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…)
I’ve spoken to a few of his contemporaries in the past, and all of them described the drive and determination related in Believe: The Eddie Izzard Story (Vivendi, Not Rated, DVD-$26.97 SRP), a documentary which uses the comedian’s build up to his most recent world tour to explore his life and comedy. It’s a brilliant, brilliant portrait of a brilliant comic mind. Bonus materials include additional footage and interviews.
Perfect for the dorm, office, or when you need some extra food and drink space during a party, the Deluxe Mini-Fridge ($99.99) from Thinkgeek is a nice, compact unit with a 20liter capacity (plenty of room for soda or snacks) that can act as either a fridge or a warmer. It’s also versatile, containing connections for either the home or car. Trick out your home office that way you’ve always dreamed… Because those trips to the kitchen are such a massive timewaster.
I think a combination of political burnout and Michael Moore burnout led to Moore’s Capitalism: A Love Story (Anchor Bay, Rated R, DVD-$29.98 SRP) being largely overlooked when it hit theaters last year – which is a shame, because it’s one of Moore’s most power documentaries, taking aim squarely at a system that has fractured in recent years due to runaway abuse. Give the doc a spin and see for yourself. Bonus materials include additional scenes. A Blu-Ray edition ($39.98 SRP) is available, with identical bonus features.
It’s a knife edge when a film decides to present a character whose situation is so bleak that the audience could be sucked down the same well of despair, but Precious (Lionsgate, Rated R, Blu-Ray-$39.99 SRP) manages to present its titular heroine with enough of a silver lining that I was right there with her, rooting for her escape from her awful life. Bonus materials include an audio commentary, featurettes, a deleted scene, and the audition tape for star Gabourey Sidibe.
I’ve seen dozens of them by now, but I’m such a sucker for documentaries about The Beatles, even if that documentary is about the crafting of Cirque du Soleil’s Beatles collaboration, Love, in All Together Now (Apple/Capitol, Not Rated, DVD-$19.98 SRP). Bonus materials include quite substantial featurettes.
Remember when you could make a filthy rich oil man a crime-solving TV hero? If you doubt such a show ever existed, look no further than Matt Houston (Paramount, Not Rated, DVD-$49.98 SRP), where the title character uses said wealth to solve murders with the aid of his sexy lawyer sidekick. The first season set contains all 23 episodes, plus the original promos.
Cast Bruce Boxleitner as an undercover spy who circumstances team up with a somewhat ditsy suburban Washington housewife, and you’ve got a show that still stands up as a pretty fun little romp – Scarecrow & Mrs. King (Warner Bros., Not Rated, DVD-$39.98 SRP). The first season set contains all 21 episodes, but not a single bonus feature. Come on, WB – give Bruce and Kate Jackson a call.
It was pretty much ignored in the theaters, but there’s a lot of fun to be had in the animated Planet 51 (Sony, Rated PG, Blu-Ray-$39.95 SRP), which sets traditional alien films on their ears by landing an Earth astronaut in the suburban environment of a distant world. Bonus materials include a pair of featurettes, extended scenes, a music video montage, and more.
Sibling rivalries, iron fists, and a cinematic dynasty are explored in the fascinating portrait The Brothers Warner (Warner Bros., Not Rated, DVD-$19.98 SRP), told by their family and the stars who had dealings with their megalithic moviemaking machine.
Fans of Greek! I know you’re out there, because Greek: Chapter 4 (ABC Studios, Not Rated, DVD-$39.99 SRP) is hitting DVD, and if the college-based show’s made it four seasons, then someone’s watching it. The 3-disc set contains all 12 episodes, plus audio commentaries, featurettes, a music video, and bloopers.
It’s been awhile since I’ve mentioned Warners’ wonderful on-demand DVD service, The Warner Archive Collection, but I’ll do so now with a pair of newly-available titles, first and foremost of which is a release of all 24 theatrical shorts comprising the Believe It Or Not series ($19.95), hosted by Robert L. Ripley. The second is a very young Johnny Depp, Jerry Lewis, and Faye Dunaway in Arizona Dream ($15.95).
Rediscover a lost piece of comedy history – and a groundbreaking female comedian – with The Ultimate Goldbergs (Shout Factory, Not Rated, DVD-$59.99), which collects all of the extant episodes of the 1950’s sitcom The Goldbergs, created by and starring Gertrude Berg. The 6-disc set contains all 71 episodes known to exist, plus 12 episodes of its radio predecessor, the pilot for Berg’s subsequent show, and an excerpt of a documentary about her.
Remember Wild Hogs? The middling, middle-aged empowerment road comedy with John Travolta & Tim Allen, amongst others? Well, Travolta’s back in what feels like the exact same film, Old Dogs (Walt Disney, Rated PG, Blu-Ray-$44.99 SRP), this time with Robin Williams in tow. Seth Green’s in it. That’s got to count for something, right? The set contains the standard DVD edition of the film, as well as an audio commentary, featurettes, deleted scenes, and bloopers.
A comedy about professional plagiarism and revenge gone decidedly offbeat, Gentlemen Broncos (Fox, Rated PG-13, Blu-Ray-$39.99 SRP) isn’t quite as clever or offbeat as it should be, and winds up feeling like the bastard child of Napoleon Dynamite & Rushmore. Bonus materials include a behind-the-scenes featurette, deleted scenes, outtakes, and more.
I think, by the time you get to the fourth season of Dog Whisperer (Screen Media, Not Rated, DVD-$29.98 SRP), you pretty much know what you’re getting from Cesar Milan’s canine-help show. So, suffice it to say, this more of the same, in a 5-disc box set containing 17 episodes (including the 100th), unaired segments, and bloopers.
It’s a classic veteran cop saddled with a young partner scenario in the UK’s Dalziel & Pascoe (BBC, Not Rated, DVD-$34.98 SRP), as the duo solve murders in a delightful chalk & cheese fashion. The 2-disc first season set contains 3 feature-length telemovies.
Miss Conan and want to make up old Late Night bits on your own? You can do just that by laughing along with the complete 7th season of Walker, Texas Ranger (Paramount, Not Rated, $49.99 SRP). It’s all the ludicrous Chuck Norris action you remember – heck, it’s 25 episodes worth!
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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Any time we can get fully remastered editions of the Studio Ghibli films, color me delighted – and that’s just we’ve got with new 2-disc special editions of 
Eliminate all of those excuses about it being far too difficult and time consuming to brew a proper mug of tea by picking up the 
Prior to starring in John Carpenter’s 
The market’s being flooded with any movie or special that ever bore the name, but what sets the 1966 BBC production of 
It’s a memorable book, but Maurice Sendak’s 
It’s a trippy, Teutonic mess of a children’s film (What can you expect from Wolfgang Petersen?), but thousands of viewings on 1980’s HBO endeared me to 
The Daleks get their due in a pair of classic Doctor Who releases, starting with the 4-disc 
Get your fill of good ol’ country lawyerin’ with the complete fourth season of Abe Simpson’s favorite show, 
If you’re a fan of The Sarah Silverman Program and have been endlessly wondering if they’d ever release all of the music featured in the show, you can now cease your endless wondering and simply pick up a copy of 
Calling 
The trailers for the movie have left me cold, but I’ve been an admirer of Chris Sanders’ artwork since Lilo & Stitch, so to see it pop up in the design for the titular beast in Dreamworks’ How To Train Your Dragon was welcome, and I’m always a fan of pouring through books like 
The film itself lags in spots, but Robin Wright proves again how powerful she can be on screen as the titular middle-aged housewife and mother in 
I’m sure car nuts enjoy TLC’s reality series focusing on the refurbishment of old cars, 
It’s dangerous and sensationalistic, but for the footage of the storms alone, I’m always going to be entranced by a show like 
After releasing them as full seasons, they’ve decided to start the whole split-season thing with 
The long drought of last year is but a distant memory as the new Cinematic Titanic releases roll out with great speed this new year, the latest being 
Moore Action Collectibles had a go at it a few years ago, but it wasn’t until Toynami took over the license that the Futurama action figure line really took off and became what fans always hoped for – mainly, filled with characters. If you’re completely oblivious to the existence of these figures, then thank Thinkgeek for collecting together a clutch of them and offering them as 
There’s an entire generation out there that never got to experience the golden years of a show called 
R. Lee Ermey returns with a brand new series – 
Where the Coen brothers fell down, a firing-on-all-cylinders Steven Soderberg delivers 
I think the title of his new DVD sums it up pretty well – 
Remember About Schmidt? Remember Jack Nicholson’s cross-country journey to reconnect with his daughter after his wife’s passing? Well, crank up the schmaltz factor and regress the script, and give the lead to Robert DeNiro and you’ve pretty much got 
It’s always interesting to find out about the people behind the names that have become nothing more than brands, and such is the case with the biopic 
I never thought I’d be interested in seeing the pressure and power struggles that went into making an issue of Vogue magazine, but like any good documentary, 
The film’s a mess but I love how the cover of the oddball 
Zombie Nazis. Does anything else really need to be said about the Nordic take on Evil Dead, 
Michael Palin turns in a memorable dramatic performance in the UK miniseries 
For those with very little patience, you can pick up and either re-watch or get caught up with the first half of 
Front and center, Edie Falco makes an indelible impression as the titular 
It’s not my cup of tea, but there’s no denying that 
Go back to the infancy of the Oscars with the 
Learn of the perils and impending issues of overfishing in the compelling documentary 
Those nifty score purveyors at La-La Land Records have delivered another trio of releases to keep soundtrack fans happy and penniless – Christopher Young’s score to 
Science! Can’t get enough of it. Also? Excited by it. The 4th season box set of 
I can only assume they’re a big hit north of the border, but I confess to being nonplussed by the titular comedy troupe helming the feature film 
I have nothing against the Coen Brothers’ remake, but it doesn’t hold a candle to the original Ealing version of 
Do you have a bunch of old albums lying around that no one’s bothered to release either on CD or digitally? I do. A ton of ’em. I’ve tried different digitizing solutions, but all have been rather awkward or delivered poor sound quality. With the 
There are some films that I can watch again and again – not by choice, but if I stumble upon them, I’m instantly drawn back in. 
It’s been attempted before, but it’s taken 
Also arriving in high-def is Akira Kurosawa’s take on King Lear, 
I do believe the packaging for the second half of the second season of 
Stephen Fry returns in the 3rd and final series of 
Exploring exactly how Adolf Hitler was able to survive over 40 assassination attempts, 
What’s the sign of a good documentary? It’s one that makes you interested in a subject you never fathomed that you would ever find interesting. Chris Rock accomplishes this feat with 
The final Bourne film arrives in high-definition as the latest of Universal’s new line of flipper single-disc Blu-Ray/DVD combos. I loathe flipper discs with a passion, so even though I understand the cost-cutting thought behind it, I can’t get behind the concept. Looking at the Blu-Ray side, 
Over here! The big wheel keeps on turning out more direct-to-video Scooby-Doo movies, the latest of which is 
Abby Cadabby and Elmo travel down the rabbit hole in the newest Sesame Street release, 
As some series wrap their release on DVD, there are still plenty of others waiting in the wings, which is why we’ve got the complete first season of 
I didn’t think I would, but I actually found the female-centric comedy 
With a cast that includes Gary Coleman, Ron Jeremy, Jason Mewes, and Scottie Pippen, it’s not without a small amount of embarrassment that one watches the sensationally titled documentary 
It’s not quite as consistent as Forgetting Sarah Marshall, but I certainly enjoyed 
Want to protect your oh-so-precious eyes from evil green lasers, all the while looking ridiculously stylish? Well, look no further than the 
Fans of the great Orson Welles will delight in this newly-restored edition of Omnibus, a television showcase featuring the arts, which in 1953 televised a production of 
Many have called the Coen Brothers’ 
History nerds (like me) will probably want to dive right in to 
After a massive wait, fans can finally wrap up the second season of 
Take a life-spanning love-affair and complicate it with a time-hopping lover who doesn’t know when he’ll disappear and when in his own timeline he’ll reappear, and you’ve got the unique relationship featured in 
Now that the full series has made its way to DVD, the single-disc themed releases are the focus, with 
Fox has bungled up the X-Men nicely, and Heroes has lost its way, but both can take a page from the series 
Featuring dozens of actors and musicians, 
He’s become a slab of a man, but you still get exactly what you expect from a Steven Seagal action flick in 
How about some catalogue titles coming to high-def this week? Fox and MGM back up the truck with a trio of modern classics – 
And since you’re always looking to upgrade those catalogue titles with spiffy new high-definition versions all shiny and bright, hitting Blu-Ray this week are the Richard Dawson classic 
One day, I’m sure a fascinating film about the life of landmark aviator Amelia Earhart will be made, Sadly, 
If you never got a chance to pick up the box sets a few years ago, your only chance to get their classic cartoons are though the single disc 
It’s one of the few recent successes in hour-long drama, and 
Just when the Sci-Fi Channel (I refuse to call it that other… thing) was getting too far up their own… yeah… they go and launch a new Stargate that manages to evoke the engaging fun of the original with 
I’ve been a fan of his going back to Action, but I’ve yet to find the same kind of pleasure in Jay Mohr’s formulaic sitcom 
Of course, you can never have too many adaptations of Jane Austen’s 
Cut down in its prime by a network that didn’t understand the greatness it was letting slip away (Hello, BBC!), 
I love musical instruments. I have absolutely no talent for learning or playing them, but I do love to own and tinker with them. The 
Time to wrap up the tenure of the 10th Doctor (played by David Tennant) with the release of the final two specials – 
The releases have been heavily delayed and the wait has been difficult, but the 6th season of 
If you were unable or unwilling to pony up the cash for the deluxe edition of The Godfather Trilogy on Blu-Ray, now’s your chance to pick and choose either 
Much like DC’s direct-to-video adaptations of their comic book story arcs, Marvel has leapt into that pool with an animated adaptation of 
Returning with her second HBO special and her A game direct from the nation’s capital, 
A staple of my late-80’s Nick At Nite viewing, I’m delighted that the goofily fun 
I think we’ve just about completed Terry Gilliam’s catalogue transition to high definition with the release of 
Granted, the contestants are long gone, but if I’m roaming the cable channels and happen across the Game Show Network, I’m often sucked into watching games shows that were recorded up to a half-century ago. If you’re like me, then you’ll probably want to pick up 
The transition to the big screen isn’t wholly successful, but there’s still much to love in the high-definition debut of Meredith Wilson’s 
It’s a big, messy, ensemble love letter to the city that never sleeps, and like any patchwork film made up of numerous director’s vignettes, there’s some good and some bad to be found in 
Warners continues its budget-conscious TCM Greatest Classic Films Collections with a trio of new additions to the roster – 
Of his recent flicks, Clint Eastwood’s 
I don’t really get the appeal of the Air Bud series, but there’s certainly enough of a demand that Disney is releasing a special edition of 
Yeah, the writing is on the wall in the penultimate 9th season of 
Making a political satire with real bite that manages to retain its humor is quite a difficult task, but it’s accomplished with some real flair by 
My love for magnets, to anyone who’s been reading these shopping guides for any length of time, should be well known. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that my delight extends to the 
You want to see porn for history nerds? Look no further than 
It has nothing whatsoever to do with history except for some forced attempts at context, but The History Channel has fast become filled with reality series such as 
It’s not as fresh as the debut season, but I was certainly still a fan of the 2nd, penultimate season of 
Adapting the Broadway musical for TV animation, 
It’s not as mind-blowing as it is in its original IMAX presentation, but there’s still plenty of wonder to be had in the documentary 
Yes, we were probably overdue for a roller derby flick – and who’d have thought that it would come from director Drew Barrymore and be called 
The release of 
It seems a few months too late, but a trio of documentaries on the Kennedy Assassination are hitting DVD from The History Channel – 
If you’re not willing to take the leap directly into their feature films (via the wonderful comprehensive box set released by Universal last year) or their TV show (which is getting a complete re-release in early 2010), get a quite good overview of Bud & Lou’s comedy with 
I think it’s a pretty clear sign that a barrel is being scraped when we get the 
It’s not up to the level of NYPD Blue & The Shield before it, but there is some merit in diving into 
When you have a title like 
Sure to get attention for its Twilight connection, 
The team at 
Let’s wrap thing up on the mountain as we bid farewell to America’s… ummm… family with 
As the Academy Awards approach like a freight train, studios are making sure to get some of their Oscar-bait catalogue titles released in high-def – which is why we get brand-new Blu-Ray editions of Keira Knightley in both 
A little bit Strange Days, a little bit Matrix, a little bit 13th Floor, and a little bit Avatar, the sad thing about 
The sketches are hit and miss, but it’s certainly worth giving a spin to 
Turn 8-Mile into a story about a breakdancing young girl, and you’ve got 
I loathe the touch-feely soft-focus, marshmallowness of Touched By An Angel, but there’s not denying its struck a chord with many a middle-aged something or another, who are sure to want the newly-released pair of Touched By An Angel Inspiration Collections, 
It’s a quickie, holiday themed release (Valentine’s Day, in case you’re wondering), but I’m sure fans will snap up 
Overlooked at the box office, I will declare here and now that Ricky Gervais’s 
You may not know this about me, but you certainly will now. “What is it? What is this secret?” you ask, breathlessly. C’mere, and I’ll tell you…. Closer… Closer… Okay. I like playing with magnets. I think they’re cool. I’ve thought magnets were cool ever since I was a kid. I also like money. Sadly, US coinage is non-magnetic, so I was never able to combine my two loves, Reese’s style. Until now. The 
I never thought I’d see the day when 
Michael Adams took a bullet for us all when he decided to sit down for a year and watch some of the worst movies ever made, and provide not only a chronicle of that feat, but also analyses and perhaps even an appreciation for crappy filmmaking. Of course, perhaps he didn’t take the bullet too soon, as I’ve seen many of the flicks in 
For anyone that came out of the tepid Funny People hoping that they had instead been able to see more of Aziz Ansari, your prayers have been answered with the DVD arrival of his debut stand-up special – 
It’s mindless action, yes, but it’s a shame to see Gerard Butler and Michael C. Hall slumming it in the B-movie actioner 
Glaringly absent from the high definition catalogue up until now, you can put a check mark beside a pair of much-requested Paul Thomas Anderson flicks – 
Shot as he was covering his final murder trial for Vanity Fair – that of Phil Spector – 
The first two Bourne films arrive in high-definition as the inaugural entries in Universal’s new line of flipper single-disc Blu-Ray/DVD combos. I loathe flipper discs with a passion, so even though I understand the cost-cutting thought behind it, I can’t get behind the concept. Looking at the Blu-Ray side, 
If fans of English costume drama were to do a dream casting session, they probably would arrive at the cast that was assembled for Cranford – Judi Dench, Michael Gambon, Eileen Atkins, and Imelda Staunton. Cranford revolves around the ruling ladies of the titular town in 1842, for whom etiquette and custom reign supreme but are a thin veneer over secrets and change. Think a corseted Desperate Housewives. Your best bet is to pick 
It was like a poor man’s Guy Ritchie (which is odd, since he’s already filled that role himself in recent years), but there was a sliver of fun to have from 
Instead of abandoning release of the shows in mid-stream due to sales issue for niche fan-favorites, Shout! Factory has taken the welcome step of making new season sets of the shows in question available directly from their website. This makes the economy feasible and fans happy – especially since the discs are identical in quality to their store-bought predecessors. The first sets to get the direct-purchase treatment are 
And in this weeks soundtrack round-up, we’ve got John Murphy’s score to 
The disc-on-demand Warner Archive continues to live up to its name and promise by releasing a little-seen TV movie, adapted by Richard Matheson from his short story – 
Nancy Botwin is full ensconced with her business south of the border in the 5th season of 
A co-ed crew exploring the solar system gets up to sudsy scientific exploration in the first season of 
The 12th season of 
It dips into melodrama occasionally, but for the most part 
Using none of the original voices and sub-par animation, there’s nothing much about 
It’s not something I would have made a night out for, but watching 
There was a constant fear it might stumble in its first season, and there’s always fear of a sophomore season fail, but 
Ignore all of the pale-wannabes and unfortunate attempts to adapt it for other markets, and stick with the original UK edition of Top Gear, hosted by the madman trinity of Jeremy Clarkson, James May, and Richard Hammond. If you don’t like cars, don’t worry – I could care less about cars, but love this show something fierce, and it all comes down to the energy, likeability, and humor of the presenters. Don’t believe me? Check out the newly-released 
Tongs? Who wants use tongs when you’re cooking hot food! Heck, if you use tongs, you probably use oven mitts, too! Well, join the future and start on your journey to become more machine than man by getting a pair of 
Jumping ahead of about 7 unreleased seasons, Springfield’s first family celebrates two decades on the air with the release of 
I don’t know how much work he actually did on it besides lending it his name (or if he’s even read it), but 
If you’re not yet aware of the work being done by the fine folks at La-La Land Records, let this be your wake-up call. They’ve been quietly releasing a whole slew of limited edition, much-requested soundtracks to classic flicks, and the latest to get their treatment is 
I’m always game when someone shakes up the chat show format with a unique take – made all the better when it’s hosted by someone that you actually want to spend time with. Such is the case with Elvis Costello’s 
Combine an anniversary of an evergreen title with rather unfortunate recent events, and you get a 10th anniversary special edition of the Shakespeare in high school 
In the late 80’s when it made its debut, 
It’s often overlooked as the odd period between Cheers and his recent renaissance on Damages and Bored To Death, but 
From the editors of McSweeney’s comes 
You can feel the creak beginning to set in as we enter the 12th season of 
Bring the classic run of the series to a close before the lackluster post-movie, set-in-the-future episodes with the release of 
Don’t let the often cornball series keep you from seeing the original feature 
They’ve become cable classics over the years, despite their last-gasp, 80’s style over-the-top action cheese, but my do 
Lionsgate is releasing handful of their music & musician-centric feature films in a series their calling “Music Makers”, all of which come packed with a sampler CD featuring a track each from the musicians highlighted in the films (with an additional cut from Bobby Darin). The films in question are the Darin biopic 
Maybe it’s in films like 
I never really cottoned to the BBC’s recent slick & shiny take on 
It’s been a long, long, LONG wait, but the fine folks at Cinematic Titanic make a strong return with their road-tested riff of the awkward merging of both Kung-Fu AND Blaxsploitation, all wrapped in a model of poor filmmaking and worse acting… I give you 
I’ve never owned a good cooking knife in my life. Usually, I’ll hack meat and vegetables with a steak knife, ’cause that’s all I’ve got. Every time I’ve tried to buy a better knife, I’ve always chosen poorly, and wound up with a quick-dulling instrument that just sends me right back to my trusty serrated hacksaws. Well, now I’ve seen the light – and it’s not metal. No, it’s 
It’s not a kiddie movie, but I certainly saw it as a kid, and I still love the anarchic blackness that permeates one of the most offbeat holiday flicks to ever hit screens, 
No one rants with quite the same vigor – and accessibility – as Charlie Brooker. Like a cross between Mark Twain and a riled wasps nest, Brooker’s regular column in the Guardian is an ongoing social commentary that inspires equal parts knowing laughter and sympathetic bile. Don’t believe me? Pick up the latest collection – 
How sweet is it that we’re actually a dozen volumes in to the The Complete Peanuts? What seemed like it would take forever to accomplish – the presentation of the entire run of Charles Schulz’s classic strip – now seems to be flying by, as we can all dive into 
If their continued collections of Peanuts weren’t enough to earn Fantagraphics the love and adoration of comics fans the world over, then their beautiful collections of the EC Segar strips starring his cantankerous, shambling sailor should secure that place within their hearts. The 4th collection – 
It’s refreshing to upend the traditional romantic comedy formula and look at how unpredictable love can actually be with 
While Office Space has become an instant classic and even the marginalized Idiocracy has become a cult flick, Mike Judges latest, 
What do you do when you’re a network with a surprise hit on your hands? You don’t wait around for your debut season to wrap before you rush out a DVD collection featuring the first half of said season – and that’s what we’ve got with 
Catch up on your TV viewing over the holiday break with both the 3rd and final season of the sci-fi show 
It came and went from theaters with only the slightest of notice – a disappointment, considering it was the theatrical follow-up to Juno from screenwriter Diablo Cody. Which is a shame, as 
Check another series off your running list, as we’ve come to the release of the 7th and final season of 
Oh, what I wouldn’t do to put a bullet through the sadly long-lived American Pie franchise, which has now moved into 
What was just about the last season of the show turned out to be just another one after it was picked up, so now you can rest easy as you partake of 
It’s the second volume of 
The regular episodes are often painful scattershot, but the focus of their Star Wars episodes seems to bring out the best in Seth MacFarlane & company, as you can see for yourself with 
Go all the way back to the days of Wendy, Marvin, & Wonder Dog with the first volume from the premiere season of the original 
I remember when 
I’d like to say that Mel Brooks’ 
Christmas is dead and buried, so that means we start getting releases like a special edition of 
It’s all hit the fan in the third season of 
Wrap up the season that brought in Rob Estes, Alyssa Milano, and Lisa Rinna (and showed the door to Grant Show, Marcia Cross, & Laura Leighton) with 
It’s not good cinema, but the flicks contained in 
It never fails to bring a warm feeling when one of those Sunday afternoon flicks that used to permeate my youth gets all cleaned and gussied up and finds its way into high-definition. Certainly those warm feelings come from 
It doesn’t happen often enough, but 
David Tennant’s era as The Doctor has just come to a close, but there’s still plenty of classic Doctor adventures still in the pipeline. The newest releases to keep you warm (if the scarf isn’t enough) is the William Hartnell era 
It’s not for your younger kiddies, but there’s enough inventiveness and beauty of execution to make 
With the resurgence of 3-D, particularly in horror films, it was only a matter of time before the Final Destination franchise decided to go all cine-poky with 
You can feel the end coming on as the 9th season of 
It’s goofy, it’s gory, its history is a mess, the acting is hammy, but I’ve got to admit – Quentin Tarantino’s 
Picking up where Albert Finney left off in The Gathering Storm, Brendan Gleason steps into the role of Winston Churchill in 
It’s a shame that 
You might not know this, but Jerry Lewis hosted an NBC variety show from 1967-69, featuring a bevy of guest stars. Now you can view 13 of the episodes from that run via the 2-disc 
Rights issues have kept it in limbo seemingly forever, but all of that’s been ironed out enough to allow for the DVD release of 
Melding environmentalism with action and intrigue, 
Credit must go to writer/director Bobcat Goldthwait for delivering a Robin Williams vehicle that’s actually worth watching (they’re few and far between) in 
Formed after the death of Stevie Ray Vaughan and consisting of original members Doyle Bramhall II, Charlie Sexton, and Chris Layton, the Arcangels recently reunited to record the album 
Take the sensibilities of Talladega Nights and transplant it to the dysfunctional misadventures of competitive car dealerships and you’ve got 
Due to the BBC’s insane tape policy, only 5 episodes of their Sherlock Holmes series survive, but all 5 are now available via 
I have not, nor have I ever been a fan of magician Criss Angel and his goth/emo David Blaine ways. Still, there are fans out there, and for them there’s the 
Ang Lee’s directorial choices usually are more interesting than the films that result from them, and such is the case with his comedy inspired by the events surrounding the staging of 1969’s seminal festival in 
Ironic that Disney’s 
My mind is still reeling from the sonic assualt that is the soundtrack to 
I don’t know about you, but when I think Jerry Bruckheimer, I think of an elite team of hyper-intelligent, trained guinea pigs who go on secret missions to save the world. 
The third season of 
I’ve banged on about for years, and I’m going to keep going virtual door to virtual door until the word gets out about QI. If you’ve never heard of the UK quiz program QI, you’re missing out on one of the funniest “educational” shows ever devised (the devisee being creator/producer John Lloyd, formerly of Blackadder, Not The Nine O’Clock News, and Spitting Image). The key to QI (which stands for “Quite Interesting”) is the central tenet of its philosophy – it’s not always being correct that counts, but being interesting (and funny). The interesting nature of a given piece of information spurs conversation and debate, eventually leading round to the learning of said informational nugget. Did you know that the Earth has more than one moon, for example? Or that otters kill crocodiles? Soon to make its debut on BBC1 (with its 5th season), it’s hosted by Stephen Fry and features a rotating panel of four comedians (one of which is mainstay Alan Davies) – and it’s one of the most hilarious shows I’ve ever seen… Honestly, you’ll laugh as much as you learn, and I still hold out hope a network in the US is smart enough to pick the show up uncut, as BBC America have been nothing but boobs about it (Hello, Comedy Central! Hello, Discovery Channel! Hello, PBS! Somebody!). Until then, you can grab a copy of both the first (
I admit it – I was skeptical of 
And you can add to your Pixar display with the 
We’ve reached a bit of milestone with the release of 
As the Tennant era comes to a close, be sure to snap up your very own handy-dandy tool that The Doctor wouldn’t be caught without ““ the 
Oh, to be a kid today, with all of the advanced electronics now available to toy manufacturers. Back in my day, we’d be luck if we had a pull string to make something talk – or an audio tape that would prompt eye blinks and mouth flap. Today, the wizards at Thinkway have crafted the mind-bogglingly cool 
It wouldn’t be the holiday season without 
As a kid, next to the likes of A Charlie Brown Christmas and How The Grinch Stole Christmas (and yes, even A Claymation Christmas), another perennial special that found its way into my holiday viewing schedule was 
Many take potshots at the show, but there’s a reason why Hogan’s Heroes remains such a fan favorite – it’s a fun, funny, absurd, Bilko-esque comedy that happens to be set in a German POW camp during World War II. Much like Mel Brooks after it, it made the Nazis into fools, with an Emmy-winning perf0ormance by Jewish actor Werner Klemperer as the bufoonish, ineffectual Kommandant Colonel Klink (the ability to ridicule the Nazis was what made Klemperer decide that taking the role – and the premise of the show – was OK). You can now get the entire series in one fell swoop via the 
Wanna zone out for the holidays? Sure ya do! And you can completely zone out by staring into the soothing blue glow of the 
I will admit right off the bat – nothing I’ve seen of James Cameron’s Avatar has made me in the least bit interested in seeing it. In fact, all of the hyperbole about it from the likes Jeffrey Katzenberg makes the reality of what I’ve seen seem all the more ludicrous. It is the focus of a merchandise bonanza, of course (it must be, right?), so shelves have been flooded with not only 3 3/4-scale 
Speaking of figures that are orphaned by a mediocre big screen inspiration, I present the 3 3/4-scaled figures based on 
The only figures I was actually happy with – even if the sculpts are a bit wonky – are those based on the classic Marvel characters as they appeared in the Secret Wars miniseries of the early-80’s. They’re being released as 
A few years back, it looked like Disney Editions might be abandoning the lushly illustrated, highly informative tomes that made animation junkies like me salivate over every page. Thankfully, that has not been the case, as they’ve opened up the vaults and been releasing a breathtaking series of books based on the animation process. Last year brought a focus on the pre-production story process, while this year brings 
Speaking of Disney Editions, I’d also recommend picking up their in-depth exploration of the World War II “Good Neighbor” trip that the US government sent Walt and a select team of his animators on, which is detailed in 
This holiday season is turning into a true Spongebob-a-palooza, as both of my nephews are big fans of the magnificent yellow bastard, and are both savvy enough to know what they want. Which is why it’s helpful that Nickelodeon has been quite active getting the sponge onto themed board games (kids don’t play enough board games). This holiday season, not only can you get 
In today’s digital age, there’s no need to use a slide rule. If you’re not familiar with a slide rule, it was essentially the pre-calculator age way if easily making some quite complex computations. In fact, they helped send us to them moon, and were the bane of many a high school student. And, thanks to ThinkGeek, you can get your very own 
I think the Star Wars prequels are an abomination, but I can still appreciate a good toy when it crosses my path (and delights my nephews no end). So what was this fun toy? The 
Kid fans of the Nick show iCarly can now emulate the onscreen madness of Carly and Sam with a pair of toys, one of which actually features on the show. That show-specific item is 
As dense as a diamond and just as exquisite, the second volume of world knowledge written by the world’s FOREMOST EXPERT on ALL THAT IS KNOWABLE (if not factual) and the possessor of soft hands and a baby’s face (the former per our handshake, the latter per Ricky Gervais), John Hodgman, is now available for purchase from your favorite book emporium IN SOFTCOVER. 
Don’t tell John Hodgman, but Scrabble is one of those games that I just never got around to learning when I was a kid. It never came up amongst my family, friends, or was available at all the middle school dances I spent sitting at the games table. So this holiday season, I promised, well, me that I would teach myself how to play. Luckily, I’ve been teaching myself with the 
Many other artists have gotten lavish retrospective collections in recent years, and the spotlight has finally turned to the great Steve Ditko with the appropriately titled 
For years, I’ve quietly lusted after the fantastical prop-quality ray guns that Weta has been manufacturing in extremely limited quantities. Sadly, they’ve just been a bit beyond my economic grasp – and it seems they’ve been that way for more than just me. Well, those sweet folks at Weta have decided to make a Dr. Grordbort gun that just about everyone can afford – swapping out metal for plastic, but crafting it so that they only way you can tell the difference is that the 
When new editions of previously released titles come out, it’s always difficult to determine whether there is a significant difference in image/sound quality or bonus features to make a re-purchase worth it. And sometimes, it’s an easy decision – and that’s the case with 
Paramount jumped into the spiffy-edition high-def game a few months back with a pair of high demand catalogue titles which certainly do show off the medium to its fullest – Mel Gibson’s 
On a similar note, I’m not entirely sure why it didn’t get a snazzy high-def release as well, but 
Those of you only familiar with Steve Coogan for his occasional American film work are in for a world of wonderful comedy that’s now contained in the easy-to-snag 
Be sure to live a life full of stereotypes, and be the nerdy guy (or gal) you want to be with pride by sipping your favorite cold-weather beverage from a 
Those fans that have only experience the butchered editions of weird and wonderful The Mighty Boosh that have been running on Adult Swim need to run – not walk – to their favorite DVD emporium and snag copies of the new-to-the-US unexpurgated editions of The Mighty Boosh seasons 1-3 that have now been collected into the massive 
In the first DVD release from the venerable UK music quiz show, 
It takes place at the holidays, so it makes perfect viewing during the season – and it contains what I consider the finest performance by John Candy ever put to film. What’s more, 
Yes, I know I’m a little close to the material – but you know what? I’d still recommend you pick up a copy of 
Yes, it really has been 100 episodes since the squarepanted sponge of Bikini Bottom first made his way onto our TV screens. How do I know this? Because there’s now an uber-deluxe box set titled 
And if you’ve made it all the way through the massive box set of the yellow one’s first 100 episodes, it’s time to move into fresh material with 
How about a cold-weather marathon of classic movies, courtesy of Turner Classic Movies? That’s exactly what you’ll get with their themed Turner Classic Movies Greatest Classic Films Collections (Warner Bros., Not Rated, DVD-$27.98 SRP each), each featuring a quartet of flicks under a common heading. On 
It’s all coming to a close, with the Blu-Ray release of the penultimate, 5th season of 
Many, many years ago, I was quite disappointed when the Harry Potter films began hitting DVD. What could have been wondrous, information and goodie-packed special editions were instead rather superficial, cursory releases that left a bad taste in the mouth for lost opportunities. Fast-forward and, as the franchise rapidly comes to a close on screen and the smell of money is in the air, Warners has decided to give the films the editions they deserve – the “Ultimate Editions”, in fact. Gracing shelves this holiday season are 
And, of course, you know you’re going to be picking up 
The Flask – Drink conveyance of a more civilized, lushy age. Now you can combine this classic accessory of the drunkard with the lackadaisical ennui of a more modern age, courtesy of the 
I’ve looked at Hot Toys previous releases of the 12″ silver Iron Man Mark II and red & gold Mark II figures, and while I marveled at their sleek design and beautifully realized to-scale accuracy, I save my highest praise for the final release in the series – the chunky, clunky 
Even the off ones have moments of high hilarity, which is why the Blu-Ray arrival of 
So you still haven’t gotten your copy of Henry Selick’s stop-motion adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s Coraline? Well, you can easily rectify that with the 
Seeing a comedy like 
On the holiday music front, EMI has a batch of titles to provide the festive mood you’d like – including the seasonal re-releases of 
Much like any sketch show, 
Even nearly 50 years since taking the world by storm, Paul McCartney’s voice still remains a powerful instrument, and it’s always great to see him using it in front of an audience – particularly when it’s as historically significant as opening New York’s CitiField (built on the same spot as the legendary Shea Stadium). You can now see and hear that landmark concert via 
Of the triumvirate of Top Gear presenters, I do believe that James May has become my favorite. I think it’s because of the genuinely enthusiastic documentary series he does on the side, from looking at his childhood toys to journeying into space. 
It’s hard to believe, but Steven Spielberg’s comic misfire 
To try and explain the work of Michael Kupperman is to try and comprehend the beauty of a rose, or a sonnet, or a concerto – it just exists as a perfect comic gem for all to admire. And laugh at. A lot. Don’t believe me? Go get yourself a copy of 
For anyone who missed out on Rifftrax’s very first live theater-simulcast (or just want to re-live the awesome in the pantsless privacy of their own home), you can now get your own copy of 
Yeah, I’m a sucker for the Guinness Book of World Records. There’s just something so compellingly exciting yet sad about the various and sundry attempts at dubious immortality “achieved” by the people, events, and tragedies included in the 
Most shows suffer in their sophomore season, but it’s always nice when a program bucks the trend and turns in a stellar outing – and such is the case with 
It’s a juggernaut that’s still rolling along, and surely there’s a kid on your list that still plays Pokemon. For that kid on your list, there’s the 
Nancy Botwin moves her mini pot empire south of the border in the fourth season of 
Not as noir-riffic as their take on Batman, Bruce Timm & Paul Dini still delivered a definitive version of the Man of Steel that trumps all but the original Donner film – and it can all be yours with 
If last year’s 20th anniversary set featuring the collectible Crow T. Robot figurine was anything to go by, I’d recommend snatching your copy of the limited edition 
It’s quite rare to encounter a new sitcom that I not only like, but swiftly fall in love with. Well, I can now add 
Get the bad taste of the US remake out of your mouth by re-watching the second (and final) season of the original UK 
I got exactly what I expected from 
Lionsgate has just dropped a boatload of their catalogue titles into the high definition arena, with one big highlight for me. There was a time when it seemed 
No, I will not say it’s a good film, but there’s a lot of goofy fun to be found – at least my young nephew did – during 
A truly groundbreaking comic performer and television innovator that should be required viewing for anyone claiming to have an affinity for comedy gets a nice introductory set via 
If you go into 
Packed to the hilt with guest stars like Steve McQueen and Walter Matthau and hosted by its titular master of suspense, 
Maybe one day someone will find the closet that the real Robert Rodriguez has been locked in for the past few years. In the meantime, the Pod-riguez is delivering tepid kiddie cinema like 
If I had my druthers (which I do), I’d like to ignore that Torchwood ever existed as a Doctor Who spin-off and focus entirely on 
Animation makes the transition to live action with the made-for-TV 
Pull out all of the teeth of the original and make the sense of “Gotta keep the franchise churning” palpable, and you’ve got the not-terribly-interesting 
It’s a little bit House, a little bit Chicago Hope, and a little bit Grey’s Anatomy – it’s 
The lawyer with the golden briefs returns with the second volume of it’s 3rd season – otherwise known as 
I’ve become quite tired of Michael Cera, so I was pleased that 
In the mood for a middling little horror flick that’s at least an improvement over channel surfing? Wondering whatever happened to Thora Birch & Brittany Murphy? Well, you’ll find them both in 
What happens when you team up two of the most pigmentally-challenged humans on Earth and give them superpowers? You get Jim Gaffigan & Conan O’Brien (voiced by Gaffigan) in 
Guy Ritchie has been a scattershot writer/director over the years, but the film that put him on the map – 
I admit, I went into JJ Abrams’ reboot of 
Another in the long line of comedy gems cancelled way too soon, Shout has given a nice, comprehensive special edition collection to 
Including JJ Abrams reboot, I still stand by my assessment that 
Though he’s been painted with a “grim” and “dense” brush, you’ll realize within a few pages of the 
For the 10th anniversary of Sandman – waaaaay back in 1999 – Neil Gaiman teamed with P. Craig Russell and Japanese artist Yoshitaka Amano for a unique, beautiful tale featuring the King of All Night’s Dreaming, and the result was 
The high-def brigade has struck again, delivering a trio of Kevin Smith flicks into the single, aptly-titled 
It’s not the animated Batman, but I’ve been enjoying the animated adventures of ol’ webhead, the latest collection of which is now available as 
Though some might consider the 22 shorts contained in 
It’s not as polished or memorable as his early 70’s work, but the seeds were clearly planted in the eponymous debut album 
I thought it was a pretty good gimmick flick when it first came out, but I don’t find Fincher’s 
I’d like to say that Sacha Baron Cohen does it again with 
Based on the history of the show, you know that 
Not given the love of stablemates like The Sopranos and Deadwood when it aired, 
A perfect companion piece to Wizard Of Oz‘s recent beautifully remastered anniversary release is Warner’s other gem of 1939, 
I was about to try defending Devlin/Emmerich’s 
I tried numerous times to get into Farscape, but could never get past its overly artificial, manufactured sci-fi feel, but I know it has a massive, rabid fanbase who are probably counting their pennies for the immense, comprehensive 
While it was a step up from the bewilderingly awful seventh season, the eighth season of 
With Prohibition on the way out, the final 12 episodes featured in 
It’s trickling out, but another volume of 
Yes, 
I never sparked to 
As dense as a diamond and just as exquisite, the second volume of world knowledge written by the world’s FOREMOST EXPERT on ALL THAT IS KNOWABLE (if not factual) and the possessor of soft hands and a baby’s face (the former per our handshake, the latter per Ricky Gervais), John Hodgman, is now available for purchase from your favorite book emporium IN SOFTCOVER. 
I admit it – I was skeptical of 
It’s been a long wait, but another classic Pixar flick makes it into the realm of high-definition with the arrival of 
I was a fan of the Timm/Dini animated adventures of Batman, Superman, and even Batman Beyond, and while it doesn’t have the brilliant noir of the Dark Knight’s series or the rah-rah of the Man of Steel, I greatly enjoyed Timm’s take on the Justice League. What could have been a mess of too many characters, evolved into a brilliantly executed multi-season arc that puts shows like Lost and Heroes to shame. If you haven’t seen it, you can partake of the entire run via 
It’s the holiday season, and what that means in the UK (and for comedy fans around the globe) is that comics are dropping their stand-up DVDs just in time to help audiences pass the long winter with a bit of a laugh. First up is the latest from Russell Brand, 
The folks at Rifftrax have stepped in – just when we all feared there would be a comedy lull – with a new pair of ace DVD releases that are as equally must-have as all of the previous ones (which SHOULD all be on your shelf). So what should you be picking up? Well, there’s the baffling astronauts on pathetic dinosaur planet named, appropriately, 
If you haven’t been able to find your way there in four decades, you might want to refresh your memory with the celebratory 
And while you’re at it, pick up 
Warner’s wonderful Archive Collection strikes again, delivering unto comedy fans the long-requested 
I love a premise that is instantly brilliant and then brilliantly realized, and such is the case with Charlie Brooker’s 
Time marches on, which means a brand new release starring everyone’s favorite sqaurepanted sponge, 
What started off as a gimmicky show has evolved into one of the few procedurals I’ll actually watch, and I attribute it almost entirely to the onscreen chemistry of David Krumholtz, Rob Morrow, and the always wonderful Judd Hirsch (oh, and Peter MacNicol). See for yourself in the 5th season of 
Ah, Peep Show. If you’re a fan of The Office – or just offbeat British comedy in general (you know, the smart people) – you’ll probably dig 
Warner has opened up the vaults to release a trio of high-def catalogue releases – two if which are decent flicks, but the third of which is a genre classic. The first two are 
Long before Spenser could be hired, Robert Urich starred as private eye Dan Tanna in the TV series 
Gah! Has it really been 20 years since Cameron Crowe’s now legendary tale of awkward teenage love and proper boombox woo-ery? Well, it must be, since there’s now a 20th anniversary edition of 
Timed to capitalize on the release of Say Anything in that kind of “Do we have anything else vaguely similar we can drop on the same date?” kind of way comes a pair of Fox catalogue releases new-to-Blu-Ray – James Toback’s 
Can’t get enough of Pierce Brosnan’s golden throat? Or ABBA? Know someone who can’t get enough of either? Well, perhaps the 
Oh, 
Have an 80’s flashback (kind of like an ice cream headache) with a pair of releases from old school MTV staples Duran Duran. First up is a deluxe special edition of their hit album 
Mike Conners is back in the 3rd cooler-than-cool season of 
Yeah, 
When I interviewed Berke Breathed a few years back, I asked him if there would finally by a comprehensive Bloom County collection like the recently available Calvin & Hobbes and Peanuts volumes. Breathed was dismissive of the idea, claiming that no one wanted to read the strip, that it was no longer relevant, and it just wasn’t going to happen. Well, a few years have gone by, someone talked a bit of sense into him, so we have the first, glorious volume of 
Ever wish you had the ability to switch something on and off with a regular ol’ wall switch? Like a lamp, or a game system? But without having to have the switch be on the wall? And have it be wireless? Well, now you can, with the 
I’m often baffled by their selection process, but the one thing the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame manages to impress with on a rather consistent basis is the musical performances of the inductees – and tributes from other artists who perform their work. With a roster that includes everyone from Paul McCartney and The Doors to John Lee Hooker and Little Richard, it’s an eclectic bunch, to be sure. For those who’ve never caught the ceremonies in the past – or just want to relive the music – Time Life has delivered an incredible collection across 9 volumes – 
Hitchcock’s classic 
Another strip which IDW has begun collecting is Bil Keane’s precocious kids via the 
A very close second to the original cross-country trek of the Griswold clan, I’m a big fan of 
It’s the holidays, which means some classic perennials are getting an upgrade and re-release just in time for seasonal viewing. Getting the high definition treatment is Frank Capra’s 
There are unique minds, and then there are uber-unique minds… Minds which create their own sphere of reality, daring others to step within the range of its influence and be swept away. One of those minds is Tony Millionaire, whose work has been given a must-have hardcover tome in 
Long, long after the release of the penultimate 3rd season and a poorly-packaged complete series box set, everything is made right with the release of 
More so even that ET, 
By its 3rd season, 
Whereas the live action film was a mess, I thought that 
You know that great Saturday Night Live book from a few years back – the one by Tom Shales that features dozens of interviews telling the tale of the show’s history in a remarkably candid way? Well, Author Mike Thomas has done the same thing for the legendary improvisational group which spawned many an SNL castmember – and comedy icon – with 
While it’s not the educational films I would have liked to have seen in the series (or Song Of The South), I welcome the Walt Disney Treasures release of both 
I’m not exactly sure what the concept is behind 
Bit by bit, we’re getting DVD releases of all of the various Saturday morning animated iterations of the DC superheroes, and the latest to get its time on plastic is the short-lived 
There’s nothing quite so electrifying as Muhammad Ali in interviews, even those when he was in the early years of his decline, and you’ll find plenty of them in 
Really – it seems like there are an unlimited number of classic Doctor Who adventures. Are we even close to getting them all on DVD? They just keep coming and coming. Latest is an arc from the Peter Davison years – 
I know I should be swept up in its formulaic, rom-comminess, but there’s an unavoidable charm to Richard Curtis’s 
It may not be a very well-written or executed superhero cartoon, but I have find childhood memories of the episodes contained in 
It may not be as polished as the films of Pixar, but there’s a lot of charm and energy in the Ice Age series, and I was surprised to find out that there was still some steam in 
How do you make sure the DVD re-release of 
It’s certainly not the holidays without penguins, right? Right. Which makes 
In the vein of goofy babysitter flicks of the 80’s like Batteries Not Included and Spaced Invaders comes the kids & extraterrestrials romp 
It’s not the sharpest, most clever of political commentary, but there’s a certain closure to Will Ferrell’s Broadway outing 
The TV show releases are wrapped, which brings us to the first volume of 
As a tour guide into the work of Charles Darwin and his landmark theory of evolution, one couldn’t hope for a better, more engaging host than Sir David Attenborough, who takes by the hand on 
I admit, there was a schlocky appeal to the first Wrong Turn, and it’s always worth watching Eliza Dusku (well, except in Dollhouse – there’s nothing about that worth watching. But with Eliza long gone, there’s very little to 
There’ve been many, many attempts over the years, but I think we’ve finally gotten a definitive, comprehensive documentary about those 5 loveable English lads (and one American) in 
Haven’t you always wanted a monkey? Even if you don’t have a million dollars, you can still snag yourself a nifty little beanie version of Thinkgeek’s loveable mascot, 
Previously available only in the megaset, you can now get the recent documentaries Before The Flying Circus & Monty Python Conquers America in 
A surprising and welcome arrival on DVD is the first volume collecting 
Certainly not a household name like Ford, Hitchcock, or Capra but deserving proper attention is the work of writer/director Samuel Fuller, which is celebrated in the new 
While not up to the audio-visual oomph of a modern series, there’s something about seeing the “best you’ve ver seen it” of 
Kids today have no idea what seemingly-endless cartoon fun Saturday mornings used to be before the rise of cable and home video. For just a taste of what it was like, Warners has put together both 
It’s an interesting storytelling device, to present the machinations of the Battlestar Galactica finale from the side of the Cylons – I only wish that I cared about the show enough to be interested in 
Did you know that Barbara Stanwyck once had a TV show? Neither did I. But you can view the star-studded anthology series in the first volume of 
I was hoping the teaming of Woody Allen with Larry David would provide some kind of transcendent comedy, but 
Creepy kid genre? A surprisingly robust number of films. Add 
As I dug into the suddenly teenaged animated escapades of Tony Stark in 
Yeah, I’m sorry – I still can’t fathom what the appeal of the adventures of Peter Pan’s formerly jealous, vixenish pixie is to young girls, but I’m sure they’ll snap up the bland, CG 
When new editions of previously released titles come out, it’s always difficult to determine whether there is a significant difference in image/sound quality or bonus features to make a re-purchase worth it. And sometimes, it’s an easy decision – and that’s the case with 
As much as I love Larry Sanders, I will always hold a special place in my heart for 
The butt of many a joke but not nearly as bad as it’s been made out to be (though it’s still an overlong, pretentious flick), Kevin Costner’s bloated, sweeping wetpic 
King of the gimmicky 50’s fright flicks, William Castle gets his own spotlight collection bringing together 8 of those cult films into one box set – 
With its 4th season now on DVD, 
Goofy, trippy, and odd – really think of any term that evokes the word bizarre and you’re apt to come as close to capturing what it’s like watching 
While not holding a candle to the classics of the 1960’s, there’s still plenty of fun to be had with the specials contained in the 
Produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, 
They both have their charms (though the original far outstrips the 90’s remake), but know you can get both versions of 
Delve into the historical, cultural, and religious roots of the Santa Claus myth via 
One of the earliest TV shows to get onto DVD was Ally McBeal. That was a long time ago, and no further seasons were ever released. Now, however fans can finally get 
Those fans that have only experience the butchered editions of weird and wonderful The Mighty Boosh that have been running on Adult Swim need to run – not walk – to their favorite DVD emporium and snag copies of the new-to-the-US unexpurgated editions of The Mighty Boosh seasons 1-3 that have now been collected into the massive 
During my mother’s recent cancer battle, she spent her final week at home. While at home, I set up a pair of 
After 10 years spent off the air, wandering the wilderness of feature film development, the crew of the mining ship Red Dwarf return for a brand new adventure in 
The most brilliant parodies always come from a place of deep understanding – and often affection – for the particular thing being parodied. Such is clearly the case with Peter Kay’s brilliant send-up of reality talent competitions whose full title – deep breath – is 
The Warner Bros. Archive Collection does it again, this time releasing 
Really, the nifty on-demand catalogue service The Warner Archive Collection is the only way we’ll get the short-lived and rather mediocre but fascinating sci-fi series 
I was one of the Disney fans who marveled at the clarity that the restored Platinum Edition of Snow White revealed, making the film look like it was made in the last 10 years – not 70 years ago. Well, the new high definition Diamond Edition of 
You can have your fancy, expensive, often bizarre, more faithful, Tim Burton-directed version of Charlie & The Chocolate Factory, but I will always, always love and prefer 
I’ve gotta say – I really & truly love the amazing, unique, and altogether nifty pop art books that Abrams Comicarts have been putting out – their entire selection of which is worth a look see. Case in point is the new 
Oh, and also from Abrams, have a look-see at 
Originally created for IMAX theaters, 
After a lapse in copyright that allowed it to move from Warner Bros. to Paramount, 
Slowly but surely, we’re catching up on the releases of Gordon Ramsay’s excellent cooking show, 
You know, I’m not entirely sure it hasn’t been forever since the last season release of the still-classic, still-hilarious 
I have nothing against the Shannon Doherty years of the low-rent “reality” candid camera frightfest 
Even though I find the show the dramatic equivalent of beige paint drying, I still find Patricia Arquette watchable in 
Reflect on an incredible body of work by a much-missed actor with the new 
It’s quite rare when I actually enjoy a romantic comedy, only because the plot developments are as obvious as a truck on the side of your ear, so it really comes down to a decent enough script and a good clutch of actors to pull the whole thing off. With 
Does anyone actually enjoy 
As you might expect, the soundtrack to Drew Barrymore’s roller derby flick 
I really have no other ammunition with which to recommend the CG-animated special 
At the end, the show was a shadow of its heyday high, but the cast of 
Sam Raimi decided to abandon the tepid Spider-Man movies and return to form with the schlock-happy horror of 
Will Ferrell’s big screen take on the schlocky Sid & Marty Krofft Saturday morning classic 
I can’t tell you just how much I really, really don’t like the live action 
I think the final product has been a mixed bag, with none shining too terribly brightly, but if you’re keen on buying the recent animated direct-to-video movies starring your favorite Marvel Comics superheroes, you can now get the whole lot in the 
It’s frustrating that 
I’ve never been a fan of Oliver Stone’s violent social commentary 
Before you gawp at the live action flick, take in the classic animated version of Maurice Sendak’s 
Do people still watch 
If you’re not able to drop the cash for the more expensive Spotlight collections, or just want a nice sampler, then you’ll want to check out 
I tried desperately to avoid obvious swimming metaphors to talk about this title, but in the end, I lacked enough willpower to refrain from saying you should dive right in to the 
Sensing it had been far too long since a new release and that brand awareness might be slipping, MTV has dug through the hall closet to scrape up enough material to fill 
I certainly tried, but I could never find enough of a toe-hold to get interested in 
Recalling the good old days of Paramount’s rapid, clockwork release of the Trek series on standard DVD, the remastered high-def edition of 
Ever since they first came on the market, I’ve been ridiculously entranced by digital picture frames. Just the space-age idea that you could have shifting photos within a traditional-looking picture frame makes the 7-year-old me go “Cool.” Sad? Maybe – but the 
A few years back, Warner Bros. released a positively revelatory special edition of The Wizard Of Oz on DVD. The picture had never – ever, even in its theatrical release – looked and sounded better. Well, with the release in high-def of 
For all of the comedy and loopy fun that Dreamworks puts into the films CG-animated they release, they really can’t make a visually appealing flick to save their lives. Look no further than 
It’s nice that, every once in awhile, a comedy will come down the pike that remembers how enjoyable humor based on character can be – and such is the case with 
The playing field is littered with the bodies of many serials that attempted to make a go of it on the net, but one of the few actual success stories gets a DVD release with 
Ah, but that’s not the only History Channel program that benefits from a bump up to high-def – also add the complete 3rd season of 
Color me stunned that we’re celebrating the 20th anniversary of the original UK miniseries 
Making holiday viewing that much easier this year, Disney has put together a standalone release of the still-great 
Of all of the direct-to-video animated DC Universe titles to come down the pike, the one that’s gotten the most right – in tone, character, and execution – is 
I love when companies finally remember that they’ve left us dangling with abandoned classic TV releases and restart the process, as Paramount has done in giving us the penultimate 4th season of 
Hugh Jackman – I understand that the success of the first abysmal film gave you a Hollywood career, and the second and third abysmal films cemented the studio’s belief that you were the key to their success, but do you think you could get, oh, I don’t know, a second reader to tell you what a crap script your solo foray as 
With the rather blunt title of 
Compiled to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the first show, 
We finally – FINALLY – get a production with the Muppets playing themselves, and it turns out to be a dull, misguided affair that forgets that the Muppets are supposed to be funny and interesting. Sadly, 
It’s a shame that TV executives felt it was necessary to re-do the UK’s brilliant version for the American 
I could have done without the re-enactments, but the disturbing history repackaged in the documentary 
The only thing remarkable about the seventh season of 
Yes, I know I’m a little close to the material – but you know what? I’d still recommend you pick up a copy of 
The miniaturization of video cameras is beginning to frighten me. This terror is completely overridden by the geek delight in holding a digital memory camera that’s only slightly larger than a chapstick tube. The camera I speak of is the 
Sadly, we’ve now reached the limit of the currently produced episodes of 
I’ve seen the episodes a half-dozen times each (I often replayed them while working), but it’s the mark of a classic show that I’m looking forward to digging into the 3rd season set of 
Yes, it really has been 100 episodes since the squarepanted sponge of Bikini Bottom first made his way onto our TV screens. How do I know this? Because there’s now an uber-deluxe box set titled 
They’ve been released what seems like a half-dozen times by at least three different companies, but this is the first time that 
Abrams is fast becoming a real juggernaut with their incredible Abrams ComicArts imprint, as they’ve been releasing some absolutely top-notch tomes that belong on your shelf. Like, now. First up is a loving, in-depth tribute to 
Much like Pineapple Express, those going into 
Have I mentioned before just how much I’m enjoying Warner Bros.’ On-Demand DVD service at WarnerArchive.com? I have – numerous times – because it’s great to see a company find a way to make smaller catalogue titles available to fans when economic realities prevent a full-fledged commercial release. Case in point are a trio of new titles that have been added to the site – King Vidor’s 
Does anyone still watch 
Serial womanizer Connor Mead (Matthew McConaughey finds his plans to bed a bridesmaid at his brother’s wedding is derailed by the supernatural guidance of his departed uncle (Michael Douglas), who originally instructed him on his boorish ways, to mend his ways and find true love (in the form of Jennifer Garner) in the tolerable rom-com 
Comedy Central may have killed their much-missed show, but at least there’s still live performances to keep The State alumni David Wain, Michael Showalter, & Michael Ian Black together, as you’ll see on 
Despite further muddying already cloudy waters with divergent continuity, the biggest drawback of the axed 
When his wife and child are murdered by a serial killer, a celebrity psychic renounces his conning past and devotes himself to using his observation and analysis skills to bring killers to justice in 
It may not be the best sitcom that ever came down the pike, but I still love me some 
It pretty much sums itself up in the title – 
When a killer begins copying the murders found in novelist Rick Castle’s stories, the author is enlisted by the NYPD to help bring the murderer to justice in 
Really, the only purpose that 
It seems Warners believes that audiences were simply dying for an origin prequel to their middling live action Scooby-Doo franchise, which means we know have 
I can’t have been the only one not surprised that 
Oh, Disney Channel – why are your tween/teen comedies just so unrelentingly bland? It’s no wonder iCarly is kicking your ass in the ratings – one has only has to look at the episodes featured on the inaugural DVD release of the new Jonas Brothers sitcom 
Just yesterday (well, last year), it seemed that RiffTrax was just a web concern, with nary a physical DVD release to their name. Now, the DVD releases are coming fast and furious, the latest being another two volumes of short subjects featuring riffsters (and MST3K alum) Mike Nelson, Kevin Murphy, & Bill Corbett – 
Want a little extra monitor space without all of the fuss and massive footprint? Look no further than the 
Hot on the heels of their inaugural release comes 
Halloween is rapidly approaching, so Universal is using the holiday as an excuse to drop a few much-desired titles on Blu-Ray that make for perfect holiday viewing – 
Speaking of Simon Pegg & Nick Frost, their epic cop action/comedy 
If I had to name my favorite instrument, hands down (pun intended, sadly) it would be a piano. So much so that I was completely captivated by the documentary 
Leonard & Sheldon both find a girl in the second season of 
The fourth season of 
I’m a bit disappointed that they’ve decided to break them up, but you can now get the most recent animated incarnation of 
Where Torchwood fails in its belief that it’s more than it really is, 
Fans have been waiting a long time for an official, snazzy-looking edition of the Boris Karloff-presented anthology series 
The long public domain nightmare is over – Bonanza has finally arrived on DVD in a beautifully remastered, fully official form. They really want people to know, so they’ve named the premiere releases 
It doesn’t hold a candle to the feature film, but at least at the start, the TV spin-off of 
While not as successful as her dip into fairy tales, 
Fox and MGM have dipped into their catalogues to put together a slate of high-def releases perfect for your October/Halloween viewing list – 
Hot on the heels of the first two volumes, 
Its title led many to believe that Russell Davies might be pulling the trigger on the 10th Doctor’s regeneration a bit early, but last year’s Christmas special, 
My sister loves 
Amanda Tapping stars as Dr. Helen Magnus in 
Miramax has opened up the high-def floodgates with a quartet of Asian flicks sure to delight fans of Asian cinema – 
Essentially a PG-13, network version of Showtime’s Masters Of Horror (meaning no nudity, no gore), 
What made the comedy of Spinal Tap and A Mighty Wind work so well was the actual musicianship of its principal trio, who’ve decided to take center stage as themselves for 
Having seen it’s uber-cool, nerd-pleasing beauty firsthand as it illuminated my hotel room for both myself and Doc Hammer, I have nothing but praise for the 
Though often viewed as a lesser light when compared with the juggernaut that is Mary Poppins, I’m quite fond of Disney’s 70’s, post-Walt stab at recapturing some of that magic – 
One of the films that I’ve been anticipating a high-def release for is Robert Altman’s 
Long before he had to scream over the bombastic production of the US Hell’s Kitchen and Kitchen Nightmares, Gordon Ramsay was more straightforward, less caricatured, and more helpful with struggling restaurants in the original UK 
After a disastrous, catastrophically bungled second season fumble, 
Not as beloved as the original iteration, there are still fans that are waiting for the fourth volume of 
Ever wondered 
It’s a slow recovery, but the 5th season of 
Though Sherlock Holmes is the only one that has remained a household name, there were plenty of other detectives found in Victorian literature – 13 of which are featured in 
The fourth season of 
More classic Doctor Who hitting DVD with the release of a Sylvester McCoy adventure, 
Bringing a little slice of their True Life Adventures into the digital age, Disney Nature has crafted a new documentary that pulls together a globe-spanning menagerie with high definition-ready exotic locales for 
WWII buff? You’ll want the Ultimate Collections box set of 
The drama and intrigue on not-so-sleepy Wisteria Lane continues in the 5th season of 
How do you know Halloween is fast approaching – at least by studio standards? The Halloween DVDs are already coming out. Disney has repackaged their previously available 
I’ve dipped back in occasionally (like when Dana Snyder guested), but have never really gotten swept up in 
This past season, JJ Abrams returned to TV with 
You know, it’s a shame that the network couldn’t see fit to give 
I’m always delighted when a show that I have zero expectations about blindsides me by being a nice little piece of television. Such is the case with 
It’s unfortunate that 
The previous iterations with a hoot, and I’m glad that Sony is continuing to release some offbeat catalogue titles from the vaults under their “Martini Movies” banner. The latest batch includes a young Michael Douglas in 
With Amy Poehler in the lead and surrounded by a seasoned comedy cast, it makes it all the more unfortunate that 
It’s a shame that Nickelodeon’s other big live action kid-friendly sitcom, 
In its 5th season, 
I have been waiting years for someone to deliver something the ridiculously straightforward 
Want a pair of classic TV shows cheap and in one fell swoop? Well, now you can get the complete 3 season run of Steve McQueen in 
The History Channel continues down the path of its bizarre “Must make movie reenactments” form of documentary filmmaking with 
For a last look at what an amazing talent she was, and what we lost with her unexpected death, look no further than 
If Juno was just a bit too cutesy for you but you love that quirky vibe, then check out 
Warner Bros. is still rolling out new additions to their on-demand “Archive Edition”, making available some catalogue titles that otherwise would sit in the vaults. Newly added to the available list is the made-for-TV 70’s horror films 
While it was a step up from the bewilderingly awful seventh season, the eighth season of 
Though seen as groundbreaking at the time, 
Sad that the nicely pleasant Chrstina Applegate series 
Need a RomCom fix? Or simply need to recommend a RomCom to a significant other, to keep them occupied? Then here’s this week’s recommendation – 
Take The Sopranos, set it in a biker gang led by Ron Perlman, and you’ve essentially got 
David Duchovney returns as writer Hank Moody – single-father, ex-boyfriend, and a man keen on sex, liquor, and drugs – in the second season of 
Seeing as how it’s from the same producers, I can understand why 
Even though they’re inferior to the multigenerational writing of iCarly, preteens will probably hound the parents for the first volumes of Suite Life spin-off 
Turns out 
Turn the people reading skills of and creepy skilled charm of Derren Brown into a deception expert played by Tim Roth, and you’ve got the series 
Nick Cannon stars as 19-year-old Mike Holland in 
Schlocky and not a terribly good adaptation of Stephen King’s original short story, but a cult following has grown up around 
Smithsonian Networks has a trio of new documentaries on tap – first up being 
Want to see a show that’s lost the plot and really doesn’t know what to do with itself anymore? Look no further than the 8th season of 
Would you be surprised to find out that a movie with the title 
Yeah, so, one of my absolute favorite Disney films I their live-action/animated hybrid musical 
This week’s Thinkgeek recommendation is a piece of cool kit that always seems to be out of stock. It’s just that popular. However long it lasts, it’s now back in stock, so run and pick up your very own 
Seeing as how my nephews are addicted to Nickelodeon (particularly the yellow crack that is Spongebob), it’s inevitable that I’d have to see the programming on offer. One of the shows that I actually enjoy quite a bit – and believe is just as well-scripted as the sitcoms on network TV, better even – is a favorite of my 5-year-old nephew, 
I can’t be the only one who was completely blindsided by the announcement that the 4th season of 
If you’ve ever watched the UK series Skins and thought to yourself “My teenage years were nothing like that sex party bacchanal,” then 
Well, now that we’ve reached the 12th season of 
It’s double-crosses, mysteries, and intrigue in 
Like most modern horror remakes, the new 
I know there are devotees who think it’s the second coming of Undeclared, but I have yet to find the appeal of 
So, in short, 
After an awkward, sometimes rudderless second season, things were largely back on track in the 3rd season of 
The second season of 
It’s not exactly intellectually stimulating, but using the beautiful high-definition of Blu-Ray to take aerial journeys around the world is certainly worth a look see to me, and that’s exactly what you get with both 
After her ridiculously self-confident appearance on Friday Night with Jonathan Ross, I was at least curious about 
