We all know how wildly popular the Discovery Channel show Mythbusters is. It’s been around entirely too long to not know. So it’s definitely great to fill you guys in on Mythbusters Collection 7, a copy of which the folks at Discovery (via press agent Gaiam) sent out for us to review. And if you want to get your hands on this one, well, you’ll have to wait–this doesn’t even hit stores until Tuesday.

Mythbusters Collection 7 brings us fully ten episodes of our favorite experience that takes modern myths, be they from the theater or the movies or simply old wives’ tales, and evaluates them using a combination of scientific method (investigation, hypothesis and so on), extensive testing, and an extra step that often involves explosions, potential for great bodily harm, or fire for a note of crowd pleasing.

Granted, the myths that are gone after generally don’t involve simple things, like, say, the fuzzy quality of a caterpillar predicting the severity of winter, but rather, can a human being survive a fall off a several story building into a dumpster, or whether a human being will be compressed into the helmet of a diving suit following a sudden loss of compression. But then, it’s those very same myths that make Mythbusters significantly more watchable. This is a dose of action rock star science right here, science at its craziest and most crowd-pleasing since the invention of fireworks.

And you will learn things, guaranteed. You’ll learn about gas expansion, water displacement, visual acuity, and a wide, wide variety of scientific topics. It’s this variety that has been more than a little of what’s behind Mythbusters’ massive success and extreme popularity. And watching it is actually pretty thrilling. If you’ve never seen an episode of Mythbusters before, this is a great place to start. There are lots of little episodes here; the Mythbusters collections are really more a best-of than a complete series sort of setup, so you’ll get lots of the better stuff. And every episode will generally involve two myths, one with Adam and Jamie, and one with the dynamic trio of Grant, Tory, and Kari (who will be briefly replaced for stretches of this collection by Jessi Combs as Kari’s gone off to have a baby), so you’ll get double the mythbusting fun in each episode, and on the off chance you didn’t like one, you’ll have another waiting for added value.

And so, the Screenhead Ten Scale gives Mythbusters Collection 7 a seven out of ten. You’ll need at least a basic appreciation of science to get along with this, but if you do, then chances are you’re going to be all over this.

Cave Of Forgotten Dreams is a documentary I’d love to see online. The story is about a place where very few people have been able to trek. Now it is available to watch from the comfort of your home on SundanceNOW.com. How cool is that!

We held a giveaway for someone to view the movie online at SundanceNow. The winner is Cody. He says, “Thanks for the chance! I’m dying to see this movie with my girlfriend.”

I agree with you Cody. I think Werner Herzog film is a great date movie while being educational at the same time.

It’s a breathtaking documentary from director Herzog (Encounters At The End Of The World, Grizzly Man) Cave Of Forgotten Dreams follows an exclusive expedition into the nearly inaccessible Chauvet Cave in France, home to the most ancient visual art known to have been created by man. It is an unforgettable cinematic experience that provides a unique glimpse of pristine artwork dating back to human hands over 30,000 years ago — almost twice as old as any previous discovery.

The documentary was an Official Selection at the 2010 Toronto International Film Fest. The film is the top grossing documentary of 2011 and the 25th highest grossing doc of all time.

And, what is super cool is that I have a code to giveaway for a complimentary viewing of the movie!

For over 20,000 years, Chauvet Cave has been completely sealed off by a fallen rock face, its crystal-encrusted interior as large as a football field and strewn with the petrified remains of giant ice age mammals. In 1994, scientists discovered the caverns, and found hundreds of pristine paintings within, spectacular artwork dating back over 30,000 years to a time when Neanderthals still roamed the earth and cave bears, mammoths, and ice age lions were the dominant populations of Europe. Since then, only a few people have been allowed access into Chauvet Cave, and the true scope of its contents had largely gone unfelt—until Werner Herzog managed to gain access.

Filming in 3D, Herzog captures the wonder and beauty of one of the most awe-inspiring sites on earth, all the while musing in his inimitable fashion about its original inhabitants, the birth of art and the curious people surrounding the caves today.

Cave Of Forgotten Dreams is now available to watch from the comfort of your home on SundanceNOW.com. How cool is that!

A breathtaking documentary from director Werner Herzog (Encounters At The End Of The World, Grizzly Man) Cave Of Forgotten Dreams follows an exclusive expedition into the nearly inaccessible Chauvet Cave in France, home to the most ancient visual art known to have been created by man. It is an unforgettable cinematic experience that provides a unique glimpse of pristine artwork dating back to human hands over 30,000 years ago — almost twice as old as any previous discovery.

The documentary was an Official Selection at the 2010 Toronto International Film Fest. The film is the top grossing documentary of 2011 and the 25th highest grossing doc of all time.

And, what is super cool is that I have a code to giveaway for a complimentary viewing of the movie!

Simply, post your name and I will pick the winner August 5, 2011.

For over 20,000 years, Chauvet Cave has been completely sealed off by a fallen rock face, its crystal-encrusted interior as large as a football field and strewn with the petrified remains of giant ice age mammals. In 1994, scientists discovered the caverns, and found hundreds of pristine paintings within, spectacular artwork dating back over 30,000 years to a time when Neanderthals still roamed the earth and cave bears, mammoths, and ice age lions were the dominant populations of Europe. Since then, only a few people have been allowed access into Chauvet Cave, and the true scope of its contents had largely gone unfelt—until Werner Herzog managed to gain access.

Filming in 3D, Herzog captures the wonder and beauty of one of the most awe-inspiring sites on earth, all the while musing in his inimitable fashion about its original inhabitants, the birth of art and the curious people surrounding the caves today.

We have our winners!!!! The first winner is Kayte CookWatts who says, “I missed my father in law’s b-day! Winning this for him would get me out of the dog house.” I am always happy to get someone out of the dog house. I hope your dad loves the DVD; it looks fabulous and will be enjoyed by any Dylan fan or unbeknownst Dylan fan.

David Hollingsworth is our next winner, and he says, “Who isn’t a Bob Dylan fan. His music shaped a generation, and still continues to do so.” That’s right David, spoken from a true Dylan fan.

Another huge Dylan fan won. Nick Hilleshiem who says, “I am a huge Dylan fan. I have been to 5 of his concerts!!!!” Wow! You’ve been to five concerts. How old are you!?

Congratulations everyone one you participated in the giveaway. There are more like this one in the very near future, so keep supporting us and keep coming back.

As Bob Dylan turned 70, a true portrait of the reclusive “voice of the generation” is revealed through exclusive interviews, and never-before-seen photos and films of Dylan’s 50-year career. Bob Dylan “Revealed” is on the streets and available wherever DVDs are sold.

The documentary is pretty impressive because you get to see the whole life story of Bob Dylan told by personal accounts of people who worked in the entertainment business.

His iconic career has spanned five decades. Yet, a true portrait of the reclusive “voice of the generation” has eluded Dylan fans. Through exclusive insider interviews, and never-before-seen photos and footage spanning Dylan’s 50-year career, Bob Dylan Revealed offers an intimate biography of who Bob Dylan was, and who he is today.

Producer Jerry Wexler and award-winning songwriter Al Kasha provide an untold account of Dylan’s early days at Columbia Records in 1962. Drummer Mickey Jones chronicles the 1966 Bob Dylan and the Band electric world tour that changed Rock n’ Roll forever, while soon after, Dylan used the cover of a motorcycle accident to enter drug rehab.

Dylan’s 1974 comeback tour is illustrated by tour photographer Barry Feinstein through his finest photos and behind-the-scenes accounts. In 1975, Bob Dylan hit the road with a rag-tag band of folk troubadours, culminating in “The Night of the Hurricane”. Folk legend Ramblin’ Jack Elliott, violinist Scarlet Rivera, bassist Rob Stoner, and Rubin “Hurricane” Carter reveal the inside story of Dylan’s Desire album and Rolling Thunder Revue tour.

Following a stint as The Entertainer in 1978, Bob Dylan fell into the arms of the Lord through the Vineyard Christian Fellowship Church, producing three Gospel albums. Derided as “God-Awful Gospel,” Dylan’s radical new direction alienated fans and enraged critics.

Pastor Bill Dwyer, journalist Joel Selvin, singer Regina McCrary, keyboardist Spooner Oldham, and Dylanologist AJ Weberman share intimate accounts of Bob Dylan’s “born-again” transformation – and his return to Judaism!
Bob Dylan Revealed culminates with Dylan’s Never Ending Tour that began in 1992 and continues to this day, as drummer Winston Watson recounts his personal journey as a warrior in Bob Dylan’s “Never Ending Band”.

Both these DVDs are gems.  We have our winners for the giveaway - Dan M. and Kathy Pease. Dan says, “The sound interesting.”  Yes, they do Dan, but they also are visually stunning. Kathy says, “Thank you for the great giveaway.”  You are welcome!

I just love documentaries that educate on various aspects about our planet that I never knew. To think that I live in California, I never caught on that our coast is part of the Ring of Fire.

Narrated by Robert Foxworth and featuring breathtaking cinematography, including extensive aerial photography, from the U.S., Japan, Chile, Indonesia and the Philippines, where – at great personal risk – the world’s top geologists, anthropologists, computer animators and filmmakers spent over seven years documenting this unpredictable and awe-inspiring phenomenon.

Tropical Rainforest takes you deep into some of the most exotic and mysterious jungles on Earth for a one-of-a-kind exploration.

From extreme close-ups to tree-top panoramas, experience these treasured environments on their own terms—with curious insects, gaudy frogs, startling snakes, vibrant birds, extraordinary animals, exotic plants and dazzling flowers. Will thousands become extinct before they can even be discovered?

The folks out at the BBC have sent off something I wondered if I’d ever see–you’re all familiar with the series Top Gear, right? We’ve reviewed a couple installments of it here previously. Well, they packed it up and brought it to the United States, where you’ll be able to catch it showing on the History Channel. And now, thanks to the BBC, we’ve got the Top Gear: The Complete First Season of the American version.

Top Gear: The Complete First Season once again gives us a show all about cars, as shot in what looks like a huge airplane hangar. But this time, the fun is all American as Adam Ferrara, Tanner Foust and Rutledge Wood take over the hosting duties to provide us with pretty much everything you could ever want to know about cars and the like.

You’ll get some differences, of course. “Star In A Reasonably Priced Car” has been replaced with “Big Star, Small Car”, which is about the same thing: celebrities on a test track behind the wheel of smallish cars. But you’ll get plenty of similarities here, including lots of comparisons, lots of comical car-driven skits, and plenty of both laughs and education.

One segment, for example pits a Dodge Viper against a Cobra…and not Shelby, either. A Cobra helicopter gunship. See? Snake rides, get it?And the Cobra gunship will be shooting at the Viper with simulated missile fire the whole time. The end result is a surprisingly exciting affair that’s at least somewhat the equal of the British show, but a wholly different animal all the same. There aren’t as many laughs here, nor so many audacious stunts, but you’ll still have plenty of fun here.

You’ll also get plenty of car reviews for cars that most of us will never be able to afford, let alone actually see. It’s almost masochistic, to watch so many cars you’ll never get the opportunity to touch go speeding merrily by, but at the same time, it’s great fun.

And yes, we have our own Stig. It’s not Top Gear without a Stig.

If you’re at all into cars, well, you’ll definitely want a copy of this for your home theater, assuming of course you haven’t already been watching it and recording it on the History Channel already. Still though, it’s worthwhile to have the second copy, just in case something happens to your DVR.

The Screenhead Ten Scale gives the American version of Top Gear a seven out of ten; it’s not as good as the original, but it’s still got plenty to enjoy.

Time for a little more of that sweet boom-de-yada spirit, folks, as the crew out at Discovery Channel sent me another DVD, and this time, it’s Atlas: Uncovering Earth.

Containing a series of videos about various points on the planet, such as the Great Rift Valley, Hawaii, and more, Atlas: Uncovering Earth will take us all over to give us incredibly detailed and intense descriptions of how some of the strangest portions of Earth actually came to be. Plus, you’ll also hear about how the people live and work and the like in the middle of these strange places, such as the Afar people of the Great Rift Valley, who mine salt and chisel their teeth to points as part of their culture. And you’ll also get a shot of animal life, too.

Weird is the order of the day here, folks, as you’ll hear a variety of things that you may have never heard of before outside of classrooms or bar trivia…or, of course, the Discovery Channel. It’s actually pretty interesting stuff, and I can pretty much guarantee that you’re going to learn something new by the end of it. I certainly did.

The episodes move quickly along, and with such surprising depth that you’re surprised–maybe even a bit disappointed–to see that you’ve already reached the end of one episode and are about to kick off another.

There’s some terrific background music in here, and the narration is sharp and crisp. I find it a bit of a shame that this wasn’t released on Blu-ray (at least not yet that I can tell), because it would really pop in an HD environment, I’m sure of that.

Admittedly, this, like most Discovery Channel stuff, is very much a niche product. If you’ve already got that boom-de-yada in your head then you’re absolutely going to love this, make no mistake on that score. There’s simply too much here–too much bizarre information, too much great scenery, too much calming background music–for you to walk away from. But if you couldn’t care less about volcanic processes or the Maasai tribesmen or things like that, then you’re going to want to stay well far away from this one.

Meanwhile, the Screenhead Ten Scale very much has that whole boom-de-yada going on and as such hands Atlas: Uncovering Earth an eight out of ten for being a fine supply of strange information presented in a compelling way that makes it very much a watchable experience.

As Bob Dylan turned 70, a true portrait of the reclusive “voice of the generation” is revealed through exclusive interviews, and never-before-seen photos and films of Dylan’s 50-year career. Bob Dylan “Revealed” is on the streets and available wherever DVDs are sold.

The documentary is pretty impressive because you get to see the whole life story of Bob Dylan told by personal accounts of people who worked in the entertainment business.

His iconic career has spanned five decades. Yet, a true portrait of the reclusive “voice of the generation” has eluded Dylan fans. Through exclusive insider interviews, and never-before-seen photos and footage spanning Dylan’s 50-year career, Bob Dylan Revealed offers an intimate biography of who Bob Dylan was, and who he is today.

Producer Jerry Wexler and award-winning songwriter Al Kasha provide an untold account of Dylan’s early days at Columbia Records in 1962. Drummer Mickey Jones chronicles the 1966 Bob Dylan and the Band electric world tour that changed Rock n’ Roll forever, while soon after, Dylan used the cover of a motorcycle accident to enter drug rehab.

Dylan’s 1974 comeback tour is illustrated by tour photographer Barry Feinstein through his finest photos and behind-the-scenes accounts. In 1975, Bob Dylan hit the road with a rag-tag band of folk troubadours, culminating in “The Night of the Hurricane”. Folk legend Ramblin’ Jack Elliott, violinist Scarlet Rivera, bassist Rob Stoner, and Rubin “Hurricane” Carter reveal the inside story of Dylan’s Desire album and Rolling Thunder Revue tour.

Following a stint as The Entertainer in 1978, Bob Dylan fell into the arms of the Lord through the Vineyard Christian Fellowship Church, producing three Gospel albums. Derided as “God-Awful Gospel,” Dylan’s radical new direction alienated fans and enraged critics.

Pastor Bill Dwyer, journalist Joel Selvin, singer Regina McCrary, keyboardist Spooner Oldham, and Dylanologist AJ Weberman share intimate accounts of Bob Dylan’s “born-again” transformation – and his return to Judaism!
Bob Dylan Revealed culminates with Dylan’s Never Ending Tour that began in 1992 and continues to this day, as drummer Winston Watson recounts his personal journey as a warrior in Bob Dylan’s “Never Ending Band”.

I have three Bob Dylan Revealed DVDs to giveaway. Please post your name and I will pick the winner July 20, 2011.

Of hundreds of active volcanoes in the world, over three-quarters are part of the explosive Ring of Fire, a 30,000-mile region encircling the Pacific Ocean. Explore this fiery and earthquake-prone region to learn the causes of eruptions and how 500 million people have adapted to – even embraced – living in their volatile shadow … from miners in Chile eking out a perilous living from the sulfur produced in the heart of active volcanoes to macaque monkeys luxuriating in naturally formed hot mineral springs in Japan’s remote “Hell Valley.”

Narrated by Robert Foxworth and featuring breathtaking cinematography, including extensive aerial photography, from the U.S., Japan, Chile, Indonesia and the Philippines, where – at great personal risk – the world’s top geologists, anthropologists, computer animators and filmmakers spent over seven years documenting this unpredictable and awe-inspiring phenomenon.

Tropical Rainforest takes you deep into some of the most exotic and mysterious jungles on Earth for a one-of-a-kind exploration.

A spectacular and unforgettable journey into the heart of the remote and far-flung rainforests of Australia, Costa Rica, French Guiana and Malaysia, this globally important adventure explores these disappearing jungle habitats and gives us a rare, intimate look at the lush foliage and incredibly diverse array of inhabitants.

From extreme close-ups to tree-top panoramas, experience these treasured environments on their own terms—with curious insects, gaudy frogs, startling snakes, vibrant birds, extraordinary animals, exotic plants and dazzling flowers. Will thousands become extinct before they can even be discovered?

Both Ring of Fire Blu-ray and Tropical Rainforest Blu-ray hit the streets July 16, 2011. I have two copies of each to giveaway to two people. Please post your name and I will pick the winners July 16th.

The folks out at Anchor Bay sent over a copy of Miral for us, and it’s actually a very interesting piece of work. Doubly so given the current state of politics in the area where Miral is set, but plenty interesting by itself.

Miral follows the titular Miral, a young lady whose father is forced to leave her in an orphanage following the death of her mother. The lady who runs the orphanage, Hind Husseini, is committed to educating the young, and it’s this education that gives Miral a whole new lease on life. But it’s where she takes that lease that makes this movie something impressive to see.

Now, of course, there will be those that call this little more than sensationalism. Others that call it nothing more than proselytizing on behalf of one agenda or another. And in a way, they’ll be right. But they’ll be missing a much larger point about important things, like how direly important education is. And an interesting point about moviemaking in general.

See, it’s going to take well over a half hour for us to even see our main character. Why? Because they’re going to run up all the events that took place before the title character was even born. It goes, of course, to show the events that shape her, and how everything connects together, which is exciting but a little disconcerting.

The end result is sometimes funny, sometimes painful, sometimes poignant, and usually very interesting. Sure, there’s a lot of politicizing going on here. All those charges I leveled against it earlier are valid. But the point remains, at the end of the day, this is still good stuff.

It doesn’t help that Miral is really rather heavy-handed with its portrayals. I know we’re working from the viewpoint of Palestinians here, but the Israelis likely aren’t the horror they’re portrayed to be here. But then, that’s probably half the point, to get people talking about the various portrayals and how they only passingly intersect with reality. It’s a movie guaranteed to engender discussion, great for history buffs and history classes alike.

The Screenhead Ten Scale gives Miral a solid seven out of ten; while it’s a bit of a niche title, it’s still a well done niche title. It suffers a bit in the believability aspect, but for the most part, this should prove at least reasonably enjoyable.