TOP PICK
Boom Blox Bash Party
(Electronic Arts)
Last year's original Boom Blox is one of the Wii's best games. This follow-up is even better. The gameplay remains pretty much the same: You hurl balls, bombs and other things at a bunch of boxes, knocking them down for trophies. But this time the action includes cannons, slingshots and a bunch of new characters in space and on pirate ships. Aaargh!
BOOK
33 1/3:
Elliott Smith's XO
(Continuum)
Matthew LeMay's outing in the terrific 33 1/3 series dissects Smith's cheeriest album, a mix of Sgt. Pepper carnival sounds and mopey singer-songwriter confessions. XO, from 1998, was Smith's major-label debut; he killed himself five years later. LeMay steers away from Smith's sad-o reputation, focusing instead on the art of record-making.
VIDEO
Fargo
(MGM)
The Coen brothers' most Coen-like film and one of the best movies of the '90s finally makes its Blu-ray debut. Extras include the usual trailers, features and photos. Best is commentary by cinematographer Roger Deakins, who painted a brutal and evocative Minnesota wasteland with his camera. His brilliant work is even more evident on this stunning HD disc.
CD
Let It Roll: Songs by George Harrison
(Capitol/EMI)
The most underappreciated Beatle racked up quite a few classics during his solo career. This 19-song collection is the first to gather them on a single album. His biggest hits — "My Sweet Lord," "Give Me Love (Give Me Peace on Earth)," "Got My Mind Set on You" — are here. So are a number of Beatles-era tunes ("Something," "Here Comes the Sun") recorded live.
DVD
Woodstock: 3 Days of Peace and Music — The Director's Cut: 40th Anniversary Collector's Edition
(Warner)
The hippie fest included tons of crappy bands (Country Joe and the Fish, Sha-Na-Na), but there were also plenty of great ones. This nearly four-hour version of the Oscar-winning 1970 movie adds performances by the Who, Jimi Hendrix and Sly & the Family Stone. The set also features a disc of previously unreleased songs by Creedence Clearwater Revival and Santana.
