Turn your brain off to enjoy thrills of 'Wanted'

"Wanted" (two-disc special edition) - This over-the-top, hyperviolent action flick delivers plenty of empty-calorie thrills that kept me entertained despite one of the goofiest stories I've seen in a long time. Loosely based on a graphic novel, "Wanted" follows wimpy everyman Wesley Gibson as he's recruited into a group of glamorous assassins known as the Fraternity. The assassins get their kill orders from a magical loom - I'm not kidding - and Wesley is called upon to kill the rogue ex-Fraternity member who supposedly killed Wesley's father. From there, Wesley - oh, forget it. The plot is just an excuse, after all, for Russian action director Timur Bekmambetov to stage wildly kinetic action scenes that feel like a mix of John Woo and the Wachowski brothers. These scenes are fun, and they compensate for the grim, boring stuff in between. The cast, which includes Morgan Freeman, Angelina Jolie and James McAvoy, brings just the right amount of camp to the show. The special features that fill the second disc of this set explore the making of the film, focusing primarily on the technical side of things. (R; Universal, $34.98)

"Saturday Night Live: The Complete Fourth Season" - When "SNL" first hit the airwaves in 1975, it helped bring television comedy out of the dark ages. The humor was wry, irreverent and satirical. The language sounded more like the way real people actually talk. Suddenly, TV was hip. It helped that the young cast that anchored the show's original five-year run proved to be a comedy Murderer's Row, boasting soon-to-be superstars like Chevy Chase, Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Gilda Radner and John Belushi.

This seven-disc set collects all episodes from the 1978-79 season in their entirety (including the music performances). By this time, "SNL" was a full-fledged pop phenomenon and the cast a well-oiled machine. (Murray, the replacement for the departed Chase, shows particular confidence in his second full year with the cast.) No, "SNL" was not perfect back then. Dud sketches abound, and the episode hosted by early-television icon Milton Berle is a train wreck. But 30 years later, it's still a pleasure to watch this cast when it hits home runs. Some highlights: Aykroyd's hilarious (and bloody) Julia Child imitation, Buck Henry's inappropriate but funny Uncle Roy character and the classic superhero dinner party in the episode hosted by Margot Kidder. This season also includes some great musical guests, including Devo and Talking Heads. Rock fans will love the chance to see those groups performing in their prime. As is the case with the previous "SNL" season sets, this one is light on bonus features, offering just a few vintage interview snippets with cast members. (NR: Universal, $69.98)

Also out this week - "The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian" (Disney); "Step Brothers" (Sony); "The X-Files: I Want to Believe" (Fox); "The Day the Earth Stood Still: Special Edition" (Fox)