One of the must-haves this holiday season is the Kids in the Hall: The Complete Series Megaset ($239.95), a 20-disc compendium that covers the groundbreaking TV show that ran 1989-’94. The set contains almost 800 sketches from every episode that spotlighted the Kids in the Hall troupe, which was composed of Canadian-bred comics Dave Foley, Kevin McDonald, Bruce McCulloch, Mark McKinney and Scott Thompson. Among the sketches that are included are the Chicken Lady, Crushing Your Head, Apathetic Cop and Cabbage Head skits.
So NoTORIous: The Complete Series ($26.99) features tabloid darling Tori Spelling (from TV’s Beverly Hills 90210, of course) as she pokes fun at herself in this scripted comedy as she covers everything from voodoo to cellulite. Extras in the two-DVD set include cast interviews and ‘A Few Moments with Charo.’
Too Cool for Christmas ($19.95) tells the story of fashion-conscious teen Lyndsay who, like a lot of people her age, thinks she’s too cool for her family, which includes her two dads. Ultimately, after giving Santa a makeover, she eventually learns the meaning of Christmas. This movie is rare in that it offers a holiday family movie with same-sex parents. In addition, the parents can get their fill of cheese in seeing George Hamilton and Donna Mills (TV’s Knots Landing), who play Santa and Mrs. Claus.
Considering that Casino Royale is out in theaters, it might be a good time to get James Bond: Ultimate Edition (four 5-film volumes, $89.98 each). All 20 movies—with all the Bonds (from Connery to Brosnan) and Bond girls (from Ursula to Halle)—are here. I just want a license to kill the critics who said that Daniel Craig would bomb as Bond in the 21st feature.
The hilariously offbeat Little Miss Sunshine ($29.98) won moviegoers’ and critics’ hearts with its bitingly satirical plotline that involves the Hoovers, an endearingly dysfunctional family, riding in a Volkswagen bus as seven-year-old Olive competes in a beauty pageant. The movie, which debuts Dec. 19 on DVD, stars Toni Collette, Steve Carell, Greg Kinnear, Alan Arkin and Abigail Breslin. Extras include commentaries and four alternate endings.
Queens ($24.95), a whimsical ensemble comedy that stars some of Spain’s most celebrated actresses (including Carmen Maura, Marisa Paredes and Verónica Forqué) as well as some very hot men, is now out on DVD. The plotline revolves around Spain preparing for its first-ever mass gay wedding, and the situations of three couples and five mothers. Extras that come with the Manuel Gómez Pereira-directed film include a behind-the-scenes featurette.