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…)
Jerry Seinfeld cites it as the primary influence for his own show, and anyone who views The Abbott and Costello Show (E1, Not Rated, DVD-$59.98 SRP) will clearly see the precedent it established for a comedy set in New York City and almost entirely about unique characters and everyday events, rather than your typical sitcom fare. It was also anchored by an amazing comedy duo who managed to reinvent themselves for the small screen without falling into the trap of other comedians making the transition, who seemed to believe they were back on a vaudeville stage rather than pioneers on a brand new medium. I can’t recommend this 9-disc complete series set comprising the 2-season run of the show highly enough, which also feature Lou Costello’s rare home movies, interviews with the duo’s children, the 1978 TV special “Hey Abbott!”, the complete “Who’s On First?” routine, and the Abbott & Costello short film 10,000 Kids and a Cop.
You know, sometimes work is dragging your spirits down, you’re sitting at your desk tired and dejected, and you know there’s only one thing that could possibly lift your spirits – Drumming. And with the USB Drum Kit ($29.99), you can drum away at your desk, then quickly stash the drum pad away when you have to go back to being, you know, productive.
It’s got its flaws, but I did enjoy Guy Ritchie’s amped up but still faithful take on Sherlock Holmes (Warner Bros., Rate dPG-13, Blu-Ray/DVD-$35.99 SRP), starring Robert Downey Jr. as the master detective and Jude Law as his faithful sleuthing companion, Dr. Watson. The plot is almost besides the point, as it’s a hit-the-ground running Victorian buddy movie with plenty of action and detective work. As far as bonus materials go, you get a behind-the-scenes featurette.
Granted, there’s something inherently underwhelming about watching footage intended for IMAX presentation on a home theater setup, but there’s no denying that there’s some beautiful footage to be found in the self-explanatorily titled IMAX: Under The Sea (Warner Bros., Rated G, DVD-$27.98 SRP). Bonus materials are limited to a behind-the-scenes featurette. For a better HD view, a Blu-Ray edition ($35.99 SRP) is also available.
I’m not going to claim it’s a good film – or even that it’s not mostly boring – but yes, the original Clash Of The Titans (Warner Bros., Rated PG, Blu-Ray-$34.99 SRP) is a guilty pleasure for the odd sequence here and there, be it Medusa, the Kraken, or that mechanical owl, Bubo. Full remastered and presented in high definition, the new special edition adds an interview with Ray Harryhausen and a monster gallery.
It’s not the next season set, but iCarly fans can spin a collection of two TV movies and a pair of episodes contained in iCarly: iFight Shelby Marx (Nickelodeon, Not rated, DVD-$16.99 SRP), one of which is the titular Shelby Marx showdown starring Victoria Justice. Bonus features include behind-the-scenes featurettes and the pilot episode of Big Time Rush.
The 5th season of Deadliest Catch (Image, Not Rated, DVD-$29.98 SRP) is the last full season to feature the Captain Phil Harris, who passed away this past February as filming on the new season was ongoing. Even 5 seasons in, the show is still compelling viewing, and a continual reminder that I could never imagine myself doing anything quite as crazy dangerous. The 5-disc set contains all 16 episodes, plus 5 additional episodes and more.
I was a fan of his work on Newsradio, but I’ve never really gotten into Joe Rogan’s stand-up comedy. For those who have, he’s released a brand new DVD – Joe Rogan: Talking Monkeys In Space (Comedy Central, Not Rated, DVD-$14.98 SRP), which also include additional footage and featurettes.
Criterion continues to release classic flicks that you don’t even know you want in your collection until you sit down to view them. One such impressive flick is Nicholas Ray’s Bigger Than Life (Criterion, Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$39.95 SRP), a 1950’s thriller that finds patriarch James Mason prescribed the then-experimental drug cortisone, which turns the mild-mannered head-of-the-family into a violent despot. Bonus materials include an audio commentary, an interview with Ray, a video appreciation, and more.
If your kids walked out of the theater eager for some mighty Viking dragon-training action, you can let ’em get into to early onset cosaplying with the How To Train Your Dragon Viking Battle Pack (Spin Master, $19.97 SRP), which comes with a battle helmet, axe, and shield. The How To Train Your Dragon toy line is available exclusively from Wal-Mart.
You’d be wrong if you dismissed the documentary The Story Of Math (Acorn, Not Rated, DVD-$59.99 SRP) as a dry exploration of the fundamental role of mathematics in life, the universe, and everything – because, in actuality, it’s a glorious celebration of that most pervasive of forces.
No, I should not be surprised that, after the massive financial success of the first film, there would be Alvin & The Chipmunks: The Squeakquel (Fox, Rated PG, Blu-Ray-$39.99 SRP), but there you go – it’s here. It’s also expanded the live action Chipmunks world with the arrival of the Chippettes, in addition to reducing the role of Jason Lee’s David Seville to a virtual walk-on part. The 3-disc special edition features a clutch of featurettes, music videos, and a standard DVD edition of the film.
Even when they’re not brilliant, I still enjoy a Nick Hornby film, and I enjoyed An Education (Sony Classics, Rated PG-13, Blu-Ray-$38.96 SRP), which stars Carey Mulligan as a young student who may let her plans for higher learning get derailed by a love affair with an older man (Peter Sarsgaard) in 1960s Britain. Bonus materials include an audio commentary, featurettes, and deleted scenes.
With the release of the 8th season of Hawaii Five-O (Paramount, Not Rated, DVD-$49.99 SRP), we’re only 4 seasons out from finally being able to put a bow on the complete run of Steve McGarrett’s crime-busting in the Aloha State. The 6-disc set contains all 23 episodes.
You wouldn’t think that a series about the legal maneuvering of a maverick High Court judge would be very appealing, but it is in Judge John Deed (BBC, Not Rated, DVD-$39.98 SRP), which stars Martin Shaw as the titular man who uses his intellect to make sure justice is served. The 3-disc set contains the entire first season plus the pilot episode.
Did you know that Steven Seagal is a deputy of the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office in Louisiana? Yes – that Steven Seagal. Well, if you’re still doubting me, take a look at Steven Seagal: Lawman (A&E, Not Rated, DVD-$19.95 SRP). The complete first season set contains all 13 episodes, plus additional footage.
The penultimate 6th season of Sabrina The Teenage Witch (Paramount, Not Rated, DVD-$39.98 SRP) found our supernatural lead firmly ensconced in Boston’s Adams College, hiding her powers from her roommates (including childhood crush Soleil Moon Frye), and trying to have a normal life. The 3-disc set contains all 22 episodes.
While Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s famous sleuth is the one most-remembered, the detectives that populated the works of other contemporary writers are presented in the second volume of The Rivals Of Sherlock Holmes (Acorn, Not Rated, DVD-$59.99 SRP), which features another 13 episodes of deduction.
For the pre-schoolers in your life, there’s a pair of new Nick releases sure to keep them occupied while you try and get a moment of peace – The Backyardigans: Escape From The Tower and Nickelodeon: Go Green! (Nickelodeon, Not Rated, DVD-$16.99 SRP each), which features a clutch of environmentally-themed shows.
Originally intended as its swan song, the strong viewer numbers of 7th Heaven‘s 10th season (Paramount, Not Rated, DVD-$49.98 SRP) instead made it the penultimate outing of the Camden clan. This 5-disc set contains all 22 episodes, but zero bonus features.
Still with the single disc, no-set releases, fans can now pick up Ben 10: Alien Force Volume 6 (Cartoon Network, Not Rated, DVD-$14.98 SRP). The disc contains a quartet of episodes, plus another installment of the alien database.
Watch as a family grabs hold of a tragedy and rides it back into the limelight as The Jacksons: A Family Dynasty (A&E, Not Rated, DVD-$24.95 SRP) finds the remaining Jackson brothers in a reality series that makes for awkward viewing, to say the least.
Want to see what the girls of Jersey Shore will turn into in 20 years time? Pick up the crass, clueless Real Housewives Of New Jersey (Bravo, Not Rated, DVD-$29.95 SRP) and see the sordid, vapid fate time and money has I store for them. The 1st season set contains all of the episodes, plus the reunions, additional footage, and a director’s cut.
Over the last year, I’ve fallen in love with the work of Hot Toys, which is distributed here in the States by the fine folks at Sideshow Collectibles. Much to my surprise, I also greatly enjoyed the recent CGI Astro Boy feature. So, what do you get when you combine the two? Hot Toys brilliant Astro Boy Vinyl Figure ($64.99). Standing 12″ tall, it captures Astro in the final stages of his construction, suspended by cables. The sculpting, as you can see, is simply incredible. You know you want to get it, too.
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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Yeah, I tried. Still don’t like 
