Back to School DVD Review Round-Up
Okay, it's the 11th hour; doomsday for summer and you need to have that last sleepover or backyard, "show-DVDs-on-a-sheet" fest before the new school year. We've got a cool variety of DVDs for you to choose from. Be it a scary classic, a new comedy laugh riot or some really fun TV season sets, there is something here for you and your gang to see summer out with a fun, popcorn-packed bang!
From MGM Home Entertainment
Invasion of the Body Snatchers: 2-Disc Collector's Edition
There have been several film versions of this creepy paranoid story about alien beings coming to earth as plant pods and replacing humans in order to colonize. This 1978 version is one of the best and totally holds up for modern audiences...if you can get past the hair and '70's clothes! Ha!
Story goes; some weird spores float off their doomed home planet and land in San Francisco. There, they grow into strange plants. A Board of Health investigator Matthew Bennell (a young Donald Sutherland) keeps getting reports that people well, aren't the same. One of the reports comes from his crush and co-worker Elizabeth (Brooke Adams) who says her dentist boyfriend just isn't himself. He doesn't even care about his fave football team anymore! Bennell's pals Jack and Nancy Bellicec (Jeff Goldblum and Veronica Cartwright) find a duplicate of Jack lying on a table at their place of business. Another friend, psycho-babble pop psychiatrist David Kibner ("Star Trek"'s Mr. Spock, Leonard Nimoy) tries to chalk it all up to emotional distancing and social paranoia.
When the pods try to take over our leads, one by one, it's a chase for survival and preservation of individuality. Hey, who wants to lose his personality to a "hive mind"? Will anyone survive?
Video/Audio: A widescreen release with a lot of detail. Most of the movie is very dark in both tone and cinematography but this transfer looks almost brand new despite a tiny bit of grain etc. You can see everything very well! Sound Is also perfectly clear. No distortion and everything is balanced.. just no big, bombastic effect from all speakers.. But, hey, you don't need it. Sound is very important and unique in this movie and it comes through great!
Special Features: You get a director commentary track from Philip Kaufman. Hang in with this one because he doesn't have a ton to say at first but, as the movie progresses, he talks about his concentration on building great characters and relationships to go with the scares. He chats on casting, a little effects stuff and some fun stories on some of the actors. He also explains why he went for the ending he chose.
On Disc 2 we find a 15 minute featurette "Re-Visitors From Outer Space, or How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Love The Pod". Cute...you get interviews with Kaufman, screenwriter W.D. Richter, Nimoy, Veronica Cartwright etc. as they look back. Fun stories etc.
There is an effects featurette called "The Special Effects Pod" with the original special effects guy explaining how the famous pods were made and how the floating spores and their home planet were created. In "The Man Behind The Scream: The Sound Effects" famous Star Wars sound maven Ben Burtt talks about how important sound effects were to the movie (he's very right!) and the everyday things he used to make them (including a sonogram sound of his wife's pregnant tummy!) Really interesting.
The final featurette explores the unique cinematography in the film noir-esque color movie. In "The Invasion Will Be Televised: The Cinematography", you learn how much hand held camera work was done by Michael Chapman (a very famous Cinematographer). How he stood in the middle of a very small room in one key scene and just turned around to shoot various actors. Really informative feature on the great look of this film. You also get the original theatrical trailer which probably wouldn't be a grabber today.
You get a fun 6-page booklet of notes on the film inside the case as well.
Wrapping Up: I think this is one of the best re-makes of all time. The original black and white movie from the 1950's was great too but this update is still relevant today. The actors are great and the fight for survival is totally relatable! It's fun to see younger Donald Sutherland and the great, eccentric Jeff Goldblum is both humorous and touching in his role as a failed poet.
This film isn't all bloody or slasher but there are plenty of good effects to creep you out. If you wonder why your best friends seem to be changing for the worse, this movie provides a sci-fi answer! Great addition for your collection!
From Paramount Home Entertainment
Blades of Glory
Talk about going from one extreme to the other...this recent comedy laugh riot starring Will Ferrell and Jon Heder is roll-on-the-floor hilarious!
In Blades of Glory, Will Ferrell plays Chazz Michael Michaels, a sex-charged, bad boy figure-skater who, after a big public throw down with rival, pretty-boy, peacock-costumed Jimmy MacElroy (Jon Heder) is banned from Olympic skating competition for life! In order to compete again, the duo teams up as the world's first guy/guy skating team! So, it's sex-magnate and naive goodie two shoes becoming partners on the ice and unlikely friends off the ice.
The real husband and wife team of SNL's Amy Poehler and Will Arnett are a riot as a bro/sis skating team that seem a little too close. Their sister Katie (Jenna Fischer) is attracted to Jimmy and it's up to worldly Chazz to help put them together.
Video/Audio: This is a very recent film so colors and sharpness abound. The sound is well-balanced and moves around the speakers just fine.
Special Features: A lot of these appear like comedy routines on their own. If you like the humor of these actors, you'll really enjoy the silly features. You see the guys learning to skate. Man, do they look silly. You hear from the costume designer who created the outlandish and effective skatewear and there are interviews with the cast and some staged interviews that come off like comedy acts on their own. Oddly, there is no director commentary.
In "Return to Glory: The Making of 'Blades" you get the usual making-of doc with a wacky comment by producer of the film Ben Stiller. Fun.
"Celebrities on Thin Ice" shows the choreographer telling and showing us what it was like to teach non-skaters to skate. And she's still sane!!
"Cooler Than Ice: The Super-Sexy Costumes" is the rundown of the crazy duds designed for the film. Will comments that he's never been interviewed in a unitard before.. I really enjoyed this feature.
"Arnett & Poehler: A Family Affair" has Amy and Will spoofing on their relationship on and off camera and it's pretty funny.
"20 Questions with Scott Hamilton" isn't all that great but you see the skating legend who plays a commentator in the film, making some jokes and answering silly questions.
"Hector: Portrait of a Psychofan" - okay this is pretty funny. Nick Swardson plays Jimmy's uber-nutso fan in the movie and this is a little routine with him in character. Pretty sick but funny.
There are four "Deleted Scenes". All but one aren't necessary but one explains some background on the relationship of Jimmy and Chazz that was cut out of the film and it's really good. It would have been good to include it. Director commentary as to why it was cut would have been nice.
"Gag Reel" - is kinda short considering that there simply must have been a ton of raunchy and crazy boo boo shots in this movie. What there is is funny.
The "Alternate Takes" is Will Ferrell at his most amazing. This is Will improvising a phone call begging Jimmy to forgive him. Every one of his crazy choices is a complete riot. I think some are funnier than what they chose for the film. He calls Jimmy a Glenn Close clone from Fatal Attraction in one spoof and darned if, with Jimmy's curly blonde hair, he isn't right! Definitely watch this!
There's a semi-lame music video with American Idol reject Bo Bice singing a "Blades of Glory" song that is pretty dorky.
You get a TV show promo segment with Ferrell, Jon and Arnett called "Moviefone Unscripted" and Will and Arnett seem quicker witted than Jon but he's still cute and silly. Worth watching. You also get some picture galleries and previews.
Wrapping Up: This movie isn't a comedy classic but it's close. For sheer over-the-top, off-the-wall, physical comedy that will cheer you up as you think of starting back to school... this is the right DVD to do the job. Buy or at least rent!
TV Series Sets
From Buena Vista Home Entertainment
"Ugly Betty: The Complete First Season: The Bettyfied Edition"
A lot of teens and young adults love this show and rightfully so. Betty is one of us; a not so perfect-looking fish out of water, struggling to make it in a world full of pretty people. You might not know that this series is based on a Colombian mini-series called "You Soy Betty La Fea."
Betty Saurez (America Ferrera) is a fashion-challenged 20-something from Queens who tries to make it in the fashion business. Boy, has she opened the wrong filing cabinet! But, playboy Daniel Meade hires her as his assistant at the insistence of his publishing mogul dad Bradford (Alan Dale) at "Mode" magazine. Dad figured Betty is the one gal in the city that his son won't try to bed. At first Dan tries to embarrass Betty and get rid of her but realizes that she is very capable and an asset. Bad guy at the magazine is Creative Director Wilhelmina Slater (Vanessa Williams) who wants Daniel's Editor-In-Chief job. Betty also deals with Amanda Tanen (Becki Newton), the ambitious, back-stabbing receptionist and Wilhelmina's fey assistant James (Michael Urie) who is the king of schemes. Betty's one pal is Christina McKinney (Ashley Jensen), a Scottish seamstress who takes care of wardrobe for photo shoots and often slips Betty some cool duds.
At home, Betty deals with her dad Ignacio (Tony Plana) and pretty older sister Hilda (Ana Ortiz) and her son Justin (Mark Indelicato) who is obviously gay but no one will talk about it. This first season we also have Walter (Kevin Sussman), Betty's boyfriend who cheats on her and Henry (Christopher Gorham), a company accountant who crushes on Betty and producer of the show and actress Salma Hayek as Sofia Reyes, a new editor-in-chief at Meade Publications who Daniel has his eye on.
Video/Audio: The widescreen format gives us good picture quality with plenty of detail and it looked great on my big TV. The Dolby digital sound is very clean; not a joke missed. Music and dialogue are well balanced.
Special Features: All 23 episodes are included in the set and you get "Audio Commentaries" on some of the episodes by just about everybody except America Ferrera for some reason. But, these are funny.
In "Becoming Ugly" You get the history of the creation of the show and America does talk here as well as others about the characters, possible messages in the show etc. Informative.
"Green is the New Black" shows cast and crew talking about using the special effect of green screen to create New York (since the show is shot in Los Angeles). Kind of interesting.
"A La Mode" focuses on the style of the show and "Mode" magazine. Crew and cast members chat about the sets, costumes, shooting styles and what brings the office etc. to life. Fun.
There are a lot of "Deleted Scenes" with some audio commentaries and these are fun but don't really add a ton to your enjoyment although if the clip deals more with one of your favorite episodes, you'll be thrilled. The "Ugly Bloopers" are very short and are a montage of boo-boos and line flubs that are pretty funny.
Wrapping Up: This award-winning comedy series is warm, full of life and well-acted. America Ferrera is amazing as Betty and is the heart and soul of the show. If you aren't like her, then you know someone who is. You can really root for her to succeed! We enjoyed America in The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants and are glad she is doing so well on TV. Dialogue is really well-written in this show and this first season DVD is well worth a buy so you can re-visit the world of Betty for years to come.
From Universal Studios Home Entertainment
"Friday Night Lights: The First Season"
If you haven't discovered this excellent series then shame on you! Every trial and torture high schoolers go through is depicted with honesty and pathos in this well-acted show about high school life in a small, fictional southwestern town. You'll find at least one character to identify with if not a whole team of them! It's also packed with really cute guys (and girls too).
"Friday Night Lights" based upon the book and theatrical film of the same name, tells the story of Dillon, Texas, a small town where the high school football team members are kings and the objects of way too much attention. This makes it really hard to be a young man in town....or his girlfriend. The kids in Dillon have a lot to live up to and, because they are human, they often fail. If you are a Dillon Panther, you are expected to tow the line and live the team credo.
The new head coach for the team is Eric Taylor (Kyle Chandler). This dude is under a ton of pressure. The whole town is counting on him to take the team to a championship. First game of the season shatters a lot of hopes when the star quarterback Jason Street (Scott Porter) suffers an accident that puts him in a wheelchair. Sooo, now benchwarmer Matt Saracen (Zach Gilford) is made the new quarterback. This guy is nervous and insecure. No wonder! Meanwhile, Jason's best pal Tim (hot Taylor Kitsch) and Jason's up-to-now true blue girlfriend (Minka Kelly) start gravitating toward a guilty affair.
Video/Audio: Earlier episodes of this series have a docu-drama feel that sometimes includes some shaky camera moves that might have looked better with a steadi-cam but the widescreen look is pretty good if not perfect and the filming seems more "normal" later on. The Dolby Digital audio track lets you hear all of the raucous football action, music and also the soft dialogue. No problems.
Extras
This 5-Disc season set includes "Behind the Lights: Creating the first season of Friday Night Lights", a making-of featurette that includes a nice on-set look at a cast table read and the final day of shooting for this season. It's a nice "you are there" feeling with cast interviews shot not the usual sit-down style but on the fly. Very refreshing. The cast talks on set about their characters and they just goof off. You'll like these guys and enjoy this featurette that gives you a real look at what making the show must be like.
"Deleted Scenes" - not a ton here but what there is offer strong performances. There are about an hour of these all totaled and some are great. Each set of deleted scenes appears on the disc with their separate episodes. Good way to organize them. These offer character development and fill in some blanks. Well worth watching.
The lack of commentary is a disappointment because there are so many great episodes. But, the extras that are here don't disappoint.
Wrapping Up: You should be watching this show! Rent or buy this DVD and catch up. You'll really get into it! The characters are very strong, the stories are relatable and all the actors are really "bringing it". This set doesn't cost a lot, about half of most full season DVD sets. You owe it to yourself and your pals to check it out!! Then watch the show next season!
From Paramount Home Entertainment
"South Park: The Complete Tenth Season"
This wacky, irreverent animated comedy series has been on TV for more than a decade and it's still popular and hilarious! Each season the show gets more and more controversial. This tenth season is no exception.
Using pop culture and world events as story fodder, creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone use their tiny, flatly-animated school kids to comment on the absurdity of a world gone tabloid! You get fourteen episodes in this set. Everything from hybrid cars to gay men's clubs to Oprah's book club, the devil dressing like Britney Spears, online role playing and Al Gore is addressed this 10th season!
Video/Audio: Okay, the little characters on this show are colorful but very flat so there's not much to ruin. Each episode looks crisp and clean. Almost all dialogue can be heard although, as usual, Cartman is sometimes hard to understand but that's not the audio's fault! It's pretty flawless.
Wrapping Up: Okay, this season of "South Park" is completely hilarious. We'd always like more Extras on these DVD sets but the shows are just so darn funny that you don't care. I always watch these when I'm down or sick and they never fail to cheer me up. Just right for you and your friends wanting to forget that summer is over!! And... coming up... "Charmed: The Final Season" Okay, here's the drill: The Halliwell sisters Phoebe (Alyssa Milano), Piper (Holly Marie Combs) and Paige (Rose McGowan) have had to realize their potential and "power of three" for years. They've protected the world from demons and all manner of evil doers. They've fallen in love with demons in disguise and white-lighter angels... you name it. Now, they face some meaty final challenges. We can't review this DVD until closer to street date on Sept. 11th but wanted you to be aware of it for future interest. *** Lynn Barker is a Hollywood-based entertainment journalist and produced screenwriter.
You might have started watching this "charming" series about three modern-day witch sisters when you were a tween or kid and followed it into your teens or even young 20's. For those who watched faithfully or those who just enjoyed the occasional fun, spooky episode, this eighth and final season is a must-watch wrap up!
