Bond at 50

Coming over the next week, I'll be putting up some rather lengthy entries on my thoughts on the different Bonds as well as the newest movie itself.  It'll be a return to the old days of my three page long rants, oh joy, right?  I will also go back and redo my Bond theme list to include the latest song, by Adele.

So, to get in the mood, I self bought... for Christmas... thanks hon... ;)  the Blu-Ray collection of Bond 50.  The thing is, a friend bought it a few weeks ago for $150.  I saw it on Wednesday for $129, so I snapped it up.   Come Thursday, it was up to $200 and by later on Friday, it was $205.   Now... it's $99.   Unreal.  I'm kicking myself, yet not quite upset enough to pull the trigger and get a couple to sell on eBay.  I suggest picking up a copy for yourself or your loved ones, this Christmas... before the price goes back up.  It has 22 out of the 23 EON Bond films along with tons of extras.

Bond 50 from Amazon.  Today, 11/24/12 for $99.99.

Qualifies for free shipping.

UPDATE:  Apparently, that $99 price was short lived.  It's now $249.  I would check on Monday.  It's bound to be somewhere close to $150-$200, again.

Game of Thrones Giveaway

OK,  sorry to be late this week.  I'm in the middle of a giveaway over at the store blog.  Not to sound biased, but I think it's a pretty sweet one, too. 

Winner gets a copy of Season One of Game of Thrones on Blu-Ray, a set of 14 stickers from my Westeros League designs, a shirt with the design of their choice, a mug/stein/4 shot glasses with a design of their choice, and a $20 gift card to Skreened.

It's simple to enter.  Just comment on the blog post, retweet a phrase, or come over to the Facebook page and comment on my cover photo.  That's three chances to win between now and November 26th.

Also, just found out that Season 2 of Game of Thrones will be released on February 19, 2013, a month before Season 3 starts up on HBO.  You can pre-order it on Amazon, now.  And get over and enter the giveaway.... WINTER IS COMING

Game of Thrones

Lena Headey, Peter Dinklage

Best Price $55.99

or Buy New $55.99

Game of Thrones: The Complete Second Season (Blu-ray/DVD Combo + Digital Copy)





Dissecting Skyfall Trailer and Song

OK. Let me tell you. I am psyched for Skyfall’s release in November. When the trailer first came out, my 12 year old self squealed as if it were 1987 all over again and Roger Moore… or at least his stunt double… was dangling from the Golden Gate Bridge.

As more trailers came out and the Olympics showed us that skit with Bond and The Queen (Oh, the CORGIS!) I began to ramp up my excitement. November is now only a month away. And now, the announcement of Adele doing the theme has cemented that feeling.

I don’t want to get all gushy over Adele, because I have one friend that rags on her voice being auto tuned… but then again he’s a conspiracy nut who looks at 9/11 as an inside job…. Let’s not go there. Still, I can appreciate the lack of joy over a Top 40 performer being pegged to do an iconic turn as the Bond Theme Singer du jour. However, when you look on the names and talents associated with the honor, Adele fits right in with names like Shirley Bassey, Tom Jones, Nancy Sinatra, Carly Simon, and even Tina Turner. Don’t get me wrong, I love Duran Duran, Paul McCartney, and Chris Cornell’s themes, but there is something about a set of female pipes that just lends a smoky, sultry quality to the themes.

So, what about the trailer? (Spoilers ahead)

Well, from what I can gather, and I’ve not done a lot of reading, Bond dies. If this is intended, like all Bond movies, to give him an edge in his investigation I don’t know. After listening to the song, this is probably going to be the opening gambit, with Adele’s song coming on screen as Bond seemingly sinks to his doom after falling off the train, shot by Naomie Harris. The opening lyrics talk about holding your breath. Probably a good bet that this is how the movie opens. The second trailer goes more into detail about the opening scene, I think.

Now, I won’t make any judgments, yet. I won’t go and update my Best of Bond Themes until I’ve seen the film. I’m thinking that the new theme falls somewhere around 11. May need to reorganize that list. Until then, I will wait with baited breath until November 9th.

On another note, I want this. I usually hate buying collections because the newest movie isn’t even out yet. Though, this is the 50th anniversary. It might be a good idea. Of course, my only Blu-Ray player is my PS3. 

Harry Potter Collection on Blu-Ray

Harry Potter: The Complete Collection Years 1-7 [Blu-ray]

OK, so I didn't get LOST for Christmas last year.   And, it doesn't look like I'll be getting it this year as my wife and I are desperately in need of new appliances and some furniture. 

I've been hesitating on buying some DVDs because Blu-Ray is slowly creeping its way into my home.  I also didn't want to just go out and buy the Harry Potter films or other epic sequel sagas because eventually, once their done, they will release all of the films in one packaging.  And, from what I remember, the first editions of Philosopher's Stone and Chamber of Secrets were rather scant of good extras and contained rather juvenile remote based games for kids.  But looking at that collection, now on Blu-Ray, I think I may have to just wait a little longer.  It appears that this is mainly just the eight movies and not much of the special features I would love to see. 

However, if you love the films and don't care about the extras, the Blu-Ray set is around $80.00 from Amazon.  The DVD set is around $50.  Soooo, if your kids are asking for the movies or say a brand new PS3 game, the DVDs are a bit cheaper than say Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3.

AngryMongo 2011 Summer Giveaway

Click to for details!

I Can Feel It In My DVD Player Tonight

Hmmm.  What to do?

Awhile back I went on about how I was looking for some much needed childhood nostalgia lovin'.  To appease the pop culture gods of my youth I went out and bought the Complete 1st, 2nd, and 3rd season of Scooby-Doo.

My kid watches it nonstop.  Though, lately, she's been looking towards the newer episodes to watch instead of the old ones, which she's thoroughly exhausted.   Yet, just because she's found a new 'must watch' thing, that doesn't mean I've given up the ghost... or the old caretaker dressed up like one, anyway.   I'm still on the lookout of all the old episodes with all the celebrity guests.... and the ones that weren't included on the third season disc, namely the 10,000 volt ghost and the episodes with Scooby-Dum.

However, while that's being investigated, I've come up with a new way to satiate my sappy childhood memories. 

I never watched Miami Vice in its entirety growing up, though I felt compelled to buy a stupid Miami Mice shirt when I was a kid on vacation in Virginia Beach.  I loved the music and I loved the fashions but for some reason I didn't get into watching it at any great level.  I did catch a lot of the episodes and was sucked in by the "Crockett's Turn To The Dark Side" storyline.  However, when the movie came out a few years ago, I was appalled.  It was just sad to see yet another one of my childhood memories ruined.  And to be done by the genius who brought you the show and a movie like HEAT makes it all the worse.  It was up there with Spielberg and Lucas ruining Indiana Jones with Crystal Skull.

Maybe the show won't hold up to the test of time.  We are a society that has definitely moved on in terms of good television storytelling, especially in the realm of Cop Dramas.  After shows like NYPD Blue, CSI, Law & Order, and Detroit 1-8-7 I think we have a better gritty realism than the bikini and pastel clad beautiful people of the 80s.

Still, that will probably not stop me from indulging myself and buying this box set.  So, slip on your loafers over your bare feet.  Get out your Ray Bans.  Put the top down on your '72 Ferrari.  Hold on to the 80s and feel it in the air tonight.

Oh, and watch out for alligators named Elvis. 

Childhood, Where Are You?



Yes, that is the Mystery Machine.  Yes, that is a DVD set from Amazon.com.  Yes, I did just order that.

Why?  My kid.  That's my story and I'm sticking to it. Actually, I've said before that I've been looking for excuses to buy up DVDs of movies and shows I watched and loved as a child.  Well, Scooby-Doo is no exception. 

I grew up on Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? I grew up on the episodes with Scooby-Dum.  I grew up on The New Sccoby-Doo Movies episodes with guest stars like Davy Jones, Jonathan Winters and the cartoon version stars of Batman, Robin and The Three Stooges.  Granted, all of these were rerun as part of my Saturday Morning Cartoon veg fest in the late 70s and early 80s.   I'm only 36, ya know.  

Yes, I have seen every incarnation of Scooby-Doo known, though I try to block out Scrappy-Doo and the 13 Ghosts iterations.  However, I thought A Pup Named Scooby-Doo was pretty clever and fun to watch.  I even let it slide when my three year old caught reruns of What's New, Scooby-Doo? on television.  That's the one that had Simple Plan do the theme song as well as guest star on the show.

However, when OnDemand started carrying the original Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? episodes I spied an opportunity to reintroduce the real magic of Mystery, Inc. to my child.  Oddly enough, she loves it.   I have to rewind and play the same episodes over and over.  Now, when it airs on Cartoon Network, she likes to watch them and doesn't seem to notice the difference in the animation or story setup and even the old curmudgeon in me can appreciate the nods to the original series like Velma's museum that has showcased all the monster suits from the first seasons of SDWAY.

And when I found that DVD set of the complete series of SDWAY, I said, "Must have.  I will be the coolest Dad, evah!"   Of course, that just means I will have placated the little demon for a bit and she will totally abuse my gift and pay me back in attitude.   Kids.  Still, it will be a gift for me as much as her.  I get to relive my childhood and she gets a lesson in classic pop culture. 

Let's face it, the stuff that passes as cartoons these days is pretty lame.   I couldn't see the inherent value of owning a box set of new Scooby-Doo episodes as much as the ones from the early days.  And to think, the folks in charge of churning out the schlock that ends up television would have gotten away it if it weren't for my keen sense of kitsch and that meddling kid of mine.

LOST The Complete Collection Coming To DVD - BluRay August 24th,2010

Squeee!

Ok, so last week a few blogs and websites managed to jailbreak the 12 minute epilogue.  I managed to see two parts of it before they shut it down.  Those who have seen it have told me that it totally makes up for any pangs of hunger we may still have for Island Jack and the Losties.   [sigh]  I'm still a bit on the fence about the ending.   I want to love it with all the faith of a man pushing the button every 108 minutes yet I still feel cheated, in a way. 

That being said, August 24th is the release date for the DVD and BluRay collections of the complete series as well as the sixth season.  I have been holding out for the end of the series to get the whole collection.  I'm still kicking myself over the whole Buffy debacle where I managed to get seasons 1, 2, and 4 but didn't pick up anything else.  Then they had the entire series in a box set.  Damn you, impulses!   But, I digress.   Looks like a lot of cool stuff is going into the complete series collection including extra content, bloopers, an ankh, an island replica (is it in a snow globe?), a black light (is that to inspect the Hydra polar bear cages for... um ew.), and a Senet game for you and your immortal enemy to pass the time with in case you find yourself stuck on an island.

Honnnnneeeyyyy?   I lovvee you.  Merry Christmas early please?