Media

Review > Media Mix

A roundup of this month’s hottest new releases.

words by > Scott Steinberg

>MUSIC

Oasis

Stop the Clocks (Epic) $18.98

Oasis is best remembered as the band with the warring siblings, Noel and Liam Gallagher—and a penchant for catchy Britpop. Chronicling a decade’s work, this best-of compilation features memorable anthems (“Wonderwall” and “Champagne Supernova”) and several sought-after B-sides. Our favorite: “Acquiesce,” an epic rocker featuring, for only the second time, Noel and Liam together on vocals.

Moby

Go: The Very Best of Moby (Mute) $18.98

In 1991, bald vegan DJ Moby got our attention with his debut single, “Go,” which jump-started electronica. By 1999, multiplatinum breakout Play defined modern dance music. This sweeping retrospective covers all bases, from lightning-fast dancefloor workouts (“Feeling So Real”) to classic hip-hop (“Bodyrock”) and flirtations with rock and new wave (“New York, New York”).

>GAMES

PlayStation 3

Start flexing those thumbs. With two new mind-blowing consoles—Sony’s PlayStation 3 and Nintendo’s Wii—now vying for living-room supremacy, it’s suddenly anyone’s game.

Sony www.playstation.com $499 (20GB), $599 (60GB)

The PS3 is a giant leap forward graphically (think 1080p high-definition visuals) and conceptually (enter emergent worlds, where everything’s unscripted) for the industry’s best-selling interactive entertainment platform. Forget the six-axis motion-sensing controller, which you can tilt to turn in-game characters and vehicles. Never mind the backward-compatibility with earlier Playstation software. Ignore the integrated Blu-Ray drive, capable of running discs that hold six times more than DVDs and powering tomorrow’s cutting-edge interactive outings. Even built-in wireless networking capabilities (usable for multiplayer match-ups or content downloads) and connectivity with the PSP aren’t the chief selling point. What’ll really turn heads is the stellar software library, which reads like a who’s who of gaming legends. Featuring standout selections such as Metal Gear Solid 4, EA Sports Fight Night Round 3, Vision Gran Turismo, Formula One PS3 and Resistance: Fall of Man, it’s a shoe-in with diehard enthusiasts.

You’ll be blown away, too.

Wii

Nintendo wii.nintendo.com $TBD

So the visuals won’t push your new HDTV’s limits. This svelte little all-white device instead defies convention via another approach: revolutionary play mechanics. Credit a TV remote-style controller that detects physical gestures and interprets arm/hand movements into on-screen motion. Swing the device to send balls soaring over the net in Wii Sports tennis. Hack away and watch as The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess’ intrepid hero executes sword-slashing attacks. From conducting virtual orchestras to steering speeding autos, applications are endless. Hands-on tests prove the feel is great, as are bonus options that let you play GameCube titles or download classic NES, Super NES, Sega Genesis and TurboGrafx-16 games. Ditto for broadband connectivity (think automatically downloadable maps and characters) and 3D positional audio effects. Added vibration features ensure exclusives such as Super Mario Galaxy, Excite Truck, Red Steel and Metroid Prime 3: Corruption will send some tingles up your spine.

>DVDs

Mission Impossible 3

(Paramount Home Entertainment)

PG-13 $19.99

Secret agent Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) returns from retirement to assemble a crack team, fight remorseless arms dealer Owen Davian (Philip Seymour Hoffman) and rescue love interest Julia (Michelle Monaghan). A quintessential popcorn movie, it isn’t deep, but hey, there’s still more mayhem per minute than the average thrill ride.

EXTRAS: Deleted scenes, director/star commentary, “The Making of the Mission” featurette.

Nacho Libre

(New Line Home Entertainment)

PG-13 $17.95

Comedian Jack Black headlines this sporting spoof, which casts the unkempt wonder as an orphaned monastery cook–turned–luchador, as in Mexican wrestling sensation. A joint effort from the writers of School of Rock and Napoleon Dynamite, it’s accordingly offbeat.

EXTRAS: Featurettes, deleted scenes, confessionals, songs, photo gallery.