ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY RECOMMENDS: VIDEO & DVD

DVD reviews: 'Lord of the Rings,' 'Simpsons'

DVD review: 'The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring'

Peter Jackson does the basic things with exquisite simplicity in "Fellowship."

(Entertainment Weekly) -- For J.R.R. Tolkien's fan base of dorkish hippies -- or is it hippie-ish dorks? -- it's the coolest movie ever, dude.

If you are of a certain mind-set (reflexively cynical, wary of all endeavors requiring elves), this fact was a reason not to catch that thing with the hobbits. Make amends: "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring" is grand enough to earn a spot alongside such film epics as "Lawrence of Arabia" and "Star Wars."

To watch Peter Jackson's adaptation of Tolkien's novel is to succumb gladly to fairy dust as the forces of good -- a naf called Frodo (Elijah Wood), a wizened wizard (Ian McKellen), and a smoldering loner (Viggo Mortenson) among them -- embark on an old-fashioned quest.

Jackson does the basic things (sinister silhouettes, racing white steeds, the metallic rasp of swords unsheathed in stereo) with exquisite simplicity. And he does the complex things, like knocking the heart from your chest with the spectacle of impossibly noble heroes placed in outsized peril, simply exquisitely.

There is a powerful sense of motion -- over blinding green fields, through lairs of unlimited darkness -- into a fully imagined world where magic naturally exists.

-- Troy Patterson

Grade: A-

DVD review: The Simpsons: The Complete Second Season'

At one point while watching Dustin Hoffman record his lines for a memorable guest spot, "Simpsons" executive producer Sam Simon had to coach the Oscar-winning actor on a line reading he ought to have been quite familiar with: "Miss Krabappel, are you trying to seduce me?" This amusing anecdote pops up on one of the commentary tracks that accompany the 22 episodes collected here.

But just like the season 1 box, the bulk of these audio supplements -- offered by creator Matt Groening and executive producers Al Jean and Mike Reiss, along with various writers and directors -- is engaging yet largely uninformative ("Simpsons" scribes love reading comics).

What the commentators also often do is just sit back and laugh. You will too. "The Simpsons"" second season is a classic TV comedy hitting its stride. And, yes, the set is worth the wait: Along with some unforgettable episodes featuring some terrific guest actors (Hoffman -- credited as "Sam Etic" -- Danny DeVito, James Earl Jones, the late Phil Hartman), there's a truly painful clip of voice actress Yeardley Smith in a godawful Bart costume presenting an American Music Award.

As Mr. Burns would say: "Excellent!"

-- Wook Kim

Grade: A-