DVD Reviews: Our Spring DVD Round-Up Part 1
Whether it's classic films, comedies, romantic comedies, action and drama, animation, television or documentaries, we cover it in our rundown of DVD's now in the marketplace that might make cool additions to your collection. Some of these are new, some have been out for a while but it's never too late to rent or add them to your library. Check them all out!
Classics
My Fair Lady: Special Edition – Warner Brothers Home Video
You've probably seen it on the late show or maybe have an old tape of it. The film was based on the Broadway musical with lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner and music by Frederick Loewe, and that was based on George Bernard Shaw's popular 1913 stage play, "Pygmalion,". As "My Fair Lady", it came to the screen in 1964.
Synopsis: The story is about judging people on how they look or sound rather than on who they actually are. Phonetics and diction professor Henry Higgens (Rex Harrison) thinks that he can take any low-class citizen off the London streets and pass the person off as a cultured gentleman or lady simply by teaching them to speak properly. The girl picked for the experiment is Eliza Doolittle, (Audrey Hepburn) a Cockney-talking, uneducated flower seller. Higgens bets friends that he can do an "extreme make-over" on Eliza and, in only six months bring her into high society. Of course Eliza is able to teach the professor as much or more about life than he teachers her.
The great cast, songs, super costumes and sets, etc. make "My Fair Lady" one of the best movie musicals of all time.
DVD Details and Special Features: The film is presented in widescreen on a 1994 restored print. The colors are deep and just eye-popping. The restoration was great. We've got Dolby Digital sound and the songs come through very clearly. On disc one, besides the movie, you get feature-length audio commentary with a lot of behind-the-camera talent including the film's restorers and it's all cool movie history info. On disc two there is a 1994 making-of documentary hosted by film co-star Jeremy Brett. There is a lot of info on filming with before and after stuff on the film's restoration.
You get some Hollywood insider things like the 1963 kickoff dinner, the L.A. premiere, Oscar ceremony highlights, acceptance speeches, a promo. You get to hear Audrey Hepburn actually singing (her voice was dubbed in the film) and there are great galleries of stills and you get some trailers for other big musicals of the time like "Camelot", "Gigi" and "Brigadoon".
If you or your parents already own a tape or DVD of this film, this one is far superior so you should update! It's just beautiful.
Splash: 20th Anniversary Edition- Touchstone Home Entertainment
Synopsis: Allen Bauer (Tom Hanks) is the owner of a Manhattan produce market. His girlfriend has left him and he's having zero luck with women. In a boat off Cape Cod, Allen takes a spill, hits his head, can't swim and gets saved by a hot-looking mermaid (Daryl Hannah). He doesn't get the mermaid part because, on land, her tail turns into well-shaped legs. Of course big love ensues and the girl/fish moves in. Mermaid Daryl has to learn human English by watching t.v., names herself Madison after Madison Avenue and spends big bucks on Allen's credit card. Of course evil scientists get wind of Madison's fishdom and want to capture and experiment on her. Will man and fish be able to stay together?
DVD Details and Special Features: Video: Colors are bright enough in this DVD but this wasn't a super great transfer in the first place. It's certainly not as crisp as a restored print would be but totally watchable. The soundtrack is clean. There aren't a whole lot of extras for a 20th Anniversary Edition but you get audio comments with director Ron Howard, the producer and writers and a documentary "Making a Splash" that has tons of cast and crew comments. You learn some cool info like Batman Michael Keaton and John Travolta were considered for the Hanks part. There are a couple of auditions by Hanks and Hannah. Man do they look young! Not a ton of extras but what is there is fine.
This film really launched popular Tom Hanks' movie career. Same for Daryl Hannah who was just seen in Kill Bill. It's an entirely sweet and funny film. I'd say rent and decide if you want to buy.
Comedy and Romantic Comedy
School of Rock – Collector's Edition – Paramount Home Entertainment
Synopsis; Dewey Finn (Jack Black) loves rock and roll, is in a bad band, makes no bucks and mooches off his friend and ex-band member gone "straight" as a substitute teacher , Ned Schneebly (writer Mike White). Dewey is obnoxious and gets fired from his band. He's about to be thrown out by Ned when the phone rings and Dewey pretends to be Ned and takes a substitute teacher gig in the hope of making some bucks. Principal Rosalie Mullins (Joan Cusack) shows the fake "Ned" to a classroom and Dewey realizes that these bright eleven and twelve-year-olds expect him to actually teach them something. All Dewey knows is rock music so he has the kids try out and builds a band with him as lead singer and guitar player.
Hoping to show up the band that dumped him, Dewey and the kids secretly enter a battle of the bands but it's only a matter of time before school authorities and parents figure out what is going on. Meanwhile, however, Dewey has given the kids a new sense of pride and accomplishment. He's also taught them how to work as a team!
DVD Details and Special Features: Picture here is clean and colorful in widescreen. The sound is well balanced with both dialogue and music coming through loud and clear. On one disc is Jack Black and director Richard Linklater in commentary that is pretty funny. Then you get all the kid actors, either annoying or hilarious depending on your viewpoint. Another feature is a Making Of style doc "Lessons Learned in School of Rock". You get a really silly but funny pitch that Jack Black makes to classic band Led Zeppelin begging them for the rights to use one of their songs. Then you get that song "the Immigrant Song" on the music video. You see the kids at the Toronto film festival. Cute, but once is enough to watch that one.
You get to follow Jack around in an MTV diary. If you love crazy Jack, you'll get a big kick out of it. If he's not your cup of tea, you probably won't be watching this DVD anyway. On DVD-Rom you get a cool map of rock as "Dewey" shows you how all the famous bands are related.
I loved this movie so I love the DVD as well. It's got manic Jack Black and a little goes a long way but he has his quieter moments and really interacts very well with the kids. This one has a huge heart. I'd buy it.
Love Don't Cost a Thing – Warner Brothers Home Video
Synopsis: Singer/actor Nick Cannon stars as a nerd named Alvin Johnson, whose buds are other nerds; all made fun of by high school hot clique folks. All the cliques in the film are racially-mixed so no politically incorrect stuff going on here. Alvin and his pals are trying to get an engineering scholarship to college. But, when the cutest, most popular cheerleader in school, Paris Morgan (Christina Milian), wrecks her mother's car, she needs to get it fixed quick and, since Alvin is hot for her, he gives her his science project money to fix her car IF she'll pretend to be his girlfriend for a few weeks. It works and, suddenly Alvin is ultra popular and it goes to his head. He has to learn to be himself etc.
DVD Details and Special Features: Video: the DVD isn't grainy but not ultra defined. Colors are bright however. Music on the soundtrack comes across loud and clear. There are only 3 main extras; some additional scenes and an alternative ending, a making-of featurette that's more like a promo that has director and actor comments. There are two music videos "Shorty (Put it on the Floor)" with Busta Rhymes, Chingy, Fat Joe, and Nick Cannon and "Luv Me Baby" with Murphy Lee that are cool if you are into their kind of music.
Overall, this film is an "update" or "re-imagining" as they like to call it, of an older 1980's film called "Can't Buy Me Love" and, although Nick and cutie Christina are charming, it's not that well executed. If you love Nick or Christina or Nick's Music, etc. go rent first and decide if you want to buy.
Win a Date With Tad Hamilton – Dreamworks Home Entertainment
Synopsis: Tad Hamilton (Josh Duhamel) is a super popular actor with a clean cut image that is the total opposite of his womanizing, partying nature. When Tad gets some very bad press, his agent and manager (both named Richard Levey and played by Nathan Lane and Sean Hayes), decide they must clean up his image. They plan a "win a date with Tad" contest and small town supermarket checker Rosalie Futch (Kate Bosworth) wins. Her store manager Pete Monash (Topher Grace from That '70's Show) is secretly in love with her but pretends to be happy for her.
Rosalie is flown off to Hollywood and Tad starts to fall for her. She centers him. Once the successful date is over, Tad follows Rosalie home to the horror of lovesick Pete. Rosalie is also in love with Tad until she realizes that home is where the heart is and it's really with Pete.
DVD Details and Special Features: I got the widescreen release which looks great and the print is super clean and ultra colorful. The sound is fine. Good mix between dialogue and music. The deleted scenes feature (16 of them) aren't earthshaking and we can see why they were edited out. If you like Paris Hilton, her part as a stalker was cut out and it's no great shakes but fun to watch. There is a blooper reel that is hilarious! Flubbed lines are funny but Topher Grace and Josh Duhamel in a bathroom scene is a riot. Just really cute and fun stuff.
You get a photo gallery of production stills, the usual cast bios and some press kit production notes and the usual coming attractions.
Overall this was a very cute romantic comedy that's great date bait material. Fun to add to your romantic movie collection.
Action and Drama
Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over – Buena Vista Home Entertainment
Synopsis: Mom & Dad Cortez (Antonio Banderas and Carla Gugino) are off on a mission. Their teen daughter Carmen (Alexa Vegas) is still with the OSS junior spies but her bro Juni (Daryl Sabara) is doing private eye duty instead. When the President (George Clooney) lets Juni know that Carmen disappeared during a mission, he's back in OSS looking for her inside a virtual game created by The Toymaker (Sly Stallone). Juni has to get into the came, play the various levels to rescue Carmen without letting the Toymaker out into our world.
DVD Details and Special Features: You can watch both the theatrical 3D version and a standard 2D version on each of the edition's two discs, in widescreen. You need the red and blue film glasses and four sets of them are included with the DVD. You get instructions to maximize your 3 D watching pleasure. The 3D- effects are actually passably good on t.v.! The regular 2-D is really crisp! The soundtrack is very rich as well.
There is the same menu on both discs but different extras so don't miss anything. Director Robert Rodriguez's commentary is full of little tidbits and a lot of laughs.
On one is the director's "Ten Minute Film School and How to Make Cool Home Movies," the 3D version of "Mega Race." "Alexa Vega's Concert" and Disc Two has the 2D feature, three "making-of" featurettes and documentaries, "Alexa Vega In Concert" and "Alexa Vega: Making Trax," "Ten Minute Film School," the 2D "Mega Race" game and some trailers which are labeled "Sneek Peeks".
Best to me is the Ten Minute Film School and Alexa's Music sections with live concerts. The "Making of" stuff is pretty standard. Mega Race is fun if you are into the games and the special effects sections are interactive.
Fun 3-D film especially if you are younger. There is a nice grandfather and Juni connection that is heart-warming. Overall, a fun addition to your family collection.
Matrix: Revolutions- Warner Brothers Home Video
Synopsis: Neo (Keanu Reeves) and his pals wage their final battle between mankind and machine in the last human city Zion. The usual suspects are there to help; Neo's love Trinity, boss Morpheus and new ship captain Jada Pinkett Smith help out. Neo learns his destiny, the machines enter the city and we get a big spfx battle sequence. Neo and Trinity head for machine city to try to talk the machine leader to end the war and team up with humans against the increasingly powerful computer virus Agent Smith. There is a resolution to "Revolutions" but it's not as satisfying and I would have liked. Not the best of the Matrix films.
DVD Details and Special Features: Very high contrast on this DVD picture Black looks shiny. Lots of detail. Music and spfx noises sometimes overpower the dialogue so adjust accordingly. You get some good features and some not so great. A picture gallery took a while to load. Featurettes "Super Burly Brawl", & "Revolutions Recalibrated" are cool if you are into the behind-the scenes making of stuff. "Brawl tears down the final Neo/smith showdown and "Recalibrated" is an overall making of piece. If you have trouble keeping track of the storyline, check out "Before the Revolution" which deals with explaining events leading up to the Matrix Revolutions (including the Animatrix, The Matrix, and The Matrix Reloaded)
Overall, if you are a huge Matrix fan, you'll have to have this. If you like to casually watch the action, rent this one first to decide if you want to buy.
Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country - Special Collector's Edition – Paramount Home Video
Synopsis: In "Star Trek VI" an energy facility on a moon orbiting Kronos, the Klingon homeworld blows up. The disaster leads to the Klingons asking the Federation for help. This would involve a peace treaty. The classic Star Trek crew on the Enterprise is aided by now Captain Sulu (George Takei) who now helms the Excelsior. Of course various political factions in the Klingon empire, the Romulans, etc. plot to stop any peace treaty between the Federation of Planets and the Klingons. Lots of cool effects, a plot to frame Captain Kirk (William Shatner) and a super-weapon make for action fun.
DVD Details and Special Features: Video: widescreen image looks great even if there are a few scratches from the original print. Audio is dolby digital makes both a surround sound for effects with a slight weakness for the actor's voices. Extras; tons! There is some repetition with commentary but not a lot. Director Nicholas Meyer and the screenwriter is interesting. On disc two we get a documentary "The Perils of Peacemaking" that shows how the movie's politics compares to real life.. Not boring. Featurettes include everything from filmmaker's talks about racist ideas to all about the director, Shakespeare references in the movie, etc. You can learn all about the Klingon people a look at props and sets Shatner and Christopher Plumber shooting the breeze is fun. The is a cool tribute to Doctor McCoy's DeForest Kelley who has passed on and on-set interviews with the cast both guests and regulars. If you are a true Trekkie there is a fun 1991 Convention presentation by Nick Meyer, some trailers a production gallery with video clips on set and storyboards.
Overall: This is one of the "deeper" Trek movies but it has a lot of wit and humor and good performances. Although some trimming would have helped at time, this is one of the best Trek films. For fans and even history buffs, a must.
Animation
The Lion King 1 and ½- Buena Vista Home Entertainment
Synopsis: "The Lion King 1 ½" tells us the story through Timon and Pumbaa's eyes. It's all for laughs as Timon & Pumbaa are seen over the screen in silhouettes like the guys from "Mystery Science Theater 3000" as they comment on their own life experiences with Simba. We learn that Timon was an outcast in the meerkat tribe. He can't seem to do anything right. He leaves the colony and heads out on his own where he meets Pumbaa who isn't too popular either because of his gassy nature. The two misfits team up to find a happy life. Of course, they end up meeting and saving Simba.
DVD Details and Special Features: Colors are really bright and crisp on this DVD. The sound is great whether you (or your parents) pick Dolby Digital or DTS sound. Animated menus give us deleted scenes in drawing format with explanations as to why something was cut. On your t.v. screen, you can play the "Hidden Mickey Game" and find twenty Mickey Mouse icons hidden within the feature. There are hints. On the first disc you get a bunch of trailers for upcoming DVD releases.
"Featurettes" are individually chaptered, leading off with "Timon: Behind The Legend." Is sort of a "This is Your Life" segment with host Peter Graves all about the meerkat's life. Cute. "The Making of 'The Lion King 1 ½'" is a backstage tour of the movie with interviews with animators and voice talent. You get a music video by t.v.'s Raven "Grazing In The Grass," it's cute but nothing Grammy-worthy. "Timon and Pumbaa's Virtual Safari 1.5" is fun as it takes you of a ride/tour as if you were at Disneyland. Riders comment on what they see and it's often funny. You can pick one of several trails. "Find The Face" is a hidden drawing game where you i.d. Disney characters by outlines. Really cute is "Who Wants To Be King of The Jungle" which is a jungle version of "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire" game show and is hosted by Meredith Vieira. Timon is trying to win the money. You can help out right on the t.v. set. You can play this a lot because there are a ton of variations.
Overall "Lion King 1 ½" is a lot of innocent laughs. Younger kids will probably like it the most but as a teen, you will too. Even young-at-heart parents will go for it. Hakuna Matata!
Brother Bear – Buena Vista Home Entertainment
Synopsis: "Brother Bear" takes place in the time when Man was just of out caves and was still hunting for food. It's a time of magic and shamans. Each young warrior gets a totem beast to represent him. We meet three brothers Sitka, Denahi and Kenai. Kenai is disappointed when his totem isn't very "macho". When Sitka is killed by a bear, Kenai goes hunting for the creature, feeling responsible for his brother's death. When he comes face to face with it, he is transformed into a bear. Now, his remaining brother Denahi is hunting him! Along the way bear/boy Kenai meets some wacky Moose (voiced by Rick Moranis and Dave Thomas) and a motherless cub who befriends him. The lesson here is that we must walk in the shoes (or paws) of another to see where others are coming from. It's also a great lesson in respecting all life forms.
DVD Details and Special Features: I have the two disc Special Edition with the film in both widescreen and full screen. I always prefer widescreen. Brother Bear has some beautiful vistas and it's cool to see them not "chopped off". Sound and music is fine here. On disc one there are some outtakes that are quite cute and funny but be ready for fart jokes. The commentary featuring the two moose Rutt and Tuke is cute with the two sitting in silhouette (like the guys in Mystery Science Theater) commenting on the film. These two are pretty funny as well. Well worth watching the film with these two comedians cracking jokes.
You get a music video by Phil Collins of "Look Through My Eyes" and a sing along son "On My Way". There are some simple games and three featurettes , "Bear Legends" is an interesting telling of Native American lore. You learn about the art of "Foley" where crew members use various objects to make sound effects. "Art Review" looks at design and the characters.
On disc two you find a long "making of" featurette that includes story, characters, songs and the actors recording the voices. There are three deleted scenes with introductions; just some sketches that never got into the film. There is also "Fishing Song" a tune that didn't' make it into the movie and Phil Collins talks about "Transformation". Kind of long but, if you like the music, interesting.
Overall, this movie has a wonderful conservation message and teaches respect for all creatures. It might have been thought too "adult" for very young kids but teens and young adults should really get a kick out of it. Moranis and Thomas alone are worth the price of the DVD.
Television
Xena Warrior Princess: Complete Third Season – Anchor Bay Entertainment
Synopsis: You'll be a fan if you are buying or renting this DVD so basically, "Xena" stars Lucy Lawless as the Greekish style Warrior Princess with sidekick Gabrielle (Renee O'Connor) and they fight mythical monsters and Gods in a usually tongue-in-cheek manner. Season Three is a little more fun and funny than one and two. It includes musical numbers, Gabrielle's pregnancy and a cool two parter that brings back Hercules and Callisto.
DVD Details and Special Features: This is the biggest Xena Season DVD ever! It's loaded with eight discs with a CD-Rom disc that is separate. On each disc we have three episodes that have varied video and/or audio commentary from cast and crew. On one disc you get the conclusion of Sacrifice II the cliffhanger two parter with a making of feature on making the 2 part episode and some alternate ending and its own blooper reel. Cool!
The "look" of the DVD is better than a lot of T.V. transfers with sharp images and good contrast. Sound include the crashing of Xena's sword and the music is fine. Cast members comment onscreen but a lot of this is already on their voice-over episode commentary. Fun none-the-less. There is also a tribute to loved actor Kevin Smith ("Ares"), who died in 2002 while filming. Blooper Reels include prop and wardrobe malfunctions and flubbed lines that are pretty hilarious.
Overall, a definite must for Xena fans. One of the best DVD's for the show.
Starsky and Hutch – First Season – Columbia Tristar Home Video
Synopsis: A popular cop t.v. show from 1975 to 1979 that featured the buddy cop team of Detective Sgt. Dave Starsky (Paul Michael Glaser) and his partner, Detective Sgt. Ken Hutchinson (David Soul). This odd couple of hot lawmen fought crime in a beach town. Their methods were unorthodox. Their pal and pimp informant Huggy Bear (Antonio Fargas) got them into and out of shady crime areas. Everywhere they went the duo was driving the hottest ride in copshow history; a red Torino with a sexy while stripe down the side. Believe me, your dad probably wanted that car and your mom was hot for the guys inside it!
Flash forward 30 years later and the show still has some great humor, good action and was just turned into a successful movie starring Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson and Snoop Dogg.
DVD Details and Special Features: In this complete first season set you get the 90 minute pilot episode and 22 episodes. Transferred to digital format, the picture isn't perfect but hey, the series is 30 years old and it looks pretty good here. The colors aren't that faded, only a bit in the darker night scenes. The red Torino is still plenty red. The sound is mono but you can hear the dialogue and the effects and action sounds and music are balanced fine. Extras are on disc one and five. There are a bunch of coming attractions previews like "next week on Starsky and Hutch" that just preview what you are already going to see. But, they pick the best parts of the coming episode so they're kinda fun.
On disc five you get a featurette "Behind the Badge" that interviews the show creator and producer. They talk about the violence (a lot for the time), the relationship of the two main characters, all about the cool car. There is a short featurette on making the show and the cool guest stars who later became famous. There is a whole featurette about the car and a collector talks about it in detail. There is a movie tie-in featurette with behind the scenes photos but this is really just a longer trailer ad for the movie.
Overall, this First Season set could have used some commentary (hey both the leads are still alive) but it looks very good for its age and there are around 20 hours of bang for your buck. It's a great blast to the past and a really fun set to own.
Documentaries
Anne Frank Remembered – Columbia Tristar Home Entertainment
Synopsis: Back during World War 2, a young Jewish girl and her family had to go into hiding in Amsterdam to escape Nazi torture. The story has been well-dramatized several times; a good example being George Stevens' "The Diary of Anne Frank" but this interesting and touching documentary tells you the real story. Anne was precocious, a good writer and struggling to stay alive and hopeful under horrible circumstances. Her story is told by friends and relatives who knew her and survived.
DVD Details and Special Features: The DVD is narrated by Kenneth Branagh and Glenn Close reads the extracts from the famous diary. It looks and sounds great but there are no extras. You really don't need any. The filmmakers have done a thorough, respectful and in depth tribute to a spunky young woman. Young teens especially can relate to Anne's feelings of growing up surrounded by adults who didn't "get" it.
There are great interviews from Amsterdam and the various camps that Anne and family went to after capture. The documentary covers early life for the family, the capture and their fates. Eyewitness interviews are heartbreaking but tell the truth. The filmmakers visit the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam, a museum of Anne's life, and we get a complete picture of the one young girl whose diary has become a testament for the horror of the holocaust.
For a wonderfully told tribute to a girl who personifies so many who were brave but perished, you should at least rent if not buy this beautiful documentary DVD.
Spellbound – Columbia Tristar Home Entertainment
Synopsis: Every year, over nine million young people take part in spelling bees across America. Around 250 of them win a chance to compete at the National Spelling Bee in Washington D.C., and only one of them will be the final winner. This doc profiles eight young spellers and tracks them to the National competition in 1999. Ordinarily, this might seem boring but it's fascinating. The doc is presented in two acts. In part one, you learn about each kid, their motivations, their life, their wildly different methods of study and that they all come from different economic levels and different cultural backgrounds.
Then the DVD focuses on the big National Spelling Bee. By this time, you've picked your fave speller and you root for them like they are in the Olympics! You are holding your breath that your fave speller won't mess up. You really care about these kids by the time they get to the finals.
DVD Details and Special Features: Since there are no explosions or music to speak of here, you don't need fancy sound and you can hear the dialogue and spelling just fine. Picture is good and clean for the most part, certainly good enough for this kind of film. Special Features include bios of the contestants and some text-based updates of where these spellers are now including a new photo. Kinda fun to know. There is extra footage of additional spellers that got cut from the film probably for time but they aren't the most remarkable kids anyway.
You learn a bit about the filmmakers, again in text. And, you can play a version of Hangman on a computer with DVD Rom. Also on DVD Rom is a guide to hosting your own spelling bee, a history of the spelling bees, etc.
In the commentary you have the director, producer and other crew people talking about the origin of the idea, how they found the kids and why they were included. Also interesting.
Overall, this is far more interesting than you would think by the subject matter. It turns out to be a profile of some challenged and determined kids and teens and got an Oscar nomination in 2002. It's well-presented. I'd go for it.
