Vidvues and Tom's Picks
Tom Von Malder of Owls Head has reviewed music since 1972. He has reviewed videos/DVDs since 1988. His columns, VidVues and Tom's Picks, have been a fixture in The Courier-Gazette since 1979. He also writes about television and books on occasion.
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Terrific trio of ‘The Hobbit,’ ‘Life of Pi,’ ‘Wreck-It Ralph’
By Tom Von Malder - Mar 31The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (Warner, 2 Blu-ray or standard DVDs, PG-13, 169 min.; 3D also available). Return now to Middle Earth with ...
‘Argo’ and ‘Skyfall’ are exciting adventures
By Tom Von Malder - Feb 24Argo (Warner, Blu-ray or standard DVD, R, 120 min.). Based on a true, but long-classified incident, “Argo,” which I fully expect to win the Oscar ...
Action pack led by Gordon-Levitt duo
By Tom Von Malder - Jan 21Looper (Sony, Blu-ray or standard DVD, R, 119 min.). The film is set in the year 2044. Thirty years in the future, time travel has been invented ...
Bourne again: Renner takes over
By Tom Von Malder - Dec 23The Bourne Legacy (Universal, Blu-ray or standard DVD, PG-13, 135 min.). Not sure if Matt Damon was too busy or simply tired of playing Jason ...
‘Dark Knight,’ ‘Expendables’ lead action pack
By Tom Von Malder - Dec 10The Dark Knight Rises (Warner, 2 Blu-ray + 1 standard DVD, PG-13, 165 min.). Director Christopher Nolan, and co-writer with his brother Jonathan, ...
New music from classic rockers Harris, Kiss, Aerosmith
By Tom Von Malder - Nov 18Steve Harris: British Lion (UMe CD, 52:12). Most people know Harris as the bassist, occasional keyboardist, backing vocalist, primary songwriter ...
Universal’s classic monsters go Blu
By Tom Von Malder - Oct 28Universal Classic Monsters: The Essential Collection (1931-1943, Universal, 8 Blu-ray discs, NR or G, 10 hours 4 min.). In the 1930s, Universal ...
New Dylan, unreleased Michael Jackson
By Tom Von Malder - Oct 02Bob Dylan: Tempest (Columbia CD, 68:32). Fifty years ago brought us the first James Bond film, to be followed by 22 more, and the first Bob Dylan ...
Water attacks: aliens, sharks, piranha
By Tom Von Malder - Sep 09Battleship (Universal, Blu-ray or standard DVD, PG-13, 132 min.). Director Peter Berg’s adaptation of the Hasbro game only works because of its ...
‘Hunger Games’ film saga begins
By Tom Von Malder - Aug 19The Hunger Games (Lionsgate, Blu-ray or standard DVD, PG-13, 142 min.). This is a successful adaptation -- but not an unqualified one -- of the ...
‘Twilight’’s last gleaming?
By Tom Von Malder - Mar 05The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2 (Summit, Blu-ray or standard DVD, PG-13, 115 min.). The filmmakers decided to break Stephenie Meyer’s ...
Patti Smith, Slash lead DVD concerts
By Tom Von Malder - Feb 18Patti Smith: Live at Montreux 2005 (Eagle Vision, Blu-ray or standard DVD, 83 min.). Smith has been making groundbreaking music since before her ...
Box sets by the pound
By Tom Von Malder - Jan 09Over the last year or so, there has been a tendency to release large anniversary sets, including Pink Floyd boxes complete with marbles and ...
‘Glee’ does Christmas 3 and Cash motherlode
By Tom Von Malder - Dec 20Glee: The Music, The Christmas Album Volume 3 (Columbia/20th Century Fox CD). I must admit I enjoyed the first two Christmas volumes a bit more ...
Carol Burnett leads host of TV sets
By Tom Von Malder - Nov 25The Carol Burnett Show: The Ultimate Collection (Time Life, 22 DVDs, NR, 62+ hours). “The Carol Burnett Show” debuted on CBS in 1967 and ran for ...
New ‘Spider-Man’ is truly amazing
By Tom Von Malder - Nov 11The Amazing Spider-Man (Sony, Blu-ray or standard DVD, PG-13, 136 min.). Director Marc Webb’s reboot of the Amazing Spider-Man franchise is a ...
Moon Nazis invade; Fenway Park honored
By Tom Von Malder - Oct 11Iron Sky (eONE, Blu-ray or standard DVD, R, 93 min.). The set-up is the Nazis made a super-secret escape to the dark side of the moon, where they ...
Amped-up ‘Snow White’ works
By Tom Von Malder - Sep 16Snow White & the Huntsman (Universal, Blu-ray or standard DVD, PG-13/NR, 128/132 min.). In the Grimm Brothers’ original tale, “Young Snow Hunt,” ...
Reloaded: Joe Walsh and Jimmy Cliff
By Tom Von Malder - Aug 30Joe Walsh: Analog Man (Fantasy CD, 47:04). Walsh always has been one of my favorite guitarists, going back to the “Rocky Mountain Way” in 1973 and ...
The ‘Inbetweeners’ leads a gaggle of TV sets
By Tom Von Malder - Aug 04The Inbetweeners: The Complete Series (Great Britain, 2008-10, eONE, 3 DVDs, NR, 432 min.). This British comedy, which I caught on BBC America, is ...
