This Week in DVD

Ghosts of Girlfriends Past: Matthew McConaughey plays Connor Mead, who--ah, you know what? You don't expect much from this romantic comedy, I don't expect much from this romantic comedy--let's just call it even and talk about that name: Connor Mead. What a classic McConaughey name. Much like Tripp ("Failure to Launch"), Dirk Pitt ("Sahara"), and Denton Van Zan ("Reign of Fire"), you know this guy's an alpha male with a cocky streak and charm to spare. OK, "Reign of Fire" sees him killing dragons, not charming them, but I had to include it because, come on, DENTON VAN ZAN. Wasn't he the keyboard player in the original Lynyrd Skynyrd?

Connor Mead. Yeah, that sounds right. Connor Mead.

Observe and Report: Remember when this dark comedy came out and all the buzz was about whether a certain key scene constituted date rape or not? That's the joy of modern filmmaking--you get the kind of spirited dialogue among moviegoers that you just couldn't generate after seeing a Martin and Lewis film.

I'll tell you one thing: Whether it was a date rape or not, if Connor Mead were involved, there'd be no debate. Oh, you could debate the action, sure, but all would be forgiven by the end of the movie because while he may be a cad, Connor Mead is a likable cad. He'll get his comeuppance, but, darn it, you just got to love him.

Taxi Season 4: What a pleasant surprise it is to see this long-stalled show continue, and with word this week that Season 5 is coming later this year, to boot. I have to give Paramount an unqualified golf clap for this--well, maybe slightly qualified; I mean, it DID wait 4 years before unleashing this set.

I'm reminded of a Matthew McConaughey quote, specifically a line uttered by his character Wooderson in "Dazed and Confused":

"That's what I love about these old TV shows on DVD, man. I get older, they stay the same age."

Scooby-Doo: The Mystery Begins: What the--how is this franchise continuing? That's right, it's a prequel to the "popular" series of films with Freddie Prinze Jr. and the gang.

I know that Matthew McConaughey, if not Connor Mead, would have something in common with Shaggy. One can imagine the two of them chilling out some quiet summer night, sharing some refreshments, relaxing, playing nude bongos--you know, the usual stuff.

One can also imagine someone could take a digital camcorder out there and shoot that encounter, and the resulting video would be much more entertaining than "Scooby-Doo: The Mystery Begins."