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Wendy’s biggest concern is winning the title of Homecoming Queen until a young Chinese monk, Shen, informs her that she’s actually a reincarnated Chinese warrior who must train to conquer an ancient spirit that threatens to destroy the world. While, struggling to balance the demands of her homecoming queen campaign, Wendy discovers the importance of her Chinese roots, and trains to battle the ancient evil spirit.
Brenda Song is another hopeful Disney channel mega-star along the lines of Ashley Tisdale, who is, incidentally, her costar on the TV show The Suite Life of Zach and Cody. Perhaps Brenda was hoping to hit the big time as Ashley did in High School Musical, but judging from the lack of buzz in my “tween” (preteen) household, I think she missed the mark.
Nevertheless, Wendy Wu: Homecoming Warrior is a pretty good Disney Channel movie, thanks to the interesting and authentic-looking action sequences involving “modern traditional” kung fu styles. Brenda Song is reportedly a black belt in karate, and matches up well with Shen (Shin Koyamada, who was also in The Last Samurai.)
One of the disadvantages the movie has is the lack of laugh track, which always seems to help Song’s jokes on The Suite Life of Zach and Cody. Her ditzy act falls flat without the canned laughter behind it continually confirming how hilarious she is.
Goodies
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“Homecoming Warrior in Training” (6:39) – is a featurette that takes a look at the stunts used in the movie, using interviews with the cast and stunt coordinators. Song looks impressive in the clips taken from rehearsal and filming as she does many of her own stunts. Wires were used extensively in the fight scenes and a good explanation is given on the technology used in producing the finished scenes.
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“Cast Connections with Brenda Song” (7:39) – is a featurette more like an advertisement for all the shows Brenda Song happens to be in on the Disney Channel. If you are a big fan of Song, you’ll already know her connections with the other shows; if not, it doesn’t matter anyway.
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“Forever Plaid” The Suite Life of Zack & Cody (22:37) – is an episode that originally aired in March 2006 and features London Tipton (Song) in some Catholic school hijinks with laugh track a-plenty. It’s one of the more amusing episodes, due to the chemistry of Song and Ashley Tisdale, her comic foil.
Interface, Audio and Video
Wendy Wu is presented in 1.33:1 Fullscreen and looks crisp, clean and brilliantly colored, as all the recent Disney Channel DVD releases have looked, for that matter. The audio is 5.1 Dolby Digital and is excellent as well.
Final Evaluation
I can’t point to anything I hated in Wendy Wu: Homecoming Warrior, but I can’t point to anything I loved, either. Aside from the unusually well-done action sequences, the characters and plot fell short of anything I would like to watch over and over on DVD. Catch it on the Disney Channel in one of its many encores.
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The Disney Channel show Hannah Montana is one of those “who knew” programs that mystify parents. How can such a formulaic, corny show hit it so big with the preteen audience? The premise is that Miley Stewart, mild mannered junior-higher schooler by day, pop star by night. Only her best friends know her secret. A large blonde wig keeps everyone guessing as to her true identity.
Most of the episodes feature an original song sung by “Hannah” and crazy-cool teen fashions. Miley Cyrus, daughter of singer and sometimes actor Billy Ray Cyrus plays the title character and is refreshingly sweet and unpretentious. The supporting characters are certainly not complex but watchable, notably Emily Osment (sister of actor Haley Joel Osment) as best friend Lilly, and real life dad Billy Ray. The weakness of the series lies in the formulaic writing, not the actors or characters themselves.
Due to the popularity of the series, Disney has released what has to be one of the earliest and most incomplete episode collections on the market. Only four half-hour episodes are included, one being a never-before-seen episode.
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“Lilly, Do You Want to Know a Secret?” (originally aired March 24, 2006) – is the pilot episode in which Miley’s best friend Lilly (Osment) learns Miley’s rock star identity.
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“Miley Get Your Gum” (originally aired March 31, 2006) – Miley’s rock star identity is revealed to her other best friend Oliver, who happens to be in love with Hannah.
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“I Can’t Make You Love Hannah If You Don’t” (originally aired April 14, 2006) – features Miley yet again trying to conceal her identity to a prospective boyfriend by taking him to a Hannah Montana concert. Are you sensing a theme yet?
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“Money For Nothing, Guilt for Free” (not yet aired) – will appeal to true Hannah Montana fans as it has not appeared on the Disney Channel yet. Lilly, Oliver and Miley compete to raise money for charity, while Miley decides whether or not to use her fame as Hannah Montana help her win the contest.
The Goodies
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“Miley on Following Your Dreams” (4:55) – is a series of clips with Miley and Billy Ray talking about their relationship as father and daughter, and the similarities between their real lives and the characters they play on TV. Not ground-breaking by any means, but it does show the close relationship the pair have off screen.
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“Miley’s Audition Tapes” (5:25) – Miley is seen doing readings of the pilot episode for both the best friend and lead role and singing with her dad in this rough footage. It’s interesting stuff, actually—Miley proves why they were interested in developing a show around her in the first place with some impressive first readings of the script.
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“The Best of Both Worlds” music video (3:25) – if you like the song, you’ll like the video, which if you purchase this set I’m assuming you are in on both counts.
Interface, Audio and Video
Compared to some of the bare-bones interface coming out of Disney’s home video division, this interface is surprisingly detailed, with clips of the show, songs, and Hannah/Miley spinning around changing costumes as the options are displayed. The DVD is produced in 1.33:1 Fullscreen aspect ratio as in the original and looks as good as a TV series ought to look. The sound is fine in Dolby Digital 5.1.
The Final Evaluation
I don’t have any drastic criticisms of this DVD, save one. Anyone who would spend $19.99 on four episodes of a TV show that the Disney Channel shows several times a day either doesn’t have Tivo or is really, really interested in the 14 minutes of bonus footage included on the disc. If you have a child who loves Hannah Montana and cannot live without the bonus footage or the bonus episode, you have my condolences—but please do yourself a favor and find the disc at a discount retailer.
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The Disney publicity machine has dubbed The Suite Life of Zack and Cody “the #2 show on the Disney Channel.” It’s popular. So popular, Disney can release only four episodes plus a few bonus features on DVD and make a pile of money. By the way; who is number one? I Googled the question out of curiosity and read that the top honor goes to Hannah Montana, That’s So Raven, Kim Possible or Bear in the Big Blue House.
Anyway, back to The Suite Life. Cole and Dylan Sprouse are a big deal in my household, and apparently several other million households as well. Now in their second season, the boys are still pulling outrageous pranks while living in a suite in at the fictional Tipton Hotel in Boston while their single mom works as a lounge singer. The boys are joined by Ashley Tisdale, the newly minted Disney Channel superstar (thanks to High School Musical), and Brenda Song (see the Wendy Wu review above.)
The other members of the cast are solid and entertaining, especially Phill Lewis as hotel manager Mr. Moseby. He’s the perfect straight man to almost every other character on the show, yet manages to bust out some funny one-liners at times. The writing on the show is nothing spectacular, and the show is filmed on basically three never-changing sets, but somehow it all works together to create a watchable show. The ever-present laugh track, as with Hanna Montana, serves to help the jokes along, but can get grating at times.
The four episodes included are:
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“Odd Couples” (originally aired February 3, 2006) – Zac Efron from High School Musical makes an appearance in this episode as a brainy student who falls for London thanks to the gang borrowing heavily from Cyrano de Bergerac.
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“French 101” (originally aired February 10, 2006) – is a love triangle between the twins and a beautiful French girl who comes to stay at the Tipton. Cody struggles to overcome his timidity and ask the girl out. Who lets their 12-year-old kids date, I would like to know.
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“Rock Star in the House” (originally aired September 18, 2005) – is the much-vaunted Jessie McCartney episode, with London and Maddie doing whatever it takes to get close to the star. McCartney plays himself in this episode, and does a little singing. Sigh.
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“Kisses & Basketball” (originally aired January 1, 2006) – Alyson Stoner, who plays “Sally” on Mike’s Super Short Show, guest stars as a basketball player who shares some misunderstandings (and a kiss, hence the title) with Zack.
The Goodies
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“Hangin’ with Dylan & Cole, and Guest Star Jesse McCartney” (6:18) – is every preteen girl’s dream come true: Jessie, Dylan and Cole in one featurette! McCartney talks about his appearance on the show, and the fun he had with the cast, then sings a bit from his new album. The twins relate what it’s like to work on the show, and of course have nothing but praise for their co-stars and guest stars. Everyone’s patting each other on the back, but, trust me; your kids will love it.
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“A Midsummer’s Nightmare” (22:34) – is a bonus episode that attempts the classic parody of Shakespeare’s Midsummer Night’s Dream and succeeds pretty darn well. Zach and Cody have the lead roles in their school play and of course fall in love with the girls cast opposite them. It’s a painless introduction to Shakespeare for kids, since only about one percent of the play’s dialogue is actually used.
Audio, Video, and Interface
The episodes are presented in 1.33:1 fullscreen, as they were originally presented on the Disney Channel, and look as good as they did on television. The audio is in Dolby Digital 5.1 and is also just fine. The interface is clever, with an elevator’s buttons listing the various menu options. It’s very easy to navigate, as there are few bonus features or other options on the disc.
The Final Evaluation
Here again, as with Hannah Montana, I don’t see how to justify spending $19.99 on four episodes that play repeatedly on the Disney Channel. However, since I received the disc at home, it’s been getting a lot of screen time with my girls. I can’t explain it other than to speculate the lack of commercials and the ready access to their favorite Jesse and Zac episodes must play a part in its popularity.
