Kevin's Digital Week 10 - From Springfield to Jersey

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Parent Category: Film and the Arts

Category: Reviews

Published on Friday, 22 January 2010 20:00

Written by Kevin Filipski

Blu-ray of the Week
The Simpsons—The Complete 20th Season
(Fox)
So what if The Simpsons has continued its slide down from its giddy heights of a decade ago? Even now, at its best, the show is laugh-out-loud funnier than anything else on television: Treehouse of Horror is always a hoot, and the parade of celebrity cameos (like Denis Leary, Joe Montana, Emily Blunt, Anne Hathaway, Ellen Page and Jodie Foster) is always good for a few chuckles. Since the show began being broadcast in hi-def in the middle of the season last year, the first nine episodes will have that square, less eye-popping look of non-HD transfers.

Those nine episodes are on the first disc; the second disc is given over to the dozen hi-def episodes, when the celebrated opening got a noticeable makeover and the in-jokes about HD came fast and furiously each week. Unlike previous season releases, there are no commentaries or other fun extras; rather, there’s a brief sneak peek of the recent 20th anniversary special hosted by Morgan Spurlock. Creator Matt Groening also drew new Blu-ray menus, and the cool packaging features a layout of so many characters from the show that even the most die-hard fan might not name (or even recognize) them all.

DVD of the Week
Artie Lange
Jack and Coke
(Image)
Despite his recent personal problems, New Jersey-born Artie Lange has been one of the most visible comedians of the past decade, thanks to his long stint as sidekick on Howard Stern’s radio show. He’s also a valuable raw stand-up who’s unafraid to tackle even the most dicey material, which he proves as soon as walks onto the stage at the Gotham Comedy Club in Manhattan: he announces that he’s glad Heath Ledger is dead.

From there, he riffs on Brokeback Mountain, President Obama, Giants and Jets fans, Lawrence Taylor, and his own overweight, messy self: watching Lange admit to (and joke about) drug and alcohol issues while nursing a glass of water onstage is certainly a sobering sight in light of his recent (apparent) attempted suicide. The rowdy crowd is certainly behind him, and among the many bonus features is one showcasing his rabid fans, and another in which the comic dispatches hecklers in inimitable fashion. There’s also a behind-the-scenes featurette, a rap song by ReSurch, and the opening acts of Pete Dominick and Joe Matarese.

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