DVD/Video Reviews Archives - Page 15 of 22

Tron: Legacy

MPAA Rated – PG
It’s 2:05 Long
A Blu-ray Review by:
– The Dude on the Right

Tron: Legacy Movie Stats & Links
Starring:	Jeff Bridges, Garrett Hedlund, Olivia Wilde
MPAA Rated:	PG
Released By:	Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment
Release Date:	April 5, 2011
Kiddie Movie:	It’s a tad violent, so not too young.
Date Movie:	Especially if she’s a little geeky.
Gratuitous Sex:	Skimpy outfits, mostly.
Gratuitous Violence:	It’s Disney and PG, so nothing horrible.
Action:	Lots of chasing and running.
Laughs:	Some snickers.
Memorable Scene:	The Game Grid is cool.
Memorable Quote:	Nothing stands out.
Directed By:	Joseph Kosinski
Cool things about the Blu-ray?	The “making of” stuff is nicely detailed so you don’t get the feeling it was just thrown together, but for shear interactive Tron-ness grab your iPad or laptop and use the Second Screen feature.

I barely remember the original “Tron.” Sure, I played the game on my Intellivision, but in my movie world, if my life depended on remembering any of the story, well, it’s a good thing that “Tron: Legacy” has a 5-Disc, 2-Movie combo pack that includes not just “Tron: Legacy” on Blu-ray, but the original “Tron” on Blu-ray as well, a Digital copy of “Tron: Legacy” for portability, a basic DVD of the new one and, if that weren’t enough, if you’ve popped for that new Blu-ray 3D TV and have been looking for an entertaining movie to watch on it, well, this set has one of those as well! Yup, there is no excuse for you to not be assimilated into all things “Tron,” but so that this review isn’t too long, let’s pick up where the first movie left off…

In “Tron: Legacy” we find that it’s been a number of years since Kevin Flynn (Jeff Bridges) disappeared from his son, Sam’s (Garrett Hedlund), life. Sam has always been a rebellious son, even though technically in charge of ENCOM, his father’s company. As it goes, after ruining a software release for ENCOM and posting bail, his father’s old confidante tracks down Sam and lets him know that he received a page, from Dad. So Sam is on a quest to the old arcade, finds a trap door, gets sucked into the computer game Dad was sucked into, and when he realizes things aren’t well on the Grid (that’s the computer world), he also realizes he can save his Dad.

So, with the help of Quorra, a resident of The Grid, Sam is able to survive a bit, and eventually Sam, Kevin, and Quorra realize that Clu, who is now the “Ruler” of The Grid, is trying to build an army to enter our real world, take it over, and make it better.

Sure, it sounds a little confusing on paper, but even for me, who couldn’t remember a lick of most of the original, “Tron: Legacy” did a nice job of moving along and bringing you into the story. There are some scenes that, if you aren’t watching it in 3D, will say “Come on, already!”, but in terms of entertainment in your living room, I liked “Tron: Legacy” and think you won’t even have to be a geek to like it.

Visually the movie is pretty stunning and part of me would love to run out and buy a 3D TV but damn, I still hate those glasses, even though I’m guessing it looks even better in 3D! Acting-wise things are what they are, but you get some fun action and just some popcorn fun. It’s 3 ½ stars out of 5 for “Tron: Legacy.”

Now in terms of the Blu-ray package and the various extras, gosh, where to start? Well, in terms of normal stuff you get some pretty good looks at how things are made and that, even though technology has made the movie look a hell of lot better than the original, the challenges are still many to bring a movie about a fictional “game” universe to the big screen. Some stuff is throw-away, I suppose, unless you are a Daft Punk fan and really want to watch the video of “Derezzed,” but in terms of shear movie interaction, Disney has included their “Second Screen” extra, which allows you to use your iPad or laptop to follow along with movie, synching the extra coolness, views, and tidbits for you on your device while you watch the movie. It’s pretty cool, and a lot more fun than things just popping up on the TV screen.

So, in the end, I’ve got to say that in terms of movie-packaging, Disney did a great job with “Tron: Legacy,” especially if you opt for the 5-disc package.

That’s it for this one! I’m The Dude on the Right!! L8R!!!

Tangled

MPAA Rated – PG
It’s 1:40 Long
A Review by:
– The Dude on the Right

Tangled Movie Stats & Links
Starring:	The voices of: Mandy Moore & Zachary Levi
MPAA Rated:	PG
Released By:	Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment
Release Date:	March 29, 2011
Kiddie Movie:	Not too young, but definite girls.
Date Movie:	Mom and Dad can watch it nicely with the kids.
Gratuitous Sex:	There is some love, but it’s Disney-safe.
Gratuitous Violence:	Cartoon.
Action:	Some chasing and scenes of peril.
Laughs:	Nothing gut-busting, but cute enough.
Memorable Scene:	Nothing was super-special.
Memorable Quote:	Nothing really.
Cool things about the Blu-ray?	Other than the picture looking cool, and the DVD copy for on-the-go, it’s pretty much a movie for the movie. The “making of” segment might be cute for the kids, but the other extras seem to be thrown on there for the sake of having extras.

As I was watching “Tangled,” it occurred to me that maybe, just maybe, Disney is starting to shift the vision of a Princess to the modern times, and I’m thinking it’s a smart thing. I will explain this a little more at the end of this review, but let’s get to the story first.

“Tangled” tells a tale loosely based on the “Rapunzel” story from the Brothers Grimm. Gone is the family that gives their baby to Dame Gothel and in its place is a Princess with magic hair, being kidnapped by Mother Gothel. It seems Mother Gothel, years ago, found a plant that, when she sang to it, would keep her young, but now that the power was transferred to Rapunzel through the Queen drinking flower broth and giving birth to Rapunzel, it seems the magic power is now in Rapunzel’s hair.

Okay, so Mom Gothel kidnaps Rapunzel (voiced by Mandy Moore) and keeps her in a tower for her selfish self, but Rapunzel is getting older, wanting to explore the world, and Mom keeps her at bay by convincing her the world is a bad place. Enter a dude who is far from a Prince, namely Flynn (voiced by Zachary Levi), who finds Rapunzel while on the run after stealing the Princess’ tiara from the castle. And so, yup, adventure ensues as Rapunzel convinces Flynn to take her out of the tower and to the town to see the flying lights, Flynn obliges so that she’ll give him the tiara back, and wouldn’t you know it, our happy couple falls in love.

It’s a nice story, you pretty much know how things will end up, after all it is a Disney movie, but what is great about “Tangled” is that it is smartly written, and rather than just being a princessy Princess, Rapunzel has spunk, yet at times is still just a girl at heart, and the movie does a fantastic job of showing this. Sure, she wants to be pretty, but Rapunzel’s not afraid to get her feet wet or wield a wicked frying pan.

Probably okay for younger boys (they’ll like the Flynn and horse characters), and the girls will relate and love Rapunzel, so I say it’s nice to see Disney taking what could have just been a generic Princess character and turn her into a girl that today’s youngins can relate to.

With that it’s 4 stars out of 5 for “Tangled.” I enjoyed it, it’s a movie I think most can enjoy, and if Disney can keep with this trend of movie I think it might have a future in keeping the Princess motif, but making her a 2010 kind of girl.

As far as the Blu-ray and DVD, I almost hate to say it but you’re pretty much getting this version for the movie, with a smattering of extras. The deleted scenes were pretty much better off cut, sure, you could probably sing along to the extended songs, and the alternate openings were better as alternates. The “Untangled: The Making of a Fairy Tale” is nice enough, probably better for the kids with the banter of Zachary and Mandy, but for me, loving the technical aspects of making films like this, the funniest part was the scene with the women trying to decide the best looking characature for Flynn.

Get the Blu-ray because it looks good, and just enjoy the movie as a smart movie that moves the concept of the Princess nicely into the 2010’s.

That’s it for this one! I’m The Dude on the Right!! L8R!!!

127 Hours

MPAA Rated – R
It’s 1:34 Long
A Blu-ray Review by:
– The Dude on the Right

127 Hours Movie Stats & Links
Starring:	James Franco
MPAA Rated:	R
Released By:	Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment
Release Date:	March 1, 2011
Kiddie Movie:	It’s really adult. Put them to bed.
Date Movie:	You can both snuggle and get through the arm cutting scene together.
Gratuitous Sex:	Nah, but promiscuity.
Gratuitous Violence:	Just him cutting off his arm.
Action:	Nope.
Laughs:	Nah.
Memorable Scene:	I got weepy at the ending even though I knew he was going to be rescued.
Memorable Quote:	Nothing really.
Directed By:	Danny Boyle
Cool things about the Blu-ray?	The deleted scenes and alternate ending are forgetable and tedious, but to get an idea of what was going on while Aron was trapped, watch the “Search & Rescue” feature.

If you’re like me, sometimes you like your “alone” time. What if that “alone” time stretched out a little longer, say, 5ish days? Sure, that might be nice if the version was “Alone at a resort where a cute dudette (or dude as might be your case) was serving drinks.” But what if that “alone” time also included limited food and water? “Great, I need a cleanse!” Nope, sorry, not that kind of limited food and water, we’re talking a thermos of water, and that’s pretty much it for the 5ish days, and hey, why not toss in your arm being trapped between a giant boulder and rock wall? Doesn’t sound like that much fun anymore, does it? Well, “127 Hours” gives us the story of Aron Ralston, a dude who, if you remember the story, had that happen to him, and instead of being “easily” rescued, well, it pretty much came down to cutting off his forearm or dying. He’s alive and well, less one forearm and hand.

Now you might also be saying something like “Why in God’s green earth would I want to watch a movie about some dude trapped in the mountains, where he has to cut off his arm? And is it really graphic when he cuts off his arm, or do we just know it happens? Tell me dude!” Well, I’m telling you that “127 Hours” is a great film – of a story of part stupidity, part inspiration, and part of it might have you reflect a bit on your life and the things you might wish you could do, regret things you did, or maybe inspire you, if you had 5 days with just yourself and a small bottle of water to process your mortality.

Look, the movie’s pretty deep, but there is some fun at the beginning where Aron (in the movie played fabulously by James Franco) sets out on his journey and runs into a couple of girls on the hiking trails, so don’t be too freaked out by the subject matter and yes, although not the most pleasant of scenes, I think most people can get through the point where Aron has to cut off his arm, albeit you might have to watch between your fingers because your hands are covering your eyes. James Franco does great, the reflective, and sometimes losing his mind scenes are very well done, and damn, this movie looks beautiful, even if a lot of it takes place in a crevice.

As a movie it’s 4 1/2 stars out of 5 for “127 Hours.” But what about the Blu-ray? Well, I’ll tell you.

It’s got deleted scenes and an alternate ending. Personally I suggest skipping them, and I’m glad they went with the theatrical ending because the alternate one just dragged on and on and would have killed my getting weepy, even though I knew the dude was going to be rescued, because my thoughts would have shifted to “I get it, already.” There’s also a commentary track with the Director, which is normal fare, but I found fascinating the little feature called “Search & Rescue,” sort of a little documentary about that actual things that were going on to get Aron rescued. There is, also, a very detailed look at the making of the movie (damn, that crevice looks real even though it was fake for the movie), which was nice, but I’m still sticking with the “Search and Rescue” as the must-see extra on the Blu-ray.

So yes, even if the subject matter sounds weird, bland, or lousy, I’m telling you that it’s not the case. Put the movie on your widescreen, turn the volume a little, and get weepy at the end even though you know the dude is getting rescued and will be alright.

That’s it for this one! I’m The Dude on the Right!! L8R!!!

Bambi

MPAA Rated – G
It’s 1:10 Long
A Review by:
– The Dude on the Right

Bambi Blu-ray Diamond Edition Movie Stats & Links
Starring:	Bambi, Thumper, Flower, and all of Bambi’s friends.
MPAA Rated:	G
Released By:	Walt Disney Studios
Release Date:	March 1, 2011
Kiddie Movie:	It’s for the youngin’s.
Date Movie:	If you’re watching it as a family, or she’s a Disney fanatic.
Gratuitous Sex:	Um, no.
Gratuitous Violence:	There is some peril, but nothing gratuitous.
Action:	Some chasing and running around.
Laughs:	Cute for the kids.
Memorable Scene:	Nothing stood out.
Memorable Quote:	Nah.
Cool things about the Blu-ray:	There is some basic stuff, some deleted scene stuff, and some games for the kids, but for total coolness bust out your iPad or computer and sync things up using the Second Screen feature. It will take “Bambi” from a dated 1940’s animated movie into the 2010’s.

I don’t remember ever seeing “Bambi” when I was a youngin’. I don’t think it’s because I had bad parents, because I vaguely remember seeing Pinocchio, but I think it was more because when I was growing up, before the time of video, Disney would stagger re-releases into the theater, and I was 8 years old by the time it came out again in 1975. With that, it was with some anticipation as I plopped myself on the couch to watch “Bambi,” and yes, this movie probably isn’t geared for me, and yes, it wasn’t even exciting for my wife, but I can see its place in movie history, and as a parent, you’re going to have to be the one to judge because, as kids seem to get older quicker, I’m thinking “Bambi” is almost skewing itself to the 3 to 4 year olds, although, with the interactive Disney Second Screen feature, your 5 year old with their iPad might enjoy learning a whole boat-load of stuff about Disney animation.

I guess I’ll start with the story before I get to what might be the most feature-packed Blu-ray I’ve ever seen.

The story is simple: It’s the story of a young deer, Bambi, and the intrusion of man on nature. The movie opens with introductory scenes of the animal “friends” Bambi will have growing up, and then, there’s Bambi, a newborn, with his mom. At first Bambi is an unsure little deer, hanging with his friends, but then as winter comes to pass, and the friends in the forest grow up, wouldn’t you know it but love enters the picture, too. In the meantime man is intruding more and more on the forest and momma deer has to warn Bambi of the dangers out there, and in deer nation, the elder statesman is there to help the group.

And so, yup, there is peril as momma deer takes a bullet, man sets the forest on fire, and Bambi learns he is much more than just a timid little deer – that he might be destined for greatness.

The thing is, as entertaining as this story sort of sounds, in this day and age of multitasking and mind-overload, I found the movie a tad boring, even through the music movements, although I know, from being little once, that there was a time in movie-land that things like an orchestra building to a crescendo can create excitement, but I don’t think it works so well today, at least it didn’t here, or at least for me.

And this is where the Disney folks are seeing that interactivity might be the way to go with the youngin’s of today because, as a movie, I’m thinking the kids might be bored with a straight sitting of “Bambi,” but with a computer to play along with, even I almost got trapped into watching the movie a couple of times.

First off, the Blu-ray Diamond Edition includes some nice little extras like a missing scene, some extra music, and looks kick-butt between the Blu-ray and a decent widescreen TV, but the package add-ons don’t stop there. Nope, for just Blu-ray goodness, there is a fantastic “Inside Walt’s Story Meeting” feature that, rather than just a boring commentary track, shifts things around with video, taking you through the entire process of how a movie like Bambi goes from concept to the final story. There is also some game-play for the kids, though from my experience the Blu-ray games never play as well as the computer version, but they are there for you to play with your kids.

The winner though, for this Blu-ray package, is the Disney Second Screen feature. Now I did have a little bit of an issue syncing it with my laptop, but I’m guessing if you have an iPad it is probably pretty easy to do. Pretty much, what happens, is as the movie plays on your TV, on your computer or iPad, there is an interactiveness that plays along exactly with the movie. You get extra art-work, tile games, bonus information about the scene, and loads of things that, for the kids of the 2010’s, will probably get them through a lovely orchestral maneuver and into the next scene. It was really kind of fascinating, and for the older movies like a Bambi, will probably be the wave of the future to keep them fresh.

So, as a movie I have to say that I didn’t cry, I almost found “Bambi” kind of boring when I was just watching it solo, but when I was playing around with the extra features on the Blu-ray, especially the “Story Meeting” and Second Screen, I was getting sucked right back into it. With that, when I just saw the movie I was almost hesitant to write a review because it was starting to be a simple “I give ‘Bambi’ 2 stars,” even if it is still unbelievable to me the animation detail of a movie from back in the 1940’s, as my wife pointed out the scenes with reflections in the water, but with the extra features, wow, it’s 4 ½ stars out of 5 for the “Bambi” Diamond Edition. I almost dismissed the extras as basic extras, but I’m glad I played around with them because they brought a little more magic to a movie that well, seems a little dated.

That’s it for this one! I’m The Dude on the Right!! L8R!!!

You Again

MPAA Rated – PG
It’s 1:45 Long A Blu-ray Review by:
– The Dude on the Right

You Again Movie Stats & Links
Starring:	Kristen Bell, Jamie Lee Curtis, Sigourney Weaver, Odette Yustman, Betty White
MPAA Rated:	PG
Released By:	Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment
Release Date:	February 8, 2011
Kiddie Movie:	Okay for slightly older girls.
Date Movie:	If it’s mom watching with her daughter, sure.
Gratuitous Sex:	Betty White is old and horny.
Gratuitous Violence:	Slapstick.
Action:	Nah.
Laughs:	Slapstick.
Memorable Scene:	Nothing.
Memorable Quote:	None.
Directed By:	Andy Fickman

As I was thinking more and more about the movie “You Again,” which is really more thought than I should be giving it in my mind, other than the initial viewing and writing my review, I kept trying to figure out who the target audience would be. I mean, it had girls bickering, which is sometimes fun, although the movie is only rated PG, and in afterthought it’s mostly harmless slapstick. But, the bickering is between twenty-something women, and sure, also older ,mom-something women, which makes me wonder if the pre-teen and younger teen crowd would enjoy it, which I think is sort of the target market because older teen girls and, well, everyone else might just be bored. Then I thought maybe the market is a woman like my sister, where, well, she’s a market all to herself. Then I wondered if there was a way to make the movie more enjoyable. Then I wondered how Betty White got involved. Then I stopped wondering and told myself to just give the synopsis for the movie, my final rating, and be done with it.

So here goes.

“You Again” gives you Kristen Bell. She plays Marnie, a twenty-something girl who was the pimple-faced, braces-wearing girl that would get picked on in high school. Low and behold she has turned into a lovely girl, working her way up the public relations corporate ladder. Of course, in high school, there was her nemesis, Joanna (Odette Yustman), and she also had the good-looking jock, older brother, who happens to be marrying Joanna, and Marnie is horrified. So, as Marnie is re-living her high school horrors, she isn’t buying the “New” Joanna, the sweet, caring, and humanitarian one that her brother is marrying, so she is hell-bent on exposing Joanna for the high school bully she was.

Meanwhile, there’s mom, Gail (Jamie Lee Curtis), who is trying to instill the “Let bygones be bygones” attitude in her daughter, up until the point that Ramona (Sigourney Weaver) comes into the picture as Joanna’s aunt, because, well, Joanna’s parents are both dead. And, oh yes, there’s Betty White as Grandma Bunny, in a movie that decides a horn-dog grandma is the best way to use her.

And so, hilarity is supposed to ensue as Marnie plots her ways to split up her brother and Joanna, as Marnie still has the hots for her brother’s friend, and Gail and Ramona ramp up their rivalry to the obligatory “pool fight” scene, where, of course, they make up.

Look, the movie is pretty harmless, and although not a movie that would be my cup of tea, I still try to enjoy a movie for whom they are aimed at, and this movie just can’t seem to figure it out. There’s the goofiness that might appeal to the younger girls, but there a subtle mean-ness that if done in a little more adult manner could get some older teen girls liking it. So, I suppose, if my niece were about 12, and my sister wanted something to watch with her, I’d say it was fine, but it’s still not stretching any movie boundaries, the gags are generic, and in the end I’m going to give “You Again” 2 stars out of 5.

Now, as far as the Blu-ray and extras, they are pretty much throw-away extras that don’t help the movie and don’t give extra laughs. The “Blooper Dance Party” doesn’t really have any funny bloopers, the deleted scenes were better left that way, and about the only thing that did make me grin was the “Funny or Die” spoof interview.

I guess I just wanted more from the likes of the experience of the cast, but it just didn’t make it.

That’s it for this one! I’m The Dude on the Right!! L8R!!!

Chicago Blizzard Watch 2011, New TV Shows, New DVDs, New Movies, and Upcoming New iPads.

By: The Dude on the Right

Download and Listen

With the mother-of-all snowstorms bearing down, Stu Gotz and I are on "Chicago Blizzard Watch 2011" for this episode of the "Weekend Wrap-Up!" podcast, not that it might help you much, but at least Stu lets you know that if you have kids, "Open Season 3" might help them survive.

During this episode we talk a lot about the weather because, well, we live in the Chicago area, that and Mama Gotz might be trapped out of town, but we also do talk movies, congratulating Natalie Portman on her SAG award and wondering if it will mean an OSCAR for her, my previewing the release of "You Again" on DVD and Blu-ray on February 8th, Stu’s recommendation of "Open Season 3" as I mentioned earlier, and neither of us are too excited about "Sanctum" nor "The Roommate" opening this weekend. We also talk a bit about TV, with both of complaining about our non-TiVo DVR’s, Stu giving "Fairly Legal" one more episode, my really like "American Idol" and almost looking forward to "Mr. Sunshine," and both of us wondering who actually watched the Pro Bowl over the weekend.

I’m looking for the iPad 2, Stu is amazed at how thing the new iPod touches are, I’m wishing my BFF a speedy recovery from her cold, and for the utter enjoyment of it all, both of us sort of wish Carol Mosley Braun could somehow win the mayor’s race in Chicago, granted it would probably drive the city into a disaster zone but the soundbite vault could grow exponentially.

Thanks for listening!

That’s it for this podcast! I’m The Dude on the Right!! L8R!!!

Confessions of a Shopaholic

MPAA Rated – PG
It’s 1:45 Long
A Review by:
– The Dude on the Right

Confessions of a Shopaholic Movie Stats & Links
Starring:	Isla Fisher, Krysten Ritter, Joan Cusack, John Goodman, John Lithgow, Kristin Scott Thomas, Fred Armisen, Leslie Bibb, Lynn Redgrave
MPAA Rated:	PG
Released By:	Touchstone Home Entertainment
Release Date:	2009
Kiddie Movie:	Good for tween girls.
Date Movie:	My BFF didn’t care for it that much.
Gratuitous Sex:	Nah.
Gratuitous Violence:	Nah.
Action:	Nah.
Laughs:	Some cute moments.
Memorable Scene:	Nothing stands out.
Memorable Quote:	Nah.
Directed By:	PJ Hogan
Cool Things About the Blu-ray:	There are some “nothing special” leftovers in the blooper and deleted scene areas. Other than that, the Blu-ray specials mostly are devoted to the fashion stuff with a look at Patricia Field and the green scarf.

I do my best to be objective when watching movies that really aren’t meant for me, so instead of watching “Confessions of a Shopaholic” by myself, I snuggled with my BFF on the couch to get a woman’s opinion while watching the DVD, especially since she likes shopping. I guess to start this review the easiest thing to say is the movie wasn’t really meant for her, either. Let’s get to the story…

Isla Fisher is Becky Bloomwood. She likes to shop. Now I don’t just mean she goes “La, la, la. That looks nice, I think I’ll buy it!”, nope, I’m talking obsessive, must get the best, must get the first, must use up every ounce of credit card I have to the point I can’t pay the bills but still want to shop, shop. Becky, by chance, is also a writer, and she would really like to write for a fashion magazine, but instead she finds herself writing about finance, brought on by her love, and need for possession, of this green scarf.

So now Becky has money troubles because of her addiction to shopping, she is constantly being hounded by a collection dude, she isn’t really writing for the magazine she wants to but loves the attention, and wouldn’t you know it, she also falls in love with her boss at the finance magazine place. Ah, life is so complicated!

Alas, “Confessions of a Shopaholic” is a romantic comedy, so you know what that means? Yup, romance and comedy, only for this movie most of it is on the PG level, hence the PG rating, so really, in my adult realm, I found the movie mostly in the cute category, nothing to write home about, and really nothing to snuggle for with my BFF as we watched it, and we both kind of agreed that this movie is probably better suited for the teen girl crowd, who likes to look at fashion, wishes she could buy it, and would find Hugh Dancy, Becky’s boss, dreamy.

Look, I know I’m not the target audience anyway, but the movie sticks a little too much to the cutesy script, which I guess is okay for the tween girls, but as adorable and as funny as Isla Fisher can be, the movie just fell flat for both me and my BFF most of the time. As such, I can’t give it more than 2 stars out of 5, but for your tween girl who dreams about high fashion, she might find it fun.

As far as the Blu-ray DVD, I wish I could say the extras were another reason to get the Blu-ray, but unless you are a total fashion obsessed person, or what some music videos there isn’t a reason for the Blu-ray other than the picture. I mean, you get a little insight into the fashion sense of Patricia Field, some analysis of the green scarf that plays a big role in the movie, and some music videos, but even the standard DVD extras, the bloopers and deleted scenes, just seem to be thrown in for good measure.

Get it for your teenage daughter who likes fashion and impress on her the fact that yes, you can spend too much money on clothes, otherwise, the movie leaves a lot to be desired.

That’s it for this one! I’m The Dude on the Right!! L8R!!!

City of Ember

MPAA Rated – PG
It’s 2:03 Long
A Review by:
– The Dude on the Right

City of Ember Movie Stats & Links
Starring:	Harry Treadaway, Tim Robbins, Bill Murray, Saoirse Ronan
MPAA Rated:	PG
Released By:	20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
Release Date:	2008
Kiddie Movie:	It’s probably better for them, at least the little bit older ones.
Date Movie:	My BFF woke up and hated it. Umm, I’ll state this as iffy.
Gratuitous Sex:	None.
Gratuitous Violence:	A giant rat/anemone eats people.
Action:	Nah.
Laughs:	Nah.
Memorable Scene:	At the end, wouldn’t Ember be further underground?
Memorable Quote:	None.
Directed By:	Gil Kenan

The DVD I had, and from what I’ve read, doesn’t really have anything extra, so unless you love the story, this isn’t a DVD to buy.

I watched “City of Ember” with my BFF, and after it was over, well, we both kind of agreed on the rating of the film. 2 1/2ish stars out of 5. Then my BFF woke up the next morning and all hell broke loose in her final analysis. I suppose we’ll just start with the story.
“City of Ember” is based on a book by Jeanne Duprau, and I’m guessing the book explains things maybe just a little better because the movie left a lot to be answered. In any case, the movie starts explaining that for reasons unknown to us viewers, Earth is in disarray, and to save humanity, the brightest minds got together and built an underground city called Ember. The bright minds of the day figured that 200 years would be enough for the Earth to heal itself, and to signify this time, well, they made a box, with a timer, that in 200 years would open to let the current Mayor of Ember figure out how to get the citizens of Ember back to the surface of Earth. Little did “The Builders” know that government corruption, stupidity, and the lack of learning and science might be a detriment 200 years later.

You see, sometime before the 200 year mark, the box with the instructions on how to get out of Ember disappeared, but the problem is that the city was only designed to last for 200 years, and now that Ember has passed their bicentennial, well, things are going bad. For starters, the generator that provides power for the city is giving out, and no one really knows how to fix it. And to top that off, the food storage areas are nearly depleted, although most of the residents don’t realize that starving will be the name of the day soon. Enter Mayor Cole (Bill Murray). He’s a bloated government blow-hard, only looking out for himself. And also enter Doon (Harry Treadaway), who thinks he can fix the generator. And lastly enter Lina (Saoirse Ronan), who is the link to the old box. Mayor Cole doesn’t give a damn about the citizens, but Doon and Lina are friends, and when Lina comes across the box to save them, both her and Doon piece together the puzzle that The Builders left them, and through perils of a giant rat that has somehow mated with a sea anemone, and the fact that Mayor Cole just wants his food, Doon and Lina realize that the only hope for the people of Ember is to find a way out of Ember, and somehow they have the key.

And, yup, Doon and Lina eventually figure out the key to get out of Ember, and somehow a rock they throw down a hole finds its way to Doon’s dad, and Ember is saved, or at least so we think.

Okay. Look, “City of Ember” is a nice movie, and I really wanted to like it more, but for the most part there were too many topics unanswered, which sadly is probably because you can’t always take a novel and turn it into a movie. The story just kind of drags on and on until we get to the eventual ending, which, even so, is kind of, well, unanswered. I mean, we don’t know why Earth is in utter turmoil, so much so that scientists have exiled a group of people to a “perfect” city; We don’t know why the secret box ended up in the home of the yarn lady; We don’t know why mutant animals are in and around Ember; And thanks to my BFF, we don’t know how water can flow up-hill.

Part of me did like the movie, the adventure the kids eventually took was entertaining, but through it all even with the nice acting of Harry Treadaway, Saoirse Rona, Bill Murray, and Tim Robbins (as Loris Harrow – Doon’s dad), the movie just didn’t grip me like I thought the potential was there.

And, oh yea, the morning after watching the movie, my BFF began her over-analysis, which actually held up in my scientific mind. First off, as Doon and Lina were in their little canoe, escaping the city, flowing way downhill in the river and water, well, the staircase they had to climb was way too short for the depth that the city was supposedly in. Also, there was no explanation for the rat/anemone monster. And also, also, sure, maybe it was fate, but what the hell are the odds that a rock thrown from the Earth’s surface, down a dirt hole, would find itself in the hands of Loris? And, oh yea, yea, what kind of moron can’t figure out the kids are hiding behind the wall? My BFF woke up the next morning and decided her 2 ½ star rating was way too generous, that the movie had too many holes and was utterly preposterous. Now she decided the movie only deserved ½ star , or maybe 1 star, tops.

The worst part, as an engineer, I had to agree with her about the river/water thing, because as much as Ember is underground, a walking path to the Earth’s surface, complete with mutant monsters and peril, would have made a lot more sense than water being able to flow, supposedly, uphill.

I will admit that I have rambled, and “City of Ember” is a movie you can actually watch with your kids, if they are around 8 to 12, but in the end the movie had so much more potential and probably blew its load as a series of films by trying to fit too much in one episode, and after waking up the next morning, and listening to the analysis of my BFF, I have to only give “City of Ember” 1 ½ star out of 5. The potential was there, the acting was mostly there, but the thing that was missing was anything dealing with logic.

That’s it for this one! I’m The Dude on the Right!! L8R!!!

Secretariat

MPAA Rated – PG
It’s 2:03 Long
A Review by:
– The Dude on the Right

Secretariat Movie Stats & Links
Starring:	Diane Lane, John Malkovich
MPAA Rated:	PG
Released By:	Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment
Kiddie Movie:	Not too young, it’s kind of drama-driven with cool horse scenes.
Date Movie:	It’s a nice story for both of you.
Gratuitous Sex:	Nope.
Gratuitous Violence:	Nope.
Action:	The horse racing scenes are fantastic, even if you do already know the outcome.
Laughs:	John Malkovich is a hoot.
Memorable Scene:	Penny getting all “horse whisperer” with Secretariat.
Memorable Quote:	Nothing totally stands out.
Directed By:	Randall Wallace
Cool Things about the Blu-ray?:	I actually liked one of the deleted scenes for a change, the interview with Penny Chenery makes you just want to stop by and have tea with her, and the technical stuff was cool. You also get the audio commentary and a detailed look at Secretariat the horse, not the movie.

I remember when “Secretariat” was coming to the theaters. I saw the trailer and in my head simply said, “Didn’t I already see this story before, with ‘Seabiscuit?’” I mean, that was a movie about a horse, how different could this be?

Boy, was I wrong.

Whereas “Seabiscuit” was a movie about a horse that also had Tobey Maguire in it, “Secretariat” is a movie about a strong women, Penny Chenery, that also has a horse in it, and had I known that, I might have actually gone to see the movie in the theater, because really, all I thought from the commercials was that I was going to see a movie about a horse, and that’s too bad. Luckily I caught the Blu-ray because yup, “Secretariat” is just as good as “Seabiscuit,” just in a different way.

In a nutshell, the story of Secretariat is one about a woman, Penny Chenery, played in the movie by the stunning and super-talented Diane Lane. As the movie opens we learn of how Penny is being called to the family horse farm as her father has taken ill and things are in peril, namely they might lose the farm. Penny is married at the time, with a few kids and a loving husband, but this is the late 1960’s/early 1970’s, and women aren’t supposed to be the owners/managers of the horses, nope, they’re supposed to be there, supporting their man. But Penny is strong and sees her calling, and in this calling comes a horse, a racehorse with the potential to accomplish the rare feat, winning horse racing Triple Crown.

So, leaving her family behind, Penny works the horse farm, but she also needs some help if Secretariat is to become a champion, and she finds that help in the quirky horse trainer Lucien Laurin, played funningly by John Malkovich.

And so, as the movie goes, we know the outcome, that Secretariat will win, but in the course we see how Penny overcomes the challenges of being a women in a man’s sport, of being away from her children who are growing up in the peace and love movement, and in believing in herself, and Secretariat, so much, that she is willing to risk everything for the family legacy she believes in.

As a movie “Secretariat” is great. It looks beautiful, the horse racing scenes are phenomenal, Diane Lane, John Malkovich, and the rest of the cast is great, and the story is truly one of inspiration, especially for women. But, and I give this only as a word of subtle warning, for me “Secretariat” plays more like a drama than a fun-filled family movie so I’m worried if the little one will be able to stick with it. It is only rated PG, so it’s safe for them, but not having kids, I wasn’t able to test it.

So, it does look good, the story is great, and in the end, as a full-blown movie I’ve got to give “Secretariat” 4 stars, but as a drama there are some slow parts, some deep parts, which might not really be what you are expecting. But then again, I was expecting another “Seabiscuit” and got something different, so go ahead and get this one, and watch it on your big screen in all of its Blu-ray glory!

As far as extras, I have to say that “Secretariat” isn’t overloaded with tons of stuff you probably won’t watch, but there are a couple of things I liked. Yup, there’s the standard audio commentary by the Director, Randall Wallace, but as much as I liked the movie, I really didn’t want to spend another two hours for any director insight. Instead I did watch the Deleted Scenes, and actually thought the directors Alternate Opening was better than the movie opening, but then the rest of the deleted scenes were, like normal, better off deleted. I did like the “Choreographing the Races,” because, well, technical stuff always gets me some how, but the extra I really liked, almost surprisingly to me, was the “A Director’s Inspiration: A Conversation With The Real Penny Chenery.” It was fascinating hearing her take on the movie, how some things were slightly different, and how some parts of her life, or changes to some scenes, she actually wishes might have made the film. She just seems like a fun lady to hang out with, and it showed in the interview. And, if you want to learn more about Secretariat, the Heart of A Champion bonus will help you out.

All in all I liked “Secretariat” the movie, actually liked some of the bonus features, so in the Blu-ray world, I say go ahead and watch a great story about a strong woman. And, oh yea, there’s a horse mixed into the movie, too.

Packers or Steelers, Bears or Horses, Secretariats or Inceptions, Oprah or Secrets?

By: The Dude on the Right

Download and Listen

With the Chicago Bears losing the NFC Championship Game yesterday, I find myself torn as to if I should cheer on the Pittsburgh Steelers or Green Bay Packers in the Super Bowl, and during this episode of our “Weekend Wrap-Up!” podcast, I work out my issues with Stu Gotz. Both of us, with our wealth of football knowledge, give our analysis of the Bears loss and if Jay Cutler is to blame, but the other question now is who’s having the Super Bowl party, and which one am I going to?

It was also a weekend for movies with me watching “Secretariat,” which comes out on DVD and Blu-ray tomorrow, and generally liking the movie. I give Stu my quick breakdown, with my full review coming shortly, and on the other side of the coin, Stu saw “Alpha and Omega” and gives his reasons for not liking the movie. Stu also saw “Inception,” and he liked it, so we’ve got that going for us.

I hung out during the football game with The Dude on the Left and other friends, Stu dropped the kids off at a birthday party at a bowling alley on a second floor and that had us both reminiscing about the old Peterson Bowl in Chicago, I cleaned my balls, Stu has seen two movies nominated for a Razzie, and Oprah has a secret, well, at least she had a secret about a half-sister when we recorded the podcast but as of this typing the secret is out.

Thanks for listening!

That’s it for this podcast! I’m The Dude on the Right!! L8R!!!