FORBIDDEN PLANET [BLU-RAY]: (1956) "It’d be good enough if Forbidden Planet merited attention solely due to its influence over 50 years of science fiction. However, the movie also continues to entertain. The Blu-ray provides pretty good picture and audio along with a satisfying complement of supplements. I feel quite pleased with both the film and this release and recommend it to sci-fi fans. That goes for the folks who already own the 50th Anniversary DVD; with its visual and sound improvements, it becomes a nice upgrade." Starring Walter Pidgeon, Anne Francis. Warner, $24.98, 9/7/2010.

BUGS BUNNY'S HOWL-OWEEN SPECIAL: (1978) "When it first aired 32 years ago, Bugs Bunny’s Howl-Oween Special was cheap filler, and it hasn’t improved with age. The program simply packages a lot of cartoon snippets into a show that’s less than the sum of its parts. The DVD provides poor picture quality, drab audio and minor supplements. Even with a bargain list price, Howl-Oween doesn’t deserve your money." Starring Bugs Bunny. Warner, $14.97, 9/7/2010.

THE SIMPSONS - THE COMPLETE THIRTEENTH SEASON [BLU-RAY]: (2001) "I suspect many Simpsons fans don’t think much of Season 13, and I can understand some of that antipathy. Nonetheless, I think S13 offers more pleasures than its foes will admit; though inconsistent and occasionally weak, the year still contributes some very good programs along with the less engaging ones. The Blu-ray delivers pretty good picture, audio and supplements. While this isn’t excellent Simpsons, it still manages to entertain much of the time." Created by Matt Groening. Fox, $59.99, 8/24/2010.

THE MATRIX RELOADED [BLU-RAY]: (2003) "It may not pack the innovative punch of its predecessor, but The Matrix Reloaded creates a powerful flick on its own. Inconsistent but ultimately satisfying, it leaves me wanting more and anxious for the final chapter in the trilogy. The Blu-ray presents very good picture and sound plus a broad, informative set of supplements. It’s unquestionably the best home video version of the film and a good upgrade for fans who already own the DVD." Starring Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne. Warner, $24.98, 9/7/2010.

INSTANT EXPERT - THE STORY OF OIL: (2010) "Does Instant Expert: The Story of Oil live up to its billing? Only partially. While the show does teach us a decent amount about how oil forms in nature, it doesn’t go much beyond that. Instead, it bogs down in warnings about how oil will kill us all – which it might, but this doesn’t seem like the right place for so much of that discussion. The DVD provides mediocre picture and audio along with negligible supplements. Maybe other Instant Expert programs will prove more worthwhile, but Story of Oil disappoints." A&E Home Video, $14.95, 8/24/2010.

THE MATRIX [BLU-RAY]: (1999) "Given what a cash cow the movie is, I expect WB will eventually produce an even more super-duper deluxe release of The Matrix. As of 2010, though, this Blu-ray stands as the best of the bunch. It improves the picture and audio of the 2004 DVD, and it also includes all the extras from both the 1999 and 2004 releases; the SE dropped some of the 1999 release’s components, so fans will welcome the chance to have everything in one place. Matrix fans need to upgrade yet again and snag this solid Blu-ray." Starring Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne. Warner, $34.99, 3/31/2010.

IT'S THE GREAT PUMPKIN, CHARLIE BROWN [BLU-RAY]: (1966) "[I] can’t recommend the Blu-ray – at least not as a replacement for the DVD, which offers the superior presentation of the program. Yes, the Blu-ray’s visuals top the DVD’s, but the extras are the same, and the DVD’s audio is significant better than the Blu-ray’s. If you don’t own Pumpkin at all, this Blu-ray is an acceptable purchase; you might like the DTS-HD remix more than I did, and if not, you still have the DVD that I prefer. But if you already possess that old DVD, I doubt you’ll want to take that chance with your money. The picture quality upgrade simply isn’t substantial enough to overcome the decline in audio." Created by Charles M. Schulz. Warner, $24.98, 9/7/2010.

Colin Jacobson (Publisher and Senior Reviewer): colinjacobson@dvdmg.com

David Williams (Webmaster and Reviewer): dwilliams@dvdmg.com