Posts Tagged ‘DVD’

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DVD REVIEW – MONSTERS, INC.

by Tom on November 24th, 2009
7 votes, average: 7.14 out of 10
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DVD REVIEW – MONSTERS, INC.

In 2001, the proposition of Monsters, Inc. must have been a scary one for Disney / Pixar.

Coming fresh off the success of Toy Story 2, A Bug's Life and the original Toy Story (all directed by Pixar King John Lasseter)Pixar put an unproven director in the driver's seat for Monsters, Inc. - Pete Docter.

Of course, time would prove that Docter's madcap vision of a world inhabited by monsters who collect the screams of human children to power their communities proved to be a smash hit. But it's interesting to learn about the behind-the-scenes hand wringing that occurred at Pixar before the release of the film.

One of the bonus features of the movie is a film makers round table with Docter, co-director Lee Unkrich, producer Darla Anderson, and script supervisor Bob Peterson (who also lent his voice to the surly clerical worker Roz in the movie). In their round table, they discuss not only their uncertainty over the somewhat complex idea of a world powered by screams, but also the real-life intrusions that threatened the success of the film.

For example, I had completely forgotten how Monsters, Inc. had come out one short month after the terrible events of 9/11. An even that lead Pixar to wonder if they should push the film back. Ultimately, according to the feedback they received, the film became a refuge for families looking to steer themselves away from the unending and horrible coverage of that day. The insight that the round table provides certainly adds a layer of enjoyment to hard-core fans of the film.

Eight years after its theatrical release Monsters, Inc. holds up incredibly well and the Blu-ray transfer gives the film a candy-coated shot in the arm. Colors are richer, details are more pronounced. Even the hair on Sully's arms looks more refined. A more perfect version of the film I can't imagine unless you were sitting in Pixar's offices, watching it over the shoulder of one of the animators.

In terms of extras, the Blu-ray doesn't bring much that's new to the table. A short documentary about a Monsters, Inc. ride at Disneyland Toyko made me want to hop a flight to Japan immediately and an interactive game featuring over 100 doors intimidates more than it inspires gameplay.

Additional features include those already packaged on the Collector's Edition that was released in 2002. The animated shorts "Mike's New Car" and "For the Birds", storyboards, a database of monsters featured in the film, and multiple gag reels.

However, the Blu-ray package gives you a bevy of formats including a digital copy of the film as well as a DVD copy of the film, which are nice bonuses.

As a Pixar fan, I have no problem replacing all of my DVD copies with Blu-ray editions of the film. I believe they are the most authentic reproductions of the movies possible and a visual treat. However, it would have been nice to see a few more extras with the film and I probably wouldn't have minded waiting another 2 years for a 10th anniversary edition if it meant getting additional content.

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DON’T GET CARRIED AWAY

by Tom on November 9th, 2009
33 votes, average: 8.39 out of 10
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DON’T GET CARRIED AWAY

I don't know that I have anything specific to say about Monday's comic except that there is a genuine level of excitement for Pixar releases that is mutual between Cami and I in our household. We look forward to them every year - both in the theaters and on DVD. We were fortunate enough to get an extra helping of Pixar a couple of weeks ago when Toy Story was back in theaters. It was kind of like Christmas in July at our house.

Up comes out on DVD and Blu-ray tomorrow and I'm excited to talk about it. I have to hold back, however, because I'm reviewing a copy sent to me last week that will be posted to the site on Tuesday.

Without getting too specific, the Blu-ray looks phenomenal and the bonus material is very insightful. I always felt like co-writers/directors Pete Docter and Bob Peterson had built layers into Up - some that were obvious and some that were not. So it's very interesting to watch the behind-the-scenes documentaries and the character development that occurred.

There is an excellent alternate scene/animatic called "Married Life" that plays out in great conceptual detail an altogether different montage events in the marriage between Carl Fredricksen and his beloved wife Ellie. That montage delivers an emotional sucker punch in the finished movie and I am pleased to report that even the alternate montage still packs a wallop.

I think it's a testament to the storytelling going on her that allows you to become so invested in these characters early on, without a word of dialogue spoken. Even when the details are changed, it's still fantastic.

We might talk a little bit about Up on tonight's The Triple Feature - I don't know.

I know Joe saw both A Christmas Carol and The Box, so hopefully he has some insights on those two movies that he'd like to share. Otherwise, it's a bit of a crapshoot!

I hope you'll join us as we record the show live, tonight at 9:00 PM over at Talkshoe. Fell free to submit any questions or suggestions for topics of discussion to group@thetriplefeature.com. You can also communicate with us through our Facebook page.

See you later!

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DVD REVIEW – ADVENTURELAND

by Tom on August 27th, 2009
3 votes, average: 5.67 out of 10
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DVD REVIEW – ADVENTURELAND

AdventurelandI remember being bummed that I wasn't able to catch the coming-of-age comedy film Adventureland when it was in theaters last April, so it was a real treat to finally catch up with it when it was released on Blu-ray last Tuesday.

Writer / director Greg Mottola's semi-autobiographical tale about a recent college grad languishing away at the "worst job on Earth" at Adventureland Amusement Park in 1987 doesn't exactly benefit visually from the Blu-ray format. But the movie has an intentional, gritty feel - as if it's been filtered through someone's memory.

The movie does a good job setting itself within the time period without pushing too many "Hey, it's the 80's!" cultural touchstones. Yuppies and Madonna are mentioned here and there, but the protagonists in this movie are far, far away from the mainstream. For the most part, they're grossly over-educated, analytical and sarcastic shoe-gazing romantics with a Lou Reed obsession. I guess the comedy is supposed to come from the contrast of otherwise smart people doing what Martin Starr's supporting character called "the work of pathetic, lazy morons."

Adventureland, Kristen Stewart, Jesse EisenbergFalling somewhere between Shia LaBeouf and Michael Cera on the Geeky/Sensitive Leading Man Scale, Jesse Eisenberg plays James Brennan - a recent college grad whose plans to travel Europe with a friend are dashed when his Father loses his job. As things get worse for James's family and his future in grad school at Columbia University is threatened, he's forced to take a summer job. Overqualified for every job he applies for, James is forced to take a job at the local, run-down amusement park Adventureland.

The movie serves James a romantic interest in the form of Kristen Stewart's Em Lewin. I have to admit that I was prepared to hate Stewart going into the movie by virtue of her preening, posturing, sneering performance in Twilight. But in Adventureland, she's fascinating to watch. Em has a lot of problems at home and despite her cool and friendly exterior, she doesn't really want to be known by anyone. Her performance really made me reconsider my previous negative attitude toward her as an actress.

James's confidant at Adventureland is Joel, played by Martin Starr. A sarcastic and somewhat lonely intellectual who shows James the ropes at the park. Mottola gives Joel the pretentious habit of smoking a pipe, but makes him self-aware enough to know that it's obnoxious. "It's a revolting affection," he acknowledges. "But it relaxes me."

The rest of the cast is rounded out by Ryan Reynolds as the park's mechanic and Bill Hader and Kristen Wiig as the park's managers.

Reynolds finally does something very interesting with his innate charm and makes his character a little sleazy for once. Hader and Wiig aren't in the movie as much as the advertising for the film would have led you to believe. But they are used effectively throughout the movie to add comedic punch between scenes.

There really isn't anything in Adventureland that hasn't been done by a thousand other coming-of-age movies. But the film is very relaxed and sure about itself. More than anything, it seems to be about hanging out, getting high and letting relationships unfold. Watching it, I was actually reminded of Richard Linklater's Dazed and Confused - another period piece about hanging out, getting high and letting relationships unfold. The only difference here is that the jocks and popular kids have been completely replaced by the intellectuals and misfits.

Similar to Dazed and Confused, however, is the film's excellent soundtrack. David Bowie, Big Star, The Cure, Crowded House, The New York Dolls, The Jesus and Mary Chain, The Replacements, The Velvet Underground and, of course, Lou Reed wrap the film in a perfect period time capsule.

Inventively, in addition to skipping ahead to specific scenes, one of the menu features on the Blu-ray lets you skip to scenes using specific songs from the soundtrack. Falco's "Rock Me Amadeus" appears as a menu option no less than 4 times - a funny callback to a running joke throughout the film.

Additional bonus features include audio commentary with Greg Mottola and actor Jesse Eisenberg and the requisite deleted scenes. There's a 17-minute making-of documentary and a few interesting behind-the-scenes featurettes utilizing some of the supporting cast members. "Lisa P’s Guide To Style" instructs you on all the "latest" 80's fashion. "Welcome to Adventureland" gathers a couple of commercials promoting the park, the employee orientation kit and a peek at the official drug policy. "Frigo’s Ball Tap" instructs you on the proper technique and variety that is the art of tapping your friends in the balls.

Adventureland didn't set the world on fire at the box office last April, pulling in $16 million domestically during its theatrical run. That's a shame. The movie is confidently told and competently performed. It deserves a bigger audience and hopefully it will find it on DVD.

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TRANSFORMERS 2 – OCTOBER 20

by Tom on August 20th, 2009
Posted In: Blog
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Uh oh, guys. Look what's being released on October 20!

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

As much as I ragged on the theatrical release of Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, I'm actually kind of excited to see it on DVD. I think there's a better chance of me kind of understanding the action on a smaller screen. At least, that was my experience with the original Transformers. I hated it in the theater, but it's fun to watch at home. I just skip chapters to the scenes with all the robots. Takes about 15 minutes.

Here's a list of all the bonus features available on the two-disc special edition, plus features exclusive to the Blu-ray edition:

Disc 1:

  • Commentary by Michael Bay, Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman

Disc 2:

  • The Human Factor: Exacting Revenge of the Fallen—This multi-chapter documentary chronicles the entire creation of the film and includes interviews with the cast and crew:
    • Seeds of Vengeance - Development and Design—After the overwhelming success of 2007’s Transformers how do the filmmakers top themselves for the sequel?
    • Domestic Destruction – Production: United States—Michael Bay believes in going big: Big action and big explosions. Cast and crew are pushed to the limit as they traverse the U.S. from New Mexico to Pennsylvania.
    • Joint Operations – Production: Military—No other filmmaker in the world enjoys the kind of military access and cooperation Michael Bay has. Here we see just how efficient our armed forces are and the awe and respect shown by the cast.
    • Wonders of the World – Production: Middle East—You can’t really reproduce Egypt anywhere but Egypt so off we go to Giza and Luxor.
    • Start Making Sense - Editing—In order to turn over the massive amount of film as quickly as possible to VFX, four editors work tirelessly in a unique tag-team approach to shape the film.
    • Under the Gun – Visual Effects—Revenge of the Fallen features the most complicated VFX in film history. So complicated in fact that the filmmakers were unsure they would make the deadline. The DEVASTATOR VFX alone required 83% of ILM’s total render farm capacity.
    • Running the Gauntlet – Post-Production and Release—Working seven days a week, Michael Bay and company usher the film through sound design, Digital Intermediate color-timin and a globe-trotting whirlwind of premieres.
  • A Day with Bay: Tokyo—An intimate and fun all-access journey with Michael Bay as he travels to Tokyo, Japan tor the world premiere of the biggest film of the year.
  • 25 Years of TRANSFORMERS—Access an all-new featurette celebrating a monumental milestone for one of Hasbro’s most successful and popular franchises.
  • NEST: Transformer Data-Hub—Explore conceptual artwork created by the production for 12 of the most popular AUTOBOTS and DECEPTICONS from the film.
  • Deconstructing Visual Bayhem with Commentary by Pre-Vis Supervisor Steve Yamamoto—A series of multi-angle pre-visualization sequences allowing viewers to learn how some of the film’s most spectacular scenes were created with an introduction by Michael Bay.
  • Extended Scenes
  • Music Video: Linkin Park’s “New Divide”

BLU-RAY EXCLUSIVE:

  • The ALLSPARK Experiment—Viewers get their chance to unleash the power of the recently recovered ALLSPARK shard on Earth vehicles. Begin by selecting and customizing a vehicle with a selection of parts and accessories. Then apply the ALLSPARK to this creation and watch what happens. Applying the ALLSPARK to certain custom combinations enables four new robot characters with special powers. If viewers discover all four, they unlock a fifth vehicle, which reveals a top secret message about the future of the TRANSFORMERS movie franchise.
  • NEST: Transformer Data-Hub—A database of some of the TRANSFORMERS characters that appear in the new film, offering users access to each robot’s confidential file including:
    • Innovative 3D spin galleries of each robot
    • A timeline for each TRANSFORMERS character charting its origins, back story and design evolution from toys to animated series to comics and finally feature films
  • Giant Effing Movie—A very personal look at the making of the movie.
  • The Matrix of Marketing—An archive of the film’s promotional media including trailers, posters and television spots.

Despite my problems with the movie, I'm looking forward to the Blu-ray release. No matter what your opinion might be about the story, characterization or editing - the technical aspect of this film was a Herculian effort and I'm very interested in learning more about the behind-the-scenes details.

So mark your calendars for October 20!

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LOOKING FOR A GOOD PLACE TO START

by Tom on May 11th, 2009
Posted In: Blog
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Pretty much all weekend long I've been talking about Star Trek. So much so, that Cami feels she's missing out a little bit.

Over dinner I expressed that it was too bad that she never got into Star Trek: The Next Generation because it was a really good show.

Much to my surprise, she said, "I'd be open to watching some of those shows if we can rent them using Netflix."

I just about fell out of my chair.

So now I'm thinking that I have an incredible opportunity to expose my wife to a cultural touchstone, but I'm not sure where to start.

Logically, you would think "Start at the beginning." But here's the thing... as much as I love The Next Generation, I don't think the first three seasons are very good. My rule of thumb is, if Ryker doesn't have a beard, it's a bad episode. If Tasha Yar is in it, it's a bad episode. If Worf doesn't have his ponytail, bad episode. If Wesley Crusher is in it... Well, you get the idea.

I have it in my head to start Cami out on Season 4, but I'm worried she might miss out on some important character development. Admittedly, it's been years since I've sat down to watch a complete episode. I would catch them from time to time on Spike or G4, but I was never patient enough to sit through the whole thing. Renting the past seasons on DVD would be a way for me to get caught up as well.

So I guess the question is this: For someone who has never watched Star Trek before - let alone The Next Generation - where is a good place to start? Would you suggest starting from the beginning, or do you think there are better episodes to be found in later seasons?

Leave your comments below!

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DVD REVIEW – WALL-E

by Tom on November 18th, 2008
1 votes, average: 10.00 out of 10
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DVD REVIEW – WALL-E

I am remiss to admit that I did not feature a review for Pixar's 9th wonderful feature film Wall·E when it came to theaters in June of this year. Not only do I find it one of the company's most heartwarming pictures but I also consider it to be one of the best films of the year.

Fortunately, we have the DVD release to reflect on and take the time to fully absorb the brilliance that is Wall·E.

For the uninitiated, Wall·E is a small, boxy robot left on Earth to clean up the mess left behind by humanity as they have shuttled themselves off-world on the dime of the global corporation Buy N Large. Our Wall·E is one of many, but the only one left still functioning. Day in and day out he performs the tasks he was programed to do - scoop trash into his tiny frame, compact it into cubes and stack them into spirling skyscrapers. He does his work efficiently, with no complaints... and totally alone.

Centuries in isolation have caused Wall·E to develop a personality. Like a beachcomber, he collects odd trinkets in an attempt to understand the history of a society that has long since abandoned him. He collects spoons and forks, hubcaps and adoringly watches an old videotape of Hello, Dolly - longingly looking for companionship.

Companionship comes in the form of a sleek and elegant probe droid named EVE, sent to Earth to search for signs of plant life. What follows is an adventure that takes Wall·E off Earth and reconnecting with the remnants of humanity living on-board a luxury star cruiser before leading them home.

The commentary track from director Andrew Stanton reveals a lot. While he admit that the movie hits on themes of environmentalism, consumerism and some of the more slothful tendencies of humans coddled by technology, he never set out to make a "message" movie. Stanton identifies himself as the type of person who likes to keep his politics to himself and was not interested in preaching to the audience. The themes established in the film developed out of the "reverse engineering" of the film's core concept - a robot left on Earth all by himself and what would that feel like?

Stanton's commentary reveals a lot about Pixar's film making process. They establish a simple premise and start asking questions.

"Okay, he's a robot alone on Earth? What is he doing there? He's cleaning up. He's a janitor. Why? Because that seems like a lonely job to do. Why is he alone? Because humanity left Earth. Why? Rampant consumerism ruined the planet. Oh, so he's cleaning up what they left behind? Yeah! Are there other robots helping him? There were, but the broke down. So then he must have been working for a very long time? Let's say 700 years. But he doesn't spend the entire movie by himself? How do we introduce conflict? A probe robot visits Earth. What's it doing? Looking for plant life. Why? Because then humanity can come back to Earth."

And so on and so on. I reveals a simple extrapolation process in the writing and gives you the impression that the film's "message" was a lot less deliberate and serious than some people took it.

In addition to the movie, the three disc special edition contains bountiful extras well worth your time. Most stunning is a deleted scene introduced by Stanton that was pulled from the film in the 11th hour. It's the trash compactor scene right before the third act where, instead of Wall·E being damaged, it's EVE who is nearly beyond repair. As Stanton explains, the scene was in the movie all the way up until test screenings. Meaning it had cleared the years of script revisions, storyboards, animatics and made it's way to full render. This NEVER happens in animated movies, much less computer animated movies that require hundreds of hours of rendering time. It wasn't until the test screening that Stanton realized his mistake and completely reconfigured the last act of the film. For the rarity of this alone, the scene is fascinating.

The extras also include an hour and a half long documentary called The Pixar Story, which reveals the history and inner workings of the company, excellent featurettes on sound design, visual design, set design, character development and score and - as advertised - a hilarious new short called Burn·E featuring the trials and tribulations of a service robot trapped outside the hull of the ship as seen in the movie.

I strongly believe that Wall·E is a film we'll still be talking about 50 years from now. Not just from it's timely message (accidental or not), but for the risks taken by Stanton and Pixar to deliver an emotional and engaging story that makes you care about robots in a way you never thought possible. It's economical and engaging story will be something families and film buffs will be returning to year after year.

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DVD REVIEW – THE FOOT FIST WAY

by Tom on October 14th, 2008
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DVD REVIEW – THE FOOT FIST WAY

In the red-band trailer for The Foot Fist Way (caution: NSFW), we are told that the film was slipped to comedian Will Ferrell and writer/director Adam McKay and that they loved it so much, they wanted to share it with the rest of us. It's easy to see why. Danny McBride as the sloe-eyed, drawling Tae Kwon Do instructor Fred Simmons falls perfectly in line with the string of over-confident, vulgar and ultimately clueless jocks Ferrell has played over the years in movies like Talladega Nights, Blades of Glory and Semi-Pro. Clearly they have found a kindred spirit in McBride.

I took Ferrell and McKay's recommendation of this film at face value. I assumed if they are quoting it constantly (as the trailer says) that I would enjoy it immensely, considering the amount of time I waste quoting their movies.

That said, there isn't much to The Foot Fist Way that I thought was overwhelmingly hilarious. A funny turn of the phrase here or there, but nothing so wickedly funny that I could see myself repeating over and over again. Frankly, I found McBride funnier and more effective in the movies he's had small roles in this year - both Pineapple Express and Tropic Thunder.

Nathan Lee of The New York Times called The Foot Fist Way "The best thing of its kind since Napoleon Dynamite." That's not an accurate assessment. I'm thinking that Mr. Lee remembered the "Rex Kwan Do" scenes with Diedrich Bader and went for an easy comparison.

The Foot Fist Way is shot more in the mock-umentary style and does a fair job of depicting the fabricated rigors of Tae Kwon Do from the perspective of those that take the sport seriously. As a student of the practice for three years (brown belt, second degree, bitches!), a lot of it rang true. Bowing to the flag, bowing to the senior student, the flailing arms of uncoordinated children and the woefully mis-matched sparring exercises. But the movie is never weird for the sake of it like Napoleon Dynamite is.

Instead, the movie plays more like a calling card for McBride because it showcases him almost entirely. The supporting cast is 100% amatuer hour, leaving very little for McBride to work with beyond someone staring at him in disbelief over the "outrageous" things he says. The problem is, McBride as Simmons isn't so much outrageous as he is deluded.

Sporting an unfortunate crew cut, mustache and a pair of jean shorts, McBride infuses Simmons with the kind of misplaced confidence normally reserved for cops who used to be jocks and who now flex their authority over others. Simmons berates children, constantly exposes the weakness or lack of self-confidence in others and is generally creepy and unpleasant to be around. You don't feel particularly bad for him when his wife cheats on him or when his action-star hero Chuck "The Truck" Wallace turns out to be a jerk.

Of course Simmons finds redemption in the third act, but he doesn't exactly become a better person. All he manages to do is reclaim the power and control that has been slowly stripped away from him during the course of the movie. For a character whose self-confidence is paramount, that's the most he can ask for.

Extras are plentiful on this DVD. It features a DVD commentary track from the actors and writers, more than two dozen deleted scenes, a couple of blown takes and an alternate ending that will shock you. A behind-the-scenes featurette plays more like an extended music video shot in grainy Super-8. But otherwise, the extras do not disappoint.

The Foot Fist Way was an accomplishment in the sense that it brought a new comedic voice to the fore with Danny McBride. So far, I think we've only seen a fraction of what he can do. But don't look to this movie as the be-all, end-all of quotable sports doofus comedies like it was advertised. Approach it with reasonable expectations and you'll find it a harmless diversion.

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REVIEW – ALLAH MADE ME FUNNY

by Tom on October 7th, 2008
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REVIEW – ALLAH MADE ME FUNNY

It's not often I'm asked to review independent movies. And I'm not talking about "Brad Pitt takes a pay cut to appear in a Coen Brothers" kind of indie movie. I mean an honest-to-goodness grass roots indie film.

So when I was asked to take a look at a screener for Allah Made Me Funny, I thought it was a cool opportunity.

Allah Made Me Funny is a concert movie starring three Muslim comedians - Mohammed Amer, Azhar Usman and Preacher Moss. Certainly after The Kings of Comedy, The Queens of Comedy, The Blue Collar Comedy Tour and even The Comedians of Comedy, gathering a group of comedians who share commonalities is not a new concept. But it's a welcome one that is poised to take advantage of the heightened awareness of Muslims in our culture.

As these comedians are quick to point out, it became difficult to look a certain way or practice certain believes after 9/11. Which is exactly why a movie like this needs to exist. It takes the representation of Muslims out of the hands of a quick-to-stereotype Hollywood and uses humor as a device that gets people to drop their guard and learn a little something about the Muslim experience.

"Hollywood depicts every Muslim man as what? 'A terrorist.' And every Muslim woman? 'Oppressed," says Usman. "Clearly these people have not spent any time in a Muslim household because they would recognize immediately that they have these roles reversed! Muslim women are terrorists! Muslim men are oppressed!"

So, wait a minute... You're telling me that Muslim men have difficulty with overbearing spouses? Hey, they're just like me!

Mission Accomplished.

Now, before I get too far ahead of myself, certainly the responsibility of educating people unfamiliar with the Muslim faith does not fall on the shoulders of three stand-up comedians. In many instances, there were references made that went completely over my head. But what the movie can do is get a conversation started.

For example, in another bit from Usman, he talks about the Muslim holiday Eid. "The most holy of holy days! It's kind of hard to ask for a day off from work when you don't know what that day is!"

As a white kid from the midwest, I have absolutely no idea why that's funny. I had to Google Eid just to put it into context. (Incidentally, Eid marks the end of Ramadan and I will give myself points for at least knowing what Ramadan is!)

To that end, how funny can a movie be if you have to Google the references to understand them? That's the tightrope these comedians have to walk, I suppose. But, ultimately, these comedians know that their job is to entertain and the fact that they are Muslim is almost more like wallpaper in the house of their overall persona.

Cut between segments, we get to see these performers at home and with their families. They talk about when they decided to become comedians and the obstacles they overcame. They show them during the writting process, fine-tuning their acts. The movie does a good job of representing these three men as more than avatars for the Muslim faith, but as conscientious professionals and people first.

Allah Made Me Funny is currently showing in select cities now through October 9. If you live in Atlanta, Berkely, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, Houston, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, New York or San Diego, I encourage you to check it out. If you'd like to learn more about the movie or the comedians, please visit http://www.allahmademefunny.com

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DVD REVIEW – THE LOVE GURU

by Tom on October 2nd, 2008
2 votes, average: 8.50 out of 10
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DVD REVIEW – THE LOVE GURU

When trailers and commercials for Mike Myers first on screen comedy outing in 5 years, critical reaction in our household was one of puzzlement. My wife and I are two of the biggest Mike Myers fans you'll find. But what's up with all of the gags lifted out of the three previous Austin Powers movie? And your tacitly making fun of Hinduism? Really? Is that wise? Our stink meters went off.

Turns out we were right. After calls for boycott from leading Hindu groups and a dismal total domestic gross of $32 million, The Love Guru turned out to be the greatest misstep of Mike Myers' career.

I didn't see the movie in theaters, but I reserved judgment completely until the film came out on DVD. Deep down I was hoping that there was at least something redeemable about the film. There's a few things to like about The Love Guru, but a lot more things to hate.

If you're unfamiliar with the plot, Myers plays an American stranded in an Indian orphanage after his parents are killed during missionary work (whatever) and seeks knowledge from Guru Tugginmypudha (played by Ben Kingsley - who apparently has lost the ability to say "no" to anything). Myers takes his spiritual guidance and transforms it into a multi-million dollar self-help empire. But he is dissatisfied because he is still number two compared to Deepak Chopra.

As the Guru Pitka, Myers is difficult to like. He speaks in platitudes hidden inside verbal riddles ("Intimacy: Or 'Into Me, I see." "What is the Bible except 'B.asic I.nstructions B.efore L.eaving E.arth?") Anyone who gets suckered into this kind of spiritual guidance needs all the self-help they can get.

Compounding the problem. Guru Pitka does not demonstrate any of the behaviors of a supposed Holy Man. When opportunity knocks in the form of Jessica Alba (as the owner of the Toronto Maple Leafs) seeking the Guru's guidance to reunite their star player with his estranged wife, the Guru is not motivated by helping the player. He is motivated by the $2 million he's being paid and the opportunity to appear on Oprah should he be successful.

Of course there is a third act revelation where the Guru learns the errors of his ways, amends the shortcuts he took toward bringing the couple back together and frees himself from feeling inferior to Deepak Chopra, but it all comes too late. Who wants to spend time with this selfish ass for two hours?

That's another thing: SEVERAL times in this movie other characters refer to Pitka disparagingly - calling him an ass or a moron - and it's hard not to disagree. In addition to his spiritual blather, Myers infuses the Guru with an arsenal of playground antics and taunts meant to "regress" uptight squares but are really only effective for bridging the gap with the audience who hazily remember "Oh, yeah. I remember 'Milk, milk, lemonade - around the corner fudge is made'."

What makes matters worse is that the only one laughing at any of Pitka's jokes is Pitka himself. Hooting and sniggering like an exiled villain from the 1960's Batman TV show, Pitka's childlike glee isn't endearing. It's annoying.

For as grating as the character is, Myers at least plays him enthusiastically. I think Myers still has value as a comedic voice. His problem in this case was convincing himself that audiences would align themselves with his clear preoccupation for Eastern spirituality. But, hey... when you can make a movie about a slacker filming a local access cable show in his basement and a time-displaced Lothario super spy from the '60s and have them be huge hits, why wouldn't you think anything was possible?

As far as the rest of the cast goes, they perform amiably. That is, at least as well as they would have in any other comedy of this nature. Justin Timberlake shows up as a French Canadian goalie and the main antagonist. I'm guessing someone told him to approach the role like Pepe Le Pew, because that's what he sounds like.

Verne Troyer is on hand as a foul-mouthed coach and actually gets to spit lines this time. Beyond that, it's a cavalcade of cameos from the likes of Jessica Simpson, The Daily Show's John Oliver, Val Kimer, Mariska Hargitay, Stephen Colbert and Jim Gaffigan.

Personally, I think it's a shame that Romany Malco as hockey superstar Darren Roanoke can't find better material to plug into. I've enjoyed him in nearly every movie he's been in and The Love Guru was poised to break him into a wider audience. This is, if the movie were able to draw an audience.

In terms of extra features, the DVD doesn't skim. But most of them are forgettable. It wasn't particularly interesting to sit through "One Hellava Elephant," which spends too much time with the effects supervisor responsible for creating the one-quarter top reproduction of the elephant Mike Myers rides in the film. Nor was it particularly interesting to watch "Hockey Training For Actors," which details the process in which Malco and Timberlake prepared for their scenes on the ice. The blooper reel is a fair diversion and the deleted scenes and outtakes (while uneven in quality) are sometimes funnier than what was left in!

The best featurette on the DVD is "Back In The Booth With Trent and Jay." Trent and Jay being the color commentators for the hockey game sequences as played by Jim Gaffigan and Stephen Colbert. The featurette collects their improvisations. Colbert owns the booth with his performance as the drug addicted and relapsing Jay Kell, but Gaffigan gives it right back as the straight man delivering several sharp lines of his own. Would it be too much to ask for a movie starring these two?

Overall The Love Guru lives up to it's unfortunate reputation. I take no joy in stating that, but it is what it is. Hardcore Mike Myers fans might find a few things to enjoy here. But the rest of us might be better off snuggling up with a copy of Wayne's World until this all blows over.

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DVD REVIEW – IRON MAN

by Tom on September 30th, 2008
3 votes, average: 8.00 out of 10
1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars6 Stars7 Stars8 Stars9 Stars10 Stars
DVD REVIEW – IRON MAN

As any regular reader of the site knows, I'm very much "in the tank" as far as Iron Man is concerned. My affinity for the character and his history have fascinated me most of my life. When the movie came roaring out of the gate at the start of the blockbuster season in May, it was (to my relief) a solidly executed, fantastically detailed, humorous and exciting exploration into the birth of Iron Man and his inventor Tony Stark.

My opinion of the film has not changed since I reviewed the theatrical release in May. If anything, my opinion of it has only grown stronger. True, The Dark Knight may have bested Iron Man in box office, fan and critical approval - but was it fun? Could you sit down and watch the grim and gritty tale of Gotham's protector over and over again or would it be too exhausting. For my money, Iron Man was the movie of 2008.

To that end, what can be said about the release of Iron Man on DVD? Plenty, as it turns out.

If you're thinking about buying the standard wide screen edition of the film (and if you were planning on buying the full-screen edition, you can leave right now), shell out the extra bucks and get the ultimate 2-disc edition. When they call it "ultimate," they're not kidding. There are nearly 4 hours of extras on this bad boy and hardly any of them disappoint.

There are your boilerplate deleted or expanded scenes, and, for the most part, you can see why they were cut. There are more than a few extended scenes that take place at Andrews Air Force Base that don't add much to the narrative. You kind of get the feeling that they were just appreciative to the Department of Defense for giving them access and they wanted to capture as much as possible before they were kicked off the base.

There are other scenes that were filmed that put a different spin on things. For example, a scene where Tony organizes a party in Dubai to put him closer to the insurgents who captured him when he flies in with the Mark III suit and destroys their weapons depot. Returning from his encounter with the two jets, badly damaged from battle, Pepper discovers Tony in the armor helmet off and enjoying a scotch while the other party-goers sleep it off. Not as funny as the "Admit it - this isn't the worst thing you've caught me doing" line from the original movie, and it's easy to see why these scenes were cut.

On the second disc, there is an an exhaustive 7-part documentary called "I Am Iron Man" the reveals the making-of process with more detail than I can seem to recall from a full-scale Hollywood action movie. They show nearly everything from concept to competition. They show a great deal of the pre-production work, the concept art, story pitch sessions with the Marvel editorial brain trust, the body casting sessions for star Robert Downey Jr., the effects development, sound development, putting the suit on, taking the suit off... everything. Some might find this amount of depth grueling. I loved every minute of it. I never been this happy watching DVD extras in my life. Admittedly, it's a lot to process in one sitting. I had to step away from it and come back at a few different points. But for anyone who is interested in the movie-making process even in a general sense, this documentary will be of value to them.

Fun fact: Director Jon Favreau lost over 70-pounds during production on the film to play the part of Happy Hogan. Most telling, he talked about adjustments that needed to be made to his wardrobe as well as his wigs! He basically admits he was a fat head at the start of production.

But I digress.

Additional features on the disc include a second 6-part documentary called "History of the Hero" which chronicles the evolution of the character in the comic books over the last 45 years. It not only does a good job of bringing viewers unfamiliar with the comics up to speed, but it puts some of the larger story points of the movie into context as well as set the stage for areas of the character's history that are sure to be covered in subsequent movie sequels.

The featurette "Wired: The Visual Effects of Iron Man" does an excellent job of highlighting the artists behind Iron Man's near-seamless digital effects work. There's even an extended portion of the piece dedicated to the development of Tony Stark's inside-the-helmet view or HUD - Head's Up Display.

The filmmakers had a considerable challenge showcasing Robert Downey Jr. in the armor when his face and expressions can't be seen. The development of the HUD was a brilliant solution. Not only did it bring you inside the armor, but it lent emotional weight to all of the armor sequences by allowing us to feel what Tony feels, his exhilaration, his fear, his struggle. The amount of detail that went into the tactical display of information inside the HUD will astound you. Most of those scenes only show up for a fraction of a second in the movie. But every piece of information you see has a purpose and it is a great example of the love and attention to detail all of the crew members put in on this film.

The producers aren't without a sense of humor, though. They also included The Onion's parody news clip "Wildly Popular Iron Man Trailer to be Adapted into Full Length Film," which was a welcome surprise.

There are still more extras to be found on the disc, including Robert Downey Jr's screen test, a scene breakdown between Downey Jr. and Jeff Bridges and still galleries containing over 175 photos. But going into it at this point would be overkill.

Obviously I'm recommending this DVD as highly as I can. There are a few different bonus editions of the film floating around depending on where you shop. Wal-Mart, Target and Best Buy all have collector's editions of the ultimate 2-disc set with bonuses including the pilot to the upcoming animated Iron Man: Armored Avengers, a helmet-shaped DVD case and mini-bust of Iron Man respectively. Whichever one you choose to go with is totally up to you. What counts is the DVD inside - and this is one of the biggest bangs for you buck that you're likely to get all year.

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