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…)
If you’ve been steadily dropping a not-insubstantial amount of money on the massive Ultimate Editions of the Harry Potter films on Blu-Ray, you know that you don’t yet have the big sets for the final two Deathly Hallows films. To those fans, the absolutely gigantic Harry Potter Wizard’s Collection (Warner Bros., Rated PG/PG-13, Blu-Ray-$499.99 SRP) may be a bit of a frustration, as it contains not only all of the currently available Ultimate Editions, but also the ones you’ve been waiting on (with the final two bonus documentaries, “Story” and “Growing Up”), plus a new bonus disc with exclusive interviews and featurettes. To try and lure the uberfans in, the set is loaded with collectibles, including a cloth map, blueprints to Hogwarts, books of labels and favorite props, design sketches, and even a replica of the Horcrux locket, all housed within a box that unfolds much like the traveling case of Horace Slughorn. So should you get it? You’ll probably find it hard not to. The bastards.
I plan on doing some international traveling in the near future, and everyone I talk to who has done the same has warned to remember a decent power converter. Thankfully, Thinkgeek now offers the perfect solution – the Powerline Travel Voltage Converter ($19.99), which includes five adapter plugs stored in a compact travel case.
Universal’s 100th anniversary celebration has proved to be a remarkably wonderful year for getting highly desired catalogue titles released in high definition, and the streak keeps going with fully remastered editions of classics like Harvey (Universal, Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$26.98 SRP), the disaster flick Airport (Universal, Rated G, Blu-Ray-$19.98 SRP), the still-fun hybrid Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein (Universal, Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$26.98 SRP), and John Hughes’ legendary Sixteen Candles (Universal, Rated PG, Blu-Ray-$19.98 SRP). All 4 carry over the bonus features from their previous DVD releases, also adding on historical retrospectives about Universal itself.
How can you not love a film from the artsy brains at Aardman Animation? You can’t. Which is why you’ll love their latest – The Pirates! Band Of Misfits (Sony, Rated PG, 3D Blu-Ray-$45.99 SRP), available in lovely 3D. It’s a fun, tongue-in-cheek romp that really looks great in the home theater. Bonus materials include an audio commentary, featurettes, short films, and more.
The first season was a somewhat shaky, often off-putting affair, but the second season of Boardwalk Empire (HBO, Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$79.98 SRP) found the tale of 1920’s Atlantic City solidifying into destination watching, anchored by the always-interesting Steve Buscemi as the true power behind the city. Bonus materials include audio commentaries and featurettes.
I admit, I was one of the naysayers who looked at ABC’s attempt to milk the Disney fairytale library for a soapy primetime drama that was equal parts Buffy and Dark Shadows as a sure-fire failure, but Once Upon A Time (ABC Studios, Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$79.99 SRP) has grown on me, with its increasingly dense mythology and winking introduction of said mythical characters into the narrative. Check it out for yourself with the complete first season, with commentaries, featurettes, deleted scenes, bloopers, and more.
After a debut season that arrived with a bang, the second season of The Walking Dead (Anchor Bay, Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$69.99 SRP) is where the story seemed to be showing as many cracks as the titular undead’s skin. Which is sad, because it had so much momentum going in and, much like Lost before it, seemed to stumble with the introduction of unnecessary, and annoying, new characters. Here’s hoping season 3 is back on course. Bonus materials include audio commentaries, deleted scenes, and featurettes.
It’s a little early for Halloween, but Spongebob Squarepants: Ghouls Fools (Nickelodeon, Not Rated, DVD-$14.98 SRP) brings together 7 episodes largely focusing on the ghostly Flying Dutchman, including the titular double-length episode.
When you’ve got a title for a documentary like 10 Things You Don’t Know About (History Channel, Not Rated, DVD-$19.95 SRP), you expect trivia, but not the salacious hidden pasts and actions of famous figures from Ben Franklin to Albert Einstein.
It’s probably for the best that the 4th season of Fringe (Warner Bros., Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$59.98 SRP) is its penultimate, as I’d much rather the show went out strong in its upcoming fifth and final season than spin out of control like poor, poor Lost. Bonus materials include a clutch of featurettes and a gag reel.
The live action film was an abysmal mess, but there’s some fun to be had in Green Lantern: The Animated Series (Warner Bros., Not Rated, $19.97 SRP), which finds the titular Corps defending the galaxy against many a menace. The 2-disc set contains the first 13 episodes.
Criterion rolls out another pair of classy films with a classy treatment – Whit Stillman’s The Last Days Of Disco (Criterion, Rated R, Blu-Ray-$39.95 and Andrew Haigh’s Weekend (Criterion, Rated R, Blu-Ray-$39.95 SRP). Both contain commentaries, featurettes, interviews, deleted scenes, and more.
Adding to the rich history of the BBC’s exploration of pre-history is Planet Dinosaur (BBC, Not Rated, DVD-$19.95 SRP), which takes a look at a whole slew of fascinating thunder lizards that will delight kids and adults alike.
It’s potentially disastrous when the day after taking his first hit, the high school valedictorian learns that his school will be giving its students a drug test. With his scholarship on the line, what’s a panicky kid to do but hatch a plan to get his entire school high so everyone fails. High School (Anchor Bay, Rated R, Blu-Ray-$29.99 SRP). It’s an amiable comedy, with the real highlight coming from Michael Chicklis as the school’s principal.
And while you’re picking up the DVD, why not pick up Frederik Wiedmann’s score to Green Lantern: The Animated Series (La-La Land Records, $14.99 SRP), featuring 36 cues from the show.
Charlie’s dead and Alan and Jake soon find a naked millionaire played by Ashton Kutcher replacing him in the awkward 9th season of Two And A Half Men (Warner Bros., Not Rated, DVD-$44.98 SRP), which at least featured the high water mark of Kathy Bates playing Charlie in the afterlife. Bonus materials include featurettes and a gag reel.
It’s a shame that Battleship (Universal, Rated PG-13, Blu-Ray-$34.98 SRP) is such a good looking and sounding film, because the actual story itself – a desperate attempt to graft a blockbuster onto a board game – is not even awful… It’s just largely inert. Aliens target the Navy. Then they play Twister. Again, a real shame. But hey! It’s pretty. Bonus materials include a clutch of featurettes.
Like Ron Perlman? And Katey Sagal? And bikers? Then the complete fourth season of Sons Of Anarchy (Fox, Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$69.99 is for you, with alliances, corruption, betrayals, and bikes. Bonus materials include audio commentary, featurettes, extended episodes, and more.
It’s taken a few years, but I may finally be coming around to Parks And Recreation (Universal, Not Rated, DVD-$39.98 SRP). Its first year was an abyss, years two and three a slow burn, but the fourth season seemed to find its reason to be, and embrace a unique quirk and stellar collection of actors. Good on them. Bonus materials include extended episodes, deleted scenes, webisodes, a gag reel, and more.
After the awful Muppets, I find watching Jason Segel’s gurning to be difficult to take, so it’s lucky that The Five-Year Engagement (Universal, Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$34.98 SRP) has a supporting cast – including Alison Brie, Mindy Kaling, and Rhys Ifans – that compensates for his diminishing charm in a pretty much by-the-numbers romcom about a delayed marriage. Bonus materials include an audio commentary, deleted/alternate scenes, a gag reel, and more.
A trio of HBO sitcoms ending their runs get their home video release all at the same time – How To Make It In America: Season Two (HBO, Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$49.98 SRP), Hung: Season 3 (HBO, Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$39.98 SRP), and the very much missed Bored To Death: Season 3 (HBO, Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$39.98 SRP). All 3 releases contain commentaries, featurettes, and more.
It has been on the decline for years, but it was clearly evident during The Office: Season Eight (Universal, Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$59.98 SRP) that the show was on its last creative legs, desperate to milk any laughs from an already fractured premise. Shame the show couldn’t have gone out with a bang like the original UK version, instead of this drawn out whimper. Bonus materials include extended cuts, deleted scenes, webisodes, promos, and a blooper reel.
R.L. Stine continues his mission to traumatize children, a mission you can experience via the first two volumes of his new anthology series airing on the Hub network, R.L. Stine’s The Haunting Hour (Shout Factory, Not Rated, DVD-$14.97 SRP each). Think of it as Hammer Horror for the little ones.
I’m not exactly sure why the Turtle costumes in Saban’s Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation (Shout Factory, Not Rated, DVD-$19.93 SRP) look so absolutely awful – like lumpen green oatmeal – but maybe that’s the titular next mutation… Into cheap, quickly produced crud. Shame, really.
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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