It’s extraordinary that the filmmakers of the new Winnie the Pooh have been able to replicate the sweetness and humor of the original shorts without succombing to modern-day cynicism. We return to the Hundred Acre Woods, where we find all the original characters, exactly as we saw them last. While the original shorts are beloved by everybody, it still doesn’t seem as if today’s world would be accepting of a film with such innocence, and yet here we are.

There are no pop-culture references and no low-brow humor. Pooh’s actions are still dictated by his stomach (literally at times), Owl is belovedly condescending, Eeyore is charmingly depressed, etc. This feels like a lost film from the past, but with beautiful animation from the present. While there might be some occasional CGI (I really couldn’t tell), the film feels completely handdrawn. There is an elegance to the artwork. The backdrops are painterly, as if lifted from a storybook. The characters have genuine personality. This isn’t the product of a shrill marketing machine, but a genuine love and respect for the characters.

As for the story itself, there are several elements at play. The film details the quest for a replacement for Eeyore’s lost tail, a bold attempt to rescue Christopher Robin from the clutches of an imagined monster, and Pooh’s growing hunger as he can’t find any honey. As these story elements seamlessly weave in and out of each other, I found myself captivated by the sheer simplicity of what I was watching. The humor is derived from basic wordplay and character reactions, which seems almost effortless here.

Much like the original, there are frequent breaks in the fourth wall, as Pooh and friends interact with the storybook from which their tale is being read. Occasionally, the literal text of the story itself becomes part of the plot, significantly advancing the narrative. Even the Narrator (voiced by John Cleese) becomes a sort-of character in the story, not in any story-based way, but by the very nature of his interactions with the characters.

While the film runs barely over an hour (including credits), it doesn’t feel too short. This is a perfect amount of time for these characters and this story. Due to the brief running time, there isn’t a wasted moment to be found. Even the songs are perfectly paced, and completely charming. Zooey Deschanel performs several of them, and her sing-songy voice is perfect for this world. These are songs that children will be singing years from now.

As for the Blu-Ray itself, there are several interesting features. The first one, entitled “Winnie the Pooh and His Story Too” is a brief look back at the history of the chacter. This feature chronicles how we got from AA Milne writing the original story to where we are today. While it’s a short feature, running barely over 8 minutes, there is a lot of information, and definitely worth checking out if you’re a fan.

Other features include several deleted scenes, some of which are alternate versions of scenes in the film, and some of them completely new. One of the more interesting sequences involves a dinner party that Rabbit throws for his “friends and relations” that is hilarious just for Pooh’s reaction to the outcome. I can see why it was cut, as it would have served no purpose in the greater story, and would have felt out of place. However, as a stand-alone sequence, it is very entertaining.

There’s also a Sing-Along mode for the film, perfect for the many catchy songs, and a way of jumping directly to a few key songs. There are also two short films, one new and one old. The old film is “Pooh’s Balloon,” the famous short from the fifties where Pooh disguises himself as a raincloud to steal honey. The other short is called “The Ballad of Nessie,” and is a whimsical depiction of how the Loch Ness Monster, or Nessie, ended up in the Loch to begin with. It’s a cute little film, with fun narration and animation, but wasn’t anything truly remarkable.

Overall, this is a fantastic set and a great addition to any familie’s collection. This film proves just how timeless these characters are. If you’ve ever enjoyed Winnie the Pooh in any form, you owe it to yourself to see this film. It doesn’t happen often, but every now and again, a filmmaker will craft a film based on pre-existing characters that will be as good as the original. Believe it or not, Winnie the Pooh is such a film.

Looking for a good, scary movie for Halloween? Well, the Howling Reborn isn’t it. More Twilight than terror, this direct-to-video snoozefest comes with all the mopey angst a teenager could want, but none of the fear. I have to admit, I’ve never seen any of the films in the Howling franchise, so I’m not entirely sure if this is supposed to be a remake, reboot, sequel, or what. However, if this was supposed to generate interest in the prior films, this was a spectacular failure.

The “plot” revolves around Will Kidman (Terra Nova’s Landon Liboiron) and the shocking revelation that he comes from a long line of werewolves. The girl he has long pined for (Pretty Little Liars’s Lindsey Shaw) is finally starting to take notice, and this triggers Will’s inevitable battle against his own kind. Now, with that plot description, you’d at least expect some exciting werewolf action, right? I know I was. Unfortunately, the audience doesn’t even see a werewolf until OVER AN HOUR into the film. Keep in mind, the movie barely runs over an hour and a half.

I have to give the filmmakers credit for mostly using practical effects when the werewolves do finally show up. Of course, CGI is involved in the transformations, but at least the battles themselves are in pretty decent looking costumes. As for the battles, director Joe Nimziki does a terrible job shooting these sequences. Pointlessly shaking the camera doesn’t equate to intensity, and quick cuts don’t necessarily lead to terror.

I know the film is direct-to-video, and there is a certain expectation with these films. Going in, you know the budget is low, and the acting won’t be great. However, I really wasn’t expecting it to be this bad. The film doesn’t even look as good as the programming on the CW. It’s dark, poorly shot, and just ugly to watch. And there is absolutley nothing scary about it. More time is spent on the love story and awful voiceovers than any actual attempt to create atmosphere and mood.

As for the extras, there is a making-of feature that runs about half an hour, along with a storyboard gallery. The making-of is your standard EPK, effective enough to almost make it seem as if the filmmakers are actually satisfied with their own work. Essentially serving as a commercial for the film, if I watched this first, I might have actually believed that this was going to be a decent film. There is also a decent enough commentary track from Shaw and Nimziki.

Going in, I was under the impression that this was a film for horror fans. With it’s story of teenage love, and the supernatural battles that end up as a result, this is definitely not a film that will scare anybody. This is a depressingly bad film all around, and one that I can’t imagine anybody actually enjoying. When you spend the first 2/3rds of a werewolf film waiting for an actual werewolf, there’s a problem. Unfortunately, this film earns it’s direct-to-video status, and I can’t recommend the film at all.

Captain Jack is back in “On Stranger Tides,” the fourth entry in the wildly popular Pirates of the Caribbean franchise. While this might not be the best film in the series, Johnny Depp’s portrayal of the iconic character once again makes this a film worth seeing. In telling the story of a three-way race for the Fountain of Youth between the Spanish, the British and the infamous Blackbeard, the filmmakers have crafted a rarity; an adventure film for the entire family.

I know there’s been a growing animosity towards these films, but I just can’t understand why. They might not have the most intelligent scripts, but these movies are really fun. I mean, how can you not love a film featuring killer mermaids, zombies, swordfights, etc? This is the type of movie I used to dream about as a child. Having said that, the story is a little convoluted, with the ability to find the Fountain resembling a scavenger hunt of the supernatural.

Part of this hunt includes the quest for a mermaid’s tear, leading to one of the most exciting action sequences in the franchise. While I thoroughly enjoyed the film, I have to admit that director Rob Marshall didn’t bring much of his personality to the footage on screen. However, he seems to have been inspired by the potential in the mermaid sequence, showcasing several beautiful shots and masterfully edited action cues. The film is worth seeing for this sequence alone.

The franchise frequently references the original Disney attraction on which the story is based. One of my favorite visuals from the ride is the skeleton reading the map in his bed. I was particularly impressed with the way they incorporated that image into the film, not treating it as a throw-away reference, but actually making it an integral sequence in the plot. As I mentioned above, this is a convoluted story, but moments like this stand out for pure creativity.

There’s always a danger of losing that creative edge by the time you hit the fourth film in a franchise. I don’t believe Depp is anywhere near that point. He obviously loves this character, and I have a feeling, we’ll be seeing him for years to come. As long as they can maintain the level of quality on display here, I’m just fine with that. However, I have every other Pirates film on disc, and I was shocked at just how poor this release fares compared to the rest. With movies like this, set in a fantastical world that must be created from scratch, you can usually expect some pretty elabore making-of features. Not so in this case.

The best feature is Disney Second Screen. This is a way of syncing the film up with your computer or IPad and watching bonus features in conjunction with the film. It’s a really clever way of avoiding the Picture-In-Picture method of bonus features that are so popular right now. There is also an audio commentary track with Rob Marshall and the Executive Producer, John DeLuca. Rounding out the extras are a very generic blooper reel, and a series of five animated Lego shorts featuring Captain Jack. These are called “Captain Jack’s Brick Tales,” and they average slightly over a minute each.

That’s all the extras! At least the film looks and sounds great. Featuring a relatively muted color pallette, I was afraid that the image would get lost in the transfer. I had nothing to worry about, as the details really stand out, providing a great visual experience. I was also very impressed with the audio presentation, with a fantastic mix featuring a ton of action perfectly balanced with Hans Zimmer’s terrific score.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the film, and I know kids will love it. I just really wish the studio put more effort into their Blu-Ray release. While I would love to recommend this release, I can’t help but think that there is going to be a more elaborate release down the road. Even so, this is definitely a film worth seeing, and if you’re a fan of the franchise, adding to the collection. Depp’s in top form, and I can’t wait to see what adventures lie ahead for one of the world’s most famous pirates.

In theory, The Green Lantern should have been one of the great superhero films. While I love the Batmans and Supermans of the genre, taking one of these archetypes and placing them in an intergalactic science-fiction epic seems like a no-brainer. Unfortunately, something got lost in translation, and I believe it all comes down to tone. This is a film that wants to be everything to everbody, and in the process dilutes itself to becoming simply mediocre for all.

In the mid-90’s, after Batman but before the X-Men, the studios were releasing a lot of superhero films that just weren’t catching on. Characters such as The Shadow and The Phantom were coming and going from the theatre, and while they were fun, they didn’t leave much of an impact. If not for the overabundance of CGI, The Green Lantern feels like it’s a lost movie from that era. These were films that were joky and over-the-top, and focused more on the sense of fun than truly serious storytelling. While this isn’t necessarily a bad thing, I would have preferred this film as a more serious science-fiction superhero epic.

However, I should be discussing the film for what it is rather than what it isn’t. And what it is is a wacky story about a fighter pilot named Hal Jordan, who is basically a reiteration of every other character Ryan Reynolds has ever played. He is recruited to join what is essentially an intergalactic police force, The Green Lanterns. Notice that in describing a plot that has the term “intergalactic police force,” I still say the film is about Hal Jordan. I think that is ultimately the problem. There is an epic story here, and instead of really focusing on that story, we spend all our time seeing how the potential destruction of our world affects this semi-annoying, wisecracking character. I’m fine with epic stories from the point of view of an individual, but this story feels more about him than the situation itself.

Anyway, he is recruited to represent Earth, and must do battle with Parallax, a destroyer of worlds that is powered by fear. The Green Lanterns are powered by will, and as such, are able to conjure anything they can think of. Ultimately, the story unfolds as a clash between will and fear.

In telling this story, Hal spends a lot of time on Oa, the planet where the Corps reside. It is here he meets a surprisingly vast number of alien creatures. I was genuinely impressed with the scope of these sections in the film. We see countless alien races, not all of them humanoid. There are some really creative design elements, and Oa itself is a striking location. It’s all very frustrating, being teased with so much great material, only to throw the story back to Earth and his comparitively miniscule problems.

There is also a sub-plot featuring Peter Sarsgaard as Hector Hammond, who gets infected with the fear that powers Parallax. This causes his head to grow to an enormous size, and gives him the power to read minds, move things through thought, etc. Again, this is a small-scale story intermixed with the huge. On top of that, I was thoroughly disappointed with the makeup effects to create his giant head. Considering how amazing the rest of the design work was, this was a truly ugly design, visually unappealing in every way.

Overall, this is a fun film, and not worth all the negativity it got upon it’s release. It just feels like a wasted opportunity. It becomes even more apparent how much better this could have been after going through some of the terrific extras on the recently released Blu-Ray. For starters, as Warner Brothers often does, they have included the option to watch the film in Maximum Movie Mode. I’ve discussed this in other reviews, and everytime, I discuss how much I enjoy this feature.

In this mode, you can watch the film itself while simultaneously watching the extras through picture-in-picture. There are a huge amount of features presented this way, including several featurettes that can also be watched individually, fascinating bios of all the characters and their history in the comics, art galleries, etc. It’s extremely comprehensive, and even though I was slightly disappointed in the film itself, it made me appreciate just how much work went into creating the film. I just wish it was in service of a better script.

The individual featurettes are particulary impressive, showcasing the design elements of the film, the makeup, the special effects, etc. There are also individual documentaries found outside of the film, including one entitled “The Universe According to Green Lantern.” For a comic novice like myself, I found this really interesting to learn about the character and his history. There’s also a couple of deleted scenes, one of which that gives a little more context to the seemingly out-of-nowhere tag that appears in the middle of the credits. Rounding out the extra features are a digital comic of Justice League #1 and a preview of the animated Green Lantern television show.

Overall, this really is a great set. Presented in 1080p High Definition, the image is crystal clear, and it’s very easy to make out all the details of the science-fiction imagery. I just wish the final film lived up to the promise of the pre-production work on display throughout. If there is a sequel, and I hope there is, I would recommend that they take advantage of the talent at their disposal and not squander it on a such a generic, bland script.

Coming right off the incredibly successful 3D re-release of The Lion King in theatres, Disney has just released the Diamond Edition of the film on Blu-Ray. I wrote extensively about how successful the Diamond Edition of Beauty and the Beast was, and it was with this in mind that I eagerly tore into my copy of the Lion King. Much like that release, there are several discs and multiple options as to how to view the film. First and foremost is the 3D Blu-Ray, followed by the standard Blu-Ray, a DVD and a Digital Copy.

It is amazing to me just how successful Disney is at these conversions to 3D. The animation was already stunning in two dimensions, but adding that extra layer elevates the film to a whole other level. We all know the iconic moments such as the Circle of Life opening number, the stampede, and the final battle. It’s a whole different experience to feel as if you are in the film as these events occur. Disney is single-handedly justifying the existance of 3D televisions.

As for the bonus content, it’s not quite as comprehensive as the Beauty and the Beast set, but there’s still a significant amount of fascinating footage to be found. One feature that I found particularly interesting is something they call “Disney Second Screen.” To watch the film in this mode, you sync up the film with your laptop or iPad and watch the film on your television while simultaneously watching bonus material related to the sequence on whichever device you sync with. It’s a very clever way of avoiding picture-in-picture but still providing the audience with insight into the individual scenes as they play.

There’s also a terrific commentary track with co-directors Roger Allers and Rob Minkoff along with producer Don Hahn. It’s an extremely informative track, providing all sorts of anecdotes, history and insight into the production. Other features include a silly blooper and outtake reel running just under four minutes. They took outtakes from the original audio recordings and animated a series of “bloopers” to the tracks. In theory, this should have been really funny. As is, it doesn’t feel like they had enough material to warrant the effort it took to put something like this together. Overall, this felt redundant to features that Pixar has done before, and done better.

The real meat of the set can be found in two fascinating documentaries, “Pride of the Lion King” and “Lion King: A Memoir-Don Hahn.” The first is an overall analysis of the film’s place in society and what it took to get it there. They discuss the entire history of the project, from Jeffrey Katzenberg’s initial germ of an idea to opening weekend, and even on to the Broadway play. It’s relatively comprehensive and while there wasn’t a lot of material that wasn’t already public knowledge, it’s still a treat to hear this material presented by those who lived it. The second feature is a little more personal, and is basically Don Hahn’s footage during the time the film was being created. He documents the crew in production, their field trip to Africa for research, the presence of African wildlife at the studio for study, etc. Far less “produced,” this feature creates a fly-on-the-wall mentality that I really enjoyed.

Other extras include five deleted scenes, with introductions from the filmmakers as to why they were cut, a fully animated new musical number taken from the Broadway play, and a terrific interactive gallery of character designs, visual development, storyboards and layouts & backgrounds. While it’s always interesting to see deleted scenes from a classic film, none of these sequences are missed, and I support their decision to remove all of them. Particularly awkward is a musical number for Mufasa called “King of the Wild” that just feels out-of place and out-of-character. It’s a lighthearted moment that doesn’t flow with the sequences that would have bookended it, and frankly, the song just isn’t very good.

Overall, this was a really terrific set for a phenomenal film. However, I just can’t get as excited about it as I was with the Beauty and the Beast release. I feel like to much time was devoted to the Broadway play, and there wasn’t enough new material to get excited about. I’m sure if I hadn’t watched Beauty first, I would probably be more enthusiastic about this set. As is, I still can’t recommend purchasing this enough. The film itself is the best it’s ever looked and sounded. When it comes to home entertainment, I can’t wait to find out where Disney goes from here.

Setting the bar once again in home entertainment, Disney has outdone themselves with the Diamond Edition release of Beauty and the Beast on Blu-Ray. This 5-Disc set is an amazingly comprehensive look at everything that went into the production of the film itself, as well as an exhaustive history of the studio itself and the pivotal moments that led to the renaissance of Disney animation in the late 80’s and early 90’s. In addition, this set contains one of the best looking animated transfers to date, along with a stunning 3D presentation of the film. I haven’t yet seen any other entries in the Diamond Edition collection, but if they are anything like this, Disney is about to corner the Blu-Ray market.

While there is an extraordinary amount of extras in this set, I have to begin by talking about the film itself. If you’re reading this, it’s a pretty fair assumption that you’ve seen the movie and are already aware of just how brilliant it is. However, it’s a whole new experience to see the film in 3D. There’s a lot of talk right now about the longevity of 3D, and whether or not it’s a dying fad. While there are a lot of movies unneccesarily trying to capitalize on the phenomenon, in this case the presentation truly does enhance the filmic experience. Right from the start, as Belle is walking down her “small provincial town,” I was astounded as the city streets seemed to sweep around me, not just creating a depth of field, but literally enveloping me in this world. If I didn’t know better, I would assume that the film was actually made in 3D, rather than converted after the fact. It’s flawless.

However, if you don’t have a 3D television, you’re still in for a treat. The film itself looks amazing, presented in 1080p High Definition and in a 1.78:1 aspect ratio. There are three ways of watching. You can choose the original theatrical version that we all know so well, a “special extended edition,” featuring an extra musical number called “Human Again,” or the original theatrical version with a picture-in-picture rough cut playing at the same time. Honestly, I prefer the original version to the extended cut. While I love “Human Again” as a stand-alone sequence, it disrupts the flow of the film while feeling tacked on.

As for the extras, I literally just spent my entire evening completely engrossed in everything this set has to offer. Rather than comprise a list of every extra on the set, I’m going to simply discuss a few highlights and lowlights, leaving everything else to be discovered. To start with the low points, I was relatively disappointed with the feature entitled “Broadway Beginnings.” Having seen the Broadway production of the film multiple times, I was really looking forward to a detailed look behind-the-curtain of this extraordinary production. Instead, I got talking-head interviews with several cast members including Donny Osmond and Joe Jonas. Not exactly the insight I was hoping for. There is a more interesting look at the Broadway production mixed in with another extra later, but this particular feature fell flat. There are also a couple of games geared towards the very young, and a music video of the Beauty and the Beast theme as performed by Jordin Sparks. Considering the amount of material on this set, I can deal with these more trivial features.

As for the highlights of the set (beyond the film itself), I particularly enjoyed the feature entitled “Composing a Classic,” with composer Alan Menken, producer Don Hahn and Menken’s agent, Richard Kraft. This segment runs just over 20 minutes and is simply a conversation around a piano with these three personalities discussing the production. They share anecdotes, discuss some of the hardships, and just reminisce about their time on the film. While a simple idea, what made this feature so amazing was setting the conversation around a piano. While talking, Menken punctuates his stories with musical examples, presenting alternate versions of songs and evolutions of ideas. Menken’s partner, Howard Ashman, unfortunately died before the release of the film, and I was pleased that moments of this feature felt like a tribute the legacy of his work.

Other standouts include two deleted scenes, including an alternate opening that runs over 18 minutes. I was completely surprised as I watched this to realize how little I knew about the evolution of the story. This segment is presented in colored storyboards, presenting a scenario in which Belle comes from a family of wealth that loses everything after their fleet of ships sink in a storm. Eventually, her father ends up at the beast’s castle and we witness his introduction to the enchantments in the castle. There are also several very funny sight gags of his horse encountering the enchanted objects in the stable. In watching this segment, I couldn’t help but wonder what could have been if they had kept the story going in this direction. The story might have ended up following a similar path, but the tone of the film would have been completely different. This was a world in which all the men still wore white wigs, and Gaston came across more aristocratic than buffoonish. The other deleted sequence wasn’t as compelling, featuring storyboards of Belle meeting four enchanted objects in the library. There was no great loss in cutting this sequence.

By far, the best feature on the set is “Beyond Beauty: The Untold Stories Behind the Making of Beauty and the Beast.” This is an incredibly detailed look at the entire history of the production, featuring very candid interviews with those involved. The film is now considered a classic, making it even more interesting to hear some of the frustrations that went into creating the film first-hand. Not only is this an honest and detailed look at the film, but this documentary has an interactive feature allowing you to branch off into sub-documentaries within the main one, seamlessly branching back and forth. There is so much material to be found that it’s easy to get lost within all the features. Luckily, they include an index in which you can monitor which segments you’ve already watched, and which ones are still unviewed. These sub-features include closer looks at aspects of the production, along with several historical features and other pieces of animation that bear some relation to the film itself. This is the segment where a lot of the concept and background art can be found as well.

As I mentioned above, this is just a taste of the immense amount of material found in this set. If you don’t have a Blu-Ray, there is also a DVD of the film along with a Digital Copy. All in all, this is a must-own set that belongs in every film collection. It is also an argument in favor of 3D televisions. I wasn’t entirely sold on the concept before, but this is the one that helped push me over the edge. This is a perfect set for a perfect movie, and an absolute joy to watch.