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…)
While you’re counting the days that have comprised this massively long wait for the start of the 6th season, dive into the complete 5th season of 30 Rock (Universal, Not Rated, DVD-$49.98 SRP), featuring all 22 episodes plus audio commentaries (Would you believe Val Kilmer is on one?), deleted scenes, the West Coast version of the “Live Show”, animated shorts, and more.
Looking for an easier way to send countless texts to friends and family this holiday season in a much, much easier fashion? How about augmenting your iPhone with a Bluetooth Sliding Keyboard Case ($24.99)? That’s right – Not only is it a sliding keyboard for your iPhone, but t also acts as a case. How much more practical can you get?
Many (including me) celebrated the release of the Rhino DVD sets as a golden age for fans of the show, but Shout Factory has proved that those Rhino days were but pyrite compared to the torrent of Mystery Science Theater sets they’ve delivered over the past few years. Case in point, just months after all of the Gamera films, we get Mystery Science Theater 3000: Volume XXII (Shout Factory, Not Rated, DVD-$59.97 SRP). The four films in the set include a few that fans have been desiring for years – Time Of The Apes, Mighty Jack, The Violent Years, and The Brute Man. There also some introductions, featurettes, MST3K Hour wraps, and the 1997 special The Making Of MST3K.
Watching the 4th, penultimate (and last full) season of The Sarah Jane Adventures (BBC, Not Rated, DVD-$29.98 SRP) makes me miss the late Elisabeth Sladen all the more, as even though the kid-geared stories could sometimes be uneven, there’s a palpable and enjoyable charm to the series. And as a bonus, this season features guest appearances by Matt Smith’s Doctor and former companion Jo Grant.
I don’t want you to think that I didn’t enjoy The Hangover: Part II (Warner Bros., Rated R, Blu-Ray-$35.99 SRP), because I did. It just didn’t seem as fresh or as focused as the first film, which came out of nowhere and managed to slap the population upside the head with it’s crass panache. Though I will give this sequel props for using “Downeaster Alexa”. Yes, I will. Bonus materials include featurettes and a gag reel. I assume the unrated version is only a few short months away.
For a unique home 3D experience that’s also quite educational, join Werner Herzog for a journey into the Cave Of Forgotten Dreams (IFC, Rated G, Blu-Ray-$34.98 SRP), which find everyone’s favorite German director journeying deep into the Chauvet Cave in France, which houses the world’s most ancient pictorial art (stretching back over 30,000 years). Bonus materials include a short film and the theatrical trailer.
Oh, Cowboys And Aliens (Universal, Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$34.98 SRP). There really was a grand film to be had out of your title. Unfortunately, that film is nowhere to be found. Instead, we get an overlong, deadened flick starring Daniel Craig in a bracelet and Harrison Ford’s Christian Bale Batman voice. And a dog. I do actually like the dog. Bonus materials include an audio commentary and a clutch of featurettes.
One of the great war films of all time gets a high definition release with Tora! Tora! Tora! (Fox, Rated G, Blu-Ray-$34.98 SRP). If you’re not aware of the film, it was unique in that it told the tale of the attack on Pearl Harbor from both the American and Japanese perspectives. Bonus materials on this release include an audio commentary, documentaries, Fox MovieToNews, and the theatrical trailer.
In the documentary The Love We Make (Eagle Vision, Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$19.98 SRP), we’re treated to a behind-the-scenes look as Paul McCartney, who was actually in New York during the event, prepares for the major benefit concert that was pulled together shortly after 9/11. It’s an interesting look at a time that seems very long ago, with a man to whom New York and its people mean a great deal.
I am shocked to say that I found The Smurfs (Sony, Rated PG, 3D Blu-Ray-$45.99) an entirely watchable film. Surprisingly, the least watchable parts of it were any time it was mired in the real world, with Neil Patrick Harris (no slight to him). I would much rather have seen a film entirely in the medieval world around Smurf village, with Hank Azaria’s Gargamel. Truly. Bonus materials include audio commentaries, featurettes, deleted scenes, and more.
I’ve always thought that Colin Quinn was a pretty sharp comedian with a not terribly sharp delivery, but in his first stand-up special – Colin Quinn: Long Story Short (VSC, Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$19.95 SRP) – he manages to hit a presentational sweet spot that makes this Jerry Seinfeld-directed guide through history a tour de force. Bonus materials include an audio commentary and additional footage.
Listen, I know that the John Milius Conan film has its flaws, but there’s an energy and grit that permeates every frame of that flick that’s simply not found in the too-slick, too-affected, too-boring modern Conan The Barbarian (Lionsgate, Rated R, 3D Blu-Ray-$39.99 SRP) featuring Jason Momoa as the Cimmerian warrior in a tale that has monsters, sure, but nothing to match James Earl Jones. Bonus materials include audio commentaries and a clutch of featurettes.
If you’ve waited your whole life to see Jim Carrey cavort with penguins in an elegant New York apartment, then Mr. Popper’s Penguins (Fox, Rated PG, Blu-Ray-$39.99 SRP) is the sort of heart-warming and somewhat funny family film for you. Because he does. Cavort with penguins. Bonus materials include a gag reel, deleted scenes, featurettes, and an animated short.
I kept hoping that Friends With Benefits (Sony, Rated R, Blu-Ray-$40.99 SRP) would eventually become as funny and meta romantic comedy as it was painfully trying to be, but besides the always-likeable Mila Kunis & Justin Timberlake, nothing ever came together. In fact, I’ve largely forgot about the movie as I was watching it. Bonus materials include an audio commentary and featurettes.
Ben returns to take on the abounding extraterrestrial menaces in Ben 10 Ultimate Alien: The Wild Truth (Cartoon Network, Not Rated, DVD-$19.98 SRP). The 2-disc set contains another 12 episodes of alien fighting.
It’s been the requisite amount of time, so what do we get? Why, we get another season set of Spongebob! Spongebob Squarepants: The Complete Seventh Season (Nickelodeon, Not Rated, DVD-$26.98 SRP) packs over 9 hours of Bikini Bottom madness onto 4-discs, including a quartet of animated shorts.
Things take a dark, unpredictable turn in the 5th and final season of Big Love (HBO, Not Rated, DVD-$59.99 SRP), which finds the Henrickson clan under fire after patriarch, and newly elected state Senator, Bill announces his polygamy on election night. And things go from bad to worse as a vengeful Alby Grant makes his return. Bonus materials include audio commentaries and a featurette.
If you’d like to fulfill your very special movie quota, check out The Help (Touchstone, Rated PG-13, Blu-Ray-$44.99 SRP), about a group of women who work across 1960’s Southern racial and societal barriers on a writing project. Bonus materials include featurettes and deleted scenes.
For history buffs, the perfect companion to their recent WWII set is the equally fascinating/gripping Vietnam In HD (History Channel, Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$34.95 SRP), featuring home movies and rare archival footage never before available, presented in high definition.
Sideshow Collectibles’ premium format figure line has been plenty of impressive scaled recreations of classic pop culture characters over the years, but the really impressive thing is when they manage to wow me with a character I would not have been expected to be wowed by. Case in point is their 1/4-scale Emperor Palpatine and Imperial Throne ($499). If you’re wondering about the elevated pricetag above their standard premium format figures, it should be readily apparent that not only are you getting the accurately sculpted and clothed leader of the evil Empire, but also his absolutely massive imperial throne. And, to make it that much more authentic (and worth the price), there’s even a light feature, as they underside of the top canopy features a blue LED for that screen-accurate look. If you’re still able, be sure to get the Sideshow Exclusive edition, which features a swappable head sporting Palpatine’s angry bastard face.
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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While my favorite remains The Great Dictator, there’s no denying that 
Kids love to spill drinks. I don’t for a minute think it’s an accident – I believe it’s all premeditated. You can undermine their evil plans with the 
Hot on the heels of the first season’s arrival comes the second season of 
Warner Bros. has done another spectacular restoration job on one of their catalogue gems, this time with the high definition edition of 1935’s 
As CGI and flash have come to dominate content in documentaries in recent years, there’s still something timeless and powerful in the direct, unvarnished simplicity of presentation in the seminal (and massive) 
Let us all take a holiday journey into the uncanny valley with Robert Zemeckis’s latest unfortunate excursion into motion capture awkwardness, 
A few years back, a rather unique and wonderful little animated series called Avatar: The Last Airbender debuted on Nickelodeon. It was full of adventure and populated by strong, interesting characters living in an expansive world and caught up in an epic story. Sadly, all of these wonderful elements were lost in translation to the live action 
While you’re busy waiting for the next season to come out on DVD, you can tide yourself over with 
Fully remastered, another holiday perennial makes is available this season with the release of Rankin Bass’s 
I’m still not exactly sure why the travesty that is Troll 2 has been gifted with a celebratory documentary, 
The books of Beverly Cleary were a favorite when I was a kid, and while some of the spirit has been toned down, there’s still some life in 
It’s not Blu-Ray, but 
Seeking to make the viewing experience a bit more interactive, Disney has developed the “Mickey Mote” accessory for use with their newest preschool DVD releases. Essentially, it’s a kid-friendly, Mickey Mouse-shaped remote that them to answer questions when in “Discovery Mode”. The first DVDs out of the gate – 
In March of 2010, musical theater’s best & brightest assembled to celebrate Stephen Sondheim’s 80th birthday, recorded for posterity on 
One of Nipsy Russell’s finest roles (and one of Diana Ross’s most age inappropriate) comes to high definition with the release of 
It’s an interesting score, to be sure, but I can’t help but feel that composer Alexandre Desplat is just marking time with his score to 
It’s about time a tribute was put together for one of the landmark comedians of the last 30 years, and 
How about a whole bunch of TV series wrapping up their DVD releases? You’ve got 
Let me be perfectly blunt – History Channel… If you continue to produce unsubstantiated dreck like 
Now that we’ve reached 
Those fans that have only experience the butchered editions of weird and wonderful The Mighty Boosh that have been running on Adult Swim need to run – not walk – to their favorite DVD emporium and snag copies of the new-to-the-US unexpurgated editions of The Mighty Boosh seasons 1-3 that have now been collected into the massive 
During my mother’s recent cancer battle, she spent her final week at home. While at home, I set up a pair of 
After 10 years spent off the air, wandering the wilderness of feature film development, the crew of the mining ship Red Dwarf return for a brand new adventure in 
The most brilliant parodies always come from a place of deep understanding – and often affection – for the particular thing being parodied. Such is clearly the case with Peter Kay’s brilliant send-up of reality talent competitions whose full title – deep breath – is 
The Warner Bros. Archive Collection does it again, this time releasing 
Really, the nifty on-demand catalogue service The Warner Archive Collection is the only way we’ll get the short-lived and rather mediocre but fascinating sci-fi series 
I was one of the Disney fans who marveled at the clarity that the restored Platinum Edition of Snow White revealed, making the film look like it was made in the last 10 years – not 70 years ago. Well, the new high definition Diamond Edition of 
You can have your fancy, expensive, often bizarre, more faithful, Tim Burton-directed version of Charlie & The Chocolate Factory, but I will always, always love and prefer 
I’ve gotta say – I really & truly love the amazing, unique, and altogether nifty pop art books that Abrams Comicarts have been putting out – their entire selection of which is worth a look see. Case in point is the new 
Oh, and also from Abrams, have a look-see at 
Originally created for IMAX theaters, 
After a lapse in copyright that allowed it to move from Warner Bros. to Paramount, 
Slowly but surely, we’re catching up on the releases of Gordon Ramsay’s excellent cooking show, 
You know, I’m not entirely sure it hasn’t been forever since the last season release of the still-classic, still-hilarious 
I have nothing against the Shannon Doherty years of the low-rent “reality” candid camera frightfest 
Even though I find the show the dramatic equivalent of beige paint drying, I still find Patricia Arquette watchable in 
Reflect on an incredible body of work by a much-missed actor with the new 
It’s quite rare when I actually enjoy a romantic comedy, only because the plot developments are as obvious as a truck on the side of your ear, so it really comes down to a decent enough script and a good clutch of actors to pull the whole thing off. With 
Does anyone actually enjoy 
As you might expect, the soundtrack to Drew Barrymore’s roller derby flick 
I really have no other ammunition with which to recommend the CG-animated special 
At the end, the show was a shadow of its heyday high, but the cast of 
Sam Raimi decided to abandon the tepid Spider-Man movies and return to form with the schlock-happy horror of 
Will Ferrell’s big screen take on the schlocky Sid & Marty Krofft Saturday morning classic 
I can’t tell you just how much I really, really don’t like the live action 
I think the final product has been a mixed bag, with none shining too terribly brightly, but if you’re keen on buying the recent animated direct-to-video movies starring your favorite Marvel Comics superheroes, you can now get the whole lot in the 
It’s frustrating that 
I’ve never been a fan of Oliver Stone’s violent social commentary 
Before you gawp at the live action flick, take in the classic animated version of Maurice Sendak’s 
Do people still watch 
If you’re not able to drop the cash for the more expensive Spotlight collections, or just want a nice sampler, then you’ll want to check out 
I tried desperately to avoid obvious swimming metaphors to talk about this title, but in the end, I lacked enough willpower to refrain from saying you should dive right in to the 
Sensing it had been far too long since a new release and that brand awareness might be slipping, MTV has dug through the hall closet to scrape up enough material to fill 
I certainly tried, but I could never find enough of a toe-hold to get interested in 
The year 1971 brought the still-developing sister of Charlie Brown – Sally – and made her a fully-realized character, which is why her face adorns the cover of 
When just about every device you can think of requires some kind of battery – particularly those quickly devoured AAs – having a top-notch rechargeable battery system is an economic must. To that end, I present the 
Graham Linehan – with Arthur Matthews – is one half of the creative team behind the legendary britcom Father Ted. With 
We were given a tease of them a few years back in the big ol’ Superman box set that came out, but now the fully restored official release of 
My absolute favorite iteration of the Justice League continues to get the nice, prestige treatment it deserves (even if the characters aren’t getting it in current DC continuity) with the snazzy hardcover release of 
Warner Bros. has an immense catalogue of titles. Thousands and thousands of them. And even with their aggressive DVD release schedule, there’s no way they can get to all of them – and, economically, some of the titles have such a small appeal that it’s just not viable to do a wide release on them. Those who thought their chances of picking up some of those obscure titles were nil can rejoice in the introduction of Warner’s new Archive Collection – 
Warners and TCM turn their spotlight to another actor for a themed box set, this time delivering the 
You’ve seen all of the wonderful production art behind their feature films, well now you can pick up a handsome volume looking at 
There’s something about seeing classic musicals in full high-def that brings the energy, music, and production design to the fore. For a good example, check out the new editions of 
I thought Click was amiable fun, so I found myself enjoying the latest in Adam Sandler’s family-friendly fare, 
It’s one of the most unique animated series ever made for TV – a collaboration between French writers and Japanese animators – and there’s some fun nostalgia in tripping through the complete run of 
I’m reminded of the old days of videocassette (and my old videodiscs) when I see Disney deciding to get back into the habit of releasing themed collections of their animated shorts under the Walt Disney Animation Collection banner. The first trio are 
Explore the life and death of the 16th president with a pair of fascinating documentaries – 
It’s no Pixar flick, but 
You know those type of “prestige” pictures that have the word “PRESTIGE” attached to a club that they bludgeon the audience with, in order that we fully understand that we’re watching a “PRESTIGE” film? 
And one Oscar nominee brings an Oscar winner out on Blu-Ray, with the release of the Coen Brothers’ 
Blake & Krystle get married as – would you believe it? – Alexis schemes in the first half of 
Elmo gets a new color scheme that Kermit would find familiar in the environment-centric 
As much as I disagree with the loss of Christopher Robin, my nephews do like the CG My Friends Tigger & Pooh and the latest release, 
On the surface you could say that Jim Carrey covered much of the same ground in Liar Liar as he does in 
Rejoice, parents and recreational drug users! A new release of everyone’s favorite bizarre kiddie show comes to DVD with 
After only seven years, it’s finally senior year on 
Wrap up the first season of 
