I am loathe to recommend any home video, dvd, or blu-ray release without at least a few decent special features. The 20th Anniversary Edition of The Rocketeer just barely qualifies as it has only one special feature, a not very good copy of the original… Read More »The Rocketeer – Blu-ray DVD Review
I was pleasantly surprised at how good a job Disney did bringing back the classic Winnie the Pooh characters in the 2011 Summer theatrical release of “Winnie The Pooh.” If their goal was to closely duplicate the animated films Walt Disney was making in the late ’50s and early ’60s, they met their mark. At the same time, the story and characters received slight tweaks making it more accessible for today’s audiences. Now you can add “Winnie the Pooh” on DVD, Blu-Ray, and/or Digital Download to your collection.
The story featured rich characterizations (both in writing and animation), tremendous voice work and tunes you could hum. During my viewing in the theater, I felt let down by the songs, but upon subsequent viewings, I’ve found the music to be something of a strength.
Another strength was the voice work. Narrated by John Cleese and featuring the vocal talents of legendary voice actor Jim Cummings (over 350 voices) and a host of other distinctive actors including Craig Ferguson (TV’s ‘The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson’), Tom Kenny (TV’s ‘SpongeBob SquarePants’), Bud Luckey (Toy Story 3) and musical performances by Zooey Deschanel. Ferguson’s take on Owl was particularly appreciated as he helped the bird grow into a part that was larger than his previous incarnations.
The DVD/Blu-Ray combo is nice, but I did feel a bit let down by the lack of extras. Disney is hit and miss in this area, mostly miss. Sadly, you’ll have to wait for future editions to get things like a commentary, behind the scenes footage, and other standard extras.
Instead of padding the feature to make it longer, Disney added The Ballad of Nessie which I felt was artistically wonderful, but lacking storywise. However my friends and family tell me I’m daft and Nessie was wonderful. So your mileage will vary.
More details on extras below the jump:
Read More »Winnie The Pooh DVD a Short, but Excellent, Visit With Childhood Friends
The Pirates of the Caribbean attraction at Disneyland has spawned one of the most successful movie franchises of all time. That’s quite a tribute to Walt Disney and the Imagineer team that created the ride. So, how does the fourth movie in the the set measure up? Pretty well, I thought.
A new Director, Rob Marshall, set much of the cast from the first three films on the sidelines and instead focused on Johnny Depp’s character of Captain Jack Sparrow by taking him out of his element for much of the film. That creates much of the films tension while the other characters went around in their sub-plots without many surprises. That’s not to say the performances were bad, they were great, or the writing was stiff, it moved the pace along quite nicely. But it was a different film than the first three. Which, for many, was a good thing.
The best Blu-Ray extra was the commentary from director Rob Marshall and executive producer John DeLuca. I also liked the deleted scenes. If you’re lucky enough to own a 3D TV, then you’ll want to make sure to pick up the Limited Edition version with the 3D.
Read More »Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides Blu-Ray/DVD Review
If you say Winnie The Pooh in theaters then you’ll know how well this film captured the spirit of the original Winnie The Pooh movies, while still providing the pace and characters that entertain today’s savvier youth. Families and audiences of all ages can soon return to the Hundred Acre Wood with the world’s most beloved characters, as “Winnie the Pooh,” comes home to Blu-ray Combo Pack for the very first time, as well as DVD and Movie Download on October 25, 2011.
Reuniting audiences with Pooh, Tigger, Rabbit, Piglet, Owl, Kanga, Roo and last, but certainly not least, Eeyore (who has lost his tail), “Winnie the Pooh” is a honey of an in-home release containing hours of immersive bonus features, including exclusive animated shorts
“The Ballad of Nessie” and “Mini-Adventures of Winnie the Pooh: The Balloon;” a sing-along viewing option; an informative behind-the-scenes featurette for the whole family and deleted scenes with director commentary – all available on Blu-ray Combo Pack.
The fourth film in the Pirates Of The Caribbean saga may have been missing a few key elements of the original films, but it did the legacy of the attraction it was based on proud. In Pirates 4, we dive deeper into the epic quest to find the fountain of youth. Of course, Johnny Depp returned as Captain Jack Sparrow and helped score over $1 billion in Box Office loot. Now, it can be yours on Blu-ray or DVD, including a special 3D version and digital download starting October 18th.
The full announcement is below the jump:
Read More »Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides hits DVD shelves on Oct 18th
In its third trip back to movie theaters, but the first time in 3-D, Disney’s The Lion King is ruling the box office again. It brought in an estimated Update: $30.2 million ( was $29.3 million) over the weekend, placing it atop the list of… Read More »The Lion King 3D Rules Box Office Again
Let’s get this out of the way: I’m a hardcore Shonda Rhimes fan. I’ve watched Grey’s Anatomy and Private Practice since their respective pilots, through the good seasons and the bad, through the moments of brilliance and the moments of …. ghost love. (I even… Read More »DVD Review: Grey’s Anatomy: The Complete Seventh Season and Private Practice: The Complete Fourth Season
Academy Award winning film The Tempest is coming out on Blu-Ray DVD today. Experience The Tempest like never before through the art and costume design from the film. Nominated for an Academy Award in Costume Design, designer Sandy Powell created masterpieces worn by Helen Mirren,… Read More »The Tempest – When Costume Art meets Magic, Oscar is the Result