Television

Mary Altaffer / AP file

After having seen “Best In Show,” it’s difficult for me now to watch a dog show without imagining Fred Willard cracking jokes as the analyst or Eugene Levy trotting his dog around the ring with two left feet. But I’ll try, because when the 132nd Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show kicks off this week at New York’s Madison Square Garden, the furry four-legged prima donnas are the real stars. There probably won’t be a lot of laughs, but definitely a ton of smiles as 169 breeds and varieties will be judged in seven different groups over a two-day period. And here’s a bonus: Four new breeds — the Plott, the Tibetan Mastiff, the Swedish Vallhund and the Beauceron — will be competing this year. I’d love to see Willard have fun with those names. (USA, Monday, 8 p.m. ET, then continuing on CNBC at 9 p.m.; USA , Tuesday, 8 p.m.)

Movies
Tickets to see U2 are usually in short supply, and they carry hefty price tags. And that’s on the rare occasion when the boys come to your little town. So a U2 concert film is a cause for celebration, right? Well, yes. However, this is in 3D. That’s why it’s called “U2 3D.” It will only be shown in the 3D format. Here’s hoping there’s an IMAX theater near you — which is where it originally opened last month — or that its wider release will hit other screens that have digital 3D capability. You’ll have to wear polarized 3D glasses, too. Don’t wait until the film is released on DVD, either, because it is not planned for home video. Hey, this is U2 were talking about. Did you think this was going to be easy? (National Geographic, in theaters now)

Music
It’s hard to believe that it’s been 25 years since Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” album created a sensation in the music business. Since then, a lot of plastic surgery and court battles have gone by. Maybe Michael can’t moonwalk like he used to, and the Ferris wheel at Neverland Ranch spins with no screaming kiddies on it. But the music endures. “Michael Jackson 25th Anniversary of Thriller” is out this week. It contains all of the mega favorites, including “Billie Jean,” “Beat It” and the title song. It also has seven bonus tracks, including a remix of a previously unreleased track from the original “Thriller” sessions called “For All Time” as well as remixes from Kanye West, Fergie and others. The CD fondly recalls happier days, when Michael raked in more from album profits than he spent in legal fees. (Sony)

DVD
Ben Affleck’s comeback from Bennifer oblivion did not take place before the camera but rather behind it. “Gone Baby Gone” marked Affleck’s directorial debut, and it was one of the best reviewed films of 2007. Based on a dark Dennis Lehane novel, it tells the story of a missing girl and the emotional toll the search for her takes on everyone involved. Affleck worked with an incredible cast topped by Oscar nominee Amy Ryan, and the cinematography by John Toll is stunning. “Gone Baby Gone” is out on DVD this week with a raft of extras that include commentary by Affleck, behind-the-scenes featurettes and an extended ending. No word on Affleck’s next directorial effort, but suffice to say that as long as it doesn’t star Jennifer Lopez, it should get another warm welcome by the public. (Miramax Home Video)

Books
The Donner Party wasn’t really a party, per se. There weren’t balloons or music, for instance. And while there was something to eat, it wasn’t really worth talking about afterward. In the late fall of 1846, a wagon train containing 81 men, women and children tried to traverse the Sierra Nevada Mountains, but a huge storm hit and the group was trapped for the winter with little food and not much shelter. While the topic has been explored many times before, Ethan Rarick used new scientific research and archeological evidence to examine just what exactly happened in his book, “Desperate Passage: The Donner Party’s Perilous Journey West.” As in life outside of the Sierras, there were heroes and cowards, and everything in between. Just a tip: If you’re tempted to re-create the journey after reading the book, bring a couple of extra Power Bars with you, just in case. (Oxford University Press)

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