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…)
Last year, Sideshow made quite the splash with their absolutely incredible 1/6-scale R2-D2, from accurate detailing and a ridiculous amount of accessories right down to its impressive lighting effects. The only downside, however, has been the tortuously long wait for his persnickety companion. But that wait is now over. And was it worth it? Yes. Yes. A thousand times YES. The 1/6-scale C-3PO ($229.99) is, if not perfect, pretty damn near to perfect. The sculpt and paint job are spot-on to his appearance in A New Hope, including the forehead dent from the Tusken Raider attack (the Sideshow exclusive version include a swappable bonus arm stump from that tussle’s aftermath). He’s fully articulated right down to his fingers, and even the hydraulics on his arms slide. Best of all, though, is the light feature for his eyes, which is activated via a touch sensor on the back of his head. So yes, this IS the droid you’re looking for.
Waffles. Who doesn’t love waffles. And Star Wars. Everybody loves waffles and Star Wars. So, how can you possibly resist a Star Wars Death Star Waffle Maker ($39.99), that allows you to cook up a delicious treat that looks exactly like the Empire’s ultimate weapon? That’s right. You can not hope to resist its awesome power. Don’t resist it. Give in to the dark side of the waffle.
It seems I’ve been waiting ages for it to get its turn, but the new high definition edition of Charlie Chaplin’s classic The Kid (Criterion, Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$39.95 SRP) is well worth the wait, as they’ve done a fabulous restoration job. The film truly has never looked better. Bonus features include an audio commentary, a video essay on Jackie Coogan, interviews, deleted scenes, newsreels, rare footage, and much more.
It was an odd, almost exquisite chore to sit through Danny Boyle & Aaron Sorkin’s meditation on the exhaustingly complicated Steve Jobs (Universal, Rated R, Blu-Ray-$34.98 SRP), as you can certainly appreciate what he was able to accomplish, but you also get a better sense of just what an awful human being he was, in many ways, which makes this less a celebration than a condemnation, albeit with great appreciation for his accomplishments. Bonus materials include audio commentaries and a featurette.
While Johnny Depp’s performance as notorious Boston gangster Whitey Bulger in Black Mass (Warner Bros., Rated R, Blu-Ray-$35.99 SRP) is pretty darn powerful, it’s difficult to get past the almost cartoonish make-up job that he’s been given, which gives the film an unintentional gonzo air. Which is a shame, really, because it’s an otherwise solid piece about Bulger’s manipulation of the FBI to rid himself of the Italian mob. Bonus materials include a clutch of featurettes, including one about the manhunt that led to fugitive Bulger’s eventual capture.
Take a trip down the mine and relive the harrowing true tale of the 33 Chilean miners trapped for 69 days far underground in The 33 (Warner Bros., Rated PG-13, Blu-Ray-$35.99 SRP), with a fine cast of largely unknowns led by Antonio Banderas. Bonus materials include a pair of featurettes and the theatrical trailer.
Olive films continues their fine tradition of releasing high definition titles from deep, deep catalogue with the Blu-Ray debut of the totally 80s Beat Street (Olive Films, Rated PG, Blu-Ray-$29.95 SRP), the romantic drama Moonlight And Valentino (Olive Films, Rated R, Blu-Ray-$29.95 SRP), and Nic Cage & Samuel L. Jackson in Amos & Andrew (Olive Films, Rated PG-13, Blu-Ray-$29.95 SRP).
That’s it. The vaults are empty. The barrels have been scraped. It’s the Poppocalypse. We now have The Brady Kids: The Complete Animated Series (Paramount, Not Rated, DVD-$29.98 SRP) on DVD. With its dancing pandas. The 3-disc set contains all 22 episodes.
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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