Category: Reviews

  • ‘Mickey’s Twice Upon a Christmas’ puts Disney’s famed characters back in the spotlight

    Mickey Mouse and Pluto in 'Mickey’s Twice Upon a Christmas'
    Mickey Mouse and Pluto in ‘Mickey’s Twice Upon a Christmas’

    It isn’t often, it seems, that Disney flashes the spotlight on its core characters these days. But the legendary animated figures such as Mickey, Donald and Goofy all get some attention this holiday season with the funny, enjoyable and beautifully animated collection of shorts in Mickey’s Twice Upon a Christmas.

    A follow up to last year’s successful collection, this direct to DVD special features nearly flawless digital animation. And that animation is quickly highlighted in the first story, “Belles on Ice”, that stars Minnie Mouse and Daisy Duck.

    The two get into a ice skating competition that leads to jealousy and hilarity. Featuring the familiar alligators and hippopotamus from the Disney classic, Fantasia, this elaborate piece of animation gives the two female characters in this cast a chance to show their stuff. It’s followed by “Christmas: Impossible”, where the infamous nephews, Huey, Dewey and Louie, attempt to get their names on Santa’s list.

    I was a little disappointed by “Christmas Maximus”, chiefly because I’ve always been a Goofy fan, and his story was basically just a musical number. However, it was fun to see the classic gag-artist back in his element.

    Lastly, the most fun story is the last one, “Mickey’s Dog-Gone Christmas”. This story is by far the funniest of the collection, with some great sight gags featuring Mickey, and really clever dialogue in the Pluto storyline. After a fight with Mickey, Pluto runs away and ends up with Santa’s reindeer. And the one liners exchanged between the two main reindeer characters is priceless.

    I wasn’t sure what I was going to think of this film, but I was quickly impressed by the computer animation, and pleasantly surprised by the well told stories. The pop-up book-like animation that segued between each story was also extremely well done.

    The extras on the DVD are a little sparse, but enjoyable none-the-less. The deleted scenes portion provides you with a glimpse into how some of the stories were developed, focusing chiefly on “Christmas: Impossible” and “Mickey’s Dog-Gone Christmas”. I was surprised to discover that one of the deleted scenes was actually a completed one. Generally, the deleted scenes in these animated projects are merely storyboarded or consists of rough animation.

    Apparently, one brief scene in Mickey’s story was cut after the full animation for the scene had been completed. And I actually thought it was a touching moment that is one of those rare deleted scenes that is worth watching.

    The other behind-the-scenes doc shows how famous ice skater Michelle Kwan helped develop the look and feel of the skating sequences with the animators.

    Overall, I would say this DVD is a fun, heart-warming collection of stories that are perfect for Disney fans both young and old.

  • ‘Uncovered: The War in Iraq’ is more propaganda than sincere discussion

    ‘Uncovered: The War in Iraq’ is more propaganda than sincere discussion

    'Uncovered: The War in Iraq' takes a hard look at President George W. Bush and his administration
    ‘Uncovered: The War in Iraq’ takes a hard look at President George W. Bush and his administration

    What can I say about this film? It presents a rather compelling dissection of the case for war in Iraq and its fallacies that the Bush Administration laid out in the days and weeks leading to the invasion. It features a collection of experts, from Robert Baer, a former CIA operative who worked in Iraq and Lebanon for more than 20 years; to Graham Fuller, the former Vice Chairman of the National Intelligence Council at the CIA.

    However, as compelling as the information is in this documentary, the rather transparent goal of the film — to systematically attack the Bush Administration’s policies regarding Iraq — only serves to hurt the effectiveness of it.

    Directed and produced by Robert Greenwald, it was originally created as a short film in 2003. It wasn’t until during and after the “war in Iraq” that Greenwald elected to go back and expand it into a feature-length documentary.

    Protesters seen in 'Uncovered: The War in Iraq'
    Protesters seen in ‘Uncovered: The War in Iraq’

    Consisting largely of a series of interviews, it features a scattering of clips from different news sources highlighting speeches and television interviews of the Bush Administration’s top members, such as the President, Vice President Dick Cheney, National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice, and so forth. They’re edited to highlight the scare tactics and misleading statement they made leading to the invasion of Iraq, a majority of which have since been proven false.

    But, as much as I found myself agreeing with what the film said, I could not separate myself from the pure propaganda that it represented. For as much as I may find a blindly pro-Bush “documentary” a form of spin, so was this production.

    All the experts aside, it made very little attempt to honestly or appropriately present the opposing view. Aside from the edited clips, compiled in a manner to only emphasis the ridiculousness of them, not one “expert” or person interviewed makes any attempt to explore the opposite side’s view or opinion.

    I suppose one could argue that this in itself helps support the film, but that would be rather inaccurate and arrogant. The problem here is when a filmmaker attempts to promote his own form of propaganda as a documentary, when it is not. The goal of the film is to attack, and never makes any serious attempt to be balanced.

    While I criticize this film, I also stress that I do not disagree with the content. The information contained within is important. My concern is with the presentation, and I urge anyone who watches this film to make an attempt to learn the other side’s view.

    The DVD of this film was accompanied by a short documentary called, Soldier’s Pay, by filmmaker David O. Russell (Three Kings, I Heart Huckabees). You can read that review here.

  • ‘Soldier’s Pay’ is a rarely honest documentary

    ‘Soldier’s Pay’ is a rarely honest documentary

    'Soldier's Pay' provides a small insight into a large conflict
    ‘Soldier’s Pay’ provides a small insight into a large conflict

    Soldier’s Pay was a short documentary that was supposed to accompany the DVD re-release of Three Kings, David O. Russell’s film starring George Clooney about a group of United States soldiers who attempt to steal millions in Iraqi gold during the first Gulf War. After it was completed, Warner Bros. elected to drop its plans to re-release the film on DVD, and severed its ties with the short.

    The film was later picked up by Cinema Libre, which has since distributed the film as a companion with UNCOVERED: The War in Iraq (read that review here). It was also aired on IFC last night.

    I had gotten the tape of this documentary a few weeks ago and had watched it then, along with the DVD of UNCOVERED. I was honestly surprised with the low-production quality of the documentary, but found its content to be much more interesting and revealing of the present situation than the feature-length documentary it accompanies.

    Soldier’s Pay features a collection of interviews with several soldiers who served in Iraq during and after the invasion, as well as former Iraqis who lived in that country during Saddam Hussain’s rule — and were also actors in Russell’s actioner, Three Kings. There is also a politician who appears in support of the Bush Administration.

    The film is pretty basic for the first half. It highlights interviews with the former Iraqi citizens who discuss the horrors they experienced under Hussain’s rule. But it isn’t until we get to the U.S. soldiers who discuss their experience in Iraq that the short gets really interesting.

    This group of soldiers discuss how they discovered millions of dollars in U.S. bills and proceeded to plot out how to steal it. Mirroring the plot of Three Kings, the attempted theft appears to include soldiers and their superiors. However, the plot unraveled and the money was never taken. Only one person was punished for the apparent crime, and no one seemed to know exactly what happened to the money afterwards.

    Russell’s short, while attempting to be balanced with the comments by Representative David Dreier, provides an honest and often dour view of the efforts in Iraq. But what makes it unique, I think, is that it doesn’t necessarily condemn the war but more or less criticizes the manner in which it was conducted.

    One of the film’s interviewees, Michael Cooper, the director of Program Partnerships, Mercy Corps, said it best when he admitted that Hussain was a dangerous, terrible dictator, and needed to be deposed. However, that wasn’t the logic the Bush Administration used to engage in the war. Instead, he opted to push the weapons of mass destruction and terror link logic, which was never particularly strong and has since proven virtually false.

    Had Bush promoted the necessity of war to get rid of Hussain for his mistreatment of the Iraqi people, perhaps support for the action would have been different, Cooper asserted.

    I’ve watched a lot of documentaries in the last few months that address the war on Iraq and President Bush, yet this short film stands out for me as one of the most honest. It doesn’t try to make some grandiose statement on the war, but instead provides a small window for people to learn something about the people involved on both sides of the conflict, American and Iraqi.

  • ‘Festival Express’ explores the music of a little-known concert experience

    ‘Festival Express’ explores the music of a little-known concert experience

    'Festival Express' t-shirt serves as the cover art for this documentary
    ‘Festival Express’ t-shirt serves as the cover art for this documentary

    Seems to me that the concert experience in the early 1970s and before was vastly different than what you generally get today. Nowadays, you’re treated to fancy light shows and pyrotechnics, mixed with video screens and lip-syncing performers. But, back in the day, all there was was you and the musicians.

    A stage, some instruments, and the band just singing their hearts out. How could you possibly watch footage of Janis Joplin screaming on stage and think otherwise? Watching Festival Express, you are literally taken back to the days where real musicians took the stage and played to half-packed stadiums in the middle of no where.

    To be honest, I’m not much of a concert goer. I’ve probably been to a handful in my entire life, and only really enjoyed one or two of those. I’d rather sit in a smoky bar listening to a blues band go at it than in a crowded Madison Square Garden and watch some music industry product pretend to belt out tunes while fireworks explode with multi-colored lights flashing around the ceiling.

    Festival Express is a musical documentary about a three-city traveling festival that toured Canada in 1970, and to me it shows what live performances are supposed to be. No fuss or muss, just talented artists doing what they do best — play music and entertain the audience. The film highlights performances by such legends as the Grateful Dead and Janis Joplin, but also the Flying Burrito Brothers and Sha Na Na.

    The performers were shipped from city to city on a decked-out train, where they spent the majority of their time jamming tunes, doing drugs and getting drunk. And from what little is shown of the train ride, they were clearly having a good time doing it. Seeing Joplin and Garcia (who were honestly the only two performers I was really familiar with) was really interesting because in some brief moments you actually got to see these people off stage.

    'Festival Express'
    ‘Festival Express’

    Unfortunately, the movie rarely moves away from the music, so the film itself really doesn’t take you too far behind the scenes of the concert tour. It’s made pretty clear that between performances everyone was stoned and drunk, and spent a lot of time just playing music, but you really don’t get to see a lot of it. And the interviews only offer general feelings from the time, rarely discussing events and relating stories.

    It does, however, discuss what caused the festival to be a financial failure, which I thought was probably the most insightful portion of the film. Taking place shortly after Woodstock, the festival was hurt by protestors demanding that the festival be free. Unwilling to pay the $14 to $16 is cost to get in, they regularly threatened to storm the concerts and clashed with police. The musicians comment on the protestors, often siding against them and effectively pointing out that the festival costs thousands of dollars to produce. The musicians weren’t doing this out of the kindness of their hearts, it’s their job and their doing it to earn a living.

    The argument that “music belongs to the people and should be free” is responded to beautifully by Ken Walker, one of the promoters. He threw a protestor down a flight of stairs. I thought this element to the film was an interesting commentary on the times, but also relevant to the present argument over online music piracy.

    If you are curious about some of the behind the scenes details, than you’ll need to turn to the second disc. The best is “Chugging Along”, which features more interviews from the few musicians who appear in the film, as well as Walker, who is without a doubt the most entertaining part of the film.

    His stories, such as when he punched the mayor of Calgary, are just plain hilarious. And while his encounter with the mayor of Calgary is only briefly mentioned in the film, you get much more information in the extended interviews.

    You’re also given the option of viewing a dozen other performances that were not included in the film. By far my favorite of these was “Child’s Song” by Tom Rush.

    Festival Express is an entertaining trip back to the 70s, filled with iconic imagery of folk music and good old fashioned rock and roll. It highlights a time where most of the people we heard on the radio were actually musicians and not music industry products, packaged and hyped.

  • ‘Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl’ defied expectations by being great

    ‘Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl’ defied expectations by being great

    Johnny Depp and Kiera Knightly in 'Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl'
    Johnny Depp and Kiera Knightly in ‘Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl’

    It has been quite some years since a really good pirate movie was made. The last that I can remember was Cutthroat Island, the film that signaled the official end of Gena Davis’ career — and Matthew Modine, I think, although he was probably out of the picture before that.

    So, when I first heard about Pirates of the Caribbean, I wasn’t all that jazzed. But seeing the trailer changed my mind. I mean, how could you not get excited watching the walking skeletons turning into flesh-and-blood humans as they walk under water? The imagery just oozed “possibility”.

    The final product was undeniably one of the most energetic and action-packed pirate movie in decades. I’ve always had a fascination with sailing ships and the kinds of people who commanded them. Pirates of the Caribbean did an outstanding job of bring that era to life in a realistic fashion, without ever forgetting to be fun and entertaining at the same time. Okay, the tacked-on ending does drag out a bit, but it’s a minor flaw in a generally outstanding film.

    Geoffrey Rush gets exposed in 'Pirates of the Caribbean'
    Geoffrey Rush gets exposed in ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’

    But, the reason why I’m discussing this film is the upcoming release of a special edition of the Pirates of the Caribbean DVD. This one features a new, third disc — referred to as “The Lost Disc”.

    Okay, so it’s just a rather transparent attempt to suck more people into buying yet another repackaged version of a movie they probably already own, or maybe pull in those last few who didn’t get it already.

    This “lost disc” is filled with about an hour or so of behind the scenes docs that take you deeper into the making of the film. It leads off with two character based documentaries, “Becoming Captain Jack” and “Becoming Barbossa”, focusing on the respective character and how the individual actors — Johnny Depp and Geoffrey Rush — approached and developed their portrayals. Although Rush offers some insight that was new, very little that is said in the Depp doc is unknown. He goes into how he based much of the character on Keith Richards, which has become — I think — rather widely known already (Richards has apparently been lured in by Depp to play Jack Sparrow’s father in the Pirates sequel).

    The one documentary I thought were the most interesting were the two that explored the history of the Pirates of the Caribbean ride which inspired the movie. “Spirit of the Ride” shows the parallels between the ride and the film, such as how the ride inspired the story, and how some of the scenes and background elements of the movie were lifted directly from the famous amusement park attraction.

    Johnny Depp and Orlando Bloom in 'Pirates of the Caribbean'
    Johnny Depp and Orlando Bloom in ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’

    I liked this because, well, I don’t really remember much about the ride. I’m fairly certain I saw it when I was at Disney World, but really don’t recall one way or another. Some of it seemed vaguely familiar, but that’s about it. So, when I saw the movie, the only element I seemed to recall was from the ride was the part where Sparrow is in the cell and the other prisoners are trying to convince the dog to give them the key.

    Lastly, the “Sneak Attack Animatic” is also pretty cool to watch. The low-tech animation served as a visual aid to allow the filmmakers to get a general idea how the elaborate special effects sequence of the skeleton pirates boarding the British ship at the film’s conclusion was going to look.

    Now, you may be asking yourself if getting this “Lost Disc Edition” of the Pirates of the Caribbean film is worth it. If you already own the DVD, I probably wouldn’t bother, as the film’s 2 DVDs are basically the same. I can’t say you should plunk down full price for one disc with nothing but behind the scenes docs. However, if you haven’t already snatched this DVD, it is well worth the package.

  • Disney finally embraces ethnicity with ‘Mulan’

    'Mulan' finds love while disguising herself as a male soldier
    ‘Mulan’ finds love while disguising herself as a male soldier

    Mulan was probably the first Disney animated film in years that I had not seen in the movies. In fact, I hadn’t seen it in its entirety until watching this DVD. And as much as I thought the animation was stunning, and the story entertaining, the film really falls short on the music front.

    I was also surprised by how the film seemed to celebrate the ethnicity of the story.

    Clearly, Mulan was structured to be similar to Aladdin. Both take place in a foreign country in the past. Both are steeped in the legends of those cultures. However, where Mulan differs is that it seems to utilize the culture it is depicting more than Aladdin. Virtually all the actors who provide the voices to this film were Asian, unlike Aladdin, which did not have any Arabian actors featured. Plus, the music had more of an Asian feel, especially the opening number.

    Watching the behind the scenes documentaries, it is clear that the producers and directors of Mulan were making a conscience effort to steep the film as deep into Chinese culture as possible. They spent several weeks there studying the architecture and landscapes. They brought in a talented Chinese artist who helped develop the elegant and unique look for the film. Even the DVD itself takes you into the legends and stories of China that appear in the story, such as the importance of family ancestors and the role of dragons in Chinese culture.

    'Mulan'
    ‘Mulan’

    This was a surprise to me, especially after watching Aladdin. As much as I love that film, it doesn’t really use the Arabian culture when it comes to the music or story. Aside from the opening number, the rest of the tunes don’t really reflect the society. Mulan seems to be exactly the opposite, putting the Chinese culture front and center.

    Of course, the most obvious connection between Aladdin and Mulan is the comic relief. Eddie Murphy provides the laughs here, bringing a contemporary sound to the story. And while he lacks any of the clever pop culture references that Robin Williams brought to the Genie, he does provide a sense of levity that is welcome and fun.

    Sadly, the quality of the songs is where the film stumbles. None of the tunes are particularly memorable. Walk away from Aladdin or Lion King, and you can’t help but hum “A Whole New World” or “Circle of Life”. But Mulan has nothing like it these songs.

    As much as I did not like the music, I always come back to the artwork. I was really awed by the look of this film. The clean, smooth style here is simply outstanding. From the colors, to the landscape imagery, this is Disney animation at its finest.

    The DVD is stuffed with informative behind the scenes interviews and documentaries. I especially liked the educational feature that explains the cultural relevance of some of the characters and places you see in the film.

    'Mulan' struggles to bathe while hiding her identity as a woman
    ‘Mulan’ struggles to bathe while hiding her identity as a woman

    The music videos, however, are a tad lame — they also all appear to be a few years old. It’s kind of interesting watching Jackie Chan sing “I’ll Make a Man Out of You” in Chinese, but not that interesting. And the song just isn’t that great to begin with, so listening to it in another language doesn’t help. There’s also a Stevie Wonder/98 degrees duet that wouldn’t be too bad if it didn’t focus on Nick Lachey so much (can’t stand him as a singer, but was actually impressed by him as an actor recently in “Charmed”).

    Lastly, the film’s ballad, “Reflection”, is given multiple treatments. One version features Christina Aguilera, which I think is quite ironic. The song is about how Mulan wants her outside to reflect the person she is inside. Yet, we’re seeing a pre-Stripped Christina Aguilera. This seemed to give a little depth to a video that is, like the Chan one, actually a bit dull.

    But, these videos are really the only misfire in what is a well packaged production.

  • ‘Ed Wood’ is Tim Burton best film

    ‘Ed Wood’ is Tim Burton best film

    Johnny Depp and Martin Landau in 'Ed Wood'
    Johnny Depp and Martin Landau in ‘Ed Wood’

    Never has a bad filmmaker been so celebrated than Edward D. Wood, Jr. And regardless of how fun his films may be to watch, Ed Wood was terrible at making movies. The stories are ridiculously bad, the acting is terrible, the dialogue is a joke. They’re just plain bad.

    But, somehow, they are really, really fun to watch.

    Ed Wood is probably as terrific a film about the man that could possibly be made. And finally, after so many false starts and promised release dates, this classic homage to the most popular bad filmmaker in history has arrived on DVD.

    Featuring the Oscar winning performance of Martin Landau, he alone makes this film worth watching. He does such a powerful and stunning job of bringing to life Bela Lugosi. Johnny Depp is also perfect as Ed Wood, both comical yet honest at the same time. Bill Murray’s supporting turn is pure gold, as well.

    What was amazing about Ed Wood was how he managed to get so many people to work with him on his idiotic films. They’re strange, they’re terrible, but somehow they believed in him. And Wood’s enthusiasm for what he was doing, regardless of the quality of his work, was admirable. He really loved making movies, and his friends were pulled in by that love, and apparently would follow him anywhere — they’ve even get baptized!

    The black and white visuals are presented with strong contrast. Tim Burton’s beautiful look for the film is preserved in this enhanced presentation. The unique soundtrack is in terrific surround sound. It’s the extras that leave a little to be desired.

    Johnny Depp and Sarah Jessica Parker in 'Ed Wood'
    Johnny Depp and Sarah Jessica Parker in ‘Ed Wood’

    First is the behind the scenes featurette, “Let’s Shoot This F#*%@r!”. Great title, and interesting to watch, but tells you nothing. Basically it is simply a collection of video shot on set during filming. But, there is no narration to tie it all together, no interviews. Nothing. And while it’s interesting to a point to watching Burton working with Johnny Depp and Martin Landau, you’re kind of left wondering — is this it?

    The doc is bookended by Depp in his belly dancer outfit from the film. It’s pretty funny, and pretty much lets you know precisely what this featurette is — a featurette how Ed Wood may have directed it. It’s bad, in the sense that it is a completely uninformative behind the scene featurette. But, fun to watching, in that you’re seeing moments between Burton and his actors that viewers often don’t get to see.

    “Pie Plates Over Hollywood” is slightly more revealing, if limited in its scope. The most intriguing documentary on the DVD is the one about the Theremin, the really cool instrument highlight in the film’s soundtrack. I’d never heard of the instrument, and watching it being used is just fascinating.

    A music video featuring the movie’s main theme is quite definitely the strangest part of the DVD. Very much like something Wood may have directed, especially in his later, soft-core porn years. A dancer in a Vampira outfit dances around to the 50s-like beat music. It reminded me very much of Wood’s film, Glen or Glenda, which features a very strange dream sequence with a woman on a couch.

    Very strange.

    There is also a selection of deleted scenes, none of which really added much to the film, which explains why they were excised. Although one scene, in which you meet Tor’s family, is pretty funny. And is probably one of the few moments where we’re taken out of the strange world of Ed Wood and given an outsider’s perspective via Tor’s wife.

    To learn anything of note about the film, you have to listen to the commentary. That’s where the real heart of the behind the scenes info can be found on the DVD. Featuring Burton, Landau, the writers Scott Alexander and Larry Karazewski, director of photography Stefan Czapsky and costume designer Colleen Atwood.

    At the end, Ed Wood is a touching love letter for a man who loved movies. It’s not important that his films were bad, Wood just loved making them.

  • ‘I’m Not Scared’ is a dark, thrilling coming-of-age tale

    ‘I’m Not Scared’ is a dark, thrilling coming-of-age tale

    Giuseppe Cristiano fights to escape killers in 'I'm Not Scared'
    Giuseppe Cristiano fights to escape killers in ‘I’m Not Scared’

    Childhood is simplicity. At least it should be. And for some the transition into adulthood can be confusing and exciting. In the case of Italian-made thriller, I’m Not Scared, that transition is sudden and dramatic.

    This compelling film is beautifully shot, wonderfully acted, and deliberately paced. The cinematography is soft and colorful, filled with the hills of southern Italy. It takes place in a speck of a town populated by only a dozen people and their children. But the small, idyllic town is only a cover for corruption, as 10-year-old Michele quickly discovers.

    The contrast between childhood innocence and impending adulthood is expressed in the opening sequence. A simple race is soon twisted into something more adult and sexual, when the loser — a girl — is told that she must expose herself as a consequence for being the “rotten egg”. But Michele soon comes to her rescue, and is quickly forced to walk a wooden plank across a broken floor on the second story of a run down house.

    While potentially dangerous, Michele turns it into a comic book-like adventure, imaging himself a superhero facing deadly foes.

    However, the deadly truth of the world and it’s shades of grey soon break into young Michele’s world when he discovers a small boy hidden in a large hole in the ground near the house. He eventually learns that the very people he trusts most, his parents, are participants in a conspiracy to kidnap and possibly kill the young boy. As a result, he must choose to either allow the boy he’s come to call friend to die, or save him and betray his family.

    Giuseppe Cristiano in 'I'm Not Scared'
    Giuseppe Cristiano in ‘I’m Not Scared’

    A dark, thrilling film, I’m Not Scared is also a coming of age story that never tries to be a slick, Hollywood movie. The pace is measured, taking its time as it guides you through the main character’s journey to adulthood. And while the editing and storytelling may leave some viewers feeling a little deflated at the end, because it lacks the hyperspeed-like movement most commonly seen in action films today, it is no less powerful and moving.

    When we meet Michele, played with natural talent by Giuseppe Cristiano, he’s a dreamer. A young kid who makes up stories about the things he experiences. When he first discovers the young boy in the hole, he dreams up a story that he is his brother, long hidden by his parents. When he discovers the truth, his daydreaming ways are soon forgotten. He no longer dreams up stories as he struggles to understand why his parents would be involved in something so terrible.

    Visually, the film is light and innocent at the beginning. Beautiful Italian landscapes are highlighted with golden wheat fields. But as the story unfolds, the night soon becomes more prominent.

    However, as much as the story is compelling, the characters are left rather undeveloped. To an extent, I thought this was refreshing, as the filmmakers didn’t feel the obligation to spell everything out. The motivations for the parents to involve themselves in the kidnapping is subtly explained, but we do not know how they were involved. We see very little of their relationship, and the rest of the kidnapping gang is only marginally shown.

    The story is told specifically through the eyes of Michele, which makes it logical that we would only learn so much about the crime. But in the end you’re left with a lot of unanswered questions. What you get are only bits and pieces, which you are left to piece together on your own.

    While I don’t see this as a negative, it did mean that none of the characters are really explored. Even the child, while he experiences a loss of innocence, doesn’t necessarily change. From the very beginning we see Michele as a strong individual, not to be taken by peer pressure and clearly not afraid to stand up for what is right. He does so at the beginning, and he does so at the end.

    The only change comes in the situation. At the beginning, he’s standing up against a bullying child. At the end, he’s standing up against his parents and their murderous compatriots. While the situation becomes more serious, there is no real arc for Michele, as he simply stays true to himself.

    Beyond the visuals and the story, what really impressed me most about this film was the acting. Giuseppe Cristiano was outstandingly natural. The same can be said about all the children. The adults also delivered strong performances, but Cristiano stands out most since he’s the main character. From his body language to how he delivered his dialogue, everything seemed to simply flow from him. He wasn’t simply acting the part, he was the part. It is rare to see such talent in someone so young, and he deserves all the praise one can grant an actor.

    The biggest disappointment here is the DVD itself. While the film is presented flawlessly, and the sound is terrific, the DVD is quite bare. No features, no documentaries, no commentary. This comes as a rather big disappointment because I was very curious to learn more about the film. I would have liked to have heard the director discuss the project, or learn more about how the film was made.

    I don’t always get this curious about a movie, but with this one my interest was piqued. And sadly, the DVD did not offer anything to satisfy my curiosity.

  • ‘Star Wars’ finally arrives on DVD

    ‘Star Wars’ finally arrives on DVD

    Go Force Yourself!

    The final battle between Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker in ‘Star Wars VI – Return of the Jedi’

    Not so long ago, at a Best Buy not so far away, the boxed set of the “first” trilogy of Star Wars movies finally arrived on DVD. Helping it surpass the first day total sales of Lord of the Rings by almost double, (87 million units vs. 50 million) fans of the George Lucas saga proved their loyalty once again by dressing up as their favorite action figures and waiting in line to be the “first” in the galaxy to own the films that are, by count, now in their 5th manifestation (theatrical release-video-laser disc-special edition-DVD).

    Over 27 years ago, when Star Wars first appeared in theatres, no one expected the tidal wave of response that would help it eclipse the ticket sales of any film that had come before it. 20th Century Fox spent almost no money on advertising, so the movie relied strongly on word of mouth from the now-devoted fans who returned to see it over and over.

    At that time, it was a stand-alone story, without sequels or prequels, which is why it’s the only one of the series that does not depend on others to fill in story gaps. Back then Jabba the Hutt was a mysterious, un-seen menace, Leia was not Luke’s sister, Han Solo shot first, and there was no New Hope. Since then it’s spawned a following of religious proportions, and Lucas has not let his acolytes down. And he’s had to go back and reinvent his films and his intentions with almost Orwellian double-speak skill, convincing the devotees that “this is what I meant to do all along.”

    Most noticeable about this current incarnation of the first three films (episodes 4, 5, & 6) is the crystal clear sound and picture thanks to the talented folks at THX. These are the kinds of changes that Uncle George is welcom to make. The special effects are also cleaned up so matte lines are no longer visible, and some additional characters/creatures/ships have been judiciously added to fill out scenes and add dimension to certain shots.

    They’ve also gone in and changed original footage to fit more congruently with actors, characters, and plot points that have come along since. Most noticeable are the additions of Ian McDiarmid as the Emperor’s hologram in Empire, and the change of Boba Fett’s voice to that of Jango Fett (the father of all clones). As in the Special Editions, the musical numbers in Jedi are different from the original 1983 release, and now the band that plays in Jabba’s palace is a combination of puppetry and computer effects — another welcome change for the better.

    These and many more “tweaks” will keep the fans glued to their screens trying to spot what’s different this time. Jedi shows the most changes (unfortunately, Ewoks remain). Hayden Christenson makes a startling cameo, and try to spot Jar Jar Binks at the end gleefully exclaiming “We’sa free!” when the Empire crumbles.

    Even though the remastered sound and picture, along with the esoteric changes make the set worth owning, the main reason to scoop it up is for the Special Features disk. Fourth in the set, it contains the documentary “Empire of Dreams” and is indeed a fan’s dream. With archival footage and interviews of everyone from cast and crew, the featurette dutifully chronicles the sometimes rocky road the films took from conception to release.

    Most enjoyable is the grainy, black and white audition footage of other actors considered for the three main roles — sort of a Twilight Zone-like “what if”. Submitted for your approval, Kurt Russell as Han Solo, or Cindy Williams (Shirley of Laverne & Shirley) as Princess Leia.

    Also included on the disk are a set of smaller documentaries — Birth of the Lightsabre”, “The Characters of Star Wars” and “The Legacy of Star Wars”. Fans and non-fans alike will enjoy back-stories on how the characters evolved, as well as how Errol Flynn inspired Lucas to create the Jedi’s weapon of choice. And for those die-hards who can’t wait for their next installment fix, there’s a behind the scenes preview of upcoming Episode III — Revenge of the Sith. A collection of theatrical trailers and TV commercials for all three films round out the disk.

    George Lucas is the Disney of this generation. And the Star Wars films are his magic kingdom. And just as Uncle Walt said of Disneyland — that it would always be changing, never finished — so it would seem is Star Wars. Every few years we get new versions. Anytime there is a format change, it becomes a new opportunity for Uncle George to retrofit the tried-and-true to fit a modern vision and a modern consumer base.

    This box set is well worth having for the technical advances and the bonus features. But by-George, they weren’t broke — so don’t fix ‘em anymore. And while the addition of lush settings and enhanced special effects is attractive, hopefully for the next release, Lucas will stop short of inserting new characters into older movies.

    Oh, that’s right… too late.

  • ‘Aladdin’ is Disney animation at its best

    ‘Aladdin’ is Disney animation at its best

    Aladdin gets the lamp in Disney's 'Aladdin'
    Aladdin gets the lamp in Disney’s ‘Aladdin’

    The Disney animation machine has been chugging along for nearly a century, turning out some of the most remembered and celebrated pieces of moving imagery in history. Generations have grown up with memories of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, Bambi and The Little Mermaid.

    This October, Disney gives one of its strongest outings its due with the 2-disc “Platinum” Edition ofAladdin. Filled with smart humor, beautiful animation and memorable characters, this film raised the bar for animated motion pictures through its use of contemporary humor.

    Coming in on the heels of the massive success of both The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast, Disney was experiencing what has been noted as its second “Golden Age”. Racking in more than $200 million during its initial release back in 1992, it was a massive hit, later spawning two sequels and an animated series.

    Watching the DVD, I found myself tapping my feet to what I think is the best song, “A Friend Like Me,” which brought Robin Williams center-stage as the Genie. Part of the fun of watching this film again was doing so with my young son beside me. And while he is only 16-months old and often doesn’t pay much attention to the television for any significant amount of time, he was drawn in by the colorful Aladdin. At times he simply stared, other moments he actually pointed and excitedly proclaimed, “Oooooo.”

    Robin Williams brings the Genie to life in 'Aladdin'
    Robin Williams brings the Genie to life in ‘Aladdin’

    These films are often filled with more child-friendly humor, but Aladdin went in a different direction. I think it’s arguable that a large part of its success was the humor Williams injected into his role. Although contemporary and adult oriented — would a child get the Rodney Dangerfield reference? — and rather un-Disney like, it helped set Aladdin apart from its predecessors and ushered in a new age in animated films. Following successes such as Toy Story followed suit, mixing adult humor in with sight gags to give the parents something to laugh about while the children enjoyed the simpler humor.

    However, as much as I love the Genie, my favorite character in the film is the monkey, Abu. I love him because he doesn’t speak. His emotions and interaction with the other characters are all done through visual means. His eyes and body language say it all. And when he shares moments with the Flying Carpet, it’s almost perfect. The subtly of the carpet’s movements and the comedic nature of Abu are for me some of the strongest moments of animation in the film.

    By nature, Disney’s films are musicals. And to be quite honest, I am not a musical lover. In fact, I largely despise them — with a few exceptions. But the Disney films often do a good job of keeping the musical portions of the film relevant to the story. Aladdin is a strong example of that, as each number helps establish a character or moment. While I think “Friend Like Me” is the most entertaining tune, I also enjoy, “Prince Ali”. For some reason, I always find that it gets stuck in my head afterwards.

    Aladdin is presented with vibrant color and crisp images on the DVD. The sound is terrific. There is a moment in the film where a line of dialogue from Jafar gets lost in the music, but otherwise there’s nothing to fault here.

    Princess Jasmine in 'Aladdin'
    Princess Jasmine in ‘Aladdin’

    When it comes to special features, this set has them with spades. From almost two hours of behind the scenes information to fun games and audio commentaries by the filmmakers and animators. I enjoyed the behind the scenes info, as it was pretty revealing and explored extensively how Aladdin was dramatically retooled early in the production after “Black Friday”.

    The highlights come mostly from the music portions of the bonus material. One of which is the lost song, “Proud of your Boy”. This was one of the last songs written by Howard Ashman and Alan Menken before Ashman’s death during the film’s production. It’s a touching and beautiful melody, cut from the film when the role ofAladdin’s mother was excised from the story.

    Now, this is the only time I will give Clay Aiken any good notices, so enjoy it while you can. I am not a fan of this overly-hyped American Idol runner-up. I think he is horribly miscast as a pop star wanna-be. But with his rendition of “Proud of your Boy”, Aiken is where he belongs: singing musical numbers. He has a powerful voice, one ideally suited for Broadway, and he delivers this tune with softness and strength that is honestly outstanding.

    Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey are also featured performing “A Whole New World”. Simpson’s sultry voice gives the tune some soul, but Lachey’s contribution doesn’t really hold up.

    Overall, this special edition is a well-packaged collection of documentaries and features. But, as I watched the film, there was something gnawing at me. Something that I was hesitant to discuss here, but feel that it should be looked at a bit.

    The world has changed dramatically in the eleven years since Aladdin was released. With the war on terror and the constant news of violence in the Middle East, I wonder if the perception of this film may be affected. I would go so far as to say it is debatable such fare would be produced by Disney now. With its focus on Arabs and the mention of beheadings, will parents and their children have a different view of this film in today’s hostile environment?

    I hope not. There’s a positive message to be found in Aladdin, one of being true to yourself. Regardless of how some elements to the story may have a different meaning now, Aladdin is a classic family film that is beautiful to watch, with a story and characters that are fun and entertaining.