Tag: Hellboy

Opinion In A Haystack: PACIFIC RIM review

We live in a cinematic climate where everyone from top to bottom is trying to capture some form of the past. It’s partly the reason the film industry is struggling and artistically becoming bankrupt, however that is a topic for another day. We are trying to recapture, and repackage our youth. The big guns in Hollywood are doing it, the little guys with HD consumer cameras in their hands are doing it. We have an obsession to recreate the Reagan-era theater experience, but the popcorn is never flavored right. Hollywood, ala Transformers and such, makes it’s attempts with labels, logos, NAMES. That’s the problem really, you can call it “Transformers” or “Total Recall” all you want, you can plaster the nostalgic logo all over the posters and scream the title from the mountaintops, but in the end it doesn’t feel the same. More often than not it comes off as depressing instead of capturing that “FEEL” that it aims for and we crave. That’s because that “FEEL” isn’t in the logo, and it honestly can’t be found in low-budget “supposed to be awful” parodies of 80’s mainstream entertainment. It has to be in the DNA of the movie and filmmakers like Guillermo del Toro know how to work that double helix magic and bring it out, not with logos and fan service, but with TONE and WRITING and CONCEPT.

Pacific Rim, Guillermo del Toro’s Robots vs. Monster action homage to an eclectic handful of genres from cinemas past, is without a doubt a complete triumph for its intended goal. Oh, and most delightful of all, it’s a completely NEW property, a homage to the Godzilla (kaiju) and Robot movies of 30 or more years ago.

For a synopsis and cast list here’s a direct link to the IMDB page.

The “triumph” aspect stems from the tone and the characters, surprisingly more so than the spectacular action scenes. Del Toro gives us a story that revolves around an ensemble cast doing their best to have a good time. Ron Perlman in a cameo role chews up the scenery as a comic relief along side Charlie Day’s Kaiju obsessed scientist. Idris Elba steals the show as the heavy, and the rest of the cast pulls us into the film in an almost effortless, sometimes pleasantly cheesy, effort. The great thing about the movie is, unlike say Bay’s Transformers films, this isn’t a red, white, and blue America-to-the-rescue patriot-fest. This film feels all-inclusive. The world is facing a giant threat and we all come together equally to stop it. This is especially evident because of the process needed to control the giant monster crushing robots, it’s called “drifting” (not the Tokyo kind) and its when two people lock minds to control the robots because a single human mind can’t do it by itself. This leads us through the emotional through line of the film and is the plot device, which gives us both a male and female hero at the end of the day.

While there is an emotional through line, let’s say this, the film has a light touch. Light touch? Yes, it is very odd to say a film about giant, skyscraper sized monsters and robots fighting has a light touch, but in the “tone” department that is exactly what Del Toro is Aiming for. The movie is meant to be enjoyed, to be savored by those of use who grew up watching Godzilla movies and smashing robot toys together out of pure glee. In other reviews and discussions I’ve seen Jurassic Park mentioned quite a few times, because it’s a movie that made this current generation of almost-30-somethings walk out of a theater with their eyes twinkling with the glee of imagination (this reviewer included.) Pacific Rim, much like the 20-year old Jurassic Park, has the potential to do just that for a new generation of kids. That’s a bold statement to make in a cinematic climate where huge CGI action films are, sadly, the standard. However, Del Toro knows the genres he’s trying to capture, and he captures them right.

Pacific Rim is highly recommended. Furthermore, IMAX might actually be worth the ticket price for this one, but avoid the 3D. Always avoid the 3D.

Thanks for reading!

July 13, 2013
Toy Box: Hellboy Mez-itz

A few years back when small blocky figures were all the rage (think Mini-mates), Mezco Toyz had their own version called the Mez-itz. They did lots of licensed characters, as well as some in house versions like Pirates. I was a big fan, largely because they had sculpted heads, giving them more detail than the usual small block figure.

These days, small block figures are no longer the ‘in’ thing. It’s all about the larger designer vinyl figures, usually in a 6 – 8″ size range and often done with the same basic body with paint details. This has been such a popular format that even Hasbro jumped on the bandwagon with their Mighty Muggs.

Not to be outdone, Mezco has upped the scale of their Mez-itz, and switched to less sculpting, more paint, fitting right in with the current trend. They’re still called Mez-itz, but they are larger, smooth, and stylized in a designer vinyl way.

They have a regular series based on Hellboy II hitting stores, but they did a special ‘comic’ version of Hellboy for SDCC this year. I’m looking at both tonight, but there is also an Abe Sapien that’s hitting stores that I won’t be discussing. They also have a Johann planned, as well as several more Hellboy variants.

If you have any questions or comments, drop me a line at mwc@mwctoys.com, or hit my website at Michael’s Reveiw of the Week – Captain Toy.

Hellboy Mez-itz – Hellboy II and comic Hellboy

In the photo below, you’ll notice the regular release Hellboy, wearing the painted on coat, to the right, while the SDCC comic based version is to the left.

Packaging – movie version ***1/2; comic version ***
Both boxes are relatively collector friendly, requiring you to ditch just a couple twisties. In the photo below, I have the SDCC version to the left again, and the regular movie version to the right. The big difference here is that the movie version is visible in the package, allowing you to see what you’re buying before you buy it – I’m a big fan of that feature.

Sculpting – ***1/2
These all have the same basic sculpt, and in many ways they are very much like the aforementioned Mighty Muggs. This is particularly true from the neck down, where they have similarly shaped arms, legs, hands and torsos. It’s not an exact match, but it’s similar enough that you can put them on the shelf together and they’ll look quite good. These guys are just a hair over 6″ tall, which should make them fit in pretty well scale wise with the Muggs too.

The hands are sculpted with a wide gap to allow for the use of accessories. While Hellboy does have his two nubs on his forehead, these are not given any sculpted texture. The Mez-itz stand great on their own, and the basic body design will work for lots and lots of figures. Don’t believe me? Check out this cool display of custom figures they had at SDCC. The photos are about half way down the page, labeled “Mez-itz Art Show”.

Paint – Movie Version ***1/2; Comic version ****
Both of these figures have excellent paint jobs, with quality work all around. How much you like each one is not going to be an issue of quality, but rather aesthetics.

I personally like the comic version a bit better. They’ve done a nice job capturing the unique look of Mignola’s shading, although not quite as good as the older Batman: Black and White statue did.

I’m just a hair less impressed with the movie version, and it’s due to the coat. Something about the way it wraps around the body and legs just looks off to me, and looks less like a coat and more like some sort of awkward pants. It’s always tricky to try to do multple layers with a single layer of paint, as it flattens out the appearance of the figure so much, but you may fine it slightly less odd looking than I.

Articulation – ***
One thing that figures done in this style are NOT known for is articulation. While Mez-itz do improve on the situation, they could still used a couple more points.

They improve over many other figures by adding a ball jointed neck. This is THE most important joint to add to any basic configuration, since it gives you the ability to add so much more personality and realism to poses. Just check the last photo to see how much this can improve a basic stance.

You get the usual from the neck down – cut shoulders, cut hips. The Right Hand of Doom has a cut wrist, which is another nice add, but I really do wish that both wrists were cut, especially on the comic version. Without the cut wrists, he tends to hold the gun at an odd angle, and there’s really nothing you can do about it.

Accessories – Comic Version ***; Regular Version Bupkis
The regular version comes with nothing, but the comic version comes with his Samaritan. Much like the figures themselves, the Samaritan is fairly smooth, with most details painted on. It fits in his hand well enough, but as I mentioned in the earlier section, it tends to sit at an odd angle to his body.

Fun Factor – ***
While these aren’t super articulated, they are actually quite a bit of fun, even for smaller kids. While the under 10 crowd is probably less acquianted with Hellboy than Star Wars, those that do know Big Red and his buddies will enjoy these.

Value – comic version **1/2; regular version ***
The comic version will cost you more than the regular of course, largely because it was originally an SDCC exclusive. At $20, that’s a pretty average con exclusive price.

The regular Hellboy (and Abe) are Toys R Us exclusives, where they will run $10 – $11, pretty much in line with the Muggs pricing. Considering how expensive designer vinyl figures can be, this is a very good deal.

Things to Watch Out For –
Not a thing!

Overall – ***1/2
With the only other reasonably priced figures in this style – Mighty Muggs – going away, Mezco might have a chance to expand these Mez-itz in a number of direction. I’m happy with the basic body, and I can envision plenty of potential, especially after seeing some of the cool customs that were at SDCC. They already have quite a few horror versions planned, including some classics like Dracula and Frankenstein, some newer characters like Freddy and Jason, and some in house stuff like zombies. I’ll be down for most of those, and I hope we see them branch these out into a few other licensed characters.

Scoring Recap –
Packaging – movie version ***1/2; comic version ***
Sculpting – ***1/2
Paint – Movie Version ***1/2; Comic version ****
Articulation – ***
Accessories – Comic Version ***; Regular Version Bupkis
Fun Factor – ***
Value – comic version **1/2; regular version ***
Overall – ***1/2

Where to Buy –
You have a number of options, even for the SDCC exclusive:

– Entertainment Earth has the SDCC exclusive for $20.

– Forbidden PLanet has the regular Hellboy (and Abe Sapien) for 11 GBP each.

– or you can snag the exclusive right from Mezco themselves.

Related Links –
I’ve covered so much Hellboy stuff, I don’t even know where to begin. I suppose you could start with my last Hellboy collectible review, the 18″ Abe which is also from Mezco and is also a SDCC excclusive.

August 12, 2009
Toy Box: Hellboy II – Wink Mini-Bust

If you’re a Hellboy fan, it’s been a very good year for you and collectibles based on the license. Even without a new movie, plenty of terrific product is being released. And it’s not just expensive stuff, but everything from kid themed B.P.R.D. Buddies to high end Hot Toys figures.

Gentle Giant picked up the license for Hellboy II for a series of mini-busts, but the results so far have been less than exciting. The first release included Red of course, as well as Prince Nuada. This version of Hellboy was one of the worst sculpts I’ve seen in quite some time, looking nothing like the movie character.

Now the third bust is out, and it’s the big bad Wink. Johann is the fourth, but nothing else has been announced, and I’d be surprised if there is. The edition size on Wink is only 500, down even further from the low edition size of 700 for Nuada.

If you have any questions or comments, drop me a line at mwc@mwctoys.com, or swing by my site at Michael’s Review of the Week – Captain Toy, where you’ll find thousands of reviews of pop culture collectibles like this.

Hellboy II Wink Mini-bust by Gentle Giant

Technically, it’s Mr. Wink, but I have a hard time envisioning a cave troll like this being called ‘mister’. Then again, if he wants to be called ‘mister’, you call him ‘mister’.

Packaging – ***
It’s the usual box you’ve come to know and love from Gentle Giant. Wink has those little spikes on his back, and they are VERY fragile, so designing an interior tray that would keep him safe was critical. Judging from mine, they did a great job, as he arrived safe and sound without any trouble. Be careful taking him out though – while the spikes might make it to you in one piece, it will take great care to keep them that way.

There’s also the usual Certificate of Authenticity as well, a feature that I’ve always liked about Gentle Giant busts.

Sculpting – ***
Gentle Giant hasn’t wowed me with a mini-bust sculpt in quite some time, but this one is at least an improvement on the Hellboy bust they did earlier this year. What impresses you most right out of the box is its size, as it stands a whopping 8 inches tall. It has plenty of heft and volume to go with that height, making it a bust that will certainly stand out for this if no other reason. These are designed to be sixth scale, so the usual bust is around 6″ tall, making this guy tower over them.

The sculpt detailing is decent, but it’s still a bit softer than what we’ve come to expect these days. The best work is on the face and eyes, where the wrinkles and scars add all that troll personality. The details aren’t perfectly movie accurate, and if you check out the stunt mask in comparison you’ll notice issues (such as the shape of the nose, or the details around the area where the tusks attach to the face), but it’s in the ball park.

Of course, the lack of textures that has always been an issue for Gentle Giant and their busts remains so, becoming even more glaring as other companies step up to create sculpts that are as realistic as possible.

Paint – **
Unfortunately, it’s once again the paint that lets the overall bust down. There’s a flat, cheap look to the work on these busts, which doesn’t help the lack of fine texturing. The brush strokes are fairly broad and sweeping too, with no real attempt to give us smaller detailing or any realism.

There’s also a fair amount of basic slop, like poor cut lines along the body armor, and errant marks and bubbles. The darker shadowing is done in a very heavy handed way, too toyish and cheap looking for something in this price range. Great paint jobs are the key to making truly fantastic looking collectibles, but for some reason, Gentle Giant’s paint work has been going in the wrong direction in recent months.

Design/Quality – ***1/2
I do really like the design, however. The smaller, hair-like spikes on his back were definitely tricky to design and execute, but they did so extremely well. The pose, with the box over one shoulder and a snarl on his face, works great both in context of the movie and this particularly character. And the sheer mass of this guy gives him some added punch on the shelf.

Value – **
These guys have steadily risen to a $60 – $70 price point, depending on the retailer, and that’s too much for what you’re getting. Wink makes up for it a bit with both his large size and his low edition number, but he’s still a bit below average in this category.

Things to Watch Out For –
Those spikes on his back! They might make it to you safely due to the intelligent design of the interior foam trays, but once you get them out, it’s awfully easy to hold the bust wrong, or pick it up wrong, or just breathe on it wrong and break one. They’d be mighty tough to glue back on straight too, so take care and avoid the issue all together.

Overall – ***
Much like Nuada, Wink has a reasonably good sculpt, but weak paint work. It’s been awhile since we’ve seen a truly outstanding bust come out of Gentle Giant, but I’m hopeful that this summer’s SDCC Dumbledore will turn things around.

Score Recap –
Packaging – ***
Sculpting – ***
Paint – **
Design/Quality – ***1/2
Value – **
Overall – ***

Where to Buy –
Check out these online options:

– Urban Collector has him at $60.

– Entertainment Earth his him in stock at $66.67.

Related Links –
There’s been a ton of Hellboy merchandise over the past few years, and I’ve covered an awful lot of it:

– Most recent was the B.P.R.D Buddies, little figures done in the Galactic Heroes style.

– Hot Toys recently released both Hellboy and Abe Sapien in sixth scale, with their usual level of quality.

– Before that was the other two Gentle Giant Hellboy busts, which I’m not too keen on.

-Â if you’re looking for another expensive collectible, check out the 1:1 replica Samaritan.

– there’s the 3 3/4″ line of action
figures from Mezco,Â the SDCC exclusive Hellboy that is also in that scale, as well as theirÂ 18″ HB II igure, and the smaller scale Angel of Death.

– Mezco released series 1 of their movie figures, which are covered in two guest reviews, one here and one here.

– IÂ ran two ‘retro reviewsÂ of the old Hellboy movie line – one for Hellboy, and one for Sammael.

– Gentle Giant did some animated versions, including one included in the most recent release of the movies, and there was also a guest review by Poe Ghostal of the first DVD release of Hellboy. I looked at the regular release animated figures as well.

– I also have guest reviews of some of the comic based figures, including Kreigaffe #10, Lobster Johnson, and the old Graphitti Designs version.

– I have my own reviews of the comic based battle damaged Hellboy and 18″ version, the stylized Extreme Hellboy, the movie 8″ line (including the Nazi Kroenen in the second series), the 18″ version, and even some Mez-itz.

– also movie based, Sideshow has done several 12″ figures, including Abe Sapien, Nazi Kroenen, regular Kroenen, and regular Hellboy.

– for those into mini-busts, there’s also this version that came with the release of the DVD.

June 23, 2009
Win HELLBOY II on Blu-Ray!

We’re giving away, in conjunction with Universal Home Video, three (3) copies of HELLBOY II on Blu-Ray.

Contest ends at 11:59pm EST on Monday, December 15th.

CLOSED! THANKS FOR ENTERING!

Official Rules

No member of Quick Stop Entertainment or their immediate families may enter.

No Purchase necessary to win.

Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.

One entry per day, per person.

All submitted entries must be received by 11:59pm EST on Monday, December 15th.

The winner must allow 4-6 weeks after notification of win to receive the product.

December 8, 2008
Weekend Shopping Guide 11/14/08: Dance Your Cares Away

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…

With Popeye The Sailor Volume 3: 1941-1943 (Warner Bros., Not Rated, DVD-$34.98 SRP), the Flesicher era of the sailor’s animated adventures came to a close, with production shifting to Paramount and Famous Studios, and the tone quickly shifting to a sedate, domestic form, leaving behind much of the quirky humor that made the Flesicher years such a joy. The 2-disc set features 32 cartoons, plus audio commentaries, a documentary on the roots of animation, and bonus shorts from the vaults.

Rejoice, animation and comedy nerds! A new Futurama direct-to-DVD movie has arrived in the form of Bender’s Game (Fox, Not Rated, DVD-$29.99 SRP), a tale of the Planet Express crew’s journey into a bizarre subterranean world populated by knights in Bender armor and a distinctly medieval motif in search of fuel (due to skyrocketing prices, natch). Bonus features include an audio commentary, featurettes, animatics, a deleted scene, bloopers, Bender’s anti-piracy warning, and a sneak peek at the next movie (Into The Wild Green Yonder). If that weren’t enough, a Blu-Ray edition is also available ($39.99 SRP), and it even features a video picture-in-picture commentary.

Though there’s quite a few clunkers in there, I still enjoy watching the films of Abbott & Costello. The first comedy routine I ever recognized as such – and love to this day – is “Who’s On First?”. Universal has brought together the entirety of the duo’s film output in Abbott & Costello: The Complete Universal Pictures Collection (Universal, Not Rated, DVD-$119.98 SRP). That’s 28 films – including the must see titles Buck Privates, The Naughty Nineties, Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein, and Abbott & Costello Meet The Killer, Boris Karloff. Bonus features include a compilation of classic routines from the films, Abbott & Costello Meet Jerry Seinfeld, a behind-the-scenes look at their monster movie mash-ups, commentaries, and more.

Dreamworks has always had a hard time making an animated film that actually looks visually pleasing. The Shrek movies are a mess, Madagascar was slightly better, and Over The Hedge was a step in the right direction. The first film to actually look wonderful and provide a story to match has got to be Kung Fu Panda (Dreamworks, Rated PG, DVD-$34.98 SRP), which stars Jack Black as the titular character who must confront his destiny in order to save his village. It’s truly a fun, fun flick, and gives Pixar a run for their money. Be sure to pick up the set that features the bonus Secrets Of The Furious Five disc, featuring a brand new adventure. Bonus materials on the standard release include behind-the-scenes featurettes and even a special segment with Food Network’s Alton Brown. The Blu-Ray edition ($39.99 SRP) features additional storyboards and interviews, as well as a trivia track. And it looks really, really good in high def.

Although I’m still a bit disappointed that they leapfrogged over the release of just the fourth and final season, at least we can have the complete run of Jim Henson’s classic series in Fraggle Rock: The Complete Series Collection (Hit, Not Rated, DVD-$139.98 SRP), just in time for the 25th anniversary. The 20-disc set features all 96 episodes, plus copious amounts of featurettes, interviews, and behind-the-scenes materials. It’s the ultimate Fraggle celebration, and a must fan of anyone wanting to dance their cares away in these dark times.

I don’t necessarily want to live in the future presented in Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner, but I have to admit that they did have some pretty nifty gear to shelter themselves with on those endlessly rainy nights. Surely you remember the glowing umbrellas that everyone had, clutched in their downtrodden fists as they made their way through the grubby streets. Well, now you can own your very own LED Umbrella ($24.99), thanks to the fine folks at ThinkGeek. Yes, you know you want one.

The first film was lackluster, but things are definitely improved – if not great – in Hellboy II: The Golden Army (Universal, Rated PG-13, DVD-$34.98 SRP). Some of the awkwardness has been shaken off, and the execution of the plot – about the awakening of an ancient army whose prince is bent on the destruction of the human world – is a far sight closer to capturing Mike Mignola’s work. The 3-disc special edition contains a feature-length behind-the-scenes documentary, galleries, deleted scenes, an audio commentary, a tour of the Troll Market, and more. A deluxe Collector’s Set is also available ($64.98 SRP), which adds an exclusive Gentle Giant bust and director Guillermo Del Toro’s sketchbook.

Paramount has dipped into their pool of classic films and pulled out a trio for remastered special editions they’re terming their “Centennial Collection”. Getting the blue ribbon treatment are Sunset Boulevard, Sabrina, and Roman Holiday (Paramount, Not Rated, DVD-$24.99 SRP each). Those bonus features include audio commentaries, retrospective featurettes, interviews, behind-the-scenes featurettes, trailers, and more.

I’m not entirely happy that studios continue to shaft fans who support their season-by-season releases of TV shows only to be confronted at the end with a comprehensive set that includes exclusive bonus material. The latest is the classic The Wild Wild West (Paramount, Not Rated, DVD-$129.98 SRP), which gets a 27-disc collection sporting all 104 episodes. The exclusive bonus features in question are a pair of previously unavailable TV movies that any completist fan would want – shame they have to pay for all the rest of the stuff they already have to do so. However, if you don’t own the series, this is the way to go – it’s a fun ride, and you won’t regret it.

One of the things I love about just how much catalogue digging the studios have been doing for DVD is that they’re able and willing to put out niche releases that spotlight the work of directors who are not exactly household names, but whose work deserves a spotlight. Such is the case with the late 50’s Columbia westerns of director Budd Boetticher collected in the appropriately titled The Films Of Budd Boetticher (Sony, Not Rated, DVD-$59.95 SRP). Those films are The Tall T, Decision At Sundown, Buchanan Rides Alone, Ride Lonesome, and Comanche Station. The set features introductions (from Clint Eastwood, Taylor Hackford, & Martin Scorsese), audio commentaries, a documentary, and trailers.

Get all three Jason Bourne films in one easy-to-grab package with the new Bourne Trilogy box set (Universal, Rated R, DVD-$34.98 SRP), containing The Bourne Identity, The Bourne Supremacy, and The Bourne Ultimatum. The bonus features are the same as those found in the individually released editions, and include audio commentaries, featurettes, deleted scenes, and more.

It was slow going at first, but I stuck with Reaper (Lionsgate, Not Rated, DVD-$39.98 SRP) because I could sense that it had the potential to develop into a fun, goofy, exciting little genre show like classic Buffy. Thankfully, as the season progressed, the tribulations of Sam – a young slacker who discovers his parents sold his soul to the Devil (Ray Wise), who forces him to become a bounty hunter of hell’s escaped demons – have come into their own. If you haven’t checked it out yet, do check out the complete first season set, featuring all 18 episodes plus audio commentaries, deleted scenes, and a gag reel.

The first volume was a nice little slice of catalogue holiday cheer, and Warners opens the vaults again for their Classic Holiday DVD Collection: Volume 2 (Warner Bros., Not Rated, DVD-$29.98 SRP), featuring All Mine To Give, Holiday Affair, It Happened On 5th Avenue, and Blossoms In The Dust.

For anyone that’s been holding off on snagging the classic UK sitcom ‘Allo ‘Allo! – the follow-up from the creators of Are You Being Served set in occupied France during WWII and playing like a Franco version of Hogan’s Heroes – then now’s the time to get the whole lot in ‘Allo ‘Allo!: The Complete Collection (BBC, Not Rated, DVD-$249.98 SRP). The 19-disc set features all 9 seasons, plus retrospective documentaries, archive interviews, the cast on the game show Blankety Blank, and more.

There are a ton of them in the various studios’ vaults, but Warners dips into theirs for a trio of World War II rah-rah flicks with their new Homefront Collection (Warner Bros., Not Rated, DVD-$39.98 SRP), featuring Irving Berlin’s This Is The Army, Thank Your Lucky Stars, and Hollywood Canteen. Bonus materials include a new Warner At War documentary, audio commentaries, music/patriotic shorts, cartoons, newsreels, trailers, and more.

One of the mainstays of my many sleepless nights glued to Nick At Nite in the late 80’s and early 90’s was I Dream Of Jeannie. It remains one of the great escapist sitcoms of the late 60’s, with humor that was timeless and certainly not terribly thought-provoking. It’s marshmallow fluff. If you’ve been passing up the season-by-season sets that have been released the past few years, now is the time to take the plunge and pick up I Dream Of Jeannie: The Complete Series (Sony, Not Rated, DVD-$174.95 SRP). The 20-dosc set features all 139 episodes, plus audio commentaries and a set of collector’s cards, all housed within a cardboard Genie bottle.

I’m going to give you one reason – and one reason only – to pick up Cartoon Network’s Chowder: Volume 1 (Warner Bros., Not Rated, DVD-$14.98 SRP). However, it is a compelling reason, and one that can not be ignored. It refuses to be ignored! In fact, the reason will grab you by the collar and drag you to your nearest DVD emporium. That reason? One of the main characters on the show is voiced by none other than Dana Snyder. That’s right. Now do you see?

I went into it expecting a complete and utter disaster. Imagine my surprise when I found the big screen Get Smart (Warner Bros., Rated PG-13, DVD-$34.99 SRP) to be an amiable, often funny take on the misadventures in espionage of one Maxwell Smart (Steve Carell). Bonus features include an alternate joke track, a behind-the-scenes featurette, a gag reel, and more. A Blu-Ray edition is also available ($35.99 SRP) with identical bonus features.

Oh, George. You truly have gone insane. You should talk to someone about your pathological need to tear down what you’ve built – it’s really quite sad. Case in point – the CG animated feature pilot for Star Wars: The Clone Wars (Warner Bros., Not Rated, DVD-$34.98 SRP). It’s not only wretched, it’s embarrassing. The story is a mess, the animation is sub-par, and it manages to make the Prequels seem classy by comparison. The 2-disc special edition features an audio commentary, behind-the-scenes featurettes, webisodes, deleted scenes, galleries, trailers, and more. A Blu-Ray edition is also available ($35.99 SRP) containing the same bonus materials.

It’s been 30 years since Animal House (Universal, Rated R, DVD-$19.98 SRP)??? Sweet Jebus. The new 2-disc special edition features a retrospective documentary on the making of the film, a mockumentary catching up with the Delta alumni, and an on-disc version of the Scene It game. FOOD FIGHT!

Another in the long (and appreciated) line of box sets collecting a selection of an actor’s filmography in one handy package, The Gregory Peck Film Collection (Universal, Not Rated, DVD, $59.98 SRP) sports 6 of his flicks. Those 6 flicks in question are To Kill A Mocking Bird, Cape Fear, Arabesque, Mirage, Captain Newman, MD, & The World In His Arms. The set also contains a feature-length conversation with Peck, making-ofs for Mockingbird & Cape Fear, award speeches, and more.

It may be low-grade genre fare, but there’s a certain exuberance about the Brit series Primeval (BBC, Not Rated, DVD-$49.98 SRP), about a team led by evolutionary biologist who begin encountering creatures both prehistoric and futuristic as the fabric of time begins to tear apart. The 4-disc set features all 13 1st season episodes, plus audio commentaries, a making-of featurette, and “Through The Anomaly” by Andrew Lee Potts.

Since MTV abandoned Unplugged and VH1 walked away from Storytellers, there’s a gap in the world for a show featuring great live performances from diverse and interesting artists. In the UK, that show is Live From Abbey Road. Want proof? Pick up a copy of Live From Abbey Road: Best Of Season One (BCI, Not Rated, DVD-$19.98 SRP) and check out the performances from the likes of John Mayer, Dr. John, David Gilmour, The Zutons, Gnarls Barkley, Wynton Marsalis, and more.

The Studio One Anthology (Koch, Not Rated, DVD-$99.98 SRP) is a remarkable time capsule and a wonderful collection of plays not otherwise captured on film. Over its 9-year run on CBS, Studio One featured plays ranging from 1984 to Twelve Angry Men, starring the likes of Art Carney, Norman Fell, Jack Lemmon, Elizabeth Montgomery, Sal Mineo, Lorne Greene, Lee Remick, and more. The 6-disc set features 17 productions, complete with their original commercials. Bonus features include a seminar on the show from The Paley Center, related footage, an historical overview, and more.

Though I think it’s been overly-maligned (and no, I am in no way saying it’s a good film), I can’t imagine anyone who would want a 2-disc extended edition of Kevin Costner’s bloated aquatic epic Waterworld (Universal, Not Rated, DVD-$19.98 SRP). Regardless, here it is – with 40 extra minutes. That’s right… 40. Most of it involves water. And Kevin.

Though most of the episodes pale in comparison to the original run, who’d have thought that we’d cross the 100 episode mark of the continuing misadventures of the family Griffin? That landmark episode is contained in Family Guy: Volume 6 (Fox, Not Rated, DVD-$39.98 SRP), plus 11 more – as well as audio commentaries, deleted scenes, the 100th episode special, a making-of featurette, Family Guy Live!, and more.

Big Green makes his holiday DVD debut with the release of last year’s network special Shrek The Halls (Dreamworks, Not Rated, DVD-$19.99 SRP). It’s an amiable bit of fluff that’s certainly a far sight better than the lackluster Shrek The Third. Bonus features include some sing alongs and games.

It’s murder on the Transsiberian express as a group of passengers get swept up drug trafficking and deception on a train making the journey from Beijing to Moscow in Transsiberian (First Look, Rated R, DVD-$28.98 SRP). Real standout? Ben Kinsgley as an ex-KGB detective. A Blu-Ray edition ($34.98 SRP) is also available.

The sophomore outing of Rod Serling’s post-Twilight Zone journey into the bizarre and unexpected arrives with Night Gallery: Season Two (Universal, Not Rated, DVD-$59.98 SRP). The 5-disc set features 61 stories, plus audio commentaries (some featuring director Guillermo Del Toro), promos, a gallery, and a retrospective featurette.

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

##

November 14, 2008
Weekend Shopping Guide 7/25/08: Far Out Spaced Nuts

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…

The Brits have a knack for taking the tired old sitcom format, blowing it up, and creating some absolutely brilliant television. Those bastards. Most definitely to be included in their long line of triumphs is Spaced, a show about a pair of twenty-something slackers – Tim & Daisy (Simon Pegg & Jessica Stevenson) – who pose as a professional couple in order to get a North London apartment. Sure, Tim could be a comic book artist if he tried, and Daisy’s quite a good writer, but being successful in either of those careers would mean applying themselves… By, of all things, *working*. Gah! With a gaggle of off-the-wall friends and acquaintances, if you think of it as a twenty-something Seinfeld with a postmodern pop culture twist (there are frequent surreal diversions) you wouldn’t be far off the mark. After much legal wrangling, fans and soon-to-be fans in the US can now pick up Spaced: The Complete Series (BBC, Not Rated, DVD-$59.98 SRP). In addition to the audio commentary, outtakes, feature-length behind-the-scenes documentary, deleted scenes, trailers, raw footage, and galleries found on the original UK release, the US set also includes brand new commentaries featuring special guests Kevin Smith, Quentin Tarantino, Matt Stone, Diablo Cody, and more. Try out the show – I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised. Those clever bastards.

I have a massive photo and slide archive. Ridiculously large, actually. And like anyone in this modern age, I’d like to digitize it. Unfortunately, digitizing that much material with old-school flatbed scanner adapters or standalone scanners has been a pain ass. Well, get one of these nifty 35mm Slide & Negative Digital Converters ($99.99) like I did and burn through scanning those archives. It’s got an easy-to-load film & slide caddies, fast scan time, and a snappy interface – plus it can scan at up to 1,829 DPI. Perfect.

If you want a sure sign that an action figure line has gotten traction, a good indicator would be that they’ve been successful enough to begin releasing a second wave. Such is the case with Bif Bang Pow!‘s incredible line of figures based on the cult classic Flash Gordon movie. The first of those second wave figures to hit the street features Flash himself in his iconic T-Shirt, along with the green football-like thing from Mongo ($16.99 SRP). The sculpt – based on a design by Alex Ross – is about as movie-accurate as one could hope for, and only gets me more excited to see where this line will go.

Every comic book series seems to be getting the snazzy deluxe treatment nowadays – with some bewildering choices – but certainly deserving of the honor is Mike Mignola’s Hellboy. The clothbound, hardcover Hellboy Library Edition: Volume 1 (Dark Horse, $49.95 SRP) contains the first two Hellboy mini-series – “Seed Of Destruction” and “Wake The Devil” – printed in oversize 12″x9″ with brilliant reproduction. There are even a clutch of bonus materials, including a sketchbook. Perfect for the library, and you’ll be counting the days until the release of volume 2 this Fall.

After months and months of taunting and numerous delayed release dates, finally – FINALLY – we see the release of Comedy Central’s short-lived surreal gem, TV Funhouse (Paramount, Not Rated, DVD-$26.98 SRP). Created by Robert Smigel and Dino Stamatopoulos, it was a bizarre, low-rent Saturday morning kiddie show for adults, featuring appearances from Smigel’s Triumph, The Insult Comic Dog. The 2-disc set features all 8 episodes, plus audio commentaries, outtakes, behind-the-scenes footage, video commentary, and more.

I admit to really loving the deluxe, hardcover, archival editions that Dark Horse has been releasing of titles I never thought would get that kind of treatment – namely the Gold Key runs of both Doctor Solar and Magnus: Robot Fighter. The complete run of Solar is contained within 4 volumes (Dark Horse, $49.95 SRP each), and the totality of Magnus is in 3 (Dark Horse, $49.95 SRP). All 7 are lovingly restored and presented, and ready for a place of honor on your shelf. They’re pure 60’s bliss… Think of them as the Mad Men of comics.

Before Family Guy decided to jump on the bandwagon, Adult Swim’s Robot Chicken decided to venture into a galaxy far, far away for a bit of a good-natured puncture. With full cooperation from Lucasfilm, Robot Chicken: Star Wars (Warner Bros., Not Rated, DVD-$14.98 SRP) left no Wookie unturned. The special edition DVD features an audio commentary, featurettes, deleted scenes, galleries, panel presentations, and more.

There’s no Kurosawa quite like overlooked Kurosawa, and that’s what makes his taut, high-tension High And Low (Criterion, Not Rated, DVD-$39.95 SRP) such a delight. Starring Toshiro Mifune as a wealthy man who’s plunged into a ransom nightmare when his family is kidnapped, it plays like a Japanese Hitchcock flick. The newly-remastered 2-disc Criterion edition features an audio commentary, a making-of documentary, a video interview with Mifune, trailers, and more.

Set in a dystopian Los Angeles in the not-too-distant future, Duck (Westlake Entertainment, Not Rated, DVD-$19.98 SRP) stars Phillip Baker Hall as a man who sets out on a quest to find purpose and a sense of community in the urban sprawl, accompanied only by a mallard named Joe. Bonus features include an audio commentary, interviews, and more.

Certainly living up to its name, Earth: A Biography (BBC, Not Rated, DVD-$29.98 SRP) is an in-depth look at the history of the planet upon which we all reside, from its formation to its current state, with all of the serendipity, change, and cataclysms in-between.

James Caan may have departed, but Tom Selleck more than fills his shoes in the fifth season of Las Vegas (Universal, Not Rated, DVD-$59.98 SRP), which by this point has become a Sin City take on The Love Boat. It’s a shame that this also proved to be the show’s final season, as I’m still interested to see how Selleck’s reinvigorating presence would have shaken things up. The 4-disc set features all 17 episodes, plus an effects featurette, gag reel, and NBC.com webcasts.

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

##

July 25, 2008