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…)
You’d expect a series that revolves around the mystery of a murdered child found on the beach to be a somber affair, and Broadchurch (E1, Not Rated, DVD-$39.98 SRP) is certainly that, but with David Tennant and Olivia Colman as the investigators called in to sort out the ever-deepening mystery, it’s also profoundly gripping television. Bonus materials include deleted scenes and a featurette.
While they’re not nearly as fun as the virtual world they inhabit, the 6″-tall Minecraft Vinyl Figures ($14.99 each) of Steve and Creeper are fun, plastick conversation pieces, display items, or real world toys for kids of all ages. Both are accurate representations of their digital selves, and come with accessories including Steve’s trust pickax.
I didn’t dislike the first Hobbit film, but it did suffer from a bloated sense of not much happening, as well as a decided lack of a dragon. The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug (Warner Bros., Rated PG-13, 3D Blu-Ray-$44.95 SRP) certainly ups both the something happening and the dragon quotient, as our band of dwarves (and a thief) finally make their way to the Lonely Mountain and have their confrontation with the titular dragon. The only drawback to this release, despite its inclusion of production featurettes and a newly-produced spotlight on a day in the life of the shoot, is that mere months from now we’ll all be buying the film again in its extended version. C’est la vie.
If you were one of the many fans of the loose, freewheeling, overindulgent chucklefest that was the original film, it’s relatively safe to assume you’ll enjoy the return of much the same in Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues (Paramount, Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$39.99 SRP), which brings the culturally clueless newsman and his cohorts into the nascent world of 24 hour news. Bonus materials include 2 alternate cuts of the film, alternate lines, featurettes, cast auditions, gag reels, and more.
There’s plenty to quibble with when it comes to the historical accuracy, but when viewed as a fuzzy drama in the vein of a classic Disney live action film, Saving Mr. Banks (Walt Disney, Rated PG-13, Blu-Ray-$36.99 SRP) hews a lot closer to that classic arc of nostalgia-laden character redemption. And there’s no denying the fun in seeing Emma Thompson playing the prickly creator of Mary Poppins being wooed for the film rights by Tom Hanks as Walt Disney. Bonus materials include deleted scenes and a pair of featurettes.
I wouldn’t say the Fanboys meets Evil Dead of Knights Of Badassdom (E1, Rated R, Blu-Ray-$24.98 SRP) is a great film, but it is an enjoyable romp buoyed by some going for gusto performances from Steve Zahn and Peter Dinklage as two of a band of medieval LARPers who face down a real demon during a weekend lark gone bloody wrong. Bonus materials include featurettes and the San Diego Comic-Con panel.
Tick another Scorsese flick off the list, as The King Of Comedy (Fox, Rated PG, Blu-Ray-$29.99 SRP) to high definition. And hey, who can’t love a starring turn from Jerry Lewis, as the talk show host kidnapped by a struggling comedian (Robert De Niro) who demands the ransom of a slot on his show.
When a warlord kills their master and banishes them, the titular samurai of 47 Ronin (Universal, Rated PG-13, 3D Blu-Ray-$49.98 SRP) must seek the aid of an enslaved half-breed they once spurned (Keanu Reeves) in order to redeem themselves in this by-the-numbers popcorn flick redeemed by some truly wonderful visuals. Bonus materials include featurettes and deleted scenes.
Just when you think there can’t possible be any more Power Rangers series to be released on DVD, along comes Power Rangers: Seasons 13-17 (Shout Factory, Not Rated, DVD-$129.99 SRP), which collects SPD, Mystic Force, Operation Overdrive, Jungle Fury, and RPM. It also includes an exclusive bonus disc packed with featurettes.
Little girls are sure to devour the latest CG tale of Tinkerbell & friends, as The Pirate Fairy (Walt Disney, Rated G, Blu-Ray-$36.99 SRP) finds Tink swept up by an ambitious dust-keeper by the name of Zarina whose wild ideas get her in trouble. Fleeing to Skull Island, Zarina gets caught up with the pirates there, including a young cabin boy who will one day be Captain Hook. Bonus materials include featurettes and deleted scenes.
It’s the Rocky vs Raging Bull fanfic you always never really thought about in Grudge Match (Warner Bros., Rated PG-13, Blu-Ray-$35.99 SRP), which brings together Sylvester Stallone and Robert De Niro as a pair of old boxing rivals that come out of retirement for one final bout after a promoter (Kevin Hart) makes them an offer they can’t refuse. Bonus materials include an alternate opening, alternate endings, and featurettes.
You may not have really thought about it beyond their visceral appeal during your golden childhood, but The Art Of The Disney Golden Books (Disney Editions, $35.00 SRP) is a lovingly lavish celebration of the artistry and artists behind the illustrations in those sentimental favorites.
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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I run hot and cold on Quentin Tarantino, and while I think it’s overlong, I really enjoyed his spaghetti western homage 
David Tennant returns in the high stakes espionage thriller with 
If This Is 40 is a loud, tone deaf look at relationships, 
If you’ve yet to experience the fun to be found in 3rd Rock From The Sun, now’s the perfect time to do so, as the fine folks at Mill Creek have just released the final two seasons of the show – 
And speaking of Mill Creek, they’ve also released the second season of 
I could care less about sports, but I’m a sucker for a sports movie that makes you care about its characters, and that’s probably why – even 20 years after it was released – 
The BBC digs into their classy archives for the DVD release of their 1964 adaptation of Ford Madox Ford’s 
Proving that they can go just in deep in pleasing fans as the already-established MOD Warner Archive Collection, Fox’s Cinema Archives drops 7 never-before-released catalogue titles starring Jane Withers – 
This week’s soundtrack spotlight falls on a pair of BBC productions – one nature, one science fiction, and both great. First up is Roger Limb’s complete score for 
It’s certainly not Pixar or even Dreamworks, but 
Running for a remarkable 28 years, we’re so very close to entering the last decade of seasons with the release of 
Find out the fate of Camelot as Morganna and Modred plot its destruction in the fifth and final season of the BBC’s 
As brilliant as the first season was, the second season of Louis CK’s 
On the go and want the itty bittiest little stylus you can get for your smartphone? Look no further than the teeny little 
While I can’t envision the art form returning, 
Every so often, a modern take on a classic property makes it work, and much like the equally successful Brady Bunch Movie before it, 
If you still miss the lovely character absurdities to be found in Dr. Katz, look no further than Lisa Kudrow’s 
While in many ways a by-the-numbers romantic comedy, what makes 
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 
Adding to Universal’s 100th anniversary celebrations is the high definition arrival of Oliver Stone’s 
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 
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 
The still-legendary and goofy fun – if not terribly good – sci-fi sexploitation film 
While I thought it would be the lesser of the two Snow White films to come down the pike, 
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 
The epic films of David Lean are an essential part of any cinematic library, and the first to make the transition to high definition is the sweeping 
Robots are cool. So is brushing your teeth. Go with me on this… When you combine a toothbrush and a tiny little motor, you get the uber-cool 
I’m always leery of a new take on 
It’s been a few months and the new series has been hitting our shores, so hat means it’s time for another clutch of classic [Doctor Who] DVD releases. This time, we get a pair of Jon Pertwee adventures – 
Using the Poppinsonian maxim of a spoonful of sugar, Paramount has dipped into their catalogue for a trio of new-to-Blu-Ray releases, the first of which is the aforementioned sugar – 
Presented by Sir John Gielgud, 
While the new Blu-Ray edition of 
The comedy isn’t terribly nuanced, but there is a sucker punch level of laughs to be had from Leigh Francis’s grotesque creations in 
Universal dips into the vaults for the latest in the Backlot Series, 
You remember [The Santa Clause]? Where Tim Allen assumes the mantle of Santa Claus and family-friendly, heart-warming hilarity ensued? Well, replace Allen with Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and make the former wrestler the titular mythical creature of 
Their marriage may not have been the happiest, but there’s no doubt that both Carole King and James Taylor knew how to write a song, which is evident on their recent reunion concert disc 
The films are good, but Universal’s new Blu-Ray/DVD flipper discs are still an unwelcome abominations – which is a shame, since the trio of catalogue titles – 
Recently re-released as a Blu-Ray special edition, the Colin Firth version of 
David Lynch’s adaptation of 
Set in a post-apocalyptic world where technology has failed and mankind is living by a thread after a plague sweeps the land, 
Featuring rare footage from his own personal collection, 
In the mood for a mildly entertaining romantic comedy with likeable actors that won’t cause upset and will quickly wash off after it’s all over? Well, then 
Remember that surprisingly chilling horror film a few years back about a team of female spelunkers who are hunted by subterranean creatures during an expedition gone wrong? You know, [The Descent]? Well, now it all gets a bit naffer with 
I’m not a fan, but there are plenty of kids who adore the little red monster and will probably happy tap along with 
A surprising and welcome arrival on DVD is the second volume collecting 
While not as funny as some of their previous television incarnations, there’s still plenty of fun to be had in the second season of 
Cross Doo Wop with [The Sunshine Boys] and you have 
It’s a bit disconcerting as you try and process the age difference in the 70’s-filmed [Honeymooners Specials], which brought the cast back together for one last spin as The Kramdens and The Nortons, but once you get into it, the old magic is there. 
Translated from its smash Broadway run and bringing Andy Griffith and Don Knotts together on screen for the first time, 
With Memorial Day right around the corner, Warners has dipped into the archives for some manly men classics to release as part of their TCM: Greatest Classic Films Collection. The first, 
By the time we reach the 
Tony Stark becomes a teenage superhero in Nickelodeon’s 
See a man do some incredibly foolish things to his body in the name of adventure in 
It’s another quarter of episodes to entertain the kiddies with 
It seems like there’s been a couple hundred editions released, but the new special edition of 
Cut down in its prime by a network that didn’t understand the greatness it was letting slip away (Hello, BBC!), 
I love musical instruments. I have absolutely no talent for learning or playing them, but I do love to own and tinker with them. The 
Time to wrap up the tenure of the 10th Doctor (played by David Tennant) with the release of the final two specials – 
The releases have been heavily delayed and the wait has been difficult, but the 6th season of 
If you were unable or unwilling to pony up the cash for the deluxe edition of The Godfather Trilogy on Blu-Ray, now’s your chance to pick and choose either 
Much like DC’s direct-to-video adaptations of their comic book story arcs, Marvel has leapt into that pool with an animated adaptation of 
Returning with her second HBO special and her A game direct from the nation’s capital, 
A staple of my late-80’s Nick At Nite viewing, I’m delighted that the goofily fun 
I think we’ve just about completed Terry Gilliam’s catalogue transition to high definition with the release of 
Granted, the contestants are long gone, but if I’m roaming the cable channels and happen across the Game Show Network, I’m often sucked into watching games shows that were recorded up to a half-century ago. If you’re like me, then you’ll probably want to pick up 
The transition to the big screen isn’t wholly successful, but there’s still much to love in the high-definition debut of Meredith Wilson’s 
It’s a big, messy, ensemble love letter to the city that never sleeps, and like any patchwork film made up of numerous director’s vignettes, there’s some good and some bad to be found in 
Warners continues its budget-conscious TCM Greatest Classic Films Collections with a trio of new additions to the roster – 
Of his recent flicks, Clint Eastwood’s 
I don’t really get the appeal of the Air Bud series, but there’s certainly enough of a demand that Disney is releasing a special edition of 
Yeah, the writing is on the wall in the penultimate 9th season of 
