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…
(Please support Quick Stop by using the links below to make any impulse purchases – it helps to keep us going…)
Summer days are long. And often hot. Sometimes stormy. Who wants to venture out onto the surface of the sun when you can kick back with some cool lemonade in even cooler air conditioning with a big ol’ batch of DVDs from RiffTrax. If you’re not familiar with RiffTrax, here’s the nutshell version – they’re downloadable Mystery Science Theater 3000-esque audio riffs of movies that you sync up to your DVD, with the comedy provided by MST3K alum Mike Nelson, Kevin Murphy, & Bill Corbett. Ah, but there’s a clutch of films now hitting stores (and available on RiffTrax.com) where you can buy the DVD with the RiffTrax commentary track included – no syncing, just easy comedy for those sweltering days. The RiffTrax edition films currently on offer are Missile To The Moon, House On Haunted Hill, Swing Parade, The Little Shop Of Horrors, Plan 9 From Outer Space, Reefer Madness, Night Of the Living Dead, and Carnival Of Souls (Legend Films, Not Rated, DVD-$9.95 SRP each). Some of these films were previously released with just Mike Nelson providing commentary, but these new versions are full on RiffTrax. Also available are a pair of shorts collections entitled (whouldja believe?) The Best Of RiffTrax Shorts: Volume One & The Best Of RiffTrax Shorts: Volume Two (Legend Films, Not Rated, DVD-$9.95 SRP each).
The first time I ever encountered a Lite Brite – you know, the light-bulb, black paper, and colored peg wonder of childhood – it was during play time in kindergarten. Like most kids, I was fascinated, and soon moved on from the structured pattern paper to just sticking the pegs in wherever the hell the whim dictated. Like most things nowadays, the Lite Brite has gone 3-D with Lite Brite Cubed ($22.99), featuring 4 whole sides of glowing peg fun. My nephew couldn’t get enough of it (starting with the sailboat).
Ever since seeing the original trailers long, long ago, I’ve been eager to lay my hands on the video game derived from one of my favorite childhood films, Ghostbusters. Well, after laying hands upon it (and then playing it), I found myself enjoying the experience of this video game iteration of Ghostbusters (Atari, PS3-$59.99 SRP, XBOX-$59.99 SRP), as I found myself in what is essentially the 3rd film in the series, which thankfully takes most of its cues from the original. Not only was the script written by Aykroyd & Ramis, but all four Ghostbusters reprise their roles, with a few other actors making a welcome return as well (Annie Potts & William Atherton). As for the game, you find yourself as the latest hire at Ghostbusters, Inc., right on the cusp of a major ghost spike prompted by an occurrence at the local museum’s Gozer exhibit. You can pretty much guess what happens next, as you run around Manhattan trying to catch a few ghosts. Is it worth it? Certainly.
However, if you’re a casual gamer, a fine game is the Nintendo Wii version of Ghostbusters (Atari, Wii-$39.99 SRP), which trades the realistic rendering of the PS3/Xbox edition for a much cartoonier, instant-multiplayer experience. It’s a nice complement to the other version, unique unto itself, and a grand old time for the kids.
I continue to delight that Sony seems intent on finishing their chronological release of the Three Stooges shorts with the release of The Three Stooges Collection Volume Six: 1949-1951 (Sony, Not Rated, DVD-$24.96 SRP). The 2-disc shorts contain 24 remastered shorts comprising what is essentially (sans a few on volume 5) the first half of the Shemp shorts.
Erase memories of Michael Bay’s sound & the fury approach to your 80’s childhood by revisiting the original epic battle between the Autobots and the Decepticons with the new special edition of Transformers: The Complete First Season (Shout! Factory, Not Rated, DVD-$29.99 SRP). The episodes have never looked our sounded better. The 3-disc set contains the first 16 episodes, plus a rare PSA, a printable script, toy commercials, and the first part of a massive retrospective documentary that will span future sets.
Producer Michael Bay does what he does best with his reimagining of Friday the 13th (New Line, Rated R, DVD-$28.98 SRP) – it’s a slick, wholly disposable, instantly forgettable take on the material. You certainly get what it says on the tin. Bonus features include additional scenes and a featurette.
The title of the album says it all – Spinal Tap is Back From The Dead (The Label Industry Records, $18.98 SRP) with a clutch of new tunes, a few old favorites, and a few old favorites that don’t sound like you remember. Best of all, though, is the bonus DVD, which features video commentary on every track.
Season 3 & 4 have been available on Blu-Ray already, but fans can now backfill with the release of Lost: Season 1 & Season 2 in high definition (ABC Studios, Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$69.99 SRP each). Believe you me, seeing those Hawaiian locales in high-def almost makes up for the confused storylines. Bonus features on the sets are identical to their standard edition counterparts, plus a Blu-Ray exclusive SeasonPlay feature.
The laughs are more strained and are more often than not merely groans elicited by “they did what” moments, but fans are sure to snap up Family Guy: Volume Seven (Fox, Not Rated, DVD-$39.98 SRP), featuring 13 episodes plus audio commentaries, animatics, deleted scenes, and a quartet of featurettes.
Although my interest was certainly piqued, I in no way expected to be as swept up as I became in HBO’s miniseries on the political life of our 2nd president, John Adams (HBO, Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$79.98 SRP). But swept up I was, and it certainly brought all of the drama, disagreement, infighting, political machinations, interpersonal issues, and seemingly insurmountable obstacles that led to the formation and establishment of the United States as an independent, thriving democracy. As Adams, Paul Giamatti certainly earns the Emmy he is most assuredly due, alongside the equally Emmy-worthy Laura Linney as his wife, Abigail. The true test of a miniseries like this is if it manages to make history engrossing, and it succeeds in spades. Now in high definition, the 3-disc set features a behind-the-scenes documentary, a spotlight on author David McCullough, an onscreen historical guide, and a who’s who guide.
Commemorating the 25th anniversary of his death, My Breakfast With Blassie (VSC, Not Rated, DVD-$19.95 SRP) contains Andy Kaufman’s memorable conversation with professional wrestler Freddie Blassie, conducted during the height of Kaufman’s wrestling phase. The disc also contains lost footage, home movies, a making-of, premiere footage, and a photo gallery.
Not quite as fun as the first season, the sophomore outing of Burn Notice (Fox, Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$59.98 SRP) is still an engaging spy romp, made all the more enjoyable by the presence of Bruce Campbell. As one would expect. Available in high-def, the 3-disc set features all 16 episodes, plus audio commentaries, deleted scenes, a featurette, and a gag reel.
We all saw it in school, but The Diary of Anne Frank (Fox, Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$34.98 SRP) arrives in high definition for its 50th anniversary, with an audio commentary, a clutch of featurettes, a screen test, Movietone clips, and more.
I think we’re just now starting to get the distance necessary to effectively dramatize the ground events of the Iraq War, and the first project that feels like it’s accomplished the task is HBO’s Generation Kill (HBO, Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$79.98 SRP). The 7-part miniseries follows the Marines of the First Recon Battalion in the first 40 days of the war as they face a disjointed chain of command, inadequate and ineffective supplies, and their own doubts about the effectiveness of their mission. It’s certainly no rah-rah Band Of Brothers. The 3-disc set arrives in high definition with audio commentaries, deleted scenes, featurettes, and a Blu-Ray exclusive military glossary, chain of command chart, and mission maps.
I think Disney may be trying to give us a hint that perhaps we should all venture outside and do something this summer, as they’ve dropped a trio of their aspirational sports flicks on Blu-Ray – Shia LaBeouf in The Greatest Game Ever Played, Kurt Russell in Miracle, and the sailing documentary Morning Light (Walt Disney, Rated PG, Blu-Ray-$34.99 SRP each). Bonus features are identical to their standard edition counterparts.
On the heels of the DVD release of Michael Bay’s new Friday The 13th, Paramount drops another batch of special editions from the original “run”. First up is the standard def deluxe editions of Friday The 13th: The Final Chapter, Friday The 13th Part V: A New Beginning, and Friday The 13th Part VI: Jason Lives (Paramount, Rated R, DVD-$16.99 SRP each). The all feature audio commentaries, deleted scenes, featurettes, and more. Making their high-def debut are the previously released deluxe editions of Friday The 13th: Part 2 & Friday The 13th: Part 3 (Paramount, Rated R, Blu-Ray-$29.99 SRP each), featuring the same bonus materials as the standard def releases.
The pilot itself was anticlimactic, but I can’t fault the score by Bear McGreary. You can give a listen to the score to Caprica (La-La-Land Records, $17.99 SRP) and judge for yourself. I think he did a fine job despite an underwhelming story.
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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