Good movies from all angles this holiday weekend
<p>In this undated photo provided by Disney Enterprises, Kermit the Frog, right, tries to persuade Miss Piggy to help save the Muppet Theater from being torn down in a scene from "The Muppets."</p>
<p>In this film publicity image released by Sony Pictures, Arthur, voiced by James McAvoy, is shown in a scene from "Arthur Christmas."</p>
When it comes to cheap movies, you don't necessarily have to be up early for Black Friday deals.
The laptops and TVs are gone by the time you read this, but most stores keep a steady stock of at least a few of those inexpensive Blu-rays and DVDs.
The highlights of a few local stores (check the ads online or in Thursday's paper for sale details):
Target: "Pulp Fiction" on Blu-ray - $3.99; "Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring" Blu-ray - $5.99; all four seasons of "Mad Men" on DVD for $7.99 each.
Best Buy: Christopher Nolan mania - "Inception" and "The Dark Knight" on Blu-ray - $4.99 each; "Charlie Wilson's War on DVD - .99 cents; cheap Blu-ray new releases - "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2" and "Fast Five" for $9.99 each.
Walmart: Several decent movies at $1.96 each, including "The Bourne Ultimatum" and "The Hangover" (not its awful sequel); "The Matrix" on Blu-ray for $5.
Fred Meyer: The surprisingly good "X-Men: First Class" from this past summer - $6.99 on DVD.
Shopko: Good, cheap DVDs for $3.99, including "The King's Speech," "Inglourious Basterds" and "Rocky."
Kmart: Movies like "Precious" and "3:10 to Yuma" for $2.99 each.
Big Lots: Always be on the lookout for cheap classics. In their advertisement for $1.88: "Breakfast at Tiffany's"
Must See on Instant Viewing
For those still onboard the instant streaming bandwagon via Netflix, a few excellent documentaries are now available for your viewing pleasure:
"Life in a Day"
A chronicle of one day on Earth, July 24, 2010, beautifully edited and structured from thousands of submissions from people all around the world. Not exactly narrative-rich, but an amazing experiment that will keep you captivated.
"Page One: Inside
the New York Times"
An all-access look inside a changing industry. If the Times can't figure it out, what does that mean for every other newspaper in America?
"Buck"
An intimate portrait of horse trainer Buck Brannaman, the real-life inspiration for "The Horse Whisperer." Lessons abound for cowboys and city slickers alike.
Big in Theaters,
Small On Demand
The weekend's three major releases, "The Muppets," the Martin Scorsese directed "Hugo" and "Arthur Christmas," have all garnered solid reviews from national critics.
For something a little off-kilter, however, consider renting "Margin Call" or "Melancholia" via your cable or satellite On Demand service, or through Amazon.com. For less than the price of a movie ticket you can see a film that has only so far played in larger cities.
"Margin Call" is a fictionalized account of the nation's Wall Street implosion. It stars Kevin Spacey, Stanley Tucci and Jeremy Irons.
"Melancholia" is a little more out there... it begins with the end of the world and flashes back to the wedding of a depressed young woman. Kirsten Dunst is garnering awards consideration for her leading role.
Ticket Stubs is sponsored by the Hayden Cinema Six Theater. Showtimes at www.HaydenCinema6.com. Tyler Wilson can be reached at twilson@cdapress.com.