I have a feeling it is going to be another one of those high comment days. Last week we made a passing reference to J.J. Abram's "Lost," and lo and behold the Losties came out of the woodwork.

Well, wouldn't you know it, the third season has just been released on DVD.

I'll let Mr. Videoport Jones take it from here.

The Bourne Ultimatum

Videoport Jones: "Matt Damon continues to impress as the conflicted, put upon, slightly scrambled secret agent. Man, I like the Damon. Taking chances, stretching himself, occasionally winning an Oscar or two. Plus, at a celebrity event a few years ago, he took batting practice at Fenway and bounced a couple of shots off the Monster. Damon is pretty much living the life every kid growing up in Boston ever dreamt of. And yet I don't hate him. Weird..."

Justin: "I very specifically remember going to see the first Bourne in the theater with a college buddy not expecting much. Another typical young actor wants to try his action chops effort. I walked away from the first viewing with that first impression intact. However, on the second viewing, I really started to appreciate it. It really wasn't like the run–of–the–mill action dreck. The fight scenes alone are better than anything else you're seeing these days and the plot moves quickly enough that its fun and you don't question much. The series has only gotten better with each subsequent movie, and as a result of these and other flicks I have to say I've become a Damon fan. To quote Paul Rudd in '40 Year Old Virgin' 'I always thought that Matt Damon was like a Streisand, but he's rocking the (redacted) in this one.'"

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

VPJ: "This seems to be a film series about some sort of teenaged wizard. Huh. What'll they think of next? Come and get it Portland; Videoport will slake your thirst. On a related and plagiarized note, my favorite headline ever from 'The Onion' after the first HP film came out- "New Harry Potter film introduces millions of children to the joys of not reading".

JE: "It's funny because I never had any real beef with the HP series of books because I'm all for anything that makes kids think reading is cool. For me it was comic books. But after the movies started coming out and the books followed and the string of Potter publicity and events...I've got trauma from 'The Boy Who Lived.' Maybe it will all ease off since the books are over and all that is left is a few more movies and some poor career choice by young Mr. Radcliffe."

December Boys

VPJ: "Harry Potter's Daniel Radcliffe endeavors to pull of some Matt Damon-like career broadening in this drama about some Australian orphans coming of age. Got good reviews, looks interesting, and will be seen by one-one jillionth the amount of people as one Harry Potter movie. Radcliffe was really funny guest-starring on 'Extras as himself, by the way, assuring Ricky Gervais' character that he had done it with a girl 'intercourse-wise.'"

JE:"I'll take your word for it. I know I just joked about young Mr. Radcliffe, but I always feel bad for actors who do movies as they try to shake off a role in widely known series and movies. Like Pierce Brosnon (obviously trying to shake off 'Remmington Steele.') or Will Smith (can't escape that hilarious Carlton dance...wait, was that him?). I'll defer to your judgement Mr. Jones."

Big Love - Season 2:

VPJ: "Bill Paxton (known to the better people as Chet from 'Weird Science') is excellent in this, yet another interesting, well-done HBO series. What is the deal with HBO anyway? I think they must lure writers with promises of champagne baths, or teams of virgins, or both. Anyway, Paxton plays the loving patriarch of a polygamist family at some unnamed Western state. (It's Utah). Genuinely touching, weird, and all-around worthwhile."

JE:"Do you know what time it is? It's time to play the fiddler! Ah Paxton, you've come a long way buddy. I think you might be on to something. Someone needs to get to the bottom of this whole HBO midas touch thing. It's like they can't go wrong from their idea factory. Maybe writers and produces really just like the freedom to throw a few swears or a breast into a scene and not have to worry about standards and practices. Anyway this one also has a solid cast outside of Chet, including Chloe Sevigny and Jeanne Tripplehorn."

Lost - Season 3

VPJ: "I watched the first season, and had a blast, just like the rest of us. I started watching the second season and sort of still dug it. Now, I begin to suspect that the creators just have a big bingo spinner full of random, THC-borne concepts and let 'er rip. At least I understand Nathan Fillion (Captain Mal Reynolds from 'Firefly') has a guest role; that'll help tide him over when his next really great show is unfairly canceled."

JE: "You really know how to bring a guy down Jonsey. Seriously. Whenever I see anyone from 'Firefly' or a 'Buffy' show in other work it makes me a little weepy. Especially 'Firefly.' As to 'Lost,' I said it last week in the comments, but I just have not gotten on that bus and most likely won't at this late juncture. I'm a J.J. Abrams fan – I really dug the first couple of seasons of 'Alias' and I liked his 'Mission Impossible,' and surprise surprise, I am just plan antsy thinking about his 'Star Trek' remake that features Simon Pegg. The thing is I'm sure there is a lot I could get into with this show but I'm just gonna stand back for the time being. Maybe I can be convinced otherwise."

Interview

VPJ: "Written and directed by and starring the always-great Steve Buscemi, this essentially two character drama about a jaded political reporter assigned against his will to interview a seemingly vapid soap star, looks absolutely great, and I am first in line to see it. After all of the renting customers, of course. Eye candy fans can also count on Sienna Miller to liven things up."

JE: "I am a fan on both counts, so I'll give this one a 'why not?' Plus as someone who could be heading for 'jaded reporter' territory sometime in his life maybe it would be to my benefit to check it out."

High School Musical 2

VPJ: "Those kids are very peppy, I'll give 'em that."

JE: "To quote another 'jaded reporter,' 'You've got spunk. I hate spunk.' In seriousness though this is another phenomenon that I am backing away from. It's not even that it makes me feel old, I just don't want any part of its Disney sweetness–nude photo scandalousity. No, no, no."

Finally, here is Mr. Jones' pick for what's new at Videoport this week:

Two Lane Blacktop – "This cult classic muscle car road movie from director Monte Hellman stars Warren Oates and one-time-only musicians turned actors James Taylor and the Beach Boys' Dennis Wilson. It's cool, existential, and has some cool cars. From the good people at Criterion."

And there you have it, you've just spent another 8 minutes of your life reading something not related to work. Good for you.

Quick hits – Bourne series, great action series or greatest action series? Harry Potter, will be see a drop off in hysteria now that the books are done? Why does HBO consistently produce great shows? Lost – convince me otherwise that the name implies the direction of the storytelling.

E-mail this entry to a friend