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…

Who’d have thought that, 3 flicks in, the Bourne franchise would be still be going strong – and, in some ways, even improving? The Bourne Ultimatum (Universal, Rated PG-13, DVD-$29.98 SRP) finds Jason Bourne (Matt Damon) in pursuit of the agents that stole his memory and true identity. The action is equal parts explosive and cerebral, and all the better for it. Bonus materials include an audio commentary with director Paul Greengrass, deleted scenes, and behind-the-scenes featurettes.

Strike another one from the list, as the farcical escapades of the Dr. Crane and his family come to an end with the release of the 10th season of Frasier (Paramount, Not Rated, DVD-$38.99 SRP). Due to an odd release of the 11th and final season early on, this penultimate set is the last to hit shelves. The 4-disc set contains all 24 episodes.

Space nerd that I am, I was geekily fascinated by The Lunar Exploration Scrapbook: A Pictorial History of Lunar Vehicles (Apogee Books, $36.95 SRP). As the title so directly relates, it’s a compendium of photos, diagrams, blueprints, and designs for the numerous vehicles that have landed on or traversed the landscape of our moon.

Well gawwwwwlly, it’s time for another season of Jim Nabors as Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. (Paramount, Not Rated, DVD-$38.99 SRP). The 5-disc set features all 30 third season episodes, but its lack of episode makes me longing for a commentary track from Nabors.

Years after the end of his much-missed Comedy Central series Insomniac, Dave Attell returns with a new HBO comedy special, Captain Miserable (HBO, Not Rated, DVD-$19.98 SRP). In his first special for the pay channel, Attell is the same loveable slob we remember and love, only this time he’s live on stage in Washington, DC. Bonus features include additional footage and a trio of featurettes.

The High School Musical phenomenon has completely passed me by. From what little I know, it’s some kind of crazy cult that’s been systematically brainwashing the youth of America. It’s only natural, then, that there’s a High School Musical 2 (Walt Disney, Not Rated, DVD-$29.99 SRP) – which is needed to keep the brainwashing from lapsing. Bonus features include a rehearsal cam, music videos, karaoke, a sing-along feature, and an exclusive music scene.

For many fans, the third season of Lost (Buena Vista, Not Rated, DVD-$59.99 SRP) is became the bridge too far. The first half of the season is generally considered to be a mess, and proof that the producers really didn’t know where they were going. To give them credit, though, they managed to mostly recover the ball in time for the mind-bending season finale. The 7-disc box set features all 23 episodes, plus audio commentaries, deleted scenes, behind-the-scenes featurettes, and more.

After the revelation of their polygamist ways at the end of the first season, the second season of Big Love (HBO, Not Rated, DVD-$59.99 SRP) finds the extended Henrickson clan trying to weather the ensuing storm, as patriarch Bill (Bill Paxton) must deal with the evil scheming of father-in-law Roman Grant (Harry Dean Stanton), and third wife Margene’s pregnancy and attempts to bring a new wife into the family. The 4-disc set features all 12 episodes, plus a trio of prequels set before the beginning of the first season.

By the third season of Beverly Hills 90210 (Paramount, Not Rated, DVD-$54.99 SRP), the show was fully aware that it was in control of the pop culture zeitgeist, and decided to ramp up the melodrama and glamour factors accordingly. Oh, and more sideburns. The 8-disc set features all 29 episodes, plus a trio of featurettes.

It’s not a Wii, but if you want to get an easy-to-play Harry Potter game for the younger set, your best bet is the Harry Potter Interactive DVD Game: Hogwarts Challenge (Warner Bros., Not Rated, DVD-$24.98 SRP). The DVD-based game – playable by just about everyone with a DVD player – sports 14 different games for up to 4 players, all of which require nothing more than your DVD remote.

Courtney Cox’s first post-Friends TV role finds her starring as Lucy Spiller, the editor-in-chief of Hollywood’s most influential gossip mag in Dirt (Buena Vista, Not Rated, DVD-$59.99 SRP). The 4-disc complete first season features all 13 episodes, plus deleted scenes, a trio of behind-the-scenes featurettes, outtakes, 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…

-Ken Plume

##

Comments: 1 Comment