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21 - THE SIMPSONS MOVIE
(released December 11)

After 18 seasons and 400 episodes, the biggest question regarding The Simpsons Movie is not, “How could they possibly screw this up?” but instead, “Why did it take so long?” While a movie eight years ago — with Springfield in the throes of Y2K hysteria, perhaps — would have been much better timing for the show and for the times, the moment that all “Simpsons” fans have been waiting for has finally come, and thankfully, they didn’t screw it up. And really, how could they?

With a script worked on by nearly every major series player in the last two decades, the movie version of the longest running sitcom ever (animated or otherwise) is a love letter to fans. While most love letters gush and sometimes get off track, this one, for the most part, stays on point. Not a minute passes without a solid laugh, and the writers take advantage of the PG-13 rating without getting vulgar like “Family Guy” (save for one precious visual gag). As keenly self-aware as a movie has ever been, it balances solidly an honest-to-goodness story (regarding Homer’s accidental sullying of Springfield with pollution) with great, refined characterizations by Dan Castellaneta (Homer), Julie Kavner (Marge), Nancy Cartwright (Bart) and a smart sampling of fan favorites, too.

From the start, though, when Ralph Wiggum stands nestled in the zero of the 20th Century Fox logo, singing Alfred Newman’s famous Fox fanfare as only Ralph Wiggum can, we somehow know that for the next hour-and-a-half, we will be comfortably numb with the kind of perpetual face-ache that comes from constantly smiling. It is a feeling less expensive and much safer than drugs, and if you can ignore the occasional fear that there might be something wrong with your liver for seeing so much (crisply animated) yellow in your field of vision, this trip to Springfield — wherever in the country it is — is well worth the time and effort.•••

NOTE: Matt Groening’s other animated series, “Futurama” (1999-2003) has just seen its first new episode in the form of the feature-length Futurama: Bender’s Big Score. It is the planned first of four direct-to-DVD features, and fans of the surly alcoholic robot and his freakish future friends are sure to love it (be sure to check out the fantastic “Futurama” math lecture that is included). Greenies will be happy to know that the film is 20th Century Fox’s first “carbon neutral” release, a zero carbon emissions brought about by balancing the amount of carbon released with the amount sequestered.

22 - THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM
(released December 11)
Bourne! You rascally spy! The late Robert Ludlum’s best-known creation, the unstoppable amnesiac government operative on a mission as personally essential as fugitive Richard Kimble’s, returns in this third high-octane espionage thriller. The plot is pretty light, but director Paul Greengrass (United 93) does a great job at creating a sense of urgency with some really superb globetrotting action sequences. Studio Universal has created a three-movie set, The Jason Bourne Collection, featuring The Bourne Identity (2002), The Bourne Supremacy (2004) and The Bourne Ultimatum (2007). A previous version of The Bourne Identity made for TV in 1988 and starring Richard Chamberlain and Jaclyn Smith is available on-the-cheap, as is the 1997 clunker, The Apocalypse Watch. Fox made an appropriate pairing of Ludlum and way-manly Sam Peckinpah (in the director’s last film) in 1983’s The Osterman Weekend starring Rutger Hauer, and in 1986 Michael Caine starred in a decent adaptation of The Holcroft Covenant. Anyone worried that Bourne has seen his last day of action since Ludlum’s death in 2001 needn’t worry – author Eric Lustbader has two Bourne novels to his name so far, and two more non-Bourne spy novels – The Chancellor Manuscript and The Sigma Protocol – are in early production.

23 - THE BOSTON RED SOX 2007 WORLD SERIES EDITION (released December 11)
It’s fantastic that you’re out of the coma. Now you can catch up on the important things, like physical therapy, suing the hospital and catching up on the Red Sox (who won the World Series again this year). The 8-disc set features games 5, 6 and 7 of the American League Championship Series against the Cleveland Indians and the 4-game World Series sweep of the Colorado Rockies. There’s also the clubhouse celebration, the 2007 World Series Trophy and MVP presentation, the American League Eastern Division and ALDS clinching highlights, team interviews, 2007 season highlights, Kevin Youklis’s inside-the-park homer, the last out of Clay Buchholz’s no-hitter and David Ortiz’s walk-off home run. (And a partridge in a pear tree!) For those of you who have been making the life support machines go “ping!” for more than three years, you may want to pick up The Boston Red Sox 2004 World Series Collectors Edition. It features the 4-game World Series sweep of the St. Louis Cardinals, plus the full 7-game ALCS against the New York Yankees in which Boston played possum for three games and then proceeded to punish its longtime rivals as would the master of a dog who soiled the new berber.

24 - BLADE RUNNER (released December 18)
Ridley Scott has proven to be the kind of lifelong tinkerer, at least as far as his 1982 sci-fi classic goes. In the same way the George Lucas has revisited his original Star Wars trilogy to make so-called improvements, so has Scott refit his futuristic tale pretty regularly. The story, based on paranoid genius Philip K. Dick’s “Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep?”, has L.A. cop Rick Deckard tracking down and “retiring” four Replicants, androids that are nearly indistinguishable from humans. Studio Warner Brothers has a number of different editions on tap – the 2-disc Final Cut featuring Scott’s latest version remastered in 5.1 plus the documentary, Dangerous Days; the 4-disc Limited Edition Collector’s Set contains this and three additional versions of the film, including the original U.S. version with Harrison Ford’s awkward pulp novel narration and the rare “work print” version. The 5-disc Ultimate Collector’s Edition features all this, an exclusive fifth disc with over 80 minutes of previously unseen deleted scenes, and collectibles like a Spinner car replica, a unicorn figurine, illustration and photo cards and a lenticular motion film clip in Lucite. It all comes packaged in a limited edition numbered “Deckard” briefcase (pictured at right). While there has never been an official sequel (though 1998’s “sidesequel” Soldier had some intended parallels), Scott this year revealed that he is considering a sequel of his own. Other noteworthy Dick adaptations include Paul Verhoeven’s Total Recall (1990), Steven Spielberg’s amped-up (but thematically faithful) Minority Report (2002) and Richard Linklater’s mind-blowing animated trip, A Scanner Darkly (2006).

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17 - HAMLET
Gone are the days that Shakespeare fans would pay in excess of $100 on eBay for a 2-tape VHS version of Kenneth Branagh’s 4-hour version of Shakespeare’s meatiest play. Alas, this is its platter you see before you. Bard buddy Branagh was bold by adapting the play in its entirety, creating the most comprehensive film version to date. Whereas previous versions served as vainglorious Cliffs’ Notes versions for stars like Laurence Olivier, Richard Burton and Mel Gibson, Branagh gives life to the extensive cast of characters, with performances by unlikely faces like Billy Crystal (as the Gravedigger) and Charlton Heston (as the Player King) rising above the novelty of their casting. Also notable is Branagh’s choice to do the famous “To be or not to be…” monologue in a mirror. The lush detail of the 1996 film’s 70mm presentation would certainly be better served with a Blu-Ray or HD-DVD issue, but this fine film still makes us say, “What a piece of work is Branagh’s.” Fans of grand theatrical film productions will want to check out the 1964 drama Becket starring Richard Burton and Peter O’Toole, also making its DVD debut.

18 - THE ADVENTURES OF YOUNG INDIANA JONES, VOLUME 1: THE EARLY YEARS
Like the tenacious archaeologist we know from the three blockbuster movies, fans did not give up in their quest for a DVD release of George Lucas’s ambitious TV series, “The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles,” which ran in three bursts from 1992-96. Paramount heard their cry, and how. While they could have very easily put out all 44 produced episodes (8 unaired) in one barebones collection, the studio’s loving and deliberate packaging of them is pretty wondrous to behold. The 12-disc set contains 7 episodes and a prolific 38 in-depth companion documentaries on an array of episode-related historical subjects. These are not just lightweight puff pieces meant to mindlessly promote the series, either. CBS News veteran David Schneider heads Lucasfilm’s documentary unit, and his team’s work really complements the episodes with insights from scholars, historians and luminaries from a wide range of disciplines. The pilot episode – especially with its broad and obvious performances from its young leads – is a little rough, but the series gets better fast. Considering the sheer volume of material here, it is even worth the full retail of $129.99, though bargain hunters will likely find it for much less. Volume 2: The War Years is available on December 18, and the fourth theatrical movie, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, hits screens on May 22, 2008.

19 - PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN:
AT WORLD’S END
While the third in Disney’s cash cow adventure trilogy starring Johnny Depp, Kiera Knightley and Orlando Bloom did not top 2006’s Dead Man’s Chest at the box office (or with critics and audiences), a nearly $1 billion payday for the studio surely warrants another installment, tentatively set for a 2009 start. Disney rolls out another 2-disc special edition here, loaded with (mostly frilly) bonus features. A 3-movie collection is also available. Soundtrack nuts might find of interest Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean Soundtrack Treasures Box Set, featuring Hans Zimmer’s scores to all three movies plus bonus remixes and a behind-the-scenes DVD. An unrelated softcore spoof from Retromedia Entertainment called Harlots of the Caribbean is also available (and don’t forget the big-budget Pirates XXX), and a new disc of hilarious “authentic pirate rap” from Captain Dan and the Scurvy Crew called Rimes of the Hip-Hop Mariners is available for sample and purchase through their website (check out the way-catchy “Flint Lock Glock”).

20 - DISNEY TREASURES: WAVE 7
(released December 11)
Every year or so, Disney opens its vaults and all manner of vintage goodness comes lurching out with their Walt Disney Treasures sets. This year is no exception, with three shiny, purdy 2-disc “tin sets” to have collectors drooling like Gollum over their precious, limited edition goodness. The coolest is Disneyland Secrets, Stories & Magic, detailing Uncle Walt’s longtime dream to open a theme park based on his studio’s output to date (with a replica of a vintage “E Ticket” booklet included). With Disney historian/series seeder Leonard Maltin putting everything in a historical context, it’s all a very interesting (albeit officially official) trip to the past. We go way, way back – 1927-28, pre-Mickey Mouse – in The Adventures of Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, Walt’s first cartoon series, with a more recent and recognizable character (and a character he is!) getting yet another set in The Chronological Donald Volume 3. Careful, though, as a fan newly smitten by this series will find it a tad costly to fill in the blanks with the six previous waves, which include 22 sets in total, with many more planned. Now if only they could get Maltin to vanquish the Big Racial Boogeyman associated with the studios unreleased-in-the-U.S. 1946 gem, Song of the South…

TOMORROW AT NOON: Wrap up this year’s DVD Gift Guide with the last installment, including The Simpsons Movie and Futurama: Bender’s Big Score, The Bourne Ultimatum (and inevitable 3-movie pack), The Boston Red Sox 2007 World Series Edition and a mind-blowing 5-disc edition of Blade Runner (that any fan would happily retire an android for).

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13 - NOT JUST THE BEST OF
THE LARRY SANDERS SHOW
With his 1992-98 comedy series, Garry Shandling paved the way not only for sitcoms like “The Office” and HBO’s own “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” but for pay cable networks to actually take the chance on original programming to rival the Big Four broadcast networks. This consistently funny and brilliantly executed behind-the-scenes look at a fictional late-night talk show akin to “The Tonight Show” or “Late Night with David Letterman” featured Shandling as a neurotic host whose life would intersect with those of real world celebrities, most of whom treated this good-natured, self-effacing limelight as a prestige gig nearly as cool as a guest spot on “Sesame Street.” Shandling is flanked by two great character actors – Rip Torn as Artie, Sanders’ bulldog of a producer, and Jeffrey Tambor, who went on to star in the similarly bold “Arrested Development,” as his forlorn Ed McMahon, Hank Kingsley. In addition to the 23 episodes from the six seasons that Shandling personally thought exemplary is eight hours of new content, including personal visits with the likes of Sharon Stone, Jerry Seinfeld, Jon Stewart, Tom Petty and Alec Baldwin and a making-of feature. For under $50.00, the 4-disc set is a nice thumbnailing of the series, though fans will surely grouse as to there only being one full season available (this year’s reissue of the first season originally released on disc in 2002). Reportedly, Shandling wanted to put his long but now-settled legal battle with producer Brad Grey behind him (though if anyone could pull off a comedy series about that rift, it’s HBO).

14 - THE WAR:
A FILM BY KEN BURNS AND LYNN NOVICK
Even Ken Burns, whose reputation for exhaustive coverage of a subject has made his name synonymous with the modern documentary, cannot fully encapsulate the sheer enormity of the armed conflict that engulfed the planet during World War II from 1939-1945. This is not a deficit, however. By selectively telling the story of the War through the personal stories of four American servicemen from different parts of the country, he and co-director Lynn Novick clearly show that there is so much more to learn. From their choice of footage and music to the way they get survivors to open up and provide more than just illustrative sound bytes, the New Hampshire-based filmmaker is in top form here. They give us so much more to relate to than he could in his Jazz, Baseball or The Civil War, especially considering that everyone – no matter where from – knows someone who was in or was affected by the War. Well worth the investment of $100 and 15 hours.

15 - HEARTS OF DARKNESS:
A FILMMAKER’S APOCALYPSE
One of the most anticipated DVD releases of a documentary in the 10 years that DVD has been around is this one from Eleanor Coppola. If the name sounds vaguely familiar, it is because she is married to Francis Ford Coppola, director of a couple of little movies you probably you have probably never heard of called The Godfather and The Godfather II (we hear they won some silly “Oscar” awards or something). Seriously, though, Eleanor was along for the whole harrowing trip when Francis made the 1979 Vietnam War opus, Apocalypse Now in the Philippines. The experience was a perfect lesson in Murphy’s Law Filmmaking 101 – tropical storms destroy sets, funding dries up and he and star Martin Sheen both suffer heart attacks. The candor with which Mr. Coppola, Sheen and co-star Dennis Hopper speak, in interviews shot a decade later, is admirable, and the whole film, originally released in 1991, is an important document chronicling the end of an era in film and, sadly, Mr. Coppola’s career as a director of note. Also includes the follow-up, Coda: Thirty Years Later. Apocalypse Now: The Complete Dossier is available for a bargain price, and includes the original theatrical cut and the longer 2001 Redux version, plus some decent making-of and Marlon Brando reading T.S. Eliot’s “The Hollow Men,” which is worth the purchase price alone.

16 - TWIN PEAKS: THE DEFINITIVE GOLD BOX COLLECTION (THE COMPLETE SERIES)
Another long-awaited DVD release is David Lynch’s short-lived 1990-91 television series about a murder in a small town and all the high-weirdness that follows. Kyle MacLachlan plays FBI Special Agent Dale Cooper, sent to the sleepy Washington hamlet to investigate, and log-loving ladies, backwards-talking dwarves and conversations with giants in the waiting room between Heaven and Hell dot his own personal journey into the heart of darkness. What’s especially nice about this issue is that previously, only a shoddily produced set of VHS tapes was available, with only the 1992 prequel feature Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me were available. Here, all 29 episodes (plus the European pilot) are lovingly restored and remastered in Dolby 5.1, along with extensive making-of features, an interactive map of Twin Peaks, the Julee Cruise music video for “Falling” and MacLachlan’s 1990 “SNL” monologue and “Twin Peaks” sketch. The only thing that would make this set more complete is the inclusion of the equally disconcerting and wonderful “Sesame Street” spoof, “Twin Beaks.”

TOMORROW AT NOON: More long-awaited DVD releases, like Kenneth Branagh’s Hamlet and The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles, plus Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End and the latest wave of shiny Disney Treasures sets.

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9 - MAGNIFICENT DESOLATION:
WALKING ON THE MOON
This space documentary may not have the same gee-whiz impact it did when it played six stories high and in 3-D when it was in IMAX, but fans of the final frontier will want to own this one. With brevity and humor, writer, narrator and producer Tom Hanks sums up man’s history of yearning to break free of our big blue marble, culminating in the six manned missions to Luna from 1969 to 1973 (while quietly poking fun at the conspiracy theorists who maintain it was all done in a television studio). Space nuts will also enjoy Disney’s similar Roving Mars, also available, and for those with a larger budget, there is the old stand-by, Carl Sagan’s still vital 7-disc “Cosmos” series or the History Channel’s more modestly priced, The Universe: The Complete Season One. For those who prefer a straight narrative, there’s a spiffy special edition of The Right Stuff, plus Ron Howard’s skillful thriller Apollo 13 and the inspiring October Sky starring Jake Gyllenhaal.

10 - UA 90TH ANNIVERSARY PRESTIGE COLLECTION
To celebrate its 90th birthday (and to prevent having to pay a tribute to new overlords Fox if they wait any longer), the beleaguered studio is packaging 90 films – a total of 110 DVD’s – in this megaset. Some of it, as one might expect, qualifies as fine gemstones, like West Side Story, Inherit the Wind and The Manchurian Candidate. Mirroring these polished treats are about as many cubic zirconiums, like the Bond misfire On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, the Leonardo DiCaprio cash-in The Man in the Iron Mask and the Diane Keaton alleged comedy, Baby Boom. There is all manner of goodness and badness between them, and considering the volume of titles and the Amazon.com price, under $7.00 a movie (and in a lovely photo album-style presentation), it is a tremendous value. And it sure is a nice alternative to Warner’s 198-film megaset, which carries a price tag steeper than a good used car at over $4000.

11 - FAMILY GUY: FREAKIN’ PARTY PACK
The resurrection after cancellation that Seth MacFarlane’s scrappy answer to “The Simpsons” experienced was unprecedented, and the surge in popularity it has seen since will likely keep it on the air long after McFarlane’s so-so “American Dad” has faded away. This collection features 17 DVD’s, covering 4 1/2 seasons plus Family Guy Presents Stewie Griffin - The Untold Story. Party accoutrements include “Family Guy” ping-pong paddles, net, balls, 100 poker chips and playing cards, all in a plexi carrying case. Alas, the most awaited episode, the Star Wars spoof, “Blue Harvest,” won’t be out until January 15.

12 - HEEERE’S JOHNNY: THE DEFINITIVE DVD COLLECTION FROM THE TONIGHT SHOW STARRING JOHNNY CARSON
All of the best moments from television’s master of the golden age of late night talk, Johnny Carson, are now available in this swell anthology. The set contains four unique DVD sets highlighted by the never-before-released at retail, Timeless Moments, a 6-disc collection that was previously exclusive to Carson Club Members but is now available as part of this compilation and not sold separately. The box set also includes the 3-disc set of The Ultimate Johnny Carson Collection, the 2-disc set of Stand-Up Comedians and Carson Country. Each release includes audience favorites, numerous guest appearances and hilarious moments from the show. This dazzling DVD set comes enclosed in high-end collectible gatefold packaging designed as curtains to mimic the opening of the show. As skilled as Leno, Dave and Conan might be at what they do, they will never be Johnny, something that one look at any of these dozen discs easily show.

TOMORROW AT NOON: the Carsonesque Not Just the Best of the Larry Sanders Show, Ken Burns’ staggering World War II documentary The War and the long-awaited Apocalypse Now doc Hearts of Darkness and David Lynch’s hallmark of weirdness, Twin Peaks: The Complete Series.

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5 - HARRY POTTER YEARS 1-5
The last Harry Potter book may have come and gone, but studio Warner Brothers apparently still has a lot of magic up its wizard’s sleeve to be able to rearrange and repackage its Harry Potter movies on DVD. This issue features 2-disc editions of all five movies to date, bundled in a trunk and emblazoned with the Hogwarts crest. There is about three hours worth of bonus material in total, though much of it is like the lightweight HBO “First Look” featurettes. The coolest bonus item in the set is an interactive DVD game, much like the popular Scene It! Series. For the three children who have not read the books yet, there are five collectible bookmarks, plus 16 collectible trading cards. Not included is a copy of the spell that will continue to convince audiences that the three young leads are still young and unsullied, don’t take their clothes off on Broadway, and are years away from being able to legally buy a round at the premiere after-party.

6 - HELP! [2-DISC EDITION]
The Beatles’ 1965 follow-up to A Hard Day’s Night, previously available as a barebones single platter from MPI, has gotten a gorgeous restoration and the Special Edition treatment (and boy, is it special). The second disc includes a 30-minute making-of featurette, a missing scene, a look at the restoration process, reminiscences from the cast and crew plus trailers and radio spots. Die-hards might spring for the Deluxe Edition, which features a copy of Richard Lester’s annotated shooting script, 8 lobby card repros, a poster and a 60-page book featuring a lot of rare photographs, though casual fans will find it difficult to justify the $100+ price tag. McCartney fans will surely enjoy the 3-DVD collection The McCartney Years, featuring a bounty of visual material from The Cute One’s career, post-Fab Four. The late George Harrison’s supergroup, The Traveling Wilburys (featuring Jeff Lynne, Tom Petty and Roy Orbison), has a 2 CD/1 DVD collection featuring all their music, behind-the-scenes video footage and 5 music videos. Ringo fans with children (or who were children in the early ‘70s) should pick up Fred Wolf’s enchanting animated feature, The Point (1971), which features a Ringo narration and the music of Lennon pal Harry Nilsson.

7 - HAIRSPRAY [LIMITED EDITION GIFT SET]
If the single- or double-disc versions of this summer’s musical hit (a movie adaptation of the Broadway musical based on John Waters’ 1988 movie) does not slake the good, mostly-clean funster in you, then upgrade to this real purdy gift set. It includes the 2-disc, feature-rich “Shake & Shimmy” edition of the movie, a customizable mini school locker (with keys) that comes in “Penny (Pingleton) Pink” or “Link (Larkin) Lime,” six sheets of stickers with which to decorate and an exclusive tote bag. For those John Waters fans who prefer their oddball hero naughty, check out the riotous one-man show, John Waters: This Filthy World. Waters narrates a documentary about a filthy world of another kind – the ecological disaster known as the Salton Sea in Christopher Metzler’s fun and fascinating film festival favorite, Plagues & Pleasures on the Salton Sea.

8 - LED ZEPPELIN: THE SONG REMAINS THE SAME [2-DISC SPECIAL EDITION]
Anyone who could get a ticket/mortgage their house for a ticket to see the one-time-only Led Zeppelin reunion show – and that’s most everybody – will want to own this document of the legendary trio of 1973 shows at Madison Square Garden. Three decades of grousing by ZepHeads over the 1976 theatrical release’s incomplete presentation must have struck a power chord, because the Brothers Warner have restored all the songs that had remained unnamed (on the cutting room floor). It looks and sounds amazing, and Jimmy Page’s guitar solo on “Over the Hills and Far Away” is so nad-slamming that you’ll begin to consider that maybe he did sell his soul to The Devil just before Led Zeppelin IV came out. Other additions include “Misty Mountain Hop,” “The Ocean” and “Celebration Day” (also available on the new 2-CD soundtrack), with 40 minutes of behind-the-scenes footage on the DVD. The pricier Collector’s Edition includes all this, a bigger box and a T-shirt (that you very likely won’t be wearing to the reunion show).

TOMORROW (AT NOON): Magnificent Desolation: Walking On The Moon, the massive United Artists’ 90th Anniversary Mega Set, the friggin’ awesome Family Guy: Friggin’ Party Pack and Heeere’s Johnny: The Definitive DVD Collection From The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.

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Children, Germans and anyone who has seen Bad Santa starring Billy Bob Thornton will know of the Advent calendar. It is a 24-day calendar, used to mark the December days until Christmas, by opening one door every day to reveal a picture or chocolate treat. Considering that tomorrow is December 1 and we have exactly two dozen holiday gifts on DVD to recommend to you, consider the following WorcesterMovies’ Advent Calendar for 2007 (but feel free to jump as far ahead as you’d like):

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1 - SESAME STREET OLD SCHOOL, VOLUME 2
It’s hard to believe that shortly, the Children’s Television Workshop (and anyone who owns its subsequent toy franchise rights) will be celebrating 40 years of the groundbreaking “Sesame Street.” Up until last year, though, there was not a single classic episode, short of 1978’s “Christmas Eve on Sesame Street” available. This year, another five representative episodes hit stores, covering the second five years, 1974-79, and fans will just love revisiting friends long thought lost to time. Also included is the pilot episode (used to sell the series) and the best sketches from each season, highlights of which include songs by Paul Simon, Ray Charles and an absolutely adorable bit with the late Madeline Kahn performing “Sing After Me” with furry blue worrywart, Grover. If 2008 holds a Volume 3, then get ready for the Street-shaking 1983 episode, “Farewell, Mr. Hooper” which deals honestly with the death of kindly storekeeper, Mr. Hooper (Will Lee). It makes us cry just thinking about it.

2 - PIXAR SHORT FILMS COLLECTION - VOLUME 1
The studio that brought us Toy Story, Finding Nemo and the recent best-selling marvel, Ratatouille, started out making CGI shorts, and this is a wonderful collection of 13 of them, dating back to 1984’s pre-founding Lucasfilm collaboration, “The Adventures of André and Wally B.” The rich promise of the fledgling medium started to become evident after the brief but hilarious debut “Luxo Jr.” (1986), the film about a mischievous little desk light from which the company took its “I”-stomping lamp logo. While these shorts became film festival staples during the ensuing years, the company eventually started pairing them up with their theatrical features. There are three Oscar winners in the bunch, including the riotous “For the Birds” (2000), as well as ruthlessly efficient branded vignettes like “Jack-Jack Attack” (The Incredibles) and “Mike’s New Car” (Monsters, Inc.) For the technically minded, there is commentary on nearly every short, plus four Luxo bits produced for “Sesame Street” and a nice documentary on the company itself. Here’s hoping that we don’t have to wait until 2028 until these comically gifted digital wizard create enough content for a Volume 2.

3 - TREASURY OF 100 STORYBOOK CLASSICS
Be the hero of any early reader by wrapping this vast compendium of Scholastic’s greatest hits this year. With stories like “Where the Wild Things Are,” “Make Way For Ducklings,” “Harold and the Purple Crayon” and 97 more, this 16 DVD set will keep the wee ones starry-eyed and grateful until they are old enough to pass it on to their own children. Some stories are animated, and some just feature illustrations from the book, but all are engaging, featuring celebrity narrators like James Earl Jones, Forest Whitaker, Cyndi Lauper and Sarah Jessica Parker. The keenness of DVD technology allows for a helpful read-along option, which might even lead to the eager readers asking for books for their next year.

4 - THE BRADY BUNCH: THE COMPLETE SERIES [+SHAG CARPET COVER & BONUS DISC]
As innocuous and commercially middling as this 1969-74 sitcom was, there is no denying how ingrained its whitebread high-silliness has become, from Jan’s imaginary boyfriend George Glass to the boys’ volcano fiasco to Marcia’s broken nose. While all 117 episodes have been released over the last few years, they are considerably discounted here, and in a really groovy shag carpet case. The Brady faithful will likely eBay their previous five full-season sets in favor of this one, as it contains an exclusive 21st DVD featuring nearly four hours of cheese and saccharine: a two-part episode from the animated “Brady Kids” spin-off series from 1972, the highly-rated 1988 TV movie, A Very Brady Christmas and the two-part pilot “The Brady 500” from the 1990 revival series, “The Bradys.” Alas, the 1976 “Brady Bunch Hour” (a train wreck of a variety show that was mercifully put down after nine episodes) is available separately, with the annulled 1981 “The Brady Brides” still MIA. Completists will already own the three Paramount-produced spoofs, The Brady Bunch Movie (1995), A Very Brady Sequel (1996) and The Brady Bunch in the White House (2002). Gift this and make someone’s holiday a sunshine day, indeed.

TOMORROW AT NOON: Harry Potter Years 1-5, The Beatles’ Help! [Deluxe Edition], Hairspray [Deluxe Gift Set] and Led Zeppelin’s The Song Remains The Same [Collector’s Edition]

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