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…

(Please support Quick Stop by using the links below to make any impulse purchases – it helps to keep us going…)

Not as strong as their debut season but still better than most of the television landscape, Flight Of The Conchords: The Complete Second Season (HBO, Not Rated, DVD-$29.98 SRP) finds Kiwis Jemaine and Bret still searching for a paying gig in the wilds of New York. I wouldn’t want it any other way. Bonus features include a documentary, Dave’s Pawn Shop commercials, New Zealand consulate meetings, deleted scenes, and outtakes.

Get that 60’s psychedelic, groovy look on your very own wall with the Mathmos Space Projector ($79.99),which uses oil to project a moving image up to 1.5 meters big. Available in two different colors, it’s sure to be the hit of your next veg session.

From the “I’m delighted these have found their way to Blu-Ray” file come a pair of catalogue releases I’ve been anticipating seeing in high-def, one more so than the other. The one I’ve been champing at the bit for is John Carpenter’s cult classic Big Trouble In Little China (Fox, Rated PG-13, Blu-Ray-$29.99 SRP), which contains an audio commentary, deleted scenes, an extended ending, featurettes, trailers, TV spots, a music video, and a gallery. The other flick is My Cousin Vinny (Fox, Rated R, Blu-Ray-$34.98 SRP), which is still a damn funny film. Bonus features include an audio commentary, trailer, and TV spots.

While not as well known as the Warner screwball comedies of the era, Sony has brought together a pair of releases featuring eight of their own – the Icons Of Screwball Comedy: Volume One & The Icons Of Screwball Comedy: Volume Two (Sony, Not Rated, DVD-$24.96 SRP each). Volume One contains If You Could Only Cook, My Sister Eileen, Too Many Husbands, and She Wouldn’t Say Yes. Volume Two contains Theodora Goes Wild, A Night To Remember, Together Again, and The Doctor Takes A Wife. Both seta also contain a color Rhapsody cartoon and original theatrical trailers.

Just in time for the flick’s 10th anniversary comes a 2-disc special edition of The Tigger Movie (Walt Disney, Rated G, DVD-$29.99 SRP). Bonus materials include a pair of new animated shorts, sing-alongs, music videos, and more.

There’s something oppressively “awardsy” about The Soloist (Paramount, Rated PG-13, DVD-$29.98 SRP), which stars Robert Downey, Jr. as an LA reporter who discovers a brilliant street musician (Jamie Foxx) and tries to bring him to audiences. And get him off the street. And becomes his friend. You know… “Awardsy”. Bonus features include an audio commentary, deleted scenes, a featurette, and more. A Blu-Ray edition ($39.99 SRP) is also available, with identical bonus materials.

Well, I guess if you’re going to cast Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson as your lead, you’re going to have to amp up the action a bit beyond that featured in the original Escape To Witch Mountain, and that’s exactly what happens in Race To Witch Mountain (Walt Disney, Rated PG, Blu-Ray-$44.99 SRP), which casts Johnson as a Vegas cabdriver who finds himself on a bit of an adventure when a pair of aliens disguised as teenagers appear in his taxi. It’s a pretty fun ride that will give the kids something to be distracted by for 99 minutes. Bonus materials include deleted scenes, bloopers, and the Blu-Ray edition even includes a standard DVD as well.

As the franchise hits its 25th anniversary, the 7th season DVD release of the animated series gets split into not just one, but four volumes – Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, & Part 4 (Lionsgate, Not Rated, DVD-$14.98 SRP). Each disc contains not only a nice little bonus featurette, but also 3″ figures of all 4 Turtles, one per set. Cowabunga.

As far as catalogue releases hitting high-def this week, there’ Adam Sandler’s The Waterboy (Touchstone, Rated PG-13, Blu-Ray-$34.95 SRP) and Billy Bob Thornton’s Sling Blade (Miramax, Rated R, Blu-Ray-$34.95 SRP), both of which are the work of gifted auteurs. The Waterboy is featureless, but Sling Blade carries over all of the bonus materials from the DVD special edition, including an audio commentary and featurettes.

Try as I might – and golly knows, I have tried – I still can’t get into Tim And Eric Awesome Show Great Job! (Adult Swim, Not Rated, DVD-$19.98 SRP). I’m not a terribly big fan of comedy that’s bizarre and not terribly funny – give me both, and I’ll love you to death. This 3rd season disc is for those who dig it, and features 10 episodes plus featurettes, promos, deleted scenes, and a blooper reel.

Hey! Kids! Animal Planet has got a fun DVD for you! Called Hippos & Rhinos (Genius, Not Rated, DVD-$14.95 SRP)! Not only does it have hippos, it’s got rhinos, too! Whodathunkit?!?

Fans will probably feel a bit uncomfortable watching Dragonball: Evolution (Fox, Rated PG, DVD-$29.98 SRP), the big screen adaptation of their beloved Dragonball cartoon. This is a natural reaction to this tepid, rather cheap affair that, at the very least, has a nice schlock value. Bonus features include deleted scenes and featurettes. A Blu-Ray edition ($39.98 SRP) is also available, with identical bonus materials.

Shunted to home video even though it was supposed to be a newly sane & stable Lindsey Lohan’s return to the big screen, Labor Pains (First Look Studios, Rated PG-13, DVD-$28.98 SRP) probably should have asked for an epidural. Lohan stars as a dead-end employee who schemes to keep her job by faking a pregnancy. Hilarity ensues. A Blu-Ray edition ($29.98 SRP) is also available.

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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