* In terms of raw cash, the movies had a record March this year, largely thanks to those inflated, and then extra-inflated, ticket prices for “Alice in Wonderland” in 3-D. We’ll see how long this lasts.

* RIP Corin Redgrave, of one of the world’s great acting families.

* Reading this Nikki Finke item about what sounds like the increasingly fraught auction of MGM, it really does make it seem like a million years ago when MGM was the absolute epitome, for better and for worse, of Hollywood power.

* I’m breaking a confidence here with this super-secret Twitter leak by Jon Favreau, but it appears that Harrison Ford will be in “Cowboys and Aliens.”

* Universal, which hasn’t exactly been rolling in cash lately, has pulled the plug on “Cartel.” It would have been a remake of the fact-based Italian mafia thriller from 1993, “La Scorta,” set admidst Mexico’s drug wars. Josh Brolin was set to play the lead. Mike Fleming doesn’t specifically mention insurance or the cost of security, but considering the topic and what’s been going in throughout Mexico — apparently including Mexico City where the film was to be shot — it must have been through the roof.

* Master cinephile blogger Dennis Cozzalio checks in and brings word of some cool film fests.

* Geoff Boucher of the L.A. Times notes the movie spill over from Comicon to the once very modest Wondercon and that “Kick-Ass” continues to build buzz. Even if I don’t read many comics these days, I miss the days when movies were kind of an afterthought at comic book conventions.

* Speaking of funny books, some of you may be excited by this /Film item because it involves one of the people behind The State and “Wet Hot American Summer” as well as the director of “Role Models,” i.e., David Wain. I’m just happy to see  the talented  cartoonist/”graphic novelist” Alex Robinson getting some movie love with “Too Cool to be Forgotten.”  Okay, Alex has given me free comics w/purchase once or twice, so I feel compelled to say nice things about him.

* So, Simon Dang at the Playlist writes that eccentric British actor-comedian Russell Brand, eccentric director-producer Oliver Stone, and as far-as-I-know quite stable and definitely highly prolific master documentarian Albert Maysles (‘”Primary,” the original documentary “Grey Gardens,” Gimme Shelter,” “Soul Power,” etc.) are getting together to make a movie about…enlightenment. What else?

* Another Playlister, Oli Lyttleton, notes with relief that we’ll have one less videogame movie coming up next year. “Masters of War” has been canned. Personally, I theoretically see nothing wrong with using a game as a jumping off place for a movie, except that a game’s set-up and play is not the same thing as a story. However, I wonder if the real problem isn’t so much the thinness of the games but have more to do with the usual caliber of filmmaker who isn’t embarrassed by the thought of making a movie with that kind of pedigree. Not that they should be, necessarily.

The difference here is that the script was being worked on by the outstanding screenwriter and director, Billy Ray of “Shattered Glass,” and “Breach” and this might have been the exception. Of course it was canceled.

* The Twitter-feud between critical zen master Roger Ebert and wanker-meister Andrew Breitbart of the 99% moronic Big Hollywood blog and the #1 supporter of the 100% bogus ACORN expose (which fooled Jon Stewart and me, to my embarrassment)  is getting some attention from Salon, this time over Werner Herzog’s brilliant documentary “Grizzly Man.”

Lately, Big Hollywoodite Leo Grin has, at least in this post, been trying to claim Herzog for his team. If Herzog did openly align himself with the right in any way, they’d call him just another Hollywood liberal, or perhaps say his film was pro-Nazi, the moment he made a film that in some way, shape, or form did not align with right orthodoxy. If they’ll turn on Clint Eastwood, they’ll turn on anyone. Sort of like the bears and Timothy Treadwell.

You see, when Blu-ray first hit the market, there weren’t very many titles to talk about other than the new releases that were already coming out on DVD. Now that the format is more popular with studios, however, my office has become overrun with high-def titles, and well, I just don’t have the time to cover every one in as much detail as I’d like. That doesn’t mean they don’t deserve to be covered at all, however, and so I’ve created this column to help cleanse my conscience (and some office space) and keep you all in the know on some Blu-rays you might be looking forward to, as well as a few others you should add to your shopping list.

“Pinocchio” (Walt Disney)

One of my least favorite Disney classics after “Dumbo” and “Bambi,” “Pinocchio” is still a no-brainer when it comes to diehard collectors and fans of animated films. It’s been years since Disney last released this from their ominous vault and so they’ve not only put out a new DVD edition to celebrate the occassion, but a high-def version as well. As expected, the new digital restoration is incredible. The colors pop off the screen like they were freshly painted, and were it not for the fact that hand-drawn animation is virtually extinct, you’d swear this was made yesterday. The best part about the three-disc set, though, isn’t the new transfer or the fact that you get three different versions of the movie (Blu-ray, DVD and a digital copy), but the hours of bonus material that have been lovingly crammed onto the disc. You get all the usual stuff that you’d expect from a typical new release (audio commentary, making-of, deleted scenes), but somehow they just feel more special on a movie this old.

“Let the Right One In” (Magnolia)

Many have called it the best vampire movie ever made, and while that may very well be the case, “Let the Right One In” is so much more than your average monster flick. In fact, it’s just as much a coming-of-age tale about two lonely kids (one of which just happens to be a vampire) than a horror movie, and though Hollywood has already greenlit a remake, there’s no way it will be even remotely as good as the original. Both of the child actors deliver solid performances considering the adult nature of the material, but it’s the film’s disturbing yet poetic love story that makes the movie so memorable. The Blu-ray edition doesn’t feature any extras you won’t find on the DVD, but between the contrasting white snow and black night, it definitely looks better in HD.

“The French Connection” / “French Connection II” (20th Century Fox)

You don’t always get what you want, and sometimes, you just get it late, so while this twofer from 20th Century Fox actually came out a few weeks ago, there’s no way I was going to leave it off the list. There’s been a resurgence in Hollywood lately of gritty crime thrillers (heck, even the James Bond franchise has edged closer to that style), and there’s none quite as good as “The French Connection.” It’s ones of the godfathers of the genre and has gone on to influence not only other movies, but television shows (“The Wire”) and video games (“Grand Theft Auto IV”) as well. Anyone that’s seen the film can discuss the merits of Friedkin’s direction and the coolness of Gene Hackman, however, so is there really any point? I know it’s a classic and you know it’s a classic, so what are you waiting for? The film’s sequel isn’t quite as easy to love (and it doesn’t have nearly as many extras), but fans of the original have learned to embrace it over the years. Plus, you could probably find a pretty good deal selling the pair together, and that’s good enough for me.

Also Out This Week:

“Milk” (Focus Features)
“Role Models” (Universal)
“Synecdoche, New York” (Sony Pictures Classics)
“Transporter 3” (Lionsgate)

Stay tuned for…

Joe Lo Truglio: Hello there, Will.

Bullz-Eye: Hello, Joe. How are you?

JLT: I’m good, sir. How are you doing?

BE: I’m doing great. Pleasure to talk to you.

JLT: Pleasure to talk to you. Thanks for having some interest in talking to me.

BE: Definitely. I definitely dug the movie…and not just the movie, but the additional ad-libbing scenes that are in the special features of the DVD.

JLT: Oh, thanks very much. Yeah, we had quite a fun time there on that set. For some reason, nonsense Elizabethan came very easy to me.

BE: So how was it doing the live action role playing? It seemed like it would be fun, but…well, when I was talking to David (Wain), I said it looked like it was you guys were walking a tight rope by trying not to make fun of the people who really participate in such activities.

JLT: Yes, well, I think David Wain – the director – really wanted to not put the live action role players in a bad light. There is something endearing about their complete and utter insane commitment to the game. I think the most interesting part to me was having a stunt coordinator who did “The Bourne Supremacy”, and…of course I’m blanking on his name. Jeff…Imada! But having him choreograph these fights with foam swords and Styrofoam shields was quite funny to me, considering what he had worked with in the past.

BE: What was your favorite bit of attire you got to wear?

JLT: I think my favorite…although it was a little painful, I think it really kind of completed the character…was the chain nail hood that I was wearing. Although it was somewhat uncomfortable at times, I threw that on and, suddenly, the crazy, Elizabethan metaphors started flowing much easier after that.

BE: So how long did it take to film those scenes, all told?

JLT: Um, let’s see. You know, that sequence, they were shooting, I think, for about a week. I mean, it was spread apart. It was kind of split up by days, but I think all told, probably between like…probably around seven days, I think, for all of that to be shot. That sequence, anyway.

BE: What was the most challenging part of it for you?

JLT: The hardest part was not cracking up at Paul and Ken Jeong and Matt Walsh. The objective, I’ve found in these movies where I’ve been fortunate enough to work with so many people I know, is to try to crack the other person up while the camera is rolling. That is always a fun game to play and, usually, when you do that, you’re able to get some great ad-libs and some good moments. The biggest challenge was not laughing, I think.

BE: Who was the greatest accomplishment of the people in the cast when you made them laugh? Was there one in particular that was the hardest to get to break?

JLT: You know, Paul is pretty hard to break. He’s pretty poker-faced when he does his stuff. I would say Paul. I was going to say Matt and Ken…uh, Matt Walsh and Ken Jeong…but they’re suckers. I could break them pretty easy.

BE: Now how was it working with Christopher Mintz-Plasse? I mean, obviously, you had been on the set with him on “Superbad” as well.

JLT: Yeah, “Superbad,” that was great. I think Chris did a terrific job. I know he was in a tough spot coming out of “Superbad,” where he had to kind of break out of being McLovin, and I thought he did a great job of having a slightly different take on the “geek” teenager. It was great to work with him again. He’s very willing to ad-lib and improv with you. Like, he’s very open for trying different things. For someone as young as he is, it’s a great skill to have.

BE: Cool. Now obviously you’ve worked with David Wain as a director more than one time. In fact. you found your way into both “The Ten” and also “Hot Wet American Summer.”

JLT: Yes.

BE: Sorry, I meant “Wet Hot American Summer.” I always flip flop that.

JLT: Yeah, wet hot, hot wet…you can mix and match all the words. They all pretty much come out to the same type of porn name. (Laughs) Like I said, it’s been a blessing really to work not only with David so many times but also with Ken Marino. And Kerri Kenney, who was also in the movie. David is a terrific director, and I think what makes him a great director is that he’s very collaborative; he’s very calm in the midst of what could be a terrible production storm. “Role Models” was not the case, but certainly “Wet Hot” had its troubles. When you have someone who’s grounded and focused, you know, everyone takes their cue from the director. So I think that’s what makes him really great to work with: he stays calm and is always ready for actors to bring in ideas to him.

BE: David said that “The State” reunion for Sketchfest never would have happened without email.

JLT: The internet may have saved “The State” reunion… (Laughs) …and any future “State” collaborations, considering we’re about as big as the Waltons and half of us are on one side of the country and the other half is on the other. E-mail is really the only possible way for us to communicate…and it’s a little bit easier. because we’re not all in the same room.

BE: Has there always been enthusiasm at the idea of getting back together, or did it take some coercing?

JLT: It didn’t take coercing. I think the biggest problem wasn’t egos; it was really schedules. So many of us have been busy, and the entire group from the get-go wanted to do something. I think we knew even towards the end, way back in the day when we were kind of splitting apart, that we wanted to do something together again. We just needed our time away. So there was no coercing, it was really scheduling, and the group wanted to find the right opportunity and the right venue really to make that comeback. I think Sketchfest was a great opportunity for us to see what it’s like to be on stage together. We had done a smaller reunion show last March, at the UCB Theater in L.A. We had a great reception, and it was nice because it was a smaller theater and a more intimate setting, in a sense. It was kind of back to our roots. The Black Box Theater was around 100-150 seats, if that, and it was a good starting point. I think Sketchfest was the big coming-out party, and the group is certainly talking about doing a tour of some sort this year. So we’re excited. Again, the biggest challenge for us now is scheduling.

BE: And the DVD is very much in the works, I understand, even though it’s been forever on the schedule as TBD.

JLT: The DVD is an enigma wrapped in a riddle, wrapped in molasses, sunk at the bottom of a pit of quick sand. (Laughs) It’s amazing how long it has taken for the set to come out, and the group was discouraged with that. But we know that MTV is behind it now and pledges to us that it will be out, hopefully this summer. It’s a great set, and I think that our fans will really appreciate it. We have a lot of great or unreleased material. We have commentary on all the episodes, early promos, and…we’re excited about it. And, teah, we were told it’s going to come out in the summer .

BE: Now I know when you were doing comedy in New York, you also ended up finding your way onto an episode of “Law and Order” and an episode of “Third Watch”. Did you just throw your hat into the ring because you needed the work, or what?

JLT: That works like this: if you want to be taken seriously as an actor in New York, you must appear on one of the “Law and Order” shows. If you don’t, you have no right to be an actor. You’re not valid. You don’t count. It’s, like, you have to get on that show. Otherwise…I mean, come on, everyone and their mother has been on “Law and Order”! It was just one of those cases where I just went in, auditioned, and got the part. The actors of New York owe a lot to Dick Wolf.

BE: And you’ve also done quite a few video game voices as well.

JLT: Yeah, that was exciting for me. I had never done motion capture before and then…you know, after you have a sketch comedy show on cable, there is something humbling about being in a spandex one-piece suit with ping pong balls. You learn to kind of embrace what you have at the moment. It turns out I had a blast making those video games, in particular “The Warriors,” because “The Warriors” is one of my favorite films. So having the opportunity to play Vermin, the hairy chested Italian, was nothing less than a godsend.

BE: What’s your favorite film that you’ve appeared in that people might not have seen? Even if it’s just a small role.

JLT: You know, I have to say, I’m really proud of Artie Lange’s “Beer League.” Artie’s terrific, and Frank Sebastiano, they both wrote a great script that was completely unapologetic and really raunchy…and, I think, very loyal to the old school sports movies like “Slap Shot” and “Bad News Bears.” I’m certainly not saying it’s as good as those films, but I think it has that spirit of those films, definitely. I think more people should see the movie.

BE: You’ve also appeared in “The Baxter,” and you’ve turned up in “Reno 911” – both the show and the movie – as well. Of the films you’ve done within the “State” family, do you have a favorite?

JLT: Um, gosh. I would probably say “Wet Hot” was my favorite of all those, just because there are so many incredibly talented and, at the time, up and coming comedians that are in that movie. It was such a blast to shoot that movie; we had such a great time. So far as “Baxter” goes…well, I love working with everyone in “The State”. I mean, they’re good friends and people that I respect and look up to as comedians. But that also was a great experience for me working on “The Baxter” with (Michael) Showalter. I would just like to throw out that the upcoming “Reno” season is approaching, and that’s another great opportunity and I’m really happy with the work that we all did on this season. And aside from that, there’s a web series that I just recently produced with my partner A.D. Miles, who is now writing on the Jimmy Fallon show. And that web series is called “Hot Sluts Rated R”, which is basically “Flashdance” meets women-in-prison films meets 80’s soft core porn. It’s about a group of foul mouthed waitresses who try to achieve their dream in a terrible night club called Scenarios. And that will be launching on Atom.com in April.

BE: Okay. Awesome. I’ll definitely keep an eye out for it.

JLT: I appreciate that.

BE: All right. Well, pleasure talking to you. I’m going to see a screening of “I Love You, Man” next week, so I’ll keep an eye out for High Voiced Guy (Lo Truglio’s character in the film).

JLT: (Laughs) Fantastic. Thanks a lot, Will. It was a pleasure speaking to you.

BE: No problem. Thank you.

As a way to further jog your memory, here is a behind the scenes clip with the painted one himself, Ronald McDonald, who introduces the movie:

With all the shameless self-promotion done in the name of the golden arches, I’ve come up with a formula for “Mac and Me.” It goes something like this: Ronald McDonald + “Mac and Me” + McDonald’s dance party in “Mac and Me” = the greatest product placement movie in history.

Gives new meaning to the phrase Mac attack.

Oh, and if you just read fellow BE critic Jason Zingale’s list before checking out mine, your eyes do not deceive you. Unlike, say, EW’s Owen Glieberman and Lisa Schwartzman, who seem to go out of their way to run lists as dissimilar as possible, JZ and I are pretty much on the exact same page this year. A meeting of the minds, or a lack of options? A little of both, I suppose.

1. The Dark Knight
I’m not sure how Christopher Nolan is going to top this. This is so much bigger, smarter, darker and bleaker than any other superhero movie ever made that it’s insulting to lump it into the superhero category.

2. WALL·E
Repeated viewings of this since its release on DVD have elevated it towards not just the top of my list of 2008, but on the list of Pixar’s finest work. The dancing-in-space sequence is one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen.

3. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
As a longtime David Fincher fan (his video for Madonna’s “Oh Father” still gives me chills), I’ll be the first to admit that his reputation has loomed larger than the quality of his work. He puts his money where his mouth is here. The last ten minutes are devastating.

4. Frost/Nixon
The only man who can give Samuel L. Jackson a run for his money at saying the word “motherfucker”: Richard Milhous Nixon.

5. Iron Man
Let that be a lesson to you: always take the Humdrum-vee over the Fun-vee.

6. RocknRolla
My pet theory: the name of Gerard Butler’s character One Two is a reference to the Specials’ song “Little Bitch.” Can anyone confirm this?

7. Slumdog Millionaire
Do you think that guy that won all those “Jeopardy” episodes was tortured like this movie’s hero was?

8. Let the Right One In
If you see one vampire movie this year…it ain’t “Twilight.” This Swedish import combines the lure of the undead with the hell that is junior high school. The ending to this movie is sadder than any I’ve seen all year, even the one with the dead dog.

9. Revolutionary Road
Only Leo and Kate could make a movie about two miserable suburbanites so watchable.

10. Tropic Thunder
“Now let’s make a movie!” *Clank* “Oh.” *BOOM* Nothing all year made me laugh harder.

Honorable mentions:
The Wrestler
Choke
The Wackness
Burn after Reading

I’m 40 years old, but some of my favorite movies – or scenes – came from movies that were aimed squarely at my inner 20-year-old.

Step Brothers
If we were to update our Movie Tunes piece, the “Sweet Child o’ Mine” scene would easily be in our Top 20.

Forgetting Sarah Marshall
It had what most Apatow-related movies sorely lack: balance. And hot damn, how awesome is Mila Kunis?

Sex Drive
Rumspringa! WOOOOOO!

Zack and Miri Make a Porno
If anyone is thinking about seeing if this will work in real life, we beg you, STOP. The world has enough bad amateur porn as it is, and your friend isn’t a tenth as hot as Elizabeth Banks.

Wanted
I’d debate whether Morgan Freeman’s character was telling the truth in the movie’s final bloodbath, but does it really matter? This was big, dumb, silly, and an absolute blast.

Pineapple Express
Between this and “Choke,” I’ll never think of anal beads the same way again.

Role Models
Finally, a Seann William Scott movie that didn’t make me want to drown kittens.

Man on Wire
Bigger, Stronger, Faster*

Kung Fu Panda
The Spiderwick Chronicles
Horton Hears a Who

What Happens in Vegas…
Definitely, Maybe
Baby Mama
27 Dresses

1. The Love Guru
Not even Justin Timberlake could save this from being the unfunniest movie of the year, if not all time. It’s like a bunch of teenagers came up with dick joke punch lines, then worked their way backwards for setups. Painfully bad.

2. Meet Dave
It’s over, Eddie. The next time you have a thought about a family movie comeback vehicle, let it go.

3. Over Her Dead Body
The only Eva worth watching this year is the one in “WALL·E.”

4. Untraceable
Screen Gems makes “Saw Lite,” tries to equate gawker’s block on the highway with willingly contributing to the death of another human being. Uh, sure.

5. Mad Money
Note to self: get job at Federal Reserve. If Diane Keaton can steal from them, so can I.

6. Deception
Hearing Michelle Williams say “fuck and suck” might be the funniest thing I heard in a movie all year.

7. Nim’s Island
Someone once asked Elijah Wood why he did the movie “Flipper.” His answer: to swim with dolphins for six months. Now we know why Abigail Breslin did “Nim’s Island”: to play with sea lions. We forgive you, sweetie. Jodie Foster and Gerard Butler, on the other hand, have some ‘splaining to do.

8. Made of Honor
Made all the more sickening by the fact that this will stand as Sydney Pollack’s final performance. He steals the movie, but the movie he’s stealing isn’t worthy of his presence.

9. Married Life
A black romantic dramedy that’s neither dark, nor funny, nor romantic.

10. The Spirit
“NO EGG ON MY FACE!” Um, I don’t know how to tell you this, Sam, but this movie is one giant piece o’ egg on your face.

Funny Games
Few movies will make you angrier than this self-serving cheat of a film. It’s basically two hours of director Michael Haneke saying, “Fuck you America, you violent, brutish thugs.” America responded by (rightly) ignoring his film. I guess we’re not as brutish as you thought, Michael, and what does it say about you that you tried to profit from our supposed misery? Douchebag.

Meet the Spartans
Strange Wilderness
Disaster Movie
88 Minutes
Welcome Home, Roscoe Jenkins

Bonus points to that last movie when cast member Mike Epps gave us quite possibly the worst interview ever.

“The Midnight Meat Train.” And surprise, it actually wasn’t that bad.