Caballero Oscuro's Cave

Shock Corridor/The Naked Kiss

2011-01-15T12:07:00.000-08:00

A crazed bald woman beats up her drunk pimp before taking $800 from him, and this is all before the film’s title card appears. We’ve entered serious film noir territory here, courtesy of maverick writer/director Sam Fuller. In this pair of his classic ‘60s films making their Criterion Blu-ray debut, we get a fresh look at the work of this trailblazing auteur in crystal-clear hi def.

In Shock Corridor, Fuller follows a brave newspaper reporter on his bold gambit to infiltrate a mental hospital as a patient in order to investigate a suspicious murder. One guess how that turns out for him. Although he’s perfectly sane when he enters the facility, his prolonged exposure to the deranged patients proves more than his psyche can manage. There’s precious little plot to develop here, as it’s obvious right from the opening that our hero has bitten off more than he can chew, leaving the only mystery whether or not he will successfully uncover the identity of the killer. Instead of plot, Fuller delights in wallowing in the madness of the facility, with extended scenes devoted to the escalating factors driving the reporter to insanity, including a gaggle of nymphomaniacs, a race-hating bigot inciting a riot, shock therapy, and finally the reporter’s own breakdown as he imagines the entire interior of the ward being immersed in a torrential downpour. That final scene is the most memorable, and it came at a cost. As disclosed in the bonus features, Fuller flooded the soundstage and completely ruined his set to get the otherworldly footage.

Filmed the following year, The Naked Kiss has a much more intriguing storyline and protagonist, and as such I found it to be far superior to its predecessor. Constance Towers stars as an ex-hooker named Kelly with a heart of gold, who lands in a sleepy conservative small town (is there any other kind?) in her quest to redeem herself. However, her first act in town is a final remnant of her past life, as she quickly beds the local sheriff in exchange for a donation to the Kelly fund. That sheriff subsequently keeps close tabs on her and doubts her virtue as she sets about working as a helper to disabled children and finds romance with the wealthiest man in town. Is it all an act, or is Kelly truly on the straight-and-narrow? The lingering impact and subsequent repercussions of one naked kiss bring about her perceived downfall, but also her best shot at validation if the lawman can discover the truth.

Both films are stuffed with colorful characters concocted by Fuller, not too difficult to achieve in Shock Corridor’s setting but all the more impressive in the mostly straight-laced environs of The Naked Kiss. Kelly is the most interesting character of them all, as we’re almost as conflicted about her virtue as she is, careening from that astounding opening scene with her pimp right through to her trial in the court of public opinion. Towers is stunning in the role, although more so in the latter stages as there’s something almost too theatrical rather than natural about her performance in the early scenes in town. That could be somewhat attributed to the times, as Fuller’s work here is clearly part of the early building blocks of independent film, so his lead actors were likely still finding their footing outside of the highly regimented studio system fare of the time.

This was my first exposure to any of Fuller’s work, but it’s quite easy to draw a direct line from him to the auteurs of our time such as Tarantino, Jarmusch, and Wenders. As if to drive home that idea of Fuller as godfather to all latter-day independent titans, all three of those directors in addition to Scorsese and Tim Robbins appear in a lengthy biographical program about him included in the Shock Corridor bonus features. There’s quite a bit of interview footage of Fuller included, giving viewers great insight into his gruff, outspoken, and animated personality. Tarantino also contributes a recurring comical impersonation of him while sifting through Fuller’s archives with Robbins.

Elsewhere in the bonus features, Constance Towers appears in lengthy interviews exclusive to each disc and offers incredibly fascinating insight into the production of both films. Although filmed in 2007, she’s razor-sharp, poised, and astoundingly informative in her disclosures about Fuller, the making of the films, and their lasting impact. The Naked Kiss also includes interviews with Fuller from French shows recorded in 1967 and 1987, as well as excerpts from a 1983 episode of the UK South Bank Show dedicated to him, giving viewers an abundance of exposure to this iconoclastic writer/director.

Shock Corridor and The Naked Kiss are available on Criterion Blu-ray on January 18th, 2011 and are being reissued on DVD on the same date. In fact, they’re such long-time and key components of the Criterion library that it’s no surprise to find their original release order numbers on the case spines, representing release 18 and 19 in their now 500+ deep collection. The bonus features are almost entirely new to these reissues, as is the addition of much-improved new artwork by comic book artist Daniel Clowes. For more information, visit http://www.criterion.com/.

Originally published on FilmRadar.

Robinson Crusoe on Mars

2011-01-12T17:35:00.000-08:00

During our great space race of the ‘60s, the sci fi genre took on added credibility and attention as fiction moved closer to reality. That’s not to say that the genre suddenly grounded itself in hard facts, but some efforts were made to feed the public appetite for outer space with actual scientific research. One of those projects has just been released in a lush new Criterion Blu-ray edition packaged with a supplemental feature espousing its basis in fact. Don’t worry though, that pesky science barely gets in the way of the film’s undeniable campiness. It may have correctly guessed a few space age outcomes, but it’s still a wild and free-wheeling outing on the mysterious red planet.

There’s no question about the plot of the movie, as its title is completely descriptive. This is the Robinson Crusoe story retold in space, following the same arc as Daniel Defoe’s original novel or any other subsequent deserted island films such as Swiss Family Robinson, The Blue Lagoon, or Cast Away, with our hero stranded far from home with no hope of rescue as he deals with survival issues and the crushing effects of isolation. There’s even a man Friday along for the ride, an alien slave rescued from his Mars captors by our intrepid astronaut. And there’s a monkey, because everything is better with a monkey. Well, that’s actually part of the science at work again, since the monkey is a fellow astronaut, expanding on their early use by NASA.

The film opens with our Crusoe, the monkey, and a third astronaut (yes, that is “Batman” Adam West) moving into orbit around Mars. When they’re forced to take evasive actions to avoid a huge mass hurtling through space, they separate into two landing modules and crash on the planet’s surface, with only Crusoe and the monkey surviving the landing. Crusoe explores the red planet as he learns to adapt to its lack of oxygen and eventually discovers shelter, food, and water. His chance encounter with Friday grants him the human companionship he misses the most, and the two bond over their efforts to survive and learn each other’s language while outwitting the alien captors continually scouting the planet for their lost property. It’s a pretty basic premise, but it gets a bit wonky in its execution.

Although they shot some exteriors in Death Valley to get a suitably desolate alien landscape, the film’s special effects have not aged well. I found myself frequently comparing its effects to the original Star Trek TV series of the same era, and finding Star Trek to be superior. That comparison may be partially attributed to the fact that Crusoe’s director also later co-produced the original Star Trek pilot, helping to set the tone for both projects. Director Byron Haskin was an effects pioneer, and scared generations of film lovers with his direction of The War of the Worlds, but appeared to be nearing the end of his trail based on the work here. There were a couple of so-so attempts at composite shots with the live action footage appended to matte paintings of Mars backgrounds, and even combined with real volcano footage at one point, but the precision of Blu-ray makes the seams painfully obvious. The alien slaveowner spaceships are particularly laughable, with a high quotient of heavily recycled footage and simple popping in and out of frame like bubbles rather than any attempt at movement. Crusoe starts recording a journal on tape, but keeps shutting off his oxygen tank before each recording line…even though he doesn’t ever appear to be turning it back on afterwards. Even Friday’s silly caveman wig detracts from the serious intentions of the film. The cheese factor of the film rockets sky high thanks to its effects. In our post-space race era, that’s really all the film has to offer new viewers, although its fervent early fans will undoubtedly enjoy reminiscing with its wide-eyed vision of the future.

The film has been completely restored by Criterion, with loving attention paid to its vast 2.35:1 Techniscope color presentation. The version presented here was struck from the original negative and digitally cleaned to remove flaws. The uncompressed monaural audio track was remastered at 24-bit from a 35mm magnetic master and also digitally cleaned. As par for the course with Criterion, the finished product is seemingly better than its original theatrical release. It’s all topped off with a groovy Bill Sienkiewicz cover illustration that beautifully nails the film’s theme and setting.

In addition to the previously mentioned science-heavy featurette, the disc includes audio commentary from the film’s screenwriter, stars, and others, an enlightening stills gallery including many unused concepts for the film, along with its original theatrical trailer and an amusing music video for a theme song actor Victor Lundin (Friday) wrote and recorded many years later in response to fan requests.

Originally posted at FilmRadar.

Despicable Me

2011-01-02T17:39:00.000-08:00

Surely one of the biggest surprise commercial and critical hits of 2010, Despicable Me arrives on Blu-ray in a robust three-disc combo pack stuffed with bonus features. The film’s early trailers were uniformly cringe-worthy, much like Yogi Bear or the upcoming Smurfs, making its eventual emergence as solid and highly entertaining family film all the more noteworthy.

Gru (Steve Carell) is an aging evil genius faced with the unpleasant prospect of being upstaged by a younger diabolical mastermind named Vector. He’s the ultimate Grinch, a total misanthrope isolated in his evil lair plotting ways to ruin the lives of normal people. He doesn’t appear to have any redeeming qualities until he adopts three adorable little orphan girls longing for a home of their own. What starts as an elaborate plan to use the girls in his battle with Vector grows into real affection as they start to bond.

The film is a joy to behold on Blu-ray, with fine details like the texture and weave of clothes and the worn metal of Gru’s vehicles especially precise. Its DTS-HD 5.1 soundtrack is more than adequate, although the film’s focus on family development leaves little room for audio fireworks.

The story moves briskly if somewhat predictably, paying off with some touching moments in the final reel. The vocal talent is nothing special, with Carell in particular struggling to find and maintain Gru’s oddly accented voice. Aside from that, I found very little else not to like aside from a fairly lame final scene and some cheap 3D pandering during the closing credits. It’s a surprisingly fun, heartwarming tale sure to charm the entire family.

The film takes on entirely new dimensions thanks to the Blu-ray’s many bonus features. Among the best are three new mini-movies starring the crowd-favorite Minions, Gru’s squat yellow army of helpers. There are also featurettes on the score (courtesy of Pharrell Williams), the creation of the film’s world, and the vocal talent, as well as commentary with the directors and Minions. There are three carnival-type games for the kids, although they’re plagued with delays for some reason. Two more exclusive games are available for iPhone and iPad as part of the disc’s pocket BLU app that allows users to transfer select bonus features to their smartphones. The other two discs are a DVD copy and digital copy of the film.

Despicable Me is now available on Blu-ray, DVD, and digital download.

Article first published as Blu-ray Review: Despicable Me on Blogcritics.

Daft Punk – TRON: Legacy - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

2010-12-08T09:57:00.000-08:00

The “legacy” appended to the title of the new Tron film doesn’t just refer to the story and visuals of the seminal original, it’s also applicable to the soundtrack crafted by French electronic music stars Daft Punk. Furthering the themes of electronic music married to full orchestral accompaniment as pioneered by Wendy Carlos in the original film, the duo worked closely with director Joseph Kosinski throughout the new film’s production to fully develop the soundscapes necessary to guide viewers through its visionary world. The end result is like nothing they’ve produced in the past, and yet somehow still recognizable as their work.

Daft Punk are know for peppy, uplifting techno house hits such as “Around the World” and “One More Time”, songs that utilize catch melodies and warm, bouncy beats to put smiles on clubbers everywhere. As such, it’s initially shocking to enter the somber, muscular, dystopian soundscape they’ve created for the film, a joyless virtual world that heavily emphasizes drums, but not to move bodies. No, these drums are of a far more primal and tribal nature, more akin to the Kodo drummers of Japan than the electronic beats of clubland. Rather than rely solely on their synths on top of those drums, the duo utilized the full London Philharmonic Orchestra to masterfully expand the epic aims of their work with intense brass and strings, greatly increasing its powerful impact. In fact, their usual electronics are somewhat de-emphasized, called in for important extra color here and there but most consistently providing the low end bass to max out the subwoofers of the world. There’s nothing incidental or off-topic in the score, with barely anything approaching a ballad or dance beat, just a consistently strong and otherworldly auditory adventure into the dark electronic heart of Tron.

This is a score that demands to be experienced at peak volume in an IMAX theater, throbbing with a dangerous intensity and deep, deep bass that threatens to destroy lesser sound systems. It reminded me of Hans Zimmer’s excellent work on the Inception soundtrack earlier this year, with a similar urgency and focus on forceful repetition of notes rather than grand melodies, and like that film there’s no ignoring the score here as it’s clearly an integral and prominently featured component of the film. If you’ve seen any of the recent trailers for the film, you’ve already experienced a taste of what’s in store, and the suits at Disney must recognize they have a clear winner on their hands as it’s also being called into heavy and constant action during their current regular elecTRONica festivities at their California Adventure themepark. The score stands strongly on its own as a visceral and enthralling work that will undoubtedly have a long life regardless of the film’s success, but it’s almost assured that this audio legacy will follow in the footsteps of its soundtrack predecessor to fully expand the cutting-edge vision of the new film.

Article first published as Music Review: Daft Punk - TRON: Legacy - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack on Blogcritics.

The Sound of Music: 45th Anniversary Edition

2010-12-07T01:06:00.000-08:00

The hills are more alive than ever thanks to the stunning 45th anniversary Blu-ray + DVD release of this venerable classic. The film has been remastered for Blu-ray in 1080p hi def with 7.1 DTS-HD sound, making this the best possible way to watch the film at home. With a mind-numbing array of bonus features as well as the lengthy film itself, there are seemingly dozens of hours of entertainment contained in the package.

For anyone unfamiliar with the film, in pre-World War II Austria, Julie Andrews stars as a spirited nun-in-training named Maria who gets assigned as a nanny to the seven children of a stern widower named Captain von Trapp. Will she return to the abbey or find her true calling in the arms of the Captain? Will the family survive the impending Nazi occupation? And why do they spend so much time singing? There's little doubt about how the whole affair will turn out, but the film's heart and its earnest but unforgettable songs still make it worthwhile viewing nearly a half century after its debut.

The Blu-ray image is...well, kinda grainy at times. It's no fault of the hi def transfer, it's just that the digital precision of our newfangled technology reveals the decidedly non-digital nature of the source material. A few questionable focusing issues are also evident, but for the most part the film stands the test of time. The colors are stunning and the depth of field and clarity of detail make the film leap off the screen, with such minutiae as bike riders on the far side of the river behind the von Trapp estate clearly visible. That immersive quality fully brings the charming Austrian countryside to life in ways never before available to home viewers. The sound mix more than holds its own as well, with suitable but never flashy separation, just enough to expand the soundstage without trumpeting its 7.1 presence.

As for bonus features, the main Blu-ray disc includes an exhaustive interactive viewing experience that allows viewers to customize up to four discrete extra tracks during the film: behind-the-scenes images, on-screen lyrics, trivia track, and location quiz. That adds up to quite a bit of screen real estate taken over by extras, but it's also a lively and inventive idea to experience the film in an entirely new way. There's also a music machine sing-along that allows viewers to cut out all that pesky plot stuff and just bask in the glory of the uninterrupted songs, an endeavor that still adds up to a full hour of viewing and singing pleasure.

Disc 2 is another full Blu-ray of special features that include an all-new interactive backlot tour with in-depth featurettes on the songs, the original stage show and movie, the film and sound restoration process, and the real von Trapp family. The treasure trove continues with a virtual map of filming locations in Salzburg, Austria, screen tests, interviews, photo galleries, and vintage Rodgers & Hammerstein programs. Disc 3 is the DVD version of the film as well as the music machine sing-along and another featurette about the film. In short, there's seemingly everything and more included to satisfy even the most demanding of fans.

RoboGeisha

2010-11-15T17:13:00.000-08:00

Seriously, who comes up with this stuff? Is there just some big lottery ball machine somewhere in Japan where filmmakers randomly pull genre title phrases out for combination? Whatever the genesis, the latest entry to arrive on this side of the Pacific continues the anything-goes gore esthetic of predecessors such as The Machine Girl and Vampire Girl vs. Frankenstein Girl. This is the movie for anyone looking for butt swords, spinning sawblade mouths, or “demon milk”.

Our star arrives on the scene in protection of a high-ranking VIP about to be dispatched by an inferior RoboGeisha. Upon defeating her foe and receiving the eternal gratitude of the VIP, she’s asked how she became a RoboGeisha, causing her to reflect on her origin for the rest of the film. As the younger and down-trodden sister of a renowned geisha (think Cinderella), she is recruited into a group of geisha assassins by a powerful factory owner. However, simple martial arts training isn’t enough for these girls, as the factory specializes in cybernetic enhancements to allow them to achieve more than their full potential as the ultimate fighting machines. That’s where the butt blades (and armpit blades for that matter) come into play, along with the factory owner’s diabolical secret plan to slip some nuclear potential into his girls to destroy Japan. RoboGeisha works to thwart the plan and the other warriors while also trying to save her older sister.

As this fare goes, it’s fairly middle of the road. It’s not overly offensive or exploitative in spite of such touches as butt-deployed ninja stars and demon milk sprayed like acid from demon-faced bras. Its final battle isn’t completely over the top, and its connecting material between opening and closing battle is a bit sluggish. Still, there’s much to appreciate in the always-inventive ways director Noboru Iguchi dreams up to enhance and destroy his cast of characters, and he keeps a light touch throughout so the gore is always played for laughs more than gross outs. It’s definitely good for some late night b-movie fun and completely unlike anything made in the US, so adventurous viewers should rest assured that it delivers on its potential, it just doesn’t do much to rise above and become a memorable classic.

The film does not benefit much from Blu-ray presentation due to its low-budget origins, with pixelation readily evident and a just passable sound mix. There’s also a bare-bones approach to extras, with only a brief offshoot short film available.

RoboGeisha is available on Blu-ray and DVD on November 16th, 2010. For more information, visit www.funimation.com.

Article first published as Blu-ray Review: RoboGeisha on Blogcritics.

V: The Complete First Season (2009)

2010-11-03T18:15:00.000-07:00

I’ll get my disclaimer out of the way first: when I was a wee lad I didn’t like the original ‘80s V miniseries. At all. The aliens looked dumb, the spaceships and costumes were boring, and the story couldn’t even capture my childhood imagination. With such bitter memories, I greeted this new series with a total lack of interest and assumed it would be dealt a fairly quick and unceremonious death like its predecessor. But hey, it’s hard for me to pass up any sci fi Blu-ray box set screener, so I took the plunge into a viewing marathon of the new complete first season with absolutely zero expectations. As such, I was pleasantly surprised by what I found.

The core conceit of the original show is still present: aliens have arrived in gigantic spaceships above Earth with promises of friendship and goodwill that mask their shadowy ulterior motives. They’re also masking their true reptilian forms behind pretty human skins that ease their acceptance into human society. In fact they’re masked so well that we get through the entire season without seeing a fully exposed alien, so other than a few glimpses of scales in wounds and creepy reptilian eyes we still don’t really know what we’re dealing with. Led by their charismatic and gorgeous ruler named Anna (Morena Baccarin), the Visitors (Vs) offer medical and technological miracles to humankind in return for basically nothing, just some rest and replenishment. At least that’s what Anna tells the world. Behind the scenes, she’s plotting…something, although the grand design of her master plan remains a mystery throughout the season. Do they want to eat us? Sell us into slavery on their homeworld? Tune in next season!

While most of the dumb Earthlings are content to go along with the fantastic offer of V friendship and aid, a resistance movement arises to expose the true intentions of the Vs and fight for their removal. Leading the resistance is plucky FBI agent Erica Evans (Elizabeth Mitchell), growing increasingly concerned about the protection of her dopey teenage son Tyler (Logan Huffman) in light of his infatuation with comely young V Lisa (Laura Vandervoort), who also conveniently happens to be Anna’s daughter. Agent Evans is aided in her resistance efforts by turncoat V Ryan Nichols (Morris Chestnut), soldier turned priest Jack Landry (Joel Gretsch), and mercenary Kyle Hobbes (Charles Mesure). A news anchor named Chad Decker (Scott Wolf) walks the line between V and resistance fighters, building a rapport with Anna while also confiding in Father Jack. With all the relationships and shifting allegiances, the series quickly becomes a tense game of figuring out who to trust and who to fight, pulling its key players further into the inevitable conflicts.

The series certainly isn’t the smartest, but it’s consistently exciting and nerve-wracking as each side attempts to conceal its objectives from the other while figuring out who they can rely on to further their goals. It’s a considerable strength that the show has one principal story line and keeps tight focus on that story rather than wasting time with standalone episodes like Fringe or X-Files. Sure, there are subplots, but they all contribute to the main story arc rather than divert attention to meaningless side paths. That attention to constantly moving the plot forward is the single best reason to appreciate this series so far and has me anxiously awaiting season two.

The series is incredibly effects-heavy, with all of the environments on the alien ships constructed in CGI. Unfortunately, the CG integration is pretty bad, pulling viewers out of the action as we easily imagine the massive green screen sets the actors inhabited. The producers should be commended for attempting such a high level of CG in a weekly format, but it’s not ready for prime time yet. Maybe add some more actual props and a few tangible backgrounds here and there to foster some sense of realism? For now, the Vs frequently look like they’re running around in the middle of a video game. There’s also some wonky camera work, with a recurring use of over-the-head-looking-down angles on actors and sweeping, rotating camera movement in the virtual environments that just adds to their fake feel.

CG technical issues aside, the series looks and sounds great on Blu-ray, with its crisp 1080p 1.78:1 picture and Dolby Digital 5.1 sound consistently precise. Its bonus features include largely inconsequential deleted scenes and looks at the makeup, effects, actors, and challenges of updating the original show. Note to the studio: when cramming a series onto just two discs, please make sure the bonus features on the first disc don’t include scenes and spoilers from the episodes on the second disc!

V: The Complete First Season is now available on Blu-ray, DVD and digital download.

Article first published as DVD Review: V - The Complete First Season (2009) on Blogcritics.

Bryan Ferry - Olympia

2010-11-02T18:53:00.000-07:00

Ever wonder what happened to the long-rumored new album from Roxy Music? Wonder no longer, as it appears that the limited results of that effort have been repurposed here on lead singer Bryan Ferry’s latest solo album. After a recording hiatus of nearly 30 years, and nearly 40 years for returning early member Brian Eno, it would have been fun to see the Roxy name attached to a full album, but that by no means diminishes the substantial pleasures to be found on this now “solo” album.

Roxy mates Brian Eno (synthesizers), Phil Manzanera (guitar) and Andrew Mackay (oboe) make instantly recognizable contributions on multiple tracks, but interestingly only come together on a lush cover of Tim Buckley’s Song to the Siren. They’re not alone. That track also boasts contributions from Jonny Greenwood (Radiohead), Nile Rodgers (Chic), and David Gilmour (Pink Floyd) among many others. Elsewhere, Flea (Red Hot Chili Peppers) adds his insistent bass on three tracks, Dave Stewart (Eurythmics) co-writes three tracks, and Ferry pulls off winning collaborations on one track each with Scissor Sisters and Groove Armada. With all that talent on tap, including the legendary Bob Clearmountain behind the mixing board, it’s no wonder that the final product sounds like it was recorded with golden equipment and hearkens back to the seemingly long-gone era where albums were a big deal with big budgets to match.

Even with Eno on board, the Roxy-leaning tracks are pure Avalon era, with Song to the Siren in particular sounding like it could have been a new discovery from those early ‘80s recording sessions. While I greatly enjoyed the Roxy reunion, I was pleasantly surprised by the results of Ferry’s riskier moves teaming up with Scissor Sisters on Heartache by Numbers and Groove Armada on Shameless. The Groove Armada effort is the furthest from what one might expect of Ferry, but finds the legend completely comfortable with the bouncy synth and basslines running under his smooth vocal. Unfortunately, the opening track and first single, You Can Dance, is easily my least favorite, at least in this incarnation. The track was originally released last year on DJ Hell’s album Teufelswerk in a completely awesome, nimble dancefloor stormer that has now given way to a bombastic, plodding rock version that finds Ferry’s voice struggling to rise above the din.

In addition to the Buckley cover, Ferry includes his rendition of Traffic’s No Face, No Name, No Number to positive effect, and closes the album with the sweet and understated original song Tender is the Night that sounds like his earliest solo efforts, in particular These Foolish Things, when he first adopted his suave lounge lizard persona as a counterpoint to Roxy’s then far more glam/art rock leanings. It’s immensely pleasing to find Ferry building on his earliest successes both solo and with Roxy Music, but also great to see him striving to successfully expand his horizons with new players after four decades in the game. In spite of the many contributors and eras present on the varied tracks, they tie together into a vastly satisfying and cohesive album that’s a sheer delight from nearly beginning to end.

Article first published as Music Review: Bryan Ferry - Olympia on Blogcritics.

House: Criterion Collection

2010-10-29T18:07:00.000-07:00

House is a fever dream of childhood nightmares distilled through the demented lens of visionary (hallucinatory?) director Nobuhiko Obayashi. Utilizing horrific scenarios concocted by his pre-teen daughter, Obayashi constructed his take on a haunted house film and then threw seemingly every camera trick and technique at it, crafting a boldly original and strikingly memorable landmark of ‘70s Japanese cinema.

The film follows seven high school damsels with fanciful names such as Gorgeous, Melody, and Kung Fu as they set out on a vacation to the remote home of Gorgeous’ aunt. Her house looks unassuming and safe, and the girls delight in their country vacation until they start disappearing one by one under mysterious circumstances. It’s soon apparent that they’re in incredible danger, but by that time they’re also captives of the house and its otherworldly owner, the spirit of the aunt who died waiting in vain for the return of her deceased soldier husband. Their killings are inventive and filmed in gory detail, but the film never really becomes terrifying due to its trippy nature as well as its groovy 70s soundtrack by pop group Godiego that is often at odds with the creepy visuals. Among the most memorable of those deaths are Melody’s prolonged dismemberment by a grand piano and Prof’s death by drowning in a room filled with blood spewing from a demonic cat painting. Yes, you read that right.

The acting is nothing special, with almost all of the student leads recruited from the modeling ranks of Obayashi’s previous commercial endeavors. I believe Gorgeous was the only professional actress at the time in the group of seven girls, although Kung Fu stuck out for me as the most memorable performance with far more energy than the mostly subdued Gorgeous.

Where the film really leaves its mark is its direction, with Obayashi determined to utilize every conceivable form of visual manipulation to bring his experimental film techniques to this major studio release. Among those techniques were frame and time altering, mixed media incorporation such as fanciful animation (especially prevalent during Melody’s death), literally chopped up film images, and kaleidoscopic backgrounds (with a particularly vivid color wheel filling the screen during Kung Fu’s death battle). The film is like nothing before or since, and surprisingly made a mark at the Japanese box office with younger viewers who welcomed its experimental leanings.

House is presented in its original aspect ration of 1.33:1 in a new, restored high-definition digital transfer created from a 35mm low-contrast print struck from the original camera negative. The mono soundtrack was remastered at 24-bit from an optical track print, and cleaned up with Pro Tools HD. Criterion’s loving restoration of the film results in a pristine presentation that is evident from the first glimpse of the venerable Toho studio logo preceding the feature, looking freshly minted and better than new. As for the merits of disc version, the film is not especially technically impressive on Blu-ray due to the somewhat substandard quality of the original material, but hardcore fans will appreciate the seemingly more intense color and fine detail available in the upgraded format.

The variety of bonus features isn’t extensive, but makes a big impact in the quality department. They include:
• “Constructing a House”, a generous (45 minutes!) new 2010 video interview with director Nobuhiko Obayashi and his daughter
• Emotion, a 40 minute 1966 experimental film by Obayashi that shows some genesis of his filmmaking techniques later used in House
• New video appreciation by director Ti West (House of the Devil), a very brief and unnecessary addition
• Theatrical trailer
• An essay in the Blu-ray case insert by Chuck Stephens regarding the film and the Japanese film industry of the time

House is now available on DVD and Blu-ray.

Paths of Glory

2010-10-22T17:50:00.001-07:00

Back when Stanley Kubrick still had all of his hair and was just making a name for himself in film, he caught a lucky break by attracting the already famous Kirk Douglas to star in and champion this powerful antiwar film. While it’s not clear that the star’s heroic tendencies on screen suitably merged with the material or the budding auteur director, there’s no denying that the film is completely engrossing and a vital viewing experience. With a sparkling new Criterion release, viewers now have the luxury of enjoying the best possible version of this largely forgotten gem.

Douglas plays Colonel Dax, a French officer in charge of a battered regiment at the front lines of World War I. His men have been pinned down by German artillery spewing from an unassailable stronghold called The Anthill, offering them no hopes of advancement. When his superior officer is offered a promotion in exchange for a foolhardy move on the German position, he orders Dax's regiment into action. When the mission inevitably fails and his men retreat to their trenches, Dax is forced by his general to send three men to their deaths at the hands of their own firing squad as scapegoats and as punishment for the perceived cowardice of the entire regiment.

Douglas is steely and smug in his self-righteous indignation at the atrocities of war transpiring around his character. He cuts an entirely heroic figure, both leading the charge on the battlefield and later in the courtroom as self-appointed counsel for the condemned men, making him appear as such a shining savior that he nearly walks on water. He was clearly the star and the main draw of the film, so if his overemphasized heroism is what helped it get made it’s a fair tradeoff for the existence of the potent final product. The power-crazed general (George Macready) is suitably devilish, while the soldiers are all adequate with the exception of the particularly good Ralph Meeker as one of the three condemned men and the particularly odd and miscast (and eventually fired) Timothy Carey as another condemned soldier. There’s also a brief appearance by Richard Anderson as the court martial prosecutor, instantly recognizable to TV viewers of a certain age thanks to his later role as Oscar Goldman on “The Six Million Dollar Man”.

Kubrick's film does a sublime job of criticizing the folly of war as well as the corrupt and delusional leaders calling the shots from their ivory towers. The film was banned in France for many years after its release, but the situations presented are ultimately universal and timeless in spite of their basis in historical fact, making this far less a condemnation of French military history than the political and self-serving maneuverings that can lead to such tragic results in any land. Kubrick's gritty battle footage and miserable trench conditions contrast so sharply with the ornate headquarters of the aloof generals that there's no shade of gray about the true enemy in the film. Although it sounds depressing, it's an enthralling and enriching cinematic treasure thanks to Kubrick's thoughtful, assured direction.

The restored and refined image quality of this release on Blu-ray is breathtaking, with such crystal-clear depth, contrast and detail of its black and white images that I wanted to crawl inside them in spite of the war taking place. It’s almost certain that there has never been a more precise and pristine viewing experience of this film, even during its original theatrical release. This is especially obvious when viewing the apparently unrestored theatrical trailer available as a bonus feature, as the images there appear as alternately washed-out and murky as one might expect. Comparing the riveting tracking shot through a soldier-filled trench in the trailer and then in the movie reveals such a vast improvement that the restored scene virtually cries out with the silent looks of desperation and resignation on the faces of the hundreds of anonymous soldiers. The high-definition digital transfer was created from a 35mm fine-grain master positive and manually cleaned to remove flaws such as dirt and scratches. The sound retains the original mono presentation, remastered at 24 bits and completely uncompressed on the Blu-ray version.

This being Criterion, the bonus features are extensive and fascinating. They include a new audio commentary track featuring film critic Gary Giddins, a 1966 audio interview with Kubrick supplemented by stills, new video interviews produced exclusively for this release with Kubrick’s longtime executive producer Jan Harlan, Paths of Glory producer James B. Harris, and actress/wife Christiane Kubrick (who appeared in the final scene of the film). There’s also a brief French TV news segment about the real-life World War I execution that inspired the film, and some rare footage I enjoyed the most: a convivial and wide-ranging 1979 British TV interview with Douglas that finds the relaxed star surveying his life and career including his experiences making this film.

“Paths of Glory:Criterion Collection” is available for purchase on October 26th, 2010. For more information, visit www.criterion.com/films/27522-paths-of-glory.

Vampire Girl vs. Frankenstein Girl

2010-10-21T17:42:00.000-07:00

Ah, Japan: last bastion of truly gonzo gorefests. The latest bizarro flick to wash up on our shores is the instantly descriptive Vampire Girl vs. Frankenstein Girl. Yes, with a self-explanatory title like that there’s little point in reviewing the plot, so let’s get right into the creative ways the directors cooked up the film’s increasingly insane and hilarious comic mutilation.

The movie starts on a high point with Vampire Girl (Yukie Kawamura) facing off against a trio of undead schoolgirls where she skins one of their skulls like she was peeling an orange, then throws it at zombie #2 where it proceeds to latch onto its nose and somehow slowly pulls the skin completely off its head while levitating in mid-air. Zombie 3 eventually ends up skinned as well, leaving Vampire Girl with a neat stack of skulls for a nice foot stomp. And that’s just the opening scene. By the movie’s end, we’ve witnessed Frankenstein Girl (Eri Otoguro) removing one of her own arms to install it on her head as a helicopter rotor, an epic showdown atop and all over Tokyo Tower, and the introduction of innovative vampire powers such as sentient blood that seeks out human hosts and also solidifies into deadly arm blades at will.

Most of the action takes place at a typical Japanese high school, with its requisite girl clubs pumped up to the most extreme of fringe groups that act as warring cliques. The loli-goth club is the most normal, although Frankenstein Girl is eventually created from its deceased leader. The wrist cutter club is a not at all subtle poke at the teen suicide and self-mutilation subculture, with the girls meeting solely to practice their wrist-slashing techniques together. And then there’s the tanning club, the most patently racist thing in a movie in probably the last 50 years unless you understand the culture (and possibly even if you do). These girls take their desire to be black to the furthest extremes, with the darkest tans, huge (and I mean HUGE) noses and lips, afros, and attire. If Oprah ever gets a whiff of this movie it will be permanently banned in the US.

When the school’s resident mad scientist learns of the special powers of Vampire Girl’s blood and finds the host body for Frankenstein Girl, he goes on a whirlwind killing spree to enhance his creation with the best of the school clubs, namely the extremely strong arms of the wrist cutter club girls and the athletic legs of the tanning club girls. There’s also a sex-crazed school nurse and a hellish sumo wrestler along for the ride, as well as an innocent boy student who becomes the object of Vampire Girl’s affections, but for the most part the film is all about the Japanese school girls. It’s wildly creative, well-paced, and ultimately one of the better entries in this peculiar genre to come along in the last few years.

The movie was very loosely based on a comic book of the same name, although apparently the stars never face off against each other in the book. The co-directors liked the comic book cover image and title and basically made everything else up themselves. Those directors are separately famous for such cinematic landmarks as Tokyo Gore Police (Yoshihiro Nishimura) and Zombie Self-Defense Force (Naoyuki Tomomatsu), so they’re operating well within their comfort zones this time around.

Surprisingly, the image quality of this low-budget effort is quite good on Blu-ray, although it maxes out at 1080i instead of 1080p. For a few extra dollars, it’s worth the bump up in quality from DVD. The sound mix is nothing special, but the subs are well done. The extras include footage of a Q&A session with the directors and stars at a theatrical screening, as well as a couple of brief behind the scenes featurettes.

Vampire Girl vs. Frankenstein Girl is now available on Blu-ray and DVD, just in time for your Halloween viewing needs.

Article first published as Blu-ray Review: Vampire Girl vs. Frankenstein Girl on Blogcritics.

Hatter M: The Nature of Wonder

2010-10-21T15:44:00.000-07:00

After his lengthy jaunt across 19th century Europe, royal bodyguard Hatter Madigan takes a trip to the New World in the latest installment of his ongoing “geographic” adventures, The Nature of Wonder. It’s a refreshing change of scenery for the character and readers, but Madigan’s principal quest remains the same: locate the missing heir to the Wonderland throne, Princess Alyss Heart. What originally started as an idea for a brief web comic to expand upon and promote the Looking Glass Wars trilogy of prose novels has turned into a monumental project that has taken on a life of its own and will shortly eclipse its source novels in total volumes.

The latest adventures are chronicled by series creator Frank Beddor along with co-writer Liz Cavalier, ensuring cohesive continuance of the ever-evolving tale of Madigan’s adventures in our world. As in past volumes, Madigan continues his search for Alyss by attempting to follow the Light, better known as White Imagination, a particular strain of good magic native to Wonderland. This volume starts in 1865, marking it as the approximate midpoint of Madigan’s 13 year quest in our world.

This time Madigan’s search leads him across the US, with notable stops along the way. In Washington D.C., he briefly encounters President Lincoln (who greatly admires Madigan’s similar choice in haberdashery), as well as members of a paranormal investigation bureau founded by Lincoln, something like an X-Files precursor. Then it’s off to Arizona where he meets an Indian shaman with a particularly strong affinity for White Imagination and helps her defend her tribe from soldiers corrupted by Black Imagination. Finally, he journeys further into the wild west in California where he meets a milliner from Wonderland, providing him a brief respite and full rejuvenation of his otherworldly weapons. Unfortunately, still no sign of Alyss, but it appears from the included sneak peak that he will continue his search in the Far East in Volume 4, Zen of Wonder.

It’s great fun to see Madigan’s adventures in the US, but the biggest surprise comes from a lengthy flashback to Wonderland where it’s revealed that Madigan has an older brother who was also a highly talented and respected royal bodyguard and also journeyed to our world, a certain setup for a future family reunion but an interesting development nonetheless. The Indian shaman is also surprising due to her significant White Imagination power, forcing Madigan to rethink everything he knows about Wonderland’s exclusivity as the primary domain for Imagination magic and as an independent world.

As in Volume 2, the art duties are masterfully handled by Sami Makkonen, showing even greater range as he fully asserts himself as the visual artistic force of the series. His engaging and extremely original art style continues to work very well for the material.

The book is supplemented by dozens of pages of bonus features including additional background about the places and people Madigan visits, full page artwork of custom Wonderland cards, art and journals from Alyss (I believe originally published in the now out-of-print Princess Alyss of Wonderland), and a brief sample from Volume 3 of the Looking Glass Wars novels. This wealth of features along with the great story combine to make the book a highly enjoyable read and left me anxiously awaiting the next installment.

Of special note and a further nod to Makkonen’s skill, Beddor is re-releasing Volume 1 (now retitled as Far From Wonder, with art by Ben Templesmith) in November with two entirely new chapters drawn by Makkonen. Those chapters are largely inconsequential to the overall story, but chronicle Madigan’s encounter with Spring Heeled Jack in Ireland as well as his temporary incarceration in a Siberian prison where he again crosses paths with intrepid reporter and ally Magda Pushkin. Fans of the series will appreciate the extra dose of Madigan, and the new cover art now nicely ties the book in with the other volumes.

Article first published as Book Review: Hatter M: The Nature of Wonder by Frank Beddor and Liz Cavalier, illustrated by by Sami Makkonen on Blogcritics.

Mad Max

2010-10-09T01:52:00.000-07:00

Can you believe it’s been over 30 years since this movie came out? Or as my wife so elegantly commented, “Wow, I never knew Mel Gibson used to be hot!” A surprise hit from the land down under, the film was a star-making vehicle for Gibson as well as director George Miller as they told this story about what drove officer Max Rockatansky mad enough to seek revenge against an outlaw motorcycle gang. Now it's back in a brand new combo Blu-ray/DVD release from MGM; the DVD offers the movie widescreen and fullscreen.

Frankly, this is not a film that benefits from hi definition transfer. Considering its decidedly low-tech origins, there's no overcoming its inherent image graininess. Dedicated fanatics may rejoice at the chance to make out more details than in the past from its 1080p/AVC encoded transfer, but for the casual enthusiast, there's just not enough improvement over DVD to warrant upgrading.

Audio is similarly suspect, as the Blu offers an “Australian” English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio track, but considering that the film was originally released in mono there's only so much digital separation can accomplish. The Blu also offers the original mono, Spanish mono, French stereo, and American English dubbed mono.

Where this release really drops the ball is its bonus features. A quick glance at the contents reveals that the DVD contains far more bonus features than the Blu, and in fact the Blu offers no exclusive content. Both discs have a commentary track by art director Jon Dowding, cinematographer David Eggby, special effects artist Chris Murray and Max historian/collector Tim Ridge as well as the "Mad Max: The Film Phenomenon" featurette. It's a disappointing slap in the face to the fans and colors this even more as a money grab. Skip right to the DVD for your bonus feature viewing of the following:

"Mel Gibson: The Birth of a Superstar" documentary
Original trailers
"Road Rants" trivia and fun fact track
Photo gallery
TV spots

While the DVD's bonus features are robust, the disc appears to be an exact duplicate of the 2002 Special Edition DVD release. In other words, one more reason for existing owners to skip the upgrade.

Article first published as Blu-ray Review: Mad Max on Blogcritics.

Human Target: The Complete First Season

2010-10-06T21:39:00.000-07:00

"Human Target" feels like a throwback to the late Stephen J. Cannell's school of formulaic, action-heavy, standalone episodes that demand very little intellectual investment from its viewers but deliver significant weekly thrills. Sure, there's a shadowy backstory floating around in there somewhere, but the producers mainly aim to catapult their audience directly into the weekly action rather than getting bogged down in character mythology. As such, it's a surprisingly fun show that you can drop in and out of with little danger of missing out on important plot threads.

The show stars Mark Valley as a charming rogue named Christopher Chance, a talented private eye/bodyguard available for hire to the most deserving of clients. He's joined by his back office support team of Laverne Winston (Chi McBride) and phenomenally skilled hacker and ex-assassin Guerrero (Jackie Earle Haley). That's it. No other regular stars, just a revolving door of guest actors apparently plucked from Vancouver's Who's Who acting directory, with many familiar faces from "Battlestar Galactica" and "The X-Files" in particular. I counted at least five "Battlestar" vets, and even the show's music is by "Battlestar" composer Bear McCreary, although I didn't notice any other causative link in the production and casting credits. As an aside, while I loved McCreary's work on "Battlestar", I was fairly disappointed with it here, so I'm happy to hear he's moved on for Season Two.

Valley is perfectly cast in his role, although you almost feel sorry for him with the amount of action he's put through each episode. Haley is fine in his role as well, but McBride serves no purpose and appears to just be going through the motions to collect a check. His character is of the Danny Glover "I'm getting way too old for this" variety of skeptical, everyman sidekicks generally doing little more than commenting on the superhuman heroics of Christopher Chance. Lose him and the show loses nothing.

The show is based on a DC comic book character created in the '70s and recently relaunched in their Vertigo line. I read the Vertigo work and was curious how they would transition to TV considering some seemingly insurmountable technical obstacles. You see, in the comic book Chance doesn't just work with his clients, he fully assumes their identities to become a...human target, completely adapting his physical appearance, mannerisms, and thought processes to perfectly impersonate his clients. That's a pretty heady concept for a weekly show, so I wasn't surprised to find that the TV Chance just protects his clients as himself without ever attempting to replace them. More fun trivia: there was a previous "Human Target" TV series in the early '90s starring Rick Springfield as Chance!

The show's writing veered from one of the most ridiculous and preposterous hours of TV I've ever seen, involving a hostage situation on a plane in episode two (although the pilot episode's bullet train was fairly dopey too) to a very strong season finale, with special mention to a late season episode featuring the return appearances of two female characters who work well with the boys, an FBI agent and an apprentice hacker. That episode in particular felt like where the show finally came together and was firing on all cylinders, while the season finale built on its momentum with some payoff for the limited mythology, a bit of backstory, and even the welcome appearance of ex-"Six Million Dollar Man" Lee Majors.

The show benefits from viewing on Blu-ray, with its crisp, precise hi def images and sound letting viewers fully experience the bone-crunching action. Unfortunately, the Blu-ray bonus features are nothing special, with just a few deleted scenes and a couple of perfunctory behind-the-scenes featurettes.

"Human Target: The Complete First Season" is now available on Blu-ray, DVD and digital download.

Article first published as Blu-ray Review: Human Target - The Complete First Season on Blogcritics.

Superman/Batman: Apocalypse

2010-09-27T18:17:00.001-07:00

Here’s a recipe for surefire fanboy satisfaction: pair the two most recognizable superheroes in the world with their most well-known and beloved vocal actors, stir in a great story adapted from comics stars Jeph Loeb and Michael Turner, season with eye-popping visuals and thumping sound and simmer to perfection. The latest DC Universe Animated direct-to-video film once again proves that theatrical blockbusters aren’t the only top chefs in the home video market, delivering a winning package destined to be a fan favorite.

Although Superman and Batman get top billing, the film is actually centered on the mysterious arrival and origin of Supergirl. Her appearance sets off completely different reactions in the star characters, with Superman immediately embracing her as his cousin while Batman warily investigates the validity of her story. Wonder Woman also pops in as a proponent for Supergirl, helping her to explore and refine her newfound powers. Of course it wouldn’t be a proper comic-themed project without a big bad, so Darkseid also appears with a great deal of interest in the new girl in town. With intergalactic hijinks, tension between friends and family, and the thrill of watching the new heroine find her place in the world, there’s something for nearly everyone to enjoy. Heck, even Superman’s dog Krypto briefly shows up to appeal to the lame animal superhero fans out there, whoever you are.

The vocal cast is top-notch, with the especially notable fan-service casting of both longtime Batman vocal star Kevin Conroy and longtime Superman vocal star Tim Daly. There’s even some amusing stunt casting with Ed Asner voicing burly female villain Granny Goodness. The only real dud is Summer Glau as Supergirl. Sounds like a good idea in theory, but she delivers her lines in such a dull monotone that one wonders whether she’s still playing her Terminator role from The Sarah Connor Chronicles.

The animation has a fine amount of detail and vibrant color that can really be appreciated in Blu-ray, with the Metropolis and Gotham cityscapes in particular enveloping viewers in their vastness. However, that heightened resolution also unmasks some noticeable jaggies, particularly in the character models. The film is “hand-drawn” animation, or at least some semblance of what passes for non-CG animation these days, but it appears that it must have been drawn, scanned, or otherwise manipulated on computers that didn’t have high enough resolution settings to account for image quality on large HD screens, with character outlines occasionally appearing jagged and pixelated. It’s not really distracting and ultimately a minor quibble, but if we’re ponying up a few extra dollars for Blu we’re probably paying special attention to image quality.

I was thoroughly entertained by the film and was especially thankful to see that the character models carried quite a bit of the late artist Michael Turner’s renditions from the source comic book series. I enjoyed the story in comic form years ago and found this to be a fairly faithful and clearly worthwhile translation to film. The directing didn’t always hit its mark, especially with a few silent reaction scenes failing miserably at their comedic intention, but with strong source material, mostly stellar vocal contributions and a great character lineup, the film is definitely worth a look.

The Blu is overflowing with an impressive array of bonus features including featurettes that provide background on Supergirl, Darkseid and the New Gods, in-depth looks at three previous DC Universe Animated movies, and a generous behind the scenes sneak peak at the upcoming animated movie All-Star Superman. The Supergirl featurette is particularly comprehensive as it traces the character's comic book origin and subsequent career via interviews with the Apocalypse production team, DC Comics head honchos, Smallville Supergirl Laura Vandervoort, and even the star and director of the ill-received '80s live action film.

But wait, there's more! A new and exclusive animated short shines the spotlight on lesser-known DC superhero the Green Arrow as he protects a young princess from the evil Merlyn the Magnificent and the League of Assassins. I'm not fond of the character, but the story moves well and the production quality is as good as the film. Viewers looking for even more entertainment and background on the Apocalypse characters can dive into not one, not two, but four full episodes of the '90s Superman: The Animated Series specially selected by producer Bruce Timm. It's great to see so much effort put into delivering a robust and informative package, kudos to DC and WB for taking the time to do it right.

Superman/Batman: Apocalypse is now available on Blu-ray, DVD and digital download.

Article first published as Blu-ray Review: Superman/Batman: Apocalypse on Blogcritics.

How I Met Your Mother: The Complete Season Five

2010-09-23T17:30:00.000-07:00

Can you believe it’s been five years and we still haven’t met the mother? Yes, the team behind this popular CBS sitcom managed to string us along for yet another year in Season Five, but the formula is finally starting to show some signs of age. It could be the demands of other Hollywood projects, new babies at home, or just going through the motions in familiar routines, but I couldn’t help picking up the feeling that the core actors just weren’t as energized or committed to the show this season. It’s also possible that there might have been some changes in the writing staff that negatively impacted the show, as the scripts seemed to deliver fewer laughs and memorable situations this time around. Whatever the reason, the show continued to be a reliable performer but not quite as winning as past years.

Barney (Neil Patrick Harris) and Robin (Cobie Smulders) spend the first half of the season playing out the remainder of their ill-conceived and doomed romantic relationship, putting a damper on Barney’s typically outrageous womanizing exploits that unfortunately carries over into the back half of the season as well. Marshall (Jason Segel) and Lily (Alyson Hannigan) continue their happy marriage with barely any hiccups, leaving Ted (Josh Radnor) the odd man out with a surprisingly inactive love life. He starts a new career as an architecture professor, meets the odd girl here and there, but goes the entire season without a significant romance. The only notable event is his date with a girl who happens to be the roommate of his future wife, according to his ongoing dialogue with his future kids. Ted and the viewers don’t see the roommate or learn her name, leaving us no closer to solving the show’s central mystery.

As for highlights, the show hit its milestone 100th episode this season and the team put some extra effort into it, designing an elaborate musical number around the considerable talents of Neil Patrick Harris with supporting roles from the rest of the cast and dozens of extras. There’s also another brief musical number in a different episode featuring Ted and Barney and it’s worth seeking out. Also, for those keeping track, Barney receives the fourth of five slaps awarded to Marshall early in the show’s run. Aside from those special moments, there’s little new to see in the rest of the season.

The DVD box set crams all 24 episodes onto just 3 DVDs, allowing the series to be contained in a space-saving standard DVD case. That leaves little room for special features, which include bloopers and behind the scenes footage on the making of the two musical numbers.

How I Met Your Mother: The Complete Season Five is now available on DVD.

Article first published as DVD Review: How I Met Your Mother: The Complete Season 5 on Blogcritics.

Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time

2010-09-14T17:42:00.000-07:00

Like clockwork, summer inevitably brings the return of super-producer Jerry Bruckheimer to the local multiplex with at least one bombastic action film. This year’s first attempt didn’t fare particularly well at the box office, and now that it has reached home video I finally took up the quest to examine its merits or lack thereof. It looks like Bruckheimer and Disney were hoping for another Pirates of the Caribbean phenomenon, and as such there is plenty of that similar breezy action flavor in this effort, but unfortunately this one fell a bit short.

The first strike against the film is its basis as a video game, usually not fertile grounds for box office success. Sure, this particular video game property is relatively long-lived, with origins dating back over 20 years, but even in the gaming world it’s simply not a triple-A franchise. That may have kept average viewers away, but the filmmakers actually did a decent job of translating the property to the big screen with its gaming trappings intact, incorporating lots of the wall-jumping acrobatics and supernatural shenanigans that have populated the latest game releases.

The second and biggest strike is the preposterous casting of Jake Gyllenhaal as a Prince…of Persia. It sounded like a joke when first announced, and looked like a joke when the first set pictures of him with his long hair surfaced, but ultimately he put about as much credibility as he possibly could into the role with his beefed-up physique and heavy action scene participation. I still didn’t buy him as an action star, but he didn’t really embarrass himself. The script even offers an explanation of sorts for his apparent racial incongruity. You see, he’s not really a prince by blood, he’s just a homeless street rat named Aladd…um, Dastan…who was adopted by the king when he was a boy. Of course that doesn’t really translate in movie posters or trailers, so the public perception persisted that the casting was hopelessly insensitive and frankly ridiculous. To further the cultural trespasses, everyone in the film including Gyllenhaal utilizes a British accent, for no discernible reason other than to make the film seem classier. Unless Persia used to be ruled and populated by Brits and I missed that day in my History class.

As for the plot…well, this is a Bruckheimer film so you’re not really here for the plot. There’s action aplenty, epic vistas, lush sets, and top shelf effects, firmly defining this effort as a popcorn movie. Its point A to point B is entirely the Prince’s efforts to track down his father’s killer while simultaneously clearing his own name of the crime. Along the way, he teams up with spunky young Princess Tamina (Gemma Arterton) against villain Nizam (Ben Kingsley) and learns about mysterious sands that can rewind time when used in a mystical blade. Arterton is fine in her role, while Kingsley shows up for another paycheck, an alarmingly recurring fault of his in recent years.

So is it worth watching? If you want to turn your brain off for a couple of hours and veg out with some harmless and largely forgettable action, there are certainly worse ways to spend your movie time. I enjoyed the ride for the most part, when I wasn’t agog at the silly casting and accents. There’s nothing in the film by itself to warrant multiple viewings or further adventures, but it suitably honors the game property and moves at an agreeable and mostly logical clip, so it gets a passing grade from me.

The film shines on Blu-ray, not only for its pristine 1080p picture and DTS-HD Master Audio but for what is perhaps the most complex and immersive bonus feature I’ve ever seen, called appropriately the “Sands of Time”. At first glance, there appears to be next to nothing available in the bonus features section, but closer examination reveals that the film can be watched in its entirety with breakaways to a plethora of featurettes on its production that can be accessed whenever an hourglass appears on screen. That’s not a new idea, but there are so many featurettes (over 40!) on so many aspects of the production that it completely invigorates the viewing experience and offers viewers a true backstage pass. Topics range down to minutiae such as how they trained the ostrich jockeys to Bruckheimer’s personal set photographs, completely immersing viewers in the production and offering real insight rather than just the typical actor lovefest of how great it was to work with everyone else. Also, all of the bonus footage is presented in full HD, offering further evidence that the production team put a great amount of forethought and care into delivering a truly special Blu-ray experience.

Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time is now available on 3-disc Blu-ray Combo Pack (Blu + DVD + Digital Copy), 1-disc Blu-ray, 1-disc DVD and digital download. Of special note, the “Sands of Time” bonus feature is reportedly exclusive to the Combo Pack.

Article first published as Blu-ray Review: Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time on Blogcritics.

The Vampire Diaries: The Complete First Season

2010-09-01T19:08:00.000-07:00

Seriously? Another vampire show? Aside from being a blatant attempt to cash in on the inexplicable vampire craze of the last few years, The Vampire Diaries seemed like an ill-advised concept from the start, offering precious little originality in its take on what basically boils down to a supernatural love triangle between a woman and two vampire brothers. Didn’t get your fill of the Twilight books and movies? The many books but shorter seasons of True Blood just aren’t enough to quench your thirst? You don’t get BBC America so you’re shut out of Being Human? You’re too young to have watched Angel? If so, you’re the target demographic. Me, not so much, which is why I flatly boycotted this show during its first season tv broadcasts, but based on good reviews from a couple of co-workers who should know better, I forged ahead with a full season marathon thanks to the new Blu-ray box set.

The show’s weak stab at a differentiator is its focus on high school characters, adding teen drama to the vampire theme. That makes it a good fit amongst its similarly-aged CW neighbors such as Gossip Girl and 90210, but doesn’t add much to the concept. The show also marks the return of Dawson’s Creek creator Kevin Williamson to a teen-centric series, although he admits in a bonus feature that he consciously molded these characters far from the wise beyond their years Dawson’s gang, so as a result there’s not much noticeable trace of his previously distinctive stamp to be found. Instead, we’re left with a group of very pretty, humorless, and not particularly intelligent people grappling with the impact of vampirism on their lives and afterlives.

Regrettably, after watching all 22 season one episodes I can report that my initial misgiving was spot on. My wife, normally a genre tv junkie, gave up after about six episodes, finding the proceedings entirely too melodramatic and sappy (not her exact colorful term). These sexy kids mope around their small town pursuing typical high school activities and occasionally find themselves in some minor supernatural peril, but that peril never boils over into drama compelling enough to warrant continued viewing. The plot moves quickly, frequently bounces back into the past to add some historical impact to the love triangle, and has no qualms about summarily introducing and dispatching characters, and yet I found myself frequently struggling to care enough to stay awake even within my normal viewing hours. You’d think a show with vampires and witches could produce some fantastic situations brimming with suspense and excitement, but instead we’re mostly left with emo wusses going through the motions of their small town high school lives with brief supernatural interruptions. Also, the music is mostly terrible, with a soap opera score and unappealing pop rock tracks from minor acts that overshadow and ruin any forward momentum the plot may have managed. After hearing two weak modern covers of classic 80s new wave songs within the span of the first three episodes, my wife had already mostly checked out.

I will readily admit that Nina Dobrev is an inspired choice for the lead actress, although apparently that choice caused great dismay among fans of the novels based on the literary character’s frequently mentioned blonde hair and Dobrev’s brunette mane. It’s a delight to watch her develop her skills throughout the season, especially given her relatively young age that almost lets her legitimately pass as a high school student. As for the vampire brothers, I’m sure they’re not hard on the eyes but they didn’t do much for me. Ian Somerhalder gets to show much more range than his stint on Lost, but I never really buy him as a slimy antagonist no matter how many smirks he employs. Paul Wesley just seems like a boring cardboard cutout as the stoic brother fighting to keep his blood lust in check while also pining for Dobrev’s character, although he finally gets to emote a bit in the final episodes of the season.

The series is crammed onto four Blu-ray discs, so those who like to blaze through a disc at a time are in for a 4 ½ hour marathon per disc. Each of the first three discs contains a few deleted scenes relevant to the episodes on those discs, while disc four (with only four episodes) also houses other bonus featurettes where the cast and producers mostly talk about how awesome it is to work with everyone else. My favorite bonus was the inclusion of the original casting footage, showing the actors in their pre-fame state struggling for their eventual roles. The bonus features also include a few webisodes and a seemingly out of place gag reel. Thankfully, the show doesn’t scrimp on its production quality so the Blu image absolutely sparkles, with any given still pristine enough to be suitable for framing. The sound mix is right in line with what one would expect…if you can get past the “music”.

The Vampire Diaries: The Complete First Season is now available on Blu-ray, DVD and digital download.

Article first published as Blu-ray Review: The Vampire Diaries: The Complete First Season on Blogcritics.

Pixies Live: Acoustic & Electric

2010-08-27T17:43:00.000-07:00

Although this is a completely new Blu-ray release, there’s no new material on it. Instead, it combines the contents of two previous Pixies concert DVDs released in 2006 in their entirety, including the bonus features. As such, fans who already have the DVDs may have little incentive to upgrade aside from technical specs and marginal space-saving design.

After over a decade apart, the Pixies reunited in 2004 and found themselves playing to larger audiences than they ever encountered in their heyday. This led to an extended tour schedule and eventually to the two DVDs documenting these full concerts.

The Blu leads off with a full acoustic set recorded at the Newport Folk Festival in 2005. It’s an interesting choice for the reunited band, representing their first-ever entirely acoustic set and first-ever appearance at an event that wouldn’t seem to be a natural for them. I expected very little from this outing but was pleasantly surprised by the warmth of the songs in their acoustic setting and the ease with which the band adapted to the extremely laid-back vibe of the festival. Against a setting sun and within steps of the beach, the band delivered a completely satisfying set and seemed to be thoroughly enjoying the performance themselves. Well, except for guitarist Joey Santiago, but that’s just because he’s apparently always inscrutable when it comes to displaying emotions on stage.

The second concert presents the Pixies in their normal electric mode at a very small club in Boston surrounded by around 200 of their closest friends and biggest fans. This is a longer set and is also a fine performance, but in spite of the intimate setting, traditional performance method and deep catalog choices I found myself not nearly as entertained as the acoustic concert. Maybe it was too much of the same too shortly after viewing the first concert, maybe there just wasn’t enough energy in the venue with the greatly constrained audience numbers, but it felt too forced to me and ultimately a bit lacking compared to its acoustic partner.

The extras are even more performance footage, so if you didn’t get enough from the main features there’s still plenty more to come. From the acoustic DVD, we get some in-depth rehearsal footage showing the pains the band went to in boning up for their unprecedented performance. The best part of this is a nearly full version of “Debaser” that was inexplicably cut from the final concert, making this the only way to experience the acoustic take on the song. From the electric DVD, we get very early and very rough footage of a 1986 set in its entirety. Seriously, it’s rough, seemingly lifted from a fan or roadie’s home video camera with no attempt to enhance the image, right down to the embedded 10/31/86 timestamp present throughout the set. Thankfully, the sound quality is passable, and it’s really amusing to see the young band members, especially lead singer Frank Black who appears to be about 12 years old here.

As for technical considerations, both concerts are presented in widescreen but the resolution maxes out at 1080i, not 1080p. The acoustic set appears to have been shot on film or video mastered to look like film, but based on the somewhat substandard hi def quality appears to have just been transferred from the DVD rather than remastered from the source. The electric set was definitely shot on video and appears much closer to true hi def. Interestingly, the default audio track is 2-channel LPCM stereo, but 5.1 Dolby Digital and DTS HD Master Audio tracks are also available for the primary concerts. The entire package is presented on a single Blu-ray disc.

“Pixies Live: Acoustic & Electric” is now available.

Article first published as Blu-ray Music Review: Pixies - Live: Acoustic & Electric on Blogcritics.

Date Night

2010-08-13T12:27:00.000-07:00

Director Shawn Levy had a simple idea for Date Night: make a movie about the rituals of marriage, and what might happen if those rituals got blown to smithereens one night. Working with writer Josh Klausner, the idea was fleshed out into a rollicking comedy that has some real heart thanks to the performances of stars Steve Carell and Tina Fey.

Carell and Fey play a long-time married couple named the Fosters who have fallen deeply into a rut of familiarity and routine. Their regularly scheduled date nights invariably involve the same activities at the same venues, offering no respite from their mundane lives. When a fellow married couple announces their impending divorce, the Fosters take a hard look at their own lives and see that there’s very little preventing them from the same fate. Hoping to spice up their marriage, they set out on a date to a hip upscale eatery in Manhattan, well outside their New Jersey suburb comfort zone. Upon arriving at the trendy restaurant and finding no tables available, they steal another couple’s reservation. Unfortunately, their assumed identities also make them the targets of a couple of hitmen looking for a mysterious flash drive, throwing them into a precarious adventure that leads them through the outskirts of the criminal underworld and police system.

The outcome of the basic plot is about what anyone would expect and offers nothing truly original. However, the comedic flair of Carell and Fey enliven the proceedings with occasionally side-splitting results. The biggest surprise is the film’s tender moments, where Carell and Fey bring some believable emotion and chemistry to their interactions as husband and wife. It’s no stretch to imagine that they’re bringing their own life experiences to the table as long-time dedicated family members, but it’s still refreshing to see how well they play to each other’s strengths rather than try to one-up each other.

On Blu-ray, the 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio sound is superb and the 2.35:1 picture is suitably precise, although there’s a bit of noticeable graininess at times in spite of the fact that it was shot on digital. This can probably be accounted for by the film’s almost entirely night setting with its associated lower light, but it still surprised me when the bonus features disclosed that the movie was shot on digital instead of film. The Blu package also includes a 2nd disc with Digital Copy for download to PC and portable media players.

The Blu-ray is stuffed with bonus features including standard offerings such as deleted/alternate/extended scenes, options to view either the theatrical or extended version of the film (about 15 minutes difference), and audio commentary from Levy on the theatrical version. Other unique features include Carell and Fey’s original camera tests (which were repurposed for the film’s early posters), fake public service announcements by Carell and Fey, disaster date stories from most of the cast, and by far the best and most interesting feature: a 20+ minute behind the scenes Directing 301 featurette that follows the production over an entire day, showing and explaining in detail all the setups, crew roles, and logistical challenges needed to capture a few simple scenes. Kudos to Levy and the crew for allowing and participating in this enlightening glimpse into the production.

Date Night is now available on DVD, Blu-ray, and digital download.

Article first published as Blu-ray Review: Date Night on Blogcritics.

White Collar: The Complete First Season

2010-07-17T12:23:00.000-07:00

USA Network has carved out a niche of breezy, charming shows over the past few years and White Collar is no exception. Joining the likes of Burn Notice, Psych, and even newest arrival Covert Affairs, the series offers up easily digestible standalone episodes with very little cumbersome ongoing plot to keep track of, allowing viewers to pop in for a brief and mindless visit at any time.

With a flimsy plot device pairing a dashing con artist with no-nonsense FBI agent, the show takes off on a new investigation every week. The nature of those investigations is also light, just like the series title promises, with a focus on crimes like art thefts and counterfeiting that leave very few dead bodies in their wake.

The con artist gains release from maximum security prison to help the FBI agent catch another master criminal, and their success on that first case opens the door for their continuing adventures with only a tracking anklet keeping the con honest. Of course he could easily flee at any time if he really wanted to, but this is TV so he has a heart of gold and the integrity to uphold the terms of his prison release.

The con (Matt Bomer) is a suave pretty boy who uses his looks and charms to wiggle into and out of all manner of sticky situations, while his fed partner (Tim DeKay) is a boring, conservative agent with a stable married life, improbably pairing him with a much better looking wife (Tiffani Thiessen). The con isn't in the romance market as he's still pining for his ex-girlfriend who left a trail of mysterious clues in her wake when she vanished from his life. So, while the odd couple work on their weekly investigation, he also spends a few minutes on his big picture mystery in the hopes of reuniting with his lost flame and their joint hidden treasure.

This is not the show for viewers interested in complex plot mythology or deep character studies. However, for what it is, it gets the job done quite well. There's little to complain about here, other than the con's somewhat forced fondness for Rat Pack era fashion including form-fitting suits, funky fedoras and skinny ties. In the context of their New York City surroundings, he can get away with his fashion choices, but in reality the costume designer's wardrobe choices seem more constraining than defining.

On Blu-ray, the 14 Season 1 episodes really pop compared to DVD, with a rich color pallette, crisp photography, and an immense depth of field that shows off their New York locations so well that the city becomes an integral character of the show rather than just a setting. The sound mix is not noticeably better on Blu, but is offered in 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio.

As for bonus features, there's a gag reel, deleted scenes, audio commentaries on selected episodes, and very brief featurettes focusing on the fashion, the two stars, and the New York City location scouting.

White Collar is now available on DVD and Blu-ray.

Article first published as Blu-ray Review: White Collar - The Complete First Season on Blogcritics.

Hot Tub Time Machine

2010-07-03T07:27:00.000-07:00

Hot Tub Time Machine succeeds at truth in advertising, giving viewers exactly what the title describes. There's no high concept or subterfuge here, just a clearly if ridiculously crafted idea carried through to a mostly satisfying end. You may wonder how this project ever got a green light, but you'll likely be laughing along the way.

When a 40-ish loser attempts suicide, his two closest friends and a tagalong nephew try to cheer him up by taking him on vacation to the site of their greatest early exploits. That ski resort was a bustling hive of sex, drugs and rock'n'roll in their college days, but has now turned into a virtual ghost town with broken-down accommodations and residents. The guys determine to make the best of it anyway, and leap at the chance to enjoy the inviting hot tub outside their room. Through the magic of energy drinks and extreme suspension of disbelief, the guys end up back in the '80s and get to experience the highs of their prime one last time.

The film scores a coup with the casting of John Cusack as the lead, sending him and his buds back to the era of '80s comedies where he first became a star. It's amusing just to see the now-mature Cusack go gaga at the silly '80s fashion, music and attitudes he encounters on his trip through time, knowing that he was once a part of documenting and defining the era in his early days.

The rest of the lesser-known leads must have been pinching themselves every day wondering how they were fortunate enough to share nearly equal billing with Cusack. Of the three, Rob Corddry (The Daily Show) contributes the biggest laughs as the suicidal loser stuck in the past, while Clark Duke (Greek) and Craig Robinson (The Office) are largely just along for the ride.

There's no discernible reason to watch this film on Blu-ray, in fact the image quality of the film might discourage viewers from doing so. It's a distractingly grainy picture for some reason, and with no stellar sound design either it's likely that the reduced fidelity of DVD may actually help to mask the film's low quality.

That's not to say the Blu is a total waste, as it includes both the theatrical and unrated cuts of the film on one disc along with a fine array of special features including deleted/extended scenes and featurettes about the production, costumes, and co-stars Chevy Chase and Crispin Glover.

Hot Tub Time Machine is now available.

Article first published as Blu-ray Review: Hot Tub Time Machine on Blogcritics.

Wonder Pets: The First Rescue

2010-05-05T10:34:00.000-07:00

Nickelodeon’s lovable superhero pets are back with another round of all-new adventures, this time celebrating a couple of key milestones. The leadoff episode is a double-length tale that recounts how the Wonder Pets met, came up with their gear and theme songs, and rescued their first animal, while a subsequent episode is a celebration of their 100th animal rescue. In between episodes zero and 100 are a handful of other charming adventures sure to captivate the younger viewers as well as their parental units.

As we learn in “How It All Began”, Linny the guinea pig was the founder of the group, meeting turtle Tuck and Ming-Ming duckling upon their arrival in her school classroom home. The three worked together to build and name their flyboat vehicle, and came up with the idea of helping other animals in trouble when they were accosted by recurring obnoxious guest star Ollie the rabbit. As if the Pets weren’t cute enough already, this episode shows them as younger, smaller, even cuter versions, and it’s great fun to see them come up with their theme song, telephone hot line, and costumes as they embark on their ongoing mission.

The 100th episode is mostly a rehash clip show with a brief rescue of a mouse, and as such is a fairly weak outing. There’s also a Mother’s Day-themed episode with no actual rescue, although the Pets visit a few other animal mothers on their way to Linny’s grandma’s house.

The Pets venture outside the animal kingdom with their assistance as well, helping out with entertainment at their returning space alien friend The Visitor’s birthday party and counseling a mermaid with an identity crisis. That leaves only two fully traditional animal assistance efforts: a sun bear and a rhino. The rhino episode is one of the strongest thematically as it explores shyness in kids as the young rhino struggles to reach out to make friends with an elephant.

Wonder Pets isn’t the most educational of shows when it comes to readin’, writin’, or ‘rithmetic basics, but as an introduction to manners, teamwork, and interpersonal relationships it’s hard to beat. It’s also got some of the strongest and catchiest songwriting of any show, with each episode operating as a mini-musical.

Of special note, this DVD is actually a DVD-R, and although I received no documentation about this change in format with my review copy, it appears to be an environmentally-conscious effort to burn on demand rather than oversupply the marketplace. That’s fine for most people, but if you have an older DVD player or PC drive, you may be unable to play this release. There are also no bonus features, trailers, or even copyright warnings before the title screen, making this disc feel even more like a bootleg. I’m happy to get right into the episode action when I load the disc, but a disclaimer may be warranted next time around to assuage any parental anxiety about this diversion from the Nickelodeon norm.

Wonder Pets: The First Rescue is now available.

Article first published as DVD Review: Wonder Pets: The First Rescue on Blogcritics.org.

True Blood: The Complete Second Season

2010-05-03T17:03:00.000-07:00

The sleepy, swampy town of Bon Temps, LA, gets a fresh infusion of weirdness in season two of True Blood. Sure, the vampires and werewolf are still there, but this time around a fanatical church has set up shop with the aim of eliminating the vampire threat by any means necessary. That doesn’t mean the humans are any safer, since the town also get visited by a near-immortal succubus-type creature who works her way into the community as a brainwashing party starter coercing the citizens to do her bidding while also throwing all of their inhibitions and clothes out the window.

The second season also continues its exploration of the central romance between Sookie Stackhouse (Anna Paquin) and Vampire Bill (Stephen Moyer), but the subplots and supporting character focuses completely change from season one, making the show feel entirely new. Where season one got lots of mileage out of flamboyantly gay cook Lafayette (Nelsan Ellis) and Sookie’s brassy, sassy best friend Tara (Rutina Wesley), season two finds both of them almost completely toothless, with Lafayette captive, unglamorous and scared in the early episodes and Tara brainwashed in love all season. While it’s really a shame to see them so underutilized and out of character, it opens the show to fresh directions rather than falling into a total rut.

Sookie’s dimwit brother Jason (Ryan Kwanten) still gets to burn up screen time with his comedic antics, this time in service to the church, while Sam Merlotte (Sam Trammell) continues his shape-shifting second life, but there’s a void in the previous supporting framework that gets filled by the arrival of prime baddie Maryann Forrester (Michelle Forbes) and the towering emergence of returning season one character Eric Northman (Alexander Skarsgard), a vampire rival for Sookie’s affections. Out of all the characters and subplots fighting for attention in this heady gumbo, Skarsgard’s Eric rises to the top as the most fascinating of all, making this season a truly star-making turn for him.

The True Blood DVD box set includes all 12 season two episodes along with a couple of bonus features that expand on the mythology of the show. “Fellowship of the Sun: Reflections of Light” gives viewers more insight into rules to live by from the fictional church leaders Steve and Sarah Newlin, while “The Vampire Report: Special Edition” is a faux news magazine that spotlights the year’s top stories in vampire culture. The box set also includes audio commentaries with cast and crew including creator Alan Ball, Paquin, Moyer, and Skarsgard.

True Blood: The Complete Second Season is available on DVD, Blu-ray, and digital download on May 25th, 2010.

Article first published as DVD Review: True Blood: The Complete Second Season on Blogcritics.org.

http://blogcritics.org/video/article/dvd-review-true-blood-the-complete1/

Fantastic Mr. Fox

2010-03-26T16:17:00.000-07:00

Wes Anderson, animation director? Seems like an unlikely job description for the distinctive live-action writer/director, but as it turns out, his foray into the world of stop-motion animation yields considerable rewards. This is also his first full-blown adapted screenplay, and while his film still bears the title of Roald Dahl’s classic children’s novel Fantastic Mr. Fox and follows the same basic plot, it’s really his show all the way.

George Clooney lends his voice as the titular fox, an aging family man grappling with a midlife crisis forcing him to choose between his stable domestic life and the criminal exploits of his youth. He justifies his thieving excursions as his nature, but fails to recognize the consequences when things go awry. He foolishly targets three well-guarded farms for his ill-gotten gains, putting his family and friends in jeopardy when the farmers coming looking for retribution. Sounds somewhat dramatic, but the film is played for comedy for the most part and keeps a fairly light-hearted approach throughout.

If you’re a fan of Anderson ’s work, you’ll be right at home in his new sandbox, but if you’re looking for a mainstream kids movie you may want to move along. There’s nothing really objectionable for younger tots, but the film requires an adult frame of reference to fully enjoy its charms. From Mr. Fox’s midlife crisis to his son’s teen angst to Anderson’s typically atypical pacing and dialogue, the film fits in perfectly with the rest of Anderson’s filmography, which resides nowhere near the Disney/Pixar/Dreamworks animation neighborhood.

Anderson purposely selected stop-motion as his animation medium because of his love for the artform due to its warmth and handmade feel. He made no demands to limit the amount of fur displacement on the detailed animal character models caused by the painstaking animation process, seemingly delighting in their constantly ruffled appearance. His infatuation with the ‘70s continues here, with muted earth tones as his palette and clearly retro technology littered throughout his backgrounds. He also drove his animators crazy with some decidedly live-action shot selection, but the end results appear to deliver what he envisioned. It’s hard not to compare the animation to the pioneering stop-motion work of Rankin Bass or even fellow Dahl stop-motion adaptation James and the Giant Peach, but an even closer comparison is the ‘80s-‘90s work of British studio Cosgrove Hall, particularly their similar “animals in clothes” series The Wind in the Willows and Brambly Hedge. If you have any affinity for stop-motion animation, there’s much to admire here.

The DVD includes only a couple of very brief featurettes on the making of the film, as well as a rehash of a fanciful sport played in the film at one point. Fantastic Mr. Fox is now available.

Ponyo

2010-03-11T09:29:00.001-08:00

As a general rule, I am diametrically opposed to dubbed versions of foreign films, choosing to exercise my Snob right to view material in its completely unadulterated original form. If the US distributor further decides to edit or alter the original, the end result is a virtual no-starter for me. However, Disney sweetened the pot with their presentation of Studio Ghibli’s latest production, Ponyo, by hiring a top-flight vocal cast and E.T. screenwriter Melissa Mathison for its US script. This improved my assignment to provide a thorough review of my Blu-ray screener, but still left me feeling a bit dubious as I settled in for a viewing last night.

Originally titled Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea, writer/director Hayao Miyazaki’s latest effort follows the adventures of a little girl sea creature and the five-year-old human boy she befriends. If that sounds like The Little Mermaid in a junior edition, that’s not an inaccurate description, but it fails to convey the wholly original magic contained in this tale. Much of that magic is derived from the film’s decidedly hand-made feel, as Miyazaki continues in his dogged devotion to traditional hand-drawn cel animation in direct opposition to the popular modern conventions of the CG animation era. Backgrounds are a pastel-painted wonderland with clearly visible brush strokes, while characters are animated in a slow, slightly jerky manner that points to devotion to homemade craft instead of high frame rates. The opening sequence sets the tone for the entire film, as Ponyo’s underwater world teems with hundreds of different sea creatures forming a kaleidoscope of animated wonder. The world above-water is equally inviting, as the humans move through a charming coastal town fully in tune with the beauty of its natural surroundings. Miyazaki ’s master touch delivers an animated world you’ll want to inhabit for long after the film ends.

As for the story, I had some concerns after viewing the original last year as it seemed a bit challenging for mass appeal, with a somewhat creepy and confusing father figure for Ponyo and some unclear motivation for Ponyo’s relationship with her human friend, Sosuke. Although I’m hard-pressed to find any difference in the final cut of the original and US versions, the US dub thankfully tones down the bizarre nature of Ponyo’s dad, a human living under the sea, to make him a more sympathetic figure as he attempts to keep Ponyo protected from the human world. I still had some trouble buying Ponyo’s instant and permanent devotion to Sosuke or their prospects for the future, but keeping in mind Miyazaki ’s definition of this as a film for five-year-olds with their corresponding limited, black and white world view, it became a non-issue as I let myself experience the world from their perspective. It also helped to watch with my completely enraptured 3-year-old daughter as she sat transfixed throughout the film with barely any questions about its progression, apparently because it made perfect sense to her. Miyazaki is right, this is a film for kids, but it’s made with such care and respect for its audience that it’s winning entertainment for the entire family.

The US vocal cast is headed by Tina Fey as Sosuke’s mom, along with Liam Neeson as Ponyo’s dad and Cate Blanchett as Ponyo’s sea goddess mom. Also popping in along the way are Matt Damon as Sosuke’s dad and a golden girl trifecta of Betty White, Cloris Leachman, and Lily Tomlin as senior center residents. The young leads are played by siblings of famous Disney alumni: Noah Cyrus (Miley’s sis) as Ponyo and Frankie Jonas (the bonus Jonas brother) as Sosuke. The cast is uniformly fine in their roles, adding luster to this carefully assembled dub.

Ponyo on Blu-ray is a sight to behold, as the lush colors, inviting backgrounds, and highly detailed character line work combine to form an almost 3D feel that further welcomes viewers into its world. The sound mix doesn’t offer many fireworks as this is a quiet tale without need for bombastic surround effects, but for what it’s worth, the 5.1HD mix allows viewers to experience veteran Ghibli composer Joe Hisaishi’s score in its best possible format. Blu-ray is a great way to experience every nook and cranny of this lovingly-constructed tale and should be the de facto choice for anyone with the equipment and desire to own the film.

The Blu-ray further excels by providing a mind-numbingly expansive selection of bonus features on the production of the film, including interviews with Miyazaki and Hisaishi, as well as interviews with US producers Frank Marshall and Kathleen Kennedy and most members of the vocal cast. There are also features on the location scouting in Japan used as a basis for the film, features on a few other Ghibli classic productions including My Neighbor Totoro, as well as behind-the-scenes footage from Studio Ghibli. It’s a real treat for Ghibli fans and a further indication of the care Disney put into releasing a definitive edition of the film for US audiences.

The Pee-Wee Herman Show (2010)

2010-01-22T17:40:00.000-08:00

It’s hard to believe that 20 years have gone by since the Pee-Wee’s Playhouse TV series ceased production, and nearly 30 years since Pee-Wee Herman’s stage debut, but these unavoidable facts are even harder to believe when witnessing the new live The Pee-Wee Herman Show currently playing in Los Angeles. The seemingly ageless Paul Reubens has finally returned to his most famous role, and in dusting off his Pee-Wee character he has also recreated the colorful, puppet-filled environment of the TV show in gasp-inducing detail. It’s as if someone sealed the TV show in a time capsule and finally decided to pop the cap this month to rediscover its fondly remembered treasures. That’s not to say it’s all kitsch and reminiscence, as Reubens includes a few nods to modern times and a sly dig at his most notorious moment, but for the most part the new show is a direct continuance of the TV show and the original stage show.

The show opens with Reubens emerging solo from side stage before the curtain goes up, giving the audience a chance to register that yes, it really is him and yes, he can still fully pull off the character. Then the curtain rises, unveiling the resplendent Playhouse in all of its glory. The jaggy padded door! Chairry! Globey! Conky the Robot! Mr. Window! The gang is all here, with plenty more visitors dropping by as the show progresses. Reubens has reassembled key human players from the original show: Miss Yvonne (Lynne Marie Stewart), Mailman Mike (John Moody), and Jambi the Genie (John Paragon), and they all admirably keep up with Pee-Wee’s youthful exuberance. Cowboy Curtis has been recast with Phil LaMarr, doing a fine job filling Laurence Fishburne’s large boots. As for new arrivals, there’s a handyman named Sergio, a firefighter, and a seemingly mute bear who acts as a foil for Pee-Wee through most of the show, dropping in to annoy him from time to time. There’s even a word of the day, eliciting the expected fanatical response from the crowd whenever it’s uttered throughout the show.

Viewers looking for a strong story came to the wrong show, but the two nominal plotlines involve Pee-Wee’s wish that he could fly and a budding romance between Miss Yvonne and Cowboy Curtis. The story is really just an excuse to continue the guest visits to the Playhouse, and therein lies a slight weakness to the final product. Where the TV show excelled in its half-hour format, providing just enough time to visit all the characters and revel in Pee-Wee’s humor without wearing out its welcome, the stage show’s nearly 90 minute running time makes it seem like an overly long episode. While it’s thrilling to see the old characters make their initial appearance on stage, by the time they pop back around for their second, third, and more visits it starts to get a bit tiring. Still, there’s enough variety and continual humor that it’s difficult to find any real fault with the show’s structure. Mostly, it’s just great to see Reubens back in the gray suit, and it’s hopefully the start of Pee-Wee’s long-overdue return to glory.

The Pee-Wee Herman Show is currently playing at Club Nokia in downtown Los Angeles through February 7th, 2010. For ticket availability, visit Ticketmaster.

Surrogates

2010-01-18T15:56:00.000-08:00

American laziness reaches its peak in the futuristic thriller Surrogates. In the film’s look at the future, citizens have been completely replaced by their robotic avatars, idealized versions of themselves who carry out their daily duties while their human controllers stay home in their jammies jacked into their control chairs.

When an unregistered robot is destroyed under mysterious circumstances, ace investigator Tom Greer (Bruce Willis) is called in to find some answers. Greer is a damaged individual still grappling with the accidental death of his son that also left his wife disfigured and despondent. Their robots still interact, but his wife has completely sequestered herself from all human contact including Greer, leaving him lonely and longing for a real relationship. This longing leaves him decidedly less enamored of the impersonal robot life than his fellow citizens, so when his robot is destroyed in the course of his investigation he’s only too happy to get back into action as a real person.

Greer’s investigation leads him to the creator of the robot avatars, an unstable tycoon named Canter (James Cromwell) who is also mourning the death of a son. As an inventor and the head of the massive conglomerate responsible for the growth of the robot culture, he’s in a position to take some drastic and unorthodox measures that could impact both the robot and human population. While Greer and Canter clearly start out on opposing sides, there’s little surprise that the combination of a grieving inventor and a disillusioned cop will result in some global implications by the final frame.

The movie was based on a little-known graphic novel of the same name and translates fairly well to live action as a concept, but not so much as compelling entertainment. The need for highly idealized avatars means that all of the “actors” in the film look and act like they were recruited from modeling agencies, a plus for their perfect bone structure and physiques but a definite minus for acting talent. Willis is basically the only real actor with substantial screen time, and his interactions with the other no-name cast members expose the deep chasm in acting abilities between them. Also, the film’s wig department went crazy with their quest for mannequin-like hair, in particular giving Willis-as-robot a ridiculous floppy blonde ‘do and foisting a preposterous dreadlock mess on Ving Rhames. It’s difficult to take the film seriously when the hair is so distracting. Finally, director Jonathan Mostow seems asleep at the wheel here, failing to create any real emotional resonance, drama, or even decent action set pieces. As a result, the film just exists as a curiosity for viewers interested in the concept but fails to deliver any truly memorable moments. Thankfully, it clocks in at less than 90 minutes long, so it’s a brief distraction at best.

The Blu-ray presentation exposes the source film as being oddly grainy, like it was shot on low-grade film stock. It’s strange that a futuristic study of perfection has such imperfect images. The 5.1 DTS-HD soundtrack has decent separation and is suitably bass-heavy during the rare action moments. The disc’s bonus features include a featurette on the reality of mind-controlled robots, an exploration of the evolution of the concept from graphic novel to film, four deleted scenes, and a music video. Surrogates is available on Blu-ray and DVD on January 26th.

District 9

2009-12-22T23:43:00.001-08:00

District 9 is described by its studio as a sci-fi thriller, and while that’s an accurate label in broad strokes, it sells short the film’s startling originality and thought-provoking social commentary. Rather than just presenting a heavily plotted story of aliens stranded on Earth, writer-director Neill Blomkamp utilizes loose acting improvisation and a documentary style to increase its realism and impact. He also sets it in a weighty locale that forces viewers to draw the obvious parallel between his film’s alien fiction and our own all-too-real mistreatment of fellow humans.

The film’s title refers to an internment camp outside Johannesburg, South Africa, where over 1 million stranded aliens have been reduced to life in the slums for over 20 years with no apparent hope of returning home. Amid escalating pressure from the local human populace, the government begins a program of forced eviction in the hopes of moving the aliens and the unsavory element they attract further from the city. Enter Wikus (Sharlto Copley), a nerdy government office drone selected to spearhead the militarized task force responsible for the relocation. His assignment requires door-to-door contact with the aliens as he coerces them to sign documents consenting to the relocation while he also scouts for any illegal alien weapons activity.

When Wikus runs across some mysterious alien goo in the ghetto, he begins a tragic transformation that grants him both human and alien characteristics. He also makes the acquaintance of the brainy alien who concocted the goo and is forced to reconsider his role as an oppressor.

Blomkamp’s alien ghetto is so fully realized that it becomes the most integral character in the film, a vividly detailed and massive shantytown that seems all too real. Aliens rummage through the trash and live in poorly constructed shacks that offer no dignity and very little shelter, adding to their desperate situation. It’s just as shocking as the favela in City of God or the slums of Slumdog Millionaire. The Blu-ray release amps up the minute details of this horrid camp, fully exposing its grime and hopelessness in crystal-clear high definition.

The Blu-ray also boasts a slew of exhaustive bonus featurettes about the film including spotlights on the production design, visual effects, transformation of Wikus, and a three-part documentary. There’s also an exclusive interactive map of the world of District 9, numerous deleted scenes, and Sony’s movieIQ feature that allows viewers to pull up dynamically updated trivia about the film during viewing, such as cast and crew filmographies that will continue to add ongoing entries as long as your player is connected to the Internet. If you want to watch on the go, the package includes a second disc containing a digital file of the film for easy transfer to PSP or other mobile video viewing devices.

But wait, there’s more: a playable demo of Sony’s forthcoming PS3 game release, God of War 3. Sure, the demo takes about twice as long to install on a PS3 hard drive from the Blu-ray disc as it does to actually play through, but players who stick it out also unlock a brief feature about the game’s production. There’s no apparent direct connection between the two properties, but considering the substantial key demographic crossover of the two it’s not at all an unwelcome addition.

District 9 is now available on Blu-ray and DVD. Blu-ray is the clear winner here due to the deep bonus features and the sheer technical beauty of the film. Fine details like the tiny letters in the bottom right corner of the documentary camera’s label overlay to the subtle differentiation between the aliens are displayed in stellar clarity, while the crisp 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio track creates a fully immersive audio environment.

Extract

2009-12-22T01:19:00.000-08:00

Writer/director Mike Judge has managed to forge a cottage industry of small, quirky live action comedies that never really make much noise at the box office but develop a fan base of home viewers large enough to let him keep doing his thing. Following his established pattern, Extract was mostly DOA at the US box office, so its new home video release is its first real chance for some substantial exposure. On paper, it has a couple of pluses going for it: the ace casting of Jason Bateman in its lead role and Judge's return to workplace humor following up his cult classic Office Space.

Bateman plays a conservative husband and small business owner named Joel on the verge of realizing a major payday via the sale of his flavor extract company. Unfortunately, a freak workplace accident grants one of his key employees the legal grounds to destroy his plans and possibly his company. The employee is loyal to the company, but also really dim, so when a sexy swindler (Mila Kunis) breezes into town and figures out the financial possibilities of a lawsuit, he's more than willing to join her plan.

Meanwhile, Joel is stuck in a passionless marriage at home and stuck with relationship advice from his stoner bartender/best friend (Ben Affleck), leading him to accept his friend's harebrained idea to test his wife's fidelity via the hiring of an idiotic gigolo (Dustin Milligan). Predictably, the results are not what Joel might have hoped, especially when the gigolo continues to visit his wife and decides he's in love with her.

With so much drama at work and home, Joel is forced out of his conservative comfort zone and finds himself drawn to the unbridled freedom represented by Kunis's character. He's forced to question what he really wants in his future and choose the path that will get him there. There's not much question of how it will all shake out, but it's an enjoyable ride that plays to Judge's strengths at concurrently skewering and celebrating small-town Americana.

Bateman's performance is up to snuff, but his character is so straight-laced that he's not allowed to color outside the lines, limiting his potential here. Conversely, Affleck is granted a vivid, gonzo character and gets some decent comedic mileage out of it, but never fully embraces it and ultimately seems too conservative for it. It is refreshing to see him tackling a role in a project of this scope though as it recalls his winning early work in Kevin Smith's films. Kunis's character is a bit of an enigma, as we never really learn her motivations or forces that shaped her, but she's suitably appealing as the film's primary object of affection. Surprisingly, Dustin Milligan is really funny as the dopey gigolo, showing some range not even hinted at in his day job on 90210. Kristen Wiig also pops in as Joel's wife, but her role is so inconsequential and one-dimensional that she's largely wasted in the film.

Judge's film quality isn't such that much benefit is realized by Blu-ray, with fairly flat images and non-dynamic sound, but for what it's worth, the video is given a MPEG-4 AVC/1080p transfer with an aspect ratio of 1.85:1 and the audio track is delivered in full 5.1 DTS-HD MA. Where the Blu-ray does make a difference is the bonus features, as the package includes exclusive deleted and extended scenes. The scenes were fully deserving of ending up on the cutting room floor, but they do offer added insight into the production process. There's also a non-exclusive featurette on Judge's recipe for making a classic Mike Judge film, basically a chance for his acolytes to talk about how awesome he is, but it also includes some interesting info about the film's production such as the revelation that they filmed in a working factory that was still manufacturing its primary product lines in the background during some of the scenes.

Extract is now available on Blu-ray and DVD.

Beyoncé: I Am...Yours

2009-12-17T15:59:00.000-08:00

Always an electrifying performer, Beyoncé pulls out all the stops in this exclusive live production filmed at the Wynn Encore resort in Las Vegas. Much more than just another engagement on her latest worldwide tour, this intimate performance captures Beyoncé in a classic Vegas revue conceived solely for this 4-night engagement. That doesn’t mean she’s in a ballgown, immobile at a mic with a full orchestra behind her, but it does put her on a smaller than normal stage and provides her the opportunity to present an autobiographical tour of her song catalog with special emphasis on her latest release, “I Am…Sasha Fierce”.

Rather than start with a blaze of theatrics and dancers, Beyoncé opens the show with an acoustic segment that highlights her vocal range and stripped-down reworkings of some of her hits. Surprisingly, there’s nary a backup dancer in sight until over a half hour into the show, at which point the choreography kicks for the balance of the performance in but never overshadows her soaring vocal fireworks.

While she shines on her own material, she also incorporates a few surprising covers throughout the show. There aren’t many performers who would dare risk covering Anita Baker or Alanis Morissette, but Beyoncé handles chestnuts from both of them with her own powerful interpretations and even throws in a bit of Jackson 5 and scatting in tribute to Ella Fitzgerald for good measure.

The choreographed second half of the show also incorporates her musical biography, tracing her earliest days in Destiny’s Child (complete with mention of their failed “Star Search” appearance) through their breakout success, her growth as a songwriter and solo performer, and her ongoing side career as a movie star. The Destiny’s Child material is re-imagined for the performance, with her live all-girl band providing some welcome new colorings to the somewhat dated original tracks. Beyoncé provides commentary throughout the autobiography as she describes the significance of each of her songs, even touching on the shifting roster of performers in Destiny’s Child, the role of her father in furthering her career, and alluding to her marriage to Jay-Z. It’s an illuminating journey that provides fresh insight into the influences that have shaped and continue to guide her as a performer, and as such it’s essential viewing for her fans.

Putting aside the glitz and autobiography, Beyoncé’s performance here is nothing short of amazing. As she mentions in the bonus featurette, she always strives to give 100% in her performances and that dedication is on full display here. She’s not just a pop star, she’s a truly gifted vocalist and dedicated dancer who infuses this performance with so much passion and fire she seems on the verge of combustion at any moment. To witness her in this performance is to see an artist at the peak of her powers, a primal force of music unleashed on a fully enraptured audience.

The bonus featurette explores Beyoncé’s concept for the show and records the superhuman efforts employed to pull it all together in a very tight window. The crew assembled in Vegas during the week leading up to the show to rehearse and refine the one-off show, and Beyoncé’s touch is shown on everything from the set list to the stage design, further enforcing her dedication to presenting the best possible experience for her fans.

“I Am…Yours” is now available on DVD, Blu-ray, and a 2 CD/1 DVD combo package.

The James Bond Omnibus

2009-12-03T17:24:00.000-08:00

The world’s most famous spy had a secret career as a comic strip star in the 50s and 60s, and thanks to this paperback omnibus collection his sequential art adventures have a new license to be discovered by the current generation of fans. Appearing in the pages of the British Daily Express newspaper, the daily strip faithfully followed the plots of Ian Fleming’s original novels and short stories. Following these adventures in daily doses must have been a tedious exercise, making this and previous compilations the best method to fully enjoy the work.

Since the strip started well before the film series, the Bond character doesn’t resemble any of the actors. However, he does hew closely to Fleming’s literary description, with cold, cruel eyes, a rugged face, and dark hair that falls down in a comma near his right eye.

Thanks to the exquisite and finely detailed line work of artist John McLusky, Bond’s adventures are brought to life in stunning fashion that totally belies their humble origins as daily newspaper fodder. Where one might expect slapdash work cranked out on a deadline, readers are instead treated to fully realized settings and character models that provide ample evidence of the artist’s mastery of the medium. This makes reading the work far more than just an exercise in Bond fandom, instead transforming the experience into a fully enjoyable exploration of stellar sequential art.

Although the book cover and the strips within misleadingly assert that this material was penned by Ian Fleming, the strips were actually adapted from Fleming’s original prose work by writers Anthony Hearn, Henry Gammidge, and Peter O’Donnell. As adaptations, they generally stay very true to the source material, a nice change from the film series that gradually moved completely away from the original plots, retaining only Fleming’s colorful titles. The novels are typically whittled down to around 100 strips each, although a few of them weigh in around 150 strips: Casino Royale, Diamonds Are Forever, and Goldfinger. There’s also a little-known title here that may give the novel readers and film viewers pause: Risico, an adaptation of a Fleming short story that so far has not been called into action as a film title.

The material presented here has been compiled into book format before, but this is possibly the most extensive collection appearing under one cover, hence the “Omnibus” designation. It’s an attractive package that should hopefully find its way under the Christmas trees of many Bond fans this holiday season. The James Bond Omnibus is now available.

Yo Gabba Gabba: Music is...Awesome!

2009-12-01T18:09:00.000-08:00

One recent sunny afternoon, my wife and I were walking with our 3-year-old daughter near the USC campus when we were approached by a drunken fratboy who noticed my daughter’s Yo Gabba Gabba t-shirt and enthusiastically proclaimed “that’s my favorite show ever!” He then proceeded to regale us with his rendition of one of the show’s signature songs before continuing on his extremely merry way. Clearly, Yo Gabba Gabba is a show that reaches well beyond its target preschool audience, and the show’s music is a large part of the reason. Unlike most other preschool programming, YGG has a certain cool factor that gives it broad demographic appeal and also exposes the tots to some pretty great tunes.

For those unfamiliar with the show, it’s something like a Sid and Marty Krofft production as envisioned by a Japanese vinyl toy designer, with 5 main characters in unique costumes who magically come to life when the sole human host removes them from his boom box toy chest. That human sets the tone of the show immediately with his b-boy style, with his aforementioned boom box, thickframed glasses akin to Run DMC or Spike Lee’s Mars character, and his name, DJ Lance Rock. Yes, this is the kids show for the post-hip hop generation, and as such it borrows heavily from the golden age of hip hop. Frequent guest star and legendary hip hop pioneer Biz Markie appears on the CD and in most episodes in an instructional beatbox segment, while newer acts such as The Roots and Beastie Boys collaborator Money Mark perform in musical segments. Most importantly, the show’s best songs are extremely electro-flavored, with thumping 808 bass and hip hop hooks that travel far closer to “Planet Rock” than Planet Disney. Whether the star characters are rapping about a “Party in my Tummy” or declaring “I Like to Dance”, the energetic electro influence is omnipresent and entirely welcome.

That’s not to say it’s all about the beats, as the show also incorporates some kid-friendly light alt rock appearances from acts such as MGMT and The Shins, giving the Coachella crowd reason to tune in as well. The Shins appear here on the CD with their contribution to the show, an inspirational track entitled “It’s Okay, Try Again”. Elsewhere, Of Montreal contribute “Brush Brush Brush”, while I’m From Barcelona teaches the kids that “Just Because It’s Different, Doesn’t Mean It’s Scary”. They’re all a bit soft compared to the show’s hip hop offerings, but offer a nice change of pace while likely expanding the show’s audience.

With the tracks removed from the show and isolated on the CD, it’s even more apparent how important the music is to the show’s success. Cranking the tunes on your favorite sound system exposes just how great they are as hip hop/electro and alt rock confections, guaranteed to put a smile on your face and a groove in your heart. The best artist appearance is probably Money Mark with “Robo Dancing”, but really, none of the guest stars compare to the show’s own signature funky tunes. You won’t mind when junior asks for a rewind, and you’ll probably even be a little proud when he or she shows off their new beatbox skills.

Considering the severe shortage of kids shows with any semblance of decent and cool music, Yo Gabba Gabba is a welcome breath of fresh air. Its continued success as it enters its third season and even stages a live tour is further vindication of the daringly niche but ultimately crowd-pleasing musical choices that contribute to its success. Buy this CD with confidence, and don’t feel guilty if you find yourself giving it a spin even when the kids aren’t around.

Kevin Smith 3-Movie Collection

2009-11-28T10:29:00.000-08:00

It's likely that anyone with an interest in this new Blu-ray box set has seen all three of the featured movies, so let's get right into the Blu-ray specs.

All three movies are presented in 1080p resolution with beefed-up audio options. Clerks and Chasing Amy deliver their audio in 5.1 DTS-HD MA (48kHz/24-bit), while Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back features 5.1 Uncompressed (48kHz/16-bit). That's all well and good, but does it really make a difference when the original material is famously lo-tech, especially Smith's breakout, the micro-budgeted Clerks? In this reviewer's opinion, not really. It's fine to brag to your fellow nerds about the unsurpassed quality of these Blu-rays, but in reality there's only so much video clarity and audio fidelity one can wring out of a mute fat dude and loud skinny dude saying "snootchie bootchies". Clerks is still as grainy as you remember it, Chasing Amy is murky, while Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back impresses comparatively with the best video quality of the bunch. The audio doesn't really have much notable discrete audio separation in any of the films, so the upgraded specs are mostly for peace of mind than any gain in performance. The diehard fans will appreciate owning the best possible specs, but for average viewers there's little in the featured films to justify moving up from DVD.

The discs are packed with bonus features, but most of them are carryovers from previous DVD releases. Only Chasing Amy touts truly exclusive and new Blu-ray bonuses.

Clerks includes the theatrical version of the film with classic commentary from '95 featuring Smith, producer Scott Mosier, co-stars Jason Mewes and Brian O'Halloran (Dante). There's also an enhanced playback track containing synchronized trivia and cast and crew quotes. The disc also includes the "First Cut" version of the film with an intro by Smith taped in 2004 for the Clerks X tenth anniversary release and a separate commentary track with Smith, Mewes, O'Halloran, Mosier, and Jeff Anderson (Randal). Other extras include a featurette on the film's restoration, original trailer, and a feature-length documentary about the film's production (also from 2004) entitled "Snowball Effect: The Story of Clerks". It's an exhaustive package for a trailblazing film, guaranteed to satisfy the most demanding of Smith's fans with its plethora of insider information.

Chasing Amy features the only advertised new and exclusive to Blu-ray bonus content. The new commentary track features Smith and Mosier, while the bonus features include a documentary about the film's production entitled "Tracing Amy", a conversation with Smith and co-star Joey Lauren Adams, and a "10 years later" Q&A with Smith and the cast. Returning from previous DVD bonus features are deleted scenes, outtakes, and the original trailer. Like Clerks, the thorough bonus content here is a treat for fans, and since it's exclusive to Blu-ray it's possibly the best reason to own this set.

Although Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back is the newest and most technically accomplished of the three films, it gets relatively short shrift in the Blu-ray department. In contrast to the bevy of bonus features on the other two discs, this one contains only an audio commentary track with Smith, Mewes, and Mosier, along with instant access to select scenes that showcase the "ultimate in High Definition Picture and Sound", an amusing option considering the decidedly non-ultimate source material.

Thankfully, the discs are each housed in their own full-size single edition Blu-ray cases with independent artwork rather than getting crammed into a substandard repackaged case. The cases are stored in a simple cardboard slipcover with Smith's mug towering over the original cover art. Kevin Smith 3-Movie Collection is now available on Blu-ray.

Luxury Car

2009-11-17T16:45:00.000-08:00

Luxury Car shines a light on China's generational chasm between traditional rural life and the modern embrace of urban consumerism at any cost. No, it's not a documentary, but by focusing on the microcosm of one father and daughter relationship it speaks volumes about the monumental macro changes impacting Chinese culture. At the same time, it presents a gripping and rewarding family drama.

An aging farmer travels to the bustling metropolis of Wuhan in search of his only son. His wife has a terminal illness and begs to see their son one more time before she dies, although the son has been missing for years. While in Wuhan, he reconnects with his daughter (pop star Tian Yuan) and learns that her life may not be playing out in the manner he had hoped. She's taken up with a local mobster and earns her keep as a karaoke bar escort, putting her in contact with some decidedly rough characters. Dad is no country bumpkin, in fact he spent his formative years in Wuhan as well, but was forced to flee to the country during political upheaval. However, he's long since adjusted to the rural way of life and is clearly uncomfortable with his daughter's lifestyle choice. As a result, what starts as a search for his son ultimately becomes a wake-up call for his daughter as she’s forced to reflect on her direction and determine her future path.

The film could have easily drifted toward parody if the daughter was a mindless gold digger or the father was a judgmental simpleton, but thanks to superb direction and acting, the characters are fully formed as intelligent and complex individuals. The father in particular carries himself with a stoic grace that fully conveys his conservative mindset without the need to talk about it. Tian Yuan nails her part as the prodigal daughter with just the right balance of world-weary charm and buried emotions. The only other supporting characters with significant screen time also avoid becoming caricatures in spite of their seemingly one-note roles: the mobster and a local cop who assists the father in his search. None of the characters are innocents, and their wizened approach to their situations helps to give the film significant depth and resonance.

Luxury Car is now available on DVD. For more information, visit http://www.firstrunfeatures.com/.

The Yes Men Fix the World

2009-11-06T17:46:00.000-08:00

Part documentary, part elaborate hoax, this enlightening new film exposes the folly and arrogance of big business and government in a decidedly direct manner. The Yes Men are Andy Bichlbaum and Mike Bonanno, pranksters with a conscience who were previously filmed for the 2004 documentary The Yes Men. Where other filmmakers such as Michael Moore and Morgan Spurlock tread similar territory from a mostly observational standpoint, the Yes Men pass themselves off as agents of their intended targets.

Acting as the stars and directors this time, the duo set up fake websites purporting to belong to major corporations or government agencies, then wait to get invited to public forums where they claim to be representatives of those companies. They’re not just passive observers; they actually take to the stage at these events and make seemingly legitimate presentations that emphatically portray the extent to which capitalism at any cost has undermined basic human decency. The goal is to shame big business and government into doing the right thing, and while the results appear to be fairly unsuccessful during the course of the film, their exploits clearly raise some valid red flags that will hopefully lead to greater impact and discussion through this more widely accessible venue.

In their most high-profile stunt, the boys pass themselves off to the mighty BBC as representatives of industrial giant Dow Chemical. In an interview broadcast live on the BBC to an audience of millions, Bichlbaum in his guise as a Dow spokesperson states that Dow has agreed to compensate the victims of the 1984 Bhopal, India gas disaster to the tune of $12 billion as part of their buyout of culprit Union Carbide. The resulting tremendous dive in Dow’s stock price comes as no surprise, but also shows the moral depravity of big business as a seemingly honorable humanitarian effort creates a huge negative hit to the company. It’s questionable whether the Yes Men acted in poor taste by temporarily raising the hopes of the actual victims of the disaster, but they take pains to travel to Bhopal to get some positive feedback about the stunt from select local representatives. It’s also questionable whether they had any real impact, as Dow has still failed to make amends to the disaster victims and the company share price quickly recovered when the hoax was exposed, but at the very least it’s extremely gripping footage.

Elsewhere, the boys poke at HUD’s response to Hurricane Katrina, come up with an inventive alternative energy solution for Exxon, and unveil a fake Halliburton survival suit called the Survivaball. Remarkably, they avoid arrest and get through most of their public presentations to unsuspecting audiences without interruption, even when demonstrating a financial model that purports to calculate the value of human life against potential business profitability. They are compelling figures and concoct some truly fascinating hoaxes, but the real power of their work is their exposure of the unabashed nonchalance and failure of their targets to mend their ways.

The Yes Men Fix the World opens today in Los Angeles and continues its national and UK rollouts in the coming weeks. For more information and theaters, visit http://www.theyesmenfixtheworld.com/.

Mickey's Magical Christmas

2009-11-03T17:43:00.001-08:00

Unless you’re seriously nostalgic for the Disney Channel’s turn of the century animated series House of Mouse, there’s very little reason to pick up this re-released DVD. Originally released directly to DVD in 2001 and out of print for the past few years, the feature is basically an extended House of Mouse episode with a Christmas theme. That means sub-standard TV animation bookending Disney shorts that have been repurposed from other sources, most famously Mickey’s Christmas Carol.

The House of Mouse series was an excuse to gather all of Disney’s animated characters under one roof, in this case an all-inclusive nightclub run by Mickey where the characters could mingle while being entertained by Mickey and friends. The Disney characters apparently just acted as background scenery, with no real function other than to delight tots with glimpses of their favorites. Look, there’s Pocahontas! And over at that table are the Seven Dwarfs! They’re just hanging out, but isn’t it great to see them? Not so much. Don’t be deceived by the prominent position of Disney Princesses on the front cover of the DVD, because this show belongs almost entirely to Mickey and his regular gang of co-stars.

The paper-thin plot of this holiday special finds the gang stranded at the House of Mouse during a brutal snowstorm, leading to the shocking revelation that Donald Duck is lacking in Christmas spirit. Mickey grabs some holiday snacks, Minnie grabs some holiday cartoons, and they all settle in to try to unearth Donald’s holiday spirit. With this framing device in place, the show launches into two lousy modern shorts, Donald on Ice (1999) and The Nutcracker (1999) along with two classic shorts, Pluto’s Christmas Tree (1952) and the aforementioned Mickey’s Christmas Carol (1983). The modern shorts are barely worth mentioning or watching, leaving only the classics as the essential viewing in the program.

Pluto’s Christmas Tree finds Pluto being outwitted by Chip and Dale while also trying to please his owner, Donald Duck. Hilarity ensues, and the animation continues to shine nearly 60 years after its production. Mickey’s Christmas Carol caused a minor sensation when it was released theatrically in 1983 as an accompaniment to a re-release of The Rescuers, representing the Mouse’s first new theatrical cartoon in 30 years. The production value was relatively high for its time, and the story was a fairly serious and faithful retelling of A Christmas Carol. It still holds up well today, although clearly shows its age compared to Disney’s animated theatrical features that followed it during their ‘90s glory days of cel animation. However, it’s also readily available in other DVD packages including its own standalone disc released just over a month ago (also including Pluto’s Christmas Tree), so there’s no reason to seek out this release to view it.

The DVD includes a nice bonus for fans of the show: the entire premiere episode of the House of Mouse series. There’s also a brief feature on the many tools foley artists use to make sound effects for the toons, as well as a couple of sing-along Christmas carols. Mickey’s Magical Christmas is now available on DVD.

Hatter M: Mad With Wonder

2009-10-30T11:34:00.001-07:00

Author Frank Beddor's bold re-imagining of the Alice in Wonderland mythos gains a brilliant new chapter in this second graphic novel. Picking up from the events in the original Hatter M, the new book continues Hatter's quest with one significant change: a new artist at the helm.

Where the original had buzz-worthy and distinctive art by Ben Templesmith, the new adventure's art chores fall on the shoulders of virtual unknown Sami Makkonen. That's usually a recipe for disaster, but Makkonen remarkably contributes an equally distinctive run here that more than measures up to his predecessor's work. It's definitely reminiscent of Templesmith, with eerily distorted, fluid character designs and ink splatters aplenty, but with more fine line detail work that acts to bring the story into even greater focus. If you have any misgivings about picking up this book due to the change in artists, rest assured that Makkonen is the perfect successor to Templesmith.

When last we left our intrepid hero, royal bodyguard Hatter Madigan, he was lost in 19th century London on a fruitless search for the rightful heir to Wonderland's throne, Princess Alyss Heart. Paralleling and expanding on events in Beddor's first Looking Glass Wars prose novel, Hatter M segues directly into Mad with Wonder as Madigan continues his search in our world. This time, the scenery promptly shifts from England to the New World, as Madigan follows a tip to America where he lands in the thick of the Civil War. Along the way, he discovers that Wonderland's deposed evil Queen Redd has also made an incursion into our world and is impacting the outcome of the Civil War with her Black Imagination. Madigan's quest takes him to locales such as a "traveling miracle carnival" in the Deep South and an insane asylum in West Virginia where he encounters colorful characters and situations that hopefully bring him closer to his goal.

Madigan continues to be an intriguing character thanks to his dogged determination and devotion to Alyss as well as his impressive weapons skills. He's something like a dapper Wolverine, with a decidedly dark and deadly disposition and lone wolf mindset that make him the best there is at what he does. Beddor and returning co-writer Liz Cavalier do a fine job of enriching his characterization here and also offset his serious tone with some humorous situations that add just the right touch of lightheartedness to his fantastic tale.

Hatter M: Mad with Wonder is now available. In addition to the main story, the book contains bonus features including supplemental artwork and text documenting Madigan's historical record in our world, pages from Alyss's diary, a process gallery with script pages and draft artwork, and sneak previews of the next graphic novel in addition to the latest prose novel, ArchEnemy. For more information, visit http://www.lookingglasswars.com/.

More Than This: The Story of Roxy Music

2009-10-26T17:26:00.000-07:00

One of the most influential bands of all time, Roxy Music gets a well-deserved and expertly produced career retrospective in this new DVD. Originally broadcast by the BBC in late 2008, the documentary covers the entire active recording career of the band as well as their recent reunions. The DVD expands on the original broadcast with nearly a half hour of additional interviews, as well as three previously unreleased live tracks from a 2006 London concert.

The film is endorsed by and features new interviews with all of the principal players in the band, including early member Brian Eno. To flesh out their legacy with outside perspectives, the film includes exclusive interviews with other music luminaries inspired by the band including Bono, John Taylor (Duran Duran), Steve Jones (Sex Pistols), Siouxsie Sioux, and Nile Rodgers (Chic). The production team’s exhaustive research also led to inclusion of interviews with the band’s cover photographer for all of their album covers, the cover model from the first album (still looking good over 35 years later), and legendary studio engineer Bob Clearmountain among others. With this unprecedented level of artist, acolyte, and associate participation, More Than This is almost certain to be the definitive document of the band.

The band was formed in the early 70s by art school grad Bryan Ferry as an outlet for him to make “weird music for art school students” with little thoughts to fame, fortune, or conformity. Their flamboyant emergence on the UK scene signaled the dawn of art rock, but also acted as a direct predecessor for the soon-to-come punk and new wave movements. Steve Jones and Bono comment that the band’s early work had a huge influence on the punk movement, while John Taylor exposes how their glam rock look dictated the fashion checklist for his future band: denim no, eyeliner yes.

Brian Eno and Bryan Ferry both talk candidly about Eno’s brief tenure in the band (he left before the 3rd album), giving viewers valuable insight to the band’s politics of the time. The other members, especially drummer Paul Thompson, let on that Ferry may have feared being overshadowed by Eno, and Eno clearly indicates that they both had different musical directions they wished to take, but there don’t appear to be any deep-seated grudges on either side as the film also documents a historic recording session of new material by all of the original members including Eno in 2006.

The film follows a strictly chronological format from the band’s early days through their apparent end after the Avalon tour, using each album as a milestone. It also covers their reunions in the 2000s, nearly 20 years after their disbandment. Although their final original incarnation for the glossy, almost New Age Avalon album bears little resemblance to the gritty art rock sound they pioneered, their continuing evolvement throughout their career led to a passionate fanbase at each stage and clearly showed the strong direction of band founder Ferry. Clearmountain’s best sound bite comes when he reveals that he still gets far more compliments about Avalon than anything else he’s ever done, including Springsteen’s Born in the U.S.A. Regardless of which stage of the band you like the best, the film offers superb archival footage and new reminiscences that will expand your appreciation.

More Than This: The Story of Roxy Music is now available on DVD.

Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs/The Scrat Pack

2009-10-24T05:31:00.000-07:00

Quick, which animated film completely dominated the other at the box office this summer: Up or Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs? Easy answer? Not so fast.

One of the biggest box office stories this year was the stunning worldwide success of the latest Ice Age movie. That’s worldwide success, not so much in the US. For some reason, the rest of the world really loves the Ice Age critters even though they’re largely viewed as a second-tier property here at home. Sure, its nearly $200M domestic haul is nothing to sneeze at and likely allowed it to fully recoup its production budget, but compared to its nearly $700M foreign take it’s a mere pittance. So what’s the deal here? How did this movie take in nearly double the global box office of critical darling Up?

Well, to put it bluntly, it’s likely that the Ice Age gang appeals to lowest common denominator audiences, and that’s not just referring to the kids. There’s no challenging concept to comprehend here, unlike the impossible to classify and completely original Up. There’s the comfort of familiarity with well-established characters and situations. There’s also the dinosaur factor this time around, and let’s face it: the common man loves the dinos. However, their broad appeal is still somewhat perplexing. The primary characters are such drab, unimaginative designs that the nearly 15-year-old original Toy Story still puts them to shame, and their characterizations aren’t much stronger, with only the speechless Scrat providing any truly memorable moments. In short, they’re kinda boring stars, but they’re apparently some kind of global cinematic comfort food.

In the latest adventures of Sid the sloth, Manny the mammoth, Diego the sabertooth, and Scrat the…scrat, the gang travels to a hidden underground world filled with dinosaurs. Their prime motivating factor is their search for Sid, who finds himself abducted by a dino mommy after he foolishly tries to adopt her temporarily abandoned kids. While in the new world, the gang meets a swashbuckling new character named Buck (Simon Pegg) who aids them in their search while concurrently continuing his hunt for a legendary white dino (thanks, Moby Dick). With that slight principal plot in play, the rest of the movie is fleshed out with subplots involving Manny and his wife Ellie’s impending childbirth, Diego’s attempt to get his ferocious groove back, and Scrat’s relationship with a beguiling female named Scratte. As usual, Scrat brings the comic relief as wholly unrelated bumpers in between the other plots, and this time around his relationship with Scratte provides new comedic possibilities in his never-ending quest for the elusive nut.

The trip to the dino world is a welcome change from the dull icy environs of the first two films as it allows for a tremendous color palette and a much more immersive and expansive experience. The initial entry into the dino world is truly awe-inspiring as the huge and lush vista explodes in a rainbow of prehistoric flora and fauna. The backgrounds are much improved from the prior installments and almost function as another character, completely drawing viewers into the land of the dinosaurs. Here’s hoping they find a way to revisit this world or melt the above-ground ice in the inevitable next installment to continue this wealth of scenery. The film’s stories may not be memorable, but you’ll likely enjoy the ride through this fully-realized prehistoric world.

The single-disc DVD is almost entirely bereft of bonus features with the exception of trailers and a commentary track. However, Fox follows the recent animation trend of releasing the film in an expanded edition with a second self-contained bonus DVD, in this case entitled The Scrat Pack. Don't let the title fool you, as there's precious little Scrat action, with only two previously released shorts "Gone Nutty" and "No Time for Nuts" continuing his adventures. The rest of the disc is padded with featurettes on the new characters Buck, Scratte, and the lost world of the dinos, along with older content clearly produced for the previous film in the series that shows how to draw Scrat, gives a behind the scenes peek at his vocal recording sessions, and unveils inane video footage of a modern-day discovery of his frozen remains. On the upside, there are also three somewhat entertaining Flash animation games available when playing the disc in a computer: pinball, a shell game, and an airborne quest for nuts that mirrors a sequence in the new film.

Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs is available on October 27th in three physical forms: single DVD, combo DVD with The Scrat Pack, and combo Blu-ray/DVD with digital copy.

Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure

2009-10-22T17:40:00.000-07:00

She’s no Disney Princess, but Tinker Bell has entered the spotlight as a key Disney player in the past few years via the Disney Fairies product line and a series of slickly-produced direct-to-DVD CGI movies. In her latest outing, a follow-up to last year’s warmly received Tinker Bell, Tink goes on a treasure hunt that takes her far away from her beloved Pixie Hollow home. Along the way, she learns the value of patience and the power of friendship.

If you missed the first movie, you may be surprised to find that Tink talks now and she’s not hanging out with Peter Pan; she’s firmly embedded in a fairy community where she works as a tinker. Her look has been updated somewhat, but the artists took pains to emulate her original design from Disney's Peter Pan so her move to three-dimensional CG model is fairly seamless and unobjectionable. The biggest change in the new movie is her wardrobe, as she accessorizes her pixie dress with some suitable adventuring clothes (long sleeves, pants, and a jaunty cap) for her travels outside the Hollow. It’s a perfectly logical decision from a sensibility standpoint, but it’s not likely to be a favorite Halloween costume choice next season.

As the movie opens, Tink (voiced by Mae Whitman) is tasked with crafting a scepter to house a precious and extremely fragile blue gem in time for an autumn festival. Without the properly configured gem, the pixies won’t be able to collect essential blue pixie dust needed to maintain their tree home. She’s honored to have such a high-profile assignment from the ruling fairies, but also extremely stressed about her abilities to create the final product on time and up to snuff. Enter her friend Terence (voiced by tween heartthrob Jesse McCartney), a eager and kind male fairy who does his best to help Tink but ultimately comes to be viewed as an impediment by Tink as she tries to do everything by herself.

It should come as no surprise that the fragile gem becomes a casualty of her impatience, but her recovery efforts stretch the boundaries of common sense a bit. Rather than confess to the head fairies that she has destroyed the one-of-a-kind gem, she grasps onto the possibly fictional tale of a long-lost magic mirror that may grant its holder one last wish before it expends its power. Really? With days left until the crucial festival, she’s going to set out far away from home in search of a mirror that nobody has ever been able to find, that may not even exist, and hope that it really is magic and still has one more active wish? If you can buy that extreme leap of faith, you’re definitely in the target audience.

Along the way to the mirror, Tink meets a ridiculously cute firefly named Blaze who becomes her travelling companion and friend. His character design is fairly utilitarian, but he’s animated well and “speaks” via adorable squeaks that will enrapture audiences of all ages, making him the breakout star of the film. Will the two friends find the mirror? Will it be too late to save the festival? This is a Disney movie, so there really shouldn’t be much doubt, although the resolution takes a slightly different path than one might expect.

The new movie is winning family entertainment, with two exceptions. First, Tink isn’t a very likeable character due to her hotheadedness, making her a pretty unsympathetic heroine when she’s blowing her stack at her friends. Sure, that’s part of her character dating back to Peter Pan, but this aspect of her personality could have been tempered somewhat while still conveying the themes of patience and friendship. Second, the Disney team spent a great amount of effort crafting the magical world of Pixie Hollow and its denizens in the first movie and numerous books, so it’s a shame to see only glimpses of that world in the new movie as Tink spends most of her time on the road. She’s the star, but I’m certain there are many little fans out there who long to explore Pixie Hollow and the other fairies in more detail rather than primarily follow her exploits away from home. Unfortunately, based on the included preview of next year’s upcoming third film, it appears that this trend is going to continue.

From a production standpoint, the film is top notch and completely belies its direct-to-DVD status. Thankfully, it is being released in Blu-ray format (in addition to DVD) to allow home viewers to get as close to a theatrical experience as currently possible. The Blu picture and sound are thrilling, with fine detail like the individual specks in swirls of pixie dust, crystal-clear depth of field in the highly-detailed Pixie Hollow, and immersive surround sound effects during the expansive adventures outside the Hollow that work together to fully bring the fantasy world to life.

The disc is jam-packed with bonus features including deleted scenes, footage from the recreation of Pixie Hollow on the grounds of Epcot Center, and the ubiquitous BD Live capability. Of special note are the Fairy Bloopers, basically alternate takes on a few of the key scenes that are similar to the old Pixar bloopers over their end credits. They’re genuinely funny and definitely worth seeking out.

Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure is available on DVD and Blu-ray on October 27th. The Blu-ray package includes both Blu and DVD versions of the film, so if you’re undecided on version definitely go Blu to be covered either way.

ArchEnemy: The Looking Glass Wars

2009-10-20T17:38:00.001-07:00

Frank Beddor’s intriguing reimagining of the Alice in Wonderland mythos reaches its thrilling conclusion in this final act of The Looking Glass Wars trilogy. Intended for young adult readers but fun for “old” adults too, ArchEnemy reveals the final outcome of a lengthy three-way fight for Wonderland’s crown pitting the good princess Alyss Heart against her evil aunt Redd Heart and an interloper from the neighboring Boarderlands, King Arch.

If you’re new to the story, it’s absolutely essential that you first read the first two novels, The Looking Glass Wars and Seeing Redd, as there’s precious little attempt to indoctrinate newbies as the action gets under way in the new book. While book 1 centered on Alyss’s fight to unseat Redd from her ill-begotten throne, and book 2 featured the rise of Arch’s fringe forces, the final book centers on the full deployment of Arch’s power while Alyss and Redd both seek to block him. If that sounds more like a civil war story than a light fantasy novel, there’s good reason as the main plot is heavily centered on the various strategic power moves made by the principal players for the crown. However, there’s also plenty of ancillary action with the supporting players that continues to flesh out the intricately designed and magical Wonderland. From the mysterious caterpillar oracles to the winning father/daughter chemistry of royal bodyguards Hatter M and Homburg Molly to Arch’s evil henchmen, Beddor takes pains to create a fully realized world populated by multi-dimensional characters that draw readers into the tale.

As in the past novels, Beddor also contrasts the magical Wonderland with our world via travel portals between the two that transport key characters to 19th century England. This time around, Princess Alyss finds herself temporarily stranded in our world and forced to survive without her powers of imagination. Part of the trilogy’s charm is Beddor’s inclusion of original Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland author Lewis Carroll (using his real name, Charles Dodgson) as a character interacting with the visitors from Wonderland, recording and repurposing their tales as fodder for his own literary works. In ArchEnemy, he’s forced to come clean about his use of the material during encounters with Alyss and Homburg Molly, leaving him none the worse for wear but furthering Beddor’s mantra that Alyss/Alice actually came through the looking glass to our world instead of the other way around.

Although I would have preferred even more Wonderland character development and less war strategy, the new book fulfills the promise of the first two acts and does a fine job of wrapping up all plot threads. The three principal players are so consumed with the war that they fail to progress as compelling characters, surprisingly leaving Homburg Molly with the most fully-realized character arc in the book as she struggles to come to terms with being a “halfer” (half royal bodyguard/half normal human) while concurrently mourning her mother and attempting to forge a relationship with her newly revealed father, Hatter M. However, Alyss Heart is still a winning star heroine and readers that have traveled this far into Wonderland’s world of imagination will find a fully satisfying conclusion.

ArchEnemy is now available. For more information, visit http://www.lookingglasswars.com/.

Traffik

2009-10-16T17:30:00.000-07:00

Before Steven Soderbergh’s Oscar-winning Traffic, there was the Emmy-winning miniseries Traffik. This highly regarded 6-hour British miniseries covered the same ground as Soderberg’s film, tracking the global drug trade across international borders. In fact, the basic framework and many key scenes are identical, with one notable difference: where Traffic followed the cocaine trade between Mexico and the US, Traffik patrols the movement of heroin through Europe and Afghanistan/Pakistan.

The miniseries follows three primary storylines: a British minister tasked with limiting the drug trade in his country while concurrently dealing with his heroin-addicted teenage daughter, a wealthy wife forced to come to terms with her husband’s drug business during his incarceration, and a Pakistani farmer forced to work for the local drug lord. The acting performances are uniformly powerful, with the added bonus of Julia Ormond’s breakout performance as the drug addict daughter. The Pakistani farmer’s story is particularly memorable as it follows his path from fairly honest poppy farmer to drug lord acolyte to his heartbreaking and inevitable fall from grace. Although the story is told over a much larger film length than Traffic thanks to its miniseries format, it never loses momentum and in fact left me wondering how Soderbergh later managed to fit all of the key elements into his feature-length production.

As for image and audio quality, the picture and sound are about what one might expect of a 20-year-old UK TV production. In other words, not great. The series was apparently remastered for this 20th anniversary release, but with fairly dodgy source material there’s only so much it could be enhanced. However, the quality does not detract from the power of the work, and surprisingly the subject matter of the miniseries doesn’t seem dated in the least. That’s almost certainly a discouraging sign for anti-drug crusaders out there, but also fascinating viewing as we see just how little has changed in the past two decades.

The miniseries was filmed on location in Pakistan, Hamburg, and London, giving the series a much more expansive feel than one might expect from a tv production. The DVD release doesn’t pack much in the way of bonus material, including only an extended (and unremastered) UK version of episode 6, a photo gallery, production notes, cast filmographies, and an interview with writer Simon Moore. Traffik is now available on DVD.

Basement Jaxx - Scars

2009-10-05T18:31:00.000-07:00

After a rock-solid early career that included their stellar debut album Remedy and its even better follow-up, Rooty, as well as their offshoot Atlantic Jaxx work, the Basement Jaxx have released some notably spotty work in the past few years. In the aftermath of their most recent album, Crazy Itch Radio, the Jaxx boys became disillusioned with their direction, feeling like they had drifted too far into pop territory at the expense of their edgier beginnings. Hence the title of their new collection, Scars, an attempt to return to their original form that resulted in a grueling recording process. According to Felix Buxton, “when we finished recording, it felt like we’d come out of a boxing ring”, a sentiment quickly echoed by bandmate Simon Ratcliffe.

So were they successful in recapturing their original magic? For the most part, yes. There are still a couple of clunkers, but also a few tracks that rate amongst their best work, even though (or because) they’re also fairly derivative of that work. Once again featuring a dizzying array of guest vocalists that reads like a United Nations roll call, the Jaxx supply the dance-ready grooves with a bit more bite than recent efforts.

The title track leads off the collection, an unfortunate placement choice that starts the album poorly due to its plodding, leaden pace. Far better to skip ahead to the album’s first single and 2009 summer anthem, “Raindrops”, a melodic, feel-good treat that immediately brings to mind their earlier hit, “Romeo”. It’s also the only track without a guest star, giving Buxton a chance to contribute his own heavily processed and perfectly matched vocals. From there, “She’s No Good” with Eli “Paperboy” Reed is a midtempo jam that doesn’t amount to much but doesn’t drop the ball. “Saga” features a guest spot by Philly-based singer Santogold, and its strong dub flavor mixed with her M.I.A.-like vocal makes this an intriguing standout that doesn’t really fit in the previous Jaxx canon but signals a welcome change. “Feelings Gone” featuring Sam Sparro reworks an early concept by Buxton but not nearly enough to mask its Kylie-leaning Brit pop house sound, making this one to avoid. “My Turn” featuring Lightspeed Champion marries a bombastic bassline to a light acoustic guitar riff in a winning combination.

At the album’s mid-point, “A Possibility” with Amp Fidler takes an unwelcome turn into slow jam territory, although it includes an interesting riff that sounds like it was lifted from old-time classic “Blue Moon”. Next up is the set’s most up-tempo and possibly best track, “Twerk” featuring Yo Majesty. This one has a strong “Jump n’ Shout” feel right down to its energetic vocals, guaranteed to get your body in motion. “Day of the Sunflowers (We March On)” is most notable for its guest appearance by Yoko Ono, contributing her typically bizarre lyrics to a rather pedestrian track. It’s mostly impressive when you realize that she’s able to keep up with the Jaxx in her mid-70s. “What’s A Girl Gotta Do” featuring Paloma Faith sounds like it’s from some insane circus and has just the right amount of anything-goes dance spirit to work well as a Jaxx track. “Stay Close” featuring Lisa Kekaula is another unwelcome and uncharacteristic downtempo attempt that sounds like it was ripped from Me’shell Ndegeocello’s catalog right down to the heavy bass guitar line and similar vocal sound. “D.I.S.tractionz” featuring Jose Hendrix bears some similarity to Prince’s French-leaning experimentation circa “Under the Cherry Moon”, making it an interesting change of pace but not really a Jaxx standout. Finally, “Gimme Somethin’ True” featuring Jose James closes out the album on a positive note with an instantly identifiable Jaxx sound.

After more than a decade in the game, it’s great to see the Jaxx still pumping out some innovative and fresh work. I’d personally prefer much less reliance on guest vocals as I like to hear what they come up with on their own in the lab without having to worry about mixing in a separate outside influence on each track, but they’ve always been heavy on guests even when the singers were seemingly just local friends so it’s not a major distraction. The new album carries enough pop appeal to allow new fans into the fun, while also including enough classic Jaxx touches to please their earliest fans. Scars is now available on CD and MP3 download.

How I Met Your Mother Season 4

2009-10-02T17:14:00.000-07:00

While it may always carry some stigma of being a Friends clone, How I Met Your Mother is a consistently entertaining and sharply written show that stands strongly on its own merits. Led by the breakout performance of Neil Patrick Harris as charming womanizer Barney, and ably abetted by his amiable co-stars, the show has somehow managed to eke out nearly 100 episodes while still concealing the identity of the titular mother.

Each episode begins with a narrator (Bob Saget) as the “father” in the future as he regales his kids with never-ending tales of his bachelorhood. If I was one of the kids, I would have walked out around episode 2, but at this point the framing device is more of an in-joke than anything else. The real show is the father’s present-day bachelor adventures with his group of friends as he continues his search for a wife. Just like Friends, it’s odd how much time the friends spend with each other and how they fund their comfortable lives in Manhattan with so little focus on work, but put aside the logic and just let the snappy writing work its magic.

Near the end of Season 3, Ted the father (Josh Radnor) had entered a serious relationship with Stella (Sarah Chalke), while Barney set his sights on Robin (Cobie Smulders), and Marshall and Lily (Jason Segel and Alyson Hannigan) continued their happy marriage. Could Stella be the mother? Nope. Season 4 quickly dispels that theory with a traumatic near-wedding that leaves Ted emotionally scarred. This being a comedy, he recovers fairly quickly and continues his quest for his soul mate. Barney’s affections are also put on the back burner for the bulk of the season while he continues his legendary bachelorhood, while Marshall and Lily continue being Marshall and Lily. In short, it’s more of the same from the previous three seasons, with a new assortment of memorable moments that include the introduction of the “Woo Girls”, an extreme dating technique called the Naked Man, and Barney’s unique approach to video resumés.

The DVD box set condenses the full series onto three discs. The bonus features are scattered throughout the discs and include commentaries, a Season 3 recap, a Barney music video, a gag reel, and footage from the cast’s appearance at the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. How I Met Your Mother Season 4 is now available on DVD and Blu-ray.

Yellowstone: Battle for Life

2009-09-29T16:22:00.000-07:00

BBC’s esteemed nature photographers deliver another outstanding effort with this new release focusing entirely on Yellowstone National Park . It’s a sumptuous treat for the eyes in its high definition Blu-ray format, with amazing color, detail, and sound clarity that truly makes viewers feel like they’re in the park. The Blu-ray allows viewers to see every strand of fur, every scale on the fish, and every color of the park’s Grand Prismatic Pool, while also providing crisp DTS HD 5.1 surround sound that brings the park’s ambient noise fully into the living room. Aside from the eye and ear candy, it’s also an effective and interesting concept as it follows the wildlife in the park over the course of nearly a year, exposing viewers to the park’s dramatic changes throughout the seasons.

The production is split into three 50-minute segments. Interestingly, the first segment starts in the dead of winter rather than the more obvious rebirth of spring. It’s an inspired choice that immediately pays off with stellar footage of the harsh beauty of the park at a time most people never see it. The park can get up to 50 feet of snow in the winter, effectively cutting it off from civilization and preserving the delicate ecosystem struggling for survival against the harsh conditions. The production’s primary focus is the wildlife in the park, so the initial segment explores the efforts of the animals to survive the winter, such as the bison burrowing their heads down through feet of snow to find scraps of grass and the elk attempting to thwart hungry packs of wolves by seeking temporary shelter in freezing rivers. There’s also an enthralling segment about the park’s beautiful diamond dust caused by moisture in the air freezing into ice crystals, made all the more impressive by the Blu-ray’s fine detail that captures every miniscule glittering crystal floating through the air.

In the second section, spring transforms the park into a fertile plateau able to sustain the life of the scores of resident animals. The bears emerge from hibernation with their new cubs, the flies emerge just in time to make a tasty snack for industrious birds, and the flora explodes into a concert of color. As spring gives way to summer and the snow recedes, the park’s solitude gives way to the flocks of tourists out to explore its famous geysers and other natural wonders. I had some misgivings that the production would be heavily weighted toward footage of those geysers, but thankfully there’s only brief mention of them as the crew keeps the focus firmly on the wildlife.

The final segment shows the park winding down for the year as it enters autumn. The animals begin their preparations for another winter survival, such as the birds that carry pine nuts to secret stashes all over the park and the beavers that stockpile tasty branches under water near their lodges. The migratory animals begin making their way out of the park, which leads to the only other mention of human influence in the film as it shows the precarious lowland winter pastures of the elk that have been overrun by drilling operations and cattle ranchers.

The disc has three bonus featurettes that focus on humans: one about a man who removes the deep snow from the roofs of Yellowstone’s buildings throughout the winter to avoid cave-ins, another about an odd group of geyser watchers who help to predict the activity of geysers throughout the park, and another about a man involved with the park’s fish population.

Yellowstone: Battle for Life is now available on DVD and Blu-ray. If you have Blu-ray capability, the price differential between Blu and DVD is extremely small, while the Blu definition is completely awesome even though it tops out at 1080i instead of 1080p, making the format choice an easy decision.

The Human Condition

2009-09-28T17:59:00.000-07:00

This film’s daunting 9 ½ hour length may scare off many casual viewers, but those willing to make the significant time investment will be rewarded with an absolutely essential experience. The Human Condition was originally released as three separate films over a three-year time span, and each film is split into two parts, so in effect this is a six-film miniseries which closely parallels its original six-volume source novels by author Junpei Gomikawa. Its story is told in strictly linear fashion and traces the WWII wartime activities of a principled office worker named Kaji (Tatsuya Nakadai).

As the film opens, Kaji is an idealistic, fairly soft office drone content to escape military service by accepting a role as a POW work camp supervisor in Manchuria. His everyman demeanor makes him an instantly identifiable and sympathetic character, fully pulling viewers into the harrowing future effects of the war on him. His work camp experience opens his eyes to the mistreatment of the Chinese prisoners by his countrymen and forces him to try to improve conditions for the workers whenever possible. Unfortunately, this puts him in opposition with his compatriots and eventually leads to his transfer to active military service, the exact occupation he had hoped to escape through his work camp appointment.

In the second film (parts three-four), Kaji discovers injustices within the Japanese Imperial army, enduring abuse at the hands of his fellow soldiers and witnessing their improper treatment of POWs. The film is clearly an indictment of Japan’s wartime mentality as it takes pains to emphasize the corruption and injustice at every level rather than just singling out a few bad apples. Kaji attempts to retain his principles, but his continued exposure to the harsh reality of his situation eventually causes him to come to terms with the violence needed to protect his interests.

Finally, in the third act (parts five-six), Kaji finds himself a prisoner in a Soviet POW camp, a complete reversal of roles from his initial indoctrination as supervisor of his Japanese POW camp. Here he learns that even his idealized concept of a fair Soviet army is false, as he finds himself subjected to treatment similar to the offenses committed by his countrymen in his old camp. Nakadai does an incredible job of conveying the full horror of the war as he nears the film’s end as a broken, haunted man bearing little resemblance to his previous life as a virtuous office worker. It’s stunning to watch Kaji’s transformation throughout the film and particularly intriguing to get the full flavor of the war’s impact from the Japanese perspective.

Criterion has produced another exceptional package here, just in time for the 50th anniversary of the film’s initial bow at the Japanese box office. They struck a new print of the film and took rigorous care to remove the noise (dirt, scratches, hiss) carried over from the original negative, making this quite possibly the definitive edition of the film. Additionally, they produced a new 2009 interview with the still-spry Tatsuya Nakadai, a fascinating reminiscence by the actor who carried this mammoth production entirely on his shoulders. There’s an older interview with deceased director Masaki Kobayashi, as well as another appreciation of the film by a Japanese film scholar. The film is spread across three discs, while a fourth disc contains the special features.

The Human Condition is now available on DVD.

Away We Go

2009-09-11T17:21:00.000-07:00

Impending parenthood is always stressful, but for slacker 30-somethings still trying to find their place in the world it’s especially traumatic. Away We Go follows a grown-up couple who should have life figured out by now, but instead find themselves drifting from place to place across the North American continent as they attempt to find a spot that feels right to start their new family. It’s a pretty simple concept, but in the hands of director Sam Mendes along with screenwriters Dave Eggers and Vendela Vida it becomes a rollicking and insightful road movie.

My initial fears about the film were that SNL alum Maya Rudolph would struggle in a dramatic/romantic role, and that Mendes was far too serious and high-profile for what’s really a small, quirky film. Thankfully, both fears proved to be completely unfounded. While the chemistry between Rudolph and co-star John Krasinski is practically non-existent, Rudolph turns in a completely convincing performance as the very pregnant girlfriend, nailing her key dramatic moments with soulful, heartfelt emotion. As for Krasinski, he’s his usual doofy, lovable self, just with unfortunate facial hair and nerdy glasses. Back to the chemistry: sure, Rudolph and Krasinski play cute and play off each other well, but there’s never really a sense that they’re a believable couple. As for Mendes, he keeps his touch light and allows the witty script to carry the film, giving it a perfect tone.

As the couple visits friends and family across the continent, they basically play the straight characters to all the other nuts. The situations they encounter border on the outlandish and unbelievable, but they’re played in such a matter-of-fact way that they don’t come off like phony rom-com scenarios, allowing the film to maintain a strong emotional core rather than surrender to cheap laughs. The most outrageous scene, and the closest to derailing the film’s intentions, is the over-the-top hippie lovenest inhabited by earth mother Maggie Gyllenhaal and long-haired peacenik Josh Hamilton. Their characters’ home allows all the children to sleep in the huge parental bed, bans strollers because they don’t want to be “pushing their children away from them”, and finds the mother nursing neighbor kids as well as her own far-too-old kids.

The film seems a bit contrived in its motivation to get characters from one destination to the next, frequently leaving me wondering why they were moving on save as an excuse to meet some more crazies. However, when it connects it really works, generating serious laughs and emotional heft. It’s a feel-good tale that will leave lovers young and old smiling about their own relationships.

Away We Go is available on DVD and Blu-Ray on September 29th. If you’re just interested in the movie, this really isn’t a title that benefits from enhanced Blu-Ray quality as its source video and audio material is a bit murky and flat, a perfectly fitting stylistic choice but not a technologically impressive one. For what it’s worth, the Blu-Ray picture is full 1080p, although audio tops out at 5.1 DTS-HD. However, the Blu-Ray does contain exclusive access to BD Live features, primarily the option to bookmark your favorite scenes and then share with your BD Live buddies. The BD Live features were not yet available at press time. Other bonus features available to both DVD and Blu-Ray customers include a featurette on the making of the film, as well as a “green filmmaking” featurette that details the production team’s efforts to make an environmentally friendly film.

Fringe: The Complete First Season

2009-09-08T16:52:00.000-07:00

J. J. Abrams has had quite a year, with the stunning success of his Star Trek reboot, the continued relevance of Lost, and the survival of his latest show Fringe through its entire first season. Fence-sitters like me who questioned the ability of Fringe to thrive on network tv now have the opportunity to get caught up on that first season through today’s release of the DVD and Blu-Ray box sets.

The show centers on a plucky young FBI agent named Olivia Dunham (Anna Torv) assigned to the Fringe division of the FBI that explores paranormal occurrences. Sound familiar? I liked it better when the FBI called that division X-Files, but the show manages to put a fresh coat of paint on the concept that bears continued viewing. This being an Abrams production, the show is littered with easter eggs and hints of a global, interdimensional or possibly even interstellar conspiracy to keep intrepid viewers thinking about and involved with the show. Even the bumpers between commercial breaks offer something thought-provoking: a series of mysterious glyphs that allow amateur cryptographers in the audience to decipher and spell out secret messages in each episode. Sure, those messages are far from earth-shattering, but it’s still a nice touch.

Joining Agent Dunham on her adventures are a cranky conman named Peter Bishop (Joshua Jackson) and his crackpot scientist dad Dr. Walter Bishop (John Noble), forming the most unlikely trio of leads in televised history. Dr. Bishop has been locked up in a mental institution for the last 17 years until his services are required on the first case, leading to his release thanks entirely to the unwilling stewardship of his son. Dr. Bishop has an encyclopedic knowledge of all manner of paranormal things thanks to his years of lab work related to them, but unfortunately his years of institutionalized care have contributed to his completely unstable recollection of that knowledge, so the show delights in his insane and impolitic ramblings and the reactions of other characters to them. Unfortunately, this works to Peter Bishop’s detriment as he’s left with little to do in the first season other than watch out for his dad, attempt to translate his scientific gibberish into English for other characters, and make faint attempts to rekindle a relationship that was never strong in the past. Hopefully the writers will figure out a way to better utilize the character in the second season, but for now he’s largely a waste.

Also following the X-Files model, the show alternates between stand-alone “monster of the week” shows and shows focused on the grand conspiracy. Like X-Files, the best shows are the ones included in the larger arc, while the others end up seeming like throwaways. Agent Dunham’s boss, Agent Philip Broyles (Lance Reddick), has close ties to Nina Sharp (Blair Brown), an officer of a sprawling and possibly evil conglomeration with the silly but apt name of Massive Dynamic. Far too many of the Fringe division’s cases have ties back to Massive Dynamic to be coincidental, and it’s not clear to the leads or the audience just how much they can trust Broyles or Sharp. Speaking of Broyles, if you’re still mourning the loss of HBO's The Wire, Lance Reddick is basically playing exactly the same role here, the head of a rogue department operating well outside the status quo.

Also adding to the conspiracy flavor is a bald, well-dressed, eyebrowless and extremely odd man simply named The Observer who pops up in the periphery of nearly every episode, usually around the time some significant event transpires. He’s largely another fun easter egg so far as it’s fun to play “Spot the Observer” every week, but he portends the something-greater flavor of the show. Not to gripe, but he’s also recycled right down to his name, as he bears strong similarity to the Marvel comic book universe character The Watcher, a bald all-knowing alien character who can observe human events but cannot change them.

The Season One box set includes all 20 episodes with a wealth of bonus material such as three full-length commentaries by the creators, featurettes on the casting, special effects, show creation and the real science behind the show, unaired scenes, a gag reel, and even a feature on Dr. Bishop’s resident cow, Gene. Of special note is the great packaging job. The Fringe DVD box set comes contained in a completely enclosed plastic hardcase in a cardboard outer slipcase, with each of the seven discs on its own plastic tray inside, so viewers needn’t worry about scratching the discs on cardboard sleeves or trouble themselves with having to take one disc off in order to get at another disc underneath.

The Simpsons: The Complete Twelfth Season

2009-08-21T17:00:00.000-07:00

With so many seasons in the can, it’s become somewhat challenging to recall the highs and lows of any particular season of The Simpsons prior to rewatching the individual episodes. I’ve found that one good way to jog the memory is to check out the guest stars involved, so here’s the lineup featured in Season 12: Drew Barrymore, Edward Norton, Justin Timberlake, Stephen King, Andre Agassi, Pete Sampras, and Roger Daltry. OK, so maybe that approach doesn’t always work when the guest stars don’t contribute any truly memorable moments, as is the case here, but at least it’s a starting point.

Season 12 was…well, pretty weak. But hey, it’s still The Simpsons, so even on cruise control it’s still more entertaining than the majority of prime time network TV. The best episode is probably “HOMR” where Homer discovers that he has a crayon lodged in his brain and when it’s removed he becomes a super genius. The worst is too hard to choose, but a particularly uneventful episode is the tennis-themed “Tennis the Menace” with Agassi, Sampras, and the Williams sisters. The annual “Treehouse of Horror” episode features Homer as a ghost, the Simpson kids meeting the three bears and a wicked witch and a tale of when dolphins attack.

It’s great to see Comic Book Guy get some star treatment love as the featured cover character, a trend started with last year’s spotlight on Krusty the Clown for Season 11. Unfortunately, the series packaging also continues another much less desirable trend started with Season 11: the use of cheap and tight cardboard sleeves in an accordion configuration to hold the discs instead of the use of preferred plastic spindles. It may be more ecologically and economically friendly, but the design also makes it nearly impossible to remove or return the discs without scratching them on the cardboard. FOX: stop this inane design choice now!

The DVD set is spread across four discs and contains a robust assortment of bonus features as usual for the series. Each episode has a commentary track with creator Matt Groening along with various producers, directors, writers, and cast. There are also deleted scenes, original sketches, animation featurettes and showcases, and an introduction from Groening welcoming viewers to Season 12. The crew really does a fantastic and thorough job preparing the extra content for these DVD box sets, with only Fox’s poor internal packaging giving it a black eye. The Simpsons: The Complete Twelfth Season is now available on DVD.

Second Skin

2009-08-19T17:48:00.000-07:00

I’m an avid gamer, and have been from the earliest days of the video game industry’s nascent home and arcade growth in the ‘70s through to today’s consoles. And yet, I’ve never understood the appeal of MMORPGs or their maniacal players who devote significant amounts of their lives to playing them. Second Skin attempts to lift the veil on these true gaming fanatics, offering a peek into their mindset as well as their attempts to balance their virtual lives with their real ones.

The filmmakers take a balanced approach to the subject matter, neither condemning nor praising the individuals who choose to escape into virtual worlds. They located an interesting mix of featured gamers and spend enough time with each of them during the course of the film to get a good feel for each person’s motivations and struggles. However, there’s an extremely limited scope to the games featured, with only reigning champion World of Warcraft and EverQuest 2 receiving any attention. Those are likely the biggest current online gaming communities, but far from the only ones out there, so the limited scope and in-game footage unfortunately plays out a bit like an unintended commercial for the games.

For most of the featured gamers, their virtual lives are at least as important as their real ones. Most of them spend at least as much time online each day as they do at their jobs, leaving precious little remaining time for sleep, actual human interaction, or any other activities. There’s clearly a health impact associated with this level of gaming, as shown by the generally pasty complexions and portly dimensions of the gamers, and yet their mental health seems fairly solid for all but one. These are not closeted teens living in their mom’s basements, they are intelligent 20-something career individuals who have their own homes of some sort.

The most intriguing gamer is probably the guy who moves from Huntington Beach, CA to Fort Wayne, IN for the sole purpose of living and gaming with three of his other clan members. Oddly, he also seems like the most well-balanced of all of the featured gamers. He somehow meets and falls in love with a girl while in Indiana, and the documentary follows their resulting pregnancy through to the birth of twins. There’s an amusing interview with him and his girl during the pregnancy where he tries to lay down the ground rules seriously stressing that his gaming will still be a top priority after the birth, later followed by her inevitable sniping about his need to rethink those priorities. This level of personal revelation gives the broad film appeal beyond just the gaming cognoscenti, making it easily accessible to any interested viewers.

Second Skin is now available on DVD. It includes a bevy of special features including more footage with the Fort Wayne boys, additional discussion about virtual worlds and avatar creation, production commentary, and SXSW world premiere vlogs.

Super Friends: The Lost Episodes

2009-08-12T16:47:00.001-07:00

There were lost Super Friends episodes? The Warner Brothers marketing team has outdone themselves with the intriguing title of this new 2-disc DVD collection. As most children of the ‘70s can recall, the Super Friends were an integral component of ABC’s Saturday morning cartoon lineup for many years. With a roster sporting the cream of the DC Comics crop including the holy trinity of Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman, the cartoon was a stellar platform for exposing the tots (like me) to the entire DC universe.

Back in those simpler non-Wikipedia times, news didn’t really get publicized to the suburbs that there were missing Super Friends episodes that were produced but never aired during the Saturday morning run. We got whatever they decided to show on tv that Saturday (and only Saturday!) and hoped we could remember them because dammit, there was no way we were ever going to be able to see them again when the show finally went off the air. However, as the Friends moved into the ‘80s and weekday afternoon syndication deals, an odd confluence of events led to the production and mothballing of the 24 shorts contained in this DVD set. The shorts were intended to be broadcast during the ’83-’84 Saturday morning lineup, but ABC dropped the show rather than compete with the previous series in weekday syndication. Three of these episodes were aired when Super Friends returned to Saturday morning ABC television the following year, while the rest finally appeared in syndication as part of the Superman/Batman Adventures show a year later. So in effect, none of these episodes were really lost, the majority just never appeared during Saturday morning broadcasts.

In addition to the three core superheroes, the main team as described in the show’s opening credits included Robin, Aquaman, the Wonder Twins and Gleek, and D-list losers Samurai, Apache Chief, Black Vulcan, and El Dorado. Interesting assortment of utility players from a United Nations perspective, not so much for the actual characters. Luckily, the writers felt free to borrow liberally from all corners of the DC universe, so the Morts really weren’t featured very prominently in this collection. Unfortunately, the Legion of Doom is a minor presence as well, appearing in only one short. You may notice the intentionally misleading inclusion of Green Lantern on the front DVD cover (trying to ride the coattails of the new Green Lantern: First Flight direct-to-DVD movie, Warners?), but he was not part of the core team and only pops up twice in minor supporting roles throughout these episodes.

The 24 shorts contained here are around seven minutes each and are grouped into three shorts per episode, so it’s probably more correct to say that the set is eight “half hour” episodes rather than 24 individual episodes. Regardless, it’s a decent helping of Super Friends fun at a fair price.

The writing ranges from pretty great to so bad it’s good. Among the best are the return of the Legion of Doom and a time-travel plot to destroy Superboy by three Kryptonian criminals escaped from the Phantom Zone. The worst? Probably Bizarro’s entrapment of the three stars in a videogame (shades of Tron) where they have to battle asteroids and escape from a Pac Man clone. No, the worst one may be where they battle ridiculous-looking animal baddies with even more comical monikers such as Hippohulk and Superfrog. I think that might be the same one where Superman and Batman get transformed into a giant eagle and bat. Really. But good or bad, the shorts are all fun in their own way and well worth watching.

Super Friends: The Lost Episodes is now available on 2-disc DVD. There are no special features.

I Love You, Man

2009-08-04T17:01:00.000-07:00

I Love You, Man sounds like a bro-medy from the Apatow school of laughs, so it’s somewhat surprising to find that he’s not its creative force. Instead, writer/director John Hamburg holds the reins here, and if that name leaves you scratching your head you’re not alone. Turns out Mr. Hamburg has writing credits on such yuk-fests as Zoolander and the Meet the Parents trilogy (yes, including next year’s Little Fockers), and was the writer/director behind the poorly received Along Came Polly. His comedy stylings give this film a more conservative and sweet approach than might be expected, which works to the film’s benefit.

Paul Rudd stars as a straight-laced yuppie type on the verge of marriage to his girlfriend (played by Rashida Jones). He’s completely happy with his life until his fiancée’s friends point out that he has no male friends, making him seem like an oddball and forcing him to reevaluate his priorities. This leads him to begin a search for male companionship and a potential best man for his wedding, which initially leads into an inevitable gay encounter and other poor matches before he discovers what appears to be a perfect friend candidate played by Jason Segel. Of course this being a movie, things are not entirely as they seem, and the ensuing actions as they try to find common ground lead to most of the film’s biggest laughs.

Surprisingly, Segel’s character is a fairly decent match for Rudd’s, so what could have been an over-the-top exploration of an impossible friendship instead becomes a sweet tale of two characters learning about each other and reaffirming their budding friendship. There’s friction with the fiancée, but even that isn’t played up too much. There’s barely any gross-out humor, the language is far from objectionable, so in short this is a mainstream comedy confection with no sharp edges. Rudd and Segel seem a bit straight-jacketed and subsequently underutilized compared to their typical film roles, so it’s a bit of a letdown for fans of their work looking for their unique talents, but they’re both good sports and completely convincing in their roles.

The DVD and Blu-ray contain a standard but sizeable selection of bonus features that include deleted and extended scenes, gag reel, and a making of featurette. I Love You, Man is available on August 11th, 2009.

Wild Pacific

2009-07-30T16:38:00.000-07:00

Did you like Planet Earth? Are you looking for some more BBC nature shows? Wild Pacific continues their string of excellence and offers a fascinating in-depth study of the flora, fauna, geology, and people of the South Pacific. The US DVD release has been retitled from the original BBC broadcast appropriately named South Pacific, perhaps to avoid any angry letters from aging US musical fans duped into a purchasing error. Unlike the US broadcast of Planet Earth, the new series retains the original British narration. Unfortunately, the narrator isn’t BBC legend David Attenborough, but the new kid with the preposterous moniker of Benedict Cumberbatch does a serviceable job.

The series has six hour-long episodes that try to assign a different theme to each one (“Castaways”, “Strange Islands”), but the formula is largely unchanged from show to show, basically stringing together an enchanting mix of rare land and sea animals with some information about their specific Pacific homes and humanity’s impact on them. Like Planet Earth and other BBC nature productions, the show has a definite evolutionary stance that may grate on some sensitive creationists out there, but there’s no denying that the footage is absolutely breathtaking and in some cases groundbreaking.

As noted in the first episode, the Pacific is largest ocean on Earth, and the series goes on to explore the isolation of its islands, the perilous journeys wildlife and humans have gone through to reach them, and what happened to both after their arrival. While the distance between its islands can be hundreds or thousands of miles, life made it to most places, although it didn’t always stay that way, as evidenced by the man-made desolation of Easter Island. Where life did flourish, it often adapted in unique ways that are explored in the series, such as giant crabs that crack open coconuts and insect-eating caterpillars. The series doesn’t just travel to Tahiti and Fiji, it digs deep and explores the entire ocean, even landing on a miniscule and remote island with only a few hundred inhabitants.

Also similar to Planet Earth, each episode contains some bonus footage at the end detailing the challenges they faced in filming a particular segment of that episode, for instance some stunning surfing footage in the first episode that required them to build a custom underwater rig for their hi def camera, avoid the jagged reef under the shallow water, and come back a second time weeks after they intended to shoot in order to capture the best waves.

Deserving of special mention: this DVD series arrived on our shores a mere two months after its original UK broadcast, a delightfully speedy turnaround. Wild Pacific is now available on DVD and Blu-ray, but if you have Blu capability you’d be doing yourself a disservice to even consider it on DVD, especially considering the Blu-ray’s relatively modest $5 list price premium over DVD.

Super Why!: Jack and the Beanstalk & Other Story Book Adventures

2009-07-29T16:57:00.000-07:00

One of the newer shows in the PBS kids lineup is also one of their best from both educational and entertainment standpoints. Super Why! follows the adventures of four Super Reader friends who band together to solve storybook puzzles based on familiar titles such as “Little Red Riding Hood”. Although the show is only two years old, it has garnered significant recognition such as the Parents’ Choice Silver Honor Award and National Parenting Center Seal of Approval and was nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Preschool Children’s Series. It’s presented in an appealing format that will allow discerning parents to happily join in the viewing experience, unlike some other painful shows out there (I’m looking at you, Dora).

Each episode opens with the star character, a little boy named Whyatt, encountering a problem that needs solving with the help of his three friends: Alpha Pig with Alphabet Power, Wonder Red with Word Power, Princess Presto with Spelling Power. Whyatt, aka Super Why, has his own Power to Read and the characters frequently address the viewer for assistance as well, making your child Super YOU with the Power to Help. The four friends have their own vehicles called Why Flyers that allow them to enter the storybook of their choice where they interact with the characters while searching for Super Letters to help them solve the word puzzle of the day which also ties into the problem resolution.

The presentation of the program really shines, as it’s rendered in a colorful widescreen CG world that really pops in HD. It doesn’t feel like a cut-rate production in any way, and in fact can go toe-to-toe with the best of anything else on Nick Jr. or the Disney Channel. The character designs are well done and the vocal talent is perfectly matched to their animated avatars.

The best part is the show’s strong emphasis on reading comprehension, as it constantly asks children to spell out the letters they find and compare the differences that happen when the characters change key letters in words, then replace those words in sentences. While it’s geared toward children in the 3-6 age range, younger children can also join in the fun as the show moves at a forgiving pace that allows even the youngest viewers to grasp the gist of the adventures. Nick Jr. and Disney may boast of shows that promote positive social values, but Super Why! is one of those far too rare shows that actually packs in some core educational content, dovetailing nicely with fellow PBS stalwart Sesame Street.

The new DVD, which is the first widespread US DVD release for the show, contains four full half-hour episodes: Jack and the Beanstalk, Princess and the Pea, The Three Little Pigs, and Little Red Riding Hood. In addition to the episodes, the DVD includes Interactive Games, Music Videos, Printable Activities and Coloring Pages, and Resources for Parents. The extras are largely inconsequential, but the episodes are entertaining and well worth repeat viewing. Super Why!: Jack and the Beanstalk & Other Story Book Adventures is now available on DVD.

Dollhouse Season 1

2009-07-15T16:23:00.000-07:00

Upon viewing some preview footage of Dollhouse at last summer’s San Diego Comic-Con, one plucky young lass boldly noted to attending creator Joss Whedon and star Eliza Dushku that it didn’t really grab her and asked why she should watch the show. Whedon was visibly taken aback, but the girl had a valid point. Coming from a creator with a messiah-like following due to his ability to weave intricate dramatic mythologies with comic and even musical touches, Whedon’s concept for the show seemed more than a bit pedestrian. After a delayed premiere to retool the show’s framework and reshoot the pilot, the show limped through its early hours before gaining a bit of traction near the end of its abbreviated 12 episode season. Now the complete first season along with the original unaired pilot and an unaired 13th episode, “Epitaph One”, is coming to DVD and Blu-ray in advance of the show’s 2nd season premiere and final shot for redemption.

Dushku stars as Echo, one of a group of fetching young people residing in the titular dollhouse, a clandestine organization where they are implanted with alternate personalities at the whim of their benefactors. Their own personalities have been removed and stored on what appear to be hard drives, leaving them fairly mindless drones during their downtime. Why Echo and the others agreed or were coerced to join this insane program isn’t really covered in season 1, although the shady organization is explored more thoroughly as the season progresses. There’s something inherently icky about the dollhouse’s concept, as it’s clear the mind-wiped dolls are frequently pimped out for sexual assignments, so it will be interesting to see how or if this is justified in season two.

For a Whedon show, it’s far too humorless in its early outings, and it fails to draw viewers into its mythology due to its focus on Echo’s personality of the week. Sure, it’s a fine acting showcase for Dushku to show off her range, but watching her as a hostage negotiator, backup singer, and blind cult worshiper in the initial weeks does little to encourage repeat viewing. It’s only near the midpoint of the season that the writers seem to wake up and inject more focus on the far more interesting company rather than Echo’s personalities. The best creative jolt is reserved for the final two episodes of the season, when fellow Whedon alum Alan Tudyk joins the cast as the criminally insane Alpha, a rogue doll set up as the big bogeyman of the show due to his previous killing spree within the dollhouse. I had serious misgivings about Tudyk in this role based on his largely comic resume, but he ends up stealing the show with his unhinged and surprisingly threatening performance.

The Dollhouse season one set is available on both DVD and Blu-ray on July 28th, 2009. My advance materials didn’t contain the two unaired episodes or any extras, which apparently will appear on the 4th disc in the set, but the extras reportedly include deleted scenes and standard “making of” featurettes. The show may not be what rabid Whedon fans have come to expect from their leader, but it does have a chance to grow into a solid performer if the writers can get it right.

Mistresses: Volume One

2009-06-12T16:22:00.000-07:00

Described on the DVD box as “a British drama for the Sex & the City set”, Mistresses follows exactly the same framework by featuring four thirty-something women acting as a support network for each other as they pursue various romantic relationships. However, where Sex & the City spent a large amount of time on the comedic and frequently over-the-top elements of those relationships, Mistresses is deadly serious all the time. The show airs on BBC America here, but its highly melodramatic content makes it seem like a much more natural fit for Lifetime.

Admittedly, I’m not the target demographic for this series, so I asked my better half to join me in my viewing marathon. She was tired of the show before the end of the second episode. Here’s the thing: it’s just not fun. The serious tone of the show saps any real zing out of it, and the situations the characters are placed in frequently make the women seem weak, unprofessional, and naïve, so it’s far from a prime example of female empowerment. That leaves the actresses as the only reason to watch, but since they’re saddled with such unsympathetic characters and lackluster stories there’s little they can do to rescue the show.

Only one of the four women is married, but of course that marriage isn’t going well. Her husband and her are trying to get pregnant, and his unwavering obsession with ensuring that conditions are optimal for pregnancy at the expense of any romance leads her eyes to wander to a sexy co-worker. Mistress #2 was married until she lost her husband in the 9/11 attacks, and since then she’s been completely alone. When she receives a 9/11 settlement check that makes her an instant millionaire, she also falls under the spell of a hunky bachelor who may have his eyes on more than just her. Mistress #3 is some sort of psychiatrist mourning the death (which she assisted) of one of her patients who was also her lover, but she is also drawn to his son who happens to be her patient as well. And finally, Mistress #4 is a wedding planner who regularly sleeps with her male boss until she decides she’s bi-curious just in time to throw a wrench into the lesbian wedding she’s organizing.

So let’s take a count here: three out of four of these bimbos are having very unprofessional relationships with people they met in their line of work. The psychiatrist is on her 2nd affair…in the same family! Apparently she didn’t learn her lesson the first time. The wedding planner boinks her boss and could have hit on anyone for her foray to the other side, but instead selected her soon-to-be-married client. And the married one is stupid enough to sleep with her co-worker multiple times without protection…hmm, I wonder what will happen there? In this man’s opinion, it’s frankly demeaning to women that these women are portrayed as so emotionally weak that they’re powerless to give in to their carnal desires in the workplace. Only the widow seems to have a somewhat traditional romance, but she might or might not be a bit batty with her belief that her dead husband is calling her every time she gets a phone call with nobody on the other end.

There are so many better shows that viewers could devote their time to in place of this mess. The plot threads are telegraphed out so far in advance that there are really no surprises to be had by continued viewing, and the characters ultimately become more tiresome than entertaining. However, viewers who want to struggle through will find plenty of content in this set. Although it’s housed in a standard single DVD case, they somehow managed to cram four full discs into it that contain all 12 hour-long episodes from Series 1 and 2. The bonus features are weak, containing only a brief featurette on the making of the show and some cast interviews.

Mistresses is now available on DVD.

Wallander

2009-06-10T16:06:00.000-07:00

It’s surprising to find noted film actor/director Kenneth Branagh starring in a tv production, especially one that seems closer to CSI than Shakespeare, but Wallander is a suitable vehicle for his talents. For those unfamiliar with the property, the character of Kurt Wallander originated in a best-selling series of nine crime fiction novels by Swedish author Henning Mankell. All nine novels were subsequently made into films in Sweden, and in the past few years a new Swedish series based on original stories was also produced. Now the mighty BBC has joined in the fun with this latest production featuring a British cast playing the Swedish characters.

Wallander is a humorless, driven detective working in the sleepy town of Ystad in southern Sweden. He’s separated from his wife, distant from his father and daughter, and completely consumed by his work. Once he latches onto a case, he devotes every fiber of his being to its closure, leaving him frequently short on sleep, exercise, proper nutrition, and nurturing relationships. In short, he’s let himself go to seed and doesn’t seem to get any joy out of his life or career, but keeps doggedly plugging away anyway. Unfortunately for him, there’s no shortage of grisly murder cases in his idyllic town. Branagh nails the world-weary nature of the character, and while he’s not exactly a sympathetic character he’s clearly a fully-developed and intriguing one.

Oddly, as mentioned before, this is a British production that passes itself off as a Swedish property. It’s disconcerting to hear these supposedly Swedish characters speak of being “knackered” and other similar Brit phrases while clearly existing in Sweden, making it seem like the series should have been transplanted to the UK. This is addressed in the bonus features where the producers point out that the setting of Ystad is so integral to the material that they couldn’t dream of setting it elsewhere. Basically, it’s not just about the crimes, but the setting in which they’re committed, as the source novels apparently have much to say about the changing socioeconomic climate of Sweden as contrasted with the gruesome, almost otherworldly murders concocted by the writers. In one episode, a rape victim douses herself with gasoline and torches herself in front of Wallander in the middle of a beautiful field of flowers. In another, a victim’s eyes are burned out with acid. The series never shies away from showing the explicit physical results of the murders, but also does a fine job of vividly establishing a strong sense of the place they’re committed.

The new two-disc DVD box set includes all three feature-length Wallander episodes produced to date, along with a healthy assortment of bonus features. In the longest feature, a fellow crime fiction writer visits the real world settings in Ystad used in the novels before sitting down with original author Mankell for an in-depth conversation about his history and motivation as well as the larger picture of the monumental changes in Sweden during his lifetime, from the murders of two prime ministers to the country’s failure to properly integrate immigrants allowed such free entry into their country via its utopian ideals. In another feature, Branagh and Mankell sit down to discuss the Wallander character. All of the features are insightful and above-par, well worth watching for viewers interested in the character or just additional perspective on the country of Sweden.

Wallander is now available on DVD.

True Blood: The Complete First Season

2009-05-15T17:11:00.000-07:00

True Blood creator Alan Ball is no stranger to HBO, having previously crafted the moderately successful series Six Feet Under. While that series handled some fairly weighty material at times, par for the course in its funeral parlor setting, his latest offering is a pop confection that is firmly focused on entertainment, not intellectual stimulation. It’s also riding the wave of the current vampire boom ignited by the Twilight book series and movie, as well as its own source book series by author Charlaine Harris, but don’t hold that against him.

The series follows the denizens of a Louisiana backwater as they come to terms with the public emergence of vampires as ordinary citizens. These vampires want rights, seeking to be treated no differently than their human counterparts with the ability to date and marry humans, vote, move freely in public, etc. This generates conflict in the community as the humans pick their side, with the majority coming down firmly against the vamps. The story is nothing new, bearing blatantly obvious overtones of the civil rights and gay rights movements as well as parallels to other fictional works such as Marvel’s X-Men comic book saga. The vampire theme is also overused and long in the tooth, so to speak, but the creators stir in enough fresh blood to give viewers sufficient reason to keep coming back for another serving.

The main plot revolves around Civil War-era vampire Bill (Stephen Moyer) and his budding relationship with human empath Sookie Stackhouse (Anna Paquin). He’s a Southern gentleman, she’s a sweet girl who loves the fact that she can’t hear his thoughts, and together they attempt to define their relationship while navigating the court of public opinion. To add a romantic triangle, Sookie’s boss Sam also has deep feelings for her and deep feelings against Bill, but he’s not exactly what he seems. There’s also a season-long arc regarding a mystery serial killer in their midst, and while its resolution is nothing special, it does give the characters added friction as they explore their feelings.

As Sookie bounces back and forth between her paramours throughout the season, their supporting characters also get significant exposure, primarily Sookie’s prickly best friend Tara (Rutina Wesley), their flamboyantly gay co-worker Lafayette (Nelsan Ellis), and Sookie’s gonzo brother Jason (Ryan Kwanten). Kwanten in particular gives the show a welcome jolt as a lovable dumb jock who gets in one comedic mess after another, usually at the expense of his character’s dignity, similar to Stifler in the American Pie movies. Aside from these three characters, the rest of the supporting cast is uniformly unremarkable during season one.

The True Blood DVD box set includes all 12 season one episodes spread across five discs. Special features include six audio commentaries with cast and crew, a faux documentary examining the integration of vampires into the human world, “Tru Blood” beverage ads extolling the wonders of the synthetic blood imbibed by discerning vamps in the show, Public Service Ads by the human coalitions on both side of the Vampire Rights Amendment debate, as well as vampire-centric product ads for a variety of essential goods and services.

True Blood: The Complete First Season is available on DVD, Blu-ray, and digital download on May 19th, 2009.

Valkyrie

2009-05-05T17:13:00.000-07:00

It’s difficult to judge Valkyrie entirely on its own merits due to the back story of the top talent involved in its creation, namely director Bryan Singer and star Tom Cruise. Singer was coming off the lackluster reception of his previous effort, Superman Returns, while Cruise has been more notable for bizarre behavior than any tangible box office respect in the past few years. As something of a comeback vehicle for both of them, it seemed like a smart move, tackling a deadly serious drama in the hopes of reconnecting with their previous critical success in films such as Singer’s The Usual Suspects and Cruise’s Collateral. Even the film’s story seemed like a winner, examining an ill-fated assassination effort against Adolf Hitler. Unfortunately, the resulting film fails to deliver, offering glimpses of potential but nothing that materializes into a meaningful final product.

Cruise plays a German rebel bearing the unwieldy name of Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg, a disaffected member of Hitler’s forces who ultimately comes to believe that the country would be far better off without Hitler in control. After hooking up with other rebels at various levels in the chain of command, he leads a daring mission with two objectives: to hopefully assassinate Hitler, and definitely seize control of the country by executing one of Hitler’s own security protocols codenamed Valkyrie. Since we already know how well that turns out for them, the film predictably lacks a certain amount of tension, but its plodding execution robs it of the rest.

The filmmakers made some unfortunate choices that detract from the film’s power. First, the actors are almost entirely British and American, so it’s never quite convincing to accept the characters as German. Sure, it wouldn’t make much sense to have them deliver their lines in German, and German actors would detract from the box office potential, but it just doesn’t work in its current form. Second, and even more distracting, is the matter of Stauffenberg’s fake eye. You see, he loses an eye in battle at the beginning of the film, so for the rest of its length we’re treated to either Cruise in an eyepatch or Cruise with a fake eye that looks far more unreal than a fake eye. Singer even calls attention to it with a couple of close-ups, but the fake effect is more creepily unrealistic than just plain creepy, taking viewers right out of the film every time it pops up.

Cruise is a fine, dedicated actor, but he and Singer never seem to get a handle on this character, moping through with a one-note performance that doesn’t give Cruise any opportunity for his usual penchant for big dramatic moments. He’s sullen, morose, and barely able to generate any viewer empathy in what should have been a slam-dunk role. Maybe he was distracted by the fake eye, maybe he and Singer were intending to portray the character’s singular, unflinching dedication to his quest at the expense of any other emotion, but the end result left this viewer barely able to root for him. Against Hitler!

Valkyrie is available on DVD, 2-disc DVD with Digital Copy, and Blu-ray on May 19th.

My Friends Tigger & Pooh: Tigger & Pooh and a Musical Too!

2009-04-08T17:31:00.001-07:00

Similar to the previous DVD release Super Sleuth Christmas Movie, this new offering from the creative team of Disney Channel’s My Friends Tigger & Pooh series ditches the episodic format of the series in favor of an entirely new full-length movie. Well, “full-length” is a bit misleading as the story wraps up in about an hour, but it’s still fun to see the gang from the Hundred Acre Wood stretch out in a more substantial offering than the standard episodic limitations. It’s also a bit misleading to call this a musical, as it has seven unremarkable and brief songs that mostly fly under the radar of the main plot except for one standout production number starring Tigger.

Since the last time I reviewed an offering from this series (Hundred Acre Wood Haunt), the animal gang seems to have had a population explosion. In addition to the previous core group, there’s now a porcupine with garishly colored glasses, a beaver who bears a strong resemblance to the still-missing Gopher, a little blue woodpecker, a turtle, a raccoon, a skunk, Kanga, and Lumpy the Heffalump and his mom. Good thing they have a full Hundred Acres to roam, it’s getting pretty crowded out there. No new characters are introduced here, and no existing characters are explained, but the standalone nature of this feature allows viewers to hop on board with no previous knowledge of the show.

As the story begins, the gang has decided to have their annual picnic and has also decided to make Rabbit the honorary mayor. Picnic good, Rabbit mayor bad. As if they never noticed how much of a control freak Rabbit is in his own home, the friends are surprised when Rabbit begins dictating a host of new rules and regulations that seriously harsh their good vibes. When Tigger is hit with a “no bouncing” rule and finally decides to rebel, Rabbit draws a line down the middle of the Wood to keep the law-abiding folks on one side and the no-good rabble rousers led by Tigger on the other. Can they ever resolve their differences and reconcile? It’s up to the Super Sleuths to find out, and it’s up to young viewers to learn about sharing, compromise, kindness, and respect along the way.

The production qualities remain very high, and the show seems to have really hit its stride. The characters act like you would expect, the voice work is spot on, but most of all the CG animation is simply gorgeous and doesn’t feel like the creators had to cut many corners to fit their tv budget. It’s well worth watching for any long-time Pooh fans and a great introduction to the characters for new viewers.

The DVD includes an unimaginative interactive game, “Rabbit’s Think, Think, Think Theatre”, as well as a bonus music video starring Kenny Loggins. My Friends Tigger & Pooh: Tigger & Pooh and a Musical Too! is now available on DVD.

Ricky Gervais: Out of England

2009-03-25T17:09:00.000-07:00

If you’ve seen any stand-up comedy work from Ricky Gervais before, you’ll likely find some recycled material in this new DVD. In fact, Gervais defines his Out of England show as a “greatest hits” revue in the bonus interview included here. If you’re new to Gervais stand-up, you’ll likely be pleasantly surprised by the fact that he even does stand-up after earning riches and acclaim as the co-creator and star of both the original BBC version of The Office as well as Extras. Gladly, his live comedy isn’t some worthless ego-stroking exercise; he takes his stand-up craft seriously and delivers a solid round of laughs that translates perfectly well to these shores.

After three previous stand-up tours and DVDs in his native England, Gervais finally brought his live show to the US late last year. The show was subsequently broadcast on HBO in advance of this DVD release. The DVD was filmed during his New York City engagement at the WaMu Theater at Madison Square Garden. He’s not big on extensive engagements, joking in the extras about only hitting LA and NY and ignoring the rest of the country. He’s also not big on late starts or late nights (as this reviewer painfully found out during his LA engagement), having a laugh that he likes to start on time and be back in bed in his hotel room by 9:30.

As the show opens, he strolls onstage in a king’s robe while a mammoth “RICKY” sign in lights fills the stage. He goes on to joke about disparate subjects such as obesity, fame, and fundraising for about an hour, exhibiting great pacing with just a touch of rough transitions between bits. Gervais isn’t a particularly dirty comedian, although he hits a few mildly ribald sections in his act. He goes for fairly mass appeal here, pausing only long enough to visit his can of Fosters before launching into another story. It’s easy to imagine this mostly timeless material being developed in the company of friends in a neighborhood pub, marking Gervais as a classic storyteller rather than any kind of current events humorist or self-deprecating ego deflater. He’s completely at home on stage and well worth watching; thankfully all of the flyover states finally have the opportunity.

Ricky Gervais: Out of England is available on DVD on March 31st.

Tokyo!

2009-03-20T11:54:00.000-07:00

Although the three short films comprising Tokyo! are completely self-contained and come from wildly dissimilar directors, they all share the same theme: alienation. Surprisingly, even though each film is set in Tokyo, none of them are vastly influenced by the setting. It’s rewarding to see how these non-Japanese directors approach the task of capturing the essence of Tokyo, but ultimately the core tales contained here are universal enough that they could be easily transplanted to any major metropolis.

The leadoff hitter here is likely the main draw for most US viewers, as Michel Gondry has amassed an impressive string of oddball hits accentuated by his propensity for whimsical, homemade touches. His segment, “Interior Design”, is surprisingly conventional for most of its running length until it veers firmly into the surreal in its closing minutes. A young couple moves to Tokyo to further the filmmaking career of the boyfriend, but with no home of their own and no marketable skills, the girlfriend slips further into the background as she searches for her own purpose in life. Lead actress Ayako Fujitani (daughter of Steven Segal) contributes a fine performance that admirably portrays her character’s displacement and desire to belong.

The unmistakable opening strains of the classic Godzilla score give a clear hint to the direction of Leos Carax‘s segment, “Merde”. A disheveled and seemingly deranged white man emerges from a manhole and proceeds to plow a path of destruction through the shocked pedestrians in his way, nonchalantly stripping them of their belonging including cash, crutches, and flowers (especially the flowers). This monster doesn’t stomp on buildings like Godzilla/Gojira, but he evokes a similar sense of terror in Tokyo as his manic id crashes against the traditionally stoic and reserved ego of its citizens. When his subsequent outing results in tremendous civilian casualties, he’s hunted down, captured, and outed as a bizarre loner who speaks a language supposedly known by only two other people on earth. This extreme alienation clearly affects his ability to interact with others and leads to many public questions, but he remains something of a mystery as his origin and intentions aren’t disclosed. While it seems that the character was originally developed to serve as a stark contrast to the conformist culture he inhabits, he’s ultimately so fascinating on his own that it’s a delightful albeit unlikely surprise when a final title card flashes “Coming Soon: The Adventures of Mr. Merde in New York”.

Joon-ho Bong gained traction with the crime drama Memories of Murder but rocketed to international acclaim on the back of his blockbuster Korean monster movie, The Host. In his segment here, “Shaking Tokyo”, he studies a hikikomori, an extreme recluse who has completely cut himself off from society, never leaving his abode and never even meeting the glance of the myriad deliverymen who facilitate his continued existence. The hikikomori’s idealized life of takeout meals and literature is literally and figuratively shaken one day when a pizza delivery girl faints on his doorstep during an earthquake. Initially appalled by the human contact but eventually intrigued by the promise she embodies, he forces himself out of his home in order to quench his curiosity. It’s a somewhat lightweight but enjoyable tale that succeeds thanks to Bong’s solid direction.

While anthology films typically come up short with at least one throwaway segment, the directors and stories selected for this film have such refreshing originality that the film never falters. Tokyo! is a delight from beginning to end, a winning example of a triptych done right.

Tokyo! is now playing in select markets including New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles/Orange County. For a complete list of cities where this film will open see: www.tokyothemovie.com/screenings.html

Chocolate

2009-02-17T18:44:00.000-08:00

After Ong-Bak broke open the door for Thai martial arts movies in the US, and The Protector (aka Tom Yum Goong) drove an elephant through that door, director Prachya Pinkaew’s latest effort to pull off the trifecta falls a bit flat. Of course his previous two films starred the spectacular Tony Jaa, while this time out he relies on newcomer “Jeeja” Yanin Vismistananda, but even setting aside the change in leads the action set pieces just aren’t up to the standards of his previous work.

Jeeja plays an autistic young girl named Zen who sets out on a quest to collect on her mother’s past debts in order to pay for mom’s hospital bills. Mom used to be a gangster of some sort but apparently didn’t follow through on her accounts receivables too vigorously, leaving behind a book filled with details about criminal deadbeats on the hook for payment due. Of course deadbeats don’t pay up too easily, so when young Zen comes knocking the gangsters start fighting, leading to much opportunity for martial mayhem.

Pinkaew criminally uses Zen’s autism as a flimsy plot device, trying to pass off her savant-like fighting ability as some kind of new “drunken master” style that actually caused this viewer more annoyance than entertainment. Zen has no formal martial arts training, but instead picks up her skills by watching old movies on tv. The basic setup of every fight is that Zen stumbles into a crime den looking like a strong gust of air would tip her over and sounding like an escapee from a mental ward, then proceeds to kick every ass in the place when her payment request is denied. Since the film isn’t wall to wall fights, that leaves lots of screen time to be filled with Zen’s grating character. There was absolutely no compelling reason to give the character a disability other than as some kind of sexist explanation of how a girl could fight so well. In reality, Jeeja trained for many months to get battle-ready for the film, but Pinkaew’s fantasy construct leaves no room for her exceptional efforts.

As a performer, young Jeeja is dangerously low on the charisma scale and a bit wooden in her fighting as well. Even after all of her training and setting aside her character’s limitations, she seems to lack a certain fluidity that would really sell the action, looking like she’s trying too hard to hit her marks at times. However, she clearly devoted every fiber of her being to putting up the best performance she could muster and she does have quite a number of amazing stunts that make the film worth a look. The best sequence is saved for the end, where she fights baddies on a vertical battlefield leaping from balcony to balcony on a building exterior.

Chocolate is now available on DVD and Bluray.

RocknRolla

2009-01-27T17:07:00.000-08:00

After the dismal reception of his previous two films (Swept Away and Revolver), writer/director Guy Ritchie’s newest feels like a defensive retreat to a safe zone for him. Gladly, that zone still manages to entertain in spite of its overwhelming sense of deja vu. If you liked Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and/or Snatch, consider this the third film of a trilogy and you’ll know just what to expect here.

Since Jason Statham didn’t report for duty this time around, the Statham-ish role went to Gerard Butler. While he’s charming, he ultimately just seems a bit too…clean to really pull off the role of the colorfully named neighborhood tough guy, One Two. Likewise, his closest partner in crime named Mumbles (Idris Elba from The Wire) doesn’t make much of a lasting impression, making this a decidedly non-dynamic duo. However, since this is a Ritchie production, there are plenty (too many?) of other bit players ready to offer some zing, notably Toby Kebbell as a strung-out ex-rock star and Tom Wilkinson as crime kingpin Lenny Cole. Surprisingly though, the stunt casting of Chris “Ludacris” Bridges and Jeremy Piven in non-essential parts fails to add any spark to the film.

The plot, such as it is, defies easy explanation due to its disparate and not entirely comprehensible threads, but basically boils down to London thugs trying to outwit each other and the Russian mob. There’s a handy MacGuffin making the rounds, in this case a painting loaned by the Russians to Lenny Cole and subsequently passing through numerous hands. There’s an icy femme fatale played competently by Thandie Newton, giving the film its only testosterone-free jolt. There’s some comedy interspersed with the violence, but mostly just a high prevalence of guns, cussing, and quickly shifting alliances. Everything moves at a brisk pace and Ritchie includes enough visual pizzazz, especially in an amusing foot chase on train tracks, to keep the energy and interest level high.

The 2-disc special edition DVD includes the standard film on one disc as well as a digital copy on disc 2. Special Features aren’t too special, with only one deleted scene and a brief featurette on “Guy Ritchie’s London” where he talks about some of the locations used in the film.

RocknRolla is available today on DVD and Bluray.

Encounters At the End of the World

2008-12-03T16:59:00.000-08:00

No stranger to extreme adventures in the course of his filmmaking, iconic director Werner Herzog traveled to the frozen expanse of Antarctica for his latest documentary. He makes it clear early on that he’s not there to cash in on filming cuddly penguins, and instead devotes more of the film to examining Antarctica’s human inhabitants rather than its natural wonders. Viewers looking for a nature documentary may be puzzled at the significant attention paid to the humans, but what emerges is an insightful look at the motivations and backgrounds of the unique characters choosing to spend their lives at the end of the world.

Herzog is initially dismayed by the industrial blight of McMurdo Station, the US research center and largest Antarctic community. He doesn’t ever seem to really warm to the existence of the station, but his exposure to its quirky residents clearly led him to reevaluate the intentions of his documentary. While he spends time with the scientists in their field work above and below the ice, he’s seemingly more intrigued by what makes them tick and what led them to Antarctica, filming in-depth interviews with a few of them. Although the subjects are all clearly operating on a different wavelength than mainstream society, there aren’t any exceptionally memorable oddballs, just a moderate island of misfit toys.

The nature footage that does make its way into the finished product is suitably scenic and breathtaking, especially the underwater scenes that expose the bizarre wildlife existing in Antarctica’s freezing depths. There’s even a throwaway scene of penguins, proving that Herzog couldn’t completely escape their cuddly call.

The 2-disc DVD release features a wealth of bonus footage that includes a short film by another director called “Under The Ice” that first inspired Herzog to try his own hand at Antarctic filmmaking, as well as some breathtaking aerial footage, and a feature on “Seals and Men”. Jonathan Demme pops in to interview Herzog, while Herzog and his production team also offer a commentary track for the main film.

Encounters at the End of the World is now available on DVD and Blu-ray. For more information, visit http://www.encountersfilm.com/.

Kung Fu Panda DVD Two-Pack

2008-11-11T17:31:00.000-08:00

Kung Fu Panda elevates itself above typical cutesy animal movies by avoiding fart jokes, taking a serious and focused approach to the story, and most importantly, utilizing incredibly lush, elegant art direction that adds an epic touch to the film. Even though its star attraction of Jack Black might lead the uninitiated to expect a jokey, childish ride, the scenic vistas and respectful handling of the subject matter make this a crowd pleaser for viewers of all ages.

Black plays the titular hero, a chubby panda named Po who longs for a life of kung fu but finds himself confined to working in his father’s noodle shop. He closely follows the exploits of the Furious Five, a motley crew of highly skilled kung fu masters famous throughout the land. When he learns of a contest to pick the ultimate kung fu warrior, he ditches his duties and attempts to crash the party, ultimately leading to his unlikely selection as the chosen one. Thus begins his uneasy apprenticeship with the master Shifu (Dustin Hoffman) as he learns the secrets of kung fu and eventually gears for battle with the master’s evil and ferocious former student. It’s a simple, straightforward tale, and indeed it starts out fairly average, but as the movie progresses it creates such a vivid and fully realized world that it’s a shame to see it come to an end. Luckily, the filmmakers apparently felt the same way.

Released as part of a DVD double pack, the deluxe package includes a new disc called Secrets of the Furious Five, a completely new half-hour film that briefly goes into the background of each of the Five, exploring their beginnings and how they came to develop their unique fighting styles. It’s set up as a learning example Po uses for his young charges, a group of rambunctious and cute rabbit kung fu trainees. Po is basically a bumper in between each of the five shorts, and while his segments are in the same lush CG as the film, the shorts are a stripped-down, pseudo-Flash style closer to the superflat look of the Samurai Jack tv series. The change in animation style is a bit of a letdown, but not enough to sink an admirable effort to extend the franchise a bit. It’s questionable whether this really needed its own disc and individual case when it could likely be included on the main movie disc, but it also includes a few extras and printables to round it out a bit. One extra uses actors to demonstrate different kung fu fighting styles, while another has a group of dancers demonstrating some choreography, and another calculates your Chinese zodiac sign as well as a description. There’s also a quickie game and a couple of trailers.

As for the extras on the movie DVD, the vast selection approaches overkill but practically guarantees something for everyone. There’s commentary, a look at the cast, a feature on the film’s sound design, a featurette called “Pushing the Boundaries”, a music video, a live-action look at making noodles from scratch, a live-action demonstration of the proper way to use chopsticks, a look at panda conservation efforts, a “Training Academy” game, printables and weblinks, and the requisite trailers.

Kung Fu Panda is now available on DVD and Blu-ray.

Stranded

2008-11-05T17:21:00.000-08:00

While you may have heard the infamous story of the plane crash survivors who were forced to resort to cannibalism in order to survive, or even saw the big-screen dramatization (1993’s Alive), this riveting new documentary uses the actual survivors to recount the tale in their own words for the first time. Their first-hand account of the days following the crash drives home the desperation of their tragic situation and ultimately delivers a life-affirming message.

On October 13th, 1972, a young rugby team from Uruguay boarded a flight for a game in Chile, but vanished into inclement weather conditions over the Andes. 72 days later, 16 of the 45 passengers were rescued. What happened in those desperate days affected the survivors for the rest of their lives, but as evidenced by their deeply personal interviews, the experience didn’t define them. Miraculously, over 35 years later, all of the survivors featured appear to be well-adjusted, content, and extremely grateful men who have gone on to lead stable and normal lives as husbands and fathers.

The film is a mix of interviews, archival footage and pictures, as well as new reenactments. In my opinion, the reenactments added nothing to the film as the mental images conveyed via the interviews were exceedingly powerful on their own. They seemed to act as a distraction, pulling me out of the film’s flow every time new footage was used and reminding me that they were purely manufactured images rather than the real deal. Conversely, the archival footage and pictures are harrowing, especially those taken near the end of their ordeal as their skeletal, ungroomed forms appeared to be more spectral than physical. Setting all images aside, the true stars of the film are the current-day survivors, aging men who have had a lifetime to reflect on their shared experience. They’re not only informative; they’re eloquent, lyrical, and completely unguarded as they describe the details of their ordeal as well as the impact of the experience on their lives.

Stranded opens in NY, LA and San Francisco on November 7th before rolling out to additional cities in the coming weeks. For more information about the film and a complete list of locations and dates, visit www.zeitgeistfilms.com/.

Looney Tunes: Golden Collection Vol. 6

2008-10-28T17:09:00.001-07:00

The deep animation vault at Warner Brothers appears to be getting a bit shallow on this, the sixth and final Golden Collection box set. Casual fans expecting four discs of popular Bugs and Daffy shorts should keep away from this set as it delves into lengthy stretches of lesser-known characters such as Bosko and rarely-seen World War II shorts. However, viewers with a healthy appetite for animation history and the patience to wade through some clunkers will find a deep, fascinating look at some truly rare material.

As in past releases, the new box set is spread over four individual discs arranged by specific theme. Each disc has 15 main shorts plus an assortment of bonus material of varying quality. Of special interest are the 15 additional WB shorts contained in the bonus features, as well as 5 more shorts spotlighting some of director Friz Freleng’s work for MGM. Two TV specials make an appearance as well, “Bugs Bunny in King Arthur’s Court” and “Daffy Duck’s Easter Eggcitement”.

Disc 1: Looney Tunes All-Stars will be of most appeal to the mainstream fans with its focus on the favorite characters from the studio. This one is just like watching the old ABC Saturday morning show with its uninterrupted and random selection of shorts featuring the best Looney Tunes stars. Its 15 primary shorts include a nice mix of hits including the debut of Yosemite Sam (“Hare Trigger”) and a smattering of Foghorn Leghorn appearances. Bonus features include commentary tracks on a few of the shorts as well as music-only tracks, the TV specials, and some of the bonus cartoons.

Disc 2: Patriotic Pals is the war cartoons as well as a few oddball shorts that preach the virtues of capitalism. Bugs shows up behind enemy lines in Germany in “Heir Meets Hare”, while Daffy joins the war effort in “Daffy Goes Commando”. Bonuses are more commentary tracks and bonus shorts, as well as the Freleng MGM shorts.

Disc 3: Bosko, Buddie, and Merrie Melodies highlights the studio’s earliest work in the 1930s before the Looney Tunes stars became famous. See that little black and white guy you don’t recognize on the cover? That’s Bosko, and his character design should give you a pretty clear idea of the contents of this disc. No real madcap antics or decent plots, just simple song and dance that thrilled audiences new to sound cartoons. Bonus features include commentaries and an entertaining look at Schlesinger Christmas Party reels along with optional commentary that identifies the studio production participants, allowing viewers to match names to faces. These reels were only produced to be shown before the employee Christmas parties, so it’s a real treat to find them included here.

Disc 4: Most Requested Assorted Nuts includes a smorgasbord of rare oddities not normally associated with the studio such as “Horton Hatches The Egg” loosely based on the Dr. Seuss book. Bonuses are more commentaries, isolated music tracks, more cartoons, and the cherry on top, a 70-minute documentary on legendary voice actor Mel Blanc.

True Warner Brothers fans and completists will find much to admire in this box set, and with 80 shorts (60 plus bonuses) plus a healthy assortment of bonus material, there’s plenty here to tide over the heartiest zealot until the next non-Golden DVDs from the vault inevitably surface.

Looney Tunes: Golden Collection Vol. 6 is now available. For more information, visit whv.warnerbros.com.

The Simpsons: The Complete Eleventh Season

2008-10-17T16:49:00.000-07:00

There’s no point discussing the merits of any series that actually reaches its 11th season; by the time it gets there, it has long since reached mass cultural awareness and either made fans or foes out of the viewing audience. What’s remarkable to consider is that in the case of The Simpsons, the 11th season marked only the show’s mid-life (or less?) rather than its swan song. Like most shows, the series struggled with hit-or-miss episodes, but thankfully they still hit most of the time.

Notably, this season contained a few game-changing events: the death of Maude Flanders ("Alone Again, Natura-Diddily"), the sobering-up of Barney ("Days of Wine and D'Oh'ses"), and the birth of Apu's octuplets ("Eight Misbehavin'"). Among its best episodes were "Pygmoelian" where Moe had plastic surgery and became a temporary star; "Bart to the Future", where a mystic showed Bart's future as a washed-up rock star while Lisa was President of the US; and "E-I-E-I-(Annoyed Grunt)", where the family visited Homer's childhood farm and raised a potent tobacco/tomato hybrid crop called "tomacco". This season's installment of Treehouse of Horror also had a classic segment featuring Lucy Lawless reprising her Xena character as she escaped the clutches of Comic Book Guy.

Since your purchasing decision ultimately won’t be swayed much by the show itself, let’s take a look at the extras included in the new DVD box set:

- Intro from Matt Groening
- Audio commentaries on every episode with Exec Producer Mike Scully as well as writers/actors/directors (but only two appearances by Groening)
- A Star on Hollywood Blvd featurette
- The Many Faces of Krusty featurette
- Deleted scenes with commentary, multi-angle animation showcase, and original sketches

Unfortunately, all of those extras are housed on DVDs stored in inexcusably cheap cardboard holders. As Comic Book Guy might say, “Worst. Packaging. Ever.” An unfortunate departure from the previous releases that had easily accessible plastic spindles, the new packaging forces users to slide each DVD out of its incredibly tight cardboard sleeve, subjecting the discs to considerable potential scratches and fingerprints unless users are exceptionally careful. Even with the lightest touch, you may still find that the discs were scratched going INTO the holder pockets at the factory or shifted during transit, and while some light surface scratches probably won’t affect their play, it’s still disappointing that Fox proceeded with this extremely poor design choice. I thought we’d seen the worst with the infamous Homer head clamshell packaging many seasons back, but I was sorely mistaken. At least Fox came around and partially corrected the Homer debacle with vouchers for replacement exterior packaging back then, so we can only hope they receive enough heat to do something similar this time.

The box set is initially available in two configurations: a standard box and a limited edition box with raised Krusty face packaging. The contents are the same, although the limited set comes with a voucher to go to the front of the line on The Simpsons ride at Universal Studios. Of course that puffy head packaging makes it impossible to stack with your other DVDs or match with your other Simpsons seasons, so it’s definitely not the ideal choice for all fans. The head reportedly peels off easily enough if you’re so inclined and doesn’t leave any sticky residue behind, but you’re still stuck with a plastic outer sleeve that won’t conform to your head-less box.

The Simpsons: The Complete Eleventh Season is now available. For additional information, visit http://www.foxhome.com/.

The Love Guru

2008-10-02T16:45:00.000-07:00

Oh Mike, where did it all go wrong? What was once charming schtick for at least two theatrical go-rounds in both Wayne’s World and Austin Powers has turned into unbearable drivel that doesn’t even hold up for one outing in The Love Guru. Sure, the cracks were definitely beginning to show in the third Austin Powers, but this time out the train has come completely off the tracks.

While any number of reasons could be offered for this disaster, the biggest cause is the insufferable star character played by Myers, an unlikable, crude, and ridiculous caricature that hits almost all entirely wrong notes. Where Wayne and Austin Powers were loveable oafs, the Guru is just an oaf. As an Indian-esque self help teacher very loosely modeled on Deepak Chopra, the Guru spouts inane platitudes to his clients while concurrently offering no discernible help to them. It’s impossible to suspend belief far enough to accept that any sane clients would be swayed by this idiot, or that he would have achieved any kind of fame and fortune, and Myers doesn’t help the case by returning to the potty humor well far too often. By the time we’re presented with an extended scene of elephants humping on an ice rink, it’s clear that any attempts at redemption have been trumped.

To its credit, the film’s co-stars are allowed to shine a bit. Jessica Alba is merely ok as the object of the Guru’s affection, but she gets special mention for performing in a couple of brief Bollywood musical numbers. Romany Malco plays it mostly straight as a hockey star with marital and mommy issues, somewhat wasted by the subdued nature of the role. Justin Timberlake is consistently funny as a flamboyant French-Canadian hockey star, although he’s definitely best in the short bursts he’s given here. And finally, Stephen Colbert nearly steals the entire film as a hilarious sportscaster.

The DVD is packed with extras, and the best of these are the extended/bonus scenes featuring Colbert’s outtakes. Frankly, you’re better off skipping the film and going straight to the bonus features as there are far more laughs to be found there than in the rest of the film. The Love Guru is now available on DVD and Blu-ray.

Wow! Wow! Wubbzy! A Tale of Tails

2008-09-20T09:43:00.000-07:00

Wow! Wow! Wubbzy! takes place in a candy-colored land where almost everything including the characters is made out of rounded-off right angles, giving it a highly distinctive and fresh look. Its title character is an adorably squat yellow critter with an abnormally long tail used to great effect to punctuate his speech, convey his mood, and bounce around town like a modern-day Tigger. The “Wow” comes from his most common expression, one that never annoys thanks to sparing use. His best friends are a handyman pink rabbit named Widget and a brainy little purple creature named Wendell.

This debut selection of episodes released on DVD is consistently entertaining and surprisingly educational, with a strong emphasis placed on teaching proper manners and the consequences of poor actions. It’s a sweet-hearted show with no violence and a relatively gentle pace in spite of its occasionally manic nature. In brief, it’s feel-good fun for the whole family, with visual flair and a cheery nature that make it completely unobjectionable for many repeat viewings.

Each half-hour episode contains two shorts. The new DVD contains a total of four episodes. One of them is labeled as a bonus episode, but it plays in sequence immediately after the others so viewers don’t have to navigate anywhere else to find it. Episode summaries as follows:

A Tale of Tails - Wubbzy can’t find any kids willing to play kickety-kick ball with him because of his freakishly long tail, so he asks his pal Widget to fix it, but eventually has to use it to help Wendell dismantle a malfunctioning robot chicken.

Special Delivery - Wubbzy receives a Tooty-Toot Turbo Train intended for Walden and can’t resist opening it, setting off a chain of misadventures when the speedy engine gets away.

Widget’s Wild Ride - Wubbzy asks Widget to fix up a car for a race, but Widget can’t resist obsessively tuning and re-tuning it until it barely resembles a car.

Attack of the 50-Foot Fleegle - Wubbzy gets a tiny new pet but doesn’t pay attention to how to take care of it, leading to disastrous results.

Come Spy With Me - When Walden won’t tell them what he’s doing, Wubbzy and Widget pretend to be spies to follow him, ruining the surprise he was planning for them.

Wubbzy Tells a Whopper - Wubbzy tries to convince his friends of the existence of a scary monster in town, a classic “boy who cried wolf” tale that ends as expected.

Mt. Fizzy Pop - The gang ventures to the top of Wuzzleburg’s local mountain where their experiment results in some delicious results for the townfolk.

Puddle Muddle - a focus on Wubbzy’s individuality, as he’s well-known for his interesting fashion sense and never afraid to try new things. The episode ends with this disc’s most catchy song, “Kooky is Cool”.

Wow! Wow! Wubbzy! A Tale of Tails is available on DVD on September 23rd. In addition to the episodes, it includes one of the songs recut as a music video, a ring toss game, and some handy printable art for coloring fun, connect the dots, colored decorations, and a customizable invitation. Its DVD case is also housed in an eye-catching lenticular slipcase, providing some external eye candy to match the visual delights inside. For more information, visit http://www.wubbzy.com/.

Snow Angels

2008-09-19T16:45:00.000-07:00

Snow Angels drifts along aimlessly for its first hour, seemingly content to follow the daily lives of small-town losers without revealing anything in the way of a meaningful plot. It’s not until a shocking event at the midpoint that the film takes on any kind of substance, at which point it begins to emulate the similarly themed The Sweet Hereafter. That’s lofty company to keep, but the film’s delay in getting to that pivotal moment ultimately dooms it to fall far short.

Kate Beckinsale stars as a young mother separated from her loser husband played by Sam Rockwell. Their characters have a daughter together, but really seem to have nothing else in common. In fact, in the absence of any plot during the protracted introductory hour, viewers will likely spend the time wondering how Rockwell’s lowlife character could have ever landed the highly attractive Beckinsale. It’s a real stretch to accept Beckinsale as a struggling small-town waitress in spite of her best efforts to fit in with the locals.

There’s also a worthless subplot involving a high school boy (Michael Angarano) who later plays an important but momentary part in the principal plot device. Writer/director David Gordon Green attempts to integrate him with a backstory involving childhood babysitting by Beckinsale as well as a co-worker gig at her restaurant, but ultimately his tale seems like a needless accessory. To his sole credit, the boy does strike up a romance with a fellow student, perhaps giving the film its only optimistic note.

As the community rallies together to grieve their common loss and its star characters begin to completely unravel, the film finally becomes a moving and highly engaging work. Its closing 45 minutes are a sobering examination of the effects of tragedy on a community where everyone knows everyone else’s business, intricately portraying the disastrous ripples caused by one brief event. It’s during this time that Beckinsale and Rockwell are both permitted to shine, with Rockwell’s character especially going through his own intriguing version of the stages of grief. It’s regrettable that the film takes so long to get good, and there’s certainly no upbeat subject matter here, but viewers willing to slog through the overlong introduction will eventually be rewarded with a memorable and moving story.

Snow Angels is now available on DVD. It contains no bonus features, just the film.

Avatar: The Last Airbender: The Complete Book 3 Collection

2008-09-17T17:44:00.000-07:00

Avatar: The Last Airbender is one of the finest series to ever grace TV. Not just a great Nickelodeon show, or a great kids show; it deserves a place in the hallowed halls of “greatest of all time”. And no, I’m not 12. With a complex, intricately layered and clearly defined story arc stretching over three full seasons, to the masterfully created and extensively explored world setting, to its memorable and constantly evolving characters, to a perfect blend of writing incorporating healthy doses of humor, drama, action, and romance, the show is a powerhouse on all fronts and essential entertainment for discerning viewers of all ages. The primary culprit for keeping the show off the radar of most mainstream adult viewers is its Nickelodeon home, but with this new DVD box set release of the final season there’s no longer any excuse to overlook this new classic.

In an Asian-influenced world segregated into four nations, the evil Fire Nation has exerted its dominance over the Air, Water, and Earth Nations to such an extent that the Air Nation is nearly decimated and the Water and Earth Nations are increasingly falling under Fire Nation rule. This imbalance between the nations has traditionally been patrolled by the Avatar, an almighty warrior able to wield the powers of all four elements. Similar to Buffy the Vampire Slayer, when one Avatar dies, another chosen mortal is called to take his place, learning the ropes from masters of each element as well as the spirits of previous Avatars. Unfortunately, the world hasn’t seen an Avatar in a century, during which time the Fire Nation has been allowed to rise unchecked.

In season one, the long-missing Avatar reappeared, but he wasn’t exactly an almighty warrior. Instead, he was a kid named Aang who had only partially completed his training when he was trapped in ice until he was discovered by a couple of young adults from the Water Tribe. They became friends and joined Aang’s quest around the world to learn how to bend the other elements to his will, making new friends and enemies along the way while also avoiding Zuko, a particularly persistent pursuer from the Fire Nation.

By season three, Aang has nearly completed his training except for Fire bending, which is proving to be a difficult task since all Fire benders are the enemies of the rest of the free world. Zuko, the banished prince of the Fire Nation, has grown to see the error of his father’s ways and ultimately offers himself up as Aang’s fire sensei, helping Aang to complete his training and prepare for his final battle against Zuko’s father for control of the world. The series leads up to a gripping 4-episode climax that resolves nearly all dangling plotlines and sends the series out on a completely satisfying close. There’s so much that can’t be captured in a capsulated series summary, but suffice it to say that these are all characters you will care about and will delight at their transformation throughout the series.

The season 3 DVD box set collection includes all 21 episodes as well as an exclusive bonus disc chock-full of special features:

- An exclusive four-part audio commentary by the creators for the final Sozin’s Comet story arc
- A feature on the women of the show
- A look at the pencil test animation for the finale
- Footage from San Diego Comic-Con (where they gave all panel attendees great t-shirts!)

The only demerit for this entire collection is the inclusion of a sticker prominently displayed on the front shrink wrap reminding us that The Last Airbender is coming to theaters in Summer 2010, the first in a planned trilogy of live-action movies. (unrelated commentary alert) While this could have been the key to launching the property into the public consciousness, the studio unfortunately lined up hack writer/director M. Night Shymalan to helm it, dooming the project to imminent failure. It also lost its Avatar name due to James Cameron’s forthcoming unrelated project of the same name, which will probably work out well in the long run since it will further separate the feature film abomination from the superb animated series (end commentary). Luckily, the shrink wrap can be hastily removed, allowing viewers to savor the delicious final act of this epic and masterful series.

Avatar: The Last Airbender: The Complete Book 3 Collection is now available on DVD. Buy it!

My Friends Tigger & Pooh: Hundred Acre Wood Haunt

2008-09-16T23:51:00.000-07:00

If you’re looking for a Halloween-themed Pooh DVD, keep looking. However, if you’re just looking for the latest collection of episodes from Disney Channel’s My Friends Tigger & Pooh show, you’ve come to the right place. Admittedly, the front cover art of this DVD collection is completely misleading and seems like an ill-conceived holiday money grab as it clearly indicates viewers will be treated to Halloween shows if not an entirely new movie (like the properly labeled first release in the series, Super Sleuth Christmas Movie). Once you get past the cover, you’ll either be enchanted by the show’s superb production qualities or dismayed by its break from tradition.

The newest Pooh TV series is also the most dramatic departure from the classic formula, and not just because it gives Tigger star billing. Instead of Christopher Robin, the Hundred Acre Wood gang are now usually teamed up with a perky young girl named Darby and her even perkier non-speaking puppy named Buster. Aside from the core group of characters, Lumpy from the Heffalump movies is an occasional but little-used presence, while Kanga is barely mentioned and Owl and Gopher seem to have vanished completely. Even the concept has been updated, with Tigger, Pooh and Darby forming a Super Sleuth club that dons ridiculous costumes and sets out on tame investigations in most episodes. It’s almost like the creators tried to shoehorn in a Scooby Doo concept in an effort to update the timeless quality of the property, but Darby and Buster really add nothing to the series other than annoyingly reminding parents that this is not our Pooh anymore. While the Disney Channel’s previous Pooh series, The Book of Pooh, played it fairly straight with the framework established by Disney’s original cartoons, the new series is clearly aimed at shaking up the formula to no apparent benefit.

On the upside, the show’s completely CGI production looks fantastic and features the returning talents of longtime Pooh and Tigger voice actor Jim Cummings. The 2D characters have been lovingly translated into exceptional 3D CG character models and the Hundred Acre Wood is appropriately vast and leafy.

Each half-hour episode is split into two easily digestible shorts, and the new DVD contains three full episodes as follows:

"Super Size Darby" / "Piglet's Lightning Frightening" – Darby gets doused with some of Rabbit’s plant growth formula and has to deal with the pluses and minuses of her giant size. Piglet learns about counting the time between lightning and thunder to help calm himself down during scary storms.

"Eeyore's Trip To The Moon" / "The Incredible Shrinking Roo" – Eeyore wants to travel to the moon so the Super Sleuths put together a makeshift rocket and "blast off" to fill in its missing piece. Roo can't figure out why he's shrinking instead of growing. Hint: might be a good idea to avoid tracking your height on a growing sunflower stem. This story's premise is so idiotic that it's painful to watch them try to figure out what's happening.

"Eeyore's Home Sweet Home"/"Rabbit's Prized Pumpkin" - Eeyore's home falls down so the Sleuths present him with alternatives, none of which seem to fit him. Pretty sure this is a direct ripoff of a classic Pooh story. Rabbit grows a gigantic pumpkin and asks the Sleuths to help him protect it.

As evidenced by these stories, this series has been dumbed down, which is remarkable considering how dim these characters have always been. The real culprit is Darby, as she's annoyingly portrayed as being on an equal mental wavelength with the rest of the characters. Where Christopher Robin was always able to inject some logic and realistic solutions, Darby is content to float along with the simple-minded ideas originated by the animal characters. As such, it's not a very educational show, leaving it as delightful eye candy with negligible substance.

Paradoxically, the DVD actually does contain one Halloween-themed episode: a bonus feature of fellow Disney Channel show Handy Manny. It also includes a brief game as well as the requisite plethora of Disney previews. Hundred Acre Wood Haunt is now available on DVD.

Reprise

2008-09-11T18:41:00.000-07:00

Erik and Phillip are lifelong friends with similar aspirations to become published writers. As the film opens, they both nervously mail off their individual manuscripts in the hopes of landing success on their first attempt. Unfortunately, only one of them gets an offer, which leads to a shift in the dynamic between them as well as many other changes. What starts out as a simple act expands into an enlightening rumination on the nature of friendship, success, and romance.

Rather than elevating him to a new level, Phillip’s immediate literary triumph and public acclaim, coupled with an obsessive relationship with a girl named Kari, lead him into a downward spiral of depression and removal from society. Within six months of his book’s publication, he’s been institutionalized and is just beginning to take his first tenuous steps back toward a normal existence. He also tries to reconnect with Kari, going so far as taking her to Paris to completely re-enact their initial courtship, right down to restaging previous photographs. In spite of his best intentions, it’s clear that he’s still deeply disturbed and in danger of completely burning out at any time.

Erik’s initial failure also results in some depression, although he’s seemingly better equipped to deal with it as he continues functioning well in public. He has doubts about his own talents as a writer, fearing that he’ll always live in the shadow of his esteemed friend. However, he continues plugging away and eventually lands his own publishing deal while also capturing the attention of a legendary and reclusive writer who acts as a role model for the boys. He’s presented as the stable and insightful friend, the tortoise in the race to a meaningful lifetime career, and ultimately his story feels like the heart of the film in spite of his absence from the cover art.

Surprisingly, this little gem comes from Norway, not a very frequent presence on the global film map but an entirely welcome one with this release. The film does an admirable job of portraying Erik and Phillip’s youthful exuberance and contrasting it with the harsh realities they encounter as they progress through the early stages of adulthood. Rather than come off as depressing, it’s entirely engaging to watch them struggle with the trials of adult life.

The film is structured in such a way that viewers are pulled into an easy familiarity with the characters, most notably through the use of frequent narrator asides including flashbacks and rapid-fire editing that highlight seemingly meaningless tidbits in their lives such as their youthful appreciation of a band or the previously mentioned veteran writer. It looks very polished, escaping the low-budget foreign film stigma with superb cinematography, camera work, and editing. The actors, while not the most memorable, are all well-suited for their roles and contribute solid performances. Of course the technical expertise would be all for naught if the plot was lacking, but gladly this is an across-the-board success.

Just to highlight the film’s solid cred, it’s notable that it won Best Picture, Best Director and Best Screenplay at Norway’s national film awards. It was also an official selection of both the Sundance and Toronto Film Festivals. Even Scott Rudin, the reigning US champion of challenging films, is onboard as exec producer. With all this support plus a Snob nod, it’s clear that you can’t go wrong if you give this one a chance.

Reprise is now available on DVD. It includes a healthy assortment of bonus features such as casting sessions and deleted scenes.

Sasha - Invol2ver

2008-09-09T16:20:00.000-07:00

Much more than just a DJ mix CD, Sasha’s new Global Underground release is a deconstruction and reimagining of the selected tracks. Utilizing Ableton Live software, additional electronic hardware, as well as a production team that included the Spooky duo of Charles May and Duncan Forbes among others, Invol2ver sounds like a polished and original studio album instead of a mix CD. As Sasha explains it, “In every way, Invol2ver is closer to a production album than anything else. We were like kids in a toy shop basically, hunting out as many old mixing decks, drum machines and guitar pedals that we could find on eBay”. While this reliance on old equipment reportedly gave the album some unpredictable and gritty results, it’s all layered together so flawlessly that it only adds more character to an already thrilling effort.

It’s been over four years since the first Involver, and beginning around that time Sasha completely revised his mixing process, abandoning the classic vinyl for Ableton Live software that allows him to make every set unique, blending and extending specific elements of songs into each other rather than just beat matching. While his early work in this medium had some hiccups, seeming far too focused on manipulating the gear rather than moving bodies on the dance floor, it’s abundantly clear with this release that he’s fully mastered the technology and risen far above what was ever possible for DJs in the past.

He’s also kept up his globetrotting superstar DJ schedule, circling the globe solo as well as with longtime cohort John Digweed. He’s been a legend for a generation now, and rather than rest on his laurels he’s very much at the peak of his powers this year. From an auspicious outing with Digweed to start the year in LA, through triumphant summer returns to legendary venues such as Ibiza and Creamfields, and now with this massive CD release, he’s well on his way to employee of the year status even after two decades in the game.

The tracks as selected by Sasha include a few recognizable artist names, most notably Thom Yorke and Ladytron, but ultimately this mix is far more about the sum rather than its parts. The CD oozes class and refinement, chugging along in a solidly progressive house vein like a finely tuned and expensive timepiece. It’s clear from the onset that a master is at work, as he’s confident enough to let the mix build through an extended intro that withholds the bass for a few minutes before dropping in all its glory. He also avoids any cheap peaks, relying on his stellar track selection and intricate engineering to carry the mix through to its final, most clearly defined riser, Sometimes I Realise by Engineers. Equally at home in the club or iPod, Invol2ver is an instant classic destined to age exceptionally well.

Invol2ver is available via digital download worldwide today and is also available on CD in both a standard version and a limited edition that includes a second CD of Sasha remix exclusives. For more information, visit http://www.globalunderground.co.uk/.

The Blue Elephant

2008-09-04T17:17:00.001-07:00

The Blue Elephant succeeds as a showcase for the animation techniques of its original Thai animation studio but fails to connect as a meaningful motion picture. It’s perfectly pretty to look at, but there’s just not much substance or cohesiveness going on under its trunk. At its best, it announces to the world that Thailand has some significant CG animation talent, while at its worst it exposes the short shrift given to plot and character development. It’s also somewhat derivative of Disney animated hits such as Dumbo, The Lion King, and even a touch of Mulan, which isn’t necessarily a detraction but definitely doesn’t win it any points for originality.

The film focuses on the adventures of a young elephant named Khan as he learns the ways of the world, longs to meet his absent warrior father, and eventually befriends the human prince of his land. His main quest leads him to attempt to locate his father, a mighty warrior for the human army of Siam whose last known whereabouts placed him on the frontlines of an epic war against Burma. Khan eventually becomes the prince’s main steed, placing him firmly in the military path chosen by his father. There are subplots about his budding romance with a female elephant and his separation from and reunion with his mother, but ultimately the story follows Khan’s quest for and emulation of his father.

As a kids movie, the later portion is surprisingly barbaric, exposing what appears to be a centuries-old rift between Siam/Thailand and neighboring Burma. The human and elephant armies go to war in a massive showcase that ends with Khan’s showdown against a much larger and devilish opponent. That’s not to say the scenes are particularly gruesome or frightening, just that this historic Siam vs. Burma conflict seems far more adult and functions as such a central theme that the film eventually feels more like political commentary rather than lighthearted entertainment. The kids might not even notice, but this focus on Thailand’s nationalistic pride really doesn’t translate well here.

As for the animation, the characters are almost too super-deformed, falling way too far to the side of cartoons rather than embracing any naturalistic traits. It’s always a difficult choice for animators to pick a happy medium between goofy animation and physical reality, and this time they tipped too far to the fantasy side, especially in light of the very real war theme embraced later in the film. However, the backgrounds are exceedingly lush and densely populated, the characters are mostly animated well, and the camera movement and blocking is generally up to Hollywood standards, although there’s noticeably a bit too much reliance on perfect CG pans that have fallen out of favor in US productions in recent years as animators attempt to inject virtual jitter to make films seem less like they’re on CG rails. In short, there’s nothing all that objectionable about the animation, as it nearly approaches the quality of an Ice Age or Madagascar, so any fears of a cut-rate project can be put to rest.

The vocal talent is another matter. For the US release through The Jim Henson Company and The Weinstein Company, the producers recruited a few recognizable names to give the film some local credibility and marketability, namely Martin Short, Carl Reiner, and Miranda Cosgrove. However, the entire cast is uniformly abysmal, making this reviewer long for the absent original Thai audio to accompany the included English subs. The performances could possibly be chalked up to poor direction in the localization effort, but whatever the cause, the vocal cast does the film no favors. Also, there’s little attempt to marry the US script to the Thai character speech, so the film constantly seems to have an audio/video synch problem.

The Jim Henson Company is to be commended for including this film under its “Discoveries” banner, apparently an ongoing effort by them to expose US audiences to little-known animated films. However, while it’s great to see this project emerge on US shores and it’s exciting to discover the animation talent present in Thailand, this isn’t a film most viewers will want for their permanent collections. The kids may enjoy it once or twice, and you won’t mind watching the attractive CG work, but it’s far from an essential purchase.

The Blue Elephant is now available on DVD.

My Sassy Girl

2008-08-28T18:58:00.000-07:00

If you’re reading this, you’re probably either a) an Elisha Cuthbert fan or b) a fan of the original Korean version of this movie. Either way, you’re bound to be at least a little disappointed with this film. While it’s a largely faithful remake, it can’t quite overcome some amateur production and its own quirky touches.

For the uninitiated, the original My Sassy Girl was a major box-office smash in Korea, marrying screwball comedy with an unexpectedly poignant and romantic conclusion. The property began as a series of true stories posted on the Web that were later compiled into a best-selling book, and also led to incarnations as a manhwa series and a new Japanese TV series broadcast this year. It’s sort of like The Ring of romantic comedy, branching out in various new forms and countries while keeping the core concept the same. Unfortunately, that concept doesn’t translate quite so well on these shores.

The principal theme is the budding relationship between a stable, somewhat nerdy guy (Jesse Bradford) and a wild, crazy, and abusive girl (Cuthbert). Their first encounter is when the sassy and completely wasted girl passes out in public, leading the chivalrous guy to rescue and look after her. In the original film, this act wasn’t quite so chivalrous as the guy ended up taking her to the equivalent of a love hotel where he had to talk himself down from violating her. Clearly, this wouldn’t fly here in a romantic comedy, so in the US version, our gallant hero takes the girl back to his apartment that he shares with another present roommate, thus negating any possibility of hanky panky. Still not all that appealing in the grand scheme of first dates, but at least redeemable.

After that first encounter, the new film and the original become more and more similar until they’re almost carbon copies by the back half. Guy can’t stop thinking about the girl, girl continues to abuse guy verbally, physically, mentally, basically completely taking over his structured life while offering next to nothing in return. Like the original, there’s an ill-advised date at an abandoned theme park that leads to a showdown with a maniacal armed man. Frankly, I hated this sequence in the original and found it completely unbelievable in this version as well. Even more so than the original, it’s really inconceivable that this stable, well-balanced guy would continue to allow the unhinged and non-committal girl to rule his life no matter how cute she is. However, fate plays a strong role in their relationship and by the final reel it becomes clear that no amount of torture by her would have derailed their shot at love.

As the title character, Cuthbert charms for the most part, although she’s far better as the later tragic romantic character than the initial spitfire. Surprisingly, Jesse Bradford is the real star here, stealing the film with his solid portrayal of the stable boyfriend with a heart of gold and the perseverance of a saint.

Now about those flaws. In many of the initial scenes, the blocking is so poor and odd that it pulled me right out of the movie, forcing me to wonder more about who the amateur DP was than about how the film translated from the original. Also, the production team apparently wanted to add their own cutesy, Amelie flourishes to the film, including unbearable scenes of Cuthbert mugging for the camera, montages, and trick photography/variable speeds to tell us that this isn’t just another romantic comedy. The main character is unappealing enough without the added baggage, so the film teeters on total collapse until its borrowed original plot begins to work its magic. Actually, the original also had its own glaring flaws, and it’s only the grand reveal of the true cause of the girl’s sassiness that allows both this film and the original to successfully reach their final stages as completely touching romance. It’s a long and frequently unbelievable road to get there, but viewers who hang in ‘til the end of this new version will find a satisfying conclusion.

My Sassy Girl is now available on DVD.

Where in the World is Osama bin Laden?

2008-08-26T18:59:00.000-07:00

Morgan Spurlock’s brand of documentary is a bit different from the norm, principally because he sets himself up as the main attraction rather than just a passive reporter. That approach was clearly a necessity in his star-making exploration of fast food culture, Super Size Me and even works in the episodes of his documentary series 30 Days that feature him, but acts as a distraction in his latest feature length documentary. We get it: he’s deeply involved in the creative process of his films, but at some point he needs to take a step back and focus clearly on the subject at hand rather than his own profile. His most egregious sidestep in this film is the inclusion of a “subplot” involving the progression of his mate’s pregnancy back home while he’s out travelling the globe. While it seems to be intended to drive home the freedom and luxury we enjoy as well as fear about what we’re leaving the next generation, it mostly comes off as self-indulgent and entirely unnecessary.

Spurlock’s enticing hook here is his plan to do what the massive American military-industrial complex can’t accomplish: find Osama bin Laden. As it turns out, this is merely a subterfuge to his real objective, namely an exploration of the views of actual Middle East folks on the ongoing Middle East conflicts and their perception of the US. As such, our intrepid man on the street shows us footage of himself undergoing rigorous survival training and growing out his beard (masking his trademark mustache) to allow him to survive in wild and wooly foreign destinations that include Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Israel, Afghanistan and Pakistan.

In each country, he engages politicos as well as common citizens in discussions as free-wheeling as possible, which usually turn out to be not so much. In one particularly painful interview, he’s allowed to talk to two star students in their classroom while officials and their teacher carefully monitor every word and expression, ultimately yielding no useful information other than enforcing how completely oppressed their rights are in regards to freedom of speech.

With such a distrustful and cautious group of subjects in nearly every region he visits, Spurlock is frequently left spinning his wheels looking for any viable candidate willing and able to engage him in meaningful dialogue. As such, he’s unable to wring much enlightenment or excitement out of the proceedings, telling us precious little we didn’t already know. Basically, the Middle East countries hate our government but generally think the US people are ok, nobody knows where Osama is but signs point to Pakistan, there’s no solution to the ongoing conflicts, and those people are really, really oppressed.

The DVD release includes a wealth of deleted scenes that include an alternate ending, an animated history of Afghanistan, and further interviews that are generally more insightful than any included in the main film, particularly one with an outspoken woman in Saudi Arabia. Where in the World is Osama bin Laden? is now available on DVD. For more information, visit http://www.whereisobl.com/.

Twenty-Four Eyes: Criterion Collection

2008-08-18T18:23:00.001-07:00

Twenty-Four Eyes uses the story of a rural schoolteacher and her first class of students as a microcosm of the dramatic changes impacting Japan during the tumultuous decades between the late 1920s to the late 1940s. While little known in the US, the film is reportedly and deservedly a beloved classic in its native Japan. Thanks to this sparkling new Criterion DVD release, US audiences finally have the opportunity to discover this hidden gem.

Hisako Oishi (Hideko Takamine) is a young schoolteacher assigned to a class of 12 young students (or “twenty-four eyes”) on a small, remote Japanese island. She quickly gains the affectionate nickname Miss Pebble from her students, and they form a bond that transcends her unfortunate early separation from them. As the years pass, the students and Miss Pebble stay in touch and even have another class together later in their lives. Miss Pebble is clearly a positive influence in their lives, inspiring them to stay in school and pursue their dreams. However, the changes impacting Japan inevitably reach the students and teacher as well.

As the nation gears up and eventually goes to war, each of the boys longs to become a soldier, while the girls are faced with choosing between continuing their studies or helping their families at home or at work. Miss Pebble has her own personal changes, as she settles down with a husband and raises children of her own. The war wreaks havoc on all of them, and as they begin to emerge from its aftermath Miss Pebble finds herself returning to the site of her first class to teach a new generation, in some cases the offspring of her favorite class of students.

At 2 ½ hours long, this masterful film actually feels short. Its rich evocation of a time long gone, of a rural pre-war Japan with its requisite architecture, vehicles, and largely unpopulated landscapes, makes for an eye-opening time capsule waiting to envelop viewers in its luxurious black and white photography. As written and directed by Keisuke Kinoshita (based on the original novel by Sakae Tsuboi), the film takes the time to methodically present seemingly insignificant events, such as the students’ foolish decision to walk to Miss Pebble’s house, or the incorporation of performances of traditional songs, but barely skims the surface of each of the characters. In spite of this lack of focus on character development, Kinoshita nails the primary theme of the monumental changes to Japan as reflected through the lives of these individuals by showing the impact on their day-to-day lives. Just seeing the kids and teacher interacting in their early days as compared to their relationship in later years drives home the pain and upheaval suffered by the Japanese people during this era. We don’t need a close affiliation to the characters to capture the full impact of scenes such as a simple visit to the local cemetery late in the film.

As expected from a Criterion release, the DVD transfer is crisp, clean, and well-subtitled, clearly making this the definitive film experience for all Western viewers. The DVD sports a new, restored high-def digital transfer and new and improved English subs, as well as a new video interview with a Japanese cinema historian about the film and its director. The DVD booklet includes an essay by film scholar Audie Bock as well as an excerpt from a 1955 interview with Kinoshita. These features and upgrades, as well as the exceptional source material, make this a DVD that should be bought and treasured rather than rented.

Twenty-Four Eyes is now available on DVD. For more information, visit http://www.criterion.com/asp/release.asp?id=442.