So, here we are in the midst of the holiday shopping season, and you still have not found a gift for that special someone, be it a child or adult. Well, if you are stumped for gift ideas, here are a few DVD options for you to pick from. Just be sure you read the review, though, so you do not unintentionally give someone you love a lump of video coal.
Click on a link below to take you to the review or scroll down to read them all:
Bionicle 3: Web Of Shadows
Aliens of The Deep
Playhouse Disney Holiday
Tales From Avonlea, First Season
Chip ‘N’ Dale: Rescue Rangers, Vol. 1, Episodes 1 – 27 and Ducktales, Vol. 1, Episodes 1 – 27
Five Mile Creek, First Season
Old Yeller/Savage Sam 2-Movie Collection
Sky High
The Muppet Movie, The Great Muppet Caper, The Muppet Christmas Carol, Muppet Treasure Island
Kronk’s New Groove
Valiant
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Recently, the third installment of Lego’s Bionicle movies was released to DVD, and for many pre-teen boys, I’m sure they rejoiced. I know my 7-year-old did. In this continuation of the Bionicle legend, the Toa, defenders of the island of Metru Nui, return to their island to find it overrun by spider-like Visorak. After being captured and poisoned, the Toa are transformed into beast-like creatures with all new powers. The group must now go on another quest to not only save themselves but also their island.
If that does not make much sense, don’t worry. I’m sure your young boys know it well. Me, I will just stick to reviewing the DVD, and say that if your boys are Bionicle fans, then the story fits right in with the rest of the legend they already know. Just keep in mind that the story is rather dark, spooky, and probably a bit much for children younger than 8 or so, and even though my son knows all about Bionicle, I’ve been hesitant to let him watch it. Also, keep in mind that the movie is also a big ad for Lego’s new Bionicle action figures, so not only will you pay for the DVD but you will also get constant requests from your children to get the toys.
As for the disc itself, the computer animation is quite good, and the anamorphic video transfer looks great. The audio is equally pleasing, and even though there is a lot of dialogue primarily focused in the center speaker, there are plenty of surround cues and ambient noises that add to the creepy nature of this movie. There are a few bonus features, which mostly revolve around TV ads for the figures, character descriptions, an animatic version of the comic book, and the music, and they will most likely be of primary interest to your young Bioncle fan rather than yourself. Overall, this disc is only worth considering if you: A) know what a Bionicle is; B) have one or more children that own a Bioncle; and C) you already own the other two DVDs.
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This time last year, I was writing about Ghosts of the Abyss, Director James Cameron’s (Best Director, Titanic 1997; Terminator 2: Judgment Day, The Abyss) documentary of his visit to the Titanic wreckage in submersibles, and this year, it is another Cameron documentary on undersea exploration. However, this time he and his intrepid crew of marine physiologists, planetary scientists, and astrobiologists are looking at the life forms in the deepest, most hostile parts of our oceans. It is quite an impressive and fascinating look at deep-sea exploration, and the correlations they make between the thriving life we see in these hostile Earth environments and the similar environments we have detected on other planets certainly provides some food for thought.
The video transfer on this disc is beautiful, and the exquisite detail of the deep-sea life is intact and nicely rendered. There is not a lot to say about the audio, since much of it is talking or voiceovers, but it is clean and provides just the right addition of atmosphere to the visuals. The main bonus item on this disc is the 52-minute extension of the original IMAX movie that provides an extra helping of undersea and topside shots to better appreciate the work that went into this expedition. If you are a fan of undersea movies or just interested in a very good and interesting movie for the whole family, then at least give this a rental.
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Several of the Disney Channel’s popular Playhouse Disney characters join together on this compilation DVD to celebrate the holidays. Targeted at preschoolers, the three holiday-themed episodes of Jojo’s Circus, Higglytown Heroes, and Shanna’s Show help your preschoolers appreciate some of the finer points of the holiday season, such as the perfect gift comes from one’s heart and not the store and the best Christmas is one spent with family and friends. If you are familiar with the shows on TV, then you should have a good idea of the lively, interactive nature of these shows, and my 7-year-old, 4-year-old, and 18-month-old, all enjoy watching these shows no matter how many times they have seen them before.
The disc itself is nothing spectacular. You get the three episodes with virtually no bonus material, and the audio and video transfers are nothing more than what you would get with your cable or satellite. It does the job, though. Ultimately, if you have a preschooler or slightly older child and are looking for a decent, child-friendly holiday DVD to keep them busy for a bit while you finish trimming the tree or making the caramels, then this might just do the trick.
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While I did not spend much time watching this series when it was originally aired in 1989, Avonlea was well received by both audiences and critics alike. The live-action shows are based on the short stories of Lucy Maud Montgomery, and it is set in the early 1900s in the village of Avonlea on Prince Edward Island in Canada. These “fish-out-of-water” stories follow a wealthy, pampered child named Sara Stanley as she is sent to live with relatives in this rural little town.
The first season of this family-friendly series is presented on three discs, and the audio and video transfers are pretty straightforward and are no more than adequate for the intended purpose. As with many of Disney’s TV series DVDs, there are no bonus features, as the capacity is consumed by the main content. If you are or know of a fan of the series or of other similar TV series, such as Anne of Green Gables, then this set will make a good addition to your collection. For others, though, there are plenty of other titles to save your pennies for.
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Similarly to the previous title, I have to admit that I did not watch this series when it was originally on TV some 20 plus years ago, either. However, this adaptation of Western writer Louis L’Amour’s novel, The Cherokee Trail, has garnered a considerable following over the years. The series takes place during the 1860s gold rush in the Australian Outback, and follows a group of young settlers as they deal with everything from dealing with outlaws to existing in the Outback to getting their fledgling stagecoach line up and running.
As with the Avonlea set, this four-disc set presents all of the episodes from the first season of the series. Unfortunately, the audio and video transfers are rather lackluster and do not add much to the experience. A set like this will be of most interest to fans of the series or fans of Western-period dramas, and for them, the set is pretty decent. However, even though the series is family friendly, I do not see it holding the attention of my young boys, so for most folks, you may want to pass on this one.
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Speaking of DVDs that can hold the attention of young boys, my 7-year-old and 4-year-old have fallen in love with both the Rescue Rangers and Ducktales. The first 27 episodes of each of these two popular late-’80s, “after-school” Disney TV cartoon series have finally hit store shelves as two three-disc volumes. Both shows are lively, colorful, and generally pretty fun to watch, especially for young children. Chip ‘n’ Dale: Rescue Rangers puts the two famous chipmunks as leaders of a secret international organization that solves mysteries and crimes. Their adventures range from meeting a dinosaur from space to battling pirates at the bottom of the ocean. As for Ducktales, Scrooge McDuck stars along side his nephews, Huey, Dewey, and Louie, and a host of other odd characters, as the four ducks search the world for treasure and adventure. As with Rescue Rangers, the tales are tall, but the fun and adventure are just as big.
Do not expect much from the audio and video transfers. The animation quality of these shows is not that great to begin with, so the transfers are simply adequate for the material. Also on the negative side, there are no bonus items on either of these sets, but you do get over 10 hours of shows that should keep the attention of most youngsters. I know my wife and I have found these sets to be very useful for our in-car DVD player during car trips where a full movie is too long to watch, and two or three of these 22-minute or so episodes are just right for their attention span and provide us with a brief respite from the din of three loud boys.
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Who can forget a classic like Old Yeller? I know that there probably is no other way to appreciate it more than with a two-disc special edition. However, for those of you that have been collecting Disney DVDs for a while, you may recall that Disney actually already released a two-disc special edition a few years ago. With a couple of exceptions, such as the addition of the “sequel” to Old Yeller, Savage Sam, on the first disc and the lack of the commentary track on Old Yeller, this double-feature, two-disc DVD edition is almost identical to the two-disc edition that Disney released in 2002 (link).
The audio and video transfers are pretty darn good considering the age of the movies, and the bonus material, while focused on Old Yeller, is top notch. One item to note is that the new packaging neglects to mention that Disc 2 also features the entire Disneyland TV show “Best Doggoned Dog in the World,” which itself runs about 52 minutes. If you do not have the 2002 version and are looking to add this classic tale to your library, this 2005 edition will suit your needs quite well. If you already have the older edition, there really is no need to get this one, as the addition of Savage Sam really is not worth the price you will pay.
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Back in July, our intrepid movie reviewer, Alex Stroup, caught this movie in the theaters, and he has a good summary of it here (link. I found it to be a pretty decent family film for being primarily targeted at tweens, although it will probably be a while before my youngsters see it.
Quite simply, the movie’s presentation looks and sounds great on this disc, as I would expect for any recent theatrical release, and it will look and sound good on any home theater. As for the bonus material, there are a few notable goodies, such as a good blooper reel, a brief stunt featurette, an alternative opening, and an interesting “Making of” featurette. Altogether, it is a pretty nice package for this entertaining movie, and for most folks, it is well worth considering as a rental for a family movie night. Big fans of the movie may consider buying this one, though, if they have big plans to watch it more than once.
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In celebration of Kermit the Frog’s 50th anniversary, Disney has re-released four of the Muppet movies on DVD for the holiday season. All four of these movies are perfect for the whole family, and just about everyone is familiar with the Muppets. My entire family just loves watching the old Muppet TV shows, like the ones Stephanie reviewed a few months ago (link) , the movies, the Disney theme park attraction, and as well as their ongoing appearances on Sesame Street. There is just something about Kermit and the gang that connects with so many of us.
As I mentioned, all four of these movies are re-releases of the Columbia-Tristar discs from several years ago. You can read my original DVD reviews of the The Muppet Movie and The Great Muppet Caper here (link) and Muppet Treasure Island here (link). As for the Muppets Christmas Carol, the original DVD version was on par with the others, so most comparisons I will be drawing relate to all four discs. So, what is the difference between then and now? Unfortunately, there is not much difference at all.
For the most part, the video and audio transfers are very similar to the older versions. With the new batch, all four discs contain both anamorphic widescreen and full-screen versions of the movie, and while this was true for a couple of the older discs, Muppet Treasure Island was originally only released in full-screen. As I stated in the linked Muppet reviews, both the picture and audio make these movies as enjoyable to watch as I remember seeing them in the theater all those years ago.
Bonus material is still my major complaint about these discs. Here we are at Kermit’s 50th anniversary, and we pretty much only get one brief (approx. 8 to 10 min.) bonus featurette on each disc that highlights the careers/life of Kermit, Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, and Gonzo. Nothing about Jim Henson. Nothing about Kermit’s true early years and development. It is a bit sad that they did not take the opportunity to really highlight the genius behind the frog that got the whole thing started. The one slight exception to this drought of bonus material is The Muppet Christmas Carol, which also contains a feature length audio commentary by Brian Henson, a on-the-set gag reel, and a “Christmas Around the World” featurette.
On the other hand, the opposite is true of Muppet Treasure Island. The original DVD features a full-length commentary by Brian Henson and a “Making of” featurette, but the new release only has the featurette on Fozzie hosted by Pepe the shrimp. Personally, I would have scrapped the full-screen transfer and kept the commentary and featurette.
So, are they worth buying? If you do not have these already, definitely yes, but keep in mind that you are only really getting a “movie-only” DVD, and the pricing reflects that, for the most part. However, if you already have the earlier releases, there really is no need to get the 2005 version.
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I do not know about you, but my family and I enjoy The Emperor’s New Groove. It is one of those odd movies that sets up this dichotomy between ancient South America and hip, wacky, contemporary cultural references. That oddity turns some folks off, but I found it to be fresh, funny, and quirky with good replayability. So, how do you follow that up? Well, if you are Disney, you take the original comedic formula almost verbatim and apply it to one of the supporting characters of the original film, Kronk, Yzma’s former henchman.
With Yzma out of the picture at the end of the original movie, Emperor Kuzco regains rule over his kingdom but as a changed and more humble man, and Kronk has started a new life as the head chef at his own diner. Life is good until he gets a message that his father is coming to see him, but it turns out his life has gone downhill since he invited his dad. The rest of the movie follows Kronk as he looks back at the things in life that he had and those things that he lost, and he ultimately decides that he needs to be true to himself rather than trying to impress his father, which gets him the approval from his father that he has been looking for since he was a young boy.
The movie is generally enjoyable, and my boys have watched it several times already. For me, though, the flow of the movie is a bit choppy relative to the original, and this one feels very segmented: Part 1: Introduction to Kronk’s Life, Part 2: Yzma’s Back, Part 3: Kronk in Love, Part 4: Papi Arrives. They are together, but the story just jumps from one plot point to the next. There is plenty of lighthearted, silly comedy for the children, and true to the original, there are plenty of homages and jokes for the parents to pick up on, including notable nods to Lord of the Rings and Evita. For some of the jokes, they go a long way to get to them, but the payoffs are decent chuckles sprinkled through the movie. It is definitely worth watching for those that enjoyed the original.
This direct-to-video release brings back all the original voice cast members from The Emperor’s New Groove, including Patrick Warburton as Kronk, David Spade as Kuzco, John Goodman as Pacha, and Eartha Kitt as Yzma. In addition to the originals, two new key characters are introduced: Kronk’s dad, Papi (John Mahoney), and Miss Birdwell (Tracey Ullman). Having the original voice cast truly helps make this movie work, even when some of the gags, editing tricks, etc. feel a bit old.
Outside of the voices, the animation style remains true to the original, although it is a bit simplified and a bit shy of theatrical quality. The video and audio transfers are quite nice, as I would expect from a new direct-to-video release from Disney. Bonus material is somewhat scarce. Besides a couple of set-top games, there is a brief (7 min.) “Making of” feautette that covers the basics behind the production of the movie in a fun and entertaining way. Overall, it is a nice presentation package for a fun family movie. Those of you that enjoyed the original will probably enjoy this one, too.
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Once again, Alex Stroup reviewed Valiant (link) when it was released only a few short months ago, and here we are with the DVD already. As Alex states in his movie review, this film has its interesting moments, but for the most part it is pretty mediocre. The story has issues, and the animation, while colorful and detailed, just lags behind folks like Pixar and Dreamworks in most aspects.
The DVD presentation of the movie, though, is actually very nice. The audio and video transfers are very clean, detailed, and vibrant, and they met my expectations. As for bonus material, do not look for much here. There is a short, yes, computer animated blooper reel (sound familiar), which is not particularly funny or novel, and there is a set top game. Yawn. If you like the movie, then the disc is worth renting, but for the rest of us, there are some much better discs that I will cover in an upcoming review—they are absolutely treasures.
