Tag: Bill Maher

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 Quick Stop Weekend Shopping Guide – your spotlight on the things you didn’t even know you wanted…

It’s a shame that Gordon Ramsay is mostly known for the over-produced Hell’s Kitchen and Kitchen Nightmares when his UK output is so wonderfully engaging. Case in point – and well worth checking out – is his celebration of food, The F Word (BFS, Not Rated, DVD-$29.98 SRP), which finds Ramsay tackling a different menu item each week in his F Word restaurant, which also includes a celebrity component and trips into the field. Also, as a way of showing the viewers and his kids where the food on the dinner table comes from and give them more of an appreciation, a different animal each season is raised by the Gordon clan, and then served at the end of the season. This season found them raising six turkeys. The 3-disc set features all 7 episodes, but sadly no bonus features.

I should have spotlighted this last week with the re-released Back To The Future DVDs, but as there’s no time machine currently available, I’ll just have to let you know now about the pretty darn nifty Back To The Future license plate replica ($29.99 SRP). You probably don’t own a Delorean, but I’m sure it’ll look just fine on your beat up Toyota Camry. Just be sure you remember that it’s not legal to use it in place of your real plates.

One of the few shows I actively miss is Showtime’s late, lamented piece of macabre humor, Dead Like Me, about a group of “Reapers” tasked with delivering the souls of the just-about-to-be-deceased to the afterlife right before their often grisly deaths. If you’re unfamiliar with the show, the best way to go is the brand new Dead Like Me: Complete Collection (MGM, Not Rated, DVD-$69.98 SRP), which features not only the two seasons of the original run, but also the brand-new direct-to-video movie that picks up with the characters a few years down the line, and is good enough to leave me wanting more.

Some have attacked it as “snarky” or “one-sided”, but I’m not entirely sure what film they were seeing, as I found Bill Maher’s Religulous (Lionsgate, Rated R, DVD-$29.95 SRP) to be a pretty even-handed attempt to try and figure out what makes those of a religious bent believe the things they believe. All I can say is to give it a spin and come to your own conclusion. Bonus features include an audio commentary, deleted scenes, and a reel of Maher’s monologues from around the world.

Sleuthing angel of death Jessica Fletcher (Angela Lansbury) returns to her suspicious ways in the complete ninth season of Murder She Wrote (Universal, Not Rated, DVD-$49.98 SRP). The 5-disc set features all 22 episodes. Be sure to see if you can figure out all the ways she committed the crimes.

Another week, another high definition catalogue upgrade – this time it’s the still great Boondock Saints (Fox, Rated R, Blu-Ray-$34.98 SRP). The special edition features a air of audio commentaries (the Billy Connolly one alone is worth the price of admission), deleted scenes, and outtakes.

The fifth season of Sabrina The Teenage Witch (Paramount, Not Rated, DVD-$39.98 SRP) finds our rapidly aging lead entering college and rooming with Punky Brewster (Soleil Moon Frye). Oh, Punky. The 3-disc set features all 22 episodes.

I know it’s been praised and it has quite a pedigree, but I found Changeling (Universal, Rated R, DVD-$29.98 SRP) – the true story of a mother (Angelina Jolie) whom police reunite with her kidnapped son, against her protestations that the boy is not her real child – to be a turgid, airless affair for so interesting a conceit. Maybe director Clint Eastwood’s minimalism found a flick that was calling out for a little more oomph. Bonus materials include an in-depth featurette on Eastwood and Jolie, and a look at the real Christine Collins.

It’s not one of his better films, but there’s enough Friday-night popcorn thriller energy to Ridley Scott’s Body Of Lies (Warner Bros., Rated R, DVD-$34.99 SRP) to make it worth a look-see. Leonardo DiCaprio stars as a CIA agent on the hunt for a terrorist, whose search is orchestrated by an agent back at the home office (Russell Crowe). What unfolds is your basic “Who do you trust?” thriller. Bonus features include an audio commentary, additional scenes, and featurettes. A Blu-Ray edition ($35.99 SRP) is also available with identical bonus features, plus BD Live capabilities.

Barbra Streisand’s directorial opus Yentl (MGM, Rated PG, DVD-$29.99 SRP) arrived back on DVD in a new 2-disc edition, featuring a brand new extended director’s cut, an introduction from Barbra, audio commentary, deleted scenes, featurettes, Streisand’s 8mm concept film, galleries, and more.

Equal parts Losin’ It and American Pie, Extreme Movie (Genius, Not Rated, DVD-$19.95 SRP) is an attempt by a crapload of writers to make an over-the-top flick about a group of teenagers making that oh-so-important transition into manhood – mostly involving awkwardness and midgets. Bonus features include an audio commentary and a making-of featurette.

They’re certainly not his finest or most memorable films, but Warners has decided to dip into the vaults for what its branding as the “Paul Newman Film Series”. The five films being released are The Helen Morgan Story, The Silver Chalice, When Time Ran Out, Rachel, Rachel, and The Outrage (Warner Bros., Not Rated/Rated PG/Rated R, DVD-$19.98 SRP each). Don’t expect gems, but they’re good to have out, nonetheless.

The High School Musical hubbub leaves me cold, but I know there are easily dozens of teens that will eagerly snap up the big screen iteration of the quickly aging teens’ tuneful adventures, High School Musical 3: Senior Year (Walt Disney, Rated G, DVD-$34.99 SRP). The 3-disc set features an extended cut of the movie, deleted scenes, cast goodbyes, a sing along, bloopers, and more. A Blu-Ray edition ($39.99 SRP) is also available, which adds exclusive senior awards and cast profiles. If that weren’t enough, fans can also pick up the Blu-Ray edition of the original High School Musical: Remix Edition (Walt Disney, Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$34.99 SRP).

I really wanted to like the adaptation of Toby Young’s How To Lose Friends & Alienate People (MGM, Rated R, DVD-$27.98 SRP) – about a British journalist eager to rub elbows with celebrities yet loves to expose them – if only because the book was a good read and the film stars Simon Pegg and Jeff Bridges. But what I found was viewing experience best summed up by the word “flat”. Sad, really. Bonus features include audio commentaries and a making-of featurette.

The Clampett’s adventures in the land cement ponds continues in the full, official, and sparkling release of the complete third season of The Beverly Hillbillies (Paramount, Not Rated, DVD-$49.98 SRP). Ignore all of those awful collections of public domain episodes and support the continued release of these official versions. The 5-disc set features all 34 episodes, plus a featurette, original episode sponsor openings and closings, and a photo gallery.

We’ve finally caught up with the current season with the release of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Season 8 (Universal, Not Rated, DVD-$59.98 SRP). The 5-disc set contains all 22 episodes, but there’s not a single bonus feature in sight.

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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