Blu-ray Review: Shrek the Third

I remember reading Shrek when I was little. I loved that book. That book is also why I initially hated the first Shrek movie. Sure, there was an ogre and a princess ogre he falls in love with, but the movie wasn’t really anything like the book. After pretending it wasn’t supposed to be based on the children’s’ book by William Steig, I gave Shrek another chance and loved it. Then I loved Shrek 2. I was skeptical of Shrek the Third because let’s face it, rarely does it seem trilogies keep up pace with the first or even second movie.

For many, Shrek the Third doesn’t cut it. The story is extremely similar to that in the first movie. By this point, the pop-culture references don’t seem so clever and the potty humor hasn’t matured. Instead Shrek has a nightmare of hundreds of baby ogres throwing up all over the place — quite possibly the creepiest scene in any animated flick I’ve seen. But I actually like Shrek the Third. I liked how the characters from other fairy tales were doing their parts to save Far Far Away. And while I knew how it would play out, I still enjoyed the ride to get there.

Shrek the Third follows our beloved ogres Shrek and Fiona after the king of Far Far Away dies. Shrek hopes to return to his life of farting and mud back at his swamp home but the issue of successor to the throne isn’t exactly one that can be ignored. So Shrek sets off with his loyal sidekicks Donkey and Puss in Boots to find Artie, the only other heir besides Fiona. Meanwhile, Charming rallies the fellow fairytale bad guys to take over the kingdom. Saving Far Far Away from Charming might be the same basic idea as found in the first, the details are different enough to make it worth watching.

The voices behind our charismatic characters help make the movie. Mike Myers voices Shrek, Eddie Murphy is Donkey, Cameron Diaz is Princess Fiona, and Antonio Banderas is still the lovable Puss in Boots. However, Justin Timberlake joins as the voice behind Artie. All of the actors ham it up to make the animated characters memorable.

But what really makes the flick a success is the animation team. I truly think Shrek the Third is by far the most impressive visually of the trio of Shrekiliciousness. It really stands out on Blu-ray too. The animation pops to look as if it isn’t just an animated movie but perhaps something more. You can see the details in the hair on the characters or fibers of fabric on their clothes. It starts off strong with Charming’s hair billowing in the wind so clearly. The transfer is in 1080p so the pop in colors and sharpness is visible throughout the film. The high definition almost distracts from the movie because the animation stands out so beautifully. However, there is a difference in the Blu-ray release and that of the earlier HD-DVD version — an issue of depth of field. There is more detail in the background elements instead of blurring them slightly to differentiate the foreground and background. This isn't just an issue with Shrek the Third but it seems to be common with Blu-ray releases. So while it is beautifully detailed, it is a bit odd.

The audio is in Dolby TrueHD 5.1 showing crisp dialogue throughout with the ambient sounds adding depth but never overpowering or distracting the audience from what is going on. Spanish, Portuguese, and French are also available in Dolby Digital 5.1.

There are tons of extras on the Blu-ray release, many of which were on the HD-DVD release but some are improved upon or even new. The coolest feature, if you ask me, is the Picture-in-Picture feature called “The Animators’ Corner” with interactive storyboards of deleted scenes pitches. There’s a pop up video track called “Shrek’s Trivia Track” about production info, and “The World of Shrek” with biographical info on the actors and movie. There are also your typical behind the scenes and outtakes features in “Lost Scenes,” “Big Green Goofs,” “The Tech of Shrek,” and several more.

I think Shrek the Third is definitely worth watching. But if you already purchased it when it was released on HD-DVD you can skip this Blu-ray release, as it is pretty much the same.

DVD Review: Another Cinderella Story

A Cinderella Story was cute. I like the cheesy family flicks that would be found on the likes of Disney or ABC Family. But what I don’t want is a ton of rip-offs of the same modern translation of yet another story. Each new movie is worse than the one before it. And a lot has to be said for originality, unfortunately Another Cinderella Story lacks that. The Cinderella-esque story has been done before. The dancing story has been done before. And both had much better versions than this. It’s a good thing I don’t have testicles because I promise they would have castrated themselves and run away after watching this movie.

Another Cinderella Story is the tale of Mary, our modern-day Cinderella. She lives with the fading popstar diva Dominique and her two step-sisters. Mary dreams of dancing and hopes to go to a dancing school. Then we have current pop-heartthrob Joey Parker who has come home to go back to school. Throw in a masked ball (because so many high schools have those), replace a missing slipper with a missing mp3 player, and you have this take on the classic tale.

Just what did this DVD get right? Well, it has an insert to get your digital copy of the movie for your computer. So if for some reason you need to watch a movie on your computer or portable device and don’t want to pay for a better movie, you can. The movie also looks fine, so at least it doesn’t look like something your little sister recorded on a digital camera. No really, it looks like your typical DVD these days — not as finely detailed and fluid as a blu-ray, but we weren’t expecting that. The kids in the movie are cute, I have no idea who any of them are (other than Jane Lynch of course) but they did a decent job. I guess I’m not the hip Highschool Musical type. None of the dancing blew me away, but I didn’t laugh the way I do during So You Think You Can Dance auditions either. Apparently the boy actually sings pop music, but the music was just generic pop Backstreet Boys could have done ten years ago that didn’t have the muster to become a hit single. But again, I didn’t laugh the way I do during American Idol auditions.

What did the movie get wrong? Well, the age difference in the leads apparently got some remarks. I agree that our Cinderella looks young, but honestly he does too. As far as chemistry between them, I don’t think we ever get many scenes with them other than when they are dancing or singing - and anyone can do that well together if given enough training and practice. I also think Jane Lynch’s character fell flat. She was underused so her bits missed the target and instead of being funny were simply annoying.

There are a handful of special features on the DVD. It has music videos and sing-a-longs, though none of them were compelling. There are several behind-the-scenes looks - at Mary, Joey, and the fashion. There is also a look at the dancing in the movie. As seems to be the norm these days, Another Cinderella Story is double-sided so you can watch in either widescreen or full-screen, though I am unsure of why anyone would opt to watch something in full-screen.

I’d only recommend Another Cinderella Story to those with kids who eat up all movies like this and to those who haven’t seen A Cinderella Story or any of the dancing movies that actually made it to the theaters.

Blu-Ray Review: The Love Guru

The Love Guru can very easily be called a really dumb movie. But unlike most dumb comedies these days, it actually made me laugh. Perhaps it is because a lot of Mike Myers’ golden lines are ad-libbed, but the humor in The Love Guru isn’t as predictable so the surprise factor goes a long way. And while I won’t say I think everyone needs to rush out to buy the movie, I do think it is worth renting at the very least.

The Love Guru is an "East meets West" comedy starring Myers, Jessica Alba, Justin Timberlake, and Romany Malco. Not counting his voice-over work, Mike Myers makes his return to the screen after a five-year absence as the Guru Pitka, who is trying to beat Deepak Chopra as the world’s best self-help guru. Pitka and his team decide that helping a hockey player fix his marriage and win the Stanley Cup will be their key to success. And it is that tale that The Love Guru follows.

Pitka is a popular relationship guru with some popular followers — Jessica Simpson, Val Kilmer, and Mariska Hargitay make cameos. His teachings don’t really follow any religion and even his greeting is made up, hence Mariska Hargitay’s appearance. Some of Pitka’s antics are the same potty humor we come to expect from Mike Myers, like the extended diarrhea noises in the bar or game of stink mop where they fight with mops dipped in urine. Of course, what would a movie about a love guru be without the guru’s own romance?

Guru Pitka is like a fake philosophy-touting Austin Powers, with similar quirks and gags as found in the Austin Powers flicks. But those work for Myers so while sex gags, catch phrases, and silly costumes aren’t new to the big screen, they still garner giggles from the audience. The plot is somewhat petty and perhaps considered racist — he’s a white dude speaking with a bad Indian accent — but if not taken seriously, this movie is still 86 minutes of entertainment. I don’t think it has hit the mark of Austin Powers, so it may not be a home run of a return to the big screen, but as I said earlier, it is a dumb movie.

Guru is on DVD and Blu-ray now. I know that Blu-ray is more expensive, but if you haven’t watched it yet you really should. Even if you aren’t someone who can spot the difference between something shot on film versus video, you will definitely notice the difference in quality seen on Blu-ray. The picture is clearer and more detailed, but at the same time smoother. The difference is similar to that of a cheap digital camera's photograph as compared to a high-quality professional photograph. That's just part of the beauty seen in the 1080p high definition transfer. And if you have surround sound set up, you're in for a treat because Guru is in Dolby Digital TrueHD — which uses surround channels to help get a crisp sound to complement the visual beauty of Blu-ray.

There are several special features on the DVD set. There are some of the typical features: deleted scenes, outtakes, and a couple of behind-the-scenes looks at how they made The Love Guru. They look at the thoughts behind Myers’ character, how they trained the actors in the hockey rink, and some of the puppetry in the movie. However, unlike many other movies out there, all the special features are also presented in high definition. I think the neatest feature is the second disc in the set, though. It is a digital copy (it’s protected, folks!) so you can easily put the movie you purchase on your computer, iPod, or other portable device so you can watch it whenever or wherever you want. I know I like the ease of putting a movie I’ve spent money to buy on my iPod instead of having to also buy it on iTunes to be able to watch it at the gym or on a plane.

DVD Review: My Sassy Girl

When I heard they were turning the Korean romantic comedy My Sassy Girl into an American movie, I had mixed feelings. First, I was excited because I highly enjoyed the Korean original. But I was also skeptical because it seems many Asian movies translated into an American version simply aren’t as good. Either way, I knew just had to see My Sassy Girl.

Bring It On’s Jesse Bradford and The Girl Next Door’s Elisha Cuthbert are Charlie Bello and Jordan Roark. Yann Samuell directs in what appears to be his American directorial debut. Victor Levin took on the task of crafting an English screenplay based on the original film’s screenplay by Jae-young Kwak. The story is based true stories Ho-sik Kim posted online before compiling the relationship woes into a novel.

My Sassy Girl is the tale of the first and last time Charlie Bello falls in love. From their initial meeting, trouble is the name of the game. Imagine an amorphous mass of dating disasters and you get an idea of the relationship between the young couple. Some mysterious force with the strength of gravity between two planets must be at play between Charlie and Jordan as the relationship truly makes no sense on the surface. Everything seems pitted against the two of them. Things suddenly come to a halt when the two write letters confessing their love for each other. Agreeing to meet a year later to read the love letters together, Charlie and Jordan go their separate ways.

I won’t ruin the end of the movie for you – whether they end up together or miss each other reading the letters by a day. You will just have to rent the movie to see how the story ends. There is, however, a strong message behind the romantic woes — a tale of destiny. We can’t sit and wait for destiny to happen, but we must build the bridges ourselves.

The film is certainly similar to its Korean counterpart. The storyline is the same, with a few details changed to make sense in a different culture. The intro matches that of the original movie, but in a less creepy sort of way. Whereas the Korean movie has an animated intro with weird babies suckling at their mothers’ breasts, the American movie shows a montage of events with bright, yet simple sets to illustrate Charlie’s life to this point.

It seems the only thing that doesn’t fully translate into the new movie is the humor. My Sassy Girl is touted as a romantic comedy, and the Korean version very much is. The mishaps are construed in a way to be charming. However, they lose some of the funny appeal in the new film. Not that the movie is a complete bore, it just seems somehow more tragic.

My Sassy Girl has a direct-to-DVD release in late August 2008. While I wouldn’t tell anyone to rush out to rent it, the movie is definitely worth picking up on a rainy day.

Movie Review: The Great Debaters

I love the Disney-esque stories of the underdog beating all odds to achieve something everyone said they couldn’t do. I like to feel good. Sure, we know they’ll come out on top before we even see the movie, but the heartwarming hope is still nice to watch. I don’t care for the ones that are overly sentimental and gag inducing, but when the movie is well done it just hits the spot. The Great Debaters is that sort of film.

Denzel Washington, as both the director and a star of the movie, manages the perfect balance between feel-good and real so The Great Debaters isn’t just syrupy sweetness. Yes, we know they just don’t make movies inspired by true stories that don’t somehow have a happy ending. Heck, this story was so touching as to make Oprah Winfrey want her Harpo Films company to produce it.

The Great Debaters is about the 1935 debate team from all-black Wiley College in Marshall, Texas. There are four students on the team: the 14-year-old prodigy James Farmer Jr. (Denzel Whitaker), handsome troublemaker Henry Lowe (Nate Parker), the first female on the team Samantha Booke (Jurnee Smollett), and Hamilton Burgess (Jermaine Williams). The film follows their journey from tryouts until the climatic face-off with Harvard University. Okay, so the movie takes some liberties as the team actually went up against the University of Southern California, but the idea is the same. Naturally there are some side-plots to help keep some tension in the story that might otherwise be too formulaic and safe. And since they live in the Jim Crow South, you can imagine some of the issues dealt with in the movie.

With seasoned greats like Denzel Washington and Forest Whitaker (no relation to the young Denzel Whitaker), the acting starts off on a strong foot. Throw in the four talented young actors and The Great Debaters avoids one-note roles, for the most part. But the characters with little-to-no depth also have entertaining performances even if they do rely heavily on stereotypes.

The production design is also excellent and does a lot to capture the feel of 1930’s Texas. The sets, costumes, and props work together well, so well in fact they really are merely the background instead of a distraction as seems to be a common shortfall for contemporary movies. And while the film does play it safe a lot of the time, there are some moments where lines of comfort are crossed to show what life for these young students might have been like.

In fact, I think the only thing that didn’t work for The Great Debaters is some of the subplots that add little to nothing to the story – the romance for example. That and the Wiley team always debate for the side of the arguments they already agree with. It would have been interesting to see them debate against integration or something that would have proven to be difficult for the kids. The Great Debaters does follow the profitable and formulaic sports plot, simply substituting debating and arguments for sports and balls. But it does make for a movie the entire family can enjoy with some educational aspects thrown in the mix.

As a side-note, I can’t help but notice Denzel Whitaker’s name as being a hybrid of the two, more established actors in the film. Luckily for him, I don’t think it will be difficult for him, or any of the young actors really, to own up to the name.

Movie Review: Lars And The Real Girl

I enjoy subtle, sarcastic, and dark humor so seeing a preview for Lars And The Real Girl was all it took to garner my interest. Oddly enough, I had just watched a documentary on people who had “relationships” with the life-size sex dolls that made for another reason to see a movie about just that.

While the idea of a movie centering around a lonely man who orders a customizable doll online to be his girlfriend sounds depressing, Lars And The Real Girl is actually full of hope and love. Sure, it examines the life of a lonely soul, but it focuses more on how loving and supportive a community can be.

Lars (Ryan Gosling) is a lonely man who has retreated into a hermit-like shell and finds physical contact literally painful. Being the nice twenty-something man that he is, those around him worry about his solitary life and push the idea of dating on him like hotcakes. His news of having a girlfriend shocks those who know how uncomfortable he finds attention from others to be; even more shocking is their discovery that Bianca is in fact an anatomically correct mannequin. Yes, the sort of doll with holes in all the right places for one’s enjoyment.

Ryan Gosling truly must be a genius. He plays Lars so well that he becomes real and someone you care about. His expressions and movements bring to life Lars’ emotions so we know how he feels without anyone having to spell it out. Gosling plays Lars in such a way that his delusions seem real without taking over the film to make it about his affliction. His impairment is merely a means to tell a much bigger story.

While the film could be one big opportunity for jokes and crass humor, the filmmakers instead choose to present real people with both strengths and weaknesses that the audience begins to admire in some way. They could have easily made an exploitation film instead of a heart-warming story that is at the same time endearing and tragic.

The subtleties in the film are intelligent and easy to miss. The costumes have motivation and the changes in them reflect the growth of characters through the film (pay attention to the blanket-turned-scarf Lars wears for an example).

I find most character study films to be nothing but dull and drab but all the elements of Lars pull me in in such a way where other films fail – it makes me actually care about the characters and want to see how things will resolve. Ironically, Lars, along with his delusional faults, presents the community around him with a sign of sanity. Lars And The Real Girl brings to life a hope in community, finds respect for traumas, and shows the difficulty some have with maturing.

And no, Lars doesn’t use Bianca for her intended purpose.

Movie Review: No Country For Old Men

Everyone I know loves No Country For Old Men. I even heard several people talk about how it is the best movie they have seen in years. I couldn’t disagree more. I actually hated the movie. But I also understand how it is a good movie all at the same time.

Let me start by saying I thought the actors are all great; the casting was spot on for this film. They deliver their lines in such a way that the movie brings to life Cormac McCarthy’s novel of the same title. Tommy Lee Jones is able to deliver a performance with restrained emotion while still coming off as passionate. Each glance Javier Bardem makes adds to how creepy his character is – in fact he is perhaps the most evil man I have ever seen in a movie.

The cinematography is also something to be complimented. Each shot and display of color truly makes West Texas come alive. It emphasizes the size and dusty climate beautifully without going over the top. The camera work helps maintain the chase elements into what is ultimately a character driven story. And therein lies the rub.

I don’t like movies where nothing happens. If it is dialogue with nothing for me to grasp onto, I get bored. Don’t get me wrong, I like most of the Coen Brothers’ movies. In fact, I think I enjoy all of them but O Brother, Where Art Thou? and for many of the same reasons. Something about the story keeps the chase and thriller aspects under such constraint that it is as if nothing really happens. Sure, people are being murdered by an air compressor powered cattle stun gun, but in a way that fails to shock me. And perhaps the lack of shock is what makes Javier Bardem’s performance believable. The story manages to make action seemingly nothing and any build up of anxiety completely disappear. It fails to suck me in to care what happens to any of the characters. I neither want nor hope against what any of the characters are trying to accomplish.

This film confuses me in that I think it is great as a film but also find it to be absolutely boring. The problem for me is the story. All the cinematic elements are as perfect as anyone could have made it. The music, the editing, the directing is all spot on. I appreciate No Country For Old Men as a body of cinematic art but hope to never waste what to me feels like an eternity in watching it again. But then, I also don’t like any of Cormac McCarthy’s novels.

DVD Review: Transformers

I grew up watching Transformers as a kid. I had the toys, sheets, even costumes to be a number of different Transformers. Watching the movie, I was both very skeptical and extremely excited. In fact, the only thing I was truly weary of was that it was a Michael Bay movie.

Fortunately, Transformers rocked my face off. For those who live under a rock, the Transformers movie is about a boy who has some special information, only he isn’t aware of that fact. The Autobots are sent to protect the boy and the information from the evil Decepticons. The movie follows the obstacles, victories, and some killer action sequences in just what this information is and why it is so important.

Transformers is the movie that will bring out the inner child in all of us. If it doesn’t, I’d argue you have no soul. Even if Michael Bay isn’t one of the more well-liked directors out there, Shia LaBeouf, Megan Fox, Josh Duhamel, Rachael Taylor, Anthony Anderson, Jon Voight, and several others truly worked together to bring this story to life. Transformers isn’t meant to be some deep movie with a lot of meaning, so if that is what you want, look elsewhere. But Transformers is a fun and exciting story with a great soundtrack. The CGI was well done and didn’t distract from the movie, as sometimes is the case.

The DVD is a two-disc special edition. The first disc contains the film in widescreen format enhanced for 16:9 televisions. The sound is Dolby Digital Surround 5.1 available in English, French, and Spanish with subtitles available in the same three languages. The first disc also contains a commentary track by Michael Bay.

The second disc has three special features. The first is titled “Our World” and is a series of “behind the scenes” looks at how Transformers was created: the process of hiring teams and creating the script, how the casting was done, the special effects, and the locations of the shoot. The next featurette is called “Their War” which looks at the history of Transformers in all its incarnations and how that influenced the creation of the robots in the movie. The final featurette is “More Than Meets The Eye” and has three parts. The first details the desert fight scene’s development. The next part deals with concepts the filmmakers wanted to fit into the movie. Finally there are trailers with the first teaser and two of the theatrical trailers for Transformers. Really, the only thing missing that I expected to be included was a series of deleted scenes. The features alluded to them so it made their absence more disappointing.

However, as a whole, Transformers is more than worth buying. It is also available in HD DVD.

DVD Review: 28 Weeks Later

I have to admit, when 28 Weeks Later came out in theaters I had no interest whatsoever in seeing it. To me it seemed like one of the sequels that should never have been green lit. But I also didn’t like 28 Days Later as much as most people. Now that 28 Weeks Later is on DVD, I figured I would give it a try.

I am shocked to admit it, but I like 28 Weeks Later a lot more than 28 Days Later. For starters, it is a completely different genre. Instead of being a horror, it is much more of an action/thriller. There aren’t really moments where something unexpectedly pops out at you as in the first movie. But what I really appreciate is 28 Weeks Later doesn’t have the creepy, crazy rape thing going on in it. I don’t really like sexual assault in my entertainment. And it certainly wasn’t necessary in the first movie.

28 Weeks Later picks up with a few survivors holed up together to hide from the dangers outside. Unfortunately, some of the infected find them and it seems only Don escapes. Cut to 28 weeks after that and some people are slowly moving back into London, under an American-led NATO group. Don’s two children are two of the other survivors (they were abroad during the infection) and they believed their father when he tells them that mommy had been eaten until they happen to find her. Strangely, she doesn’t look much worse than you would expect from someone who has been fending for themselves for 28 weeks. And if you only learn one thing from watching 28 Weeks Later, let it be that kissing someone with a horrible disease is a very bad idea.

The chase is on after the deadly kiss. The zombies are faster and deadlier. They don’t simply bite their victims but go for ripping apart the arteries. These zombies are full of rage and very little else. Yet this time around, the infected maintain some element of humanity deep within.

The movie also blends genres in its visual appearance. At times it looks like your typical hit movie, while other times it looks more like a photojournalist has documented an actual catastrophe. The blending of styles works well to give 28 Weeks Later a grittier feel. 28 Weeks Later also looks more at the choices we make in the face of disaster. The line between saving lives and exterminating the deadly infection is a blurry one with some questionable responses. Yet those responses are what drive the movie.

Special features are par for the course on DVDs these days. 28 Weeks Later includes commentary with the director, some deleted scenes, the theatrical trailer, and trailers for a few other movies. “Code Red: The Making of 28 Weeks Later” is a mini-featurette with a look at how the sequel was made, from the original inspiration and how it evolved into the film they made. Next is “The Infected” which is hopefully self-explanatory, but in case it isn’t, “The Infected” is a featurette looking at the infected extras in the movie. Finally there's another feature called “Getting Into The Action” and it details more of the actual action in the movie and the differences that set 28 Weeks Later apart from 28 Days Later. After these features are two looks at an animated comic book version of the story, “28 Days Later: The Aftermath Stage 1 Development” and “28 Days Later: The Aftermath Stage 3 Decimation.” They are an interesting take on the story but I haven’t any clue as to how many stages there actually are, or why only the first and third appear on the DVD.

The DVD is in English 5.1 Dolby Digital and in Widescreen. There are options for closed captioning, French and Spanish Dolby Surround with subtitles available in English or Spanish.

Movie Review: Scarecrows

I like to spend the entire month of October preparing for Halloween, mostly by watching all the scary movies and B horror flicks I can get my hands on. Scarecrows starts with the credits in red, letting you know you’re in for a delicious treat. And let’s just let it out there in the open, I’ve always found scarecrows to be creepy and scary.

Scarecrows begins with a greedy criminal deciding not to share the loot from a great heist – sure it isn’t a rare theme, but something had to set up why this man was alone in the country and why the other guys were hunting him down, right? Problem is, there are all these damn scarecrows everywhere. And they’re obviously pissed off. Oh, they are alive and don’t seem to die easily.

Like any B horror worth watching, there’s not much by way of the plot to distract you from the sheer creepiness of killer scarecrows. There’s also the necessary blood and gore for the gross-out factor. Scarecrows was obviously made with a smaller budget as static shots of scarecrows and creepy scenery fill in a large bulk of the movie. A lot of the dialogue takes place over the paramilitary radios; I can’t decide if the voice over adds to the disturbing atmosphere or emphasizes the cheesy acting that is characteristic of the genre, perhaps it does both. And yes, the movie shows the same shots of the same freaky scarecrows multiple times, but somehow each time seems more ominous and disturbing. The most disturbing part of the movie is when the dog eats the blown up remains of a scarecrow and his victim.

There is no explanation as to the origins of these creepy cornfield creatures, nor any clues as to what happened to the residents of the farm. Were the three former inhabitants the scary scarecrows running amuck or did they come to the same fate as the thieves? The lack of background does serve to make the idea of scarecrows with a vengeance seem even scarier. The director, William Wesley, makes excellent use of the dark atmosphere by playing up the menacing shadows. But other than that, Scarecrows is really just out to give you the creeps and a scare. And there is no better timing than with Halloween around the corner to pick up the DVD of the cult classic.

There are absolutely no special features -- the DVD menu has three options: play movie, language selection, and scene selection – so the nitty gritty movie is all you get. However, it is in widescreen format enhanced for 16:9 televisions. The sound is in English Dolby Surround, with options for Spanish Stereo or French Dolby Surround along with English or Spanish subtitles. Scarecrows is an 83-minute flick from 1988 and certainly worth watching this Halloween.

DVD Review: Brothers and Sisters - The Complete First Season

"Brothers and Sisters" is ABC’s new drama about a contemporary American family, dysfunction being a major character. However, no matter what their individual problems are, the Walkers come together and find strength as a family. The first season follows the Walkers after the patriarch of the family dies. Along with news of their father’s death, the five children discover some well kept secrets including a mistress and illegitimate daughter.

"Brothers and Sisters" also has a cast that blends seasoned actors with some newer faces. I first tuned into the show because Sally Field plays the mother. The idea of a television show detailing an older woman’s life was new and casting Sally Field struck me as a perfect choice. Not being a fan of "Ally McBeal", I was a bit concerned about Calista Flockhart, however where Ally was unsure, Kitty Walker is strong and driven. By the same token, I was a huge fan of "Alias", so Ron Rifkin, Patricia Wettig, and Balthazar Getty were major draws for me. Rachel Griffiths ("Six Feet Under"), Emily VanCamp ("Everwood"), Matthew Rhys, Dave Annable ("Reunion"), and Rob Lowe ("The West Wing") add to the ensemble cast and truly make it feel like a family. Sure, it has some soap opera elements, but that keeps audiences watching and distracted from their own lives – because hey, at least we aren’t that messed up.

What is most refreshing about "Brothers and Sisters" is Kevin Walker. He’s one of the siblings, a successful lawyer with relationship issues... oh, and he’s gay. But unlike most gay characters on television, his sexuality isn’t his entire identity. While it is a part of Kevin, he isn’t a stereotype or stock character, but more representative of a real person. Kevin's gayness is no more his sole defining characteristic than Justin’s addiction troubles are his or Kitty’s conservative views are hers; yes, these are big parts of who the characters are but not their sum total.

The first season of "Brothers and Sisters" is now available on DVD. The 23 episodes are in the six-disc set. The special features include your typical outtakes, audio commentaries, and behind the scenes glances at the show. There are two different featurettes giving a behind the scenes glimpse; one features the three Walker brothers (Balthazar Getty, Dave Annable, and Matthew Rhys) giving the audience a tour of the facilities while the other feature gives a more in depth look at the show from the conception to the cast, crew, and a funny vignette detailing how much the Walker family drinks.

Another jewel among the special features is an episode, originally the second, that never aired. While the show didn’t suffer from the episode not being broadcast, it is nice to see a bit more detailed look at how things happened in the beginning. The remaining bonus feature is a comparison between the Walker family business and the Olin family working on the show (Ken Olin is a director/producer, his wife is actress Patricia Wettig, their son Cliff Olin is a staff writer and daughter Roxanne Olin has been a guest). One thing that would have been interesting to include is some of the original pilot shot before Sally Field replaced Betty Buckley.

Technically, the series is in Dolby Digital 5.1 and in Widescreen format enhanced for 16x9 televisions. Subtitles are available in English, French, or Spanish. The series is rated TV 14.

Overall, "Brothers and Sisters" is well written and wonderfully acted. The DVD of the first season would be a good addition to anyone’s collection.

DVD Review: Raise Your Voice

"Raise Your Voice" isn’t a Disney movie, but it could have been. It is the story of Terri Fletcher finding her voice. It begins with a happy teen, Terri (Hilary Duff), and her older brother Paul (Jason Ritter). Unlike most teen siblings I’ve come across, they get along famously. Terri and Paul sneak out to go to a concert and are in a car wreck on the way home. Paul dies and Terri doesn’t want to ever sing again. The problem with that is Paul sent in a DVD to a prestigious summer music program as his sister’s application and she was accepted. From there you can guess the rest; Terri makes new friends, discovers new love, and once again finds her voice.

For those looking for a wholesome movie, "Raise Your Voice" definitely fits the bill. Hilary Duff’s Terri sings in the church choir, listens to Christian music, and finds solace in going to church. Those who find Duff attractive will find lots of shots of her in tight tank tops. And those who enjoy the feel-good movies that could be on Disney Channel or Lifetime will enjoy the message.

That being said, "Raise Your Voice" is a bunch of clichés thrown together in an attempt to be a modern day "Fame" but failing. The script is lacking, the acting isn’t great, and the music isn’t exactly compelling. Though to be perfectly honest, pointing out all the ways the film fails to soar is sort of like beating a dead horse. But to be fair, it is only a PG-rated film. The thing I found most distracting was the presence of a lot of “pretty shots” that really didn’t add anything but time.

The Special Features on the DVD include five deleted scenes, a reel of outtakes, a behind the scenes look at the making of the movie, an orchestra sequence showing clips from the movie and the recording of the score, a music video for Hilary Duff’s “Fly”, an interactive jam where you make your own music, the theatrical trailer, and previews for other New Line releases. In addition to that material, the DVD has features and web links accessible on your computer running Microsoft Windows. I don’t have a PC, so I am not sure what those materials might be.

The DVD itself is dual-sided with Widescreen or Full Screen versions of the movie on either side. The audio is Dolby Digital 5.1 in English with options for English or Spanish subtitles.

Overall, the movie isn’t one I’d rush out to buy but it is 107 minutes of harmless entertainment the family can watch together.

DVD Review: The Flying Scotsman

The thing about movies based on true stories is you can pretty much guess how it will end, even if you aren’t familiar with the people who inspired it. The underdog always comes out on top. These stories give us hope that our own average lives might somehow take a turn and be inspirational. These stories also show us the importance of working towards accomplishing our dreams; miracles won’t just drop into our laps. These stories also tell us there might be some nasty bumps before we find our happy endings.

Such is the truth of The Flying Scotsman. It is based on the real story of Scottish cyclist Graeme Obree. Not quite a rags to riches story, it follows Obree from being a cycling courier to breaking cycling world records with depression and suicidal thoughts thrown in the middle. The film is done well enough, though I am not sure it would be so compelling if it weren’t true. But fans of cycling and those who like any movie based on a true story will enjoy the film. The Flying Scotsman isn’t a bad film; it just fails to capture your emotions the way more successful inspirational sports films do.

But The Flying Scotsman, directed by Douglas Mackinnon, does provide a new twist in the big obstacle being suicidal tendencies. The cycling races in the film add to the feeling of despair because it was Obree on an empty track. Perhaps the obstacle didn’t present itself big enough or long enough to reel in the audience. Showing the madness to be deeper and darker might have helped us want him to succeed. The battles between Obree and the World Cycling Federation (based on the Union Cycliste Internationale) were interesting and perhaps could have been expounded upon. The film was too much of Obree’s successes with not much of his obstacles getting in the way preventing the true inspirational nature of Graeme Obree’s successes from coming through.

It is interesting to know that the real Graeme Obree was a technical consultant for actor Johnny Lee Miller (who plays Obree) during the shooting of the film and rebuilt some of his exceptional bikes for the production. Johnny Lee Miller also did most of the cycling himself with only a few of the biking shots being done by his double.

The DVD is scheduled to release September 18, 2007. It is dual sided with both Widescreen and Full Screen versions of the film on one disc. The audio is Dolby Digital 5.1 in English with options for subtitles in English, French, or Spanish. Three trailers (Beyond the Gates, Rescue Dawn, Death At A Funeral) are the only extra on the DVD. The film is 96 minutes and rated PG-13 for mature thematic elements and strong language.

The Flying Scotsman stars Johnny Lee Miller, Billy Boyd, Laura Fraser, and Brian Cox.

Amanda Bynes is Lovewrecked

I'm a sucker for made for TV family movies. When I saw the ads for Lovewrecked, I knew I just had to watch it. Amanda Bynes was enough to sell me on the movie, as she was hilarious in She's The Man. She's a pretty good comedic actress who isn't afraid to use her whole body; screwball comedy is her thing. Chris Carmack was the second selling point. He was Luke in The OC, you know the kid whose dad was gay. I knew the combination had to be a treasure of an ABC Family movie.

Jenny (Amanda Bynes) and her best friend Ryan take a summer job working at a Caribbean resort. Jason Masters (Chris Carmack) is the hot pop star who happens to vacation at the same resort. All high school girls have a nemesis and Jenny's is Alexis. Unfortunately for Jenny, Alexis is working at the resort on the same summer program. All is going well until a storm finds Jenny and Jason Masters marooned on a deserted island, or so they think. Love blossoms, reality hits, and love blooms again. It's your typical ABC Family movie sort of plot.

Really the worst things about the movie are the effects and transitions. The things they had to fake for the movie are obvious, but they aren't plentiful nor the point of the movie. The transitions are overly cheesy and apparent, but again not the point of the movie. However, the scene when Ryan is massaging a woman from the Midwest is quite gross.

The movie is a cute although predictable film. Without Amanda Bynes it probably wouldn't have been worth watching. Plus, there's a girl fight for all the men out there. The plot seems to drag on for a bit in the middle. As Amanda Bynes seems to be running out of steam the movie comes to a quick conclusion. It almost seemed forced. Some of it comes out of nowhere and makes little sense. Perhaps some elements were cut for timing purposes.

Lovewrecked is a step down from She's The Man, but still a nice little romantic comedy. It is obviously still targeting the tween demographic and would be perfect to watch during a slumber party. Perhaps director Randal Kleiser (Grease, The Blue Lagoon) has lost a bit of his touch and instead set up sketches for Bynes instead of a more coherent film. However, Bynes is able to chalk up some chuckles.

The DVD includes three deleted scenes. None of them are that compelling and easy to see why they were cut from the film. However, I'm unsure of why they were included in the Special Features, as they don't hold much on their own either. The other Special Feature is the trailer. The trailer is a pretty good one, but again you can tell it is an ABC Family type of movie.

The audio is in English 5.1 with subtitles available in English for the hearing impaired or in Spanish. The sound has a rear channel noise in the opening concert scene that is a little off putting, but it isn't a problem through the whole movie.

Lovewrecked will be available on DVD March 13, 2007.

Movie Review: The Last King of Scotland

Charming the right people can obscure the harshness of reality, especially when coupled with killing people the charm doesn’t work on. When one brutal leader is overthrown, it is easy to hope the new leader will somehow be better. Sadly, they are oftentimes worse than their predecessors.

The Last King of Scotland follows Nicholas Garrigan—a fictional character very loosely based on Bob Astles—to Uganda after graduating as a doctor. He quickly learns of the coup establishing Idi Amin as the new Ugandan President. Not long after meeting Amin, Garrigan becomes the president’s personal doctor and eventually his closest advisor.

Like many films based on some real events, The Last King of Scotland mixes truth with fiction and does so effectively. Instead of creating cheesy, over-produced characters, the film has the likeable, yet still flawed Dr. Garrigan. Though James McAvoy does fine as Nicholas Garrigan, the film rides on the performance of Forest Whitaker. He makes the brutal Ugandan dictator, Idi Amin, come to life on screen. His murderous brutality combined with a little charm, making him still likeable to the unknowing outsider. It is what makes it plausible that some could have still celebrated such a horrible man. And it is exactly why The Last King of Scotland is a phenomenal film.

The Last King of Scotland is a film about garish brutality with more insinuations than glimpses. However the few glances at the brutality of Amin shown in the film are harsh. Making an example of one of his wives for her betraying him, Amin has her limbs removed and her legs sewn back on as her arms and her arms replacing her legs. If Amin could do that to his wife, one can only imagine what he would do to a political opponent.

Whitaker’s Amin mixes a God complex and a persecution complex, somehow giving him justification for killing anyone and everyone against him. His ability to make Amin equally likeable and detestable is why he received an Oscar Nomination for Best Actor, as well as several other awards including the BAFTA, Golden Globe, and Screen Actors Guild Awards.

Because it is a movie and Forest Whitaker’s performance is exceptional, it is almost easy to lose sight of the truths behind The Last King of Scotland. The filmmakers were able to hold on to reality by adding some facts over the finals images—images of the real Amin and real Ugandans. Facts about Amin’s regime killing more than 300,000 Ugandans and that he died in exile. And like many films ending similarly, it makes you wonder how you would react in such a situation and if you would try to help or try to pretend it isn’t reality.

Movie Review: Jesus Camp

Jesus Camp is one of the Oscar Nominated documentaries this year. I found it both fascinating and terrifying at the same time. At this point, it is the only nominated documentary I have seen so far, but I can certainly understand why it is a nomination. If it is anything to judge the others buy, the documentaries the past year have been excellent.

The documentary is an exemplary documentary in that there is no commentary from the filmmakers. I have no idea what their stance is on the subject, if they are from an Evangelical Christian background or nonreligious one. It is truly a documentary in the sense that only what is filmed is presented, no agreement or disagreement with what is being shown.

The only disagreement was from an Air America radio host who happened to be a former minister and against the particular type of Christianity being taught at this camp. These clips are probably the only things that didn’t seem to work within the documentary. There wasn’t equal time spent with the radio host, nor much explaining what exactly his views are. The film would have been just as well made and unbiased without them, if not more so. But he is as “intolerant” in his views as the children at the Christian camp are taught to be in theirs, just reversely so.

Jesus Camp documents a camp in North Dakota that children (and some of their families) go to to get closer to God. It is an evangelical Christian camp with guest speakers and a few select children speakers. The documentary focuses on a few children and camp director, their experiences at camp and follows them into their lives away from camp.

What is frightening is that this film is a documentary and these things are real. Don’t get me wrong; I grew up Christian, that isn’t what makes it frightening. But it is the extreme to which the people – the children – are taking their faith. They only listen to Christian music, watch Christian television, and read Christian books. They are taught science has no answers and is stupid. They are forming a bubble around their lives and worldview that can only prove to hurt them later. When they are in their teens and someone offers them a square, will they know enough to reject the offer or will they be so ignorant about life outside their bubble to not know and take it? There is a difference between having a strong faith and denying the existence of anything not a part of that faith.

At the camp, no messages of God’s love are shared. Instead the speakers share messages of politics through a religious avenue – smashing mugs to demonstrate the break of power of evil on our government or duct taping mouths to demonstrate the value of life. The mix of religion and politics makes this film terrifying. Our future generations are growing up being fed this hodge-podge under the guise of Christ and not being taught to think for themselves. It is celebrated to be in a trance and speak in tongues or be so overwhelmed by emotions that children can barely breathe through their tears.

No longer are Christian children taught messages of the Good Samaritan or how faith as small as a mustard seed can move mountains. No longer is God our shepherd and we his herd. Now children are being raised to be warriors for Christ, part of God’s army. Uncontrollable convulsions, hysterical tears, and speaking in tongues are badges of honor – the proof of one’s faith.

But in showing all of this, Jesus Camp strangely has a tinge of hope about it. Hope that these children will grow up and become more compassionate in their passionate faith. Without saying a word, that is the only hope you can come away from the documentary thinking. We can hope these children give up their desire to be martyrs and instead hope to be beacons of light and hope, helping those in need – like the Christ they worship.

Movie Review: Babel

Babel is the movie I feel the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences selected as filler for this year’s nominations. Nominated for Best Picture, two women up for Best Supporting Actress, Best Director, Best Editing, Best Original Score, and Original Screenplay give it seven nominations. Of those seven I can agree with perhaps one of them even having been considered.

I’m sure most people know the story about the Tower of Babel. How everyone spoke the same language and built a tower and pissed God off thinking they could do better without him. So he showed them by spreading them around and giving them all different languages. I knew Babel was going to have several languages in it. It wouldn’t make sense to give a film that name and have the whole thing in English. But that is the only similarity with the Biblical story.

Babel is similar to Syriana in that there are stories going on in different parts of the globe and does a better job connecting them. But that is as far as my compliments for the film go. The story taking place in Japan added nothing to the film and it wouldn’t have taken anything away to cut it completely. And while Rinko Kikuchi is one of the women up for Supporting Actress, there was absolutely no reason to make the character a deaf-mute -– other than to prolong the movie as it made her scenes take three times as long as they would have otherwise. The Japanese storyline could have been interesting in a stand-alone movie and giving some more details, but it had the smallest connection to the rest of the movie than the other two countries.

I felt the story taking place in the United States was the best of the three countries. Adriana Barraza was nominated for her role and she was really the only good thing about the movie. The audience can guess the two children belong to the Americans in Morocco before they spell it out, but the phone call shows Babel isn’t following any sort of linear timeline. I usually like movies that are disjointed, but there was absolutely no motivation for these stories to be told out of order.

The story in Morocco left me thinking three things. First, that trip must have been pretty expensive so I find it incredibly hard to believe none of the other tourists were doctors. Then I find it difficult to think they wouldn’t want to stay. If someone I was traveling with got shot while our bus was driving along, the last thing I would want to do is pile back on the bus and drive a few more ours. The last thing is the gun; who gives their child a fucking gun and then leaves them?

I left the film wondering what the point was. Is there anything I am supposed to walk away thinking about? Because the only think I am thinking is why the hell did it get seven Oscar nominations?

Movie Review: The Queen

The Queen is another film that has multiple Oscar nominations this year. It is up for Best Actress (Helen Mirren), Costume Design (Consolata Boyle), Director (Stephen Frears), Original Score (Alexandre Desplat), Original Screenplay (Peter Morgan), and Best Picture. Six nominations are more than enough to pique interest for many viewers, that it adds a human side to a figure many know little about is a bonus.

The Queen in question is Queen Elizabeth II and the film follows the British Royals in the days following Princess Diana’s death in a Paris car crash in 1997. The Queen details the struggle to maintain balance in being a very public figure yet a very private individual. It also shows how sometimes protocol needs to be thrown out the window in order to salvage dignity and honor.

The Queen could have easily been portrayed as a gossipy spectacle of a film, but instead showed two sides of the same event: that of the Royal Family and that of the public. Instead of scenes of public grandeur, The Queen told the story through personal vignettes establishing a sense of intimacy. The film also gives just enough details to explain why what may have been an easy choice for the public to demand wouldn’t be so easy for Queen Elizabeth II to provide.

Stephen Frears has a talent for making films displaying the conflicts in the British class system, and what could display it more than the Queen of England, the highest of the British Upper Class, and Tony Blair, the leader of the very Middle Class. Mixing the reactions of Queen Elizabeth with those of the Prime Minister and his cabinet help set the tone of conflict without needing to say it. And that is the biggest strength of The Queen.

The true beauty to the film is the power of understatement. Helen Mirren’s performance of Queen Elizabeth II is through small nuances that show how human she is: she drives her own Range Rover, leads her dogs around, and admires the beauty of the 14-point Stag on her Balmoral grounds. These touches help the audience see the struggle the Queen must have endured between maintaining the stoic tradition she believes in and acknowledging the public’s grief.

However for those who aren’t Anglophiles, The Queen could be quite boring. It is a slower paced character piece with a lot of sweeping silent shots. While the film is beautifully shot, the English countryside may not be enough to win the affections of a large audience. But even those who find themselves bored with the film will not be able to deny Helen Mirren’s performance is spectacular.

Movie Review: The Pursuit of Happyness

I hate alternative spelling. The spelling in the title was enough for me to know I had no desire to see The Pursuit of Happyness, However, since Will Smith received an Oscar Nomination for his performance, I caved in to my better judgment. Let’s just say that as a filmmaker I have already vowed to quit the business if he wins. Fortunately, I seriously doubt he will.

The Pursuit of Happynessis based on the true story of Chris Gardner and his quest to become a stock broker to help provide a better life for his son and avoid shuffling from shelter to shelter. But you can guess all of that from the trailer. Many times films inspired by true stories come across as being more phony than pure fiction, but sometimes it works. Usually it shows someone over coming adversity to find some payoff in the end.

There is no payoff in The Pursuit of Happyness. Well, there are two sentences typed out at the end telling the audience Chris Gardner went on to start his own firm and sell his minority share in a multi-million dollar deal. But it doesn’t actually show any pay out for his hard work. The Pursuit of Happyness starts in a very dark and poor place. Unfortunately, it stays there for two hours. Chris and his family started off in a bad spot and go on to find an even worse place in life.

The biggest problem with The Pursuit of Happyness is it takes far too long for there to be a glimmer of hope, let alone the chance of any follow through. Going into the film, you know he is going to get the job, they simply don’t make movies based on the lives of people who don’t make it. But to have the happy ending come through as text at the end of an emotional diatribe is just as disappointing. Heck, I would have had a hint of ‘happyness’ had he given his son a brand new Captain America in the end, you know as some symbol their life was on the up and up. The end sucked out any life the movie could have potentially had.

The other problem is the voice-over narration. I rarely enjoy movies with a lot of voice-over and find very few do it well. The Pursuit of Happyness has far too much voice-over and little of it adds to the story on any level. It just made me nervous. Not nervous in the sense that the movie was tapping into my emotions, but anxious that the movie was never going to end. Will Smith’s voice-over simply made two hours seem to drag on forever.

This isn’t to say I don’t admire the real Chris Gardner. I find it incredibly admirable that he overcame all that he did and wrote about it. I think it is wonderful his story is used to teach others their dreams are achievable. I just think the film bastardized his story. The Pursuit of Happyness had great potential to be an amazing movie, it simply lacked any follow-through. In fact, simply watch the trailer and see a far better version of the movie.

Movie Review: Notes On A Scandal

Once the Oscar Nominations are announced, I make an effort to see as many of the films as possible. When a film is nominated for multiple awards, I do what I can to see it. This year, Notes On A Scandal is one such film. Nominated for Best Actress (Judi Dench), Supporting Actress (Cate Blanchett), Original Score (Phillip Glass), and Adapted Screenplay (Patrick Marber), Notes On A Scandal is a film worth noting. These nominations aren’t simply to flesh out a lacking list, but are actually deserved.

Displaying sleazy content in a manner that isn’t pedestrian, Notes On A Scandal is a riveting drama showing just how creepy a lonely old lady can be. It is the salacious story of obsessive relationships. Barbara is an older teacher leading a lonely existence. Sheba is the new teacher who proves to be a kindred spirit. Realizing the depth of her feelings for Sheba, Barbara soon discovers she isn’t the only soul to be drawn to Sheba’s luminance. Protecting Sheba’s scandalous secret, Barbara deludes herself into seeing more to their friendship than exists. Which the truth becomes known, Barbara does the only thing she can think to do. And with all the excitement ensuing, she doesn’t change her tune.

Notes On A Scandal is certainly a character driven film. Judi Dench is so aptly able to conceal her creepiness that it isn’t inconceivable to think of people falling prey to her wits. She performs a memorable role, reeling the audience in so they desire to see to what lengths this obsessed stalker appearing a good friend is willing to go. Judi Dench proves herself a gifted actress and deserves the Oscar for Best Actress if ever anyone has. Cate Blanchett displays a sort of effervescent vulnerability that draws attention like the most fragile yet awe-inspiring flower. I certainly cannot imagine anyone disagreeing with her pulling off a win at the Oscars as well.

Acting aside, many other aspects of the film deserve mention. Patrick Marber, and his screenplay adaptation of Zoe Heller’s novel, accomplished what many try and few are able to do: Voice-over narration. Many times voice-over comes across as distracting and fail to really add to the film. However, Marber was able to write Barbara’s narration in such a way to allow a glimpse into the thoughts of Barbara in a way that further developed her character instead of distracting from it. I tend to hate films with a lot of voice-over and find it ruins an otherwise decent film. To write such delectable introspection in the form of voice-over is a rare talent and Marber should be proud of his accomplishment.

Notes On A Scandal is a disturbing drama that should be on everyone’s Must See list.