Hallam Foe. Another victim of renaming, the film is known as Mister Foe stateside, but still covers Bell as Foe -- a peeping Tom on the streets of Edinburgh after his mother's untimely death. You won't get the mass of goodies that Hellboy has, but there are a few extras to dip into. Rent it.

Sukiyaki Western DjangoUber popular Japanese cult filmmaker Takashi Miike now brings us Sukiyaki Western Django -- riffing on spaghetti westerns, two clans battle for a town's treasure as a gunslinger strolls into town. According to Jeffrey M. Anderson's review: "Miike has managed the best Spaghetti Western knockoff in years." Buy it on DVD or Blu-ray.

Also out: Star Wars: Clone Wars.

Clockwise from top left: Get Smart, Transsiberian, Kung Fu Panda, Budd Boetticher Box Set, Planet of the Apes 40th Anniversary Collection.

Welcome to this week's edition of Spin-ematical, chock full of alternatives to election coverage!

Kung Fu Panda
Though some of the celebrity voices were useless, Jack Black is great, and the film itself is pleasant, good-natured, and respectful of Asian culture. Available in at least seven editions, including widescreen, full-screen, Spanish, a Christmas gift set, with and without Secrets of the Furious Five (a 20-minute short), and on Blu-ray; oddly, this doesn't release until Sunday. Buy it.

Transsiberian
Traveling by train in the dead of winter from Beijing to Moscow should be much more restful than what happens to Woody Harrelson and Emily Mortimer in this adventure / suspense / thriller; Ben Kingsley plays a menacing Russian detective. I'm recommending this one sight unseen because Brad Anderson (Session 9, The Machinist) directed. Includes a 34-minute "making of"; also available on Blu-ray. Replays are inevitable. Buy it.

Get Smart
The bumbling Maxwell Smart as a generic action hero? (*sigh*) Steve Carell makes the character his own by repeating the old catchphrases without enthusiasm and proving to be far too adept for his own -- or the movie's -- good. Anne Hathaway is a very sexy spy, but Dwayne Johnson is miscast and even Alan Arkin struggles. The TV series never took itself too seriously; if only the movie had done the same. Available in widescreen and full-screen editions, as well as a two-disk version and on Blu-ray; a plethora of bonus scenes are included, notably a 5-minute "vomit reel." Ugh. Skip it.

After the jump ... Indies on DVD, more Blu-ray debuts, and Collector's Corner.

Kit Kittredge -- An American Girl
It's the feature film for all the little girls out there who have American Girl dolls, and those who have long since grown up. Abigail Breslin stars as a young, budding reporter who tries to help her family during the Great Depression. She's surrounded by the financial woes of the time, plus prejudice and a situation that asks for a little Nancy Drewing. It's a must-see for the kids, and anyone who can enjoy a youthful dip into the past. Buy It.

Billy the Kid
Jennifer Venditti had come to the small Maine town to do some casting for Bugcrush, but she found something better -- Billy. Spending a week with the 15-year-old, Venditti captured a young man's highs and lows, his triumphs and vulnerabilities. The film is wildly funny, but also a telling account of the danger of assumption, the troublesome labels that get put on us during our youth, and the tribulations of the unique. Check out my review for more information. Buy It.

Hell Ride
Presented by Quentin Tarantino, this Larry Bishop film was pretty much ravaged by critics (11% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes). But if you like the rumble of a bike barreling down the road, Hell Ride follows some badass bikers trying to avenge the death of one of their own by a rival gang. There's lots of talent in this puppy -- Madsen, Balfour, Hopper, Carradine -- but unless you really like to just lose yourself in footage of bikers on bikes, Skip It.

Also on DVD: Journey to the Center of the Earth (see: Blu-ray), Tinker Bell (see: Blu-ray), Zombie Strippers.

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
The big release this week is, undoubtedly, the latest adventures of Indiana Jones. There are so many fan goodies involved with this release, that you can check out our previous two posts for specifics -- one for the disc extras and one for the collectible extras. As for the film itself -- it's gotten a lot of banter about its plusses and minuses, but in the end, it's still 77% fresh. So basically, this is a Buy It if you're an Indy fan, and a Rent It, if you're not sure.

War, Inc.
This is the feature that plagues me. It has John Cusack. It was co-written by the wildly insane, talented, and fun Mark Leyner. Nevertheless, War, Inc. failed to impress. You know you've got to worry when a review starts with: "What do you say when a film is so bad that you actually feel physical pain for everyone involved?" So, I say with a heavy heart: Skip It.

Y.P.F -- aka -- Young People F**king
This is merely a funny and mostly honest look at sex, but with a title that flings out the F-bomb, it's gotten a whole slew of drama ranging from political movements to Ebert responses. But when it comes down to it, the Canadian comedy is funny, but it's not shockingly racy and has barely any nudity. You'll see more jaw-dropping sex and skin on True Blood. Buy It!

Imagine Spider-Man murdering a young boy. The Rebel isn't a revisionist superhero movie, but it does star Johnny Nguyen, who was the masked stunt double for Spider-Man and Green Goblin in two of Sam Raimi's web-spinning adventures. Here Nguyen plays Cuong, an enforcer for the French exploiters in 1920s Vietnam. Anti-colonial protests have been gaining force and exerting pressure upon the ruling French, and Cuong is expected to help put them down. Caught up in his violent duties, Cuong kills a boy almost without realizing what he's done. He feels instant, piercing regret, as though the guilt for all his sins has come crashing down upon him. His remorse becomes a galvanizing force that pushes him to stop shedding the blood of his own people.

To begin, he tries to help a young rebel escape torture and certain death. The beautiful Thuy (Veronica Ngo, AKA Ngo Thanh Van) is important to both sides: her father is leader of the anti-government movement. She is understandably wary about Cuong's true intentions. Just as he's making headway in convincing her of his sincerity, his cynical, ambitious overlord Sy (Dustin Nguyen, of 21 Jump Street fame, who's never been better) appears. Sy is less interested in Cuong's allegiance than in the possibility that he can lead him to Thuy's father.

While the story is riddled with contrivances and genre conventions, the action sequences set the film apart. Johnny Nguyen is flat-out amazing in his grace and control, while Dustin Nguyen more than holds his own in close-quarters fighting. Floating like a butterfly but stinging like a bee, Veronica Ngo, a dancer/model/singer/actress, looks extremely convincing as she fiercely defends her friends and her honor. Oh, and she's a babe and a half.

Iron Man
At the risk of drawing the ire of Batfans everywhere, I'll just come out and say it: Iron Man is the best my favorite superhero movie of the year. (Dear Comic-Con: Please don't revoke my press pass.) Dark Knight is indeed brilliant, and brilliantly dark, but Iron Man is just so much more ... fun (AND it has social messages!). Poor Jeff Bridges may not hold a candle to the late Heath Ledger in the villain department, but Iron Man wins out elsewhere. Its characters are colorful and layered, its action is supremely stylish and never overbearing (unlike Transformers, even in its hot metal-on-metal action) and thanks to sensibilities of Robert Downey Jr. and director Jon Favreau, it's flat-out funny. Man-crush alert: Downey Jr. is fast on his way to becoming an acting icon, right up there with Al Pacino and Jared from Subway. Buy it!!!
(Available in both single disc and two-disc special edition)

Forgetting Sarah Marshall
The latest from Camp Apatow stars a far-too-naked Jason Segel, an almost unrecognizably sexy Mila Kunis 2.0, a scene-stealing Russell Brand, and Kristen Bell. The film definitely has its moments, but I'm just not sold on Segel as a leading man, who seems to equate "comedic skill" with "revealing your junk." And as much as we enjoy rooting for a lovable loser, at some point in the movie it helps if he stops moaning, crying and being generally so extremely pathetic. After Pineapple Express, Tropic Thunder and The Happening, Sarah Marshall will have to settle for being the fourth funniest movie so far this year. Rent it, or buy it in the discount bin (Available in both single disc and two-disc collector's edition)

MAIN PICKS AND MISSES

Sex and the City (Pick)
Leatherheads (Miss)
Run Fat Boy Run (Miss)
Deception (Miss)
Pathology (Miss)

INDIES ON DVD
Foot Fist Way, Mother of Tears

BLU-RAY
Sex and the City, Leatherheads, Deception, The Godfather, LA Confidential, Blow, Madagascar, Shrek the Third

COLLECTOR'S CORNER
The Godfather collection, High School Musical 2: Collector's Edition, LA Confidential Special Edition

There's a slew of new releases hitting shelves this week. Some are flashy, some are sweet, and some you should be ashamed if you spend your hard-earned money on them. As Peter said last week, we're still working out kinks in the new format, so weigh in below with your thoughts.

MAIN PICKS AND MISSES
Speed Racer (Pick)
Made of Honor (Miss)
The Love Guru (Miss)
The Babysitters (Miss)

INDIES ON DVD
Young@Heart, Finding Amanda, Harold, Snow Angels

BLU-RAY
Speed Racer, Hulk (2003), The Mist

COLLECTOR'S CORNER
High School Flashback Collection, Risky Business Deluxe Edition, and more!