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…
Unfortunately, the big screen adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s illustrated fable Stardust (Paramount, Rated PG-13, DVD-$29.99 SRP) has been saddled with many a comparison to The Princess Bride. That’s probably because modern fantasy with wit and an adult touch are few and far between, and really haven’t been attempted since that mid-80’s gem. Stardust, though, is it’s own beast, and while it sometimes falters under the weight of trying too hard, it’s a mostly enjoyable romp through a fairytale land where a young man of mysterious lineage based half in the real world and half in the aforementioned enchanted land, named Tristan (Charlie Cox), travels to said land in order to bring back a fallen star… Who just so happens to have attained human form (Claire Danes) during her descent from the heavens, and is hunted not only by Tristan, but also the heirs to the kingdom’s throne and a witch (Michelle Pfeiffer) who seeks the heart of the star to renew the immortality of herself and her sisters. Bonus features include a making-of featurette, deleted scenes, and bloopers.
The second season of sleuthing magicians Jonathan Creek (BBC, Not Rated, DVD-$34.98 SRP) hits DVD with another half-dozen episodes starring Alan Davies as the mop-headed magico in question. Unfortunately, the 2-disc set is sans any bonus materials, but at least the show itself is cracking good fun.
The main attraction of the new 2-disc special edition of Braveheart (Paramount, Rated R, DVD-$19.99 SRP) is the digital remastering of the picture and sound. It is a noticeable, if not terribly extraordinary, upgrade. Bonus materials include an audio commentary with Mel Gibson, making-of featurettes, archival interviews, a photo montage, and a pair of theatrical trailers.
No holiday weekend is complete without the tipsy travails of Patsy & Edina from last year’s star-studded Christmas special revisiting our favorite ladies who lush, Absolutely Fabulous: White Box (BBC, Not Rated, DVD-$14.98 SRP). Bonus features include a retrospective special, a behind-the-scenes featurette, and the original French & Saunders sketch that started it all.
On December 2, 2006, Kevin Smith hosted a special conversation between Marvel Comics legend Stan Lee and the current (and controversial) Editor-In-Chief, Joe Quesada. That conversation has been released on DVD as Marvel Then & Now: A Night With Stan Lee & Joe Quesada, Hosted By Kevin Smith (Hero Initiative, $24.95) The DVD is available exclusively as a fundraiser for the Hero Initiative, and you should definitely check out the website while you’re ordering your copy.
Forget that horrid big screen version – it will be duly erased from your memory by the original TV adventures of Pete, Linc, and Julie – The Mod Squad (Paramount, Not Rated, DVD-$38.99 SRP). The first volume of season 1 contains 13 swingin’ episodes featuring our teenage trio, who go from the wrong side of the law to working as undercover detectives. Bonus materials include a trio of newly produced retrospective featurettes.
My emotions about The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles (Paramount, Not Rated, DVD-$129.99 SRP) are a mixed bag. As a cinematic tool to excite a young audience about the personalities and events that shaped the early 20th century, I think it’s a success. The time-hopping adventures are fun and certainly instructional. I don’t, however, really see them as the juvenile tales of the Indiana Jones that we come to know and love in Raiders and its sequels – Indy is clearly just a hook to bring the audience in. Also, I have to say, my biggest gripe is that – in large part – much of the thematic simplification and visual shortcuts that Lucas would later bastardize the Star Wars franchise with had their roots here. If you divorce the series from those two drawbacks, what you’re left with is still a nice show for kids, and a pleasant diversion for adults. The series has been split into three volumes, with the second 9-disc set focusing on the “War Years” (World War I), featuring in-depth companion documentaries packed with more historical figures and luminaries than you can shake a stick at.
The latest Modern Masters spotlight from the fine folks at Twomorrows turns its artist spotlight on Frank Cho (Twomorrows, $14.95 SRP) – he of the beautiful babes and the occasional monkey. Packed with the by-now expected oodles of doodles and artwork both rare and unpublished – plus an in-depth interview with the subject himself – you know it belongs on your shelf with the rest of the Modern Masters releases.
I admit, I was hoping for the same kind of brilliance they bring to Reno 911, but I still found Tom Lennon and Ben Garant’s Balls Of Fury (Universal, Rated PG-13, DVD-$29.98 SRP) to be a fun flick – but maybe that’s just because there’s no denying the comedic appeal of Christopher Walken as the ping pong overlord of an underground table tennis ring. Bonus features include featurettes, deleted scenes, and an alternate ending.
The one thing you don’t want to happen during a remake is to be constantly reminded how much better the original version was. Sadly, those were the exact thoughts running through my mind while watching Ben Stiller try and finagle his was out of an impending marriage while on vacation in Mexico with his fiancée in The Heartbreak Kid (Paramount, Rated R, DVD-$29.99 SRP). All I could think about was how much sharper and slyer Charles Grodin was in the same part over 30 years ago. Sad, really. Bonus features include an audio commentary by the Farrelly Brothers, deleted scenes, featurettes, and a gag reel.
The tunes aren’t nearly as memorable as those found in The Producers, but the cast album of Mel Brooks’s latest Broadway adaptation – Young Frankenstein (Decca, $18.98 SRP) – is certainly better than Spamelot‘s disappointing batch of songs. The real standout, though, is Andrea Martin’s showstopper as Frau Blucher, “He Vas My Boyfriend”.
I can’t stand Brett Ratner. In fact, the only people I can tolerate less are JJ Abrams and Brannon Braga. It’s just the level of pure, unadulterated smug that’s so off-putting. The only thing that saves the third film in the Rush Hour franchise (New Lines, Rated PG-13, DVD-$34.98 SRP) is the dynamic between its stars – Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker – as they cavort through Paris like a pair of street fighting Clouseau’s. The 2-disc platinum edition features an audio commentary, making-of featurettes, deleted scenes, an outtake reel, and the theatrical trailer.
Sega’s hyperspeed hedgehog with the voice of Urkel gets his third animated series released. Sonic Underground (Shout! Factory, Not Rated, DVD-$29.99 SRP) features the first 20 episodes, interviews, and a bonus CD with tunes from the show.
Nicolas Cage’s unlikely (and borderline somnambulant) action hero adventurer Benjamin Franklin Gates will be back on the big screen this holiday season, so it’s expected that the very first National Treasure (Walt Disney, Rated PG, DVD-$29.99 SRP) would make a reappearance on DVD as a 2-disc special edition, featuring deleted scenes, and alternate ending, an opening scene animatic, and behind-the-scenes featurettes.
Count ’em out and ride in the final 16 episodes of the sophomore season of Rawhide with the second volume of season 2 (Paramount, Not Rated, DVD-$38.99 SRP). This 4-disc set features 16 episodes of Clint Eastwood as cowhand Rowdy Yates.
In the annals of unnecessary movie, add the live action adaptation of Underdog (Walt Disney, Rated PG, DVD-$29.99 SRP) to the list. Reimagining Underdog as a real dog in a human world was mistake number one, but pairing that reimagination with a poor script and a fire sale clutch of Disney owned actors (Jim Belushi, Amy Adams, Patrick Warburton) is just sad. Bonus materials include deleted scenes, bloopers, a music video, a featurette, and an Underdog cartoon.
Add Rob Zombie’s Halloween (Genius, Not Rated, DVD-$29.95 SRP) to the long list of films that prompt the stupefied reaction of “Why in the hell did they remake this?” Zombie claims a deep love the Carpenter original, which makes his decision to execute this lackluster reimagining all the more cringe-worthy. The 2-disc special edition features an audio commentary, alternate ending, deleted scenes, behind-the-scenes featurettes, and the theatrical trailer.
If the cold sparks a desire for a rather intense piece of filmmaking to warm things up, give a spin to Eastern Promises (Universal, Rated R, DVD-$29.98 SRP) – starring Naomi Watts as a midwife who’s discovery of a crime family’s operations leads to a desperate and dangerous situation involving a “this can not end happily” relationship with a hardened member of the syndicate (Viggo Mortensen). Bonus features include a pair of behind-the0scenes featurettes with director David Cronenberg.
In a repeat of the .5 edition of the first Jackass flick, Jackass 2.5 (Paramount, Not Rated, DVD-$29.99 SRP) offers up an expanded cut of the sequel, featuring much more of the same. The disc also features a new making-of, a look at the Jackass game, bonus segments and stunts, and a photo gallery.
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
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