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…)
Sure, the prequels showed that petulance runs deep in the Skywalker bloodline, but even Anakin never reached the levels of pure emo we saw in href=”http://affiliates.sideshowtoy.com/Tracker.aspx?aid=1303&href=http%3a%2f%2fwww.sideshowtoy.com%2fcollectibles%2fstar-wars-kylo-ren-hot-toys-902538%2f” target=”_blank”>Kylo Ren ($224.99), who has now been immortalized in 1/6th scale form by the fine folks at Hot Toys. Sadly, we don’t get an Adam Driver portrait, so the detail level comes from the way they’ve scaled down the textured fabric in the numerous layers of his deceptively simple looking outfit, as well as his weathered facemask. As with their recent release of Obi-Wan and Luke, he sports a swappable right forearm that contains an LED light feature for his unique cross-hilted lightsaber.
If you’re lucky, life is full of pleasant surprises. The arrival of the incredible modern television classic Freaks And Geeks (Shout Factory, Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$119.00 SRP) in high definition? That, my friends, is the very epitome of a pleasant surprise. Not only do we get a fully remastered version of the original presentation, but we also get a 16×9 version, which I surprised to find out was the format (save for the pilot) that the show was actually shot in. And it looks great. All of the bonus materials from the stellar “Yearbook” DVD release have been carried over, with the addition of a brand new conversation with creator Paul Feig & producer Judd Apatow.
It’s a bit pointless to try and offer up a review of Star Wars: The Force Awakens (Walt Disney, Rated PG-13, Blu-Ray-$39.99 SRP). Everyone’s seen it. Everyone has an opinion on it. So how does what is sure to be the first of many home video releases meet up with expectations? We’re going to have to wait until later in the year for a 3D release, but the bonus features this go round are marked by a singular great one, which is the extended making-of documentary which charts the creation of the film from the sale of Lucasfilm through the production. Admittedly, it feels like the first of what could be many documentaries, as there are plenty of aspects of production that are only touched upon, even in the clutch of additional featurettes the disc contains. And the deleted scenes only total less than 5 minutes, leaving tons of filmed material still unseen, including scenes with the mysterious Constable Zuvio, who got an action figure even though all trace of him was cut. So, yes, this is not the Peter Jackson-level special edition we were hoping for, but you know you’re impatient and are going to buy this first release regardless. So here it is. Now start saving your pennies for the special edition at the end of the year.
Oh, how I love nifty multi-task devices, and the UCO Trinity LED Lantern (Thinkgeek, $49.99) certainly falls into that sweet spot. Not only is it a perfect little handheld LED flashlight, but you can extend the housing and transform it from a unidirectional light into an omnidirectional lantern. Ah, but that’s not the end of its powers, because the last bit of wow actually has to do with power, as it manages to triple as a USB power charger. How’s that for a great emergency device?
I continue to marvel at the notion that, after this set, there are 25 episodes left until the entire run is available on home video. Thanks to the miracle workers at Shout Factory, Mystery Science Theater 3000: Volume XXXV (Shout Factory, Not Rated, DVD-$59.97 SRP) brings us four episodes closer to that seemingly impossible goal. Whizzes at clearing up rights red tape, this set continues the Joel/Mike episode split, with 12 To The Moon, Teenage Cave Man, Being From Another Planet (aka Time Walker), and Deathstalker And The Warriors From Hell, plus a quartet of featurettes.
I had very little expectations one way or the other from it, but wound up enjoying Disney’s latest animated feature immensely, which made digging into The Art Of Zootopia (Chronicle Books, $40 SRP) even more of a delight. As we’ve come to expect with these lovely hardcover tomes, it’s packed with design and development artwork and insight into the creation of the film.
The end of a cinematic series means fans can finally snap up a comprehensive collection containing all of the flicks and usually a load of extra bonus materials, and The Hunger Games: Complete 4-Film Co0llection (Lionsgate, Rated PG-13, Blu-Ray-$64.97 SRP) brings together the entire quadrilogy, including all previously-available bonus features plus an exclusive bonus disc packed with additional documentaries, deleted scenes, and more.
There’s much to love and much to hate about Quentin Tarantino’s 8th film, The Hateful Eight (Anchor Bay, Rated, R, Blu-Ray-$39.99 SRP). For every beautifully evocative piece of dialogue, performance, or visual flourish, there’s a feeling that it’s the Olive Garden of spaghetti westerns. And much like every other Tarantino film before it, I like it for what it is, wish it lived up to its own potential, and will probably not get around to watching it again. Bonus materials include a pair of featurettes.
Written as a gift to his young son Tenzin on the boy’s 5th birthday, Avatar: The Last Airbender – Legacy (Insight Editions, $24.95 SRP) is a combination memoir and scrapbook of Aang’s tale, written in the first person and collecting numerous pieces of ephemera from his many adventures. Where else are you going to get mementos like a Fire Nation Royal Palace postcard and a guide to waterbending?
It’s not a film you’ll probably ever find yourself watching again, but Daddy’s Home (Paramount, Rated PG-13, Blu-Ray-$39.99 SRP) is a comedy that coasts on the amiable likability of Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg as a dad and step-dad facing off against each other for the affection of their kids. Bonus materials include deleted/extended scenes and featurettes.
No one would consider any of these titles classics, but the latest clutch of high-def catalogue debuts to make their way out into the world via Olive Films certainly contains flicks that many would consider guilty pleasures, including the A Christmas Story sequel My Summer Story (Olive Films, Rated PG, Blu-Ray-$29.95 SRP), Peter Fonda in Jack Nicholson & Roger Corman’s The Trip (Olive Films, Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$29.95 SRP), Judd Nelson in Making The Grade (Olive Films, Rated R, Blu-Ray-$29.95 SRP), Bette Midler in Jinxed (Olive Films, Rated R, Blu-Ray-$29.95 SRP), Chuck Norris in Breaker! Breaker! (Olive Films, Rated PG, Blu-Ray-$29.95 SRP), Bruce Willis & Cate Blanchett in Bandits (Olive Films, Rated PG-13, Blu-Ray-$29.95 SRP), Val Kilmer & Michael Madsen in Kill Me Again (Olive Films, Rated R, Blu-Ray-$29.95 SRP), and James Woods & Sean Young in The Boost (Olive Films, Rated R, Blu-Ray-$29.95 SRP).
The best I can say about the wholly unnecessary Point Break (Warner Bros., Rated PG-13, Blu-Ray-$44.95 SRP) remake is that the surfing footage looks awfully pretty. Other than that, it pretty much just exists. Is it offensive? Nah. It’s a fine watch if you run across it. With pretty waves. Bonus materials include featurettes and deleted scenes.
They make money, so there will continue to be quickie franchise sequels like Alvin And The Chipmunks: The Road Chip (Fox, Rated PG, DVD-$29.98 SRP), which finds the titular threesome taking the title pun’s road trip to Miami. Bonus materials include a featurette and a song playlist.
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
##
You’d expect a series that revolves around the mystery of a murdered child found on the beach to be a somber affair, and 
While they’re not nearly as fun as the virtual world they inhabit, the 6″-tall 
I didn’t dislike the first Hobbit film, but it did suffer from a bloated sense of not much happening, as well as a decided lack of a dragon. 
If you were one of the many fans of the loose, freewheeling, overindulgent chucklefest that was the original film, it’s relatively safe to assume you’ll enjoy the return of much the same in 
There’s plenty to quibble with when it comes to the historical accuracy, but when viewed as a fuzzy drama in the vein of a classic Disney live action film, 
I wouldn’t say the Fanboys meets Evil Dead of 
Tick another Scorsese flick off the list, as 
When a warlord kills their master and banishes them, the titular samurai of 
Just when you think there can’t possible be any more Power Rangers series to be released on DVD, along comes 
Little girls are sure to devour the latest CG tale of Tinkerbell & friends, as 
It’s the Rocky vs Raging Bull fanfic you always never really thought about in 
You may not have really thought about it beyond their visceral appeal during your golden childhood, but 
I’m not a fan of the Sam Raimi Spider-Man films, and less so of Tobey Maguire’s DOA-delivery as the titular hero (and those godawaful organic webshooters). The only thing they did get right was the costume, which was just about perfect. With the rebooted 
Because you can never have enough flexibility in your mobile charging options, the fine folks at Thinkgeek have released an ultra low profile 
It’s been a long wait, but we’ve finally got the 3rd volume of 
I was worried going in to 
Formerly available as just a retailer exclusive, John Hughes still-brilliant 
While its had holiday episodes in the past, 
It may not be considered the best animation to come down the pike, but there’s no denying that the kids shows produced by Filmation – from Fat Albert and Star Trek to Superman and He-Man – left their mark on a few generations. The story of the studio is told by its founder in 
It’s not their usual stop-motion fare, but Aardman Animation’s festive holiday CG feature 
A new Disney film has come down the pike, which also means a new, beautiful, must-have Art Of book from the fine folks at Chronicle – and that’s just what 
Tick another classic film off the list, as an absolutely beautifully restored 
It doesn’t hold a candle to the classic films, but 
So what have we got for this week’s soundtracks? We’ve got a brand new score from the mighty John Williams for Steven Spielberg’s 
How about a pair of catalogue releases from the folks at Buena Vista? New to high definition are the Bette Midler tearjerker 
Though there are some that dismiss him, I will stand by my long-held love for the comedy of Louie Anderson, still going strong in 
The animation could be a bit better, but there’s no denying that a lot of attention to detail and faithfulness went in to 
As your portable devices desperately in need of a charge stack up, it’s handy to have something like the 
After sticking mainly to their big guns, Disney has decided to release a torrent of their second tier animated films for the first time in high definition, many as two-packs featuring the original film and their sequel. Getting this treatment are 
It’s the first non-mockumentary offering from Sacha Baron Cohen, but 
With Guillermo Del Toro’s efforts abandoned, the animated 
So, Will Ferrell and the folks at Gary Sanchez decide to make a Spanish-language send-up up the telenovella form, and they call it 
A pair old faithful Brit procedurals get another round of releases with 
After eight seasons of crochetiness and open condescension, 
In addition to all of the information it imparts, the latest DisneyNature documentary, 
Yes, an entire generation has gone by since the 
Sadly, a soap that never really took off was ABC’s 
I’m not a horror fan, but I’m sure those who are will have at least a passing interest in the high definition release of both 
If The Departed was Scorsese’s attempt to get a hold on Boston, Ben Affleck’s 
Write all of those holiday gift thank you letters in the most beautiful and pretentious way possible with the 
I greatly enjoyed the first Nanny McPhee movie, and hoped against hope that Emma Thompson would be able to maintain the same level of Poppins-esque whimsy, heart, and humor she captured so well. Thankfully, 
Going in, I didn’t know quite what to expect from 
It’s always nice to see a new collection of Groucho material, even if it’s all culled from the public domain – that doesn’t mean it’s something I’ve seen. 
If you want a prime example of exactly how NOT to capitalize on public knowledge of a pop culture fixture for a big screen relaunch, look no further than the lifeless, drab take on 
Fans who seemingly didn’t watch the poor-rated show when it was on can now partake of the final clutch of episodes via 
If your kids liked Happy Feet and really want to see a movie about owls, then 
It’s with a bit of a whimper that the once-riveting 
I must admit, I do so love an old school, cat & mouse thriller of the kind that Hitchcock and Carol Reed would make, and that’s exactly the type of methodically taut pace found in 
It was with some trepidation that fans entered the 5th season of 
If you’re keen on the environment but also really, really like to make a lot of noise, why not try the reusable 
Another could-have-been-a-disaster moment turned out to be gold with Steven Moffat & Mark Gatiss’s modern take on Sherlock Holmes, 
It’s a been a few months, and you know what that means – a new Mystery Science Theater 3000 set! Continuing their yearly tradition, this holiday period box set comes packed with another bot action figure, and this times it’s the absolutely massive (and wonderfully accurate) Gypsy. If that weren’t enough, the movies contained in the 
No one but Edgar Wright could have made a film quite as eccentrically experimental yet firmly rooted in pop culture geekery as 
They’re absolute classics and seasonal must-haves, and now the 
A few months has gone by, which means that the BBC vault has opened and another pair of classic Doctor Who releases have made their way out – specifically the Tom Baker years 
Push Clooney & Pitt out of your mind for a moment and revel in the HD glory of The Rat Pack’s grand heist, as the 50th anniversary edition of 
It’s the holiday season, and Warners has added to their set of deluxe holiday Ultimate Collections (previous entries include A Christmas Story & Christmas Vacation) with the 
Fans of the recent direct-to-DVD DC animated fare will no that many of those came with bonus shorts starring other characters within the DC universe. Well, extended versions of those shorts have been collected with a brand new one – that new one being the titular 
It’s a shame that 
As a film, it’s a big mess, but there’s plenty of fun still to be had in 
They might not be as popular or prevalent as they once were, but there’s still something alluring to life under the big top – a life which is explored in the documentary 
Economize your high definition kiddie-slick purchase with the 
Where the US version of the UK’s middle-age male crisis dramedy Manchild never got past pilot, the similarly themed 
The big screen version may be moving in fits and spurts, but the BBC’s live action adaptation of 
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again – I’m not a fan, but I know may out there will have been champing at the bit for 
I really could have done without the over-the-top violence, because I actually found the story behind 
In these dark, depressing, overheated days, there’s one thing that can still manage to bring a smile to even the most jaded countenance. I bet you’re wondering what I’m talking about. Why, I’m talking about 
It’s not often that you find a smart, funny kiddie comedy that’s just as enjoyable for the adults, and 
While The Nightmare Before Christmas gets all of the attention, director Henry Selick’s stop-motion follow-up adaptation of Roald Dahl’s 
Very rapidly, now, studios are cranking up their catalogue high definition conversions, which leads us to this week’s trio of releases from MGM – 
He made a lot of movies, but the most memorable ones are includes in the high definition 
It’s slight and really doesn’t maintain itself very well, but 
It’s not the films you generally think of when you hear his name, but there’s a nice look at the kind of films that sustained his career in the TCM Spotlight 
Want to know a lot about a certain subject in a fast, easy, and entertaining way? Well, the folks at The History Channel have marshaled their massive library into a new initiative of single-disc “Instant Expert” releases, each of which focuses on a single topic. The first batch to come down the pike include 
David Starkey dives deep into the history of Britain’s ruling class in the documentary series 
Film criticism has been condensed down to its purest form in the collected release of 
Having recently acquired the rights to release Roy Budd’s scores, Silva Screen launches right in with a sparkling release of Budd’s score to the original 
Long a favorite of tape-trading fans, the very lovely, little-seen 1984 documentary 
It seems awfully soon after the Brit-centric, Frank Oz-helmed remake of just a few years ago, but the American audience got its own version of 
So two volumes simply weren’t enough? Well, perhaps you’ll finally get your fill with 
It’s schlock of the utmost caliber, as Joe Dante rips off Jaws in the Roger Corman produced 
Did you know that Hawaii Five-O ran for 12 seasons? I mean, by the time you get to 
Thanks to Charlie Brooker’s brilliant deconstruction of this soap opera dramatization on the loves and lives of the 19th century painters in question, I can’t really take 
While it makes me feel achingly old to see it’s the 25th anniversary edition, it is nice that John Hughes’ 
Watch a once-promising show completely collapse under its own mismanagement and limp to a perfunctory demise via the 4th and final season of 
Proving that Sesame Street is all about following trends instead of setting them nowadays, their latest DVD release features Abby Cadabby in 
Oh, The 80’s. You gifted us with so much pop culture detritus that clogs every nook and cranny of the brains that lived through you. Included in that clutter is the short-lived TV series 
Calling back to the likes of Voltron, Robotech, and Battle Of The Planets, Adult Swim’s 
Shout Factory has settled into a pleasantly clockwork schedule of releasing new sets, but I still greet 
When I was a kid, I always wanted the 5 transformable lions that would join to form the mighty battle robot Voltron. Sadly, I never did wind up getting it back then. As an adult, however, I have gotten the 
Relive the great legacy of Sesame Street back in the days before the show went down the tubes with the DVD release of 1989’s 
If you’re keen for a massive tome that takes a backstage look at the genius behind the concepts, designs, and implementations of their theme parks, look no further than 
Tide yourself over for the next season release with 
You’ve probably purchased them in the past, so what’s the incentive in buying the new editions of 
It’s hard not to be enthralled by the images on display in 
If you’re curious what Reality Bites would look like at middle age, look no further than 
Warners continues to mine their deep library of noir films with the 5th volume of the 
Post-MASH, Robert Altman decided to cash most of the goodwill audiences had in with the bizarre, daft 
In the early days of Nick at Nite, one of the shows I watched night after night was My Three Sons, and I’m not really sure why. Maybe it’s because of star Fred MacMurray, as single parent Steve Douglas (sadly, sans Flubber). Or maybe it was just the lovably crotchety presence of William Frawley. Either way, both the 
Paramount continues to undercut the public domain cheapie market with the welcome release of the complete second season of 
I was never a fan of 
Since you can’t introduce your kids to the superheroes you loved as a kid via comic books anymore (dark, violent aberrations that they’ve become), pick up 
When I interviewed Berke Breathed a few years back, I asked him if there would finally by a comprehensive Bloom County collection like the recently available Calvin & Hobbes and Peanuts volumes. Breathed was dismissive of the idea, claiming that no one wanted to read the strip, that it was no longer relevant, and it just wasn’t going to happen. Well, a few years have gone by, someone talked a bit of sense into him, so we have the first, glorious volume of 
Ever wish you had the ability to switch something on and off with a regular ol’ wall switch? Like a lamp, or a game system? But without having to have the switch be on the wall? And have it be wireless? Well, now you can, with the 
I’m often baffled by their selection process, but the one thing the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame manages to impress with on a rather consistent basis is the musical performances of the inductees – and tributes from other artists who perform their work. With a roster that includes everyone from Paul McCartney and The Doors to John Lee Hooker and Little Richard, it’s an eclectic bunch, to be sure. For those who’ve never caught the ceremonies in the past – or just want to relive the music – Time Life has delivered an incredible collection across 9 volumes – 
Hitchcock’s classic 
Another strip which IDW has begun collecting is Bil Keane’s precocious kids via the 
A very close second to the original cross-country trek of the Griswold clan, I’m a big fan of 
It’s the holidays, which means some classic perennials are getting an upgrade and re-release just in time for seasonal viewing. Getting the high definition treatment is Frank Capra’s 
There are unique minds, and then there are uber-unique minds… Minds which create their own sphere of reality, daring others to step within the range of its influence and be swept away. One of those minds is Tony Millionaire, whose work has been given a must-have hardcover tome in 
Long, long after the release of the penultimate 3rd season and a poorly-packaged complete series box set, everything is made right with the release of 
More so even that ET, 
By its 3rd season, 
Whereas the live action film was a mess, I thought that 
You know that great Saturday Night Live book from a few years back – the one by Tom Shales that features dozens of interviews telling the tale of the show’s history in a remarkably candid way? Well, Author Mike Thomas has done the same thing for the legendary improvisational group which spawned many an SNL castmember – and comedy icon – with 
While it’s not the educational films I would have liked to have seen in the series (or Song Of The South), I welcome the Walt Disney Treasures release of both 
I’m not exactly sure what the concept is behind 
Bit by bit, we’re getting DVD releases of all of the various Saturday morning animated iterations of the DC superheroes, and the latest to get its time on plastic is the short-lived 
There’s nothing quite so electrifying as Muhammad Ali in interviews, even those when he was in the early years of his decline, and you’ll find plenty of them in 
Really – it seems like there are an unlimited number of classic Doctor Who adventures. Are we even close to getting them all on DVD? They just keep coming and coming. Latest is an arc from the Peter Davison years – 
I know I should be swept up in its formulaic, rom-comminess, but there’s an unavoidable charm to Richard Curtis’s 
It may not be a very well-written or executed superhero cartoon, but I have find childhood memories of the episodes contained in 
It may not be as polished as the films of Pixar, but there’s a lot of charm and energy in the Ice Age series, and I was surprised to find out that there was still some steam in 
How do you make sure the DVD re-release of 
It’s certainly not the holidays without penguins, right? Right. Which makes 
In the vein of goofy babysitter flicks of the 80’s like Batteries Not Included and Spaced Invaders comes the kids & extraterrestrials romp 
It’s not the sharpest, most clever of political commentary, but there’s a certain closure to Will Ferrell’s Broadway outing 
The TV show releases are wrapped, which brings us to the first volume of 
As a tour guide into the work of Charles Darwin and his landmark theory of evolution, one couldn’t hope for a better, more engaging host than Sir David Attenborough, who takes by the hand on 
I admit, there was a schlocky appeal to the first Wrong Turn, and it’s always worth watching Eliza Dusku (well, except in Dollhouse – there’s nothing about that worth watching. But with Eliza long gone, there’s very little to 
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 
I remember getting a screener for the Elton John documentary 
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 
There’s nothing I can say about 
Paramount has unplugged the taps and released a flood of new-to-Blu-Ray titles this week. Special features-wise, they’re direct ports from the standard DVD versions, but you know you just want them for that high-definition fix you so desperately crave. Those titles making their debut are 
There’ve been releases cobbled together from the episodes in the public domain, but you can now get the “official” first season of 
If you think The Hills should be sent into the wilderness and Gossip Girl‘s twenty-something teens don’t represent the reality you faced in high school, you’ll probably find more familiar territory in the documentary American Teen (Paramount, Rated PG-13, DVD-$29.99 SRP), which follows a group of Indiana teenagers as they try and navigate the pitfalls of senior year. Bonus materials include cast interviews, blogs, deleted scenes, and trailers. The DVD is currently a Target exclusive.
Years in the making and hours in the watching, the remake of 
For all of the on screen sturm and drang of 
It may not be the smartest show, but there is a goofy energy and fun to be found in the first 2 seasons of 
When holiday season is over, if you’re lucky, you’ve got a few extra bucks filling up your pocket. With that in mind, Paramount has unveiled another clutch of new-to-Blu-Ray catalogue releases in order to get you to impulse buy some favorites. The 5 titles they’re tossing into the fray are 
If you want to spend the holiday season with a costume drama that brings a little spice, then you’ll probably be happy with 
One of the more disturbing things I’ve seen in a long time would have to be the 
There’s no doubt that 
Mindless popcorn films are all well and good, but it’s nice to pop in a flick like writer/director Alan Ball’s 
Long since jumped the shark, 
Even though they’ve done just about everything possible (including throwing the kitchen sink at it) to tear down the beloved characters and stories of their relaunch, time and unfortunate editorial machinations have only made the Keith Giffen/J.M. DeMatteis/Kevin Maguire run of Justice League International look all the more enjoyable by comparison. Ignore all of that Uber Final Infinite Crisis of Something Or Another business and pick up the first volume of 
Ah, but I will say this – thank jebus for the relaunched Booster Gold. Slowly but surely, the series has been fixing the bastardizations wreaked in the past few years within the DC universe, and reintroducing some of the FUN and ENJOYMENT that’s been missing in comics today. Let me say, unequivocally, grab the first collection, 
Even though I think there were diminishing returns following the spectacular, pre-franchise outing and its first sequel, it’s still welcome to have brand new, deluxe special editions of the five films featuring Detective Harry Callahan – aka “Dirty Harry”. 
You know a major feature film is fast-approaching when the studio starts releasing the classic material to DVD, and such is the case with the rapid fire release of both the 
If it had an arc like the plant its characters peddle, than season 3 of 
If Indiana Jones has made you interested in finding out what real archeology is all about, I can recommend no more enjoyable series than Time Team – the Brit show which performs digs across the UK, and is hosted by Blackadder‘s Tony Robinson. A perfect introduction to the series is 
This weekend, the space nerd in me will be delighting in reading 
It’s always a pleasant surprise when a series whose release has been pleaded for by fans gets put out on DVD, and it’s even more exciting when there are actually a decent amount of bonus materials as well. Such is the case with the complete first season of 
Hopefully, you’ve already picked up all four volumes of the Jack Kirby’s Fourth World Omnibus, as they should be required reading for any comic fan. If you’ve already wisely purchased those, you’ll also want to get 
You know, few shows are feature characters as relentlessly flawed as 
Although it never lit up audiences, you can at least say that the TV series based on Stephen King’s 
Although it quickly disappeared from screens when it hit in the mid-90’s, the attempted re-launch of 
Mike Judge and Don Hertzfeldt’s 
It’s goofy and good-natured and well within his safe zone, but there’s something undeniably tired about Will Ferrell’s latest loveable boob pic 
Continuing their spotlights on great British actresses (having already dedicated sets to Judi Dench and Helen Mirren), we now get 
Give it enough time and even the most marginal of films enters into the realm of classic, and it’s with that in mind that we’ve now got a special collector’s edition of 
The least effective officers of the California Highway Patrol are back on their bikes in the second season of 
The latest release from The Weinstein Company’s high-falutin’ “Miriam Collection” is the tragic tale of Joy Division’s Ian Curtis, 
With a powerhouse producing team – including Ridley and Tony Scott – I expected quite a bit from the new mini-series based on Michael Crichton’s 
I tried – jebus how I tried – to find something funny in 