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 FRED Weekend Shopping Guide – your spotlight on the things you didn’t even know you wanted…
(Please support FRED by using the links below to make any impulse purchases – it helps to keep us going…)
It’s a terribly bleak meditation on aging and not terribly suitable for kids who aren’t in the middle of an existential crisis, which may be an odd assessment to some considering I’m talking about Toy Story 3 (Walt Disney, Rated G, Blu-Ray-$45.99 SRP), but I stand by my statement. It really is bleak… almost Bergman-esque. Thankfully, the Blu-Ray set returns to the good ol’ days of Pixar special editions, and is positively loaded with bonus materials, including commentaries, featurettes, roundtables, production art, and much more. The Blu-Ray edition also comes with both a standard DVD and digital copy.
There’s something oh so juvenile but oh so fun about having Rear View Spy Glasses ($12.99). Sure, looking off to either mirrored side doesn’t give that much a of a glimpse of what’s behind you, but it’s enough for the 10-year-old part of your brain to go “Cool.”
The 25th anniversaries are coming fast and furious, as hot on the heels of Back To The Future comes The Goonies: 25th Anniversary Collector’s Edition (Warner Bros., Rated PG, Blu-Ray-$49.99 SRP). The movie looks mid-80’s beautiful in high definition, but I admit that the bonus features – carried over from the DVD edition (video commentary, deleted scenes, Cyndi Lauper video, and original making-of featurette) – are not as impressive as one would hope, as a new documentary would have been nice. However, the pack-ins included in the set are quite nice, including a miniature reproduction of the original 1985 souvenir magazine, a reprint of Empire‘s “Where Are They Now?” article, storyboard cards, and a board game (which, admittedly, I will never play).
A few years ago, mentalist/sorcerer supreme Derren Brown released a book that provided tantalizing glimpses into his life but largely served as a sort of overview to the methodology behind his magic. Now, however, he’s returned with a proper autobiography, Confessions Of A Conjuror (Channel 4, £18.99 SRP), which provides insight and wit about his greatest trick of all. While you’re at it, be sure to pick up the Unabridged Audiobook (Channel 4, £16.99 SRP), read by the author.
A few years back, when the Alien Anthology box set (Fox, Rated R, Blu-Ray-$139.99 SRP) arrived on standard DVD, it was a definitive, bonus-laden collection of a film series that only contains 2 good films. That assessment still stands for the set’s upgrade to high definition, though all 4 films look and sound significantly better, and the already copious amount of bonus materials has been augmented even further. For the price, it’s still a remarkably good deal for everything you’re getting.
It’s not nearly as enjoyable or as cohesive as Band Of Brothers, but there’s still plenty of fascinating history – and accompanying visuals – to be had in its follow-up mini-series, The Pacific (HBO, Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$99.98 SRP). The 6-disc set contains all 10 parts, plus a making-of featurette, a historical documentary, real life portraits of the Marines involved, and a Blu-Ray exclusive in-picture enhanced viewing option.
It’s a growing trend to create books packed with reproductions of ephemera, and you can add the Harry Potter film franchise to that list with the release of Harry Potter Film Wizardry (Collins Design, $39.99 SRP), which provides an overview of the tremendous amount of design work that went into the costuming, sets, props, and effects contained in the series, and includes reproductions of some of those props (like a Marauders Map, Yule Ball Ticket, and more). A perfect gift for the Potter fan on your list, alongside those Blu-Ray box sets.
I’ve made it this far in my life without ever having seen The Sound Of Music (Fox, Rated G, Blu-Ray-$34.99 SRP) all the way through. I’ve seen bits and pieces over the years, and know all of the necessary pop culture trivia about it, but never actually sat down to watch it. Well, now I have, and it’s certainly a musical of the period, both overlong and ornate, with about a quarter of the songs being truly worthwhile. What sets this apart, and benefits greatly in the restoration done for Blu-Ray, is the direction by the legendary Robert Wise, who makes the most of the Bavarian locations. Bonus materials include audio commentaries, documentaries, featurettes, screen tests, interviews, photo galleries, and more.
Just in time for the holidays – and hot on the heels of his stage comeback – you can pick up the complete 5-season run of Pee Wee’s Playhouse (Image, Not Rated, DVD-$39.98 SRP) in one handy set, complete with the Pee Wee’s Playhouse Christmas Special. Sadly, there’s no bonus material, but don’t let that stop you.
It’s a big ol’ festive mess of a film, but I have a special place in my heart for Santa Claus: The Movie (Lionsgate, Rated PG, Blu-Ray-$19.99 SRP), if only for its cast – including Dudley Moore, Burgess Meredith, John Lithgow, and The Big Lebowski himself, David Huddleston, as Santa Claus. It’s also got a sleigh-full of 80’s excess, but really – that’s what makes it such campy fun. Bonus materials include an audio commentary and a making-of featurette.
Join photographer Murray Fredericks as he travels into the remote, dangerous, formidable, and breathtakingly beautiful Lake Eyre, a massive salt lake in the north corner of South Australia. The documentary, Salt (PBS, Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$19.99 SRP), captures his annual solo pilgrimage, and his fight against the elements for art. The bonus feature is a directors interview.
It’s clearly Robert Rodriguez’s attempt to make the same impact on the Predator franchise that James Cameron made with Aliens, but Rodriguez’s Predators (Fox, Rated R, Blu-Ray-$39.99 SRP) has none of the flair or genuinely creepy bravado found in Cameron’s far superior sequel, but it does have plenty of Adrian Brody. Plenty. Bonus materials include an audio commentary, featurettes, and deleted/extended scenes.
My unwavering love for Star Wars has wavered quite a bit since George Lucas slapped us with the prequels, but occasionally something comes along that reignites that enthusiasm, if only for a brief time. One of those flares came when flipping through Millennium Falcon: A 3-D Owner’s Guide (Scholastic, $21.99 SRP), which provides a layered series of overlapping cutaways giving you a slice-by-slice view and explanation of the inner workings of that famous starship.
There may be only one Highlander, but they made the unfortunate decision to follow up the decent fantasy flick Highlander with the laughably bad Highlander 2 (Lionsgate, Rated R, Blu-Ray-$19.99 SRP each), which put a nice little dent in Sean Connery’s reputation, cementing the idea that it was the paycheck that mattered. Both films are now available in high definition, and make a half-good double feature. Bonus materials include audio commentary, featurettes, deleted scenes, and more.
A sci-fi schlock classic makes its DVD debut as The Green Slime (Warner Bros., Rated G, DVD-$24.95) arrives courtesy of the Warner Archive Collection. If you ever wanted to see a little bit of jelly take over a space station with a bunch of erratic tentacles, this is the film for you.
It’s not spaceflight or Everest, but using IMAX to shoot and present the works of Vincent van Gogh’s paintings is certainly a unique, and interesting, use of the format, as shown in Van Gogh: Brush With Genius (Image, Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$24.98 SRP). It’s still not quite the same as being in the presence of the works in question, but it’s certainly the next best thing.
When he’s not busy giving directions to a god of thunder, Kenneth Branagh has been starring as Inspector Kurt Wallander in the BBC’s latest mystery series Wallander (BBC, Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$39.98 SRP), set in Sweden. The 2-disc set contains 3 feature-length episodes, plus a pair of featurettes.
If you want to look at a dull, lifeless reimagining, look no further than the awkward tedium that is V: The Complete First Season (Warner Bros., Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$49.99 SRP), in which the tale of a conquering alien race coming to Earth in the guise of friendship is turned into 12 episodes of meandering pabulum. Bonus features include an audio commentary, featurettes, and deleted scenes.
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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