Forbidden Hollywood's old-school filth tops this week's pop culture picks

A A A Comments (0) By Michael Gallucci Wednesday, Apr 2 2008

TOP PICK – TCM Archives: Forbidden Hollywood Collection Volume 2 (Warner)

Back in the early 1930s, Hollywood churned out tons of racy movies about drug abuse, murder, and loose women. This three-DVD set gathers five films from the era and a documentary that puts them all in perspective. Best: The Divorcee, in which the title character one-ups her cheating husband by fooling around with everyone she sees.

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DVD – Bee Movie (Paramount)

Last year's animated hit about a renegade bee who leaves the hive hinges on Jerry Seinfeld's winning voice performance. Visual gags and puns abound (the bits involving Goodfellas star Ray Liotta's honey company are Seinfeldian in their absurdity); the zippy CGI keeps things buzzing.

VIDEO GAME – Devil May Cry 4 (Capcom)

There's lots of hack and slash in this action game for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC. The story centers on a bunch of world-conquering demons and the weapons-wielding hero who must stop them. Like other entries in the series, the narrative and dialogue are kinda lame. But the nonstop battles—gamers take on monsters of all shapes and sizes—and terrific-looking levels make this a keeper.

VIDEO GAME – God of War: Chains of Olympus (Sony)

One of the PlayStation's all-time greats finally comes to the PSP in a grand way. Once again, God of War Kratos takes on some mythological bad-asses, including Cyclops, Hydra, and Medusa. And yes, there will be blood. And lots of it. Plenty of head-scratching puzzles and button-pushing action make this one of the PSP's best-ever outings.

CD – The Best of the Vines (Capitol/EMI)

These Australian rockers rode the new-rock wave of 2002, following the White Stripes, the Strokes, and a bunch of other three-chord bands to the top of the charts. "Get Free" is their big hit, but this 16-song compilation—culled from the band's debut, 2004's Winning Days, and 2006's Vision Valley—features enough guitar-driven riffs to fuel a trip down under.