The Muppet Show, Easy Rider, Wild Hogs

Greg Eichelberger
Editor and film critic, East County Herald News

For quality television comedy writing and execution, few can match The Muppet Show. It combined classic, lovable characters such as Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, and the Swedish Chef, with crisp, witty writing and often goofy situations and celebrity guests. The brainchild of puppeteers Frank Oz and the late Jim Henson, the cute characters were already known before the series (produced in the UK) arrived on American shores. But few people had seen major stars undergo the "Muppet treatment." It was pure joy. The hilarious predicaments of the Muppets and their guests are timeless, and the look back in time at enduring stars like Steve Martin, Julie Andrews and Elton John is equally fascinating. Bonus features for Season Two include the rare 1974 Muppets Valentine Special featuring a young Mia Farrow and a host of virtually unknown Muppet characters including the enormous blue monster, Thog.

The Muppet Show - Season Two
(USA) 1976, Walt Disney

Carson Steimle
Employee, Lemon Grove Blockbuster, www.blockbuster.com

I like bikes, so The World's Fastest Indian was cool. Anthony Hopkins stars in this true story of New Zealander Burt Munro who has this old bike -- an Indian -- and he tries to break the land speed record. He's an underdog, but he succeeds.A biker film that everyone knows is Easy Rider. You can watch it over and over and see different things each time. I think everyone can relate to the feeling of wanting to get on a bike and get out of town. The music's a factor, too. I read that it was the first movie to use pop music rather than a score.

More recently, Wild Hogs offered a lighthearted comedy with broad appeal. You don't have to be a biker to enjoy it. It gets some of the bike culture right: there are hardcore biker gangs and then guys who just like riding on the weekend.

The World's Fastest Indian
(New Zealand) 2005, Magnolia

Easy Rider
(USA) 1969, Sony Pictures

Wild Hogs (Widescreen Edition)
(USA) 2007, Buena Vista

Vanessa Belfiore
Employee, Lemon Grove Blockbuster

The Ultimate Gift is a drama about a man consumed with money. When his granddad dies, the will states that he has to do certain tasks to get his inheritance. He's a snob and the tasks teach him lessons about being a better person. He learns that life isn't all about money; it's also about love. I like the message and the cute comedic bits.Out of the big recent titles, 300's the best. It's very different, not so predictable. Too many new movies just give me a headache.

TV shows are making more of an impact than movies these days. The regulars who come in are more into TV shows than movies. They seem disappointed by the movies. The TV show Heroes just came out. It's very different from any show I've watched before. It's very entertaining with lots of different characters so everyone can identify with someone.

The Ultimate Gift
(USA) 2007, Twentieth Century Fox

300 (Widescreen Edition)
(USA) 2007, Warner Brothers

Heroes - Season One
(USA) 2006, Universal