Welcome back! Well, to some of you, anyway. To the rest of you, glad you decided to stop by and I hope that this humble column helps you navigate the stacks of new releases each week. My goal is to point you toward titles of interest and warn you away from those films that seek to do nothing but leech away your time and give you nothing in return.

Full disclosure: I have not seen many of these titles and what follows are not necessarily reviews. It is my opinion based upon what I know of the titles I pluck from the new release lists that I peruse. The opinions I give based on the new releases are my own, and my recommendations upon them are based on my personal interest. In any case, I hope you enjoy and perhaps find something you like or a title to point me towards.

It was a little tough to choose one film to highlight this week, as some of the releases are good, but none jump out as "must-haves." So, I went with the one that is high profile and had some good ideas.

Hancock. I do not love Hancock. Actually, I think I enjoyed it in spite of the film's attempts to deter me. Also, while I did select it as my pick of the week, it is likely a better rental than a purchase. Now why would I select a movie like that as my top pick? Easy -- because I like what it was attempting to do. Yes, it tried to do too much, but it brought some new elements to the table. I enjoyed the injection of real world consequences, the lawsuits, the property damage, the hero persecuted for doing what he does, and the hero lashing out against anyone within reach, all felt fresh. Of course, the latter part of the film, where they try to incorporate an elaborate back story is rushed and ill-advised, Hancock is definitely worth checking out.

24: Redemption. I watched this when it aired Sunday and thought it was pretty good, although the smile-inducing excitement I get from the series was not there. I suspect my enjoyment will not return until the season starts and I have a full slate of episodes to look forward to. Still, it was nice to see Jack Bauer back in action again after such a long time off.

A Colbert Christmas: The Greatest Gift of All. Colbert is a funny guy, although I am not sure I am interested in a disc of Christmas cheer. Still, I am sure it will offer some laughs, how often do you see him and not laugh? I am willing to give this a go, how about you?