DVD Reviews

Star Wars: The Clone Wars
While watching iStar Wars: The Clone Warsi, I pitied todays youth. Its not that this film is entirely terrible. But if this is what todays youth is growing up withone lightsaber battle too manythen how could they ever possibly find interest in the far superior original trilogy of Episodes 4, 5, and 6

Get Smart
Its still a bumbling slapstick driving most of the comedy, but this Max isnt quite so far toward complete idiot. Hes just unfortunately uncoordinated, and Carell manages to infuse a bit of depth and a lot more heart into the character than was ever the point of the original. iGet Smarti makes a great decision in trying to shift the focus away from Maxs gags as much as possible.

Sukiyaki Western Django
Most of the film is too slow and too much about setting up the violence to be enjoyable as anything other than a B-movie. It seems that Miike was attempting to make a spaghetti western from the materials of Japanese harajuku girls. It is a fun endeavor, but it feels like kitsch the whole way through.

Die Another Day [Blu-ray]
In an odd move they didnt use Brosnans first Bond picture, like they did with Connery and Moore. Instead we leap to Brosnans last adventure, IDie Another DayI. Its an odd choice to include, since it was probably one of the worst received of the actors stint as the spy, but in retrospect its not as bad a movie as we remember it.

For Your Eyes Only [Blu-ray]
Much like the Connery movies before, one has to wonder what criteria was used for selecting the Roger Moore movies to appear in the first wave of Blu-ray movies. IFor Your Eyes Onlyi feels like a rather random selection, with far more memorable and enjoyable adventures bypassed to bump a pretty mundane picture to the top of the list.

Live and Let Die [Blu-ray]
The first wave of Blu-ray Bond movies leaves behind Sean Connery and moves into the Roger Moore era with his first film, ILive and Let Diei. For his first trick as 007, Moore avoids a lot of globe trotting and exotic locales and heads for a place no Bond has gone before: blaxploitation.

Thunderball [Blu-ray]
Blu-ray may have been made for Bond, but well have to wait before we get some of his best adventures. The first wave of releases offers fans three Connery movies out of the six movies, but leaps over IGoldfingeri to include IThunderballi, one of the weaker films in the franchise.

From Russia With Love [Blu-ray]
It didnt take long for James Bond to take off, and a year after his first adventure, IDr. Noi, the super spy was traipsing around the globe, off to rescue a beautiful woman and, less importantly, a secret decoder device from the hands of the enemy. Hey, if you were Bond, which would you make a higher priority?

Walt Disney Treasures: The Mickey Mouse Club Presents - Annette
The dialogue is beyond cornball in most cases and thats not in comparison to just current television, but also when compared to ILeave it to BeaverI or II Love LucyI. The idealized 1950s will be fun for those wrapped up in nostalgia for a time that never really existed, but I would turn them towards other sitcoms and dramas from that era before recommending this.

Dr. No [Blu-ray]
Every franchise has to start somewhere. For James Bond, that beginning came with IDr. Noi. Looking at the movie forty six years and twenty two movies later, its pretty evident that the movie may have been a good starting place for Bond back then, but his first adventure doesnt exactly hold up.

Walt Disney Treasures: The Chronological Donald - Volume Four
The Donald shorts are not particularly different, other than their main character, from the Mickey Mouse shorts from the same period. However, Donald is, to some degree, able to embody the less positive traits that Mickey, as the hero of the Disney company, couldnt be shown having. This less than perfect personality was probably the main reason for Donalds huge popularity during the 1950s when these shorts were made.

Hellboy II: The Golden Army (3-Disc Special Edition)
Writerdirector Guillermo del Toro hasnt let all the funny get in the way of the freaky creatures, though. This movie is loaded with them. Del Toro relies on a nice blend of costumes and stunts and limited computer effects, giving the mythic world a more grounded feel.

Kung Fu Panda: Secrets of the Furious Five
Each of the warriors had something they had to overcome, or some lesson to learn on their way to becoming a master. Of course, taking that into consideration, youd think theyd be more understanding of the Panda when he was first getting his kung fu chops, but I dont think were supposed to think about that.

Kung Fu Panda
Po is the perfect character for Jack Black, building on the fanboy fanaticism and bravado hes shown in the past with his Tenacious D character or ISchool of Rocki. Ian McShane continues to be one of the best villains on film these days, even with just his voice. Dustin Hoffman is probably the most unlikely kung fu master ever in the real world, but he makes Master Shifu come alive.

Kit Kittredge: An American Girl [Blu-ray]
The script, by IThe Lion, the Witch, and the WardrobeI writer Ann Peacock, seems heavily influenced by the series of Kit books written by Valerie Tripp. The movie is somewhat episodic, with Part I covering Kits writing aspirations, Part II involving the Hobos life and the learning of important lessons which is required in these movies