It's not just another Tuesday new DVD chat with Videoport Jones, because today it's time to talk Fey. As in Tina.

Sure we've got some other new releases - including one of my favorite shows, "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" - but really, it's Fey time.

Baby Mama

Videoport Jones:"Starring my two girlfriends Tina Fey and Amy Poehler (oddly, my lovely fiancee remains undisturbed when I say that...it's as if she doesn't take me seriously...hmmm) there was a lot of anticipation going into this tale of a driven career woman (Tina) who, finding out her junk has gone bad (thank you '30 Rock') hires white-trash surrogate (Amy) to carry her kid for her. Sure, the setup is a little high concept/by-the-numbers, but with the divine Misses F&P on board, surely they can turn it into something...perfectly adequate. Yeah, it's a bit of a letdown, as the script doesn't do the erstwhile Weekend Update divas too many favors, rarely rising above sitcom level. On the plus side, apart from the innate greatness, adorability, and charisma of the leads, there are some good supporting turns from Steve Martin as the ponytailed New Agey oddball billionaire owner of Fey's Whole Foods-esque supermarket chain, the always-engaging Romany Malco (shoehorned into the 'streetwise funny doorman' role, but he's still funny), the refreshingly-sane Maura Tierney (although she isn't given much to do), Sigourney Weaver as the infuriatingly-fertile head of the surrogate agency, and Greg Kinnear, who brings his effortless charisma to the 'perfect boyfriend' role. Tina's funny and twinkly, although stuck in a less interesting straight woman role than she plays on '30 Rock,' and Amy is held in check by the squishier elements of the script (although when she finally gets to cut loose in the delivery scene, her particular brand of lunatic genius shines through). All in all, it's not a bad way to spend the evening, but, to see why you should be bitterly disappointed at the same time, check out Fey on '30 Rock,' Poehler in the 'Upright Citizen's Brigade' and both of them rocking the Weekend Update desk for an all-too-brief stint on 'SNL.'"

Justin: "I knew we'd have to get into this one soon enough, and I was sure it would not be pretty. We are two men who suffer from serious Fey's Syndrome. My case is so bad that whenever I see Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin I start thinking about '30 Rock.' I've wanted to discuss 'Baby Mama' with you for some time, all for the reasons you've suggested, but I didn't know if we could come out and say this one looks like a pass. It just feels so wrong that the two of them make their film debut as a duo with this dud. I really felt like it was beneath them in a few ways. Don't get me wrong, I love Poehler when she gets in her over-the-top, loud-mouth roles, and I'm a fan of Fey as the straight woman. But this just looked awful from jump street. Combine that with a cast that would be outstanding in a better flick, and I can barely stand to acknowledge this movie exists. I'll second your appeal - if you want real Fey and Poehler comedy gold, then check out '30 Rock,' 'Upright Citizens Brigade,' and the episode of 'SNL' Tina Fey hosted last year."

The Fall

VPJ: "The one-named directing entity known only as Tarsem (I am TARSEM! Bow down before me!) follows up his style-over-substance serial killer thriller 'The Cell' with this long-gestating phantasmagoria about a crippled stuntman telling tall tales to an imaginative little girl in order to entertain and manipulate her into giving him drugs in order to commit suicide. Fun, right? Well, TARSEM is nothing if not design-oriented and, like 'The Cell' the real attraction of this one is his visualization of the wild, disturbing, fanciful tales the two main characters come up with, embroidering them with the sort of lunatic, over-the-top imagery that Ken Russell would call excessive. A singular experience, a feast for the eyes, an incomprehensible mess? Your call."

JE: "Seeing as I had a hard time following 'The Cell,' I don't know if I can sit through this one. And really, with a plot like that - so charming and warm - it's a real easy sell. But hey, if I want to roll the dice one evening and can't find a better foreign-import, then, well, maybe."

The Forbidden Kingdom

VPJ: "Jackie Chan and Jet Li are teaming up for the first time ever, and while one might be forgiven for wishing this had happened when each was still in his prime, the results should be kicky enough for the likes of you. Also, one might find oneself wishing that the whole enterprise wasn't filtered through the experience of some American prettyboy kung fu wannabe. On the plus side, Jet Li plays something called 'The Monkey King.' At any rate, I'm almost certain that people will be kicked in the head."

JE: "Oh heck yes! Now if I'm in the mood for kung fu cinema my tastes run a little older, like by a few decades, to the time when wire work wasn't as prevalent and it was OK if the actors weren't speaking English. Still, this one has all the marks of a nice bit of escapism, even with the unnecessary American sidekick (*cough cough - pander - cough cough*). And seriously though, even if they aren't as spry as they once were, a Chan/Li double team is exciting no matter how you slice it. Viva head kicks."

Grey's Anatomy - Season 4

VPJ: "Katherine Heigl called out her writers this season and withdrew her name from Emmy contention, saying that the show wasn't as well-written as it used to be. Never having seen this show before ('St. Elsewhere' did it all much better about 20 years ago, and 'ER' copied it adequately a decade later, thanks), I'm still willing to accept Ms. Heigl's word on that. You have fun, though..."

JE: "Yeah, I thought that was a strange bit of real-life theater this summer. There are more inventive ways of trying to get off a show, but now you can be certain something gruesome, tragic and incurable will befall Heigl's character. I'm envisioning a spectacular boat crash, followed by a train accident involving the ambulance carrying her, followed by the discovery of syphilis and brain cancer. To your other point, can't say I've watched it much either, but if it resonates with people who have attractive doctors, then so be it. Also, on the subject, does anyone still watch 'ER' anymore?"

Ugly Betty - Season 2

VPJ: "Look! Aren't we edgy? We took a perfectly attractive young Latina, frizzed out her hair and slapped some braces on her! Then we called her 'ugly!' Cutting edge! Some people tell me this one is worth a look. Then again, some people tell me that you should put butter on a bad burn, that Schlitz is a premium beer, and the Republican party doesn't hate minorities. People cannot be trusted is what I'm sayin.'"

JE: "Whoa, whoa, whoa. While I'm not a dedicated viewer of 'Ugly Betty,' I think they deserve a little more credit that that. For the handful of episodes I've seen it's actually a fun show, that depicts a Latino family in a non-stereotypical way, while trying to deal with topical issues. (I saw an episode where her dad was facing deportation, so, there's that.) I'd say the show does more lampooning and stereotyping of people in the fashion world, not to mention the rich and fabulous. Then again, I once heard that the show was trying to take cues from telenovelas that are popular on Spanish-language channels. And those, those are just glorious. So I guess this amounts to an endorsement is what I'm saying."

It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia - Season 3

VPJ: "My fellow Videoporter Regan kept telling me to watch this sitcom. I did, and thought it was shrill, vulgar, and offputtingly boorish. Then I kept watching it. And maintained my opinion that it was all of those things. Now I find myself waiting for the new season to come out already. It's grown on me like some not-entirely-welcome substance..."

JE: "That's how it starts, my friend. It just grabs onto you and does not let go. To me, this is one of my favorite shows on TV, and I had a hard time admitting that for a while because of the characters. They're awful people who do some of the most detestable things ever seen on basic cable. They make the 'Seinfeld' gang look like the Mouseketeers by comparison. This is one of those shows that you watch and you feel like a bad person every time you laugh at a joke. But this show has something in common with 'Seinfeld' and 'South Park' in that you can't help but watch to see what happens, and you know in the end the characters will get what they deserve. Also, it's just plain funny at times. I would recommend the episode "Charlie Goes America All Over Everybody's (expletive)" from Season 2. It makes you laugh, cringe and proud to be an American."

Parting shots:

- Are we giving Tina Fey and Amy Poehler too much credit?

- Can someone explain the appeal of "Grey's Anatomy?"

- How would you explain "It's Always Sunny" to someone who hasn't seen it?

E-mail this entry to a friend