TOP PICK
SpongeBob SquarePants:
The First 100 Episodes
(Nickelodeon/Paramount)
Celebrating the 10th anniversary of everybody’s favorite porous
pineapple dweller, this massive box loads 14 DVDs with the series’
first 100 episodes. There are some bonuses (commentary, a documentary,
a few featurettes), but the real reason to add this to your collection
is SpongeBob — the best cartoon character since the golden age of
animation.
VIDEOGAME
Guitar Hero 5
(Activision)
The classics are here: Johnny Cash, Bob Dylan, the Stones. But it’s
new kids like the Killers, Kings of Leon and Vampire Weekend that make
this one of the best outings in the series. Best of all, if you buy the
game (for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Wii) sometime this month,
you’ll get a free copy of Guitar Hero Van Halen, a real
workout.
DVD
Primeval: Volume Two
(BBC)
This show is kinda like Jurassic Park mixed with Doctor
Who. At times, it’s better than both of them, especially when big
and bad-ass dinosaurs stomp onscreen. This three-disc set includes all
10 episodes from the series’ third season, plus some behind-the-scenes
extras. Catching up can be confusing, but the cool monsters make up for
it.
VIDEOGAME
Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box
(Nintendo)
The sequel to one of the all-time best DS games is even better than
the original. This time, the prof and his apprentice investigate a
pal’s death, which might be tied to a mysterious box. More than 150
brain-burning puzzles guide the way. Best of all: You can download new
puzzles every week. One of the top games of the year.
DVD
TCM Greatest Classic Films Collection
(Warner/Turner Classic Movies)
The latest batch of movies in this cool series spotlights three
genre faves. Each two-disc set contains four old-school classics. The
“Murder Mysteries” is the best, with The Big Sleep, Dial M for
Murder and The Maltese Falcon. But “Horror” (with
Freaks and The Haunting) and “Sci-Fi” (Forbidden
Planet, 2001: A Space Odyssey) are great too.
This article appears in Sep 23-29, 2009.