The weekend’s here. You’ve just been paid, and it’s burning a hole in your pocket. What’s a pop culture geek to do? In hopes of steering you in the right direction to blow some of that hard-earned cash, it’s time for the Quick Stop Weekend Shopping Guide – your spotlight on the things you didn’t even know you wanted…

While sadly lacking in bonus materials this go round, the sixth season of Roseanne (Anchor Bay, Not Rated, DVD-$39.98 SRP) is certainly one of its most dense, with Becky’s return (now played by Sarah Chalke), Jackie’s pregnancy, Dan’s reignition of an old flame, the discovery of Roseanne & Dan’s stash, the lesbian kiss, a “White Trash Christmas,” and DJ’s surreptitious churchgoing.

While not entirely accurate (in fact, some of the “natural” action was staged), there’s no denying that networks like Discovery and Animal Planet owe a huge debt to the nature films produced by the Walt Disney Company under the banner True Life Adventures in the 1950’s. The series has been fully restored for the 4-volume “Legacy Collection” editions of True Life – Wonders of the World, Lands of Exploration, Creatures of the Wild, and Nature’s Mysteries (Walt Disney, Not Rated, DVD-$32.99 SRP each). Each 2-disc set features an introduction from Roy Disney (who worked on the series as one of his first assignments at his uncle’s studio), as well as additional featurettes, tributes, and trailers.

Nudity. Prostitution. Adultery. Would you believe that all of this – and more – could be found in Hollywood films of the early 1930’s? Our modern view of early Tinsletown cinema as staid and buttoned-up is the result of the film industry’s adoption of a self-imposed Production Code, which was enacted out of fear that the government would soon begin dictating what was “decent” – a move that crippled American cinema for decades, forcing it to present a largely whitewashed view of how real people lived and interacted. The Forbidden Hollywood Collection: Volume One (Warner Bros., Not Rated, DVD-$39.98 SRP) collects a trio of pre-code films – all beautifully restored – that present a fascinating portrait of how daring early cinema actually was. The three films featured in this inaugural set are Baby Face, Red Headed Woman, and Waterloo Bridge, and the 2-disc set also features an intro from TCM’s Robert Osbourne and the theatrical trailer for Baby Face.

While my assertion that it’s not the holiday season without a pair of very nice Bernardo Bertolucci special editions may seem a bit of a stretch, it is a nice surprise to get feature-laden editions of Bertolucci’s The Conformist (Paramount, Not Rated, DVD-$14.99 SRP) and 1900 (Paramount, Not Rated, DVD-$19.99 SRP). While The Conformist features a trio of brand-new behind-the-scenes and retrospective featurettes, it’s the 2-disc edition of 1900 – featuring the full 5 hour original cut – that really shines, with documentaries covering the story and cast, as well as the creation of the film.

For someone who regained so much of his seemingly long-lost mojo with Match Point – which paired him with new muse Scarlett Johansson – Woody Allen seems to have lost most of his gains with the rather turgid murder mystery Scoop (Universal, Rated PG-13, DVD-$29.98 SRP). Johannson stars as a college journalist who winds up following clues relating to a spate of murders – all of which lead her to a romantic entanglement with a dashing young gentleman (Hugh Jackman) that may pose a hazard to her health.

There’s something so 70’s-era greasy and grimy about the Me Decade remake of A Star Is Born (Warner Bros., Rated R, DVD-$19.98 SRP), starring Barbra Streisand as the titular rock n’ roll star and Kris Kristofferson as the Grizzly Adams-esque object of her affections. This newly remastered special edition features an audio commentary from Streisand, additional scenes, wardrobe tests, and a trailer gallery.

Anyone going in to Michael Mann’s big screen take on his own 80’s icon Miami Vice (Universal, Not Rated, DVD-$29.98 SRP) expecting the sun-drenched pastels and larger-than-life villainy of yore will be in for quite a shock, as he’s reimagined it as a grim, gritty, overly-realistic slice of urban drama, and Colin Farrell and Jamie Foxx as Crockett & Tubbs are nowhere near their almost-playful 80’s counterparts. If you go into it with no expectations or comparisons, you’ll probably enjoy it for what it is. The unrated director’s cut features additional footage, plus an audio commentary with Mann and behind-the-scenes featurettes.

An incredibly memorable online success story, Happy Tree Friends eventually found a home on G4. You can now snag the 9 episodes that comprise the complete first season of the twisted little cartoon (BCI, Not Rated, DVD-$19.98 SRP), plus audio commentaries, a behind-the-scenes featurette, storyboards, and more.

While some titles have been available separately, it’s wonderful that you can now get 7 great flicks from a great director via Preston Sturges: The Filmmaker Collection (Universal, Not Rated, DVD-$59.98 SRP). Those films include The Great McGinty, Christmas In July, The Lady Eye, The Palm Beach Story, The Great Moment, Hail The Conquering Hero, and my personal favorite, Sullivan’s Travels.

You know, I dug Super Troopers. I even found a good deal of humor in Club Dread. But Broken Lizard’s latest, Beerfest (Warner Bros., Not Rated, DVD-$28.98 SRP), left me cold. The concept – about a group of Americans banding together to compete in Germany’s secret underground “Beerfest” competition (and for two of the team members to avenge their grandfather and reclaim their brewing heritage) – does have plenty of comic potential, but in execution it’s just… too much. The unrated version, in particular, is a bloated mess. Come on, guys – I know you’re capable of better (and smarter). Bonus materials include audio commentaries, delete scenes, and behind-the-scenes featurettes.

With everyone else getting their moment in the spotlight, it was only a matter of time before we got an Elizabeth Taylor & Richard Burton: The Film Collection set (Warner Bros., Not Rated, DVD-$49.98 SRP), sporting a quartet of the flicks the tumultuous couple made for Warners. The four fully remastered films in question are Who’s Afraid Of Virginia Woolf?, The Comedians, The V.I.P.s, and The Sandpiper. While all the flicks get vintage featurettes, the real bonus feature bonanza is on the 2-disc Woolf, which contains commentaries, brand new featurettes, interviews, screen tests, and more.

Just when the series began to flag – and Jack Bauer’s adventures in antiterrorism seemed to be sinking into cliché – along came season 5 of 24 (Fox, Not Rated, DVD-$59.98 SRP), which finds a resurrected Bauer (after faking his own death at the end of season 4) trying to figure out who is systematically eliminating the tiny group of people who know he’s still alive. Is it the Russians? Is it an American? Is it even more impressive a reveal? The bottom line is the show felt fresh and energized, and actually ended on a note that had me eager for season 6. The 7-disc set features audio commentaries on select episodes, deleted/extended scenes, behind-the-scenes featurettes, and a season 6 “prequel” featurette.

Though its appeal is completely lost on me, tweeny-boppers have embraced with a fierce, frightening passion The Disney Channel’s original movie High School Musical, so much so that it’s prompted the release of a brand new “Remix” special edition (Walt Disney, Not Rated, DVD-$29.99 SRP). The 2-disc set features a new complement of bonus materials, including behind-the-scenes featurettes, interviews, music videos, and more.

So there you have it… my humble suggestions for what to watch, listen to, play with, or waste money on this coming weekend. See ya next week…

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