When I was a kid, I read every issue of MAD Magazine I could get my hands on. MAD was a wacky illustrated magazine that originally made fun of comic books. But over the years, MAD started making fun of EVERYTHING! This 60th Anniversary volume includes some of those early comic book critiques, but swiftly moves to the more snarky social commentary of TV shows and movies. This hefty volume charts the evolution of MAD humor over the decades. If you’re a fan of MAD this book is a must-buy. If you’re one of those people who always wondered what MAD was all about, look no further than this book!

Diane and I have seen the stage version Les Miserables four times: three Toronto performances and one touring company performance in Buffalo. We love the music (we have the CD of the Colm Wilkinson version of Jean Valjean from one of the Toronto performances). The music seems to be the biggest criticism of this movie version. Director Tom Hooper had the stars, Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Anne Hathaway, and Amanda Seyfried sing their parts instead of lip-syncing. That may have affected both the acting and the singing. No matter. I enjoyed the film. One of the highlights for me were the unscrupulous Thénardiers (Sacha Baron Cohen and Helena Bonham Carter) who provide comic relief. The big surprise was newcomer Samantha Barks who plays the love-sick Éponine. I’m hoping Les Miserables is successful so more musicals will be made. GRADE: B+

Patti Abbott recommended Life of Pi and you can read Patti’s brilliant review here. A young boy finds himself on a lifeboat in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Also in the lifeboat is a Bengal tiger. How the boy and the tiger coexist as their food and water run out powers this contemplative film. But, of course, there are Large Questions in the boy’s narrative. In the end, the viewer is asked to chose between two different stories. This is a movie you’ll be thinking about months after you see it. GRADE: A-

The best part of Hyde Park on Hudson is Bill Murray’s surprising performance. This is not the Ghostbusters Bill Murray or the Groundhog Day Bill Murray. Bill Murray delivers a controlled performance of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt who is on the eve of meeting the King and Queen of England with World War II looming. Laura Linney portrays Roosevelt’s cousin, Margaret Suckley, who enters into a love affair with the President. The movie is based on Margaret Suckley’s private journals and diaries discovered after Suckley’s death that detail the relationship. I liked the ensemble cast and the erotic dynamic in the plot. GRADE: B+

This is going to be “Catch-up on Movies” week on this blog. ARGO came out months ago, but we just found time to see it last week. ARGO tells the story of a CIA operation to rescue six U.S. Embassy employees in Tehran, Iran who managed to escape the take-over of the Embassy by the Iranian Revolutionary Guards back in 1979. The six employees found refuge at the home of the Canadian Ambassador. But time was running out, discovery was imminent. So CIA extraction specialist, Tony Mendez, came up with an unlikely solution: pretend the six employees were Canadians who are part of a film crew looking for locales for a science fiction movie called ARGO. Ben Affleck both directs and stars in this gripping thriller. GRADE: A-

I’ve admired the grit of the Seattle Seahwaks all season long. And I’m proud of Pete Carroll for making the QB switch to Russell Wilson (who the Bills could have drafted in the Third Round, but didn’t). The Atlanta Falcons defense is suspect. And a heavy dose of Marshawn Lynch should wear them down. I’m going with the Seahawks in the early game which kicks off at 1 P.M. ET on FOX. Bill Crider says the Texans will get blown out in Foxboro. Tom Brady and the Patriots have had two weeks to prepare for this game. I’m going with the Patriots. Kickoff is at 4:30 P.M. ET on CBS. Who do you like in these games?

Peyton Manning gets my vote for MVP for his miraculous come-back after a devastating neck injury. The Ravens are a good team, but the Broncos are a better team. This game kicks off at 4:30 P.M. ET on CBS. The second game, Packers vs. Niners should be a great game. Although Art Scott says the Niners are DOOMED, I’m not so sure. I’m picking Green Bay in a very close game. The late game kicks off at 8:00 P.M. ET on FOX. What do you think will happen today?

Back in 1991, TOR Books published an omnibus volume containing Fritz Leiber’s Conjure Wife and Our Lady of Darkness. Leiber’s premise is that all women are witches with magic powers. Reading these two novels about dark forces and secret occult warfare that permeates our contemporary world is an astonishing experience. Leiber work always contains surprises and originality. This wonderful volume proves this on every page. Conjure Wife was first published in 1943, but reads like it was written yesterday. Our Lady of Darkness was first published in 1978. You can find copies of this bargain TOR edition online at reasonable prices, but you can also find Conjure Wife and Our Lady of Darkness published separately in a variety of editions depending on your tastes and the size of your wallet. Don’t miss these Leiber classics!