Movies
You could put Denzel Washington in an infomercial about foot powder and he would class it up enough to attract a huge audience. So how about putting him in a formulaic, feel-good, underdog story about a debate team from a small black college in Texas that takes on the powers-that-be in competition during the Depression? And what if you also hire Denzel to direct? “The Great Debaters” may remind you of one of those inspirational sports stories that has been done ad nauseum, but this story has enough of an emotional tug as well as fresh ideas and an earnest feel that it rises above the hackneyed category and wins the big game. You get the idea. (The Weinstein Co., opens Friday)

Music
At this time of year, the number of Christmas albums that are available is staggering. And unless you get a push from Oprah, it’s difficult for one to stand out. Everybody has their favorites, and usually they fall into the traditional category. Then there is a veritable deluge of bizarro Christmas titles that go wildly against the grain in order to get your attention. This year, may I suggest a compromise: “Christmas With the Smithereens.” It offers both Christmas nostalgia and a rocking imagination. Some of the merrier tunes include covers of the Ramones’ “Merry Christmas (I Don’t Want to Fight Tonight)” and Brian Wilson’s “Merry Christmas, Baby” and a wicked version of “Auld Lang Syne.” It will keep the kiddies and Grandpa smiling, assuming Grandpa likes to rock. (Koch Records)

DVD
For year, director David Cronenberg has turned out some of the strangest movies ever made. Clearly, they weren’t meant for everybody. Lately, though, he has crept closer to the mainstream while still maintaining his penchant for exploring the outer limits of the imagination. He did so to great acclaim with “A History of Violence,” and he followed that this year with “Eastern Promises.” The latter, on DVD this week, also stars Viggo Mortensen in a taut thriller about the Russian mob in London. The DVD has only a modest amount of features, and surely there will be a special edition around the corner. But it contains two solid featurettes, one a “making of” and another about the role of tattoos in Russian crime culture. The film itself is a keeper, whichever edition you obtain. (Universal Home Entertainment)

Books
It’s difficult to make sense of politics and government these days. What we need is an insider, someone who has been there, has been through the partisan wars and has waded through the red tape, and who is not yet confined to a mental institution as a result. Dana Milbank, a columnist for the Washington Post, is such an individual. He has written a new book called “Homo Politicus: The Strange and Scary Tribes That Run Our Government.” This is not a gossip tome, but rather an anthropological study about the absurd human interaction that determines our taxes, our wars, our laws and our public scandals. Milbank has made quite a few enemies in his time in D.C., but then again, if he was well-liked you probably would doubt his credentials to write a book like this. Just hope your name isn’t in it. (Doubleday)

Television

Nancy Ostertag / Getty Images

I went to the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., once, many years ago, and I felt honored just being allowed inside. Imagine what it must be like if you get a letter in the mail saying, “We’re honoring you. Be there.” This week marks a milestone with “The 30th Annual Kennedy Center Honors.” Pianist and conductor Leon Fleisher along with Steve Martin, Diana Ross, Martin Scorsese and Brian Wilson are this year’s honorees, and a lot of cool people will show up to offer up praise, such as Francis Ford Coppola, Art Garfunkel, Yo-Yo Ma, Earl Scruggs, Martin Short and Vanessa Williams, among others. I keep checking my mailbox each day to see if I received one of those honoree envelopes. In the meantime, I’ll watch this show. (CBS, Wednesday, 9 p.m.)

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