I was so excited when I found out The Lord of the Rings trilogy was finally getting released on Blu-Ray.  After all, this is one of my favorite film series, and I still consider the previously released DVDs to be amongst the best DVD releases ever.  I could only imagine how spectacular these films would be on Blu-Ray, and eagerly awaited the magnificent wealth of bonus features sure to be included.  This is why I find it so upsetting to report that the actual release is a colossal disappointment, lacking in everything that made the DVD releases so special.

I found myself questioning the set right from the beginning as I realized that it only contained the Theatrical Editions.  As most Lord of the Rings fans already know, director Peter Jackson painstakingly integrated approximately 30 minutes of extra footage into each of the films for the previously released DVDs.  These scenes were not superfluous like most Directors Cuts.  They fleshed out the films, bringing greater depth and insight into the stories and the characters.  I expect a lot from Blu-Ray, and I naturally assumed we would be getting the stronger versions of the films.  I don’t know why we only get the shorter versions (possibly a more elaborate Blu-Ray release is planned for the future?), but for this reason alone I would recommend bypassing this set.

Even with the lesser versions of the films, it would be easier to get excited about this release if the extras were any good.  Unfortunately, nothing new was created for this set, and the material that is included is monumentally inferior to the material from the previous sets.  Almost all of the features are taken from televised specials designed to promote the films.  The set has six Blu-Rays in total, each movie taking one disc, and then one disc associated with each film. 

There is very little actual insight into the creation of the films.  The features are almost entirely comprised of the cast and crew talking about how great the movies are (or rather, are going to be, as most of these segments were filmed prior to the film’s actual release).  There is the occasional interesting interview or entertaining behind-the-scenes sequence, but there is nothing that isn’t covered in more detail and in a more cohesive way on the DVD release. 

As I pored through all of the extras, I began to realize how repetitive the material was.  As almost all of the features were put together for various networks, stories are recycled, and footage is occasionally reused.  There are specials that were made for Fox, the Sci-Fi Channel (now Syfy), the WB (now the CW), and even National Geographic.  This last one is the only one that actually proved compelling and didn’t seem to be a commercial for the films.  Hosted by John Rhys-Davies (Gimly in the film), this segment explores the films from a more intellectual perspective.  Rather than showing us the cast snowboarding like the WB special, this segment focused on the themes, the concept of myth, the story in relation to our history, etc. 

But one interesting segment doesn’t make for a satisfying collection.  I couldn’t believe how much of this set was just filler.  The box boasts that there are over 7 hours of extras, but there is nowhere near this much material if you compress all of the content that covers the same ground.  It’s not all the same footage necessarily, but in watching these features you hear the same things over and over again.  I know I’ve spent a lot of time talking about the DVD releases, but those extras were brilliantly mapped out.  Every aspect of pre-production, production and post-production was covered on those films.  They were informative, obviously designed to enhance the appreciation of the films after they’d been seen. 

This set feels very slapped together.  It’s as if they took whatever specials they found laying around and just stuck them on the disc.  They even include Sean Astin’s short film, “The Long and the Short of It.”  This film was made in New Zealand during a break from filming and a significant number of Lord of the Rings crew members contributed to the production.  Unfortunately, Astin is a better actor than he is a filmmaker.  This felt like a student film, and not a good one at that. 

Considering how unsatisfactory the extras are on this set, the least they could have done would be to include the theatrical trailers. I love movie previews, and this franchise (especially Two Towers) has some of my favorites.  They didn’t include a single one.  Rather, every single television ad is on the set.  They also include the music videos from Fellowship of the Ring and The Two Towers.

Overall, the films are still great.  The versions included here aren’t as strong as the Director’s Cuts, but they are still amazing movies.  The transfer is fantastic, and the movies themselves look and sound better than ever.  However, the DVD releases looked great too.  If you’re looking to add these films to your collection, definitely go with the DVDs.  If you already have the DVDs and are thinking about upgrading, don’t bother.  It’s really not worth it.  In fact, this set contains commercials for each of the DVD special editions.  Even those who put this set together must realize they have the inferior product.  Despite my love of the films, this is one of the most disappointing Blu-Ray releases to date.

Also Available On Demand and For Download  (iTunes: http://bit.ly/SCT_LordOfTheRings)

Disaster films have been around for some time, however when you are on land there are several ways you can save yourself. What happens when you are in the middle of the one thing that covers ¾ of the Earth’s surface? Your instincts better kick in. Wolfgang Petersen (Troy, The Perfect Storm) has taken the classic novel of Paul Gallico and weaved a new version that brings a modern twist to this classic tale.

Just what would you do if you are on an amazing luxury ship and you are hit by a freak of nature called a rogue wave? A wave so powerful that in actuality one out of 100 ships a year are lost at sea to such a wave. This story is based on Gallico’s personal experience with one such wave that he then took and expanded upon and was first presented on the big screen as “The Poseidon Adventure” in 1972. Petersen did not wish to do a remake but more of a re-imagination of the story. As Petersen notes in one of the special features, “Why would I want to remake such a well done classic film? There is only one Shelly Winters. You cannot have someone redo her role, so I wanted to have different characters deal with the situation at hand.” And that is where we begin our journey of survival.

Peterson brought together a star studded cast of Josh Lucas (Sweet Home Alabama, Glory Road) as the professional gambler with a history on ships, Kurt Russell (Sky High, Miracle) as the former Mayor of New York who is on board with his daughter and her secret fiancée played by Emma Rossum (The Phantom of the Opera, Mystic River) and Mike Vogel (Miami Medical, She’s Out of My League), Jacinda Barrett (Ladder 49, Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason) as the single mother with a son played by Jimmy Bennett (Evan Almighty, Star Trek 2009), and the always charming,  no matter what movie he does, Richard Dreyfuss (Jaws, Mr. Holland’s Opus) as the eccentric business man who feels he has lost everything. Not to mention great parts by Mia Maestro (The Box, Deepwater), Kevin Dillion (Hotel for Dogs, Platoon), Andre Brougher (The Mist, Men of a Certain Age) and even am appropriate little role for Stacy Ferguson (Nine, Grindhouse), yes Miss Fergie herself.

Now we know the story, so let’s get to the details. This was a production more like old school Hollywood. Huge lavish sets, on several soundstages on the WB lot, with one big problem, the sets have to be upside down. You could say the ship and the sets that represent the ship are the star of this film. Since no cruise line company is going to just allow you to flip and sink their ship, Petersen assembled a masterful group to create not only huge physical sets but some of the most creative digital effects work of the time. A huge ballroom that is upside down and eventually is flooded to one of the longest single shot of digital created film at the time, 2:30 minutes, to open the film. We will also not forget that Petersen strives to bring out the best in people. The actors took to his thoughts like any true student would listen to their master of art. When it came to doing stunts, in most cases the actors did it themselves. Being a student of Scuba Diving and continuing to learn it brings a new found respect for these actors to lean more of their craft than just saying a few lines and pretending to be in harm’s way. Congratulations go to those individuals who took the time to help teach them to be safe while performing.

To really enjoy the process of this film and what went into its grandeur there are three fun filled special features. First we have ‘Poseidon: Ship on a Soundstage’ where we get that in depth look at the filming process, from the multiple soundstages, to the costumes, to the special effects crew and their countless testing for that right water effect. It is here that we also learn of Petersen’s passion for 11 o’clock soup. Don’t ask watch the feature and see how passionate he is about keeping his crew happy. Second we take a look at filming through the eyes of a production assistant or PA as they are know as in the industry in ‘A Shipmates Diary’. And last but definitely not least is ‘Poseidon: Upside Down Unique Set’. This is where you get to meet the set designer, special effects technicians, production designer and computer effect designers who put countless hours and test all of their knowledge of film making to bring us this adventure. As an added bonus to the Blu-Ray there is included the History Channels presentation of ‘Rogue Waves’, a scientific look at the phenomena of these sometimes, killer waves.

In the end sit back relax and why not watch both films and see for yourself that they truly are different in their own right. The one thing that will stand clear in both films is that you can never know when something tragic may cross your path. We all have in us the instinct to live and solve any problem that may compromise that instinct. “Poseidon” also showcases that you can never be to prepared. I say this in that not one person or persons knows the answer to a problem. Sometimes you have to step back and look at the big picture and work together and you can accomplish just about anything. For me, one thing that I may do from now on is carry a bottle of Spare Air with me on a cruise. That’s a scuba joke.

Imagine a world of incredible color and beauty. Of crabs wearing jellyfish for hats. Of fish disguised as frogs, stones and shag carpets. Of a kaleidoscope of underwater life. Now, go explore it! The makers of Deep Sea and Into the Deep take you into tropical waters alive with adventure: the Great Barrier Reef and other South Pacific realms. Narrated by Jim Carrey and featuring astonishing camerawork, this amazing film brings you face to fin with Nature?s marvels, from the terrible grandeur (and terrible teeth) of a Great White to the comic antics of a lovestruck cuttlefish.

Writer/director Howard Hall’s fourth IMAX film (after Into the Deep in 1994, Island of the Sharks in 1999, and Deep Sea in 2006), Under the Sea follows the award-winning documentarian and his talented team to the shores of Papua New Guinea, beneath the seas of South Australia, along the Great Barrier Reef, and into the flourishing waters of Indonesia. At each stop, Hall captures colorful footage of spongy frog fish, rare sharks, stingrays, venomous sea snakes, dazzling octopi, burrowing shrimp, cuttlefish, and clever chameleons of all shapes and sizes. His cameras are privy to some truly remarkable sights — a school of reef squid laying a cluster of eggs, swaying fields of garden eels, a massive turtle happily dining on a deadly jellyfish, predators prowling their favorite hunting grounds, endangered creatures that continue to endure the rugged underwater terrain, and a family of affectionate sea lions who take a moment to introduce themselves — many of which are lent endearing personalities courtesy of the director’s cheery script and Jim Carrey’s affable narration. Eels don’t mindlessly feed, they dance in the current; a turtle doesn’t merely survive, it relishes a tasty delicacy; a shrimp doesn’t dig a tunnel, it acts as a skittering contractor for a generous client; sea lions don’t simply swim together, they trot out their best tricks and showcase their skills for an adoring public.

With Hall at the helm, Under the Sea is both a visual and auditory treat on Blu-ray. The crispness, detail and color of the source material are faithfully reproduced here in a stunning 1080p hi-def presentation. Blu-ray and IMAX are perfectly suited, as the full capacity of the IMAX image is given room to play in your living room, thanks to the hi-def format. DTS-HD Master Audio mixes don’t often get the workout they deserve, but I’m happy to say that this mix doesn’t disappoint. The music is soothing and understated for the most part, but also breaks free from time to time, most noticeably during the rendition of “Octopus’s Garden” that plays near the end of the feature. When atmospheric effects or Carrey’s narration are given center stage, the audio mix is always well-balanced and immersive, helping the viewer to lose themselves in the gorgeous footage before them.

The supplements on Under the Sea let viewers get behind the scenes on the production with the filmmakers through a brief  “making of” featurette and a series of webisodes, labeled here as “expeditions” that grant a peak into the often taxing IMAX underwater filmmaking process.

The supplements provided on this release are:

Behind the Story:
Filming IMAX: Under the Sea (1.78:1; 1080i/60; 0:07.17)

Expeditions:

#1: Papua New Guinea — New Britain (1.78:1; 1080i/60; 0:01.45)
#2: Papua New Guinea — Mine Bay (1.78:1;1080i/60; 0:02.07)
#3: South Australia (1.78:1; 1080i/60; 0:02.02)
#4: The Great Barrier Reef (1.78:1; 1080i/60; 0:03.28)
#5: Indonesia (1.78:1; 1080i/60; 0:02.44)

Under the Sea doesn’t bring anything new to the IMAX fold, but its Blu-ray release certainly does. While similar documentaries have been crippled by mediocre AV presentations, Warner has granted Hall’s fourth underwater adventure a stunning video transfer and a satisfying DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track. I’m sure documentary fans would have appreciated some more substantial special features, but anyone who picks up Under the Sea will be too entranced by their screen and speakers to care about a lackluster supplemental package.

Robert Downey Jr. has pulled it off again and Guy Ritchie has proven that he can have a little variety up his sleeve.  Sherlock Holmes delivers the goods and shouldn’t disappoint.  This is a fun, witty, entertaining film that’s dark and serious at times then wildly over-the-top action packed at others.  It has the sense of humor expected from the comeback king, Downey, and the intelligence many have come to expect from the Sherlock Holmes franchise.  The reputation of the character remains yet improves by remaining more true to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s creation.  With the wittiness, bleak look, and the tremendous acting, Sherlock Holmes still creates a somewhat sensationalized turn of the century London allowing for a much larger scale production with unbelievable situations and gigantic special effects sequences.  Nonetheless, all the elements are able to complement each other well from the small dialogue-driven scenes to the monstrous kick-butt fighting creating an energized revitalization of a well-known classic.

It’s your jib-jab, punch, knock-out type of movie with the 1… 2… 3… and you’re out for the count.  Beginning slowly for the introductions of the characters and reveal of the conflict, Sherlock Holmes quickly changes gears with intricate elaborate fight sequences to a giant chase scene ending in an epic shipyard action sequence that could have been deserving of the films climax.  The filmmakers had to make everything more interesting, and hopefully not confusing, from there on out to build anticipation for the even more ludicrous ending battle.

The story begins with our intellectually adept hero Sherlock Holmes on search of a serial killer with the aid of his trustworthy partner Dr. John Watson (Jude Law).  This is a killer unlike any Holmes has dealt with before but will be unknowing until after the duo catches him during one of his ritualistic murders.  Our killer Lord Blackwood (Mark Strong) is seemingly connected to the dark side and voodoo.  Blackwood has plans of his own that include his own execution.  His promises to Holmes that this is just the beginning materialize as he is resurrected causing havoc in London.  Seems implausible, but for Holmes “the game is afoot”.

What’s this?  Magic?  A man coming back to life?  Remember not everything is as it appears, and in the case of Sherlock Holmes, practically nothing is.  The movie has a quality of much of the crime investigation dramas or an M. Night Shyamalan film where nothing is at it seems.  As for Sherlock Holmes, he looks past the obvious to see the truth and solve these complex mysteries leaving the audience guessing until the end.  I for one was starting to see a ton of loop holes three quarters of the way in, but all my questions were thankfully answered, and then some, by the end of the film.

The year is 1890, in London where the Tower Bridge is still under construction and everything is still very Victorian and elegant.  This setting with advancements in technology allows for a very visionary film.  It’s quite cinematic with a wonderful screenplay to accompany it.  It stays very intelligent, but not hard to understand.

Downey and Law interact great with one another playing off each other as if they have been friends and partners in detective work forever.  Amazingly, Downey’s accent sounds very believable and even thicker than Jude Law’s natural accent.  Rachael McAdams plays a beautiful American girl who’s into some mischief herself.  She plays Irene Adler, the complicated girl in Holmes life that he doesn’t know how to deal with but cannot let go of.  The cast of characters all do an excellent job and truly hold up to their respective roles.  Also, Eddie Marsan plays Scotland Yard’s Inspector Lestrade who is close to Mr. Holmes, but becomes a little frustrated with at times.

This is a film where the filmmakers attempted to make every aspect realistic and believable from a secret laboratory to the living quarters of Mr. Holmes himself.  However, some of this realism doesn’t quite sustain into much of the action, but it’s excusable due to the nature of who Sherlock Holmes is anyway.  He’s a man that can see more than meets the eyes or in some cases, more than the audience can imagine.  In ways his abilities seem supernatural allowing our perception of reality a little cloudy.  Once the audience is informed of his gift to see beyond the obvious and are shown his knack to intricately plan out every move he is about to make, the unrealistic battles of the latter become a little more believable.

Nothing beats a typical cartoon-like maze of deathtraps created through slaughterhouse machinery.  I was quite annoyed this scene was created as it reminds me of those cartoons with the trapped hero inching forward towards a circular saw then saved just in the hair-splitting nick of time.  I kind of had to roll my eyes here along with the people falling off ledges and just happen to land perfectly on a platform below that one specific place they fell from.  These scenes are in place for a reason however.  I can’t complain too much as the scenes were respectfully done and not terribly cheesy.  Several times the movie just felt TOO “Bruckheimer-like” though.

Really though, that’s just nitpicking as I’m positive the common movie-goer will not be aware of these little problems in those scenes.  After all, the Sherlock Holmes books were meant to be more of an action adventure but were previously made into a ‘detective noir’ type movie.  This adaptation continues with the noir feel while adding more suspense and action.  In fact, the old-fashioned fighting scenes were very well done using slow motion film techniques to explain what Holmes is planning to do milliseconds before he actually throws his punches and kicks.  Robert Downey Jr. and Guy Ritchie actually practiced martial arts for years to develop just the right fighting style for Mr. Holmes.  Doyle called it ‘Baritsu’ in his novels, which is actually a hybrid jujitsu actually named Bartitsu.  Watson however is more a brawler compared to the graceful style of Holmes.  Both Downey and Jude Law do a tremendously believable job portraying skillful fighters with the help from Ritchie and Oscar-winning director of photography Philippe Rousselot talent to capture it.

The Extras

Sherlock Holmes boasts another exclusive Warner Bros. “Maximum Movie Mode” experience, beyond an audio commentary with on-screen walk-ons during the movie by our host, Guy Ritchie, plus breakaway videos, picture-in-picture, comparisons to the original storyboards and more. Guy’s occasional brief pauses add about three minutes to the running time. The eight “Focus Points” featurettes are also viewable separately, 31 minutes total, in high definition. “Sherlock Homes Reinvented” is a standalone, general overview of the film,
14 minutes, also HD. This Blu-ray also supports BD-Live, with a live online Robert Downey Jr. chat scheduled for Thursday, April 1.

Disc Two is a DVD combo disc of the movie sans any extras, plus a Digital Copy transferable via the computer for iTunes and Windows Media

Available on Blu-ray Combo Pack, DVD and for Download.

The box office smash hit Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel sings and shakes its way to Blu-ray Disc/DVD Combo Pack, “Squeak-Along” double DVD, and DVD Single Disc March 30th from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment.  A follow-up to 2007’s Alvin and the Chipmunks, Chipmunk singing sensations Alvin, Simon and Theodore are back for an encore in this hilarious “squeakquel” packed with over an hour more of music. The Squeak-Along bonus content includes new sing-alongs such as Beyonce’s “Single Ladies,” teaches audiences how to dance like the Chipmunks with the “Shake Your Groove Thing” dance instructional video, games and more nutty fun for the whole family!

“Alvin and the Chipmunks” starts off in Paris with Dave (played by Jason Lee, “My Name is Earl”, “Monster House”, “Chasing Amy”) watching over Alvin (voiced by Justin Long, “Live Free and Die Long”, “Planet 51″, “Funny People”), Simon (voiced by Matthew Gray Gubler, “(500) Days of Summer”) and Theodore (voiced by Jesse McCartney, “Greek”) as they perform for a charity.  Dave warns Alvin to not show off because he has to take his brothers into consideration but of course, in his mind, Alvin is the star of the show and eventually shows off.  Unfortunately, by showing off, Alvin accidentally puts Dave into the hospital with broken bones throughout his body.

Because Dave can’t watch over the three, he depends on his Aunt Jackie (played by Kathryn Joosten, “Desperate Housewives”) to watch over them.  But at the airport, her videogame playing, not much of an achiever nephew Toby (played by Zachary Levi, “Chuck”) accidentally pushes her wheelchair and Jackie ends up getting hurt while falling over several steps.  Thus the irresponsible Toby is now responsible for watching over Alvin, Simon and Theodore and also making sure he can prepare them for school.

Meanwhile, the villain of the last film, Jett Records Executive Ian Hawke (“Kung Fu Panda”, “Year One”) is still reeling of how he lost everything because of Alvin and the Chipmunks and despises them.  How will he ever bounce back and become a prominent music exec?  Well, Ian Hawke is fortunate when three female chipmunks known as “The Chipettes” land literally in front of his building’s doorsteps.

From director Betty Thomas (Dr. Dolittle), the heartwarming film stars Golden Globe nominee* Jason Lee (“My Name Is Earl”), Emmy Award winner** David Cross (“Arrested Development”) and Zachary Levi (“Chuck”), and features vocal talent from franchise veterans Justin Long (He’s Just Not That Into You), Matthew Gray Gubler (500 Days of Summer) and actor-pop heartthrob Jesse McCartney (Alvin and the Chipmunks).  Newcomers Christina Applegate (“Samantha Who”), Anna Faris (The House Bunny) and Amy Poehler (“Saturday Night Live”) lend their voices to the musically talented Chipettes as Brittany, Jeanette and Eleanor, respectively.

The hit soundtrack to the Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel features The Chipmunks and The Chipettes covering some of today’s top hits and classic tracks as well as original songs including “Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It),” “Hot N Cold,” “Stayin’ Alive,” and “I Gotta Feeling.” The album is certified gold by the RIAA for sales of over 500,000 and has reached #1 on the Billboard Top Soundtrack chart and #6 on the Billboard Top 200 Album chart.


The Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack includes a high definition Blu-ray version of the film, and all hilarious bonus features from the Squeak-Along Bonus Disc including Sing-Alongs, Chipmunk Adventures, Munk Music Machine, Meet the Chipettes, Meet The Rising Stars, Music Mania, Shake Your Groove Thing, Music Videos, a Live Lookup featurette, and much more.  The pack also includes a Digital Copy and a standard DVD.

Alvin and The Chipmunks: The squeakquel fails to live up to the original’s stronger plot and better applied story. However there is no denying the allure of the cute and cuddly Chipmunks as depicted on film. The addition of the Chipettes plus the reworked music and dance numbers featuring the Chipmunks prove entertaining. Like the original this film looks great in high definition and Fox has included an excellent array of bonus supplements to boot.

Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack Special Features:
Disc One
    ·      Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel Blu-ray
    ·      Munking History: 50 Years of Chipmunk Mischief, Mayhem & Music
    ·      Munk Music Machine
    ·      Meet the Chipettes
    ·      Rockin’ Rising Stars
    ·      Music Mania
    ·      Meet the Stuffies
    ·      Shake Your Groove Thing! with Rosero
    ·      Music Videos & Sing-Alongs “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It),” “We Are Family,” “Shake Your Groove Thing”
    ·      Music Videos: (“You Really Got Me” featuring Honor Society & “The Song” featuring Queensberry)
    ·      A-l-v-i-n-n-n-n!!! Album Maker
    ·      Live Lookup
    ·      Music In A Nutshell: Song Trivia
    ·      The Chipmunks: Behind the Squeaking
    ·      A-NUT-omy of a Scene

Disc Two
    ·      Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel feature film

Disc Three
    ·      Digital Copy

“Squeak-Along” Double DVD
Disc One
    ·      Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel Blu-ray
    ·      Munk Music Machine
    ·      Music Mania

Disc Two
    ·      Munking History : 50 Years of Chipmunk Mischief, Mayhem & Music
    ·      Meet the Chipettes
    ·      Rockin’ Rising Stars
    ·      Chipmunks: Behind the Squeaking
    ·      A-NUT-omy of a Scene
    ·      Meet the Stuffies
    ·      Shake Your Groove Thing!  With Rosero
    ·      Music Videos & Sing-Along (“Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)”, “We Are Family,” &
ldquo;Shake Your Groove Thing”

Single-Disc DVD Special Features
    ·      Munk Music Machine
    ·      Music Mania Featurette

Not being a fan of sports movies, I didn’t go into The Blind Side with the highest of expectations.  I was afraid this would be another cliché sports movie about an underdog football player helping his team to win at the last possible second.  That’s why I was thrilled to discover that the film is not actually about football, but a person who just happens to be a football player. Michael Oher of the Baltimore Ravens suffered great hardships in his youth, but was able to overcome with the help of a family that took him in as one of their own.  The filmmakers manage to tell this inspiring story while maintaining a strong balance of humor and drama.  A definite crowd-pleaser, football might be a constant presence throughout the film, but the movie is about so much more.

At the center of the film is Sandra Bullock’s career-best (and Oscar-winning) performance as Leigh Anne Tuohy, a strong-willed, slightly intimidating Southern woman.  Bullock completely loses herself in the performance.  The recently released Blu-Ray has several behind the scenes features showing the real Tuohy, and it is amazing just how perfectly Bullock represents the character.  She encapsulates everything about this woman, and it is an astonishing to see her transformation.

Quinton Aaron, who plays Oher, doesn’t seem to be doing as much of an impersonation, but his performance is just as strong.  Much like the real-life Oher, Aaron is a very large individual.  But he portrays the character with a frailty in direct contradiction to his physical features.  Seeing Aaron’s representation of this meek giant alongside Bullock’s performance as a tiny powerhouse is fascinating.

When these two characters first meet, Oher is walking down the road at night, alone.  He is heading towards the school gym so he could have a warm place to sleep.  Tuohy’s family happens to be passing and offers him a place to spend the night.  Before they know it, this one generous offer has led to Oher essentially becoming a member of their family.  Throughout the course of the film, we watch his bond develop with Leigh Ann, her husband Sean, daughter Collins and son S.J. (Sean, Jr.).  S.J. often steals the movie from the rest of the cast with his over-the-top energy and enthusiasm for everything around him.  I don’t know how much the real S.J. is like this character, but this portrayal is a lot of fun to watch. 

As Oher is a large African-American, and the Tuohy’s are a rich white family, this does lead to conflict in their town.  The film does briefly address this conflict, but it is given very little notice overall.  In fact, it’s mostly played for humor such as when Oher is included in their Christmas card.  But overall, race is not the point of the film.  It’s about the bond between this family, and their attempt to help him become the best person he can be with his given background. 

There are elements of the story that are cliched, and overall, it does seem kind of manipulative.  But for the most part, the film works.  The only segment that really felt out of place was a brief sequence where Oher runs away after being told by the NCAA that the Tuohy’s might have been so kind to him simply to push him towards playing football at their chosen school.  This moment comes out of nowhere, and is resolved relatively briefly.  I understand that it might have been a significant moment in their real lives, but it didn’t seem to fit in the context of this film.

The most interesting element of the recently released Blu-Ray is the footage of the real-life Leigh Ann talking behind-the-scenes with Bullock.  They seem to have become good friends and it’s fascinating to see how much work went into Bullock’s portrayal.  There is also a brief interview (about 10 minutes) with the real-life Michael Oher, who discusses key moments throughout the film and what it was like to actually live those moments.  Other features include a look at a sequence involving several SEC college football coaches who played themselves in the film.  I don’t watch football, and didn’t even realize these were real people when I was watching the movie, but it was a lot of fun to see all of their enthusiasm to be on a film set, as well as the cast and crew’s enthusiasm to be working with them.  Rounding out the extras are a rather dull feature on Aaron and the parallels of his life to the role he played, and a conversation between the director (John Lee Hancock) and the author of the book on which the film is based (Michael Lewis).  There are also four deleted scenes.

Yes, I admit that the film is not perfect.  There isn’t a lot of drama to the story.  Mostly, it consists of watching happy people helping other people out.  As I said, there is a little bit of forced drama and manufactured conflict, but this is a movie designed to make you feel good.  That’s probably why audiences responded so well to it in the theatres.  It doesn’t matter whether you like sports movies or not.  Only the most cynical viewers wouldn’t be moved by this touching story.

I had no interest in Fantastic Mr. Fox when I first saw the previews.  The animation looked sloppy, the story lackluster, and the characters two-dimensional.  Having never read Roald Dahl’s classic book, I had no nostalgia fueling a desire for the film.  To me, it just looked like a waste of time.  I couldn’t have been more wrong.

Writer/director Wes Anderson (Rushmore, The Life Aquatic) has utilized the artistry of stop-motion animation to create his most sophisticated and beautiful film to date.  While there is never a sense of reality to the proceedings, I still found myself believing in this cast of animals.  There is a subtlety to the performances (and there is no question that these “dolls” are giving performances) that rivals the live-action work of the voice cast.

As the “fantastic” Mr. Fox, George Clooney gives an inspired performance.  Much has been made about his recent work in this year’s Up In the Air, but I found this voice work just as worthy of accolade, if not more so.  The character has the cockiness you typically find in a Clooney performance, but it is matched by a frailty I’m not used to getting from him. 

As the movie begins, we realize that Mr. Fox is a chicken thief.  Mrs. Fox (an amazing as always performance by Meryl Street) asks him to give up his life of crime due to her pregnancy.  Flash forward several “fox years,” and Mr. Fox is now a reporter, having put his old life behind him.  Their son Ash (Anderson staple Jason Schwartzman) is jealous of his visiting cousin Kristofferson, which sets off the expected family drama.  This drama just happens to be in a family of foxes. 

Eventually, Mr. Fox decides to pull off the ultimate heist of three several successful farmers named Bean, Boggis and Bunce.  Putting together a team of various animals, the film escalates into an animated Ocean’s 11, just with foxes and badgers instead of people.  Without giving too much away, the situation evolves as expected and the story quickly turns into a rescue operation.

It’s a very simple story, especially considering the fact that Dahl’s book is only Act Two of the film.  Anderson created a beginning and an ending that are not part of the original story.  And yet, everything flows together perfectly, thematically and story-wise.  However, the film isn’t all about the story.  This is a film that thrives on style.

I already mentioned how subtle the performances are, but what I haven’t touched on is the humor of the film.  This movie is hilarious.  Not only is the dialogue fantastically funny, but there is a very unusual style of visual play at work.  The way the sequences are framed, the transitions and just the style of movement lend themselves to some of the best sight gags I’ve seen in a long time.

The world that populates these fantastic characters and sequences is beautiful in it’s own right.  There are over 120 sets, and they all look like they exist perfectly in this world that has been created.  Every shot is gorgeous, and it is obvious that the people behind the scenes are artists.  You don’t often get artistry, even in animation, and it’s a real treat to see a product that is not created by committee, but rather one where you can feel the passion behind-the-scenes.

This artistry becomes even more apparent when watching the Behind-The-Scenes features on the newly released Blu-Ray.  There is a feature called “Making Mr. Fox Fantastic,” that runs a little under 45 minutes.  This is broken up into many sections, including “The Look of Fantastic Mr. Fox,” “From Scipt to Screen,” “The Puppet Makers,” etc.  It’s a thoroughly in-depth accounting of the entire process, beginning when Anderson was writing the script from Roald Dahl’s house.  This was a passion project, and it shows.

I loved everything about this movie.  It has all the quirkiness you’d expect from a Wes Anderson film, and it turns out that animation is the perfect outlet for that style.  As mentioned, Clooney, Streep, and Schwartzman do great work, but there are also fantastic performances from Willem Dafoe, Bill Murray and Michael Gambon.  It’s a very adult film that would completely appeal to children.  At the same time, it’s a great children’s film that any adult would love.  This balance is very tricky to pull off (usually reserved for Pixar movies), but Anderson got it exactly right.  His perfect understanding of the material helped make this one of last year’s best.

I think it goes without saying that getting to review movies is a great opportunity. Not only do I get to share my thoughts and opinions, but I also get exposure to a lot of different films I would normally have missed out on. However, there is a negative side to all of this. Every now and again, a film comes my way that is something I would never watch of my own free will. Something that I just know is excruciatingly awful before watching a single frame. Something such as “Free Willy: Escape From Pirate’s Cove.”I know that I’m not the demographic for a movie like this. All I can do when going in to these types of films is try to keep an open mind and view the film from the perspective of the intended audience. So that’s what I did. And I think that I can safely say that the intended audience (namely VERY young children) will not be entertained. They might not be quite as insulted as I was, but I seriously doubt many children will find much to like.

Having seen the first Free Willy but none of the sequels, I didn’t really know how this film tied in to the overall Willy mythology. It turns out that this story bears absolutely no connection to any of the other stories beyond Willy’s name. Bindi Irwin (daugher of the late Steve Irwin) stars as Kirra, a young Australian girl forced to spend a summer with her slightly eccentric grandfather Gus (Beau Bridges) in South Africa. Running a dying theme park, Gus is thrilled when a young orca washes into his lagoon during a storm. Of course, he sees this young killer whale as the perfect opportunity to give his park a needed edge over another local, much more elaborate theme park. Giving young Kirra the opportunity to name his new attraction, she randomly decides on “Willy” for no reason beyond giving the film a connection to the rest of the franchise.

Of course, having already established Kirra’s connection to animals in the opening scenes of the film, she quickly bonds with Willy. One of my big pet peeves in film is when an animal character can seemingly understand English, express human emotion and interacts with humans in a way simply to serve the plot. This movie is practically nothing but this sort of behavior. A large portion of the film focuses on Kirra’s attempts to get Willy to eat, and the battle between them and the eventual explanation as to his lack of appetite all ends up pretty silly. After numerous explanations of how killer whales don’t hurt people, Kirra ends up repeatedly in the water, even riding Willy as if he were a horse.

These sequences are laughable enough on paper, but I was amazed at how awful it looked on screen. All sequences where you see Willy above the water are obviously some sort of animatronic/puppet, and all sequences under the water are animated with some of the worst CGI I’ve seen in a long time. Every underwater effect in the film looks like a sub-par video game. It still would have been an awful script, but the film might have been more bearable if there was ANY footage of an actual killer whale.

Of course, there are villains in the film as well. The owner of the rival park is desperate to get Willy for his own park, and the rivalry between him and Gus sets up a lot of the “action of the film.” Eventually, there is an attempted kidnapping, and the film actually resorts to a shot of Willy ripping a guy’s pants, just enough to show his underwear as he scrambles out of the water. Yes, it is that kind of movie.

The only person who comes out of this semi-unscathed is Beau Bridges. I’m not going to say he was good, but he managed a decent balance between over-the-top silliness and an actual representation of a real human being. His struggle with trying to do the right thing by Willy and Kirra and his desire to expand his park was semi-believable, and occasionally even slightly compelling.

As this is a Direct-to-Video Blu-Ray, I wasn’t expecting a whole lot in terms of extras and I was right. The features are geared towards the young children who would be watching, and as such, there isn’t much substance. Most of the features center around Bindi, and she actually comes across more likeable in these features than she does in the film itself. She’s absolutely comfortable in front of the camera, and when she gets to be Bindi Irwin, she’s a natural. When she’s playing Kirra, her acting is never anything but forced.

The features are all very short, and they never show anything besides the cast and crew having fun with each other. I thought it was kind of interesting that they never acknowledge the fake Willy, and constantly refer to it as a real animal that they were filming with. I guess they actually expect kids to buy into the illusion, but I don’t think they’re giving these kids enough credit.

As I said above, I’m not the demographic for this movie. However, there are amazing films out there for children, and I’d hate to think that too many of them would be passing over quality films for something as silly as this. I don’t know how much of a draw the Free Willy brand is, but beyond that, I can’t think of any reason a child would want to watch this. It’s a cheesy and silly film, and not worth anyone’s time regardless of how young you are.

“It is not the challenge of dollars; it is the challenge of ideals and ideas. If the producers of pictures see only the dollar, then I believe those production efforts will fail” Harry Warner at an American Legion dinner back in the 1930’s. This quote truly brings out what the film industry should be about. It also hits upon not only what we see on the screen or TV but how we should live our lives. Something four extraordinary brothers did at a time when many people were just trying to scrape by or do what everyone else did. This is the story of the Brothers Warner who forged their own path and broke down walls that stood in the way of “educate, entertain, enlighten” the world.

This is a documentary of the ups and downs of these four men, Albert, harry, Jack, and Sam, whom many people know nothing about. This is evident in the beginning as director writer Cass Warner Sperling found out when she went out into the public to see if anyone knew if the brothers were real or just a namesake. To be the granddaughter of a Harry and a family that made way for so many studios because they took the risks many wouldn’t and to find out that most people didn’t know they were real, must be disheartening. This is why she set out to bring their story to light. The chances, heartache, rivalry, pioneering, and drive that made Warner Brothers Studio become what it was and is today.

Told through Cass’ narration, we learn from the beginning what four brothers did to create such a milestone of entertainment community. The family immigrated to the US from the part of Russia that is now Poland so that they could be educated and to work, something that was not a right or guaranteed at a time. Since they had no schooling, most of the children went to work. Around 1903, Sam and Harry, saw a nickelodeon show and immediately knew what they wanted to do, soon after Albert and Jack were on board as well. With the help of other family members, including hawking the family heirloom watch and “Bob” the horse, the brothers were in the movie business. Over time after opening up a store front theater using a sheet and borrowed chairs, making their own movies that true profit was in the distribution of films. In 1923 Warner Brothers Pictures Inc. was born. The company would do many things to change the landscape of the industry; the first ‘talkie’ in “The Jazz Singer” which brought sound to film and was the axe to silent films in 1927, making controversial films, “I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang” that helped spark nation reform of prisons or “Confessions of a Nazi Spy” that first told and used the word ‘Nazi’ to the world. The four brothers had their work; Harry as President of the company, Sam the CEO, Albert the Treasure, and Jack as the Executive in charge of Operations.

Even though Harry was the oldest and business savvy, Sam the one who drove the brothers into advancing technologies and Albert the financial brain trust, it was Jack who stood out the most and was the ‘face’ of the company. Jack tended to do things his way or else and if you didn’t like it you were gone. He was the boisterous fellow and life of the ‘party’ that was over the top. Yet when it came down to business he knew what was good for the brothers, the company, and the public. He led the company all the way up to the late 60’s when Warner Bros. Pictures as he knew it came to an end. The Brothers Warner were no part of the film industry. An industry they helped forge and in some cases changed. Whether they were signing the likes of Errol Flynn, Bette Davis, James Cagney, or Humphrey Bogart to star in some of the most memorable films or creating such masterpieces as “The Jazz Singer”, “Yankee Doodle Dandy”, “Casablanca”, “A Star is Born”, and “Camelot”.

This documentary has some wonderful clips from the golden age of cinema. Showcasing the talent the studio helped get started, the film makers they made, the historians who continue to educate those who want to know, facts of these four charming men. What started out as a search for the real surname of her grandfather, Cass Warner Sperling takes us on an amusing journey of the Warner family up thru the eventual sale to Seven Arts and eventually to its current state with AOL and Time as the multi conglomerate AOL Time Warner Communications. Cass does a good job of bringing this story to the public. Whether it is thru the home movies, casual interviews with the aforementioned actors, directors and scholars or her personal search filming, she does well in staying true to the family credo. When it comes to the overall feel of the presentation, it does seem a little slow paced at times and the filming of Cass on screen looks amateurish. With such a huge undertaking of the history of these men, the family, the people and themes they exposed, I would have thought that even though they may not be owned by the family anymore, the studio would have backed her more and given it a much cleaner look and finish.

In all, I want to give my two cents of this production and its meaning, Family. We are all born into one and sometimes find new ones along our path in life. There will always be joy, heartache, reward, support and love within that family as long as you stick together and know each other’s weaknesses and strengths. At times your duty within the family may change and you have to pick up the pace and keep everyone together. No matter what happens when it is done as a family no one can impede your climb to success, not financially, physically, or most important, spiritually. The family Warner credo says what most families should strive for as a group, “educate, entertain, enlighten”. Oh and the Warner family true surname, Wonskolaser.