Back to School: Blu-Ray/DVD Review Round Up
It's back to school time. Need to escape from homework already? We're reviewing something for everybody; Arabian fantasy adventure with a very hunky-looking Jake Gyllenhaal, rom/com spy action with Ashton Kutcher and Katherine Heigl and pets on the prowl...
From Lionsgate Home Entertainment 
Killers - Blu-Ray Edition
Story for this rom/com begins on the French Riviera where computer geek Jen Kornfeldt (Katherine Heigl) is traveling with her parents to forget a recently-ended relationship. She runs into a cute guy named Spencer (Ashton Kutcher) and the duo finds that they are a romantic match. She has no idea that he is a super spy!
Three years later, we're in the suburban U.S. and the two are married and living a "normal" life when Spencer's old boss contacts him to go back into the biz. Suddenly everybody they thought they knew... and even liked, starts trying to kill the happy couple. The word is out that Spencer was/is? a mega spy and there is some big money on the street to off him!
Special Features: The "Making Of" featurette for this Blu-Ray is "Killer Chemistry: Behind the Scenes" and you get Katherine and Ashton talking about their roles and each other. Katherine admits that, as a teen, she had a huge crush on Tom Selleck as TV's "Magnum P.I.". He plays her dad in this movie.
"Gags" contains a few bloopers.. cute but not enough. There are also "Deleted Scenes", "Alternate Scenes" and an "Alternate Ending" which just sends the finally safe duo, now parents, back to the French Riviera where their romance began.
Wrapping Up: I think this fluffy film is more fun than a lot of critics have stated. Ashton looks pretty hot, Katherine is beautiful and.. is it silly? Sure, but there is a lot of action and the supporting players (mom and dad Catherine O'Hara and Tom Selleck, neighbors Alex Borstein and many other familiar faces) are really funny. I'd say go rent it.
From Walt Disney Pictures Home Entertainment
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time - Blu-Ray/DVD/Digital Combo Pack
In ancient Persia lives a kind king, his suspicious-acting bro (Ben Kingsley) his two sons and adopted-off-the-street "son" Dastan (Jake Gyllenhaal) who is cuter and more athletic than the other princes. When a mystical kingdom is suspected of supplying weapons to Persia's enemies, Dastan leads a secret raid that opens the city to the armies of the king and his bros. Whoops! Nobody can find these weapons or the forges they were made in (Humm, sound like first Desert Storm war to you?) and Dastan is framed for killing his adoptive "dad" the king once the Persians take over. 
On the run with the land's hot priestess-like Princess Tamina (Gemma Arterton), Dastan ends up with the kingdom's magical dagger that can turn back time. We know all about it because Tamina's sole reason for being in the movie is to tell us every little detail about its origin and function and... oh yeah, fall for Dastan.
Everybody, including the guy (we'll not spoil this) who framed Dastan, wants the dagger for their own profit. Dastan and Tamina must get it to safety or the sands of time (hidden underneath the Alamut kingdom?) will cover everything and destroy all life.
Special Features: On the Blu-Ray disc, there is a featurette called "CineExplore: The Sands Of Time". You can select to watch the movie and when the magical dagger appears, click on it for info on making that particular scene. I'd rather just choose the option to just watch all these short features (there are at least 20 of them) one after the other.... after I've watched the movie. This however makes for sort of a jerky "Making Of" that you can also access most of on the DVD disc's "Unseen World: Making Prince of Persia" featurette. Very little isn't on both.
The CineExplore doc is a very thorough, if in very short bursts, coverage of everything including all the amazing stunts... Jake doing some Parkour, climbing walls and kicking butt and practicing to kick butt... all with his gasp-inducing abs on display. Sheesh, did this guy just hit the gym 24/7 for months or what?
The production design is nicely covered from Morocco to the huge sound stage at Pinewood, England where sets are built. Costumes are studied in detail. Jake and Gemma talk about their clothes and the cool sands of time dagger design is discussed. The creator of the video game on which the film is based talks about how the film is close to his dream vision for the game.
On-set scenes in which jockeys learn to ride ostriches for a race is a hoot as is "baddie" Alfred Molina telling us why he felt compelled to kiss one (not a jockey, silly, an ostrich!) Jake expresses his special feelings for lead ostrich Mac and talks about how the 125 degree weather didn't bother him much but Gemma and the Brit actors were dragging, tanking down water and freaked out. Then there was a flash flood. Animal handlers talk about the snakes used in the picture and all the CGI matte effects and other computer work is on display and discussed.
Actors and stuntmen playing the super baddies, the Hassansans, swing their creepy weapons and talk about their fights and we see some very nice still photos taken by Exec Producer Jerry Bruckheimer on set.
Wrapping Up: This film is a lot of fun. Action and stunts are amazing and hey, did I say that Jake Gyllenhaal is way buff/ripped!? With his scruffy day-old beard and those abs of steel, you won't be bored watching him. Gemma is gorgeous also in her very beautiful costumes. The bad guys are creepy and fun as are their various evil weapons.
Comic relief character Alfred Molina has some cute lines as does Jake occasionally. The plot is predictable and I would have liked to have seen the dagger turn back time more but, it proves very useful for wanna-be lovers Dastan and Princess Tamina at the end.
If you are a Jake fan or love fantasy adventure films, you have to add this movie to your collection and this is the combo pack to pick. The film and extras look just beautiful. If you just want to watch a kinda cool, if not as clever as "Pirates" (hey Jake's not Johnny Depp) adventure to accompany your popcorn munching, Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time is very well worth a rental.
From 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
Marmaduke - DVD
The cute cartoon about the 
giant family dog has been popular since 1954 and is still in the "funny" papers (those that still exist that is). This animal-driven comedy film centers on Marmaduke, a huge Great Dane voiced by Owen Wilson of Marley and Me. Marm can talk.. a lot and he understands us humans but they can't hear him.
Family's dad Phil ("Pushing Daisies" star Lee Pace) is transferred from Kansas to Orange County, Ca. and it's culture shock for the whole family, including the giant dog. At the local dog park, the big dog learns that the locals are all in cliques and gangs. There are the rich kids (pedigrees) and the poor kids (the mutts). Easy A's Emma Stone voices sweet and cute Australian Shepherd Mazie who crushes on Marm (sooo high school). The "school" is ruled by alpha pup Bosco (Kiefer Sutherland) and Marm is hot for Bosco's "girl" Jezebel (voiced by Fergie).
Will the new dog in school become bdoc (big dog on campus) and win Jezebel or will he learn some life lessons and end up with Mazie? What do you think? Humans are, of course, involved and a rescue takes place that will change everyone's lives.
Special Features: A few "Deleted Scenes" and a doc called "Cowabarka" about real-life surfing dogs and their humans that is kind of cute. You get "Canine Casting" which features casting sessions with George (who wins the role of Marmaduke) and other cats and pups doing tricks, screen tests etc.
Wrapping Up: If you or the younger siblings are fans of the "Chipmunk" films or Beverly Hills Chihuahua, then Marmaduke might tickle your funny... bone. I think I've seen better animation on live animals 'talking" but a better story would have helped me get past that. If you are babysitting your little bro or sis, this one might keep them quiet for a while and you might see the many parallels to the behavior of human teens in school. Maybe rent.
