TOP PICK
Tom and Jerry: Deluxe Anniversary Collection
(Warner)
Old-school-animation fans rank these cat-and-mouse cartoons among the all-time best. And for good reason: Most of the 30 shorts on these two DVDs are classics (and more than a half-dozen are Oscar winners). "Puss Gets the Boot" and "The Cat Concerto" have inspired scores of 'toons, from Bugs Bunny to The Simpsons. You'll also learn new uses for your frying pan.
DVD
Alice in Wonderland
(Walt Disney)
Tim Burton's psychedelic-colored dip into the rabbit hole includes winning performances by Johnny Depp (as a lisping Mad Hatter), Helena Bonham Carter (as the ginormous-headed Red Queen), and Mia Wasikowska (as frowning, 19-year-old Alice). But it's Burton's cotton-candy-goth direction that makes this breezy movie pop, especially on Blu-ray. Just add bong.
CD
Chuck Berry: Have Mercy — His Complete Chess Recordings 1969-1974
(Hip-O Select)
Berry was into watersports way before R. Kelly. So maybe it's no surprise that the rock legend's only No. 1 was the penis-propping "My Ding-A-Ling." That song is far from the highlight of this four-disc box, which gathers 71 songs from Berry's fertile five-year resurgence. Head straight to the bluesy London sessions, which will make you pee your pants with joy.
VIDEO GAME
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Resurgence Pack
(Activision)
How do you make the greatest online multiplayer video game of all-time even better? More maps! The five new ones in this downloadable pack (for the Xbox 360) include two great carryovers from the first Modern Warfare. But our two faves are "Carnival" (an old amusement park) and "Trailer Park," complete with pink flamingoes and empty soda cans. Yee-haw!
CD
Frank Zappa: Greasy Love Songs
(Zappa)
Of all the bizarre records in Zappa's extensive catalog, 1968's Cruising With Ruben & the Jets lands near the top. It's an earnest doo-wop record that pays tribute to one of Zappa's favorite genres. This reissue includes a rare stereo mix of the album, plus alternate versions and other unreleased songs, plus an interview with Zappa. It's street-corner psychedelia: rama-dama-ding-bong!
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