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I don’t know what it is that makes men enjoy stupid comedies so much. Maybe it is our inner bully, lashing out at the weaknesses of those around us, and thus proving our superiority. Maybe it's because it's such a relaxing break from the stress of our busy working lives. Maybe it is because laughing at idiots makes us feel better about our own questionable level of intelligence. Whatever it is, it is clear that laughing at the ignorance of others is a basic male trait. There is a point, however, when the subject of o...r mirth can become so simple, so unbelievably stupid, that the tables turn from riotous laughter to groans of pain and embarrassment. The line is a thin one, but it is distinct.

Dumb and Dumberer: When Harry Met Lloyd doesn’t just cross that line, it races past it on the way to pointless oblivion. This is a film that truly lives up to its name. What made the original film so funny was watching the interaction between the sublime ignorance of the two main characters and the relative normalcy of the world around them. Ideally, Harry and Lloyd should be the only two stupid people in their circle of influence. In this film, however, virtually every character on the screen is either dumb, or even dumber…er. Without this contrast, the film becomes a close-up look at a world filled with ignorance, and the "relative stupidity" aspect of the story is gone.

Based on a ride at Disneyland, you probably would not have expected much except for the fact that you have Johnny Depp and Geoffrey Rush cast as the leads. The Black Pearl is a mysterious pirate ship half old-wives-tale half ghost story. Geoffery Rush plays Captain Barbossa the captain of the Black Pearl he sails the seas in search of every last piece of cursed Aztec gold to try and free himself and his mates. Johnny Depp plays the roguish Captain Jack Sparrow (the acting for this part was based on Keith Richards) on...e captain of the Black Pearl and trying to find his ship and get it back. Add to the mix Keira Knightley as the kidnapped daughter of a governor and Orlando Bloom as the son of a long lost pirate and you are ready for a rousing good time on the high seas. The story is pretty straight forward, the acting is great and the film looks fantastic all adding up to one of the best popcorn flicks in a long time.

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NASA's Gemini project is filled with some of the most overlooked missions of the early days of space flight. The previous Mercury missions had yielded the first American in space, and the following Apollo missions included the famous Apollo 11 moon landing, and the subsequent Apollo 13 near-disaster. The Gemini missions, however, were a crucial stepping stone in the process, which perfected the challenges of orbital mechanics as well as overcoming the limitations of working outside of the spacecraft.

This ...VD set begins with an hour-long documentary that tells the story of the Gemini missions, and provides a crucial context for the bonus footage that follows. This piece is comprised entirely of archival footage, and pulled together with expert narration and audio clips of the astronauts themselves.

Ray Harryhausen and Ray Bradbury, along with Famous Monster Forry Ackerman, have been friends since childhood. It’s no wonder that when Harryhausen was given his first chance to completely control a production that he would turn to his boyhood friend who happened to become one of the world’s best known science fiction writers. Actually, the original production team had already fashioned a script based on Bradbury’s short story without giving credit to the writer. Both Rays created an iconic creature. The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms would go on to represent an entire genre of 1950’s monster movies. The climatic rollercoaster scene is one of the genre’s best moments. For me it ranks right there with the Empire State Building climax in King Kong, ironically created by Harryhausen’s mentor.

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It seems that most people have strong opinions when it comes to Ellen DeGeneres. Of course, when you make yourself the first openly gay character on television, those opinions can be expected. Some feel that she is courageous, bravely stepping into the forefront of the gay rights movement. Others feel that her lifestyle is immoral, and that she should be shamed of her actions. Personally, I feel that it is unfortunate that her status as a gay woman is an issue at all. The desire of any true performer should be for th... world to discuss their art, and not their personal life. (Of course, she freely made an issue of her sexuality herself, but I digress.) Simply saying that Ellen is "funny" shortchanges her talents.

Ellen is not just funny, she's smart. Very, very smart. This stand-up performance takes her stream-of-consciousness style of storytelling to a new extreme. Topics segue from one into another at breakneck speed, forcing the listener to simply hang on and enjoy the comic ride. Her theme for this show (which happens to be filled with all-new material) is life in the 21st century, and she captures its nuances and frustrations flawlessly, from cell phone etiquette to news and information overload. Someday, I will be able to show this disc to my children to explain what life was like at the turn of the new century.

How quickly we forget our accomplishments. It was not long ago that the thought of sending a man into space was a far-fetched concept. The thought of landing a man on the moon was pure science fiction. Once the space race heated up, however, all boundaries were eclipsed. We succeeded in reaching the moon, and eventually space flight became a regular occurrence. It is easy to take for granted the miracles that were performed during the early days.

Thankfully, the folks at Spacecraft Films are here to remind ...s. Utilizing existing NASA footage, this three-disc set is a glimpse into the wonder of the Saturn rocket program like it has never been seen before. Since these launches were so groundbreaking and experimental, NASA went to great lengths to capture as much of the process on film as possible, often utilizing 16mm film stock. Reels upon reels of that footage is showcased here, most of it in a raw and uncut form.