Monitor Picks

Fine feathered friends

The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill, a DVD documentary about a flock of exotic birds in San Francisco, follows articulate loner Mark Bittner as he befriends the creatures, names each of them, and studies them in their urban jungle. The social mores and individual personality quirks of the green birds will have couch-bound birdwatchers squawking with delight.

The final two months of 2005 have seen an avalanche of high-impact movies ("Brokeback Mountain," "Syriana," and "King Kong," to name a few). One that has been lost in the awards shuffle is Munich, Steven Spielberg's taut, timely drama about an Israel-sponsored hit team charged with assassinating the braintrust behind the 1972 Olympics massacre. It's a worthy heir to some of the stylish 1970s European political thrillers and one we hope is recognized come Oscar time.

Put your stamp, literally, on all those post-Christmas thank-you cards by creating personalized postage featuring you, your family, even your pet. Visit one of several sites (photostamps.com or zazzle.com, for example), upload a digital picture, and receive your authorized stamps in the mail (fees vary). You could be the next Elvis - or Ronald Reagan, or Mickey Mouse.

Invite some of today's funniest people into your living room each Wednesday (10 p.m. ET) with TV Land's Sit Down Comedy with David Steinberg. The Canadian comic chats and chuckles with the likes of Mike Myers, Larry David, and Martin Short. If you miss any episodes, catch them at tvland.com.

The première issue of Cookie, a new magazine for hip moms, is packed with helpful tips: From how to handle a play date with a mother you don't like, to which foods to buy organic. There are even Lucky magazine-style lists with the best winter boots for the kids and stylishly pricey diaper-bag-alternatives for their moms. The second issue hits newsstands Feb. 6.