Tag: Craig Ferguson

  • Win CRAIG FERGUSON: I’M HERE TO HELP on DVD!

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    In conjunction with New Wave Dynamics, we’re giving away four (4) copies of CRAIG FERGUSON: I’M HERE TO HELP on DVD.

    Contest ends at 11:59pm EST on August 14th.

    Enter the contest!
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    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, August 14th.

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

  • Weekend Shopping Guide 8/2/13: Rochester!

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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…)

    Criminally unavailable on DVD in any proper and suitably loving presentation until now, the loveable chaps at Shout Factory have released The Jack Benny Program: The Lost Episodes (Shout Factory, Not Rated, DVD-$29.93 SRP), which brings together 18 episodes of the legendary comedian’s television show not seen since their original broadcast over 50 years ago. As if the material itself weren’t brilliant enough, the episodes have also been fully restored. Bonus materials include interviews, bits from Benny’s television specials, and Hearst newsreels. If that weren’t enough Benny for you (such a thing is not possible!), if you order direct from Shout you get a special bonus disc of The Horn Blows At Midnight – the live TV adaptation of the feature film, starring Jack as the trumpeting angel sent to destroy Earth.

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    And what better Jack Benny chaser is there than Craig Ferguson: I’m Here To Help (New Wave Dynamics, Not Rated, DVD-$12.95 SRP), the late night wonder’s latest stand-up special. And if you only know Craig from The Late Late Show and haven’t seen his stand-up before, treat yourself to this outing, as it starts strong and never lets up.

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    The art of animation reduced down to its most primal level is the magic to be found in Walt Disney’s Nine Old Men: The Flipbooks (Disney Editions, $60.00 SRP). The box set contains 9 squarebound flipbooks – each picking an iconic character or scene animated by Walt Disney’s legendary cadre of artists – Ward Kimball, Frank Thomas, Ollie Johnston, Woolie Reitherman, Les Clark, John Lounsberry, Eric Larson, Milt Kahl, and Marc Davis. They’re beautifully presented and deeply illuminating… So much so, that I’d love additional sets in an ongoing series.

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    While the show in many ways hasn’t aged very well with very uneven seasons, kudos must once again be paid to Paramount for the absolutely stunning restoration and high definition remastering job they’ve done for Star Trek: The Next Generation – Season 4 (Paramount, Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$129.99 SRP). It’s remarkable to see how different the show feels utilizing the original 35mm film elements rather than the video masters originally used for broadcast, plus the upgraded visual effects. To add to the package and the original DVD bonus features, they’ve again added a nicely candid trio of documentaries, plus deleted scenes, promos, a pair of audio commentaries, and a gag reel. And while you’re at it, be sure to pick up the single disc release containing both the season 4 cliffhanger finale and season 5 premiere, Star Trek: The Next Generation – Redemption (Paramount, Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$24.99 SRP), which also adds a wonderful little documentary featurette on Next Gen‘s Klingon origins and legacy.

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    After the abomination of the first film, it’s with great relief that, while not a particularly good film, GI Joe Retaliation (Paramount, Rated PG-13, 3D Blu-Ray-$54.99 SRP) scores a great deal of points in my book simply for trying to actually bring to screen visual elements and characters that made the original animated series such a mental mindworm in many a child of the 80’s… And yes, I mean Cobra Commander. So while it’s not great, it’s fun, and worth a spin for its move in the right direction. Bonus materials include an audio commentary, featurettes, and deleted scenes.

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    Toddlers can take another ride on The Magic School Bus with a pair of new releases – The Magic School Bus: In A Pickle (Scholastic, Not Rated, DVD-$12.95 SRP), which focuses on microbes and molecules, and The Magic School Bus: Revving Up (Scholastic, Not Rated, DVD-$24.95 SRP), featuring 3 discs of construction, farms, and energy.

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    I guess it all had to end eventually. Sadly, Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox (Warner Bros., Rated PG-13, Blu-Ray-$24.98 SRP) brings to a pathetic close the last remnants of the Bruce Timm-era animated DC universe by ringing in the arrival of DC’s relentlessly imbecilic “New 52” universe with a bloody, gratuitous thud. Bonus materials include an audio commentary, featurettes, and bonus cartoons.

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    The budget-conscious folks at Mill Creek, mindful of just how precious your hard-earned money is, have dropped another clutch of reasonably-priced catalogue films and documentaries – the Charlton Heston narrated series Secrets Of War (Mill Creek, Not Rated, DVD-$29.98 SRP), the oil industry documentary The Prize (Mill Creek, Not Rated, DVD-$9.98 SRP), the organized crime documentary Gangster Empire: Rise Of The Mob (Mill Creek, Not Rated, DVD-$9.98 SRP), The Korean War (Mill Creek, Not Rated, DVD-$9.98 SRP), the 12-movie collection Flying Fists Of Kung Fu (Mill Creek, Not Rated, DVD-$9.98 SRP), the 12-movie collection Kickin’ It Shaolin Style (Mill Creek, Not Rated, DVD-$9.98 SRP), and the 4-movie Benji collection (Mill Creek Not Rated, DVD-$19.98 SRP).

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    For many years now, the folks at Diamond Select Toys have been putting out some quite lovely prop, action figure, and ship toys from the classic Star Trek franchise. Now, they’ve upped their game with the newly introduced Star Trek Select line – deluxe 8″-scale figures featuring interchangeable parts and diorama sets. Star Trek Select: Captain Kirk (Diamond Select Toys, $24.99 SRP) features an additional Khan figure and section of engine room set from their classic showdown in the episode “Space Seed”. The Star Trek Select: Spock (Diamond Select Toys, $24.99 SRP) gives you the ability to recreate the legendary Vulcan’s mindmeld with a Horta in “The Devil In The Dark”. Here’s hoping they get to more vignettes featuring other members of the crew.

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    And finally this week, we’ve got another truly stunning piece from the fine folks at Sideshow Collectibles. Well, technically it’s two pieces in one piece – namely the Premium Format R2-D2 & C-3PO ($749.99 SRP). That’s right – Sideshow has added the iconic droid duo to their already impressive line of 1/4-scale Star Wars premium format figures, and the results are incredible. Beyond the accurate sculpts and suitably weathered Tatooine scuffed paint jobs (the Sideshow Exclusive edition opts for their pristine appearance), the figures go above and beyond with light features on both characters – All of the dome lights on R2-D2 and C-3PO’s eyes. You even have the option of displaying them with their magnetic restraining bolts on. If you can pick these guys up, you won’t regret it.

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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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  • FREDagator: 2013-06-25

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    Dylan Moran on Craig Ferguson. Uncomfortably delightful…

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  • Weekend Shopping Guide 10/21/11: Craigy Ferg

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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…)

    If you’re only familiar with Craig Ferguson from the Late Late Show, you’ll probably want to check out just what a stellar stand-up comic he is, as well, via his newest special Craig Ferguson: Does This Need To Be Said? (Comedy Central, Not Rated, DVD-$16.99 SRP). Originally aired on Epix, the DVD also includes a pair of featurettes.

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    As much as I’ve loved all of the laptops I’ve had over the years, my one major disappointment has been just how pitiful the sound quality is from the internal speakers. After trying numerous external speaker solutions and never being happy with the results, I’ve finally found one that fills the room with nice quality, high volume sound – the Logitech Laptop Speaker ($59.99), which is a USB soundbar that simply hooks on the top of your screen. And, considering the single USB provides both the audio and the power, it’s the perfect portable solution.

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    There’s so much to like about Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (Walt Disney, Rated PG-13, 3D Blu-Ray-$49.99 SRP), including the still swaggering performances of Johnny Depp & Geoffrey Rush. Sadly, the film overall is an uneven affair, swinging from a well-cast Ian McShane as Blackbeard, searching for the Fountain of Youth, to a useless romantic subplot about a pious young man and a mermaid. The home 3D effects are quite nice, as there’s plenty of depth in the many fight scenes and establishing shots. I just wish the movie were sharper. Bonus materials include an audio commentary, deleted scenes, featurettes, bloopers, a LEGO animated short, and more.

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    As much as Tim Burton wished it otherwise, his more faithful treatment of Roald Dahl’s Charlie & The Chocolate Factory can’t hold a candle to the simple charm and overwhelming chemistry of Gene Wilder in Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory (Warner Bros., Rated G, Blu-Ray-$64.98 SRP), which gets a deluxe 40th anniversary edition box set sure to make the perfect holiday gift for fans. In addition to a new bonus disc filled with interviews and a newly uncovered archival featurette, a packet with archival correspondence replicas, the 144-page Pure Imagination behind-the-scenes book from director Mel Stuart, a pencil tin shaped like a Wonka Bar, and scratch-n-sniff pencils and an eraser.

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    It’s a bit awkward to feature products that feature my boss, one of which I was actually the producer on. So let me simply say you should most definitely pick up the extended cut, 2-disc special edition of the stand-up special Kevin Smith: Too Fat For 40 (Shout Factory, Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$26.97 SRP) and the complete first season of SModimations: The SModcast Cartoon Show (Shout Factory, Not Rated, DVD-$19.93 SRP). I produced the latter, which features animated vignettes of SModcast stories from Canadian artist Steve Stark. So, yeah… Get them both.

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    Though ostensibly a film about all of the actors who have held the rank of captain over the long life of the Star Trek franchise, William Shatner’s The Captains (E1, Not Rated, DVD-$19.98 SRP) really, like most things Shatner does, is about himself. And I’m fine with that because, well, that’s just Shatner. And the conversations with Patrick Stewart, Avery Brooks, Kate Mulgrew, Scott Bakula, and even Chris Pine are interesting. A making-of featurette is also included.

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    Strike another title from the list of movies we’re waiting to make their high def debut with the arrival of Martin Scorsese’s 1991 remake of Cape Fear (Universal, Rated R, Blu-Ray-$19.98 SRP), starring Robert DeNiro as a really bad man with a really bad accent who really likes going to the movies. Bonus materials include behind-the-scenes featurettes and deleted scenes.

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    Raro Video has decided to make one of Federico Fellini’s final masterpieces, The Clowns (Raro Video, Rated G, Blu-Ray-$39.98 SRP) its first high definition release, with a restored edition featuring an exclusive Fellini short film, a video essay, and a booklet packed with drawings. You’ll certainly never look at clowns in quite the same way again.

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    I remember the original Robotech DVD releases from years (and years!) ago, which at the time were the best presentation of the series fans could hope for. Well, the new Robotech: The Complete Series box set (A&E, Not Rated, DVD-$99.95 SRP) is fully remastered, looks better than ever, and carries over all of the copious amount of bonus materials from the original releases plus a clutch of new-to-DVD materials.

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    Why hello, MGM Limited Edition Collection. What new MOD treats do you have from deep, deep in your catalogue for us? How about the Phil Silvers film Top Banana (MGM, Not Rated, DVD-$19.98)? Or the sci-fi flick The Quatermass Xperiment? (MGM, Not Rated, DVD-$19.98)? How about the comedies Beer and Consuming Passions (MGM, Rated R, DVD-$19.98 each), featuring the likes of Jonathan Pryce, Rip Torn, Vanessa Redgrave, and Loretta Swit. Yes – All of those.

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    As a LEGO product, it retains much of the wonderful humor they’ve brought to the various established licenses they’ve touched, but the fact that LEGO Star Wars: The Padawan Menace (Fox, Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$22.99 SRP) features the character of Young Han Solo is enough to make me sick to my stomach. Ruin Anakin all you want, but please – leave Han Solo alone. To add insult to injury, they even include an exclusive minifigure of him. Lucas, you sly bastard.

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    It’s not wall-to-wall laughs, but there’s enough wit and strong enough performances that I did enjoy watching Bad Teacher (Sony, Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$40.99 SRP), which stars Cameron Diaz as a golddigging teacher who gets tossed on the curb by her suddenly self-aware rich fiancé, sending her back to teaching in order to get by… And try and find a way to scheme and scam enough money to pay for a boob job. With a supporting cast that includes Justin Timberlake, Jason Segal, iCarly‘s Noah Munck, Dave Gruber Allen, and even a cameo from Josh Weinstein, it’s the cast that’ll keep you watching. Bonus materials include deleted scenes, featurettes, outtakes, and a gag reel.

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    The days of any real history programming airing on The History Channel seem almost a fever dream by this point, as The House That Chumley Built delivers a trio of new reality series seasons – Pawn Stars: Volume 3 (History Channel, Not Rated, DVD-$24.95 SRP), American Pickers: Volume 2 (History Channel, Not Rated, DVD-$29.95 SRP) and Top Shot: Reloaded Season 2 (History Channel, Not Rated, DVD-$34.95 SRP). Both Pawn and Pickers are featureless, while Top Shot gets a couple of featurettes.

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    The fine folks at Shout Factory continue to bring out-of-print episodes of Mystery Science Theater 3000 back into print for desperate fans with the release of two new discs – The Atomic Brain and The Touch Of Satan (Shout Factory, Not Rated, DVD-$14.99 each). Both discs are barebones, but at least they’re available again.

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    As titles go, The Rise And Fall Of Margaret Thatcher (BBC, Not Rated, DVD-$34.98 SRP) pretty much sums up this trio of productions which chronicle the ambitious rise of a young Margaret Roberts to Parliament, her long and controversial turn as Prime Minster, and the events which led to her removal from power.

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    The classic Nickelodeon animated catalogue is coming fast and furious from the fine folks at Shout Factory, with the latest being Cat Dog: Season 1 Part 1 (Shout Factory, Not Rated, DVD-$19.93 SRP). The 2-disc set contains the first 10 episodes of the series.

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    Color me shocked that the ho-hum relaunch of V (Warner Bros., Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$49.99 SRP) made it to a second season, but it did, and here it is. For fans (there must be fans, because it did make it to this 2nd season), there’s a clutch of deleted scenes, featurettes, and a blooper reel.

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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 3/27/09: Go Team Venture!

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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…

    It’s not only the picture frame that’s expanded in the third season of The Venture Bros. (Adult Swim, Not Rated, DVD-$29.98 SRP) – after three seasons, the Venture universe has become a, dare I say, rich tapestry. The characters and universe crafted by Jackson Publick and Doc Hammer is better than most of the writing on TV today, and it’s about time a wider audience discovered it. The 2-disc set features all 13 episodes, plus audio commentaries and deleted scenes. This is also the first season being released in Blu-Ray ($44.98 SRP), and it looks wonderful. The bonus features are identical to the standard release, but the Blu-Ray edition also contains a CD of J.G. Thirlwell’s score.

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    OK, there is something blatantly geeky about keeping your change in a bank that’s also an exact replica of the Golden Fertility Idol ($19.99) featured in Raiders Of The Lost Ark. I admit this. And frankly, I don’t care – because while it is blatantly geeky, it’s also pretty darn cool. And you know you want one, too. You know it.

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    Much like Freaks & Geeks and Arrested Development before it, another brilliant but short-lived series comes to DVD, where it will hopefully be discovered by those who didn’t get to experience it during its first go-round. So what series am I celebrating this time? Andy Richter Controls The Universe (Paramount, Not Rated, DVD-$39.98 SRP). Just trust me when I say you need to see this. NOW. Bonus features include audio commentaries and a pair of featurettes.

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    For years now, I’ve been reiterating that you should buy, post-haste, the comedic sci-fi novels of Simpsons writer John Swartzwelder. Every one so far has been the delightfully quirky literary equivalent of a fine gem, and the greatness keeps on coming with his latest tale of slow-witted detective Frank Burly, Earth Vs. Everybody (Kennydale Books, $15.95). It’s a breezy read, perfect for the busy comedy connoisseur with little to no free time and an intense desire to enjoy their brief moments of leisure. If you still miss Douglas Adams, get this book. And the rest of them. Get them now, in fact. I’ll wait here for you… And then, together, we’ll eagerly await the next installment. I can guarantee you it’ll be just as good…. Nay, BETTER!

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    As much as I love RiffTrax, it’s with Cinematic Titanic that I feel like I’ve come home to the Mystery Science Theater experience that I fell in love with lo’ those many years ago. Awful movie? Check. Brilliantly, hilariously eviscerating comedy at said film’s expense? Check. An endearingly goofy conceit prompting the experience? Check. The folks behind MST? Check. So what’s their latest target? A cheesy vampire flick called Blood Of The Vampires (Cinema Titan, Not Rated, DVD-$14.99 SRP), and it is wonderful. If you haven’t picked up one of their discs yet, do so. And then pick up the rest. NOW.

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    For years it’s been available in a sub-par 4×3 version, but finally the first (and best) Sesame Street feature film gets so much-deserved respect with the newly-remastered, widescreen edition of Follow That Bird (Warner Bros., Rated G, DVD-$19.98 SRP). The picture is crisp and clean, and while the bonus features are a little light, at least they did a new interview with Muppeteer Carroll Spinney and kept the theatrical trailer on. It’s a fun, funny flick that unfortunately reminds me just how good Sesame used to be.

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    When a comedian decides – at the age of 32 – to write his autobiography, it’s understandable to be a bit wary. But when that comedian is Russell Brand – and the tome deals in large part with his years of heroin and sex addiction – my curiosity is piqued. The book itself – whimsically titled My Booky Wook (Collins, $26.99 SRP) and now available in the US – is an engaging, witty, and brutally candid bio, and increases my respect of Mr. Brand even beyond the already high level attained by his wonderfully odd, affected comedy style.

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    Picking up where Casino Royale left off, Quantum Of Solace (MGM, Rated PG-13, DVD-$34.98 SRP) finds James Bond (Daniel Craig) crisscrossing the globe on a quest for revenge that finds him facing down an evil businessman and a vast conspiracy in a nicely action-packed entry in the franchise. Bonus features include 6 behind-the-scenes featurettes, “Crew Files” clips, a music video, and trailers. A Blu-Ray edition ($39.99 SRP) is also available with the same bonus materials, but an absolutely stunning high definition picture.

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    What many people consider to be the worst Bond film – even though it’s technically not in the Bond canon proper – is Sean Connery’s last turn, Never Say Never Again (Fox, Rated PG, Blu-Ray-$34.98 SRP). The new high definition special edition features an audio commentary, a trio of retrospective featurettes, a photo gallery, and the theatrical trailer.

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    Add another must-have title to the list of those that have finally made it to Blu-Ray with the arrival of The Princess Bride (MGM/UA, Rated PG, Blu-Ray-$34.99 SRP). The new edition ports over the special features from the standard edition – audio commentaries, featurettes, etc. – and also kindly includes a bonus standard DVD of the film. It’s a must-have! Get it!

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    Letterman, Leno, Conan, and Kimmel may get all of the attention, but the brilliant dark horse of late night TV is Craig Ferguson. Most don’t know that the lost of The Late Late Show was also a stand-up, but you can easily rectify that lack of knowledge by picking up his brand new stand-up DVD, Craig Ferguson: A Wee Bit O’ Revolution (Image, Not Rated, DVD-$14.98 SRP). Bonus features include an interview and a speech Ferguson delivered at Boston’s Faneuil Hall.

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    Knowing its tortured production history, I had pretty low expectations for the Disney (non-Pixar) CG animated film Bolt (Walt Disney, Rated PG, Blu-Ray-$39.99 SRP). However, I had the same expectations of their previous venture – Meet The Robinsons – and that turned out to be a real fun, charming piece. Well, it looks like they’ve pulled another one out, because I dug Bolt – the story of a Hollywood star dog who gets a rude awakening when he finds himself lost in a real world that’s nothing like the TV reality he believes to be true. Really, the only way to go is to pick up the 3-disc Blu-Ray edition, which features not only featurettes, a new short, and deleted scenes, but a standard DVD copy of the film as well.

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    While most catalogue high-def releases have focused on comedies and action flicks, the drama side of things gets serviced with a trio of new releases to Blu-Ray – The Kite Runner, Things We Lost In The Fire, and A Mighty Heart (Paramount, Rated PG-13/R, Blu-Ray-$29.99 SRP each). Bonus features are identical to their red-headed stepchild standard editions.

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    If you walked out of Watchmen wanting to recreate the aural experience, there’s a pair of discs that fit the bill. For the songs featured in the flick, you’ll want Watchmen: Music From The Motion Picture (Warner Sunset, $18.98 SRP), which sports a dozen tracks. For the score, you’ll want Watchmen: Original Motion Picture Score (Warner Sunset, $18.98 SRP), which contains 40 minutes of composer Tyler Bates music.

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    Of the more recent crop of Disney animated flicks, one of the few I’d say is a classic on par with their golden age is Lilo & Stitch (Walt Disney, Rated G, DVD-$29.99 SRP), which is getting a new 2-disc special edition, containing deleted scenes, behind-the-scenes featurettes, Stitch’s tour through Disney history, music videos, and more.

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    It was occasionally a bit rocky, but I wound up enjoying The Riches (Fox, Not Rated, DVD-$29.99 SRP), and was sad when the FX series about a family of grifters assuming the life of a wealthy family was axed after its second season. That 7-episode final season is now on DVD, with an additional “Eddie Izzard: Revealed” featurette.

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    Filmed in 1993, Rod Stewart’s stint on Unplugged was a rousing, rollicking jaunt through his back catalogue, with Ronnie Wood by his side. The CD has been re-released with a pair of bonus tracks as Rod Stewart Unplugged… And Seated (Rhino, $24.98 SRP), which also sports a DVD of the special itself.

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    I’m delighted that Paramount has decided to stick with their remastered, 2-disc special editions they’ve branded as the “Centennial Collection”. The latest releases are Alfred Hitchcock’s To Catch A Thief and Neil Simon’s The Odd Couple (Paramount, Not Rated/Rated G, DVD-$24.99 SRP each). Both flicks feature audio commentaries, behind-the-scenes & retrospective featurettes, trailers, galleries, and more. Did I mention they’ve also never looked or sounded better?

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    I am not a teenage girl or an emotionally needy woman, so the Twilight (Summit Entertainment, Rated PG-13, DVD-$32.99 SRP) phenomenon has left no impression on me, but I know there are fans aplenty out there, and they’ve been eagerly awaiting the DVD release of their vampire love story. Well, it’s arrived, and the 2-disc edition contains an audio commentary, extended/deleted scenes, a documentary, a behind-the-scenes look at Comic-Con, and more.

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    Many nerds noted the absence of the comic book story Tales Of The Black Freighter (Warner Bros., Rated R, DVD-$27.95 SRP) from within Zack Snyder’s adaptation of Watchmen – an element that featured rather prominently within the original Alan Moore/Dave Gibbons miniseries. Well, nerds can rest a little bit, as an animated version comes direct-to-DVD along with a live-action/CGI adaptation of Nite Owl’s group origin story “Under The Hood”. Bonus features include a look at how the pieces connect to the film proper, and the first episode of the animated motion comic. A Blu-Ray edition ($35.99 SRP) is also available, with identical bonus material.

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    If you want a bit of the great outdoors this weekend, you might want to check out a pair of new releases from Animal Planet. Living With The Wolfman (Genius, Not Rated, DVD-$19.95 SRP) features British wolf expert Shaun Ellis whose exploits studying and sleeping with wolves had me wondering when there might be a posthumous documentary in the offing. The other disc is Raw Nature (Genius, Not Rated, DVD-$14.95 SRP), featuring the too close for comfort work of a group of filmmakers.

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    Originally available as an exclusive pack in with Kung Fu Panda, the animated follow-up Secrets Of The Furious Five (Dreamworks, Not Rated, DVD-$14.98 SRP) gets a standalone release, with the same bonus features.

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    See just how fun, frolicsome, and positively risqué pre-Code Tinseltown was in the Forbidden Hollywood Collection: Volume Three (Warner Bros., Not Rated, DVD-$49.98 SRP). The latest collection contains six flicks – other Men’s Women, The Purchase Price, Frisco Jenny, Midnight Mary, Heroes For Sale, and Wild Boys Of The Road. The set also features a documentary on director William Wellman, a trio of commentaries, vintage shorts & cartoons, and trailers.

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    I’m not a terribly big fan, so the less I say about the CG animated Star Wars series the better. Suffice it to say, the first episode collection, The Clone Wars: A Galaxy Divided (Warner Bros., Not Rated, DVD-$19.98 SRP) is now available, featuring a quartet of episodes but zero bonus features. I guess those will come in the eventual first season collection.

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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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