TOP PICK
The Wizard of Oz 70th Anniversary Ultimate Collector's Edition
(Warner)
It would take you days to go through everything on this gorgeous Blu-ray set: the books, the archival material, the extras (including silent-movie versions of Oz) and of course the film classic, making its high-def debut. The scene where Dorothy first steps into Oz now bursts with splendor. Plus, the flying monkeys are super-creepy in HD.
VIDEOGAME
The Beatles:
Rock Band
(MTV/Harmonix/Electronic Arts)
Now that you've had time to settle into the remastered CDs, step into John, Paul, George and Ringo's Beatle boots for this fun game — for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 — which gathers 45 songs from their entire career (sadly, "Revolution 9" isn't one of them). Best of all, you get to play venues like Shea Stadium and Apple Records' rooftop. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
MUSIC
Hymns: Appaloosa
(Blackland)
This Brooklyn-based band sounds nothing like its NYC hipster peers (probably because the two guys who started it are from North Carolina). On this five-song EP, they come on like a cross between the Band and the dB's, layering their rustic folk-rock with an indie-style jagged edge. Best: the horn-speckled title tune.
BOOK
Waiting for a Train:
Jimmie Rodgers' America
(Rounder)
Inspired by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 1997 American Music Masters program, these essays (edited by Case Western Reserve University's Mary E. Davis and the Rock Hall's Warren Zanes) gather writings by fans like Bob Dylan. Some are historical, some are critical; all put the country-music pioneer's short career in perspective.
VIDEOGAME
Wet
(Bethesda)
This third-person shooter (for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3) has one cool thing going for it: tons of kick-ass weapons. There are plenty of guns here, but there's also a samurai sword for your heroine to wield as she seeks revenge against a former boss. It's all very cinematic (and kinda like Kill Bill) and loads of bloody fun.
