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A Slice of Life
by Francine Brokaw
APRIL 2008 DVD Selections
27 Dresses
Jane Nichols (Katherine Heigl) is a great friend. She has so many friends that she has been a bridesmaid in 27 weddings. She loves weddings and dearly wants to recreate her parents’ wedding when she gets married. The thing is, Jane is in love with her boss George (Edward Burns) who falls in love with Jane’s sister Tess (Malin Akerman), a selfish, girl who pretends to be everything George wants and in reality is just the opposite. Then a reporter (James Marsden) is sent to cover the events leading up to Tess and George’s wedding. He is stunned by Jane’s collection of bridesmaid dresses and decides to write a covert article about Jane – always the bridesmaid and never the bride. It’s a cut film and love does win out in the end. The DVD contains a look at the sets, the making of the film, and the 27 “ugly” dresses. Yes, the woman who designed the wardrobe was given the task of finding the 27 ugliest dresses she could and making them even uglier!
Alvin and the Chipmunks
This adorable film is a combination live action and CGI. The three furry little chipmunks are hysterical. Jason Lee plays Dave Seville, and the film puts all the pieces into place as to how they all ended up together with the trio singing and Dave managing their careers.
As they become a family, Alvin (the self-proclaimed "awesome-ist" one, Simon (the smart one), Theodore (the sweetest one), and Dave learn about fame and most important of all, love.
Simon is the thinker of the group, Alvin is the angelic little devil, and Theodore is the sensitive one. And through the film Dave, who really doesn't know how to be a family man or care for anyone, comes to love the chipmunks.
The DVD contains some wonderful bonus features. There is a featurette about the history of the chipmunks and how this movie incorporated much of the original ideas and objects from Ross Bagdasarian who invented the chipmunks decades ago. And there is also a look at the music in the movie. The filmmakers wanted to update the trio’s songs to appeal to modern audiences as well as fans of the old series and albums. They are new, hip chipmunks, and they’re so much fun. Old and young will enjoy this movie. This is a delight for everyone!
Classic Caballero Collection
This DVD contains two movies – Saludos Amigos and The Three Caballeros as well as some fun and interesting bonuses. In the first one, a team of Disney employees travel south of the border to learn about the people and places. Along the way, they discover how their animations can work into the Latin scene. Places, people, and animals are interesting to the Disney artists and animators who manage to find some pretty funny characters to include in their films. The origin of Joe Carioca (the spicy little bird) is shown as well as some of the fun Latin dances which ultimately were included in the sequel, The Three Caballeros. This film takes Donald Duck on a fantasy tour of some colorful places south of the border. It’s the sequel to the first film, and filled with some fun antics with Donald. Both live action and animation make up both films, and a bonus feature travels along with Walt Disney and his crew as they originally discover the sights, sounds, and people in South and Central America. There is also part of an interview with Disney who discusses the trip and how the fact-finding was the beginning of these films. Frank Sinatra sang about “South of the Border, Down Mexico Way.” Well, these films take viewers even further south – to the southern part of South America!
Harlequin Collection Volume 3
Three films combine to make this an entertaining selection for any lonely afternoon, or free time away from the kids. The films are definitely not what you could consider Oscar caliber, however they do take you away to some fun stories. A Change of Place is about two twins who trade places (yes, this has been done before). Kim is an art student working on her Doctorate, and Kate is a fashion model in Paris going by the name Dominique. When Kate visits Kim in the states, she decides to go into rehab for her alcohol addiction, however that would mean the end of her career. So Kim decides to take her place in Paris – well, it’s only for a few weeks, right? But what Kim discovers is that her sister was involved with some unsavory people and also, being a model is hard work. She also falls in love, but is he in love with her or with what her sister represents? It all works out in the end. It’s not brain surgery, but it’s is an hour and a half of pleasant entertainment! The Waiting Game is an intriguing story involving best friends who get caught up in more than they bargained for with their first art show. And Diamond Girl has two brothers wooing the same girl. Okay, these are not award winning films, but take it from me, they are entertaining and filled with emotion.
Classic Musicals from the Dream Factory – Volume 3
Remember when celebrities had to have talent? This incredible boxed set includes nine classic musicals from MGM during its musical heyday. This was the time of the studio system when studios looked after their stars and promoted them to their best ability. Hit the Deck (with Tony Martin, Jane Powell, Debbie Reynolds, Ann Miller), Deep in My Heart (with Jane Powell, Gene Kelly, Cyd Charisse, Jose Ferrer), Kismet (With Howard Keel), Born to Dance (with Eleanor Powell), Lady Be Good (With Eleanor Powell), Broadway Melody of 1936 and Broadway Melody of 1938 (both with Eleanor Powell), Two Weeks with Love (with Jane Powell) and Nancy Goes to Rio (with Jane Powell) are all entertaining films and filled with music of the time.
Not only are the films included, there are many extra features, including cartoons, vintage shorts, deleted and alternate musical numbers. There is also a wonderful and informative interview with Jane Powell, who describes her time in Hollywood. This alone is worth the price of the set, for those who have enjoyed watching this actress/singer in her films. Powell talks about her beginnings in Portland, Oregon, and moving to California. She explains how they changed her name to Jane Powell because her birth name was too long for a marquee. And she talks about her costars like Elizabeth Taylor, Roddy McDowell, Peter Lawford, Carmen Miranda and others. This is an intimate look at some of MGM’s stable of talent.
Granted, by today’s standards, some of the films are slow and simplistic, but they are each entertaining in their own way. Of course, viewers might not like all of them, but with nine different films there are some fun movies in this set. After watching them you will definitely think, “They don’t make movies like that anymore.” And you’ll be right. Musicals were popular in the past, however they are beginning to make a come back. And these nine films are the foundation on which musicals are based. They are charming, witty, and lyrical.
Shirley Temple Collection – Volume 6
This newest volume in the Shirley Temple Collection includes some great films. Stowaway, Wee Willie Winkie, and Young People highlight the young actress and viewers can understand how she took the country by storm during some dark years. Shirley Temple is bubbly, no matter what happens. Even when she is crying, she is a bundle of sweetness and delight. Stowaway has the young girl as an orphan (yet again) who is living in China. When she finds herself abandoned by her caretaker, she meets Tommy Randall (Robert Young) who instantly takes a liking to the girl. Through a series of incidents, the two meet again and become quite close. This is a film for all ages. It’s really entertaining, even though it is in black and white and was produced in 1936. Wee Willie Winkie is based on Rudyard Kipling’s story and has young Shirley mesmerizing the soldiers in a British military base in India and bringing peace between the local warlord and the army. This girl has the effervescence of an Alka Seltzer tablet. She’s bright and chipper, even in the toughest circumstances. These films are the perfect antidote to a rainy day.
The Good Night
Jake Paltrow wrote and directed this romantic fantasy about a man who is in a struggle within himself. Gary (Martin Freeman) is also in need of a good night’s sleep. His relationship with his girlfriend Dora (Gwyneth Paltrow) is rapidly going down hill and he is unfulfilled in his work. Having experienced fame as a rock star years earlier, Gary thinks of himself as a musical artist. He doesn’t feel appreciated at home or at work. His only escape is in his dreams where he meets Anna (Penelope Cruz) who is his fantasy woman. Since Gary isn’t happy with his life, he wants to be able to experience his happiness within his dreams. But his waking life is so troublesome that his dreams are not as fulfilling as he would like. He resorts to soundproofing his bedroom and blacking out the windows. He seeks help from a man named Mel (Danny DeVito) who teaches a class in lucid dreaming so he can help control his dream fantasy. But when it comes down to it, what Gary really needs is to find satisfaction in his waking life, with real people.
The Water Horse
During World War II, a young, withdrawn Scottish boy, Angus (Alex Etel) finds something special near the water. He brings it back to his house and discovers it is an egg, but not any kind of egg he has ever seen before. This egg hatches a strange creature that Angus names Crusoe. Crusoe is an inquisitive little guy, but soon he isn't so little. Angus discovers that Crusoe has to be kept in water, so he hides him in a bathtub. Crusoe gives the boy something to look forward to every day. As Crusoe grows, he outgrows the bathtub and finally must be moved to the lake. Letting go is not easy for Angus, but he knows what is best and vows to come visit his friend.
The next time Angus sees Crusoe he's gigantic and Crusoe takes him on a magical adventure and for the first time in a long time, Angus is not afraid of the water. Thanks to Crusoe he is a fun-loving boy once again. And thanks to Crusoe Loch Ness will never be the same again either.
The Water Horse is a charming treat of mythical proportions. The DVD contains a second disc filled with bonus features. There are many deleted scenes, a look at the myths and legends surrounding the Loch Ness monster, a featurette on the story of Crusoe, and a featurette on the characters and actors in the film. There is also a bonus about filming the movie. Much of the filming was done in New Zealand and the crew had to take a boat to the location as there were no areas to set up all the tents and trailers at the site. And a feature describes how Crusoe was designed. The final bonus treats viewers to the actual way Crusoe was digitized, modeled, and the way Alex used specially made props to simulate the creature before the final digitalization was made putting everything together. These bonus features are interesting and provide a good look at the making of the film and the special effects used to make everything as realistic as possible.
There Will Be Blood
This 2-disc edition includes some wonderful bonus features which are even better than the film. The story of the beginning of the oil industry in California is brought to the screen and won Daniel Day-Lewis an Academy Award for the starring role. He plays Daniel Plainview who, along with his young son, look for oil under California at the turn of the century. He has to face the local preacher and the congregation who are fanatical in their beliefs. Daniel is a man who lives for oil. He puts it above everything else, including his son. When the young boy is injured in an explosion Daniel is more concerned about fixing the well than the health of his son.
The bonus disc includes a 1923 black and white film about petroleum, showing how it is drilled and how it is turned into various products. There are also some deleted scenes and a great feature showing actual pictures from the era and how they correspond to the film. It’s astounding to see Wilshire Boulevard in Los Angeles as a vast land devoid of asphalt, buildings, cars and crowds!
What Love Is
Cuba Gooding, Jr., Anne Heche, and Gina Gershon are part of this cast of characters who come together one Valentine’s Day night and discover what love is, or at least discuss their views on the subject. This all takes place in the space of a few hours, basically in one room. It begins when Tom (Gooding) comes home and discovers his girlfriend has left him. Then his buddies arrive and the men banter back and forth about their relationships. Later, some of their female friends arrive and they have their own discussion. Then the two groups talk together about love, relationships, and sex. The language is definitely R rated. The dialogue is extremely fast-paced. I had to turn on the subtitles so I wouldn’t miss anything, it’s that fast. Some of the statements are hysterical, but on the whole this is a story dealing with the perceptions of men and women about women and men. The bonus features include a “making of” featurette with the cast and crew and describing how the set was built with swinging walls and a lot of ingenuity.
TV on DVD
      
Wings, season 6 - This is a comedy revolving around the tiny airport in Nantucket. This season Joe Hackett and Helen Chappel finally get together and the season ends with their wedding. There is one more season after this.
Becker, season 1 – This comedy stars Ted Danson as a cynical doctor who is more like grumpy than happy. His office workers must put up with a lot, and he has to put up with one of them being a brainless twit.
The Wild, Wild West, season 4 - This series includes great gadgets and focuses on two agents who travel around fighting the bad men. It’s part science fiction and part old style western, and all entertaining.
Laverne and Shirley, season 4 – Join Laverne and Shirley, two best friends who work as bottlecappers in a brewery and who dream of finding true love and getting out of Milwaukee. This series was a hit through all its seven years. Today we’re still singing the lyrics from the title song, “Schlameel, Schlamazel, Hassenpepper Incorporated.” Penny Marshall and Shirley Williams were a great team as the title characters.
Melrose Place, season 4 – This nighttime soap starred Heather Locklear as a scheming head of an ad agency and owner of the apartment building where most of the characters reside. These young people had secrets and interesting lives, and all come to the surface in tiny Melrose Place in Los Angeles.
Matlock, season 1 – Andy Griffith stars in this show about a Georgia criminal defense lawyer who charges $100,000 to take a case. He is kind of a crotchety man however a wonderful attorney.
Perry Mason – 50th Anniversary Edition – Attorney Perry Mason (Raymond Burr) and his assistant Della Street (Barbara Hale) team up to set things right. Mason is a defense attorney who uses his cunning skills to bring out facts that are hidden, and bring the truth to the courtroom.
© 2008 Francine Brokaw
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