Black Sheep's Blu-Tuesday

For the last I don't know how long, I have been bored out of my mind with very little to do.  Today, when all I thought I had to do was write this little piece has gotten way busier than expected.  It has gotten so busy in fact that I must rush through this because I have to be somewhere in about an hour and have yet to prepare dinner, let alone eat it.  Shall we ...

FAMILY GUY VOLUME 8

The eighth volume of this long running Fox comedy series is surprisingly sharp.  I say surprisingly because I found that Seth MacFarlane and friends have been relying too much on tested jokes and formula in more recent years, that they were getting somewhat lazy.  This latest volume though, which spans the later part of the season before last and a good chunk of the most recent season, steps it up though with episodes like "420", in which Brian and Stewie put on the most darling little number about how everything is better with a bag of weed.  And of course, how can you miss the reveal of the evil monkey?!  The DVD comes with commentary, deleted scenes and Family Guy karaoke!  Freakin' sweet.

THE WHITE RIBBON

On a completely different note, I cannot recommend this 2-hour plus, black and white, incredibly  bleak German film any more.  I know; it doesn't sound like anything you would ever want to do but Michael Haneke's THE WHITE RIBBON is practically a masterpiece.  Nominated for the Best Foreign Language and Best Cinematography Oscars this past year (both of which it lost), this film explores the bizarre happenings in a small  Northern German town just before World War I and the uprise of the growing social change.  It is a fascinating exploration of humanity as well and I assure you, when it is this beautifully executed, you won't notice the time at 20all.  You may even wish it keeps going.

HOT TUB TIME MACHINE

This spring comedy failed to connect in theatres but will hopefully find new life on home video.  Three middle-aged men (John Cusack, Rob Corddry and Craig Robinson) head back to the ski resort they frequented in college in an attempt to distract Corddry's character from his suidical depression.  Through some random chain of events, they end up traveling back in time while getting wasted in a hot tub and have a second chance on life.  The laughs are plenty if you can forego the ridiculous premise and validation of materialism as happiness.  Get a few buddies together, get some beer and enjoy the trip!

Source: Blu-ray.com