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…)
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 Hugo (Paramount, Rated PG, Blu-Ray-$54.99 SRP) is pioneering French filmmaker Georges Melies, best known for his legendary “Journey To The Moon”. The film finds Georges as a toy shop owner in a railway station who aids the young title character’s attempt to unlock a mystery left by his father. The film is a fun and – yes – heartwarming pic that makes fine use of the 3D canvas, playing very nicely in the home theater. Bonus materials include making-of featurettes and a look at the real Melies.
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 LEGO TIE Interceptor and Death Star ($9.99) is perfect, as the Interceptor is an easy assembly, it comes with a pilot minifig, and the storage case is a hangable Death Star. Fun, right?
With the release of Top Gear 17 (BBC, Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$29.99 SRP), the home video releases have finally caught up with the show, as the 18th season has just premiered. For this season, however, we find the terrible trio in Italy, Monte Carlo, and even South Africa. Bonus materials include intros, interviews, behind-the-scenes of the celebrity laps, and more.
Rowan Atkinson returns as the bumbling superspy in Johnny English Reborn (Universal, Rated PG, Blu-Ray-$34.98 SRP), which finds our Clouseau-esque hero called back to active duty after being disgraced, saddled with a partner (the wonderful Daniel Kaluuya), and facing down betrayal from within. Bonus materials include an audio commentary, deleted scenes/ a featurette, and a gag reel.
Written by the late Dwayne McDuffie, Justice League: Doom (Warner Bros., Rated PG-13, Blu-Ray-$24.98 SRP) is the latest in the animated DC comics direct-to-video movies, this time focusing on the devastation that hits the titular superteam when a group of supervillains steals Batman’s secret contingency plans on how to take down his teammates should any go rogue. Bonus materials include an audio commentary, featurettes, bonus cartoons, and more.
Take Buffy and mix in heavy metal and The Evil Dead and you’ll get the gonzo horror/comedy of Todd & The Book Of Pure Evil (E1, Not Rated, DVD-$19.98 SRP), which finds the titular oversexed high-schooler as the world’s only defense against arcane evil unleashable by the also titular tome. The first season set sports audio commentaries, deleted scenes, featurettes, outtakes, and more.
It caused a controversy when it was released, probably because Anonymous (Sony, Rated PG-13, Blu-Ray-$35.99 SRP) tackles, in a sadly ham-fisted way, the theory that William Shakespeare was not the author of the works history has credited him with. Still, it’s an engaging enough watch, particularly with a cast that includes Rhys Ifans, David Thewlis, Derek Jacobi, and Vanessa Redgrave. Bonus materials include an audio commentary, deleted scenes, and a featurette.
Tween boys with their eyes glued to Cartoon Network will probably want to pick up the first release from the adventure series Redakai: The Journey Begins (Cartoon Network, Not Rated, DVD-$19.98 SRP), which finds our heroes racing around the world to keep Kairu energy from falling into evil hands. Ask your kids to explain it. Bonus materials include a pair of featurettes.
This weekend, we’ve got another story-specific Doctor Who action figure set from the fine folks at Underground Toys. The Keeper Of Traken Collector’s Set (Underground Toys, $49.98) contains a story-specific version of Tom Baker’s 4th Doctor (with source manipulator sphere), the charred and decayed version of The Master, and the Melkur statue. Here’s to more of these themed sets in the future.
We got a Harry Potter figure last year, so it’s a welcome addition to Medicom’s Real Action Heroes line of 12″ figures that we get the none-Voldemort bane of the young wizard’s existence – Alan Rickman’s beautifully realized Professor Severus Snape ($219.99 SRP). The Rickman sculpt is just about as perfect you can get, matched by the fine detailing on the multiple layers of costuming, from black suit to black outer robes. And yes, he comes with his wand. How could he not?
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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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 
It’s a bit bloated and unwieldy, but I have to admit that I have quite a fondness for Richard Attenborough’s biopic 
Got more kitchen utensils than space? Countertops and drawers at a premium? How brilliant is the 
Those wonderful purveyors of fine comic appreciation over at Twomorrows have decided to focus on the creator of the landmark comic series Bone with 
The animation isn’t the best, but what 
It’s no Broadcast News, but 
Oh, Warner Archive. I do so love how you’re releasing every marginal and obscure Hanna-Barbera cartoon in your vast library. So thank you for the a release like the set containing the complete runs of both 
It’s not as well put together as the UK original, but there’s certainly some interesting genealogical twists and turns to be found in the 1st season of the US 
It’s no Rocky, but there is a charm to 
Wrap up the second half of 
I find Clint Eastwood’s films can be hit-or-miss for me, with every great flick like Unforgiven matched by a disappointing one like Gran Torino. His stab at the supernatural, 
Hal-shark. Half-octopus. All schlock. Yeah, that pretty much sums up Roger Corman’s 
They rebuilt him… Better… Stronger… Faster… And now, after an interminably long wait, 
As a child in the early 80’s I remember the magical joy of coloring pieces of thin plastic that, when cut out and put in the oven, would shrink and thicken into tiny little 2-D plastic figurines. Yes, I’m speaking of 
In the mid-60’s, a trio of producers named Bob Rafelson, Bert Schneider, and Steve Blauner stepped from the surging counterculture and into the mainstream conservative milieu of Hollywood and crafted a definitive TV property with the manufactured pop band/TV show The Monkees. Seeking to move into films, they developed a decidedly unorthodox film for The Monkees written by good friend and Corman regular Jack Nicholson. After it bombed miserably, they hit paydirt with an era-defining film – Easy Rider. High definition version of both those films – plus the rest of their output (Five Easy Pieces, Drive, He Said, A Safe Place, The Last Picture Show, & The King Of Marvin Gardens) – in the box set 
For decades, Fritz Lang’s silent masterpiece – a visual and conceptual feast that his inspired scores of filmmakers – has been a fractured film, with whole chunks of footage and sequences that were in the debut cut deemed lost forever. Well, never say never, as recent discoveries have allowed the fine folks at Kino to assemble the complete 
Earlier this year, Kino also began releasing its extensive Buster Keaton collection in high definition, with the result being a trio of must-have releases for any aficionado of cinematic comedy – 
When HBO’s brilliantly dark western Deadwood began its first season, the time period within the series was only a few weeks following the massacre of Custer’s troops in 1876. Into the lawless South Dakotan town rode two men – one a bitter ex-lawman, and the other a man looking to start a new life – and both ran afoul of the local heavy who owns half the town. What followed was an epic drama of operatic heights, and one you can watch in its entirety in high definition with 
Your perennial holiday viewing just got a high definition upgrade with the Blu-Ray release of 
Killing time between now and when the globe-trotting Cars 2 comes out next summer? Well, you can dip into brand new adventures featuring everyone’s favorite hillbilly tow truck in 
The complete runs of both the classic Batman and Superman animated series have already made their debut as box sets, as well as Justice League, so the last to get the treatment arrives with 
It’s not really a brilliant series, but Gerry Anderson’s 
It’s certainly not as well-known or well-loved as shows like Space: 1999 or Thunderbirds, but completionists are sure to rejoice at the arrival of Gerry Anderson’s 
As the little Fockers will be making their way to the big screen shortly, it makes sense that Blu-Rays of 
We’re now into the second season, and I’ve pretty much written off 
Most people think of Romeo + Juliet or Moulin Rouge when they think of Baz Luhrmann and over look the dance-happy 
It’s been a long string of single-disc releases leading up to the release of 
Beginning after his emigration to the Big Apple in 1971, 
The Warner Archive has decided to celebrate the holidays be bringing together the holiday episodes of everything from The Courtship Of Eddie’s Father and Alice to Mama’s Family and Dr. Kildare in the 
The Warner Archive Collection continues to release titles no sane fan would ever think they’d eventually get their hands on, and I’d say the complete animated spin-off of The Dukes Of Hazzard – 
In an attempt to further turn themselves into Spike, the History Channel’s 
I’ve become less and less interested in seeing Tom Cruise on screen in recent years, and was hoping that the True Lies-esque bit of a blast thrill ride 
After Santa and his canine BFF travel to New York and the big man loses his memory, it’s up to the doggie to make sure Christmas is achieved in the saccharine sweet 
You know how long it’s been since 
For every surprisingly enjoyable bad idea like Pirates of the Caribbean comes a misfire dud like 
Real-life lovers Drew Barrymore and Justin Long have gone down the path of many actor couples by immortalizing their relationship as an onscreen duo, with their particular vehicle being 
Rob Reiner shoots straight down the middle with his amiable adaptation of young love novel 
It’s no Ben 10, but Cartoon Network’s 
Part of me cringes to say this, but I’ve begun to think that YouTube sensation Fred Figglehorn is this young generation’s Pee Wee Herman, particularly after seeing the feature-length 
As always, it’s rather pointless to criticize the Twilight movies, as the rabid, massive audience care’s not what anyone has to say about their beloved pap-fest, and the same rule applies to 
Like Citizen Kane and Casablanca, the original 
Most geeks love pizza. Most geeks love Star Trek. Well, the fine folks at Thinkgeek have realized both of these truths and constructed an item which melds the two together – the 
It’s quite depressing to realize, while re-watching the DVD of the brilliant second season of 
It’s not as strong a comedic romp as Forgetting Sarah Marshall, but the Aldous Snow spin-off 
It seems to be taking forever, but slowly but surely the US DVD releases are catching up with the new episodes, so picking up 
The Warner Archive collection has been great about releasing some deep catalogue titles, but also some much-desired flicks that have limited commercial appeal because, to put it kindly, they weren’t that good. Of the fantastic deep catalogue material, we have something like 
It’s not the Blu-Ray set that some of us were hoping for, but 
While we’re all waiting for the release of the next full season set, let’s relive some of the finest adventures of South Park‘s most naïve little boy with 
If you’d like to see an absolutely superb performance by David Bowie, look no further than 
One would have hopes that the 
The 10th season of 
Soundtrack fans have a trio of new titles to fill out their collections this week, courtesy of the fine folks at Silva Screen Records. The newest is Ben Affleck’s 
I remember loving them as a kid, so I’m eager to show my nephews the animated adaptations of Beverly Cleary’s beloved stories included in the 
After the abysmal eighth season, I had some hope that the bonus, ultimately final ninth season of 
I’ve been less-than-impressed with the ever-changing visual style of the DC Universe direct-to-video animated films, but at least they’ve reversed a further negative in 
It’s easy to look back at it as a piece of soul kitsch, but the one thing you can say about 
I fell out of love with Family Guy years ago, so I really haven’t been enthused enough to dip into its spin-off, 
Leaving box stores behind but not abandoning fans, Warners has shifted the second season of 
Using CG recreations, both 
After teasing fans with a best-of collection a few years back, the complete, digitally remastered first season of 
I love bubbles. My nephews love bubbles. Who doesn’t love bubbles? Well, perhaps people who hate Lawrence Welk. Still – most people love bubbles. How about really big bubbles? Surely big bubbles equal big fun. And it’s true – big bubbles equal big fun. How can you make big bubbles easily? Why, with 
If you’ve yet to see the brilliant Stephen Fry’s equally brilliant journey across the United States in the 6-part documentary 
I never thought that I’d eventually get to watch a high definition version of 
Leave it to Warner Bros. to take an incredible legacy and talent base for their animated DC properties and continue to spin out neither here nor there direct-to-DVD features that recast already brilliant actors for the sake of gimmicky stunt casting. So it goes with 
The one thing I can say about the otherwise flat, lifeless, and sadly boring remake of 
Long available in the complete series set, high definition enthusiasts can now pick up the penultimate 3rd season of 
As Stallone’s big action flick The Expendables is right around the corner, it’s no surprise that there’d be a tie-in release of 
I suppose it must be a sign of soft sales at retail that the 3rd season of 
Just in time for the healthcare debate but ignored in theaters, 
Largely depressing but endlessly fascinating, 
After 7 seasons and years of releases, the DVD journey of 
Children of the 70’s and 80’s remember well the overly-earnest, deadly-dry, unintentionally laughable educational films and programs that were a regular staple of the classroom. Well, the brilliant Peter Serafinowicz & Robert Popper have taken that fertile ground and crafted a magnificently bent parody in 
Time to upgrade your trusty old lunchbox? Why not go with the 
If you’re only knowledge of the character is the equally underrated film, do yourself a favor and pick up the beautifully presented 
If you go into 
The term “classic” gets thrown about with abandon nowadays, and I’d certainly question its application I the “Roger Corman’s Cult Classics” line of catalogue releases, but there’s no doubt that “cult” is more than applicable. The latest pair of additions to the line are 
What do you get one a vampire, a werewolf, and a ghost shack up together? The supernatural Three’s Company dramedy that is the BBC’s 
It’s gut level humor and certainly not high-brow, but its base nature is probably why my nephews got such a kick out of 
The residents of the Springfield Retirement Castle will be delighted at the release of 
You know, I kind of dug 
Get all goofy with Batman, Superman, and all the rest down at the Hall of Justice with the second volume of 
Fear for the future of civilization after viewing even one minute of 
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 
Are the Oscars As We Know Them Doomed? We Can Only Hope….
CHRISTOPHER STIPP: I looked over your resume and, after talking to a few people, am I to believe that this is only your third feature length film?
CS: And if you have success in this it will be overnight success. Where I’ve looked at your 20 year career and you’ve been doing this for lots of years.
CS: That’s insightful. I think a lot of directors get a little taste of their own hype and you hear stories of some that like to yell and make actors go through 40-50 takes in order to do that.
In what may be the quickest turnaround time from air to release, the complete fifth season of 
There are some things in life that are practical, that make you feel like a genuine cliché of an adult. Like buying a weed-wacker. Then there are things that have no practical purpose other than to make you feel absolutely, unashamedly, giddily childish in their uber-cool appeal to the 10-year-old still kicking around in your brain. Such is the case with the high-resolution 
Largely a neglected novelty in the US, Alan Parker’s wonderfully bizarre 
Back on the road again, actor Robbie Coltrane is exploring the interesting and unique to be found across the breadth of England in 
If the slice of the 60’s presented in AMC’s Mad Men leaves you wanting to sonically explore the period a little more, then by all means pick up 
I always get a kick out of the sheer energy and exuberance – and, frankly, unhinged quality – of talk and variety shows in the UK. Case in point is The Friday Night Project, which is an hour long comedy program presented by Alan Carr and Justin Lee Collins, and featuring a different guest host and musical guest each week. Think of it as a funny Saturday Night Live, deriving much of the humor from the unpredictability of Collins and Carr, and the permissibility of UK television. If you’d like a nice sampler of what I’m getting on about, check out 
Anticipation of The Dark Knight is building to a fever pitch, so it makes sense that Warners would quickly shuffle out a 
And you know that, since you’re already in the rip current, you’re going to pick up the score to 
Despite cultural affectations, the bottom line is that funny is funny. Such is the case with 
First of all, let me say that it’s no Meet The Spartans. And I mean that as a compliment, because that was just unwatchable excrement. No, 
They still haven’t found a good vehicle for Raven Symone, but Disney’s 
Finally, what has become an iconic bit of television finally hits DVD with the complete ninth season of 
It’s not a full season set, but at least it’s a solid batch of episodes in the first set collecting 
Dr. Alec Holland’s hulking, green alter-ego returns to DVD with the second volume of 
Everything – and I mean everything – comes to DVD eventually, even when it’s such an embarrassing disappointment as the short-lived 
As a fan of Mystery Science Theater 3000 from “back in the day”, for years I’d hoped for the return to performing of MST creator Joel Hodgson and writer/performer Trace Beaulieu (Dr. Forrester & Crow T. Robot). Even though we’ll probably never see MST return for various intractable reasons, both Joel and Trace returned – along with fellow alums Frank Conniff, Mary Jo Pehl, and Josh Weinstein – to form Cinematic Titanic. For all intents and purposes, it’s pretty much MST – only all 5 members are silhouetted onscreen at the same time, stationed on a tiered series of platforms on either side of the screen and commenting on the flick. Their first flick was the delightfully awful 
William Conrad – now THERE was an outsize TV star that filled the screen in ways today’s stars only wish they could. And I don’t mean that in just the obvious reference to Conrad’s fabled girth – no, he was an old school TV actor who commanded your attention, much like William Shatner still does on Boston Legal. If you don’t believe me, check out the first volumes from the respective first seasons of both 
As anyone who’s seen Wall-E knows, sitting in front of a computer all day (working, in my case) doesn’t exactly lend itself to muscle toning (or avoiding the dread carpal tunnel nightmare). Maybe that’s why everyone who sends their days bathed in the LCD glow should pick up a 
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 
If you’ve ever had the desire to live a Wodehousian existence and be as coddled and pampered as Bertie Wooster – or you just feel like being awakened in the morning by the mellifluous tones of Stephen Fry – then you’ll want to make sure to get your own 
Anticipation of The Dark Knight is building to a fever pitch, so it makes sense that Warners would quickly shuffle out a 
And speaking of the Caped Crusader, I can see what they were going for with 
Did you know that there was a new Mummy movie coming out? No? Well, even I barely knew there was a new Mummy movie coming out. In order to mark the occasion, Universal has cooked up a batch of new special editions related to the franchise, starting out with 2-disc special editions of both 
In the legend that is the emerging grunge scene in the early-90’s, you may not know the name of a band called The Gits. The reason for that omission is the brutal tale of the rape and murder of the band’s lead singer and emotional core, Mia Zapata, after the group returned from a successful European tour. Over a decade later, new evidence would reopen the case, leading to the arrest of a suspect and a tale captured in the documentary 
Eager to make sure that their second theatrical outing isn’t met by the same slack-jawed confusion of their inaugural go, the folks behind the X-Files (Chris Carter and Frank Spotnitz) have selected 8 essential episodes in the 2-disc 
Ireland’s soul singer supreme gets a quintet of special edition catalogue remasters. Now you can snag your own copies of Van Morrison’s 
Another in the long line of Iraq war related films that failed to perform at the box office, 
Ignoring the double negative, Jimmy had it right when he said they don’t dance like Carmen no more – and you can see for yourself with 
If you want to feel the colossal loss of Joe Strummer all over again, by all means check out Julien Temple’s magnificent documentary 
Despite all of those peanuts, it’s nuts to 
Where are you going to take the relationship between Jeannie and her “master”, Tony, in the fifth and final season of 
Six seasons in, 
Even with the arrival of Amanda Tapping’s Colonel Samantha Carter, 
A pair of DC animated series come to an end with the release of their respective fifth seasons – 
Mix The Fast and The Furious with Miami Vice, and you pretty much get the short-lived 
I admit – by the team