DVD

'Taken' with Neeson Liam Neeson probably didn't need any help to prop up today's home-video release of "Taken," which turned out to be a surprise hit. But the recent death of his wife, actress Natasha Richardson, after a skiing accident will bring more attention to his latest project, as such tragedies tend to do. The soft-spoken Neeson plays against type as a steel-jawed ex-spy who goes into kick-butt mode after his daughter is abducted. Neeson's cool portrayal turns potentially mundane fare into an entertaining treat. For the DVD (Fox, $30), "Taken" is presented in an extended version that restores some brutality deleted for the theatrical cut. The two-disc and Blu-ray releases ($35-$40) include commentary by the French filmmakers, subtitled in English, and a separate audio track by the writer. There are also several making-of featurettes.

RANDY A. SALAS

Also out today: "Fargo" (Blu-ray), "S Darko," "Seth MacFarlane's Cavalcade of Cartoon Comedy," "Taking Chance," "Two and a Half Men" (Season 5), "Underworld: Rise of the Lycans," "We Shall Remain," "Wiseblood."

WEB

Making fun of Twitter I don't have the stamina to keep up with Twitter, but I try -- occasionally. Like many online services, you get out of Twitter what you put into it. And if you post nothing but mindless blather about "what are you doing now?" you'll get the same in return. That point is driven home in College Humor's original video "Real Life Twitter" (www.collegehumor.com/video:1909386). It shows host Dan Gurewitch strolling the streets of New York City, shouting out actual tweets from the online service, which limits users to messages of 140 characters. "I think I fall in love with 10 strangers a day. Sigh," he says while standing in a crowd. And from a busy street corner: "Just watched 'The View' this morning. Not so bad!" The best bits involve tweets about the body odor and the hotness of passersby. It's hilarious, especially the reactions -- or lack thereof -- of the innocent bystanders.

RANDY A. SALAS

GAME

'Duke' is finally dead The most ridiculous saga in the history of video games has to be the development of "Duke Nukem Forever." The first-person shooter was first announced in 1997. As the years rolled by, and developer 3D Realms kept promising to release it "when it's done," the game became synonymous with "vaporware" -- software that was promised but never delivered. Our long national nightmare is over. 3D Realms has closed up shop, citing lack of funding. The website says "Goodbye" and "Thanks for being fans and all your support." Take-Two Interactive , which owns the publishing rights to "Duke Nukem Forever," could pick up the pieces. And Apogee Software, developer of the handheld "Duke Nukem Trilogy," said it won't be affected. In time, I hope, someone at 3D Realms will explain how such a high-profile project went so terribly wrong.

LOU KESTEN, ASSOCIATED PRESS

short circuits A brief look at new and noteworthy experiences among DVDs, video games, gadgets and the Web. DVD Bond goes Blu-ray Secret agent 007 is embarking on a high-def mission. On Oct. 21, the classic James Bond films "Dr. No," "Die Another Day," "Live and Let Die," "For Your Eyes Only," "From Russia With Love" and "Thunderball" will debut on Blu-ray. They join the recent "Casino Royale," one of the early hits in the high-def format. Today's best DVD bets: Anthony Mann's 1950 western "The Furies" (Criterion, $40), the anachronistic popcorn flick "10,000 B.C." (Warner, $27-$37) and the 1995 Macedonian antiwar film "Before the Rain" (Criterion, $40). Web Get Back in time Relive past pop culture with Get Back (www.getback.com). The new site compiles entertainment, news and trends from 1968 to 1990, including then-and-now updates on celebs such as Blondie singer Debbie Harry (1978) and recaps of stories such as the controversy over Madonna's "Like a Prayer" video. Dial up your favorite year on the built-in music player, and rock out to your favorite oldies while you play online versions of vintage video games such as "Space Invaders" and "Frogger." The site, still in beta testing, can be slow and clunky, but give it a whirl. Gaming Wii takes over It's not official yet, but Nintendo's Wii has surely replaced the Xbox 360 as the top video-game console in U.S. homes by now. At the end of May, 10.2 million Wii systems had been sold to date, only about 100,000 shy of the 360's total, according to the industry-tracking NPD Group. With the Wii outselling the 360 by about 500,000 units a month recently, according to NPD, Nintendo's console probably grabbed the top spot sometime last week. NPD will confirm the news when it releases June figures in mid-July. Randy A. Salas Satisfy your inner geek Get daily technology news and musings from Randy Salas at startribune.com/technobabble.