I sat down to watch my DVR’d version of Disney Channel’s “Princess Protection Program” with my 6 year old son tonight with low expectations of it keeping our attention. But I need not have worried. PPP is a great movie in the classic Disney mold that we both enjoyed watching all the way through. In the 60s or 70s PPP would have been released to theaters, albeit with slightly better actors in the villain role, it is that good.
Demi Lovato and Selena Gomez, the two actors who are asked to carry this film, have both been labeled as Disney’s hope for the future when Miley Cyrus finally moves on to her next thing. Gomez had the more meaty roll and really carried the film, a good sign for future work from her. Lovato definitely had the poise required to be a princess, but lacks the acting chops of Anne Hathaway in the Princess Diaries, but the fact that she compares at all says something.
Once you get past the films main conceit, the existence of, and need for, a Princess Protection Agency, the plot flows naturally from there. The adventure comedy is about two very different girls – a princess from a small kingdom and a small town girl who, when fate brings them together, must team up to help the would-be queen pass for a regular teen. Lots of great lessons are included in the film, but they mostly avoid hitting you over the head with them. Always a bonus.
As is Disney’s habit these days, they’ve already released a DVD with extra features you don’t get on The Disney Channel just 4 days after the movie’s cable debut.
The full press release is below the cut:
Update: I had the actors reversed as to which was the princess Rosie. That’s what I get for writing so late at night. It’s fixed now
For many years Tinker Bell had a huge following among Disney fans, but almost no merchandise featured the pint sized fairy. Eventually someone at Disney marketing figured out they were missing out on a steady line of guests willing to shell out for their favorite pixie. Since that moment (about the late 90s) Tink has been just about everywhere.
The culmination of this trend is the series of direct to DVD movies that are under production. The first came out last year and was actually a small gem of a story. The second is scheduled for this fall and looks to repeat the magic. Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure is now available for pre-order on Amazon.com, but released October 27, 2009.
Two great new fan made DVDs about Disneyland have just been released. One reveals many of the parks secrets and the other is an in depth look at the famous attraction’s history. The Secret Tour of Disneyland: An Independent Travel Documentary Join us on a… Read More »Disneyland Fan Made DVD – Two Great New Releases
This April, Disney’s Miramax film studio has two DVDs out that are a must have for any collection. Best Picture Oscar winning No Country for Old Men set a new standard for action-thrillers. Doubt won five Oscar nominations and is an acting tour de force.
NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN – COLLECTOR’S EDITION
When you sit down to watch a Coen brothers film you should have a set of expectations. There will be violence, exploration of human suffering, and excellence in film making. No Country for Old Men reached the peak of excellence deservedly winning the 2007 Academy Award for Best Picture, and the Oscar for Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Javier Bardem), among others.
The Coen Brothers deliver a sizzling and supercharged action-thriller with No Country for Old Men, based on the novel by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Cormac McCarthy. Llewelyn Moss (Josh Brolin), a down-on-his-luck Vietnam vet, stumbles across an illicit fortune and decides to keep it, setting off an unstoppable chain of violence.
When Moss discovers a drug deal gone bad in the West Texas desert, he decides to keep the two million dollars he finds there and hit the road. In short order, both Ed Tom Bell (Tommy Lee Jones), the local sheriff, and Anton Chigurh (Javier Bardem), one of the most frighteningly amoral psychopaths in film history, are on his trail and Moss is scrambling to stay one step ahead of the law—and avoid a gruesome fate at Chigurh’s hands. Javier Bardem’s role as death personified is one that will deservedly be remembered for ages.
The 2007 Oscar® winner for Best Picture, No Country for Old Men, arrived in new collectible three-disc DVD and 2-disc Blu-ray editions from Miramax Films, Paramount Vantage, and Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment. Acclaimed filmmakers Joel and Ethan Coen’s most gripping and ambitious film, No Country for Old Men – Collector’s Edition comes with more than five hours of bonus features, available on DVD and Blu-ray for the first time ever, including extensive interviews with the filmmakers, stars and technical team behind this unforgettable thriller. From an unauthorized trip backstage with star Josh Brolin, to an insider’s look at the unique moviemaking process of the Coen brothers, fans will get unprecedented access to the story behind the celebrated movie. In addition, both the DVD and Blu-ray versions include a special digital copy of the movie that enables viewers to enjoy it anywhere, anytime in their choice of iTunes or Windows Media formats.
DOUBT
Doubt is set in 1964 and based loosely on real events. The nation is at a crossroads. Stay in the past or be dragged into a new and uncomfortable future. The feeling of doubt moves through all the characters lives and the audience’s mind as the film progresses. Whether we get an answer is up for debate, but there is no doubt that you will enjoy the performances in this movie.
St. Nicholas Church in the Bronx finds Fr. Brendan Flynn’s (Philip Seymour Hoffman) progressive views and charismatic presence have won him the respect and admiration of the congregation. At the parish school, principal Sister Aloysius Beauvier (Meryl Streep) keeps her students in line with old-fashioned fear and intimidation. When young Sister James (Amy Adams) shares with Sister Aloysius her concern that that Father Flynn has “taken an interest” in twelve-year-old Donald Miller (Joseph Foster), the school’s “first Negro student,” the older nun launches her own investigation. Determined to protect every one of her charges, Sister Aloysius attempts to use the evidence she discovers to have Flynn removed from the school. John Patrick Shanley’s finely shaded script takes audiences through a spectrum of truth, emotion and belief, and asks if any decision is ever free from doubt.
It was one of the biggest upset of the 2009 Academy Awards that the film didn’t receive a single Oscar, despite being up for five of them. Both the DVD and Blu-ray Hi-Def versions of Doubt include some great bonus features including an audio Commentary from the writer/director.
On April 28th Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment releases MARVEL X-MEN: Volumes 1 & 2 on DVD! For the first time, all 32 episodes of animated TV-series will be available! Discover the origins of your favorite X-Men characters with stories adapted directly from the original comic books.
Disney came to own the rights to these two X-Men volumes with the purchase of Haim Saban’s Fox Family channel, now the ABC Family channel. Now you can add these two great DVD sets to your collection in a new The Disney Blog giveaway. Just enter your name and favorite X-men character in the comments below for a chance to win. Be sure to enter a valid email address so I can find you if you’re the winner. Winners will be drawn at Noon on April 28th.
The new Big Wave Edition DVD of Disney’s Lilo & Stitch captures an ocean’s wave of fun and adventure in one the most overlooked gems on the crowded beach of animated films. The two-disc set is Jam-packed with games and awesome bonus features that take viewers behind the scenes of the movie.
The wildly original story features an independent little girl named Lilo and her adopted alien “puppy,” the mischievous Stitch, a runaway genetic experiment from a faraway planet. After crash landing on Earth, Stitch wreaks havoc on the Hawaiian Islands, but he also learns about loyalty, friendship and ‘ohana, the Hawaiian tradition of family.
The two-disc set includes pretty much all of the supplements from the previous release, and adds a few new ones. Disc 1 includes materials from the original release, including the excellent Director’s Commentary.
The most exciting new material is on the second disc. A two-hour making-of documentary covers every single aspects of the film’s creation. There are candid interviews that will please every animation fan. Plus there are new deleted and alternate scenes, including the original ending.
Leave it to Wall Street to dull the buzz on “UP”, the next movie from Pixar. So far the screenings have had critics abuzz with the quality entertainment Pixar is providing. The Cannes Film Festival has even gone so far as to make it the… Read More »Pixar Finds Toy Retailers, Wall Street down on “Up”
There are all sorts of reasons to own the latest animated film from Disney. You could be a complete-ist and need it just to round out your DVD library, you could be a fan of those lost-animal-finds-its-way-home stories, or you could be fan of John Travolta or Miley Cyrus. All valid reasons that this film is sure to please. But the number one reason to buy BOLT is heart.
All the films main characters show great heart as they grow over the course of the movie. The animation team showed great heart with behind the scenes challenges to overcome. And the Disney studios showed great heart thinking it would compete against the vampire teen idols of Twilight.
Alas, that last one was just wishful thinking. So while you may not have seen BOLT in the movie theater, all that means is you’ll be pleasantly suprised by what you have when you get it home.
You have two choices on what to bring home, either the deluxe 2-Disc DVD or the 3-Disc Blu-Ray High Def format. If you’re on the border, get the Blu-ray as it comes with a standard DVD disc so you’ll be able to watch it now even if that Blu-Ray hasn’t yet appeared under the Christmas Tree.
Ther are also a few fantastic Blu-ray only bonus features, including ‘Bolt’s Be-Awesome Mission’ an exclusive interactive game; an inspiring ‘Bolt Art Gallery’ which highlights the film’s breathtaking art and showcases the animation technique, and the film comes alive with the exciting Blu-ray only ‘BD-Live’ which allows viewers to enjoy ‘Movie Chat,’ ‘Movie Mail,’ ‘Movie Challenge’ and ‘Disney Movie Rewards.’ Both the Blu-ray and DVD releases of BOLT, include an exciting all-new short film, “Super Rhino” as BOLT’s breakout star Rhino, the hyperactive hamster, gets a chance to headline his very own hilarious adventure!
Bolt (voiced by John Travolta) is the star of the biggest show in Hollywood. The only problem is, he thinks the whole thing is real. When the super dog is accidentally shipped to New York City and separated from Penny (voiced by Miley Cyrus), his beloved co-star and owner, Bolt springs into action to find his way home. Together with his hilarious new sidekicks Rhino (voiced by Mark Walton) – Bolt’s #1 Fan – and a street-smart cat named Mittens (voiced by Susie Essman), Bolt sets off on an amazing journey where he discovers he doesn’t need super powers to be a hero.
Nominated for two Golden Globe Awards for Best Animated Feature Film and Best Original Song (“I Thought I Lost You’), BOLT features the voices of Academy Award® nominee John Travolta (nominated for Best Actor in a Leading Role for Pulp Fiction, 1994 and Saturday Night Fever, 1977) as Bolt, the wonder dog and Miley Cyrus (“Hannah Montana”) as Penny, his “person.” The stellar voice cast also includes Susie Essman (“Curb Your Enthusiasm”), Mark Walton, Malcolm McDowell (“Heroes”) and James Lipton (“Inside the Actor’s Studio”). BOLT was also produced by Pixar co-founder and CGI pioneer John Lasseter (director of Toy Story, A Bug’s Life and Cars).
