“SPEED RACER”
Blu-ray and enhanced widescreen, 2008, PG for sequences of action, some violence and language
Best extra: A Blu-ray exclusive 30-minute documentary, which highlights the unique computer-generated moviemaking project. Bummer, it's only available in standard-def.
A SOLID CAST AND SENSATIONAL SCENERY cannot make up for a flimsy flick. Make no mistake, your eyes will be entertained. Your mind, however …
Emile Hirsch plays Speed, a racing wunderkind with a car-building pops, named Pops, played by John Goodman. Susan Sarandon is Mom. Speed's gal pal, Trixie, is played by the eye-easy Christina Ricci and Matthew Fox is Racer X, Speed's partner in the race against an evil greedster.
For more than two hours – probably 45 minutes too many – we watch the crew race intensely around spacey, spectacular venues. So much, and yet so little, seems to hang in the balance. It has all the complexity of a cartoon. Oh, right …
The Blu-ray imagery is literally out of this world – as the Wachowski Brothers ("The Matrix") crank-up the color juices to cartoon levels with their adaptation of the Japanese anime, making it Warner Bros. finest hi-def picture.
No worry, the DVD visuals are also HOT. But on the audio front, it's a different story. The studio skims on the reference Dolby TrueHD soundtrack and opts for the measly Dolby Digital track, barely better than DVD sound. OK, unless you have a super-sized sound system you probably can't hear the difference, but home theater geeks deserve better.
During the FX documentary, Dan Glass, visual effects supervisor, gives plenty of insights into how the racing sequences were to mimic stunt racing, ala skateboarding, with a flare of NASCAR as a multinational hyper-event.
A second disc includes a digital copy for your portable player or iPod and a third disc with a lame video game. However, it's hard to imagine anyone other than the old, faithful fans of the Speed Racer series wanting to watch this movie more than once. The color explosion and mind-numbing lack of substance could lead to seizures. — Kyle Tucker
“MADE OF HONOR”
Blu-ray and enhanced widescreen, 2008, PG-13 for sexual content and language
Best extra: Two short behind-the-scenes featurettes, both presented in hi-def, are far more engaging than the director's commentary.
PATRICK DEMPSEY takes a break from ABCs "Grey's Anatomy" to test his theatrical chops in the pleasant enough "My Best Friend's Wedding" rip-off "Made of Honor." He plays a womanizer (Tom Bailey) who realizes too late that he's in love with his best friend Hannah (Michelle Monaghan) and finds himself trying to win her heart while acting as the Maid of Honor for her wedding in Scotland. This marks actor/director Sydney Pollack's last on-screen role as Dempsey’s father (he faired much better in "Michael Clayton").
With an excellent hi-def transfer and sound, "Made" is easy to recommend, but you won't find anything new here as the romantic comedy genre goes (though its certainly not as bad as its 12% rating on Rotten Tomatoes website would suggest). Aside from the short hi-def featurettes (12-minutes and 7-minutes) director Paul Weiland, who has directed such gems as the critically reviled "Leonard Part 6" and "City Slickers 2" contributes a sleep-inducing commentary. There are also two deleted scenes.
— Josh Boone
“YOUNG @ HEART”
Enhanced widescreen, 2008, unrated
Best extra: “Young @ Heart Goes Hollywood” is a brief documentary about the chorus’ performance in Los Angeles, capped by a nicely harmonized version of Bob Dylan’s “Forever Young.”
THIS FEEL-GOOD documentary about a Massachusetts choral group composed of senior citizens (average age 80) who perform rock favorites, such as: Sonic Youth’s “Schizophrenia”; James Brown’s “I Feel Good”; and the Ramones’ “I Wanna Be Sedated,” is lots of fun -- for maybe 15 minutes.
That’s about as long as it takes to meet some of the most loveable and/or curmudgeonly choristers and the hip middle-aged director – and to watch rehearsals and parts of performances. In other words, it’s all about a gimmick, albeit a cute and often hilariously funny one. Besides the mini-documentary on Hollywood, there are a few deleted scenes.
— Peggy Earle
“PUSHING DAISIES: SEASON ONE”
Blu-ray and enhanced wide-screen, 2007, not rated
Best extra: The sole extra "Pie Time: Time for Pie," is a series of badly organized two-minute featurettes lacking both titles and a "Play All" function.
NOMINATED FOR 12 Emmy awards, ABC's "Pushing Daisies" is a quirky fantasy series about Ned (Lee Pace, nominated Best Actor Comedy), a pie-maker whose touch reanimates the dead. The catch? If something is revived for more than a minute, something else nearby will drop dead to balance out the scales of the universe. Oh yeah, and if Ned touches the reanimated something again it drops dead permanently. Due to the writer's strike, the show completed only nine of its original twenty-two episodes making it more affordable on just three discs.
The disc also sports an uncompressed HD audio track and an excellent hi-def picture much better than Warner Bros. recent "Smallville" release on Blu-ray.
For fans of Bryan Fuller's other shows, "Dead Like Me" and "Wonderfalls," this is a no-brainer.
— Josh Boone
“SNOW ANGELS”
Enhanced widescreen, 2006, R for language, some violent content, brief sexuality and drug use
Best extra: No extras, not even the trailer.
DAVID GORDON GREEN, the gifted director of the summer hit “Pineapple Express” and critically acclaimed indie films like “George Washington” and “All the Real Girls,” delivers his best film to date. “Snow Angels” is a powerful drama that manages to be both incredibly dark and hopeful at the same time. Based on Stewart O’Nan’s novel, the film follows two couples in a small town; one just starting their relationship, the other reaching the end of theirs. Kate Beckinsale, Sam Rockwell, Michael Angarano ("The Forbidden Kingdom") and Olivia Thirlby ("Juno") give honest and engaging performances. Tim Orr's (Green's Director of Photography bud) cinematography is effective in capturing the biting cold of winter. Green also gifts audiences with the most believable teenage romance since Cameron Crowe's "Say Anything."
Highly recommended but watch out, it’s depressing.
— Josh Boone
“88 MINUTES” Blu-ray and enhanced widescreen, 2007, R for disturbing violent content, brief nudity and language
Best extra: The only substantial extra is director Jon Avnet’s commentary. Unfortunately, it seems like he missed the memo about his movie being a train wreck.
ONE OF THE YEAR’S worst (17% on Metacritic.com, 6% on RottenTomatoes.com) comes to DVD and Blu-ray with a sub-par transfer. Al Pacino plays a forensic psychiatrist who finds himself with only 88 minutes to live on the day a serial killer he put behind bars is to be executed.
Stupidity is at an all time high here and Pacino, sporting the craziest hair you’re likely to see in a movie this year, looks like he needs a year of sleep. That the plot revolves around a man as old as Pacino’s sexual encounters with younger women is laughable and the lesbian love scene is a desperate attempt to be provocative. Woof.
The Blu-ray transfer is disappointing with strikingly bad skin tones that throw the whole image off. The uncompressed Dolby TrueHD soundtrack is perfectly acceptable with clear dialogue though it’s lacking in the surround department.
Extras other than the misguided commentary, two very short featurettes, and an alternate ending that is actually better than the one featured in the film.
Skip it.
— Josh Boone
“LOVE GURU”
Enhanced widescreen, 2008, PG-13 for sequences of action, some violence and language
Best extra: In the six-minute "One Helluva Elephant," we get a glimpse at how the special effects wizards created the mechanical half-elephant, half-ostrich that makes a few appearances. Impressive stuff for a mildly funny fake animal.
WHEN WILL HOLLYWOOD STOP selling us the same movie over and over again, just with slightly different packaging? Not any time soon, it appears.
Mike Myers, albeit a comic genius, is complicit in this conspiracy to recycle. He has a habit of getting stuck on a character: He partied on for a while with Wayne's World, then got groovy with Austin Powers for a few years, then Shrek-ed us to death for a few more.
Now he has reworked Powers into the form of a love guru from the western world. Instead of saving the planet, now Myers is saving a pro hockey player's marriage as Guru Pitka, who himself is struggling with a vow of chastity (understandably) after meeting Jessica Alba's lovely character.
This one looks a little different, but it sounds the same: self-serving, sophomoric humor. And this time, the sexual innuendo isn't even that funny.
The DVD, though, earns points for its packed collection of bonus materials. Myers gabs, along with selected cast members, for roughly 10 minutes in "An Inside Look," which actually isn't. "Hockey Training for Actors" is notable, if only for the fact that it demonstrates how much Myers – a Canadian hockey nut – wanted the completely secondary scenes that include ice action to look legit.
There are 11 deleted or extended scenes, one of which is an alternate ending, but no explanation why these didn't make the cut – beyond the obvious observation that they just aren't funny. Three minutes of bloopers are a better use of your time, though, as they provide a chuckle or three.
And if you haven't had enough stuff that didn't make the movie, check out 10 minutes of outtakes … plus five minutes of extra scenes with Jim Gaffigan and Steve Colbert playing wise-cracking sportscasters.
One glaring absence: No commentary. Perhaps Myers and his colleagues simply didn't want to have to explain themselves on this one.
— Kyle Tucker
“AN AMERICAN IN PARIS”
Full-screen, 1951, unrated
Best extra: “Anatomy of a Dancer,” a 90-minute documentary on the life and career of Gene Kelly
NO SURPRISE HERE: The Warner Bros. ultra-restoration project is stunning, even on DVD. In using the original Technicolor three-strip process and painstakingly realigning the red, blue and green negatives, the clarity is unmatched, with none of the out-of -alignment colors that plagued the classic musical for years.
Blu-ray fans need to be patient -- the hi-def disc won’t show until early ’09. Warner has given no explanation for the delay, but “An American in Paris” and “Gigi,” which also has been restored, are getting Blu-ray releases this fall in Japan. Both should play without a hiccup on your PS3 or Blu-ray player. No details on the extras.
The two-disc DVD includes a commentary narrated by Patricia Ward Kelly, Gene Kelly’s third wife and biographer. It features rare audio clips from producer Arthur Freed, director Vincente Minnelli and Kelly. The simple story of ex-GI Jerry Mulligan (Kelly) was kicked around at a Saturday night poker/pool game between Freed, Ira Gershwin and friends. The producer says he always wanted to make a movie using George Gershwin’s classic composition “An American in Paris.” (Ira Gershwin was the lyricist; brother George wrote the music.) By the middle of the night, Freed and Gershwin shock hands, agreeing not to cut a single second from the piece, which would be the foundation of Hollywood’s greatest onscreen ballet. The rest of the movie would be stocked with Gershwin greats – 22 in all including “Embraceable You,” “Our Love Is Here to Stay” and “I Got Rhythm.” Freed then had to decide between Fred Astaire or Kelly to play the starving artist in post-World War II Paris.
The second disc includes a 30-minute documentary with archival interviews with Minnelli and Kelly, and a new interview with French co-star Leslie Caron, who was discovered by Kelly when she was barely 18. Drew Casper, a USC film professor and Minnelli biographer, also shares his insights about the climactic ballet, which he describes as a show of “color and light that takes your breath away.” — Bill Kelley III
“GIGI: TWO-DISC SPECIAL EDITION”
Enhanced widescreen, 1958, G
Best extra: “Thank Heaven! The Making of Gigi"
WITH A SONG with lyrics and a title that include “Thank Heaven for Little Girls” (sung by Maurice Chevalier to the audience) and a plot that's basically about prostitution, it was a three-year uphill battle for "Gigi" to appear in its musical MGM rendition in 1958.
Two years worth of fancy footwork by producer Arthur Freed finally convinced the MGM officials that he and director Vincente Minnelli would handle the topic tastefully.
But that wasn't the only hurdle "Gigi" faced.
The production team fought to film on location in Paris, a costly endeavor. Of course, production fell behind and went over budget. That made MGM officials antsy since the studio had lost money in 1957 for the first time since 1925.
All the concerns were for naught as the film was a triumph, winning nine Academy Awards but being one of the last of MGM's big-budget musicals. It was Freed's last musical effort with MGM anyway.
The 50th anniversary edition comes with an excellent making-of featurette that tells of all the tribulations and successes of the film. Leslie Caron (Gigi) makes several appearances on this feature and talks about working with Chevalier, whom she describes as morose for the most part, and portraying a young girl even though in reality she was a mother.
Film historian Jeanine Basinger, with a few comments by Caron, provides a commentary that touches upon much of what the making-of feature includes. Her commentary, though, is handled in a far more conversational manner, with more oohs and aahs than "Thank Heaven! The Making of Gigi" has.
Other features include the French nonmusical version of "Gigi" and a couple of film shorts including "The Million Dollar Nickel" and "The Vanishing Duck" cartoon.
The reproduction of the French version of "Gigi," complete with subtitles, comes from the sole surviving print, so it's not a great reproduction, but "Gigi" fans will gain some additional insights into the character as the author of the novella originally intended. Viewers will also see how the narrator's role (that of Chevalier) evolved.
The digital transfer and the remastered soundtrack, on the other hand, are well handled in this version.
“FINDING AMANDA”
Enhanced Widescreen, 2008, R for sex, language, drugs, nudity
Best extra: Commentary by Matthew Broderick and Peter Tolan (director).
THIS DARK COMEDY about a recovering alcoholic/gambling addict television writer (Broderick) who volunteers to go to Las Vegas to rescue his young niece (Brittany Snow), a prostitute, is absolutely hilarious.
Perhaps the film works so well and the humor is so spot-on because, as we learn in the entertaining commentary, it is semi-autobiographical. Tolan, who also wrote the screenplay, is really a gambling addict and actually did go to Vegas, allegedly to help his niece.
The actress who plays Broderick’s wife (Maura Tierney) consulted with Tolan’s wife to prepare for the part. Of his wife, who produced the movie and is an editor, Tolan says: “I direct like I’m editing so she won’t hit me.” Look for British comic actor Steve Coogan in a brilliant cameo as a Vegas casino assistant manager. Another special feature is a brief Q&A session filmed at the Tribeca (N.Y.) Film Festival.
— Peggy Earle
“UGLY BETTY: THE COMPLETE SECOND SEASON”
Enhanced widescreen, 2007, unrated
Best extra: “Wilhelmina Slater: Love to Hate Her,” a documentary about how Vanessa Williams has become a breakout star for her portrayal of comic villainess.
THE HIT SHOW about an ugly duckling at a fashion magazine has some great extras. “On Set with the Besties” stars Michael Urie and Beckie Newton, who play the fantastically funny and shallow bullies Marc and Amanda. They whiz around the Mode magazine office while kinda sorta out of character, pointing out little trivia bits about the office.
Considering that the set design on “Betty” ranks as one of the best in TV today, learning about the props, furniture and visual treats here is a delight. The same concept applies to “The Suarez Tour,” a breakdown of exactly how set designers accomplished the feat of making Betty’s house so…ugly. With deleted scenes and bloopers, this most certainly enhances the appreciation of the show and is a must-have for the “Ugly Betty” fan.
— Malcolm Venable
“DIRTY SEXY MONEY: THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON EXPOSED”
Enhanced widescreen, 2007-2008, not rated; suggestive themes
Best extra: "The Road To Excess: Making Dirty Sexy Money" is about as complete a behind-the-scenes picture as it gets.
IT’S TEMPTING TO dismiss "Dirty Sexy Money" as a whirlwind, over-the-top parody of the uber-rich lifestyle. The topic has been so strip-mined by cable of late (and TV in particular), that the very notion teeters on the edge of being dated. But when you learn the executive producer is Craig Wright, the divinity school graduate who cut his teeth on the daring HBO corker "Six Feet Under," you realize there must be more lurking underneath the surface.
And there certainly is. Wright, in his first pilot for TV, showcases the snappy ear for dialogue he's demonstrated in his plays, melding shamefully entertaining satire with the ridiculousness of tabloid reality. Wright's top-tier cast, headed by movie veteran Donald Sutherland and fellow "6FU" alum Peter Krause, explores in part his own fascination with how money changes people, he says in one commentary. While he clearly has people such as the Hiltons, the Spearses and the Lohans in his crosshairs, he and his writing team endow the characters with enough compassion amid the illegitimate children, shootings and blackmail to keep you hooked without feeling guilty about it in the morning.
The set offers a satisfying number of extras, and nothing gets short shrift. Documentaries on costuming and set design show how a posh New York City lifestyle can be re-created in L.A. on a budget (designer clothing bargain stores, ordinary wood painted to look like fine marble, and green-screen technology, to name three). "The Other Woman: Candis Cayne" explains how the deliberation behind hiring a transsexual actress who plays the mistress of an erstwhile senator (Billy Baldwin), enhanced the production without sensationalizing it. There's a blooper reel, deleted scenes, and three commentaries with Wright and episode-specific writers, directors and cast spread throughout. "Dirty Sexy Money is a funny, guilty pleasure -- one worth checking out as it heads to its second season in a few weeks.
— Carl Hott
“AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER, THE COMPLETE BOOK 3 COLLECTION”
Enhanced widescreen, 2007, not rated
Best extra: “Inside Sozin’s Comet: Exclusive Four-Part Audio Commentary by Creators.”
PARENTS HAVE ENJOYED Nickelodeon’s “Avatar: The Last Airbender” as much as their children. The animated series concludes its story – to restore balance to an earth where talented inhabitants have control over the elements: air, water, fire and earth. As always, there is plenty of kung fu action, lessons that aren’t preachy, humor, and characters viewers will care about.
Season 3 is available here in a five disc, 21 episode set. The South Korean animation continues to be terrific. It is some of the best available on TV. Creators Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, who discuss the story in commentary and other extras, challenge each character while developing new and exciting fight techniques. The conclusion is worth waiting for. Well done!
“NIGHT WATCH” & “DAY WATCH”
Blu-ray widescreen, 2004, 2006, unrated
Best extra: Two commentaries on "Night Watch," one an audio commentary with the director and the second, a text commentary with the novelist whose books the films are based on, should satisfy those hungry to go behind-the-scenes.
BEFORE HE BLASTED his way into the American box office with the Angelina Jolie thrill-ride "Wanted," Russian director Timur Bekmambetov made history in his homeland when his visually dazzling horror fantasy epic "Night Watch" took the crown as the highest grossing Russian film in history (the record has since been broken by "Turkish Gambit"). Based loosely on a series of Russian novels, both "Night Watch," and its direct sequel "Day Watch," tell the extremely convoluted story of the apocalyptic battle between the forces of good and evil that features graphic violence, vampires, body swapping, epic battles, and some great special effects. You may not be able to follow exactly what's going on in these two films (they're as tightly wound as "The Matrix Reloaded" and "The Matrix Revolutions") but you'll have a blast with the stunning visuals and action.
The Blu-rays boast awe-inspiring hi-def transfers that will take your breath away. These are impeccable, reference quality discs in both the video and audio department. The uncompressed DTS-HD Master audio tracks, both in Russian with English subtitles, deliver a loud and enveloping surround experience with lots of sound effects.
Although there's nothing exclusive here, all the extras from the DVD edition of these films have been carried over to the Blu-rays. "Night Watch" has the bulk of the extras with only a handful for "Day Watch." The heavily accented Bekmambetov has a commentary on both films (his commentary on "Night Watch" is much better than the one on "Day Watch," which suffers from long gaps of silence) and novelist Sergei Lukyanenko is given a text commentary where he discusses the differences between his books and the film. Both films get a making of featurette in Russian with English subtitles and "Night Watch" also gets half an hour of deleted scenes and a handful of other shorter featurettes.
Bekmambetov will begin production on "Twilight Watch," the third and final part of his trilogy, in 2009. — Josh Boone
“1408”
Blu-ray widescreen, 2007, PG-13 for thematic material including disturbing sequences of violence and terror, frightening images and language
Best extra: All the special features from the DVD are presented here in hi-def including two alternate endings.
BASED ON STEPHEN KING'S chilling short story from his collection "Everything's Eventual," the movie stars the always dependable John Cusack as a writer who visits supposedly haunted places and debunks them. He finds all his beliefs challenged when he spends the night at Manhattan's Dolphin Hotel in room 1408, against the wishes of the hotel's manager (played by Samuel L. Jackson). This is one of the best adaptations of King's work, mixing genuine scares with emotion and character development. Cusack steals the show, putting on what's essentially a one-man play inside the hotel room.
The hi-def transfer looks stunning, maintaining a film like look (grain intact) throughout with excellent detail and color. HD soundtrack is also right up there with lots of surround effects and sudden noises that will make you jump.
Unlike the standard DVD set, the Blu-ray only contains the Director’s Cut as well as a commentary by director Mikael Hafstrom ("Derailed") and screenwriters Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski ("Ed Wood," "The People Vs. Larry Flynt). Also included are all of the bonus features from the standard edition in hi-def.
— Josh Boone
“THE MIST: TWO-DISC COLLECTOR’S EDITION”
Blu-ray widescreen, 2007, R for violence, terror and gore, and language
Best extra: The “Two-Disc Collector’s Edition” Blu-ray comes packed with goodies such as the alternate black-and-white version of the film, also in hi-def, that director Frank Darabont prefers.
AFTER THE SUCCESS of both “The Shawshank Redemption” and “The Green Mile,” it seems only natural that writer/director Frank Darabont would return to Stephen King’s fictional universe for inspiration. King concocted the tale while at a supermarket with his son the day after a massive thunderstorm. While shopping, he imagined a “big prehistoric bird” flying around the store. With that image, “The Mist” was born. The story, about a group of townsfolk hiding out in a grocery store after an unnatural mist envelops their community, is a monstrous tour de force.
King always imagined “The Mist” as a black-and-white sci-fi movie from the ‘50s. Darabont wanted to preserve King’s intent and film the movie in black and white but was overruled. Luckily, that’s what DVDs and Blu-rays are for. A black-and-white “Director’s Vision” version accompanies the color version shown theatrically. Extras include a commentary by Darabont, who prepared for the incredibly fast and cheap shoot by directing an episode of “The Shield,” deleted scenes, featurettes on the film’s production and effects, and all the special features from the DVD are presented here in hi-def including deleted and extended scenes, a conversation with Darabont and King, and a handful of featurettes.
The hi-def transfer for both the theatrical color version and the black and white version (presented on a separate disc) are excellent as is the Dolby TrueHD track that does an excellent job with the film’s numerous sound effects.
For a horrifying good time, give “The Mist” a spin.
— Josh Boone
“KILL BILL: VOLUME 1” and ‘KILL BILL: VOLUME 2”
Blu-ray widescreen, 2003 and 2004, R for for strong, bloody violence, language, brief drug use, and some sexual content
Best extra: “The Making of Kill Bill: Volume 2.”
DON’T MISS THE BLU-RAY EDITIONS of Quentin Tarantino’s kung-fu homage, even if you have the standard def editions. If you have the equipment to play it, these are the films to own. Color and detail are sharper; the sound is superb. This is so good, even die hard fans will swear they’re looking at new scenes.
There are no new extras. You’ll just have to make do with the original material, but that’s worth watching. (Hey, you got into this to watch Uma Thurman, Lucy Liu, Vivica A. Fox, Daryl Hannah, Michael Madsen, Sonny Chiba and Chia Hui Liu (Gordon Liu) – not to forget David Carradine – do their stuff, right?
As we watch these outlaws race through their emotional ups and downs, it’s Carradine, interviewed in the making-of, who sums up the appeal of Tarrantino’s films. He reminds us that the director/storyteller takes us into the minds and hearts of his characters. Even at their worst, these folks are still human, that’s the appeal.
Just don’t get on their bad side.
“LA RONDE”
Full-screen, 1950, unrated
“LE PLAISIR”
Full-screen, 1952, unrated
“THE EARRINGS OF MADAME DE” Full-screen, 1953, unrated.
Best extra: That’s a tough one, because they’re all so interesting and worthwhile, but the most winning is the interview with Daniel Gelin, who plays a part in all three films.
THESE THREE CRITERION discs offer the most delightful introduction to Ophuls’ (1902-1957) French oeuvre. He had made films in his native Germany before he had to flee the Nazis, and later went to Hollywood for a period, where he made “Letter From an Unknown Woman,” among others. All three of the films in this set (“The Earrings of Madame de …,” based on a novel; “La Ronde,” adapted from a play by Arthur Schnitzler; and “Le Plaisir,” three vignettes based on short stories by Guy de Maupassant) are excellent. They boast stars such as Simone Signoret, Danielle Darrieux, Jean Gabin and Charles Boyer. In Gelin’s interviews, he relays his profound love and admiration for Ophuls as a director and a person, but also has some hilarious anecdotes to share. There are other excellent special features, including a fine introduction to “Le Plaisir” by director Todd Haynes, as well as interviews with crew members, Ophuls’ son Marcel, and written essays by film critics. This is a real treasure trove for film lovers.
— Peggy Earle
‘101 DALMATIANS’ (1996), ‘102 DALMATIANS’ (2000), ‘101 DALMATIANS II: PATCH’S LONDON ADVENTURE, SPECIAL EDITION’ (2003)
All enhanced widescreen and rated G
Best extra: Commentary for ‘102 Dalmatians’ with director Kevin Lima with animal coordinators and trainers
SPOTS. LOTS OF SPOTS. If you watch all three of these features, you’ll be seeing them, too.
In actuality, Lima says even after directing Glenn Close as Cruella De Vil in "102," he didn’t see spots.
The 1996 real-life version of the Disney animated classic, "101 Dalmatians" is still a keeper. Close is perfect as Cruella and Jeff Daniels as the puppies’ daddy. But don’t expect any extras - there are none on this disc. That gives Disney opportunity down the road to repackage it and sell it again as a collector’s edition.
"Patch’s London Adventure," the animated, straight-to-DVD release from 2003, gives you a new game, that’s it. It’s "Patch’s Twilight Adventure," a game that leads you on a quest to find keys to free the pups. Everything else is standard Disney DVD fare, music videos, a "Lost in London" game, an animated quick look inside Thunderbolt’s trailer and a behind-the-scenes "Dog-umentary."
As for "102 Dalmatians," the CGI effects are advanced since the 1996 movie. That’s an interesting bonus, seeing how the computer20imagers added dozens of dogs to intensify the scenes where needed. This DVD is packed with bonuses, many dealing with working with dogs, auditioning dogs, and a parrot, and working with animal actors.
A nice bonus informs folks who are looking to adopt a loveable Dalmatian after seeing the movie to think twice before doing it. It tells people to research animals closely before picking the right one for your personality and temperament.
— Toni Guagenti
“STAR TREK: ALTERNATE REALITIES COLLECTIVE”
Full-screen and enhanced widescreen, 1966-1969, 1990, 1992-1999, 2001-2005 unrated
Best extra: The home video mavens at CBS have been recycling “Trek” extras as of late, so it’s refreshing to see a fresh and enlightening featurette for every episode.
IF THE PHRASE “the one where Spock has a goatee” means something to you, then this might be the DVD set for you.
In fact, that particular episode, “Mirror, Mirror” and the rest of classic “Trek” on this set – a “greatest hits” collection of previously released episodes -- are versions recently restored for a hi-def world, with crystal-clear picture, color verging on eye-searing and brand-new special effects. They are in standard def here.
This set should come with a warning. Although the “Trek” concept of alternate lives and mirror universes – intriguing in its early incarnations – eventually became a repository for some of the laziest writing of the franchise, except for maybe holodeck disasters.
Typically, the principals’ spaceship would get hit by some sort of deus ex machina, causing a shower of sparks from the consoles and next thing you know, they’re confronted by evil-universe Maj. Kira wearing a Laura Brannigan-style headband and dominatrix outfit while chewing the scenery.
This set has a lot of those types of episodes. Salted amongst them are genuine gems – “The Inner Light,” considered among the best Star Trek: The Next Generation” episodes and the twisty “Frame of Mind.” Also here is The Visitor,” a “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine” fan favorite. However, there are enough dreary and strained “Star Trek: Voyager” and “Star Trek: Enterprise” episodes on the disc to give one pause.
Or, you might just ask yourself “How many copies of ‘Yesterday’s Enterprise’ do I need to own?”
— David M. Putney
“BEFORE THE RAINS”
Enhanced widescreen, 2008, PG-13 for sex and violence
Best extra: A lively commentary by director Santosh Sivan and actor Linus Roche.
SET IN 1937, amid the Kerala, India, tea and spice plantations, this beautiful-looking film tells the story of how the forbidden love between a married British planter and his beautiful Indian housemaid leads to rather predictable outcomes. In his commentary, Sivan speaks of the “metaphor of water” as both a way to “wash away sins” and a place to dispose of the dead. Roche discusses the challenge as an actor to “try to hold the line of superiority” of a British planter of the times and not affect that with any “modern sensibility” or “romanticism.”
— Peggy Earle
“FIRST AMONG EQUALS”
Full-screen, 1986, unrated but this is the U.K. version, so expect nudity, sex and language
Best extra: A written biography of Jeffrey Archer, bestselling author of the books on which the series is based, and a former British politico.
COMPRISED OF TEN episodes on three discs, this Parliamentary soap opera is addictive in the way that soap operas tend to be, despite its poor video quality – it was made for TV in the ‘80s. The story lines follow four Members of Parliament (one of them played by a young Tom Wilkinson) over a 20-year period, from the beginning of their careers in the 1960s. They manage to get themselves into every imaginable type of trouble of which they, often entertainingly, then try to weasel their way out.
— Peggy Earle
“HIGH SCHOOL FLASHBACK COLLECTION: ‘THE BREAKFAST CLUB (1985),’ ‘WEIRD SCIENCE (1985),’ ‘SIXTEEN CANDLES (1984)’”
All enhanced widescreen, “The Breakfast Club,” R for language and adult conversation; “Weird Science,” PG-13 for language, brief nudity; “Sixteen Candles,” PG for language and sexual content
Best extra: Commentary on “The Breakfast Club” with Judd Nelson and Anthony Michael Hall
WELCOME TO SHERMER High School in Illinois.
Fans of John Hughes’ teen flicks of the 1980s have had to wait a long time to get a DVD that’s worth the price you pay. This trio of his flicks, housed in a locker-like tin, provides a few hours of fun with featurettes and one commentary among them.
"Sixteen Candles" is as timeless as ever as Sam (Molly Ringwald) has to deal with an egotistical sister’s wedding the day before her 16th birthday, a family that forgets said birthday and a geek (Hall) who won’t leave her alone. Unfortunately, Ringwald does not provide any walks down memory lane in either this film or "The Breakfast Club."
Hall, though, is back full-force in all three DVD extras ... and as funny as ever, especially pairing up with Nelson for the "Club" commentary. It’s been years since either has seen the movie, but memories come parading back, as does each actor’s personal sense of humor. It’s worth a listen.
The bonus features in "Weird Science," a story about two geek guys who make a woman with their computer, are not as extensive, but still fun. For Kelly LeBrock fans, she’s AWOL, so don’t get your hopes up. This DVD also contains the pilot episode for the "Weird Science" show that made it as a sitcom for a couple seasons. It’s bad. Really bad.
Another cool bonuses on "The Breakfast Club" is a look at how that group of ‘80s actors got their moniker "The Brat Pack," a play off the "The Rat Pack" from the 1950's Sinatra era.
Apparently a reporter, David Blum, had an assignment to write about Emilio Estevez in 1985, but ended up making the article about not only Estevez but this group of actors he hung out with. The term still irks the group ... just listen to both Nelson, Ally Sheedy and Hall put it down.
This compilation may not have had everything you look for in a group of DVD extras that you hope take you down memory lane, but it certainly was enjoyable nonetheless.
— Toni Guagenti
Delicious
Digg
Reddit
Facebook
Google
Yahoo
