Tag: sandra bullock

  • Weekend Shopping Guide 2/28/14: Gravity Force

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    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…)

    I could do without the touch of religious nonsense and the completely nonsensical science of it all, but even on the significantly smaller home screen 3D experience, Alfonso Cuaron’s Gravity (Warner Bros., Rated PG-13, 3D Blu-Ray-$44.95 SRP) still packs a powerful visual punch. At a taut 90 minutes, it never overstays its welcome. Bonus materials include over 3 hours of bonus materials chronicling the film’s evolution, special effects, and experience for the actors.

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    A few years back, Sideshow Collectibles releases a 1/6-scale Darth Vader from A New Hope that many assumed to be definitive, as it was quite a beautiful piece. Not content to rest on their laurels, however, those madcap mavens at Sideshow have revisited the dark lord of the Sith with a brand new figure that manages to not only trump, but blow the previous one out of the water. The new Darth Vader Sixth Scale Figure ($249.99), based on his appearance in Return Of The Jedi, is a truly exquisite representation, from the perfect scale tailoring of his outfit to his outsize proportions (he’s a tall bugger). The figure also sports working LEDs on his breast plate.. In addition to numerous hands hand both his lit and unlit lightsaber, he comes with a swappable post-elder-Anakin reveal head and a light-up base. Oh, and to put the cherry on the cake, there’s a separate light-up display featuring his unhelmeted head with a separate helmet piece, evoking the mediation chamber scene from Empire Strikes Back.

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    While I enjoyed the first Thor film, I thought it was a lot of potential greatness that didn’t quite gel into an optimum piece, but certainly laid plenty of groundwork. Thor: The Dark World (Marvel, Not Rated, 3D Blu-Ray-$39.99 SRP) picks up the ball and moves it further down the field, hitting a lot of perfect notes, but still falls just short of being a truly great film. Don’t get me wrong – it’s still a very fun action flick with strong characters and set pieces, but it could have used a much stronger presence from its villain Malekith The Dark Elf (a criminally underused Christopher Eccleston) more in lines with Walt Simonson’s introduction of the character in his comic book run. There are plenty of behind-the-scenes featurettes and a gag reel to be found amongst the bonus features, but the true highlight is the 70s exploitation-tinged short “Hail To The King”, which picks up the post-Iron Man 3 story of incarcerated actor-cum-Mandarin Trevor Slattery. Heck, get the movie just for the short – it’s that good.

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    Quietly brilliant, Nebraska (Paramount, Rated R, Blu-Ray-$39.99 SRP) is one of those small films with big characters that tend to stick in your mind even as you’re watching it. Best just to watch this elegiac tale of a son (Will Forte) making a heartfelt if seemingly misguided journey with his aging father (Bruce Dern) for yourself. Bonus materials include a making-of featurette.

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    Take a psychedelic, mathematical trip with Finn and Jake in the high definition arrival of Adventure Time: The Complete Third Season (Cartoon Network, Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$32.07 SRP), containing all 26 episodes. And because bonus features are where it’s at, you get audio commentaries on every episode, an interview with creator Pendleton Ward, and even an alternate show intro.

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    Long a charitable institution in the UK, The Secret Policeman’s Ball – USA (Eagle Vision, Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$24.98 SRP) brings the star-studded festivities to New York City for en evening in support of Amnesty International. The bill included a heady mix of comedy and music, with Jon Stewart, Eddie Izzard, Russell Brand, John Oliver, Bob Odenkirk, David Cross, Coldplay, Mumford & Sons, and many more. In addition to the film itself, bonus materials include backstage interviews.

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    The truth of the story may be in doubt, but the adapted true story of Captain Phillips (Sony, Rated PG-13, Blu-Ray-$40.99 SRP) certainly makes for a gripping drama, propelled by a taut performance from not only Tom Hanks, but also the debut performances of the actors portraying the Somali pirates who hijack the cargo ship of Hanks’s titular captain. Bonus materials include an audio commentary and making-of featurettes.

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    If you’re a fan of obscure and much-desired TV shows that economics have forced to be stranded in the vaults of various studios, then you definitely should be aware of what the fine folks at the Warner Archive have been doing for the past few years. They’ve been making those shows available on an MOD (Manufacture On Demand) basis that means fans have the option to get that which they covet, freed from the vaults. Case in point is the near-complete run of the series The FBI, which is like the Federal version of Dragnet, drawing from actual case files to craft stories around. Currently available are The First Season: Part One, The First Season: Part Two, The Second Season: Part One, and The Second Season: Part Two (Warner Bros., Not Rated, DVD-$39.95 each). Ah, but then – lucky! – they changed over to traditionally manufactured discs for The Third Season: Part One, The Third Season: Part Two (Warner Bros., Not Rated, DVD-$29.95 each), The Complete Fourth Season, The Complete Fifth Season, The Complete Sixth Season, and The Complete Seventh Season (Warner Bros., Not Rated, DVD-$49.95 each). All that’s left is the sure-to-be-forthcoming releases of the final two seasons, and you’ve got the whole cult shebang.

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    Ah, but as we saw with the latter part of The FBI, they don’t only do MOD for their cult titles. With the Dr. Kildare: Season One and Season Two (Warner Bros., Not Rated, DVD-$49.95 each), they’ve gone with regularly manufactured discs. They’ve also done the same with the legendary series Maverick, starring James Garner, of which Season 3 and Season 4 (Warner Bros., Not Rated, DVD-$39.95 each) are available. Or how about the old west drifter with a heart of gold and thirst for sarsaparilla in Sugarfoot, of which you can get Season 1 and Season 2 (Warner Bros., Not Rated, DVD-$ each). If that weren’t enough, there’s even the obscure but worth a gander of the long-forgotten Sci-Fi flavored mystery series Search (Warner Bros., Not Rated, DVD-$49.95), starring Hugh O’Brian, Tony Franciosa, and the great Doug McClure.

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    And last but not least, in a most welcome move, the Warner Archive has begun offering high definition Blu-Ray releases of their animated series. While we aren’t getting the likes of Batman: The Animated Series or Batman Beyond in the format yet, we are getting the more recent complete first season of Batman: The Brave And The Bold (Warner Bros., Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$24.95) and Batman: Shadows Of Gotham – Season One Part One (Warner Bros., Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$19.95). Hopefully this is a trend that eventually leads to those aforementioned catalogue series.

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    But Warners isn’t the only studio mining their vaults for cinema fans. Fox has their MOD 20th Century Fox Cinema Archives, and they’ve just dropped 12 new titles. Now available are John Barrymore in The Great Profile, Jeffrey Hunter & Robert Wagner in In Love And War, Dale Robertson & Jeanne Crain in City Of Bad Men, Glenn Ford in Follow The Sun, Betty Grable in Mother Wore Tights, Jack Haley in Danger – Love At Work, James Mason in 5 Fingers, Otto Preminger & Milton Berle in Margin For Error, Walter Brennan in Home In Indiana, Gloria Stuart in Island In The Sky, Dan Dailey in The Pride Of St. Louis, and Victor Mature in The Glory Brigade (Fox, Not Rated, MOD DVD-$19.98 SRP each).

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    Some truly beautiful design work goes into modern videogames, which is more than evident by the conceptual artwork that packs The Art Of Titanfall (Titan Books, $34.95 SRP), which delves into the design process of Respawn Entertainment’s juggernaut of a game. If you’re a fan of the game, or just keen to see some stunning work, give it a gander.

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    Best to ignore Zack Snyder’s gaudy film and its even gaudier sequel, and instead pick up the beautiful high definition debut of the original tale of Spartan heroics, The 300 Spartans (Fox, Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$19.99 SRP). Bonus materials include TV spots and the original theatrical trailer.

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    And for one last nail in the coffin of Snyder’s folly, find out the real history behind the Spartan’s sacrifice in The History Channel’s Last Stand Of The 300 And Other Famous Greek Battles (History Channel, Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$19.98 SRP), which brings together 6 documentaries on the battles of antiquity.

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    No matter how outrageous the first season of Legit (Fox, Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$39.99 SRP) gets, it still manages to find a nugget of genuine emotion in the oddball relationship between Jim Jefferies’s edgy stand-up comic struggling to make his career “legit” in mainstream LA and his neurotic roommate Steve and Steve’s disabled brother Billy (the great DJ Qualls). Bonus materials include audio commentaries, deleted scenes, featurettes, and a gag reel.

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    Disappointed in how own son, the proprietor of a prestigious family vineyard finds a much better heir in the son of his dying estate manager in the French psychological thriller You Will Be My Son (Cohen Media Group, Rated R, Blu-Ray-$34.98 SRP). Bonus materials include an interview, deleted scenes, and the theatrical trailer.

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    And howzabout a new soundtrack round-up for this week? Certainly! You’ve got Tony Morales’s score for Enemies Closer (Lakeshore, $9.99 SRP), Craig Richey’s Girl On A Bicycle (Lakeshore, $ SRP), John Ottman’s Non-Stop (Varese Sarabande, $16.98 SRP), and Michael John Mollo’s score to the game Strider (Capcom, $14.99 on PSN/Xbox Live/Steam).

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    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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  • Weekend Shopping Guide 3/26/10: You Are A Toy

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    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…)

    Sadly, you don’t get the 3-D experience of their recent theatrical re-release, but the high definition versions of Toy Story & Toy Story 2 (Walt Disney, Rated G, Blu-Ray-$39.99 SRP each) are still an eye-popping treat that look and sound really, really good on your massive HDTV. Many of the bonus features are ported over from the most recent DVD special editions, including audio commentaries, featurettes, and deleted scenes. There are also a fair number of new bonus features, including animated studio stories, a featurette on the Toy Story zoetrope, Buzz Lightyear Mission Logs, and sneak peeks at Toy Story 3. Are they worth it? Oh yes. Yes they are.

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    There have been diecast replicas made in the past, and while I miss the replacement of the stainless steel body for plastic, it is pretty damn cool to have a Back To The Future Delorean ($39.99) with full lights and sounds. Coming in at 1/15 scale, the lights glow a brilliant blue as you have the option of 10 different sounds – everything from the flux capacitor engaging to the gull-wing doors opening.

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    It’s Christmas at Easter as those nifty chaps at Rifftrax bring you a DVD release of their holiday Rifftrax Live! Christmas Shorts-Stravaganza! (Legend Films, Not Rated, DVD-$14.95). Filmed in San Diego and beamed to theaters around the country (and now viewable in your own home), it featured the riffing wonderment of Mike Nelson, Kevin Murphy and Bill Corbett tackling festive shorts with special guest star Weird Al Yankovic. Nice, right?

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    When Mr. Fox (George Clooney) takes his thieving ways a bit too far, the wrath of the local human farmers is brought down around the heads of his friends in family in We Anderson’s delight, stop-motion animated Fantastic Mr. Fox (Fox, Rated PG, Blu-Ray-$39.99 SRP). Will Fox be able to pull everyone through in this adaptation of the Roald Dahl classic? Trust me when I tell you to see for yourself. Bonus materials include a clutch of behind-the-scenes featurettes.

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    I think a comedic take on sword & sorcery epics has been a long-time coming, and I just wish that Comedy Central’s take on it – Krod Mandoon And The Flaming Sword Of Fire (Comedy Central, Not Rated, DVD-$19.99 SRP) had been a little bit more solid than it wound up being. It’s since been cancelled, which is a shame, because given time, I’m sure the material would have lived up to the cast – including Matt Lucas’s wonderfully played master villain. Bonus materials include a behind-the-scenes featurette, cast interviews, deleted/extended scenes, and outtakes.

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    The 3rd season of Mad Men (Lionsgate, Not Rated, DVD-$49.98 SRP) is when much long-accumulating crap hit many a fan for every character, culminating in drastic changes not just in the office, but also at home. The 4-disc set contains all 13 episodes, plus audio commentaries, featurettes, and a documentary on Civil Rights activist Medgar Evers. A Blu-Ray edition ($49.99 SRP) is also available, with identical bonus materials.

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    It’s not nearly the mess that some have made it out to be, but as satirical films about the illogic of war and the military go, The Men Who Stare At Goats (Anchor bay, Rated R, DVD-$29.98 SRP) is just as inconsistent and imperfect as a film (also adapted from a far better book) 40 years its senior, Catch-22. Give it a spin and see if you share my thoughts on it, as the story itself – about the real military testing to discover psychic powers – is a hoot. Bonus materials include audio commentaries, featurettes, and deleted scenes. A Blu-Ray edition ($39.98 SRP) is also available, with identical bonus materials.

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    It never quite lived up to the fun and adventure of its predecessor, but by the end of Stargate Atlantis (MGM, Not Rated, DVD-$199.98 SRP), a number of cast editions and a devil-may-care attitude crept in, which made the show a heck of a lot more enjoyable. Don’t believe me? Get the 26-disc complete series set, containing all 5 seasons, plus an exclusive bonus disc with tons of new extras.

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    For all those (including myself) who have accused Steven Spielberg of being an emotional button-pushing, saccharine filmmaker, watch The Blind Side (Warner Bros., Rated PG-13, DVD-$28.98 SRP) and see a truly off-putting, diabetes-inducing flick in action. There’s just so many aspects of this ballsy conservative woman who hand-picks an underprivileged teenager to save and he goes on to be a football success tale that I find offensive, that to select just one does a disservice to my loathing. Bonus materials are limited to additional scenes. A Blu-Ray edition ($35.99 SRP) is also available, with identical bonus materials.

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    I think the quicker we can forget that the AMC remake of the brilliant 60’s series ever happened, the better, because this take on The Prisoner (Warner Bros., Not Rated, DVD-$29.98 SRP) is just a boring, ill-conceived mess. In fact, the only bright light in a dark forest is Ian McKellen, who desperately tries to spark things up. Bonus materials include a pair of commentaries, featurettes, and an interview with McKellen.

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    Fans of low-budget, direct-to-video horror will want to pick up the “8 Films To Die For” comprising the 4th edition of the After Dark Horrorfest – Lake Mungo, Dread, The Graves, Kill Theory, The Reeds, Hidden, The Final, & Zombies Of Mass Destruction (Lionsgate, Not Rated, DVD-$19.98 SRP each).

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    Overshadowed by the arrival of Mike Tyson, Robert Townsend’s Phantom Punch (Screen Media, Rated R, DVD-$24.98 SRP) presents a complicated biopic about the equally complicated former heavyweight champion Sonny Liston, portrayed by Ving Rhames.

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    If you’d like to partake of a brilliant, fascinating documentary snapshot of what seems like a distant age – even though it’s only 40 years ago – take a look at Rocky Road To Dublin (Icarus Films, Not Rated, DVD-$24.98 SRP), director Peter Lennon’s look at an Ireland one the terrifying verge of social upheaval, as theocratic social norms were blown sky high. The disc also includes a newly produced making-of documentary.

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    The 3rd volume of The Judy Garland Show (Infinity, Not Rated, DVD-$19.98 SRP) brings another pair of complete episodes, featuring guests Lena Horne, Terry-Thomas, Tony Bennett, Dick Shawn, and Jerry Van Dyke.

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    Celebrate Easter with a pair of new-to-DVD specials, the first of which is Bugs Bunny’s Easter Funnies (Warner Brow., Not Rated, DVD-$14.98 SRP), which uses linking material to weave together classic Looney Tunes cartoons that have some vague content connection to the holiday. The other release is The First Easter Rabbit (Warner Bros., Not Rated, DVD-$14.98 SRP), from those purveyors of animated holiday specials, Rankin/Bass.

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    Remember Ken Wahl? Remember Wiseguy, the show in which he starred as the FBI deep cover agent Vincent Terranova, out to take down the mob from within. Now you can get all 4 seasons in one handy set. Wiseguy: The Collector’s Edition (Mill Creek, Not Rated, DVD-$44.98 SRP) contains all 67 episodes, 3 of which never aired.

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    Well, now we know that while Jeff Bridges was filming the role that would earn him an Oscar, his brother Beau was co-starring in a direct-to-video sequel with Bindi Irwin – Free Willy: Escape From Pirate’s Cove (Warner Bros., Rated PG, DVD-$27.98 SRP). Yeah. It’s exactly what you expect. Bonus materials include featurettes, deleted scenes, and outtakes. A Blu-Ray edition ($35.99 SRP) is also available, with identical bonus materials.

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    I know there are plenty of fans of both The Black Hole and TRON out there, and Mindstyle has decided to combine the two into a highly detailed, scaled vinyl replica of the robot V.I.N.C.E.N.T. ($129.99), with a TRON-style blue paintjob. Available through the fine folks at Sideshow, you’ll be kicking yourself if you miss out on this limited edition nerdgasm.

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    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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  • Contest Round-Up: 2010-03-24

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    Welcome to our weekly round-up of featured giveaways here at FRED. Every week, we’ll present a new clutch of DVDs, books, and other cool stuff you can take a shot at winning. All you have to do is click on the graphics below to be taken to their respective contest pages. And good luck!

    In conjunction with Fox Home Video, we’re giving away three (3) copies of FANTASTIC MR. FOX on DVD.

    In conjunction with Warner Bros. Home Video, we’re giving away ten (10) copies of SHERLOCK HOLMES on combo Blu-Ray/DVD.

    In conjunction with Warner Bros. Home Video, we’re giving away ten (10) copies of THE BLIND SIDE on combo Blu-Ray/DVD.

    In conjunction with Anchor Bay Entertainment, we’re giving away two (2) copies of THE MEN WHO STARE AT GOATS on Blu-Ray.

    In conjunction with Fox Home Video, we’re giving away three (3) copies of ALVIN & THE CHIPMUNKS: THE SQUEAKQUEL on DVD.

    In conjunction with Shout Factory Home Video, we’re giving away five (5) copies of FATHER KNOWS BEST: SEASON FOUR on DVD.

    In conjunction with Shout Factory Home Video, we’re giving away five (5) copies of ADAM-12: SEASON THREE on DVD.

  • Win THE BLIND SIDE on Blu-Ray/DVD!

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    In conjunction with Warner Bros. Home Video, we’re giving away ten (10) copies of THE BLIND SIDE on combo Blu-Ray/DVD.

    Contest ends at 11:59pm EST on Wednesday, April 14th.

    CLOSED! THANKS FOR ENTERING!

    Official Rules

    No member of FRED 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 Wednesday, April 14th.

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

  • Weekend Shopping Guide 10/16/09: Boosh Is Mighty

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    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…)

    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 Mighty Boosh Special Edition DVD set (BBC, Not Rated, DVD-$79.98 SRP). The 7-disc set is loaded with all of the bonus features from the separate releases – including featurettes, commentaries, bloopers, & oddities – plus an exclusive 7th disc with a documentary, a Q& A, deleted scenes & outtakes from the pilot, the Paramount channel Zookeeper sketches, Bob Fossil Audio, Live Night links, and more.

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    During my mother’s recent cancer battle, she spent her final week at home. While at home, I set up a pair of Laser Stars Projectors ($169.99), directed at the ceiling, for her to be able to see. With their green laser stars and a brilliant blue nebula display, all of which are in constant, soothing motion, it hopefully helped to ease her final days.

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    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 Red Dwarf: Back To Earth (BBC, Not Rated, DVD-$24.98 SRP). Made for the UK digital network Dave, the 3-part story is made to play like a small-scale feature film, and the digital look certainly plays to that. The endeavor is largely successful, but it makes the same error of the later series by forgetting to be as funny as it used to be. If, as suspected, this was a backdoor return to new production, here’s hoping Doug Naylor takes that to heart if things move forward. Bonus materials include audio commentaries, a making-of documentary, featurettes, deleted scenes, web videos, an easter egg, and smeg-ups. A Blu-Ray edition ($29.99 SRP) is also available, with identical bonus materials.

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    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 Britain’s Got The Pop Factor And Possibly A New Celebrity Jesus Christ Soapstar Superstar Strictly On Ice (Channel 4, Not Rated, DVD-£19.99 SRP). Every single aspect of those viewer-voted, panel-judged talent shows are skewered with a straight face and skill that those unfamiliar with Kay (who stars as contestant Geraldine McQueen) might well believe that it’s all true. Fun, funny, and highly recommended. Bonus features include the follow-up special, judges’ commentary, music videos, and trailers.

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    The Warner Bros. Archive Collection does it again, this time releasing The Joe McDoakes Collection (Warner Bros., Not Rated, DVD-$39.95). The 6-disc set contains all 63 shorts starring George O’Hanlon (who would later voice George Jetson) as the titular protagonist, who spends each short comically trying to master the various skills or activities that are the short’s focus. If this sounds familiar, the Disney studio did a take-off on these starring Goofy. Billy West turned me on to these McDoakes shorts, and it’s fantastic that Warners has made them available through their On-Demand catalogue service. Get this set. Now.

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    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 Genesis II (Warner Bros., Not Rated, DVD-$19.95), from creator Gene Roddenberry. It’s the tale of Dylan Hunt, a man who awakes from suspended animation 154 years in the future to find the world decimated by war and torn between the peace-loving Pax and the militaristic, mutant Tyranians – and both want Hunt to choose a side.

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    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 Snow White & The Seven Dwarfs (Walt Disney, Rated G, Blu-Ray-$39.99 SRP) trumps even that stellar presentation. I can’t imagine it looking or sounding better than this. The 3-disc special edition also includes a standard DVD, plus bonus features including an audio commentary, newly-discovered storyboards for a possible sequel, behind-the-scenes featurettes, a look at Walt’s Hyperion Studios, and more. This truly is the edition to get. And watch.

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    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 Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory (Warner Bros., Rated G, Blu-Ray-$34.99 SRP), starring Gene Wilder as the titular confectioner and featuring songs that still play in my head, almost 30 years after I first saw it. Now, just when other classic catalogue titles are getting heir high-def treatment (Hello, Wizard Of Oz), Warners is also dropping Willy Wonka – and it looks & sounds a treat. Bonus materials are essentially ported over from the standard DVD special edition, including a making-of documentary, an audio commentary with the Wonka kids, a vintage featurette, sing-along songs, and the theatrical trailer.

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    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 Toon Treasury Of Classic Children’s Comics (Abrams Comicarts, $40.00 SRP), which features a selected reprinting of vintage comic book stories chosen by Art Spiegelman & Francois Mouly. By vintage, I mean everything from Disney Duck stories by the great Carl Barks to C.C. Beck Captain Marvel. It’s a wonderful tome.

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    Oh, and also from Abrams, have a look-see at Boilerplate: History’s Mechanical Marvel (Abrams Image, $24.95 SRP), which presents the fictional yet photographically & artistically documented story of the world’s first robot solider. Created in 1893 and winding his way through history like a metal Forrest Gump, it’s a fun look at an alternate reality that’s lovingly crafted.

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    Originally created for IMAX theaters, Dinosaurs Alive! (Image, Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$24.98 SRP) is exactly the type of short, poppy educational film you’d expect to see at your local natural history museum. It’s pretty snazzy in the home theater, but probably blew audiences away in IMAX.

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    After a lapse in copyright that allowed it to move from Warner Bros. to Paramount, My Fair Lady (Paramount, Rated G, DVD-$19.99 SRP) gets a new special edition release that doesn’t quite live up to the lavish 2-disc special edition previously available from Warners. This new single-disc contains an audio commentary, vintage featurettes, Audrey Hepburn’s original vocal tracks, a featurette, trailers, and a Rex Harrison radio interview.

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    Slowly but surely, we’re catching up on the releases of Gordon Ramsay’s excellent cooking show, The F Word (BFS, Not Rated, DVD-$29.98 SRP). The third series brings us a whole new crop of celebrity guests, celebrity cook-offs, remote ingredient locales, and much more. The 3-disc set contains all 6 episodes.

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    You know, I’m not entirely sure it hasn’t been forever since the last season release of the still-classic, still-hilarious Mary Tyler Moore Show (Fox, Not Rated, DVD-$29.98 SRP). However long it’s actually been, it certainly seems like forever, but now we’ve finally got the 5th season to dive into and laugh heartily at. Now where’s season 6?

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    I have nothing against the Shannon Doherty years of the low-rent “reality” candid camera frightfest Scare Tactics (Warner Bros., Not Rated, DVD-$29.98 SRP), but it’s the 3rd season introduction of new host Tracy Morgan that’s really made the show a guilty pleasure – and more fun than it ever managed to be previously. The 2-disc Uncensored and Too Hot for TV set contains the first half of the season, plus bloopers and extra footage.

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    Even though I find the show the dramatic equivalent of beige paint drying, I still find Patricia Arquette watchable in Medium (Paramount, Not Rated, DVD-$60.90 SRP). The 5th season is more of Arquette’s psychic mom Allison Dubois helping a an investigative team that’s never seen an episode of CSI solve crimes. The 5-disc set features all 18 episodes, plus behind-the-scenes featurettes.

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    Reflect on an incredible body of work by a much-missed actor with the new Paul Newman Collection (Fox, Not Rated, DVD-$89.98 SRP), which collects in one package the special editions of 13 of Newman’s films for Twentieth Century Fox, plus a 136-page book packed with photos and information. The included films are The Long, Hot Summer, Rally ‘Round The Flag, Boys!, From The Terrace, Exodus, The Hustler, Hemingway’s Adventures Of A Young Man, What A Way To Go!, Hombre, Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid, The Towering Inferno, Buffalo Bill And The Indians Or Sitting Bull’s History Lesson, Quintet, & The Verdict.

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    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 The Proposal (Touchstone, Rated PG-13, DVD-$39.99 SRP), the tale of a Canadian boss of an American company trying to arrange a quickie marriage to her assistant in order to stay in the US only works because the leads in question are Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds, and they manage to pull it off. Bonus features include an audio commentary, deleted scenes, an alternate ending, and outtakes. A Blu-Ray edition ($44.99 SRP) is also available, which adds an exclusive deleted scenes to the bonus features from the standard DVD.

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    Does anyone actually enjoy The Hills (Paramount, Not Rated, DVD-$26.98 SRP), and not just state at the sheer idiocy on display, mouth agape? Do you know anyone who does? For those people, the first volume of the 5th season will probably be on their “pick-up” list, with special features including featurettes, deleted scenes, and interviews.

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    As you might expect, the soundtrack to Drew Barrymore’s roller derby flick Whip It (Rhino, $13.98 SRP) is packed with more punk rock tracks than you can shake a stick at, featuring everyone from The Ramones to .38 Special (with the folks like Ravonettes and The Breeders thrown in for good measure). Spin it.

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    I really have no other ammunition with which to recommend the CG-animated special Gotta Catch Santa Claus (Lionsgate, Not Rated, DVD-$19.98 SRP) than to say it has the genius masterstroke of casting William Shatner as the voice of Saint Nick. Genius, right? Genius!

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    At the end, the show was a shadow of its heyday high, but the cast of Married With Children (Sony, Not Rated, DVD-$39.95 SRP) could still elicit a laugh based on talent alone. The 3-disc eleventh season set features all 25 episodes, but zero bonus materials.

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    Sam Raimi decided to abandon the tepid Spider-Man movies and return to form with the schlock-happy horror of Drag Me To Hell (Universal, Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$39.98 SRP) that finds a young woman on the wrong side of a gypsy curse that will literally drag her soul to hell unless she can find away out of her bind. Simple, right? Bonus features include production video diaries.

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    Will Ferrell’s big screen take on the schlocky Sid & Marty Krofft Saturday morning classic Land Of The Lost (Universal, Rated PG-13, DVD-$29.98 SRP) is equal parts faithful and not-so-much, in that goofy, Brady Bunch Movie kind of a way. It’s all got a bit of a wink and a nudge as Ferrell’s has-been scientist Dr. Rick Marshall finds himself & two companions (Anna Friel & Danny McBride) wrong-turned into the titular prehistoric (and Sleestack ruled) land. Bonus features include an audio commentary, featurettes, and deleted scenes. A Blu-Ray edition ($39.98 SRP) is also available, with identical bonus features.

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    I can’t tell you just how much I really, really don’t like the live action How The Grinch Stole Christmas (Universal, Rated PG, Blu-Ray-$28.98 SRP). Now in high def with a bonus of the standard DVD edition, it’s just an awkward affair made even more regrettable when one sees the wonderful animated adaptation of Horton Hears A Who and inevitable turn your mind to what Grinch could have been in those hands, and not Ron Howard’s.

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    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 Marvel Animation set (Lionsgate, Not Rated, DVD-$49.98 SRP). The 6 films included are Ultimate Avengers, Ultimate Avengers 2, Next Avengers, The Invincible Iron Man, Doctor Strange, & Hulk Vs.

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    It’s frustrating that Year One (Sony, Not Rated, DVD-$28.96 SRP) is such a fertile subject for comedy so ably mishandled. The subject is a skewed, History Of The World Part I look at 1 AD, focusing here on a pair of serendipity prone guys (Michael Cera & Jack Black) who leave history in their wake. And, sadly, some not sharp enough comedy. Bonus materials include an audio commentary, featurettes, deleted scenes, and a gag reel. A Blu-Ray edition ($39.99 SRP) is also available, containing an unrated version of the flick, with identical bonus materials.

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    I’ve never been a fan of Oliver Stone’s violent social commentary Natural Born Killers (Warner Bros., Not Rated, DVD-$20.98 SRP), but those interested in the flick will probably want to check out the unrated, extended director’s cut, featuring a new introduction from Stone. The 2-disc set also contains a new featurette, an audio commentary, and the previously available deleted scenes, Charlie Rose interview, alternate ending, and featurette about the storm around the film’s release.

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    Before you gawp at the live action flick, take in the classic animated version of Maurice Sendak’s Where The Wild Things Are (Scholastic, Not Rated, DVD-$14.95 SRP). The disc also includes an addition quintet of Sendak tales – In The Night Kitchen, Alligators All Around, Pierre, One Was Johnny, & Chicken Soup With Rice (a personal favorite).

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    Do people still watch Nip/Tuck (Warner Bros., Not Rated, DVD-$39.98 SRP)? I was never a fan, but I know there were plenty that tuned in to the soapy tales of the brothers cut-cut. For those of you still on the bandwagon, here’s the second volume of season five, which also features a bonus featurette.

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    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 Tom and Jerry’s Greatest Chases: Volume 3 (Warner Bros., Not Rated, DVD-$14.98 SRP), which contains another 14 classic cat & mouse cartoons.

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    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 Esther Williams: Volume 2 collection (Warner Bros., Not Rated, DVD-$59.98 SRP). The six films contained this go round include Thrill Of A Romance, Fiesta, This Time For Keeps, Pagan Love Song, Million Dollar Mermaid, & Easy To Love. Extras include vintage short subjects, cartoons, and musical outtakes.

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    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 Jackass: The Lost Tapes (Paramount, Not Rated, DVD-$19.99 SRP), featuring much material previously unreleased, deleted, censored, or just there.

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    I certainly tried, but I could never find enough of a toe-hold to get interested in The Legend Of The Seeker (ABC Studios, Not Rated, DVD-$45.99 SRP), a coming-of-age sword & sorcery series about, well, The Seeker, his companions, and their rolling battle against an evil sorcerer. You can give it a spin yourself with the complete first season, featuring audio commentaries, featurettes, and deleted scenes.

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    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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  • Win THE PROPOSAL on Blu-Ray & DVD!

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    In conjunction with Touchstone Home Entertainment, we’re giving away one (1) copy each of THE PROPOSAL on both Blu-Ray & DVD.

    Contest ends at 11:59pm EST on Wednesday, October, 14th.

    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 October, 14th.

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

  • Contest Round-Up: 2009-09-30

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    Welcome to our weekly round-up of featured giveaways here at Quick Stop. Every Wednesday, we’ll present a new clutch of DVDs, books, and other cool stuff you can take a shot at winning. All you have to do is click on the graphics below to be taken to their respective contest pages. And good luck!

    In conjunction with Warner Bros. Home Video, we’re giving away a five (5) copies of SCARE TACTICS: SEASON THREE PART ONE on DVD.

    In conjunction with Shout Factory, we’re giving away a five (5) copies of MISTER ED: SEASON 1 on DVD.

    In conjunction with Shout Factory, we’re giving away a three (3) copies each of AUDITION on Blu-Ray & DVD.

    In conjunction with Touchstone Home Entertainment, we’re giving away one (1) copy each of THE PROPOSAL on both Blu-Ray & DVD.