The Moviezzz Blog

I WANT A DOG FOR CHRISTMAS, CHARLIE BROWN (2003) and A MISER BROTHERS CHRISTMAS (2008) DVD Reviews

2009-11-21T07:00:00.000-05:00

Warner Home Video has released two Christmas specials to DVD, PEANUTS: I WANT A DOG FOR CHRISTMAS CHARLIE BROWN and A MISER BROTHERS CHRISTMAS.

After Charles Schulz passed away in 2000, his family made a vow that they would not allow anyone else to write the characters.

They came up with an idea to make a new special in 2003, I WANT A DOG FOR CHRISTMAS, CHARLIE BROWN. The cartoon was based entirely on existing comic strips, adapted to feature form.

The special features ReRun Van Pelt, Lucy and Linus' little brother. It follows him through a Christmas, wanting a dog, and his regular rides on the back of his mothers bike.

ReRun was sort of the Cousin Oliver of the Peanuts gang, he came and went in the later years of the comic, but began to become popular again when Schulz had grandchildren, who inspired the character.

The special is clearly in Schulz voice, the very smart writing of his comic strips. It may not be a classic like the previous Christmas special, but is well worth seeing.

WHAT IS ON THE DVD?

The DVD has the 1985 special HAPPY NEW YEAR, CHARLIE BROWN, another worthy special with Charlie Brown stuck on Christmas vacation, having to read WAR AND PEACE instead of going to a Christmas party.

Also on the DVD is a ten minute documentary, SIBLING RIVALRY: GROWING UP VAN PELT. This focuses on ReRun through the years, and the creation of this special. Schulz's widow is interviewed and they compare the comic strips that the special was based on to the finished product.

Also being released is A MISER BROTHERS CHRISTMAS

One of the most popular Christmas specials in the 1970's and 1980's was A YEAR WITHOUT A SANTA CLAUS. While it was never at the level of RUDOLPH or the original CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS, and by the end of the 80's was airing in syndication rather than on a network, it was very popular for its villains, the Heat and Snow Miser.

In 2008, A MISER BROTHERS CHRISTMAS premiered on ABC Family. It features the Miser Brothers, along with Santa, once again voiced by Mickey Rooney.

The storyline has the brothers forced to team up to help save Santa from the evil North Wind.

Like A YEAR WITHOUT A SANTA CLAUS, this was done in the same sort of puppet animation. The film is a lot slicker than the previous films, with the puppets cleaner and brighter. Personally, I always liked the charm of that not quite perfect Rankin Bass animation, but then again, I saw it for years and was used to it.

A MISER BROTHERS CHRISTMAS is ideally for younger audiences.

WHAT IS ON THE DVD?

The DVD has an extensive making of documentary, interviewing those behind the scenes on how the animation was created.

SHOULD I BUY THEM?

Both titles are worthwhile family Holiday viewing.

PEANUTS: I WANT A DOG FOR CHRISTMAS and A MISER BROTHERS CHRISTMAS are available now on Warner Home Video.

Oprah Winfrey Retires: Will the world end?

2009-11-20T15:45:00.004-05:00

Oprah Winfrey announced today that she is retiring.

The media is freaking out. In the car this afternoon, the talk show host I was listening to was acting as if the world was ending.

Can everyone settle down?

Oprah is retiring in 2011, 18 months from now. That is quite a long time. With the way afternoon TV is going, as local news expands, who knows if she would still be around for much longer after that.

Plus, she is going to start her own network, or another new network (doesn't she still run Oxygen?). She will still be on TV in some form. She isn't disappearing. Plus there is her magazine, and website.

Granted, I've never been part of the cult of Oprah. I watched her for the first time in a couple years this week, when Sarah Palin was on the show, to see how that turned out. It didn't get me to set the DVR to record it every day.

I know she is worshiped by many, but maybe it is the fact that her best friend, Gayle, was, for years, the afternoon anchor on my local TV station, that I never saw Oprah as being some otherworldly icon. I mean, if you were Catholic, and found out that the Pope's best friend was Skip the local weather guy, would you still be in awe of the Pope?

So, relax Oprah fans. She will still be there for you in some form.

SANTA BUDDIES (2009) BLU-RAY REVIEW

2009-11-20T07:00:00.000-05:00

WHAT IS IT ABOUT?

With Christmas Spirit on the decline, Puppy Paws, the son of Santa Paws, leaves the North Pole. He hops on a mail truck and winds up in the hometown of the Buddies, a group of talking dogs. They teach him the true meaning of Christmas.

George Wendt plays Santa Claus. Christopher Lloyd is Cruge, an evil dogcatcher.

WHO MADE IT?

Writers Anna McRoberts and Robert Vince have written and produced many films in the Buddies series. Vince also directed.

IS IT ANY GOOD?

The “Buddies” series began with 1997’s AIR BUD. Since then, it has created several sequels, most going direct to DVD and becoming very popular.

I have to admit having missed AIR BUD: WORLD PUP, AIR BUD: SPIKES BACK, AIR BUDDIES, SNOW BUDDIES, SPACE BUDDIES and the rest of the films in the series. I don’t think my cat would let me watch them.

My cat was sleeping so I was able to put on the most recent film, SANTA BUDDIES.

I take it the premise is similar to the earlier films. It is made up of real dogs, with computer animated mouths making them look like they are talking. The voices belong to Tom Bosley, Josh Flitter, Richard Kind and others.

The series is geared to younger audiences, as well as dog lovers.

There is a moment, set in a pound, where a dog named Tiny sings about a Christmas miracle that will get to even the most diehard dog haters. Call it manipulative, call it shameless, it works. I think I even noticed my cat starting to tear up a little.

The film is a lightweight Holiday entertainment that, while it may not become a Christmas classic, is a fairly fast paced, well made 90 minutes.

WHAT IS ON THE DVD AND BLU RAY?

The film is releasing in a BLU-RAY / DVD combo pack as well as alone on standard DVD.

Both versions feature the same extras, a sing along song version of three Christmas carols as well as a SANTA CLAUS IS COMING TO TOWN music video.

SHOULD I BUY IT?

Younger kids and dog fans should enjoy SANTA BUDDIES.

SANTA BUDDIES will be available on Blu-Ray and DVD on November 24, 2009 from Walt Disney Home Entertainment.

IT'S ALWAYS SUNNY IN PHILADELPHIA: A VERY SUNNY CHRISTMAS (2009) Blu-Ray Review

2009-11-19T07:00:00.001-05:00

The FX comedy series IT’S ALWAYS SUNNY IN PHILADELPHIA continues to be one of the wildest sitcoms on TV. The series about a group of friends who own a bar is often funnier than anything else on TV today.

Now in its fifth season, the show is popular enough that it has released its first Direct to DVD special episode, A VERY SUNNY CHRISTMAS.

The cast is all here, this time on Christmas Eve. Charlie (Charlie Day) and Mac (Rob McElhenney) realize that their childhood memories of Christmas have all been a lie. Dennis (Glenn Howerton) and Dee (Kaitlin Olson) try to get Frank (Danny DeVito) to reform his ways, so that they will finally get a gift from him on Christmas.

At 43 minutes, this is essentially an extended episode of the series. There is gift giving, caroling, flashbacks to the early days, even a Claymation sequence in the style of RUDOLPH. Only, it is a bit more extreme than FX would normally allow them. That Claymation sequence may traumatize fans of RUDOLPH.

A word of warning. One scene involving Danny DeVito and a couch will likely never be forgotten. No matter how hard you try, you may never be able to unsee it, or stop laughing thinking about it.

WHAT IS ON THE BLU-RAY?

Available on both DVD and Blu-Ray, the Blu-Ray opens with an introduction apologizing that the show isn’t in true HD. Shot on standard video, it was upconverted, but is not at Blu-Ray quality. It is very grainy, but do you really want to see the couch scene in full HD?

The other extras are

DELETED SCENES (2:48) - Three brief scenes featuring Young Charlie and Young Mac

BEHIND THE SCENES MAKING OF FEATURETTE (7:24) - A look at the making of the episode, featuring interviews with the cast and director Fred Savage.

SUNNY SING-A-LONG (3:13) - The cast sings Christmas Carols.

SHOULD I BUY IT?

While the show isn’t for everyone (did I mention the couch scene?), SUNNY fans should be very happy with it.

IT’S ALWAYS SUNNY IN PHILADELPHIA: A VERY SUNNY CHRISTMAS is available now on DVD and Blu-Ray from Fox Home Entertainment.

FORGOTTEN TV: LIVE-IN (1989)

2009-11-18T07:00:00.001-05:00

When a show has no clips on YouTube, nothing on Wikipedia, and an IMDB page with little info, you know that it must truly be a Forgotten TV series.

Such is the case with LIVE-IN, a sitcom that ran for 9 episodes in 1989. I can’t even find what network it aired on. Possibly CBS?

The show was about the Mathews family. Chris Young (MAX HEADROOM) was the oldest son. David Moscow was also listed in the cast. Sitcom vet Jenny O’Hara played the mother, I believe.

The family takes in a new nanny, an Austrailian named Lisa, played by Lisa Patrick. Patrick would later host the Australian version of AMERICA’S FUNNIEST HOME VIDEOS.

I watched LIVE-IN every week, yet only remember the music.

The theme song was a pretty good reworking of the Turtles’ “Happy Together”. In another scene, Danny was trying to spy on Lisa in the shower while Yello’s “Oh Yeah” was playing.

And, twenty years later, that is it.

The show never made it to syndication.

It was never released on video.

And, it is gone.

Warner Brothers Announces DVD 2 BLU Program

2009-11-17T14:21:00.006-05:00

Warner Brothers has announced a new program, DVD2BLU.

If you send them your Warner DVDs for select titles, for an additional fee ($7 to $10 plus a flat shipping fee) they will send you a brand new Blu-Ray of the same title. All you have to send is the disc itself, not the packaging.

You can read all the available films here.

I have several of the titles that I have yet to upgrade to Blu, so I may be doing this.

FORGOTTEN FILM: POOR PRETTY EDDIE (1975)

2009-11-17T07:00:00.002-05:00

I had never heard of the film POOR PRETTY EDDIE up until a few weeks ago, when it was one of the trailers on a compilation DVD. I guess someone at Turner Classic Movies saw that same DVD as it aired recently as part of the Friday Night Underground series.

Some films you wonder why they were made. Some films you wonder how they were made. POOR PRETTY EDDIE is a film that you just can’t believe was made at all.

How did well known actors get involved in something so sleazy? Especially since it was just an independent film that didn’t seem to get a release beyond the drive in circuit.

The film stars Leslie Uggams. Yes, Leslie Uggams, Tony winner, and popular variety show star of the 1970’s. You may remember her from THE MUPPET SHOW. She plays a singer, driving through the South when her Rolls Royce breaks down.

She goes to the nearest town where she meets Ted Cassidy, Lurch from THE ADDAMS FAMILY. He is in the process of beheading a chicken, which we see on camera. He heads out to get the car while she stays behind at “Bertha’s Oasis”.

Michael Christian (who didn’t do much after this film) plays the title character, Eddie, who sees himself as an Elvis like singer. He is the boy toy of Bertha, an ex-stripper played by Shelley Winters at her campiest best. Eddie begins to set his sights on Uggams.

What kind of film is this? Well, there is an ugly rape scene, intercut with two dogs mating, while a slow 70’s pop song plays over the soundtrack making it seem like a romantic scene!!

Once again, what the heck kind of movie is this?

When you didn’t think the film could get stranger, the sheriff shows up. Who plays the sheriff? None other than Slim Pickens! Always fun to see him. And later, the bartender / justice of the peace is played by the great Dub Taylor.

Did anyone know just what they were involved with here?

The film has the look of a film that has been buried behind a shed for decades and just discovered. The print shown on TCM alternated between being very scratchy, to some sequences being so digitized it was hard to watch.

This is a truly disturbing film, even though the content isn't all that graphic. Aside from the subject matter, the way it handles violent scenes is that, when violence occurs, the film goes into slow motion, complete with all the dialogue and people screaming, in slow motion. I won’t give away the finale, but it is like something out of Peckinpah. Only more disturbing.

The IMDB lists two directors to the film. Neither seems to have done much. One seems to have gone into “Adult Films” under an alias. Not a surprise.
It aired on TCM without any title onscreen. That is because it was shown, and was released on VHS, under several different titles. There was BLACK VENGEANCE, HEARTBREAK MOTEL, and even REDNECK COUNTY RAPE. Some sources state that the films are edited in a different way, that HEARTBREAK MOTEL is less violent than the others.

Here is the cover for the VHS of BLACK VENGEANCE. I don't think that is Leslie Uggams.

I thought for sure this wasn’t on DVD, but in checking Amazon, it is! It was released by the bargain label Trinity. It is even on Netflix.

Although check out the cover art.

Yikes.

The cast is the main selling point and they aren't on the cover. Nothing about it says that it is set in the South. It looks to be a recent film too. Anyone who knows the film won't recognize it. And those that pick it up based on the cover are sure to be disappointed. The generic guy on the front has a nicer coat than anybody has in the movie. And is that even a Rolls Royce in the ad? It looks like a Chevette.

I’m not going to say to see this film. I can’t. It is ugly and disturbing. Yet, some people like that sort of thing. And the cast definitely makes it a curiosity. For the adventurous sort, it might be worth looking for.

POOR PRETTY EDDIE is available on DVD

It is also available on VHS. I don't know which version is on which tape.

SHELF DISCOVERY By Lizzie Skurnick

2009-11-16T07:00:00.000-05:00

If you grew up in the 70's or 80's, and spent a lot of time in the library or bookstores, SHELF DISCOVERY: THE TEEN CLASSICS WE NEVER STOPPED READING by Lizzie Skurnick is a must read.

Skurnick, a writer for Jezebel.com where some of these reviews originally appeared, revisits all the "Young Adult" novels from the era, writing mini book reports for each.

All the classics are here. From the works of Judy Blume (who owned the era), to THE GREAT BRAIN, A WRINKLE IN TIME, and dozens more.

The book is geared more toward female readers. While I read a lot of Judy Blume, I never read V.C. Andrews or many of the other romances she covers.

What makes the book a lot of fun is she includes the original covers of each of the books she reviews. Even titles I may not have read, I recognized the artwork.

Well worth picking up.

SHELF DISCOVERY is available now from Avon books.

DVD AND BLU-RAY RELEASES FOR 11-17-09

2009-11-15T07:00:00.002-05:00

Here are the DVDs releasing this week, Tuesday November 17, 2009

DVDS OF THE WEEK

The Steve Coogan Collection - This looks like a perfect Holiday gift for the British comedy fan. It is a box set of several of Steve Coogan’s TV series over the years. Many of these have never made it to DVD in the US until this set. Alan Partridge is here in KNOWING ME KNOWING YOU as well as I’M ALAN PARTRIDGE (one of the greatest sitcoms of the past 20 years). SAXONDALE and PAUL AND PAULINE CALF are in the set also. 14 discs in all.

Gone with the Wind (70th Anniversary Ultimate Collector's Edition) [Blu-ray] - The classic film is being released in a restored version on Standard DVD as well as Blu-Ray. You can read my review here.

Kevin Smith Box Set (Clerks | Chasing Amy | Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back) [Blu-ray] - A box set of three of Kevin Smith's best films are being released on Blu-Ray. It is the Blu debut for CLERKS and, his best film, CHASING AMY. JAY AND SILENT BOB STRIKE BACK is the previous released version. CHASING AMY still holds up quite well. The set is reviewed here.

OTHER DVDS RELEASING THIS WEEK

Star Trek (Two-Disc Digital Copy Edition) - J.J. Abrams rebooting of the franchise. People loved it.

Bruno - Sacha Baron Cohen’s BORAT follow up. While it wasn’t up to DA ALI G SHOW, the DVD has extras that make it well worth checking out. You can read my review here.

My Sister's Keeper - Cameron Diaz drama.

Downhill Racer (The Criterion Collection) - The Robert Redford film joins the Criterion collection.

Humpday - The mumblecore comedy makes it to DVD.

BOB ROSS JOY OF PAINTING SERIES: 3-HOUR WORKSHOP DVD English - Who else misses Bob Ross and his “happy little trees”? Now you can get a 3 hour workshop.

Hollywood Wives: The New Generation - TV movie with Farrah Fawcett and Melissa Gilbert.

The Open Road - Justin Timberlake and Jeff Bridges star.

BLU-RAYS RELEASING THIS WEEK

Star Trek (Three-Disc +Digital Copy) [Blu-ray]

Brüno [Blu-ray]

My Sister's Keeper [Blu-ray]

The Open Road [Blu-ray]

Fight Club [Blu-ray]

Galaxy Quest [Blu-ray]

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia: A Very Sunny Christmas [Blu-ray]

Clerks [Blu-ray] - Reviewed here.

Chasing Amy [Blu-ray] - Reviewed here.

Scrubs: The Complete Eighth Season [Blu-ray]

Sex, Lies, and Videotape [Blu-ray]

TV ON DVD THIS WEEK

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia: Its A Very Sunny Christmas

Scrubs: The Complete Eighth Season

Farscape: The Complete Series

7th Heaven: The Ninth Season

Drawn Together - The Complete Series

Click on the title to read more at Amazon.

LEAP YEAR (2010) Poster and Trailer

2009-11-14T07:00:00.000-05:00

I've written about how Amy Adams is probably my favorite actress working today.

And the writing team of Harry Elfont and Deborah Kaplan (CAN'T HARDLY WAIT, the highly underrated JOSIE AND THE PUSSYCATS) are favorites too.

They are teaming up for LEAP YEAR, releasing January 8, 2010. It is directed by Anand Tucker, who did a very good job with SHOPGIRL.

Here is the trailer.

FORGOTTEN TV: MTV's BOILING POINTS (2004-2008?)

2009-11-13T07:00:00.000-05:00

MTV sometimes doesn’t know when they have a good thing going.

Case in point, BOILING POINTS.

BOILING POINTS was a CANDID CAMERA like TV series that aired on and off in the mid 2000’s. Yet, MTV aired it at such erratic times, with little promotion that it is no wonder it never really caught on and has disappeared.

It stands as one of the funniest shows ever to air on the network, or even many other networks.

Each episode was made up of several scenarios where people were put in a trying situation, for a set amount of time, filmed with hidden cameras, and if they didn’t overreact, swear, or get violent, they would win $100.

For a while, you couldn’t even find a clip on YouTube. That is until this one.

This was posted because one of the girls in the video is none other than Lady Gaga. This was before she became a Lady.

My favorite bit, not on Youtube sadly, featured Rebekka Johnson, one of the funniest people on the series. Rebekka went up to people at a college campus, acting like the most annoying girl on earth, and trying to make friends. “Can I tell you a story? This one time, I got drunk” she would say to a freaked out person. She would try to hang out with them and a few ended up literally running from her.

The show was essentially an urban improv act, and the cast, which also featured Alison Becker, Jonathan Blitt (who played one of the greatest sleazeballs in TV history), and Billy Merritt, all of whom you may recognize from ads, was truly brilliant. I would watch each week and wonder why they all hadn’t been signed to a sitcom.

Here is a bit with Jonathan.

Another bit that I loved featured a girl, Katie Dippold who I just realized is now a writer for PARKS AND REC, as a checkout person in a store who refuses to give change. If someone buys something with cash, she only gives store credit. When they change their mind and say they don't want to buy something, guess what? They get store credit. The transactions go back and forth so long, at one point she claims to have forgotten how it all had started ("Oh right, that was so long ago")

BOILING POINTS aired on and off. New episodes aired in afternoons, or overnight on MTV2. At the end, it was essentially thrown away.

It deserved better.

UNDER THE DOME by Stephen King

2009-11-12T13:24:00.003-05:00

Watching TV last night, I was surprised to see this

An ad for Stephen King's newest, UNDER THE DOME.

A trailer for a book?

Do people still read?

I got the book on Tuesday and am 100 pages in. Since it is 1100 pages long, I probably won't finish it for a while. Great read so far.

I haven't read a lot of Stephen King, but took a chance on this one due to the Amazon price war that had it for $9.

THE KEVIN SMITH COLLECTION BLU-RAY REVIEW

2009-11-12T07:00:00.000-05:00

Kevin Smith was one of the pioneers of 90's cinema. His low budget, lowbrow comedies paved the way for a lot of what we are seeing today. Plus, he was also one of the first, if not the first, filmmaker to use the internet to build a fanbase.

I first saw his film CLERKS when it was on the film festival circuit. Even though I may not have been the biggest fan of the film (I liked it, but found some of the dialogue too extreme for my tastes), I would visit his website almost daily. In those early days of the web, before blogging took off, he did a great job of making himself open to fans, and keeping them updated about his future works.

Miramax is now releasing his three best films in a Blu-Ray set.

Smith is one of the most rereleased directors on DVD. His films are always such popular sellers that they have been released multiple times on DVD. I've owned many of his films on laserdisc and then on sometimes two different DVD versions.

Will this be the final time time we see them on Blu-Ray? We will see. But, as Smith says on one of the extras, at least his films aren't being released as often as TERMINATOR 2.

The idea of CLERKS on Blu-Ray sounds like a joke. Shot in black and white on 16mm, the film has never looked good. Now, on Blu-Ray, we can see every bit of grain.

The film gets its charm from the dialogue. I always found Jeff Anderson to be one of the most underrated of performers in Smith's films. He delivers every line in such a way to make it memorable.

The Blu-Ray has two new extras on it. There is a brief four minute introduction along with a new documentary "Oh, What A Lovely Tea Party". This is a ninety minute behind the scenes look at the making of JAY AND SILENT BOB STRIKE BACK. Made up of interviews with the cast, as well as a day by day look at the filmmaking process, fans should enjoy this.

The rest of the extras are taken from the previous DVDs.

There are the two versions of the film, the theatrical with the original commentary along with the "First Cut", his first version of the film. That version contains the commentary recorded for the rerelease DVD, along with an introduction and trivia track.

There is the animated CLERKS: THE LOST SCENE short, and "The Flying Car" segment shot for THE TONIGHT SHOW.

The MTV Spots with Jay and Silent Bob.

Theatrical Trailer.

"Can't Even Tell" music video by Soul Asylum with Smith intro. - I always loved this song.

There is a bit on the restoration of the film, along with an aborted student film by Smith.

"The Snowball Effect" documentary and "10th Anniversary Q&A" also appear.

CHASING AMY is Kevin Smith's masterpiece.

The boy falls for lesbian comedy was one of the films I watched the most in the 90's. I used to have the Criterion laserdisc and watched it probably more than any other laserdisc in my collection.

Watching the Blu-Ray, the first time since laserdisc (I never did get around to watching it on DVD even though I have it), I'll go so far as to say this is one of my favorite films of the 1990's.

And I write that even though I have always had MAJOR problems with a couple moments. Yes, that final talk always lost me.

This is the film that proved that Ben Affleck could be a leading man. It made many people Jason Lee fans long before MY NAME IS EARL. And Joey Lauren Adams is wonderful. The film also reminds you of the days when smoking and goatees were cool.

New to the Blu-Ray is an all new commentary with Kevin Smith and producer Scott Mosier. Gone is their commentary with the opening anti-DVD remark taken from the Criterion laserdisc that remained on previous DVD versions. As a big laserdisc fan, I always loved that line. But, DVDs have taken over and it is time to move on.

Also new are TRACING AMY: THE CHASING AMY DOC. This is a very good 80 minute documentary on the making of the film. As much as I read about the film over the years, there is information here that I either forget or was new to me.

WAS IT SOMETHING I SAID - In this twenty minute feature Kevin and Joey Lauren Adams talk about the film. Much of what they say is covered in the doc, but it is good to see the two talking about it together.

10 YEARS LATER Q&A - A thirty minute extra where Kevin and the cast talk about the film after a screening.

The rest of the extras, deleted scenes, outtakes, and a trailer are all from the previous DVD releases.

JAY AND SILENT BOB is a film made pretty much only for those people who love his films and hang out at Smith's website. And if you were one of them, and understand the "magnoliafan" reference, you probably loved it.

The film still holds up. The finale, set on the Miramax lot and filled with cameos is still a lot of fun.

Of all the films, this is the only one that hasn't been upgraded for the set. The Blu-Ray is the same that was released in 2006. The only extra is an audio commentary.

Surprisingly, none of the extras from the 2 DVD set, that was filled with deleted scenes and music videos, are included here.

SHOULD I BUY THEM?

Kevin Smith films are not for everyone. Yet, if you are a fan, and don't mind upgrading once again to the new versions, you are sure to be happy with the set. CHASING AMY is especially worth upgrading.

THE KEVIN SMITH COLLECTION will be available on Blu-Ray on November 17, 2009 from Miramax Home Video. The films are also available individually.

GREAT ADS: "There's No Such Thing As A Bear Sheriff"

2009-11-11T19:29:00.003-05:00

Some ads I never get tired of.

Like this one for Yoplait yogurt.

That line "There's no such thing as a bear sheriff" gets me every time.

From the delivery to the writing, a great ad.

CLASH OF THE TITANS Remake Trailer Online

2009-11-11T11:22:00.002-05:00

I'm not one to normally post trailers for upcoming films, but the original CLASH OF THE TITANS was a favorite in the early 80's.

Here is the trailer for the remake.

GONE WITH THE WIND (1939) 70th Anniversary DVD Review

2009-11-11T07:00:00.002-05:00

How can you review a film like GONE WITH THE WIND? What can I possibly say about the film that hasn't already been said?

Originally released seventy years ago, today, it remains one of the most talked about, most loved films of all time. It is routinely mentioned along side of CITIZEN KANE, CASABLANCA and THE WIZARD OF OZ as one of the greatest films in film history.

So, is there anyone out there that has never seen it? Anyone? Be honest.

I’ll admit that I never got around to seeing it until the mid 80’s on VHS. And, it lived up to everything I had heard. It is indeed a wonderful film. Clark Gable and Vivien Leigh’s performances are so iconic that you often forget just how good they are.

You now have another excuse to see the film.

Previously released on DVD, it is now being released in a 70th Anniversary version on Blu-Ray and DVD. The film has been remastered from the original Technicolor film elements.

I was sent the DVD and it looks beautiful. The colors are stunning. I am sure the Blu-Ray looks even more amazing.

WHAT IS ON THE DVD?

The DVD is a two disc set. The almost four hour film is split up between the two discs.

The only extra is a very informative commentary by film historian Rudy Behlmer.

There is an “Ultimate Collector’s Edition” being released, a multi disc set that features documentaries on the film and the studio. That version is being released on both standard DVD and Blu-Ray.

SHOULD I BUY IT?

GONE WITH THE WIND is a film that deserves to be a part of everyone’s library. This version is well worth picking up as it is the best it has ever looked.

GONE WITH THE WIND will be available on DVD and Blu-Ray on November 17, 2009 from Warner Home Video.

FORGOTTEN TV: THE SKATEBIRDS (1978-1979)

2009-11-10T07:00:00.001-05:00

THE SKATEBIRDS seemed to be a Forgotten TV show the year after it went off the air.

Back in 1979 or 1980, I found a board game. It was THE SKATEBIRDS game. Yet, I had never heard of THE SKATEBIRDS. What was this show, and why was there a board game of it?

I bought it, and thought it was a fun game. But I had never seen the show.

THE SKATEBIRDS was a Hanna-Barbera production that aired on CBS from 1978 to 1979. Essentially a reworking of the previous Hanna-Barbera series THE BANANA SPLITS, the show featured costumed characters introducing a mixture of animated cartoons as well as live action shorts.

They were made up of three birds, all on roller skates. Scooter was a penguin, Knock-Knock a woodpecker, and Satchel, a Pelican. Scatman Crothers voiced Scat Cat, a roller skating cat who was out to get them.

Among the cartoons was that unforgettable take on THE THREE STOOGES known as THE ROBONIC STOOGES. I'm sure everyone always wanted to see the Three Stooges as robots. Other cartoons featured WONDER WHEELS, WOOFER AND WHIMPER DOG DETECTIVES and the live action MYSTERY ISLAND.

I did eventually catch the show when it was repeated on Sunday mornings in a half hour version. It also has run on USA and the Cartoon Network in recent years.

Was Ben Affleck on CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM Last Night?

2009-11-09T21:27:00.004-05:00

Did anyone see CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM last night?

When Larry David is leaving Banana Republic because of the fire alarm, there is a shot of a group of people also running to the door.

One of the people, on screen for a second, was Ben Affleck.

I even went back on my DVR and paused it. It had to have been him.

He isn't in any other scene. He isn't mentioned in the credits. Just that one split second appearance.

Did anyone else see it?

David Fincher to Remake THE REINCARNATION OF PETER PROUD

2009-11-09T10:43:00.004-05:00

Several film blogs are reporting that David Fincher has officially signed on to direct a remake of the 1975 film THE REINCARNATION OF PETER PROUD.

I wrote previously about PETER PROUD here as a Forgotten Film entry. It is a supernatural thriller about a man (Michael Sarrazin) who believes he may have been reincarnated due to strange dreams of a city he has never visited. He finds the city and tries to learn about this previous life. Margot Kidder plays his former self's wife. Jennifer O'Neill played his daughter, that the he falls in love with in a creepy subplot.

What makes this of particular interest is the fact that both the original book by Max Ehrlich and the film takes place in and around Springfield MA, where I grew up. The city is as much of a character as any of the actors. Its use of bridges and statues and houses makes the film partially a travelogue of the city.

Will Fincher use the city in the remake? I'd be happy to give him free scouting advice to let him now that the statues and bridges described in the book and featured in the film still stand today. The lake still exists.

The best news, this may finally allow the original film a chance to make it onto DVD. The Bing Crosby Production film has been MIA since Vestron Video went bankrupt.

If Fincher does remake it, let's hope he tries to recreate Jerry Goldsmith's very memorable score, one of the best things about the original.

BRUNO (2009) DVD Review

2009-11-09T07:00:00.000-05:00

Sacha Baron Cohen's DA ALI G SHOW still stands as one of the funniest TV series of the past decade. Sort of a politically aware version of CANDID CAMERA, it made Cohen a cult favorite among those with HBO.

While his first attempt to spin off the series to film, ALI G: INDAHOUSE, did not open theatrically in the US (with good reason as it was scripted and not all that funny), his second feature, BORAT, became a huge hit.

As a big fan of DA ALI G SHOW, I was always a bit disappointed by the BORAT film. I never found it as funny as the series. Plus, Borat wasn't one of Cohen's best characters.

When I heard that Bruno, an even funnier character than Borat, was being made into a film, I was quite excited.

The resulting film is also a disappointment.

The problem is that, rather than going through the situational type humor of the TV series, where you show people's reactions to the flamboyant character, exposing homophobia or other types of prejudices, the filmmakers too often tend to go for shock value. This is closer to the JACKASS style of gross out comedy than the rather intelligent TV series. The shock takes a lot of the audience out of the film. Not that it isn't at times very funny, it is a different type of comedy.

That said, this DVD makes the film worth watching.

WHAT IS ON THE DVD?

The film has an "enhanced commentary". For the first time, Cohen, along with director Larry Charles breaks character to talk about how they pulled off each of the gags in the film. He tells who was in on it (Harrison Ford was the only celebrity who knew what was going on) and how they set up the scene. It is a fascinating look at the making of the film that makes you appreciate it even more. It is "enhanced" by the two freezing the film to discuss an anecdote that takes longer to tell than the scene runs. And, there is onscreen footage in a pop up box showing additional angles of some scenes. It is one of the more interesting commentaries that I have heard this year.

There is also almost an hour of deleted, extended, or alternate scenes. Celebrities Pete Rose and Latoya Jackson appear (Latoya's scene was a last minute deletion after Michael's death). In one interesting bit, there are alternate versions of the Ron Paul hotel room segment featuring politicians John Bolton, Gary Bauer, and Tom Ridge. Paul gave the best reaction so his scene was used. Plus there are many deleted scenes, including Bruno getting involved in the "Prop 8" protesting. Some of these segments are as good or even better than anything in the film.

Here is the Pete Rose scene.

There is also a short interview with Bruno's agent in the film, and his reaction upon realizing that Bruno wasn't for real.

SHOULD I BUY IT?

While the film itself may not be what it could have been, the DVD redeems it. Well worth seeing.

BRUNO will be available on DVD and Blu-Ray on November 17, 2009 from Universal Home Video.

DVD AND BLU-RAY RELEASES FOR 11-10-09

2009-11-08T07:00:00.004-05:00

Here are the DVDs and Blu-Rays releasing this week, Tuesday November 10, 2009.

DVD OF THE WEEK

UP - Releasing this week is Pixar's UP. Like most of Pixar's films, it is an instant classic. If you have kids, you’ve probably pre-ordered it. Even if you don’t, it is still a great film. On Blu-ray where it is being released along with Monsters, Inc. it looks even better. You can read my reviews of both films here.

DVDS RELEASING THIS WEEK

The Ugly Truth (Widescreen Edition) - Katherine Heigl and Gerard Butler star in this romantic comedy.

Watchmen: The Ultimate Cut - Hope you didn’t buy the previous DVD set of WATCHMEN, as yet another release is already on the shelf.

The Three Stooges Collection, Vol. 7: 1952-1954 - Every time one of these THREE STOOGES sets is released, I tell myself “Ok, now is the time to get around to watching the Stooges”. They are now on volume 7. The sets have gotten nothing but glowing reviews. Yet, I haven’t seen one. Maybe I’ll wait for the complete box set that will probably eventually be released. Or Blu-Ray.

The Accidental Husband - A comedy with Uma Thurman and Colin Firth. Yet, no one has heard of it.

A Christmas Proposal - A Christmas film with Nicole Eggert and Tom Arnold.

The Christmas Clause - Another Christmas film, this one with Lea Thompson. Funny, Nicole Eggert and Lea Thompson were two of my favorite actresses of the 80’s / early 90’s and here they are with Christmas films debuting on DVD the same day.

Spread - King of Twitter, Ashton Kutcher’s latest. I guess Twitter didn't help the box office.

The Merry Gentleman - Michael Keaton stars and directs this film. He appeared on Letterman to promote it, yet it didn’t get much of a release. I always liked Keaton.

BLU-RAYS RELEASING THIS WEEK

The Ugly Truth [Blu-ray]

Watchmen: The Ultimate Cut [Blu-ray]

Spread [Blu-ray]

Near Dark [Blu-ray]

Red Heat [Blu-ray]

Logan's Run [Blu-ray] - Reviewed here.

Heat [Blu-ray] - Reviewed here.

The General (1926) (Silent) [Blu-ray]

The Negotiator [Blu-ray]

TV ON DVD THIS WEEK

JAG (Judge Advocate General): The Ninth Season

Sesame Street: 40 Years of Sunny Days

The Untouchables - Season Three, Vol. 2

Nash Bridges: The Third Season

Justice League: The Complete Series

Keeping Up With the Kardashians: The Complete Second Season

Gabriel Iglesias: I'm Not Fat I'm Fluffy

Dawson's Creek - The Complete Series (Seasons 1-6 Plus Series Finale)

Click on the title to read more at Amazon.

TV ALERT: Robert Altman's THE DELINQUENTS on TCM

2009-11-07T13:54:00.002-05:00

I forgot to mention this earlier, but tonight / tomorrow morning at 3:15 AM EST on Turner Classic Movies, they are showing Robert Altman's little seen first film THE DELINQUENTS.

This isn't a typical Altman film, more of a B-movie he directed. But it should be of interest to his fans.

HEAT (1995) BLU-RAY REVIEW

2009-11-07T07:00:00.002-05:00

Michael Mann's HEAT is widely considered to be one of the greatest films of the 1990's. This police thriller is a favorite of many film fans.

Looking at it again, it still holds up. Possibly even better because of the cast, many of whom weren't quite as well known almost 15 years ago.

Aside from the legendary teaming of Robert DeNiro and Al Pacino, there is Val Kilmer, Ashley Judd, Natalie Portman, Jon Voight, Tom Sizemore, Amy Brenneman, Wes Studi, Dennis Haysbert, Danny Trejo, Henry Rollins, and even Jeremy Piven.

Finally on Blu-Ray, the film looks gorgeous. The scenes of night time Los Angeles look stunning.

The back of the Blu-Ray states that the film contains "New content changes supervised by Director Michael Mann.". The film runs 170 minutes, one minute less than the stated running time in other sources. Not having seen the film since the theatrical release, I was unable to notice what the difference was, if there was any.

WHAT IS ON THE BLU-RAY?

All the special features from this film, I believe, have been taken from the previous DVD releases as they all have a 2005 copyright.

The extras are:

A commentary with Michael Mann.

THE MAKING OF HEAT (59:13) - Making of feature divided into three parts TRUE CRIME, CRIME STORIES, and INTO THE FIRE.

PACINO AND DENIRO: THE CONVERSATION (9:54) - A talk about the famous scene.

RETURN TO THE SCENE OF THE CRIME (12:02) - A look at the LA locations today.

DELETED SCENES (9:31) - Eleven deleted scenes.

THEATRICAL TRAILERS (6:44) - Three trailers for the film.

SHOULD I BUY IT?

As stated, HEAT is one of the most acclaimed films of the 90's. If you are one of those fans, you will love the Blu-Ray.

HEAT will be available on Blu-Ray on November 10, 2009 from Warner Home Video.

Finding A Lost Chaplin Film

2009-11-06T12:24:00.002-05:00

The Guardian has a very interesting story about an antique collector buying an old film can on Ebay, only to find it contains an unknown Charlie Chaplin film. A mixture of Chaplin and animation, no record exists for the film.

A documentary is being made about the find. It appears to be taken from rough cut footage of Chaplin after he left Essanay studios.

Story via Cinematical

UP and MONSTERS INC Blu-Ray Reviews

2009-11-06T07:00:00.001-05:00

Pixar films aren’t known for the “auteur theory”, where the director is the most important person in the making of the film. The company is thought to be the creator of the film.

But both UP and MONSTERS INC were directed by Pete Docter. He can be seen as the man behind both films. And what films they are.

Pixar films usually fall into two categories. Either they are fun for the whole family, like something like TOY STORY. Or, they are more serious films that are sometimes more popular for adults, like RATATOUILLE and WALL-E.

UP and MONSTERS INC may be geared to the younger audiences, but there are moments of UP, especially the early sequences, that adults are sure to enjoy as much as any film released this year.

Now on Blu-Ray, it is safe to say they are some of the most stunning transfers of the year. Pixar films, being created digitally, look flawless when transferred to Blu-Ray.

You may remember that UP was released theatrically in 3-D. The DVD is only being released in the standard format. Don't worry about this. The 3-D really didn't add much to the film. In fact, it just muted the color tone. The flat version is the way to see it.

I received the Blu-Ray sets for the films. Both sets are made up of 4 discs. The film is on the first, there is a second with extras, a third DVD is a standard DVD of the film, and the fourth is a digital file for download.

Many of the extras on MONSTERS INC previously appeared on the DVD set.

WHAT IS ON THE UP BLU-RAY?

DISC ONE

Along with the film are the following extras:

PARTLY CLOUDY (5:46) - The short about clouds that played theatrically with UP.

DUG’S SPECIAL MISSION (4:40) - Sort of a prequel story featuring Dug.

ADVENTURE IS OUT THERE (22:17) - A making of featurette, focusing on the locations used in the film.

ALTERNATE SCENE - THE MANY ENDINGS OF MUNTZ (4:56) - A talk about the different ways to conclude the story of the Muntz character.

DISC TWO

There are several short documentaries each focusing on a different character GERIATRIC HERO (6:24), CANINE COMPANIONS (8:26), RUSSELL: WILDERNESS EXPLORER (9:00), OUR GIANT FLIGHTLESS FRIEND, KEVIN (5:04), HOMEMAKERS OF PIXAR (4:38), BALLOONS AND FLIGHT (6:25), COMPOSING FOR CHARACTERS 7:37).

ALTERNATE SCENE - MARRIED LIFE (9:15) - A look at different versions of the marriage montage.

UP PROMO MONTAGE (6:00) - Footage used in promoting the film.

GLOBAL GUARDIAN BADGE GAME - Game

WORLDWIDE TRAILERS - Two trailers for the film.

WHAT IS ON THE MONSTERS INC BLU-RAY?

Disc one contains the film, along with an audio commentary, and the following extras.

FILMMAKERS ROUNDTABLE (21:35) - The filmmakers talk about the film.

MONSTERS INC. - RIDE AND GO SEEK - BUILDING MONSTROPOLIS IN JULY (7:58) - A look at the Tokyo Disneyland ride that is based on the film.

FOR THE BIRDS (3:21) - The short that played with the film theatrically.

MIKE’S NEW CAR (3:46) - Short featuring Mike.

DISC TWO

ROZ’S 100 DOOR CHALLENGE - Game.

PIXAR FUN FACTORY TOUR (3:46) - A tour of the studio.

There are also several documentaries based on the storymaking process: STORY IS KING (2:03), MONSTERS ARE REAL (1:30), ORIGINAL TREATMENT (13:40), STORY PITCH BACK TO WORK (4:36)

There are 5 deleted scenes, or BANISHED CONCEPTS as they are called.

There are storyboard to film comparisons.

In a section entitled MONSTERS ONLY are more games, a music video, and even a segment of a Japanese game show with the cast playing Paper, Scissors, Rock.

There are also several short features with the cast in training videos for working at Monsters Inc.

SHOULD I BUY THEM?

These are Pixar films. Need I say anything more? Yes, buy them.

UP and MONSTERS INC will be available on DVD and Blu-Ray on November 10, 2009