Samuel Jacobo (pictured center) of Summit High School in Fontana, Calif., arrives at the Disneyland Resort’s Grad Nite to celebrate his graduation and enters the history books on Thursday, May 28, 2009, as the five millionth guest of the popular graduation bash. Jacobo was greeted by the Resort’s Celebration Street Team, had his photo taken with Mickey Mouse and received special gifts for the prestigious honor. Since 1961, Grad Nite at the Disneyland Resort has been the choice for high school graduates nationwide to gather for a safe and exclusive after-hours party featuring classic attractions, dance clubs and deejays from Southern California’s most popular radio stations.
This spring, high school seniors will celebrate the ‘end of an era’ at the ultimate party of the year: Disneyland Resort’s Grad Nite, presented by Honda. On select nights from 11:30 p.m. until the break of dawn at 6 a.m., Disneyland is an after-dark, thrill-park packed with high energy, the hottest dance clubs in town, thrilling rides and memories to last a lifetime. The Class of 2009 is thrown into an exclusive experience where Disneyland does a complete 180 degree turn from its daily park environment. The night rocks with a unique brand of Disney entertainment, dance clubs and deejays from Southern California’s most popular radio stations. Grad Nite at the Disneyland Resort is a private event exclusively for graduating seniors and held on the nights of May 14, 21, 28 and June 4, 10, 11 and 18. Grads can visit www.disneylandgradnite.com to learn more about the party that awaits.
Irascible, cranky, mischievous, outrageous – Donald Duck has a seemingly limitless personality, and in honor of his birthday on June 9, Disney’s D23 is commissioning an official portrait from those who know Donald best: his fans.
For the first time ever, Disney is turning to fans to create an official portrait of one of its biggest stars. Finalists in the Donald Duck 75th Anniversary Portrait Contest will have their work unveiled and displayed at the inaugural D23 Expo, which will be held September 10-13 at the Anaheim Convention Center, adjacent to Disneyland.
The contest is hosted by D23: The Official Community for Disney Fans, and is open to all D23 Members who are 18 or older. Full-length oil, acrylic or watercolor canvas portraits of Donald Duck, no larger than 24” W x 36” H, are eligible. Artists must first submit an original sketch, in any medium or size, of the planned artwork. The submission form, as well as full contest rules and additional details, can be found at the official D23 website, http://www.disney.com/D23. All finalists selected to have their works displayed will be eligible for two complimentary, four-day admission passes to the D23 Expo.
The creator of the winning portrait will receive an authentic “Duckster” – an award that Walt Disney personally commissioned in 1960 and which has been presented fewer than two dozen times to people who made significant contributions to the Walt Disney Studios. The last time a “Duckster” was awarded was nearly 20 years ago, and only a few of these rare, bronze statuettes of Donald Duck remain in the Walt Disney Archives. Among the past recipients of the “Duckster” are Clarence Nash, the original voice of Donald Duck, and famed Donald illustrator Carl Barks.
“What do you give a duck that has everything on his 75th birthday? You let the ones who love him most offer this most sincere form of flattery, of course,” said Steven Clark, head of D23. “Disney fans are some of the most passionate and creative people anywhere, and we can’t wait to see their fun and imaginative depictions of our feisty, yet lovable, leading duck!”
Since his first appearance in 1934’s Silly Symphony The Wise Little Hen, Donald Duck has been one of Walt Disney’s most popular creations, starring in more cartoons than Mickey Mouse himself. Donald’s a 21st-century icon, as well, starring in not one but two theme-park attractions: Mickey’s PhilharMagic at the Magic Kingdom and the Gran Fiesta Tour starring The Three Caballeros at Epcot. He’s been honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, his webbed feet have been immortalized in front of the famed Grauman’s Chinese Theater, and he’s even a videogame star, having been featured prominently in Kingdom Hearts and its popular sequel.
Donald has appeared in more than 170 cartoons, movies and TV shows, and a celebrity of his magnitude has fans around the world. Whether they know him as Anders And (Danish), Donal Bebek (Indonesian), Paperino (Italian) or any other language, fans who are also members of D23 are invited to submit portraits that capture Donald’s unique, multi-faceted personality as part of the Donald Duck 75th Anniversary Portrait Contest.
Sketches of proposed portraits, which should be fun interpretations of our favorite duck and his complex personality, must be physically mailed or shipped to The Walt Disney Archives no later than Monday, June 15 (e-mail submissions cannot be accepted). Sketches will be reviewed and judged by a panel of Disney creative executives. Artists whose work has been accepted will be notified by Disney, and must complete and deliver their finished canvas portrait (in oil, acrylic or watercolor) no later than August 15, 2009.
The winning portrait will be announced during a special event at the D23 Expo on Saturday, September 12. The Donald Duck 75th Anniversary Portrait Contest is open to members in good standing of D23.
To become a member of D23, and to obtain more information on the only official community for Disney fans, visit http://www.disney.com/d23.
Has Pixar gone 10 for 10? Disney / Pixar’s UP is the studios 10th and first 3D film. There has been plenty of hype for this new film, and I myself was one that got into that hype. I have watched most of the online featurette’s, “UPisodes” and clips. Fortunately, I did not watch all of them to save some of the surprises the movie may have. I’m very happy to say that the hype lived up to my expectations.
Disney / Pixar’s UP is about a grouchy old man, Carl Fredricksen (Ed Asner), who has made a promise to his late wife that they would go on an adventure to visit South America. It was a promise he held since childhood. After Carl loses his wife Ellie, he realizes it’s now or never to fulfill his promise.
Carl’s house, which once sat in the middle of a typical middle-class American street, now is in the middle of a hustle and bustle construction site with sky scrapers and new developments on all sides. The old man’s house is on the verge of being bought out by a developer so he can demolish it for his plans of the area. Fredricksen realizes that he must save his house and take it with him on his adventure. His plan seems to take off without a hitch until he finds out that a local boy scout is trapped aboard his flying house. Russell (Jordan Nagai) is an 8-year-old Junior Wilderness Explorer that only wants to earn his last badge of assiting an elder. This is where all the comical antics derive from when Carl must now take on this adventure with one more than expected.
The audience will soon notice some of the heavy subject matters within this film. The main reason why Russell wants to earn his last badge is so that he can be honored the Sr. Wilderness Explorer badge by his father that is not around much. This subject matter may hold a little too close to some of the children in the audience. There are many other subject matters toward the start of the movie like a baby complication and death that may need some explanation. Much of the movie holds a dark undertone because of the side plots, but makes up for it in humor. No doubt these characters deliver a great amount of comical relief, but the sad parts may outweigh them. I do appreciate the more complex story and underlining the film has than say Cars did, but am just a little worried the effect it may have on children. You’ve been warned.
This being Pixar’s 10th film makes it a perfect time to debut their first 3D film even though they are a little behind the times. By being a little late Pixar really got a chance to perfect this newer trend. The scenes have tons of depth and are just gorgeous, which is displayed in Disney Digital 3D. “We look at 3D as another crayon in our crayon box.” Director/Writer of Up Peter Docter stated. This is one aspect I truly love about Pixar. The studio has always been big on creating films strong on story with the technology used playing just as the medium to display that story unless it could help contribute. Therefore Pixar never wants to have the technology distract from the movie. In UP, Docter used 3D technology to help the movie showcase different moods the audience should feel between different scenes. “For example, at the beginning of the film, Carl is stuck in his ways and he’s living in this little house,” Docter explained. “We wanted it to feel claustrophobic so we flattened everything – we made it purposely less deep. Contrast that later when he gets to South America. We wanted this expansiveness – we wanted you to feel the wind in your face, so we really pushed depth there.” The use of 3D changes the mood for many of the scenes and helps show some of the beautiful locations within the film. Instead of using the effect as a gimmick, it is used as another visual cue.
Another aspect of this Disney / Pixar film is uniqueness in look and style. I have noticed that all of Pixar films differ in style from the backgrounds to the characters in the movie. “We wanted UP to have a distinct look all its own and to be a departure from other Pixar films,” Producer Jonas Rivera stated. “We were trying to reach back and connect to the great Disney films that we grew up with, like ‘Peter Pan’ and ‘Cinderella’, and the great sense of style and caricature that they had.”
One sense of style the audience may notice is the more ‘animated’ the characters look compared to the realism of the wild scenery they are set. For instance, there are scenes toward the beginning of the film where characters are animated like our favorite slap-stick 2D animated counterparts. Ricky Nierva, Production Designer, stated that he coined the term ‘simplexity’ for the style he wanted. Basically they wanted to remove some of the detail without making the CGI look cheap. The reason behind this was to caricature the humans while still keeping them relatable. This sense of style adds to the suspension of disbelief one must have to believe what’s happening in the film. One thing about the film that I was having a hard time swallowing was the unbelievable situations. Okay, I bought the fact that a house flies to an exotic destination in South America via helium balloons tied to the fireplace, but I am not too sure I could believe some of the crazy action sequences. I especially had an issue in the scenes with the dogs in airplanes later in the film. I’ll hold off in order to not spoil anything, but there were quite a few stretches even in the world the film created.
UP is definitely the best family movie I have seen in awhile. I noticed myself laughing out loud a lot and even feeling like a kid again. It brought back quite a few memories of childhood and made me miss those good times had. More importantly, it showed me that I should always keep some adventure in my life no matter how old I am. After all, an elderly man is our action hero of the film.
If you are looking for a movie emotion invoking with humor, sadness, action, and adventure, then this is the film you should look at. It definitely has those adult themes family movies have been containing within the past decade and I actually took something away from it. That’s what we are all after anyway, right?
Partly Cloudy (Pixar Short): Quick and to the point, Disney / Pixar’s newest short had some of the best comical moments compared to all of their past shorts. It is very touching and a perfect opening to UP. This is probably my favorite short from Pixar and really leaves you with an “awe” moment. However, this is another one that might need some parental guidance. Do your kids know where babies come from?
While the first Night at the Museum was an enjoyable enough piece of escapism, I never felt the need for a sequel. I loved the setup, and yet by film’s end was pretty much ready to move on. Everybody had learned a valuable lesson, as per tradition in these type of films, and I didnít really think there was a lot left to do with the premise. Because of this, I went into Night at the Museum 2: Battle of the Smithsonian with a decided lack of excitement. And yet I came out having loved it.
Both films revolve around Ben Stiller’s character of Larry Daley, and what happens to him over the course of a single evening in a museum where the exhibits come to life. The first film took place at the Museum of Natural History, and as indicated in the title, the sequel takes place in the Smithsonian. In typical sequel fashion, this means that everything is bigger, better, and their is a lot more of it.
But instead of just throwing more stuff at us and seeing what sticks, the filmmakers actually manage to utilize the expanded world. Part of what makes this work so well is the interaction between the exhibits which would serve no logical purpose being together. By placing the action in the Smithsonian there is a great deal of variety between the exhibits, and seeing them come together in such a way is a great deal of fun.
Being able to actually enter the paintings and interact with the sculptures brings a whole new level to this museum. And when Daley takes a chase sequence into a classic WWII photograph, everything about this movie begins to click. The creativity on display is way beyond anything in the first film. Helping fuel this creativity is an amazing cast of new actors including Hank Azaria, Jonah Hill, Bill Hader, and on and on.
Everybody from the first film returns as well, but the absolute highlight is one of the new additions. Amy Adams is brilliant in the role of Amelia Earhart (or at least a wax replica of her). Playing a caricatured version of Earhart, Adams fast-talks her way through every scene leaving Stiller’s character desperate to keep up. When he tells her that one of her exclamations sounds made up even for her, she replies “it’s how I speak.” She then gives a normal line of dialogue as comparison and questions “where’s the fun in that?”
That brief exchange encapsulates everything that works about this film. Everybody seems to be having fun. There is not one weak link in the cast and everybody gets a moment to shine. On top of this, the special effects are a blast to watch. There is nothing revolutionary about them, but they are perfect for this type of film. By manipulating real art and exhibits we are all familiar with and putting them in the context of this story, the effects begin to actually feel special.
Even though I thoroughly enjoyed this movie, I again don’t see the need for another sequel. I just don’t know what they can continue to do with this premise. However, unlike after the first film, I will keep an open mind. When they announce the inevitable Part III, I might find myself actually looking forward to seeing the further adventures of Larry Daley and his magical friends. Especially if Amelia Earhart is going with him.
King Kong, among the screen’s most powerful and enduring icons, will re-emerge on the famed and newly upgraded Universal Studios Hollywood Studio Tour in summer, 2010 as a thrilling and ground-breaking 4-D multi-sensory marvel, a new signature attraction for Universal Studios Hollywood.
The new King Kong attraction, based on the Oscar®-winning 2005 Universal Pictures film, will combine thrilling visceral effects with the world’s largest Surround Digital projection system to create a next-generation theme park experience.
Larry Kurzweil, President and Chief Operating Officer, Universal Studios Hollywood, said: “King Kong has been an integral part of Universal Studios Hollywood for decades and, after last year’s fire, we knew he had to be resurrected for our Studio Tour guests. We’re very excited to announce that not only are we re-introducing King Kong, but we’ve completely re-imagined the experience and will incorporate this legendary icon into a truly innovative Studio Tour attraction.”
In the new attraction, guests will don special glasses as they enter a darkened soundstage aboard the Studio Tour trams and will be transported— via the magic of Surround Digital 3D projection —deep into the dark heart of the world of Skull Island. They’ll survive a close encounter with a swarm of monstrous bats, only to be confronted by the terrifying presence of Kong himself. Suddenly, an enormous, ravenous 35′ tall dinosaur will challenge Kong and guests will feel their trams jolt, roll and shudder as they find themselves caught in the middle of a ferocious showdown between the great ape and the giant lizard. The action will immerse guests in the battle between the two colossal predators.A previous King Kong attraction was introduced at Universal Studios Hollywood in 1986 and remained a much-admired part of the Studio Tour until it was destroyed last year.
King Kong, known as “the eighth wonder of the world,” has been called “the experience for which movies were invented.” Since first appearing on the screen in the 1933 original classic, “King Kong” has been re-made twice, each time on a tremendous scale, earning a total of seven Oscar and three Golden Globe® nominations.
Most recently, the 2005 version took the best elements of the original “King Kong” story and adrenalized them with up-to-the-minute effects magic and the alchemic talents of a superlative group of filmmakers, cast and crew. Released to critical acclaim in late 2005, “King Kong” was a worldwide box office hit and, with DVD sales, earned well over $700 million, becoming the fourth-highest grossing movie in Universal Pictures history.
The arrival of the new King Kong experience will follow major enhancements to the Studio Tour. Universal Studios Hollywood will introduce an upgraded Studio Tour experience this summer, transforming its trams into “mobile movie theaters” with state-of-the-art flat-screen high-definition monitors and digital playback systems. The new high-definition monitors will feature commentary from filmmakers, including Steven Spielberg, Ron Howard and Stephen Sommers, along with insight from such personalities as Al Roker, Nancy O’Dell, Billy Bush and Whoopi Goldberg. Clips from numerous movie and television productions, corresponding to sites visited along the Tour route, will add a new dimension to the tour of backlot attractions, sets and facades, capturing how they were transformed for various productions.
Famed film locations on the Universal back lot include the “War of the Worlds” set, Western Streets, European Street, Mexican Street, the Psycho House-Bates Motel, and sets from ABC’s hit series “Desperate Housewives” on Wisteria Lane. Back lot attractions include “Earthquake,” “Jaws,” “The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift” and “The Curse of the Mummy’s Tomb.”
Also this summer, Universal Studios welcomes the “The Tonight Show Starring Conan O’Brien” to a newly constructed soundstage at the studio and will celebrate the re-opening of most of the iconic sets damaged in last year’s fire. Studio tours and film production will resume at the world- famous Courthouse Square, Brownstone Street and an enhanced New York Street. Additionally, new film locations will be introduced to meet contemporary film production needs, including a modern urban cityscape, with glass and steel façade structures that will provide film and TV crews with the opportunity to replicate a modern city street scene in a controlled studio environment. The new contemporary cityscape will be the largest modern urban backlot shooting location in Los Angeles.
Even with the franchise’s signature star confined to public office, The Terminator series doesn’t lie when it says, “I’ll be back,” albeit with a new spin. Up till now, the Terminator films have focused on Terminators from the future sent to the past with the goal of killing humans who would be influential in the war between Skynet (machines) and the Resistance (humans). Terminator Salvation, the fourth theatrical incarnation, sees the story take a new direction by focusing on the actual war itself for the first time.
The film focuses on John Connor played by Christian Bale as the messianic, but mistrusted leader of the Resistance and Marcus Wright played by Sam Worthington who is part man, part machine and unclear of his origin. In the previous films, especially T2 John is portrayed as the ultimate savior of the future, but here we see him become even more Jesus-like with many opposing his leadership. It’s also interesting to note that the original ending had him dieing for his father (sound familiar?), but because of leaks this was changed. Despite, some vaguely religious allegories the movie is very much an action thriller, in fact, that’s about all it is.
The movie’s plot consists of a series of events with the sole purpose of propelling the action from scene to scene. We see Wright deal with what makes a man a man and a machine a machine, but that is about as deep as it gets. Being a Terminator movie, the plot is a little convoluted, but this movie is built on the action. With the Charlie’s Angels director, McG, at the helm it goes without saying that the action sequences come at you full throttle. All kidding aside, the film never lets up with intricate action sequences that never go over the top, even though ratio of explosions to plot points seems a little excessive. So if you’re like most Terminator fans and are looking for some post-apocalyptic warfare or you just want to get a glimpse of a young CGI Schwarzenegger, you can’t go wrong with Salvation.
Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment invites families to experience a Disney•Pixar favorite like never before when A Bug’s Life wiggles and squirms onto Disney Blu-ray Hi-Def on May 19, 2009! For the first time ever, this blockbuster hit will be presented in the pristine manner intended by the Pixar animation team – with glorious high definition picture and sound that’ll make this animated classic a truly magical experience for all. In addition, this new Blu-ray edition comes packed with several new bonus features, a DisneyFile Digital Copy of the movie and access to all avatars and a trivia game via the Disney’s BD-Live Network This May, make A Bug’s Life part of your life for an epic adventure of miniature proportions – now in amazing Blu-ray Hi-Def!
Following Pixar Animation Studios’ worldwide smash-hit success of Toy Story, comes A Bug’s Life the hilarious and visually breathtaking animated film that reminds us heroes come in small shapes and sizes! Now, experience a bug’s eye view of the world in spectacular high definition picture and sound with this all-new Blu-ray set, which includes a special introduction from director John Lasseter (Cars, Toy Story), plus exciting new bonus material designed exclusively for the Blu-ray release, including the “Filmmakers Round Table” feature, in which the creative minds behind the movie discuss Life’s journey from story to screen. Plus, see the animation process from the beginning stages in the WDSHE – A Bug’s Life BD, p. 2 feature “A Bug’s Life: The First Draft” (also including a special introduction by director John Lasseter). In addition, Disney BD-Live interactive features and DisneyFile Digital Copy of the movie bring more fun and mobility to the movie experience.
Crawling with imaginative characters, hilarious laughs and colorful animation sure to “delight everyone – young, old or six-legged” (People Magazine), A Bug’s Life received an Academy Award® nomination for Best Original Score. Highlighted by the star-powered voice cast including Kevin Spacey, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Hayden Panettiere, Phyllis Diller, Denis Leary, Bonnie Hunt, Brad Garrett, David Hyde Pierce, John Ratzenberger, Dave Foley, Christina Milian and Ashley Tisdale, A Bug’s Life is bigger-than-life fun families will want to enjoy again and again in Blu-ray Hi-Def! Relive the fun-filled adventures of Flik and his zany bug friends, now with the ultimate in high definition presentation.
FOR THOSE ON THE RUN: DisneyFile Digital Copy enables A Bug’s Life Blu-ray owners to receive a digital version of the movie in their choice of iTunes or Windows Media formats. DisneyFile Digital Copy is a fast and easy way to enjoy your favorite Disney movies, anytime, anywhere on your Mac, PC and/or compatible portable device.
DISC 1- Blu-ray
**ALL NEW Blu-ray Exclusive Bonus Features **: • INTRODUCTION BY JOHN LASSETER • FILMMAKERS ROUND TABLE o Filmmakers John Lasseter, Kevin Reher, Darla Anderson and Andrew Stanton take a journey back 10 years from when the theatrical release first premiered and discuss what advances Pixar has made in technology, story telling and the overall filmmaking process. • A BUG’S LIFE: THE FIRST DRAFT o Existing storyboards from Pixar’s original story treatment brought to life by animating them. • STORY TREATMENT INTRO BY JOHN LASSETER WDSHE – A Bug’s Life BD, p. 3 • BD-LIVE FEATURES o Movie Chat o Movie Mail o Movie Challenge o Movie Reward o Avatars
Plus Original DVD Bonus Features: • Pixar Animation Studios’ Academy Award®-winning Best Animated Short Film, Geri’s Game • A Walt Disney Silly Symphony – “Grasshopper and the Ants” (1934) • Director Commentary • Story and Editorial • Storyboard To Film Comparison • Outtakes • Behind the Scenes of “A Bug’s Life” • Character Interviews • And much, much more!
DISC 2 • DisneyFile Digital Copy of the movie – iTunes and Windows Media formats
Enemy at the Gates Synopsis: The year is 1942 and the Nazis are cutting a deadly swath through Russia. Under the leadership of Kruschev (Bob Hoskins), the citizens of Stalingrad are mounting a brave resistance, spurred by the exploits of their local hero, Vassili Zaitsev (Jude Law). An expert sniper, Vassili’s deeds have become legendary – thanks to propaganda produced by Vassili’s best friend, a political officer named Danilov (Joseph Fiennes). To stop Vassili, the Germans dispatch their best sniper, Major Konig (Ed Harris), to Stalingrad. When Vassili and Danilov both fall in love with a beautiful soldier (Rachel Weisz), As the city burns, Vassili and Konig begin a cunning game of cat and mouse, waging a private war for courage, honor and country.
Enemy at the Gates arrives on Blu-ray with only a few extras. Through the Crosshairs plays as a very basic making-of piece where cast and crew recount the plot, discuss the characters, speak of the themes, and recount the history of the battle itself. Inside ‘Enemy at the Gates’ features cast and crew discussing their preparations for the roles, including learning the history of the battle and firing their weapons. They also speak further on the themes, the making of the film, casting, working together, their favorite scenes, and more. Concluding this brief presentation of extras is a collection of nine deleted scenes and the film’s theatrical trailer.
Special Features: Through the Crosshairs Inside Enemy at the Gates Deleted Scenes Theatrical Trailer
Changing Lanes Synopsis: Late for court, an attorney weaves in and out of traffic. In a different lane, a father whose right to see his children rests on getting to court on time. A minor accident will turn these two strangers into beasts.
As a sleeper that suddenly broke out to become one of 2002’s best films, Changing Lanes deserves a look from those who’ve forgotten it existed in the first place. They will see this sensational Blu-ray release and wonder where this evocative, edge of your seat experience has been their entire cinematic life. Others with fond memories or an actual copy of the DVD will have to ask themselves if a slightly improved picture and better sound suffices when it comes to the decision on a double dip. Granted, any advance in technology should be embraced, especially when weighed against the product profiting from it. Paramount’s shift over to Blu-ray gives the film added weigh.
Special Features: Commentary by director Roger Michell The Making of Changing Lanes A Writers’ Perspective Deleted Scene Extended Scene Theatrical Trailer
Paycheck Synopsis: In a futuristic but familiar world, a high-tech engineer whose memory has been partially erased must use a group of unrelated objects, including a wire, a ticket stub and a bus token as clues to discover the truth about his previous identity, and collect a paycheck he had been awaiting. Based on the short story by science fiction author Phillip K. Dick.
Paycheck is a clever and very well put together mystery that keeps you engaged from beginning to end. Michael must try to figure out how he ended up wtih 20 items in the envelope that he doesn’t recognize, and more importantly, he must learn when to use them at the opportune moment, to save his life. Despite a lack of fondness for Ben Affleck’s acting, he delivers a nice performance, as do Eckhardt and Thurman. Paul Giamatti and Colm Feore are also great in supporting roles. Paycheck is a good, entertaining thiller that will keep you thinking.
Special Blu-ray Features: Commentary: Commentary by Director John Woo Commentary: Commentary by Screenwriter Dean Georgaris Featurette: Paycheck Featurette: Tempting Fate: Additional Scenes
The Machinist Synopsis: In this psychological thriller an industrial worker hasn’t slept in a year and is living a nightmare where cryptic notes appear and he has visions of a co-worker no one else can see. Are these mysteries part of a plot to drive him mad? Or, has fatigue simply robbed him of reason?
The Machinist represents pure, relatable, and terrifying Horror at its finest, the film punctuated by one of Christian Bale’s great dramatic performance. It manages to get everything absolutely right, from the look of the film and the characters to the subdued yet effective score. With neither a wasted shot nor and extraneous line of dialogue, The Machinist represents subtle yet incredibly effective Horror filmmaking at its peak. Paramount’s Blu-ray release of The Machinist isn’t quite as captivating as the film, but it gets the job done in every area. Featuring a strong video presentation, a lossless soundtrack that reflects the subdued nature of the mix, and a fascinating array of supplements, fans and newcomers alike should be satisfied with this release. The Machinist comes highly recommended.
Special Features: Audio Commentary by Director Brad Anderson Manifesting the Machinist The Machinist: Hiding in Plain Sight The Machinist: Breaking The Rules Deleted Scenes Theatrical Trailer
Synopsis “Tom Cruise gives one of the best performances of his career” (Jeffrey Lyons, NBC/Reel Talk) in this action-packed film from the director of The Usual Suspects and X-Men. Based on the incredible true story of Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg (Cruise) and his ingenious assassination plot targeting Adolf Hitler, this engrossing thriller reenacts the daring operation to eliminate one of the most evil tyrants the world has ever known. Co-starring Kenneth Branagh, Bill Nighy, Tom Wilkinson, Terence Stamp and Eddie Izzard, Valkyrie delivers gripping suspense and pulse-pounding excitement from start to finish.
The remarkable yet seldom told true story of the German Resistance’s attempted coup and assassination of Adolf Hitler reveals itself when Valkyrie is released on Blu-ray Disc and Special Edition DVD with Digital Copy on May 19th from MGM Home Entertainment. Set in Nazi Germany, Valkyrie chronicles the daring and ingenious “July 20 plot” to eliminate one of the most evil tyrants the world has ever known. Oscar-nominee Tom Cruise* (Mission Impossible, Minority Report) stars as the loyal German nationalist Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg, the mastermind behind the plot to kill Hitler and overthrow his fascist regime.
Convinced the Nazi leader must die at all costs, Stauffenberg joins with a group of similarly disillusioned officers and civilians whose like minds come together for a common purpose in the face of incredible odds. Directed by Bryan Singer (X-Men, The Usual Suspects), Valkyrie boasts “…a top-notch international cast…” (Entertainment Weekly) including Academy Award-nominees Kenneth Branagh** (Hamlet, Henry V), Tom Wilkinson*** (Michael Clayton, In The Bedroom) and Terence Stamp (Get Smart; The Adventures Of Priscilla, Queen Of The Desert), as well as Bill Nighy (The Constant Gardener, Love Actually) and Eddie Izzard (Ocean’s Thirteen, “The Riches”).
For its theatrical debut, Valkyrie was one of the biggest grossing box office adult movies of the past holiday season.
With over three hours of special features, the Valkyrie Blu-ray Disc includes commentary by director Bryan Singer and Tom Cruise, behind-the-scenes featurettes, and more.
MGM/Fox’s Blu-ray of Bryan Singer’s Valkyrie looks sharp and detailed in HD, with crisp aerial shots of staff cars winding their way through the woods to the scene of the assassination, Wolf’s Lair. The battle scene uses real aircraft and thus avoids CGI cartoon effects, all for the better.
Valkyrie is a very compelling story from history, the acting is top-notch, and the obsessive attention to detail brought to the film should have sailed it through. But the rushed set-up of the story and characters makes the pacing feel haphazard. It’s still quite enjoyable after some historical research – especially after viewing the included and very impressive documentary. Still, this is an intriguing story, and the total Blu-ray package for Valkyrie hits more than it misses.
Blu-ray Disc Specs Valkyrie Blu-ray Disc will be presented in widescreen format with English 5.1 DTS HD Master Audio; Spanish & French 5.1 Dolby Digital; and Spanish, French, Cantonese, Korean, Mandarin & Brazilian Portuguese subtitles. Bonus features include:
Disc One • Commentary by Tom Cruise, Bryan Singer, and Christopher McQuarrie • Commentary by Christopher McQuarrie and Nathan Alexander • Featurettes: o The Journey to Valkyrie o The Road to Resistance: A Visual Guide o The African Front Sequence o Taking to the Air o Recreating Berlin o 92nd Street Y: Reel Pieces with Tom Cruise and Bryan Singer o The Valkyrie Legacy
Synopsis: Three unlikely friends set out on a journey to find the dreaded ghost of Captain LeRouge whose treasure-laden ship was lost in the Louisiana bayou over two hundred years ago. What they find is an adventure beyond their wildest imagination and the magical swamp creature “Labou” whose whistles are rumored to be the original inspiration for jazz. With the help of Labou, the kids race to stay one step ahead of two crazy oil moguls, but can they find the long lost treasure and save the swamps before it’s too late?
Legend has it the famed pirate, Captain LeRouge haunts the Louisiana bayou where his treasure-filled ship went down after it was struck by a hurricane. Embarking on the journey of a lifetime, three friends come together to discover that some legends are true in the action-adventure fantasy Labou, arriving on DVD from MGM Home Entertainment. From the creative minds known best for their behind-the-scenes work in Disney’s The Haunted Mansion, The Country Bears, Scooby Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed and more, Labou is about the camaraderie of three children in search of a ghost pirate and his long lost treasure. Eager to get back at the school bully, feisty Emily and the new kid, Gavin challenge Toddster to explore the eerie and murky Louisiana swamps. Lost in the bayou after being chased by the ghost of Captain LeRouge, the kids stumble across a lovable little creature named Labou whose home is about to be destroyed by two money hungry oil tycoons. Determined to save the swamps and their new found friend, they devise a plan and enlist the help of the legendary ghost pirate to rid the wetlands of its imposters once and for all.
Voted as “Best Feature” at the 10th Annual Brooklyn Academy of Music Kids Film Festival in New York, Labou offers positive life lessons about teamwork, friendship and good versus evil through captivating music, inspiring characters and high-octance action that will excite kids of all ages.
Special Features: The Labou DVD is presented in widescreen (1.85:1) format with English 5.1 Dolby Surround sound and English subtitles. Bonus features include:
• Audio commentary with director and writer Greg Aronowitz, producer Sheri Bryant and actor Chris Violette • Building Labou • The Casting Process • The Making of Labou: Part One and Part Two • The Music of Labou • Special Effects • New Orleans: Points of Interest
The Special Features portion of Labou (especially The Making Of Labou, Parts 1 & 2) is unusually interesting. What began as a low-budget film ended up looking like a far more sophisticated one, and the creativity of Greg Aronowitz and his partner Sheri Bryant and all of their helpers in creating a swamp where there was none, the illusion of a ship hurtling itself across the sky against the background of the moon, and the intriguing animatronics used to create the Labou are absolutely amazing! The entire family can enjoy Labou together, along with the sinister feel of alligators and 12-foot poisonous snakes! They can laugh at the many one-liner jokes in this action-packed film knowing that there are still people who care about the Earth!
Synopsis: An all-star cast of loveable animals highlights this fast and furry-ous adventure set in exciting Hollywood, where everyone’s favorite wise-acre mutt Lucky proves he’s worth millions in love and laughter! It’s Lucky to the rescue when his owner, Maya Dolittle (Kyla Pratt), finds herself in hot water – Hollywood-style! Dropping her dreams of becoming a vet, Maya (and Lucky) travel to L.A. where her talent for talking to animals lands her a job hosting an animal talk show with famous heiress Tiffany Monaco (Tegan Moss)! But just as Lucky starts falling in love with a pedigreed pooch, Maya falls out of love with Tiffany’s bird-brained ideas about how to help animals. And just when Maya thinks she’ll be trapped in Tinseltown forever and never become a vet, Lucky, his new girlfriend and a whole herd of their animal friends spring, trot, fly and slither into action to save the day!
Maya Dolittle and Lucky the Dog are off on an exciting new fun-filled adventure, taking them inside the world of Hollywood glitz and glamour when DR. DOLITTLE: MILLION DOLLAR MUTTS arrives exclusively on Blu-ray Disc and DVD May 19th from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment. Kyla Pratt (Hotel for Dogs, Fat Albert) returns as Maya Dolittle, the “animal whisperer,” who is heading off to college when Hollywood starlet Tiffany Monaco seeks out her canine counsel to help with her depressed Chihuahua. After witnessing Maya’s natural charm and ability to communicate with animals, Tiffany introduces the gifted teen to her self-serving agent and the two persuade Maya to star in her own reality series. However, as Maya experiences the razzle-dazzle of Hollywood, her plans for college get put on the backburner. With her faithful sidekick, Lucky, by her side, Maya sees past L.A.’s rich and famous and stays true to what’s really important in her life. A hilarious and irresistable “tail” for the whole family, DR. DOLITTLE: MILLION DOLLAR MUTTS delivers a wholesome, animal-filled comedy for the entire family.
The latest installment in one of Hollywood’s best loved family franchises, DR. DOLITTLE: MILLION DOLLAR MUTTS features star-tacular bonus materials including Tiffany’s Tricked Out Cell Phone, No Business Like Show Business and Star Tours: Dolittle Style featurettes. The DR. DOLITTLE: MILLION DOLLAR MUTTS BD includes both the BD and the standard definition DVD.
Blu-ray Disc Features: DR. DOLITTLE: MILLION DOLLAR MUTTS BD is presented in widescreen format (1.78:1 aspect ratio) with English 5.1 DTS HD Master Audio and Spanish and French 5.1 Dolby Digital with English, Spanish, French, Cantonese, Mandarin, Korean and Thai subtitles. Special features include:
• Tiffany’s Tricked Out Cell Phone featurette • No Business Like Show Business featurette • Star Tours: Dolittle Style featurette
A film that the whole family will enjoy watching together and that will particularly entertain children, Million Dollar Mutts (based on the Doctor Dolittle stories by Hugh Lofting) teaches us that the pets in our lives know more about us personally than anyone, although they can’t speak to tell us that. For 90 minutes we escape to a land in which plot (and moral) problems are easy to solve and we feel happy about being able to do so as we encourage Maya to do the right thing! The bonus featurettes are fun, fascinating and informative, and also well worth watching!
On Thursday May 14th, the Anaheim Chamber of Commerce held their 14th annual Taste of Anaheim at the Shops at the Anaheim GardenWalk. This was a new venue for the festival as it was previously held in the parking lot at Angel’s Stadium and the Grove of Anaheim. Everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves, but who wouldn’t with great food, drinks and live entertainment.
No matter where it was held though, this was going to be a better location than previous years; however it’s still the GardenWalk. In case you are unaware of this newer mall, the GardenWalk started off with many hardships due to multiple delays in development and lack of tenants. By the time this outdoor mall got off the drawing boards the economic crisis began therefore making it impossible to fill in the store fronts.
Before I end up giving a full review of the GardenWalk, let me just state that there are a few nice gems like the movie theater with a 21+ section, a wine bar, multiple nice fine dining locations, along with a bowling and entertainment center. With that being said, it still needs a few more shops to open and some word of mouth before it becomes a place to really consider visiting unless you’re very local. This event will definitely help the GardenWalk as there were many people there that can now spread the word about the place.
As for the Taste of Anaheim, there was some excellent food from many restaurants from around the city, and a few in some cities around the area. I noticed a great amount of seafood though. This wasn’t a problem though as it all tasted quite good. Probably my favorite seafood dish was some white tuna sushi from the Geisha House in Santa Ana. I can’t even describe how great it was, but it could have just been it was the first thing I ate almost all day! Nonetheless, I went back for seconds.
Some of the restaurants in attendance were Mr. Stox, Anaheim White House, Ralph Brenan’s Jazz Kitchen, Ruth Chris Steakhouse, Alcatraz Brewing Company, Oggi’s Brewing Company, and many more. One note worth mentioning was that Disney talked about Club 33 (A hidden membership only restaurant in Disneyland Park), Catal, Naples, Napa Rose, and Blue Bayou being in attendance except none were there. What happened? Either way Disney still had a few restaurants handing out samples.The set-up is nothing special. All that is there, and was expected, are a bunch of booths with different companies and restaurants behind them with an added stage for entertainment. The only act worth noting was Eli Mattson, which was the runner up on America’s Got Talent Finalist. I’ll be honest, WHO? Yeah I have no idea who that is. He was fine, but not my cup of tea. In fact, I think he kind of slowed things down from the other performers. Although, there were still quite a few people sitting down enjoying his music.
The whole event was overall very enjoyable and all the visitors seemed to have a very positive vibe. Everyone seemed mellow and was just enjoying themselves while having a bunch of free food, after a ticket fee of course. Why am I telling all of you this though? Watch the video. Just don’t miss next years.
Disney Legend, author and Cal State Fullerton alumna Martha Blanding will speak at a CSUF commencement ceremony for the College of Humanities and Social...
