Off The Record

Korn - Issues
Five years and several million records later, Korn is ready to blast all non-believers to Kingdom Come with its fourth album, Issues. Steering away from the hip-hop dabbling that dotted 1998's Follow The Leader, Issues strikes a rebellious, gut-wrenching, and emotionally naked stance.  On the album opener Dead, David Silveria sings "All I want is to be happy" over the wail of bagpipes. Korn has managed to forge a career making public these kinds of personal, deep-seeded issues, and their fans wouldn't want it any other way.

At The Movies

Man On The Moon
Comedian Jim Carrey transforms into Andy Kaufman's bizarre personas, from Taxi's Latka to lounge lizard Tony Clifton, to inter-gender wrestling to Saturday Night Live shticks.  Cameos from Taxi stars Judd Hirsch, Christopher Lloyd and Carol Kane add to the fun, as do David Letterman, SNL's Lorne Michaels and other comedy hall of famers appearing as themselves, with the notable exception of Michael Richards (Seinfeld's Kramer), who is portrayed by Norm MacDonald. Go figure. An amazing film, even just to see the strength Jim Carrey has in literally transforming mentally and physically into Andy Kaufman.

On Video

American Pie
A ribald teen comedy about a quartet of high school buddies who vow to lose their virginity before graduation. Each goes after his individual goal in his own way: one becomes sensitive, another tries a joust with a racy Czech exchange student, the third decides that love is the answer, and the fourth starts rumors about his sexual prowess. Despite a fair dose of bathroom humor, the characters are likable enough that you come away enjoying the video more than you should.

The Buzz...

Burger King has announced the eight toys that will accompany its Batman Beyond Kids' Meal Promotion, which starts Jan. 3 and runs for five weeks. The toys include Action Wing Batman, Batarang Batman, Bat-Signal Spinner and Batmobile Blast-Off.

According to the VideoScan data tracking service, weekly sales of DVDs topped the one million unit mark for the first time ever. This milestone occurred during the one-week period ending Dec. 19.

In an example of life imitating fiction imitating life, the comic strip spin-off of Matt Groening's The Simpsons was pulled from the Chicacgo Sun-Times after a mere three-week run, due to reader complaints of tasteless and excessively violent content.

Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace will come to home video on Tuesday, April 4.

Both The X-Files and Buffy the Vampire Slayer were among those television series that TV Guide picked as the best of 1999. Topping the list was HBO's The Sopranos.

Shania Twain’s Come On Over is the biggest-selling album of 1999, despite the fact it was released in 1998. The 32-year-old Canadian superstar clinched the award just days after sales for the album topped the eight-time platinum mark.

Daria, MTV's perpetually sarcastic, teenage diva, will be the star of her own animated television movie next year. Is It Fall Yet? will follow the bizarre cast of characters from the Daria television series as they survive summer vacation.

Action star Jackie Chan and comic actor Chris Tucker will team-up once again for a sequel to their popular action/comedy Rush Hour. Chan was paid $5 million to appear in the original film and will probably bring home three times that amount to star in the new feature.

While the names don't mean much to anyone under 25, Sony Pictures Family Entertainment has optioned the rights to turn both H.R. Pufnstuf and Land of the Lost into feature films. Both are reportedly on the fast track to the big screen.

A new musical based on, and featuring songs made famous by Elvis Presley is being readied for a 2001 Broadway run.

Performing rights group BMI has named You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin' as the most-performed tune of the century. The song recently passed the 8 million mark in performances on U.S. radio and TV.

A lawsuit against Grammy winner Sarah McLachlan was dismissed on Friday, giving the singer-songwriter full credit for several songs that appeared on her debut album.

The Ty company has updated it's message on its official website, saying that as of December 31st, all production of Beanie Babies will stop, and its warehouses will be cleared of inventory.