Weekly Recommendations!

Weekly Recommendations...from Needcoffee.com

Each Thursday (or Friday, since some weeks we seem to be running behind on everything), Needcoffee.com's staff of whackos will wrack our brains to give you interesting and new things to do over the weekend. Books, movies, whatever. We'll throw them out, you do with them what you will. And hey...if you have something you want to recommend--whatever it is--drop us a line.

Incidentally, we've provided links where we can for you to buy the stuff or find out more if you're interested, courtesy of those Amazon types. Hey, come on, we can't be totally selfless in this, can we?

March 5, 2004

Book of the Week: by Jasper Fforde. This book is the third in Fforde’s Thursday Next series. Our heroine is hiding out in the bookworld from her foes (through the Character Exchange program) in the Well of Lost Plots, where all books are created and where unpublished books live. Encountering all manner of dangers, including the Minotaur and the mispeling vyrus, Thursday fights to avenge her bookfriends and bring her baby safely into the world. It’s an exciting new story for the series, and as an added bonus, the just-released U.S. version has an extra chapter as well. So rock.

Art Book of the Week: , edited by Chip Kidd. If you're familiar with Peanuts, you're probably familiar with the animated TV specials or the umpteen books that came out, collecting some of the best of the middle of Schulz' run. However, the strip went through a great deal of evolution, lost characters, and even originally had Snoopy acting like a dog instead of...well, Snoopy. Pantheon's paperback release of this volume is stylish in the extreme (it's designed by Kidd, so that tells you everything you need to know) and--bonus--contains thirty-two pages above and beyond its hardback predecessor. Schulz fans must snag immediately.

Audiobook of the Week: by The Fab Five. I don't get to watch a lot of television; I run a website that actually produces content from time to time, so that eliminates certain things that other people count as part of their respective lives. But Queer Eye is a show that I will make time to watch--because it's funny as hell. And, amazingly enough, the one fix-em up show where the end result doesn't look like utter and unmerciful crap. Here you get four CDs of the Five doing the bits from their latest book, and it's almost as amusing to check out this Random House Audio release as it is to watch their show. Recommended.

Graphic Novel of the Week: by Kevin Tinsley & Phil Singer. Back when we first reviewed this, we warned you it was going to hit in March. Now it's March, and it's hit. If you want to see for yourself what a gritty urban crime drama is like while counting among its cast a half-elf, a bunch of werewolves, and other manner of fantastical creature--check it out now. This Stickman Graphics release is so good, we're happy we received some ashcans of the sequel. Sweet.

Comic Book of the Week: Y: The Last Man #20 by Brian K. Vaughan & Pia Guerra. The crazed three-parter "Safeword" ends with a bang as Yorick is forced to confront what's happened to him and the world since he discovered he and his monkey are the only two males left alive on the planet. Vaughan continues to play with our heads with the assistance of the more than capable Pia Guerra on artwork. It's the best Vertigo book on the stands these days, folks. Snag it and rejoice.

Music DVD of the Week: . Universal Music presents five music videos from The Moody Blues on DVD--and while it's not a complete collection, A) that's why they call it "Best of" and 2) look at the price tag (less than $8). You've got "Your Wildest Dreams," "The Other Side of Life," "I Know You're Out There Somewhere," "No More Lies," and "Running Out of Love." Sure, a complete boxed set of live footage would be great, but to whet your appetite this weekend--look no further.

TV DVD of the Week: . Fans of the talking horse, rejoice. It's not a complete first season, no, but it's hard to argue with twenty-one of the episodes from the first three years of the show being presented on DVD, thanks to MGM. Spread across a disc and a half (one's double sided), the episodes look surprisingly crisp. Featuring appearances by Clint Eastwood, George Burns and Zsa Zsa Gabor, the show's a lovely little guilty pleasure.

DVD of the Week: . Granted, this movie is nothing but werewolves, vampires, guns, rain, slo-mo, lots of black leather and Kate Beckinsale in black leather. If you go into it with that knowledge, then you just might have a blast. With two commentaries, and a slew of featurettes covering creatures, stunts, and the like, this release from Columbia Tristar is a little bit of mindless fun for your weekend.

Anime DVD of the Week: . Captain Herlock (sometimes Harlock--it confused me too at first) is back and taking on a slew of ghosts led by a demon named Noo, which (naturally) threatens all of creation. Coupled with the latest advances in animation, the Captain and his ship look better than ever, and it stays true to the original incarnation of the series. So if you enjoyed Herlock in the past, this Geneon release is just what you're looking for.

Adverse Video of the Week: . Okay, if you're looking for some decent skateboard stuntage on the screen, you've come to the right place. Sadly, though, if you're seeking interesting characters, a good plot, a decent romantic subplot...or...well, anything, really-- turn back now. The silliness will appeal to few, we fear, although the full-frame release does come with a commentary (where they explain an amusing drinking game) and music video. Maybe Randy Quaid needed a house. We can pray.

Docu of the Week: . Wellspring brings you a two-part docu that's sure to intrigue anyone seeking some knowledge of one of Buddhism's central texts. Narrated by Leonard Cohen, it features an interview with the Dalai Lama, as well as footage of the rites involved with the book's helping people into the next world. Combining photos of Buddhist rituals along with animation, the trip the soul makes towards rebirth is here documented. Nicely done.

Family DVD of the Week: . Robert Rodriguez ends his trilogy of fun-as-hell flicks with a 3-D film turned up to eleven. Whereas most 3-D flicks will have that one, very obvious thing that's Coming Right At You...you know, the squirting flower, the knife, the...something. It's obvious that at that moment is when you're supposed to Be Amazed. Here the stuff never stops: just about everything is hurtling at you constantly. In other words, if you're ten, you'll think this is God's gift to cinema. Disney's DVD comes nicely stacked...and come on, Stallone didn't embarrass himself.

CD of the Week: by Various. Narada's recent addition to Global Rhythm Magazine Series is a good world music sampler specifically designed to get your ass moving. Featuring musicians from Nigeria, Brazil, Pakistan--all over the place--you get guitarists, DJs, even a track from Perry Farrell. A short and sweet compilation, it's not going to win any awards, but it's a great sampler and good music to type fast by.

Comedy CD/DVD of the Week: by Mitch Hedberg. This CD/DVD two-pack from Comedy Central isn't for everybody--but if the idea of a stoner version of Steven Wright appeals to you, then you've come to the right place. Whether he's complaining about the chocolate loss that a Kit Kat incurs from having its name stamped into the candy (on the CD) or bemoaning the fact that he only likes Kit Kats when he's not around four or more people (on the DVD), the dude is funny--and not just regarding chocolate.

Magazine of the Week: . Check out the March issue of Harper's--as always, it's a great sampler platter of writings, artwork and photography of all shapes and sizes. The Readings section is always a source of great amusement around here. You also get an article on the destruction of globalism, and the always excellent, world-famous index (for a sample of that, check it out here).