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…)
As brilliant as the first season was, the second season of Louis CK’s Louie (Fox, Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$39.99 SRP) was even more so, plussing across the board with episodes that included Louie confronting Dane Cook, sleeping with Joan Rivers, and even traveling to Iraq. Just watch the damn thing already. Bonus materials include audio commentaries on select episodes.
On the go and want the itty bittiest little stylus you can get for your smartphone? Look no further than the teeny little MicroStylus Compact Capacitive Touch Stylus ($9.99), a little nub of a thing that works a charm and is storable in your device’s headphone jack.
While I can’t envision the art form returning, The Artist (Sony, Rated PG-13, Blu-Ray-$35.99 SRP) is a beautifully evocative homage to the era of the silent film and the artists who made tem larger than life, even as sound came in and shook the very foundations of the industry. For once, the hype was accurate. Do see it. Bonus materials include featurettes and a blooper reel.
Every so often, a modern take on a classic property makes it work, and much like the equally successful Brady Bunch Movie before it, 21 Jump Street (Sony, Rated R, Blu-Ray-$35.99 SRP) makes that leap by planting tongue in cheek while walking a fine line between comedy and ridicule, aided and abetted by a grounded story and winning turns from Jonah Hill & Channing Tatum. Bonus materials include an audio commentary, featurettes, deleted scenes, and a gag reel.
If you still miss the lovely character absurdities to be found in Dr. Katz, look no further than Lisa Kudrow’s Web Therapy (E1, Not Rated, DVD-$29.98 SRP), which stars Kudrow is an online therapist with little patience for her patients – who include the likes of Alan Cumming, Courtney Cox, Victor Garber, Jane Lynch, Steven Weber, Lily Tomlin, and more. The first season set contains audio commentaries, a featurette, outtakes, and a season 2 preview.
While in many ways a by-the-numbers romantic comedy, what makes Love Birds (Freestyle, Rated PG-13, DVD-$14.99 SRP) worth your valuable viewing time is that its leads are Rhys Darby and Sally Hawkins, both of whom elevate the material immensely. Bonus features include an audio commentary and a featurette.
It may be a frothy romantic comedy about a pair of famous Brits who set up a fake wedding to a fake bride to send paparazzi on a false trail while they have their real nuptials, but The Decoy Bride (IFC, Rated PG, Blu-Ray-$29.98 SRP) gains a fair amount of goodwill just by casting David Tennant as the groom in this mad scheme. Bonus materials include a featurette, a deleted scene, and interviews.
Adding to Universal’s 100th anniversary celebrations is the high definition arrival of Oliver Stone’s Born On The 4th Of July (Universal, Rated R, Blu-Ray-$19.98 SRP). Bonus materials include an audio commentary and a trio of featurettes.
Disney has been steadily increasing to a torrent the high-definition releases from their catalogue of titles, particularly those from Touchstone & Hollywood Pictures. That means this week brings the new-to-high-def release of Mel Gibson in Ransom (Touchstone, Rated R, Blu-Ray-$20.00 SRP), Madonna in Evita (Hollywood Pictures, Rated PG, Blu-Ray-$26.50 SRP), and Christian Bale singing and dancing in Newsies (Walt Disney, Rated PG, Blu-Ray-$26.50 SRP). Bonus features include audio commentaries, featurettes, and more.
And speaking of Disney catalogue releases, they’ve brought out hi-def editions of a pair of their latter (and lesser) period animated films… In fact, many consider both Treasure Planet and particularly Home On The Range (Walt Disney, Rated PG, Blu-Ray-$29.99 SRP each) to be the lackluster duds that marked the end of traditional animation at Disney in the early aughts. And yes, they are both awkward films to sit through, but certainly not abysmal. They’re no All Dogs Go To Heaven 3. Bonus materials include audio commentaries, featurettes, deleted scenes, bonus shorts, music videos, and more.
The still-legendary and goofy fun – if not terribly good – sci-fi sexploitation film Barbarella (Paramount, Rated PG, Blu-Ray-$29.99 SRP) makes its debut in high definition, which means you can ogle Jane Fonda and try to comprehend the script in exquisite detail. Sadly, there are no bonus features to be found.
While I thought it would be the lesser of the two Snow White films to come down the pike, Mirror Mirror (Fox, Rated PG, Blu-Ray-$39.99 SRP) if only because its simple reinterpretation of an evil queen (Julia Roberts) out to shove Snow White aside to win the hand of the Prince is far less pretentious and self-important than that whole Huntsman fiasco. Bonus materials include featurettes and deleted scenes.
Sideshow’s previously released premium figures pulled from the Disney animated pantheon – including Snow White‘s evil Queen, Maleficent, and Chernabog – have been nothing to shake a stick at, but by leaps and bounds, my favorite is the recently release Captain Hook ($324.99), from the classic Peter Pan. Not only does the sculpt capture Hook’s mad Ahab-esque obsession with killing Pan, but the fabric clothing accurately reflects its 2D inspiration. If that weren’t enough, the piece also comes with the secondary bane of Hook’s existence – the persistent Tick Tock Crocodile. And, if you’re able to pick up the Sideshow exclusive edition, definitely do so, as you get a swappable hook hand with Peter’s hat.
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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Bill Murray’s big breakout theatrical comedy gets a face lift and a high definition debut with the release of 
You’d think it’s be hard to get excited about cups, but how about cups that dry lightning fast? I know! Well, then, get excited about the 
While there may be the occasional element that seems dated, Hal Ashby’s deliciously black comedy of unconventional love 
The more I see of it, the more I’m impressed with just how much of a lovely 50’s cinematic feel the Patrick Troughton years of Doctor Who seem to have. Case in point is the 2nd Doctor story 
It’s been years and a lifetime since Jimmy Fallon last put out an album, at the height of his SNL success – and the maturity in both style and substance shows in 
Setting the stage with stellar releases of both Modern Times & The Great Dictator, Criterion releases another Charlie Chaplin classic in high-def with 
Watching the fifth season of 
I still find the film odd and slightly off-putting, but the visuals are fascinating and the music is fantastic, which makes the newly-restored high definition debut of The Beatles’ 
It’s not my favorite Danny Boyle flick, but I do find much to enjoy in 
Opinion on the film itself may be divided, but there’s no denying the memorable design work up on the screen, the evolution of which is documented in 
It’s not as much fun as the first film, nor the sublime joy of Moffat & Gatiss’s BBC series, but 
It certainly couldn’t be worse than the mediocre first attempt at a big screen outing for Marvel’s flaming-skulled avenger, but it’s still a pleasant surprise that 
Leave it to HBO to make destination viewing out of a film about the 2008 financial crisis, which is exactly what they’ve done with 
I have no affection for sports, but 
Perry the Platypus and the O.W.C.A. take on the nefarious Dr. Doofenschmirtz in the new collection 
Based on Joe Kelly’s recent comics storyline for the Man Of Steel, 
Get the ol’ soap-a-dope going with a trio of first season releases from ABC – 
Say goodbye to Turtle – because you know you never really cared about anyone else – with the 8th and final season of 
The trio from the one and only original return with the complete 18th season of 
This week’s of batch of reality TV releases features the back-to-back releases of the domesticated KISS frontman plodding along in 
Universal continues to impress with their high definition100th anniversary celebration, leading off this week with a lovely restoration of 
Here’s a fun one for the kiddies. Help them spruce up otherwise pedestrian LEGO creations with the LEGO-compatible 
The biggest crime perpetrated by 
Want to see a show properly blow itself up without going off the rails? Look no further than the brilliant fourth season of 
Available for the first time in widescreen and in high definition, as well, 
See what Sookie and her sultry & sallow supernatural pals have been up to in balmy Bon Temps in the complete 4th season of 
Even though he said it was over, Larry David returned with an 8th season of 
You certainly couldn’t do the show today short of an all-CG affair, but I always enjoyed the offbeat Mod fun of the all-simian 60’s spy comedy 
Sometimes you need a nicely goofball series like 
The fine folks at Mill Creek continue to roll out the Touchstone and Hollywood Pictures high definition catalogue releases with another clutch of mid-range titles for very low prices – this time including Eddie Murphy in 
Fun and games for the kiddie set abound in 
If you want a clear example of how to start a big concept series with a resounding thud, look no further than the stillborn 
TV doesn’t get more perfect than the story and character bliss found in the second series of Steven Moffat & Mark Gatiss’s brilliant 
Do you have kids who have money they want to store in a fun way? Why get a traditional static (and boring) piggy bank when you can get a dynamic, motorized doggy bank? That’s just what 
As brilliant as the author himself – who happens to be quite brilliant – Dave Hill’s collection of autobiographical essays, 
What’s wonderful about 
In the age of digital delivery, Paul McCartney is making the special edition purchase of traditional media truly desirable with exquisitely put together and very affordable deluxe catalogue releases for the true fan. Case in point is the 
Continuing their release of always must-see Studio Ghibli titles in high definition, Disney brings 
We’ve gotten the Die Hard films in high definition. We’ve gotten the Alien films. Superman? Check. Batman? Check. The most notable film franchise that hadn’t yet made it to high definition finally gets its turn with the release of the 
As much as I loved the music from the first season of Sherlock (and its accompanying score), I’ve enjoyed David Arnold & Michael Price’s music from 
It took awhile to finally hit a watchable groove, but when it did, the debut season of 
While it’s interesting and mostly fun to see Chris Pine and Tom Hardy as a pair of covert CIA operative buddies who go to war over the love of a woman in 
When it comes to the subject matter, the documentary 
You can get all of the kicks you could possible want via the new 24-disc 
Celebrate Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee (that’s 60 years of rule) with a pair of celebratory releases from the fine folks at the BBC. First and foremost is 
I spent the entire first season of 
The abysmal Cloverfield pretty much broke me of any desire to see another “found footage” flick, but 
If you’ve been champing at the bit to determine whether you’ll be sorted into Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, or Slytherin, you can find out whether you’ll be a hero or a zero with your very own 
I shouldn’t have to tell you that Reggie Watts is brilliant, but I suppose I just did. And since I did, I may as well tell you that his latest special/album, 
Really, the first one, starring Joe Don Baker, is the only one really worth watching, but if you’ve wanted to own the lot in high definition, you can now pick up 
Like Tommy Boy before it, we’re probably to a time, with its high definition release, that someone, somewhere probably considers the raunchy college kids 
It’s almost summer, which means it’s time to start thinking about how you’ll be spending all of those sunshiny days. One thing I’ll certainly be doing is penciling some NERF battles with my nephews, and I’m sure it comes as no surprise that there’s a clutch of new toys hitting shelves. So this summer, arm yourself with the water blasting 
It’s a position fraught with peril, but now you can name yourself Hand Of The King with your very own reproduction 
The excellent series of Music On Film books taking an in-depth look at remarkable aural cinema takes on Dr. Frankenfurter in the enjoyable 
How about a clutch of new TV on DVD titles for you? How about the Robert Urich in the first volume from the 3rd season of 
How do you compress 13.7 million years of Earth’s existence into one concise special? Seems like a tall task, but it’s one 
Prepare yourself for the long delayed third installment by picking up the new high-definition releases of the wonderful 
If you’re like me (and of course, you are), you’ve probably been swept up in the dangerously addictive game of DrawSomething. And if you’re still like me (YOU ARE), you find having to use your finger to draw an incredibly frustrating experience. Well, throw frustration aside with the 
This month brings a pair of long-awaited stories from Sylvester McCoy’s 7th Doctor, even if one of those is pretty close to the nadir of the series. First, the good news is that 
As far as sequels go, few are more delightfully meta than the underappreciated (particularly at release) 
Before he made a few clunkers (and quiet, you – I love Popeye), Robin Williams starred in a pair of gems that finally make their debut in high definition – 
Hey! Guess what? The loveable Rifftrax Trio returns with the DVD release of another of their recent live performances with 
Remember when we didn’t know who Alicia Silverstone and Paul Rudd were? And then a film called 
It has all of the bizarre excess that’s always proved off-putting to me in their TV work, but fans will probably love 
Continue the Universal 100th anniversary celebrations with a lovingly restored presentation of the swinging 60’s Rock Hudson/Doris Day classic 
As if Valentine’s Day weren’t enough, director Garry Marshall returns with another kitchen sink cast romantic something or other based around 
After years of waiting, fans of Mr. Rourke & Tattoo can finally partake of 
It’s a true loss that Nat Hiken’s 
Even if you’re not steampunky, it’s hard to resist the charm of the positively beautiful 
I would say that 
The best way to describe the brilliant new stand-up special from the brilliant Paul F. Tompkins is that it’s an oral history of the career of comedian Paul F. Tompkins. Suffice to say, you would regret it for the rest of your days if you do not purchase 
The dandy scribe behind Downton Abbey, Julian Fellowes, explores another slice of class warfare – this time historic – with the 4-part miniseries 
Have a little Jackie Gleason-thon in high definition this weekend with the Blu-Ray arrival of the guilty pleasure comedy 
Fox has released another of their star-specific DVD collections, this time bringing together 10 films for the 
The fine folks at Mill Creek continue to re-release seasons of a handful of TV classics for staggeringly rock-bottom prices you’d be foolish not to take advantage of. Included this time around are 
A movie lover who devoured old films, my grandmother would have loved if I had gifted her the dirt cheap, 12-disc genre sets Mill Creek has been releasing, mainly because each of those 12-disc sets – flicks of the 1950’s in 
If you only know him from Derrick Comedy or Community, you owe it to yourself to partake of Donald Glover’s first stand-up special 
Who doesn’t love being able to launch things at friends, foes, and family alike with their very own desktop catapult? Particularly when that desktop catapult launches safety-friendly foam balls? Well, that’s just what the 
Further closing the hole in fans’ complete collection of every episode, a pair of rather good Jon Pertwee 3rd Doctor stories – 
I’m delighted that my goof buddy Loren Bouchard’s brilliant 
While Meryl Streep is certainly wonderful in the role, it’s a shame that 
It’s one of those not-terribly-good releases that curious and completionist genre fans have been asking about for years, so they’ll be delighted to get 
Kudos to director Brad Bird for helming 
Just when you thought it was safe to assume that David Attenborough and the BBC’s nature documentary team couldn’t possibly top themselves comes the incredible beauty of 
Time for another soundtrack round up for all of you fans of cinematic scores – you know who you are. First up is David Arnold & Michael Price’s score from the BBC’s superb 
Kiddies and hipsters alike will rejoice at the release of 
While most of the talk has been about Michael Fassbender’s part in Steve McQueen’s 
As if Frozen Planet weren’t enough, another visually stunning nature documentary hits home video this week with 
Elmo gets supersized in 
Fans can pick up the 7th volume of Seth MacFarlane’s often overlooked other series, 
The adventures of Ben 10 come to a close with 
The second season of 
Dance your weekend away – or at least watch the master do it – with a pair of deep catalogue release from the Warner Archive Collection starring the great Fred Astaire – 
How about a clutch of new releases from the History Channel? On the good side, you have a pair of documentaries worth a look-see, with 
I didn’t think Steven Spielberg’s adaptation of the tale about a WWI cavalry 
What a brilliant geek alchemy the fine folks at LEGO unleash every time they release another their vehicle sets based on the classic Star Wars films, and all of the buttons are duly pushed with their new 
One of the biggest surprises of last year was Chris Elliott’s triumphant return to television with the Adult Swim take on Walker, Texas Ranger, 
It doesn’t really address some of the stories I’ve heard about how ambitious he was in his rise to the top of the Sesame Street food chain, but 
Short-lived and forgotten, who couldn’t love Bob Newhart as a superhero comic artist in the sitcom 
It’s always a delight when a classic piece of cinema makes its way to high definition, and so we have Roman Polanski & Robert Towne’s still brilliant 
Very few sitcoms have gotten the high definition treatment, and particularly not one that goes back over 10 years, but 
Shout Factory continues their noble mission of re-releasing Mystery Science Theater 3000 episodes that have gone out of print with a pair of returns – 
Cartoon Network’s decidedly indie kiddie cartoon gets it’s first DVD release with 
When he puts his mind to it, Cameron Crowe certainly knows how to make an affable – overly-so – film, and that’s exactly what he does with 
As much as I thought Torchwood was a misguided, often frustrating, and even more often boring series (and regrettable spin-off from Doctor Who), it wasn’t until the recent 
Wil Wheaton fans eager to complete their collections of his cinematic output will want to thank MGM’s MOD Limited Edition Collection for the release of 
Watch as a franchise already on thin ice gets in trouble in the tropics with 
It’s been a few months, so that means another much-anticipated addition to the MSTie library with 
Sure, they’re a bit of a novelty, but for goofball geeks and kids, the 
I still don’t think we’ve gotten enough perspective on the events and repercussions of 9/11 to make a truly remarkable film about it, but 
While James Cameron’s film has the edge in the effects and actual mechanics of the sinking, the far more accurate portrayal of the real people and events leading up to the disaster – and the exclusion of saccharine fiction – makes 
I would have hoped it would have been better timed to be released alongside the big screen adventures, but at least we still get the second and final volume of the animated 
I’m a big fan of the various documentaries that Top Gear co-presenter James May has done over the years, all of which contain an almost boyish enthusiasm for the various subjects at hand. He goes enjoyably DIY with the first series of 
Fifteen seasons of 
Packed with the Hollywood luminaries that received their career start from him and chronicling his profitable existence as the King of the Quickie, 
It’s n ice that the original adaptation of John Le Carre’s 
If you want to make your weekend decidedly Kubrickian, why not go about your life and run your errands wearing your very own 
There are quite a few ways that 
I’m not about to go and say it’s anything brilliant, but as far as family films about the Easter Bunny as played by Russell Brand go, 
It’s not very often that a stage play makes the transition to film and retains its single location, and even rarer that it actually works, but 
Fans of ABC Family’s series about a high school student leading a double life as a fashion house intern, 
Jonah Hill’s blink-and-you-missed-it 
MGM opens their vaults for more releases from their MOD Limited Edition Collection. Titles this time around include John Huston’s 
While many of you are waiting for the cinematic arrival of The Hunger Games, there are many who claim that it’s ripping off a now-legendary cult Japanese action flick that’s getting a deluxe treatment with 
I’m still not sold on the exaggerated realistic character design they chose for Herge’s famous characters, but there’s enough verve and energy to make Spielberg & Jackson’s 
If you want a nice and easy geek-friendly LEGO set for kids who might not have the skill or patience to tackle the larger sets, the 
Arrested development and the delusion that goes with it is front and center in 
It seems every month is a holiday for fans of the Doctor’s classic adventures as we get not only a special edition of the 10th anniversary special with 
Ah, but that’s not all of the new classic Who you’re getting this week! Oh no, no, no! There’s also a newly restored special edition of Patrick Troughton’s tin-plated tussle with cyberdoom in 
Anyone who has had a loss that is at the same time sudden yet lingering will understand the power of a film like 
It was only a matter of time before Martin Scorsese’s 
It’s always a delight to get new Wallace & Gromit material, even if it’s in the form of interstitial around a spotlight on r3eal life gadgets and contraptions in 
The fine folks at Rifftrax have released a brand new pair of cinematic bombs made wonderfully hilarious – the dime store creature feature 
You know another installment of a film franchise is in the offing when the back-catalogue is dusted off for release, so it should come as little surprise that the forthcoming American Reunion brings the Blu-Ray debut of 
They’re certainly not up to the quality of the original, but there’s enough charm and storytelling competence to make both 
The Warner Archive Collection has dug up a pair of Jim Brown rarities from the 70’s for your viewing pleasure. 
Yeah, I’m not entirely sure anyone is supposed to understand what’s going on in Tarsem’s big Greek mythology epic 
Director Ralph Bakshi’s animated films are an acquired taste, and one I never have acquired. I can certainly see his passion, but the movies don’t speak to me. But there are plenty of people who have a special place in their heart for his fantasy film 
As this year marks the 100th anniversary of the legendary maritime disaster, it’s perfectly understandable that the History Channel is collecting together a trio of their best documentaries on the subject into 
Michelle Williams certainly deserved her Oscar nomination for her turn as Marilyn Monroe in 
I’m not exactly sure what they were thinking with the overly-slick, utterly baffling new take on 
Do you like penguins? Do you like them dancing? Do you like them talking with the voices of Elijah Wood and Robin Williams while they’re dancing? Did you like all of this when it was in an animated movie called Happy Feet? Then you’ll like the equally ingratiating 
For 
How do you compress 13.7 million years of Earth’s existence into one concise special? Seems like a tall task, but it’s one 
It’s still not my bag, but for those that enjoy Adult Swim’s 
After being pressured into reading the books by the taskmaster John Hodgman, I quickly became a fan of George RR Martin’s sprawling fantasy series A Song Of Ice & Fire. It was with excitement and some trepidation that I awaited the arrival of HBO’s adaptation of the first book, taking its title as the title of the overall television series – 
You want to make all of those videos you’re filming with your tiny little iPhone look even better, right? Well, the 
It’s not one of their official 100th anniversary releases, but there’s certainly something to celebrate about the high definition release of Alfred Hitchcock’s 
The Universal 100th anniversary celebration continues with a quintet of catalog releases – 3 on DVD and 2 new-to-Blu-Ray. The trio of standard definition titles are William Powell & Carole Lombard in 
If you want a trip down memory lane but don’t feel like shelling out for a full season set, Paramount’s “Fan Favorites” line (Paramount, Not Rated, DVD-$14.98 SRP each) features single-disc “best of” releases from 7 different classic series, selected from across their full run. These series featured in this initial wave are 
The BBC are releasing the additional seasons from a trio of their dramas, dropping 
I’m still not entirely sure why a remake of 
Fans rejoice, for another new collection of true adventure comes to DVD with 
Those lovely nature documentarians at the BBC dive into the fascinating lives of whales and dolphins with 
In what has become de rigeur for any marginally successful film, fans of the film are getting a deluxe presentation of Ben Affleck’s Bostonian heist flick with 
Currently available as a Target exclusive, the complete second season of 
The sad thing is that 
It feels a little odd to be writing about a children’s picture from Martin Scorsese, so it’s probably easier to understand when you realize that one of the key figures in 
If you’re looking for a purchase for both a Star Wars and a LEGO fan who may be too young for the more complicated sets, the 
With the release of 
Rowan Atkinson returns as the bumbling superspy in 
Written by the late Dwayne McDuffie, 
Take Buffy and mix in heavy metal and The Evil Dead and you’ll get the gonzo horror/comedy of 
It caused a controversy when it was released, probably because 
Tween boys with their eyes glued to Cartoon Network will probably want to pick up the first release from the adventure series 
It’s a little slow-going at times and uneven, but the good of 
Are you steampunky? Have you ever wished you could wear a tiny little folding telescope on your ring finger? So you could feel all steampunky and adventurous and ingenious? Well, Thinkgeek brings you 
I’m sure it’s just a personal hang-up of mine, but I’m not much of a fan of Leonardo DiCaprio, especially as he’s somehow become the go-to guy for vintage biopics of egomaniacal men. The latest is Clint Eastwood’s otherwise nicely made 
Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson’s big Tintin film is about to hit home video, and the massive amounts of development and concept art that went into making it is presented in 
And speaking of incredible behind-the-scenes books, now that the massive 8-film series has wrapped, you can explore all of the cinematic magic that went into making JK Rowling’s boy wizard come to life with 
For years, Newmarket Press has been putting out some quite nice making-of and screenplay books for various films, and this Oscar season brings a pair of tomes from this year’s nominees. First up is 
I wasn’t expecting much, which is probably why I was pleasantly surprised by the working man’s revenge flick 
You can watch Tudors and French Cardinals all you want, but in Italy the power center also had a family name, and it’s that powerful dynasty that’s the subject of 
It’s no Shrek, which I see as a definite plus for spin-off film 
Fighting the nefarious likes of Simon Bar Sinister and Riff Raff, the dated though still fun cartoons featured in the 10-disc 
A pair of Showtime series are dropping their latest seasons with the arrival of post-prison new life in the Big Apple 
Things kicked off proper with To Kill A Mockingbird, and Universal keeps the excitement of their 100th anniversary going with a fully restored, absolutely beautiful high definition presentation of their WWI epic 
You don’t have to be lonely or irresponsible to want an 
The now-companionless 11th Doctor puts his own spin Narnia with World War II and plenty of trees thrown in for good measure in the latest Christmas adventure 
The Doctor & Peri land on barren Androzani Minor in the middle of violent human/android keruffles & find celery useless against stickyballs in the final Peter Davison adventure 
The TARDIS materializes inside a ship full of fraidy-cats paralyzed by flat-footed psychic aliens fond of onesies but not humans in the William Hartnell story 
Watch as the History Channel continues to fritter away its reputation with another volume of the lamentable 
The less than dynamic duo return to snigger and snark for a new generation with the release of 
I know it should no longer impress me, because they’ve done it with each of their classic high definition releases, but Disney’s restoration of their newest Diamond Edition, 
Celebrate special events in aeronautic style with the incredibly easy to use (and quite beautiful) 
Following up on his stellar turn in series 5, Murray Gold keeps the roll going with his music for 
It’s very much of the period, but there’s no denying that the chemistry between Ryan O’Neal and Ali McGraw as two star-crossed lovers is what made 
Collecting together a trio of character-based live specials from earlier in his career, 
If you’re in the mood for a brilliant little two-hander, Cormac McCarthy’s 
If there’s one overriding takeaway from the Harold & Kumar movies, is that they’re really not interested in anything much besides giving audiences a pleasant viewing experience. In that, 
Lucas Cruikshank’s internet sensation Fred Figglehorn returns for another adventure in the spooky 
In the mood for a small character drama this weekend? Give a spin to 
Alan Rickman and Emma Thompson star in the charming little drama 
Tween girls will probably want to snap up the Disney Channel movie 
As part of their 100th anniversary celebration, Universal has cleaned up and presented a pretty-damn definitive high definition edition of 
Do you like magnets? I like magnets. Do you like tops? Heck, who doesn’t love tops! Well, now you can chocolate and peanut butter them to get the 
If Monty Python defined British comedy for the 70’s, it was Channel 4’s inaugural comedy show The Comic Strip Presents that set the tone for the strident comedy of the 1980’s. Featuring the likes of Dawn French, Jennifer Saunders, Rik Mayall, Ade Edmondson, Alexei Sayle, and Robbie Coltrane, the short comedic films are absolute gems and required viewing for anyone who considers themselves a comedy lover. 
I’m a massive fan of the legendary Marvel Comics series Fantastic Four, which means I dove into the exquisite history of the book’s creation and golden age – 
While I applaud Paramount for dipping into the coffers to take the time and considerable cost necessary to high definition upgrade (via original film negative and effects materials) the whole series, I wish the 
As far as thought-provoking science fiction flicks go, 
The Blu-Ray pact between Miramax and Lionsgate brings another pair of catalogue releases to tick off your waitlist – the Academy Award sweeper 
If you’re going to revisit a beloved horror film, you should probably at least try to be up to the challenge. Sadly, the new “prequel” to John Carpenter’s 
I am a sucker for feature film restorations that bring a film back from the brink, and Paramount has done truly amazing work on the first feature film to win the Best Picture Academy Award in 1927, William A. Wellman’s World War I aeronautical masterpiece 
Every once in awhile, the fine folks at Thinkgeek conjure up a specially-produced item that strikes just the right geek nerve, and such is the case with the 
Only on Adult Swim could you have 
When you think you’ve tapped an idea out, why not go back to the beginning? That’s the premise behind 
If you’d like a clear view on just how conflicted the History Channel is when it comes to presenting fact and fiction, their latest batch of releases is a perfect representation. In the good column are the exploration of the last ice age, 
The Muppets of Sesame go superheroic in their latest DVD – 
It may be difficult on the wallet, but I like MGM’s batch dropping of high definition catalogue titles, particularly as this wave contains the Hitchcock films 
MGM has also released another clutch of their limited edition MOD titles, this time including the white water rafting Animal House flick 
Scholastic returns with another pair of Storybook Treasures releases – 
HBO is dropping a trio of historical titles in high definition, all three of which are worth picking up – the biopic 
For anyone feeling the temptation of slipping from a diets, it’s rather fitting that you can have your very own 
It’s still not my cup of tea, but for those that do enjoy it, the complete 3rd season of 
If you want to see cold case investigations with a decidedly British flavor, dip into the 6th season of the BBC’s 
While the film can be shaky going, I can’t help loving the onscreen chemistry of Anna Faris & Chris Evans in 
Shout factory also continues to roll out the classic Nickelodeon series, releasing the live action comedy 
Every once in awhile an under-the-radar comedy comes along and pleasantly surprises, and 
What do Ricky Gervais & Stephen Merchant do when they’re bored? They send the decidedly reticent Karl Pilkington on tour of the wonders of the world in 
I’m always interested in products that take up less room but still accomplish a job I need, which is why the 
It’s a new year, and waiting for us in the bright and shiny are a pair of new classic Doctor Who releases – the Jon Pertwee story 
Want to know just how snowed under I’ve been for, oh, ages? I actually missed that a pair of new Rifftrax shorts collections AND a Rifftrax holiday special had been released on DVD. Rectifying that glaring oversight, I’m here to recommend you rush over and pick up your very own copies of 
I resent a sports film that makes me like it in spite of it being a sports film. Because I really do not like sports. So damn you, 
What does work, though, is HBO’s miniseries adaptation of 
Want to be depressed this holiday season with a fearsome piece of plausible disaster? Then kick back with some egg nog and candy canes and watch 
You may not remember (though fans most certainly do), but there was a massive outcry a few years back when the first couple of seasons of both Roseanne & 3rd Rock From The Sun hit DVD. The trouble? Instead of the original broadcast versions of the episodes, the DVDs featured the edited syndication cuts. Yeah, so fans were not happy. Well, thanks to the fine folks at Mill Creek, you can now get 
The kids will feel a seasonal chill from 
Though it’s produced by Martin Scorsese and one of the writers from The Sopranos, the period piece 
It’s the end of the road for Steve McGarrett as we finally arrive at the 12th and final season of 
Buoyed by still-powerful performances from Gary Oldman & Chloe Webb, 
I have to be honest in saying I’m not much for the dimensional beastie hijinks of 
After Tim Burton’s abysmal take, I was quite leery of any new attempts to return to the Planet Of The Apes franchise. Well, I was pleasantly surprised that 
Still looking for the perfect stand for your smartphone? Try the 
Remember when we were all mourning the cancellation of Futurama? Such a long time ago! And here we are two seasons into its revival with the release of 
A sequel was inevitable, so it should come as little surprise to you that Jack Black returns in 
There are plenty of companies diving into their deep catalogues for Blu-Ray release, but the only studio that is consistently ace with every restoration project they undertake is Warner Bros. The latest to benefit from their incredible acumen is the Judy Garland romance 
I didn’t know what to expect from the remake of 
There’s something about 
Shame it’s gone direct-to-DVD (not even Blu-Ray) here in the US, because 
The main reason to check out 
Now that we’ve moved beyond the still-wonderful episodes into the seasons I don’t really care about, the release of something like 
I don’t understand its appeal, but I know there are plenty of fans out there eager to pick up their very own copy of 
If you’re in the mood for a heartwarming tale of a dolphin with a prosthetic tail that just so happens to star Morgan Freeman in a role that isn’t the dolphin, then you might want to check out 
While the Laurel & Hardy catalogue has been largely overlooked and mistreated for years, the fine folks at Kino have been doing a spectacular job with the work of Buster Keaton, first on DVD, and now with their simply stunning restorations for Blu-Ray. Joining their already-released titles comes a new batch of films and, even more welcome, the 
We may or may not have a white Christmas, but if anyone was dreaming of a comedy Christmas, their wishes will come true with a torrent of new stand-up DVDs, just in time for the holidays. The fine folks at 4 are dropping a massive stable all on their lonesome, with the debut discs 
And speaking of stand-up DVDs that need to be on your holiday shopping list, I’m going to be severely disappointed in you if you don’t pick up the debut DVD from my buddy – 
With the film on the horizon (now in theaters), I decided it was high time I dive in and read the full run of Hergé’s intrepid Belgian reporter, Tintin. So I did. If you want what comprises the 21 adventures of the “modern canon”, there’s the 8-volume 
So, now that you’re a fan of Tintin, it’s time to want all of titles, which means partaking of the brilliant archival hardcover editions of the original black & white versions of the very first stories (Hergé redrew, revised & colored the first few stories in the mid-40’s to match his current style), including the two stories not included in the aforementioned box set, put out by the fine folks at Last Gasp – 
Ready for the next level of being a true Tintin fan? Last Gasp has got you covered, with the in-depth 
And yes, I did mention there’s now a big Tintin film in the cinemas, made by Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson, and the massive amounts of development and concept art that went into making it is presented in 
For years, Newmarket Press has been putting out some quite nice making of books for various films, and this year brings a pair of new additions to that library. First up is 
If you want something a little more on the affordable side, the keen guys at Biff Bang Pow have expanded their MEGO-style Venture Bros. figure line with the addition of 4 new figures – 
Gizzy gizmos and electronic doodads from those geeky ones at Thinkgeek? You mean something like a tiny 
For you camera nerds wanting to eke out a bit more style from the photos and videos you take with your iPhone, there’s the 
I’m not a huge wine drinker, but in the times when I’ve had to open a bottle, I’ve absolutely loathed corkscrews. Loathed them. Just can’t get it right. With the 
Long ago when he was young (well, young-er) and foolish, YouTube sensation Charlie McDonnell made a video of him messing around with the various shock levels to be found in the electric shock hot potato game 
I’ve had a Dynaflex Powerball – one of those gyroscopic balls that exercise your wrist and arms – for years now, but very rarely used it because of how much of a pain it was to get it started via the pull strung. Well, with the new 
Those interested in a beautiful conversation piece with a firm grounding in mathematics can pick up a 
Have you ever wanted to pilot a shark? WHO HASN’T wanted to pilot a shark? Now you can do just that, sort of, with the 
Oh, it is with such giddy delight that, after years of having to live with a non-anamorphic, poor-print version, one of my favorite films has finally made it to high definition with the presentation it deserves. And what is that film? Joe Johnston’s adaptation of Dave Stevens’ 
Making the transition from TV to feature film is an often tricky proposition, and its quite a rare thing for it to be a comedy making that transition. To do it and to do it well is nearly unprecedented, which makes the success of 
Marking the end of Will, Neal, Simon & Jay’s school tenure comes 
Oh, and while you’re at it, be sure to pick up 
For the past few years, when I’ve wanted to show off the incredible quality of Blu-Ray – and my massive TV – I’ve popped in the BBC’s landmark nature documentary 
It’s been ages since their last release, due mainly to their constant touring schedule, but I’m delighted to report that the wait for 
And because you can never have too much high class riffing this holiday season. Rifftrax returns with a brand new high definition release of one of their live shows with 
As if the job they were doing with Charles Schulz’s Peanuts weren’t reason enough for praise, the brills at Fantagraphics have turned their eye to the oft-ignored and rarely properly treated Disney library and have done them justice. For proof, look not further than 
If that weren’t reason enough to praise Fantagraphics, they’ve also decided to tackle the work of an artist very close to my heart with 
If you’ve ever wondered about the last hundred years of his life – the ones not covered by Mark Twain’s recently-released autobiography – you’ll find all of his tales of that missing period in Michael Kupperman’s 
I’m still not entirely sure I understand everything that happened in the 
And if you finding yourself wanting to give the gift of David Tennant’s 10th Doctor this holiday season, get the 26-disc 
Jon Pertwee’s 3rd Doctor finally escapes his banishment to Earth and travels into space in the new-to-DVD adventure Doctor Who: Colony In Space (BBC, Not Rated, DVD-$24.98 SRP). Okay, so he doesn’t really escape – more like the Time Lords who banished him there in the first place decide they need his help to stop The Master from getting his hands on a master weapon, so they send the TARDIS (with The Doctor and companion Jo Grant) to a bleak planet in the 25th century to stop him. Bonus materials are plentiful, including an audio commentary, featurettes, deleted footage, and more.
Now that we’ve reached a point where nearly every extant classic Doctor Who story has been released, the BBC have very nicely decided to go back and revisit many of their early releases and make them bona fide special editions. The latest to get the treatment is the Tom Baker story 
Action figures! For the kid who loves the Doctor or for the adult who loves the Doctor in a lovely arrested development kind of way (like me), there are plenty of action figures you can snag this holiday season. If you’d like to get a whole clump of them in one fell swoop, why not pick up the 
But what if you want to really populate your Underhenge display? You’ll do that with the 6-figure 
Yes, well, if that still hasn’t quite fulfilled your Who figure needs, why not get the still-in-10th-Doctor-suit-post-regeneration 
One of the creepiest episodes of this past season featured the Flesh and the doppelgangers created from that white goo. With the 
But if classic Who is more your style, there’s always something like the 
And what are you going to do with all of these figures? Play with them in your very own – and very massive – 11th Doctor 
That’s not the only TARDIS playset you’ll want, though, because you can also get the 
Although they seem to be agonizingly slow in adding to their offerings – and I wish they’d really dive into the action figure side of things – the fine folks at Thinkgeek have imported a pair of Doctor Who board games for the whole family. 
Who doesn’t want to snuggle with a soft and fluffy blob of sentient fat? Well, if you’re a Doctor Who fan, you can do just that with the 
Pens! We’ve got pens! We’ve got floating pens, with floaty things – either a 
By now, you’ve surely gotten your 
Remember the 
Take my advice, and do as I say – Save a little money for a rainy day. And why not get one of the deadliest aliens in the known universe to keep your money safe? With the 
It seems rather obvious that the Doctor and watches go together, so for the kids there’s a 
While you’re telling time with those watches, determine it on a larger scale with your very own 
It still baffles me that they’d go off-market LEGO with the license, but that’s pretty much what the Character Building sets are – In fact, the bricks are even LEGO compatible. So for the construction nerd in your home, you can not only get a 
Everyone likes 3D. Sure, it’s a gimmick, but it’s a cool gimmick. Particularly when it’s a 3D optical illusion you can hold in your hands, like the 
What will you be hanging upon your Christmas Tree this holiday season? Perhaps a 
And if you remember last season’s reappearance of the old school Cybermen and their small cyberminions, you’ll probably want your very own 
For the really wee kiddies who might not be ready for action figures, how about 
And finally, when you’re attending all of those festive holiday fetes, how can you not show up bedecked in your very own 
While you’re counting the days that have comprised this massively long wait for the start of the 6th season, dive into the complete 5th season of 
Looking for an easier way to send countless texts to friends and family this holiday season in a much, much easier fashion? How about augmenting your iPhone with a 
Many (including me) celebrated the release of the Rhino DVD sets as a golden age for fans of the show, but Shout Factory has proved that those Rhino days were but pyrite compared to the torrent of Mystery Science Theater sets they’ve delivered over the past few years. Case in point, just months after all of the Gamera films, we get 
Watching the 4th, penultimate (and last full) season of 
I don’t want you to think that I didn’t enjoy 
For a unique home 3D experience that’s also quite educational, join Werner Herzog for a journey into the 
Oh, 
One of the great war films of all time gets a high definition release with 
In the documentary 
I am shocked to say that I found 
I’ve always thought that Colin Quinn was a pretty sharp comedian with a not terribly sharp delivery, but in his first stand-up special – 
Listen, I know that the John Milius Conan film has its flaws, but there’s an energy and grit that permeates every frame of that flick that’s simply not found in the too-slick, too-affected, too-boring modern 
If you’ve waited your whole life to see Jim Carrey cavort with penguins in an elegant New York apartment, then 
I kept hoping that 
Ben returns to take on the abounding extraterrestrial menaces in 
It’s been the requisite amount of time, so what do we get? Why, we get another season set of Spongebob! 
Things take a dark, unpredictable turn in the 5th and final season of 
If you’d like to fulfill your very special movie quota, check out 
For history buffs, the perfect companion to their recent WWII set is the equally fascinating/gripping 
