Posts Tagged ‘DVD’

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DVD REVIEW – IRON MAN

by Tom on September 30, 2008 at 12:00 am
1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars6 Stars7 Stars8 Stars9 Stars10 Stars
(3 votes, average: 8.00 out of 10)
DVD, review, Iron Man, Robert Downey Jr., Jon Favreau, Terrance Howard, Gweneth Paltrow

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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DVD REVIEW – SEX AND THE CITY: THE MOVIE

by Tom on September 25, 2008 at 12:00 am
1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars6 Stars7 Stars8 Stars9 Stars10 Stars
(5 votes, average: 3.20 out of 10)
DVD, review, Sex and the City, Chris Noth, Sarah Jessicar Parker, Kim Catrall, Kristin Davis, Cynthia Nixon, Cami

Clear in my understanding that I am not a member of the targeted demo for Sex and the City: The Movie (on DVD September 23), I decided to do something a little unconventional and interivew my wife Cami and ask her questions about the film.

I concede that I show a little bit of bias in my line of questioning, but at least you're getting a rebuttal from a fan of the series and not a concentrated blast of cynicism on my part. Frankly, I think Cami handles herself quite well as you can read for yourself below...

Tom Brazelton: What is it that you like about Sex and the City?

Cami Brazelton: The clothes, the "love conquers allness" of it all, the NYC backdrop....It's an escape from my drab Iowa life in these harsh economic times.

TB: Did you feel the movie was a fair continuation of the television show?

CB: In a lot of ways I enjoyed the series finale better---it provided all the closure that I needed on the TV show in a magical, fairy tale sort of way. This was a nice revisit, but not at all necessary for me as a fan.

TB: What was your favorite part about the movie?

CB: When Charlotte poops her pants, of course!

TB: What was your least favorite part about the movie?

CB: Seeing SJP with no makeup in the scene where she's in Mexico looking in the mirror. Scary!

TB: Do you feel the movie betrayed the show's original concept by having Carrie marry Mr. Big and and accepting the "dowry" of a fabulous shoe closet?

CB: No...although the series touted the "women behaving as men" theme, the Carrie character always seemed a bit outside of that---she tended to prefer monogamous long=term relationships--Big, Aiden, Aleksandr Petrovsky. As a fan, you always knew that Carrie wanted commitment...she wanted to walk down the aisle one day and you knew that the only man that she would consider marrying was Big.

TB: Did you feel the promotion of Jennifer Hudson's character was warranted when it came at the expense of established characters like Charlotte's husband played by Evan Handler?

CB: Given that Jennifer Hudson's performance was fresh, fun and a great way to balance the heaviness of the Carrie character, I was OK with the little we saw of Charlotte's husband. The series probably explored the extent of the character: Jewish, lawer, loving husband and father.

TB: Considering the box office sucess of the film, would you watch a movie sequel? How do you feel about the movie's conclusion celebrating Samantha's 50th birthday and the women toasting "the next 50?"

CB: How else would it end?

What would the sequel be about? Carrie and Big having a child? Charlotte raising her daughters? Miranda still being a workaholic? I think a sequel would be boring and utterly predictable. I was fine with the ending...it shows that their friendship will endure for 50 more years.

TB: Were you at all disappointed by the lack of special features? (we were sent the bare-bones widescreen edition) Would you have paid more for the special edition DVD?

CB: Yes and yes.

TB: Final thoughts?

CB: I hop this intervue don't make me sound dum.

And there you have it!

Sex and the City: The Movie is available to own on DVD, Blu-ray, On Demand and by download at iTunes. For more information, check out the official site at www.SexAndTheCityMovie.com

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DVD REVIEW – THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM

by Tom on December 20, 2007 at 7:47 pm
1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars6 Stars7 Stars8 Stars9 Stars10 Stars (No Ratings Yet)
DVD REVIEW – THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM

When The Bourne Identity first hit theaters in 2002, it's kinetic style, exotic shooting locations and grounded-in-reality approach to the spy game had critics calling for the head of James Bond. Jason Bourne was on the scene. A new action hero for a new generation.

While 2006's Casino Royale proved there was still some life left in the nearly 50 year-old franchise, it was clear the producers of the Bond films could sense the younger generation nipping at it's heels.

Released in theaters this summer, the capstone to the Bourne trilogy made it's way to DVD on December 11. The Bourne Ultimatum sold 5.4 million copies it's first six days of release, sending a clear message that Bond isn't out of the woods yet.

Director Paul Greengrass returns to the Bourne franchise abandoning the jerky hand held shooting style and quick edits that made The Bourne Supremacy hard to follow. This time out, Greengrass's direction is more controlled and more efficient - just like Jason Bourne himself.

In the last chapter, we catch up with Bourne literally minutes after the last film ended. Wounded and on the run, he's not in hiding for long after a London journalist publishes a story about him with direct references to his past. As Bourne tries to uncover his source, so are the political powers hunting him trying to do the same. When their paths cross, it's pretty much a trans-continental chase sequence from there on out.

That description is somewhat pat and not reflective of the true spirit of the film. There are moments of quiet tension in between action sequences. There are ambiguous implications when Bourne is reunited with Nicky Parsons (Julia Stiles) in Madrid. Meanwhile, on the home front, there is seething animosity between CIA Deputy Director Noah Vosen (David Strathairn) and Pam Landy (Joan Allen) about the best tactics to employ in order to neutralize Bourne as a threat to the CIA. Landy is ready to talk. Vosen is willing to kill whomever he has to in order to get to Bourne - even other agents.

"You start down this path, where does it end?" asks Landy

"It ends when we've won," Vosen states emphatically - in the most clear allegory to certain wartime policies you're likely to see in a summer action movie.

A hallmark of the series, the performances are all top notch from a wide variety of talents. On location shooting in Turin, London and Tangier give Jason Bourne a real-life playground to operate in. Practical effects in the action sequences sell everything on screen.

And the action sequences don't fail to disappoint. A series of bait-and-switch routines as Bourne tries to lead his journalist out of the congested Waterloo train station is as tense and engaging as one could hope for. A rooftop chase sequence in Tangier is exhausting and exhilarating all at once. And the final car chase and shoot out in New York City concludes with gritty force. All of these sequences are expertly handled and leave you on the edge of your seat.

Extras on the DVD feel a little on the light side, but all of them are substantial and add appropriate shading to the film. Behind-the-scenes filming in each of the cities they filmed in reveals the logistical nightmares of capturing things on location. A featurette on the explosive, close quarters bathroom fight sequence demonstrates the intense preparation production goes through to deliver an authentic look and feel to hand to hand combat.

All in all, a great addition to your DVD collection and a must-have for action fans.

9 out of 10

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NATIONAL TREAUSRE 2-DISC DVD GIVEAWAY

by Tom on December 17, 2007 at 8:47 pm
Posted In: Blog
1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars6 Stars7 Stars8 Stars9 Stars10 Stars (No Ratings Yet)

Hey, guys. I know this is extraordinarily short notice, but it was one of those happy accidents that just cropped up at the last minute and I wanted to let you know about it.

In celebration of National Treasure: Book of Secrets being released in theaters this Friday, Disney has also released a brand new 2-disc collectors edition of National Treasure on DVD this Tuesday, December 18.

National Treasure

This thing is loaded to the hilt with features. Four brand new documentary shorts, deleted scenes, an alternate ending and a slew of featurettes that go further behind the scenes!

You'll have a chance to win a copy of your very own by listening to The Triple Feature talkcast tonight at 9:00 PM CST.

The last few weeks we've been doing call-in trivia contests. I didn't have enough time to prep any questions this week, so that means we'll probably do our old standby routine - I drop one half a clue in the broadcast and you come back here on Wednesday for the second half of the clue. Send the completed clue along with your name and e-mail address to theaterhopper@hotmail.com and one winner will be chosen at random!

Be sure to dial in and listen to the show live tonight. We'll be talking about I Am Legend, Atonement, The Kite Runner and the brand new trailer for The Dark Knight!

Be there!

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DVD REVIEW – POTC: AT WORLD’S END

by Tom on December 4, 2007 at 7:42 pm
1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars6 Stars7 Stars8 Stars9 Stars10 Stars
(1 votes, average: 8.00 out of 10)
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End, DVD, review, Johnny Depp, Geoffery Rush, Bill Nighy, Keira Knightly, Orlando Bloom

Just in time for the holiday season, the studios are trotting out their summer blockbusters on DVD. Disney proves the rule with it's release of Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End out on DVD today.

Much like it's sometimes murky and crowded predecessor, Dead Man's Chest, At World's End plays a little bit better on the small screen. The amazingly rich details of the sets and effects work are kept somewhat more within a controllable scope on the small screen. It really allows you to drink everything in an appreciate the more subtle aspects of what is otherwise a bombastic action thriller.

Unfortunately, some things don't improve with a reduced scope. While the performances of Johnny Depp, Geoffery Rush and Bill Nighy are largely bulletproof. Rush particularly attacks his roll of Barbosa with zeal. Keira Knightly and Orlando Bloom are as wooden as ever. Dialog is stilted, themes are muddled and there are so many interwoven plot points, it's difficult to keep track (or care.) The issues I had with how the film was put together back in May still hold true here. For more detail on those opinions, you can read my original review here.

So why review At World's End on DVD? Presumably for the extras! After all, this is a special 2-disc "limited edition" copy of the film that is apparently going back in the vault on September 30, 2008. If it's so limited, one would think that the extras are spectacular, right?

Well, not quite.

"Bloopers of the Caribbean" is your standard collection of actors flubbing lines, tripping over the set and asking to "go again" - but not saying anything particularly clever or entertaining. There are only two deleted scenes that were cut for good reason and are equally as boring.

The rest of the bonus features are largely behind-the-scenes documentaries. Some are total fluff, meant to stroke the egos of their subjects - one about Chow Yun Fat and the other about Keith Richards. Much has been made about Johnny Depp's inspiration for Jack Sparrow coming from the perennial Rolling Stone's guitarist. But it's evident in their interview while sitting side-by-side, Depp is trying to extend as much courtesy and politeness to Richards as possible. Meanwhile, his eyes are screaming "THIS GUY IS NUTS!"

I suppose, in hindsight, that's kind of entertaining.

A few documentaries were interesting, but not entirely up my alley. "The Pirate Maestro: The Music of Hanz Zimmer" and a documentary about Penny Rose, the film's costume designer were expertly done and add another layer of enjoyment to the film, but didn't fire up my imagination.

The documentaries under the "Masters of Design" series focus on the propmasters behind Sau Feng's map, Teague's Code Book and the dressing of the Singapore set shot for the opening of the film are fascinating explorations into the level of detail provided for the film. The short on Crash McCreery and his design work on Davy Jone's and his cursed crew was breathtaking. As spoken by one of the interviewees during one of the documentaries "these guys are winning Academy Awards for a reason."

The big documentary is "Anatomy of a Scene: The Maelstrom" and it has to be seen to be believed. Two full-scale replicates of The Black Pearl and The Flying Dutchman were built inside a warehouse for the film's climatic sea battle. To see the amount of detail, practical effects and integration with computer effects is mind-boggling and a real treat for people who are looking for ways to deconstruct scenes. Everything from the filming to the editing is on display here and it really gives you a sense of the enormous amount of strategic planning that goes into orchestrating these things.

In fact, I would even go so far to say that it bumped up my respect for the film a few notches. Sure the script had holes in it and the characterization was a little weak. But that's not exactly why you watch these movies, is it? When you see the great level of care that comes into the process of creating something that has never been seen on-screen before, it forces you to reassess what it is you're trying to take from the experience. In this way, the bonus features succeed.

Is the film worthy of your collection? Completionists like me will demand it, but frankly, it's no go without it's first half - Dead Man's Chest. Disney had great success with the Pirates franchise. Consider how long it had been since the last pirate film of any sort or the likelyhood that another director will attempt to come along and try to top what's been done here, it might be a while before we see another entry in the genre ever again! So, yeah - pick it up. It's a good time.

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THE MOST LAME JACK SPARROW EVER

by Tom on December 3, 2007 at 7:33 pm
1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars6 Stars7 Stars8 Stars9 Stars10 Stars
(7 votes, average: 8.14 out of 10)
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End, DVD, beard, costume, transvestite Tuesday

Tom has always been somewhat folically challenged.

I know the punch inline in today's comic is a little anemic, so I tried to fancy things up a bit by making Tom and Cami's dialog more quippy. Maybe that makes up for it, maybe not.

Apologies if I'm not focused on the funnies this week. Henry came down with a case of chicken pox last week and we've basically been staving off cabin fever as he's been confined to the house for the next few days. We kept ourselves busy with copies of Waitress and Futurama: Bender's Big Score over the weekend and those were good times. But obviously this was only after Henry had gone to bed. So the waking hours were a little tougher.

Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End comes out on DVD tomorrow and I know it's kind of a weird thing to bring up in the comic. I don't do DVD release comics quite like I used to. Nor do I slap the characters in costume that much either. But looking at the crop of new releases this last weekend, I wasn't very inspired. Awake? A suspense thriller about Anakin Skywalker feeling everything during an operation where he's put under the knife? Lots of comedy there! Ugh.

If you're not feelin' the PotC 3 reference, I'm going to give you a reason to care at 9:00 PM CST tonight. That's because I'm giving away a copy of Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End to one lucky listener LIVE on tonight's Triple Feature broadcast!

Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End

We're shaking things up a little bit with this contest. Tonight, I want PARTICIPATION!

In the past, I would ask you to listen to the show, write down a clue and then come back here to get the second part of a clue. Too complicated! Tonight, I'm making it easy. Here's how you can win:

  1. If you don't already have an account at TalkShoe.com, create one now!
  2. Carve out an hour to listen to our show LIVE at 9:00 PM CST
  3. Using your computer and connection through Skype (or other dialing program) CALL IN when we announce the contest!
  4. Answer a trivia question or two and you might WIN!

The goal tonight is to get people to listen to The Triple Feature. And, of course, give away some cool free stuff! I think once you've given us a chance, you'll really like it and maybe you'll add us to your weekly listening! Wouldn't that be grand?

Be sure to listen in tonight at 9:00 PM CST. Not only will we be running the trivia contest, but also congratulating Joe Dunn on his 300th Joe Loves Crappy Movies! Lots of fun for everyone!

See you there!

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DVD REVIEW – PIXAR SHORT FILMS COLLECTION, VOL. 1

by Tom on November 15, 2007 at 7:01 pm
1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars6 Stars7 Stars8 Stars9 Stars10 Stars (No Ratings Yet)
DVD REVIEW – PIXAR SHORT FILMS COLLECTION, VOL. 1

In the golden age of cinema, audiences weren't bombarded with commercials for Coca-Cola and wireless phone companies. They used to get a little more for their money. Newsreels, previews of coming attractions and even animated short films.

Modern audiences have become familiar with animation staples like Bugs Bunny and Tom & Jerry from constant reruns on televisions. But since the 1960's, there have been few animated shorts to make it in front of a feature presentation.

Thank goodness for Pixar who keep the tradition alive with a delightful short before each of their theatrical releases. Finally, each of these shorts (along with some additional material) has been collected on DVD for the first time - The Pixar Short Films Collection, Volume 1.

The DVD collects 13 shorts from the company's history. Films like "Gerri's Game" and the Academy Award-winning "Tin Toy" audiences might already be familiar with. However more obscure films like "Red's Dream" and "Knick Knack" may amuse. In a historical context, Pixar's first effort "The Adventures of André & Wally B." is fascinating if for no other reason than to demonstrate how far Pixar has come in it's 20 year history.

It's hard to say exactly who the audience for this collection is supposed to be. Animation enthusiasts will find plenty to examine in this collection, but casual fans may feel cheated by what's included. Several of these films (having appeared in front of Pixar's theatrical releases) have already been made available on those films corresponding DVD releases. I suppose the advantage is to have them all in one place, but that doesn't exactly offset the price tag.

Each of the short films includes an audio commentary, which is valuable for further historical context or to highlight the small artistic touches that may have gone by unnoticed the first time around. However, some of the commentary is repetitive when compared to the collections lone extra feature, the documentary "Pixar Shorts: A Short History."

The documentary itself is very interesting as it traces the steps of Pixar's evolution as an offshoot of LucasArts in the 80's, snapped up by Steve Jobs shortly thereafter and even their short stint as a computer processor and 3D software vendor. All of their early history is laid bare as a precursor to the world's first fully computer animated movie, 1995's Toy Story. People pretty much know the rest of the story from there out.

In the documentary, the original Pixar founders categorize themselves largely as nerds that got lucky. The goal was always to produce a completely computer animated feature. But it wasn't feasible without experimentation. These guys were literally making it up as they went along - writing the programming and the software as they created. It was with benefactors like LucasFilm and Jobs that made that experimentation possible.

The Pixar crew is also quick to recognize that they weren't the only team of effects men working toward this goal. They just got their first. A lot of credit is given to director John Lasseter for his creative vision in those early works that kept them one step ahead of the competition.

But the documentary isn't the main attraction. In this case it's the features. It's hard to discuss all of them individually for their merits. Highlighting and specific shorts over others would be wholly subjective and pointless. But once you get beyond the initial experimental shorts and more into the professional grade stuff, there is lots of entertainment to be had. Even if you aren't interested in the history of Pixar as a company, you'll find enough here to laugh at and enjoy. It may not be worth the full price of admission if you aren't Pixar nut like myself, but competitions will find it hard to resist.

7 out of 10

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DVD REVIEW – RATATOUILLE

by Tom on November 13, 2007 at 9:46 pm
1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars6 Stars7 Stars8 Stars9 Stars10 Stars (No Ratings Yet)
Ratatouille, Pixar, DVD, review, Brad Bird, Patton Oswalt, Brian Dennehy, Peter Sogn, Ian Holm, Peter O'Toole
RATATOUILLE

"The Best Reviewed Movie of the Year!"

That's what the sticker affixed to the DVD jacket of Ratatouille says. It's referring to the 97% positive rating the movie earned from the reviews collected by RottenTomatoes.com.

The claim is somewhat dubious. The Pixar name alone is almost synonymous with quality. But within five minutes of watching the film, you understand why it is so highly regarded.

Ratatouille is the second paring between Pixar and director Brad Bird and their effort is as good, if not better than their previous film - 2004's The Incredibles.

The movie is centered around Remy (voiced by Patton Oswalt), a passionate French rat with a highly developed sense of smell and taste. Remy dreams of an existence beyond scavenging for trash with his dim-witted brother (Peter Sohn) and loutish father (Brian Dennehy). He fantasizes about being a 5-star chef, like his hero Gusteau - a celebrity chef whose book "Anyone Can Cook" Remy has been stealing glances at in the home his family hides out in.

Remy's life changes dramatically the day his family is discovered by a shotgun wielding grandma and he is flushed down a storm drain into the sewers under Paris. His family lost, he emerges top side in front of Gusteau's world-famous restaurant. Kismet at it's most unlikely.

From there the movie kicks into high gear as Remy forges an unlikely alliance with a lowly garbage boy named Linguini whose ambition to cook is offset by his complete lack of talent. By pulling locks of his hair to manipulate his arms, Remy puppeteers him into creating fantastic dishes that excite the restaurant’s patrons and brings glory to our heroes.

There is conflict with the Napoleonic head chef Skinner (an unrecognizable Ian Holm) who has taken over for the now deceased Goustea and with Anton Ego - a rail-thin ghoul of food critic who refuses to swallow anything he finds unpalatable. Peter O'Toole as Ego delivers a mesmerizing, menacing performance that transforms the character from more than a mere food snob into a frightening threat.

What follows is a predictable arc about pride, humility, teamwork and family. But woven throughout the film are much more rich subtexts about creativity, authenticity and passion - both good and bad.

Gusteau's motto that "anyone can cook" is pervasive throughout. One must only have the desire to cook, to experiment, to be successful. If one is brave and injects their heart into what the love, they can create beautiful things. It's a life-affirming message and applicable to all forms of artistic expression.

Alternatively, Brad Bird pulls no punches against the critic character Anton Ego whose passion for food has corrupted his ability to appreciate it at all. Scathingly, Bird identifies critics at large to mostly irrelevant and the potential death nail to creativity. Everything from Ego's tone, to his look, to his coffin shaped office and grim hollow typewriter facade that looks like a human skull re-enforce this.

It goes without saying that the film is a seven course meal for the eyes. Pixar continues to refine its technology to the point where water effects and the rendering of hair and fur look nearly as good as the real thing.

The DVD's extras are surprisingly thin for a film experience so sumptuous. Two hilarious animated shorts, the theatrical feature "Lifted" and the DVD exclusive "Your Friend the Rat" are excellent. The three deleted scenes animatics introduced by Brad Bird are less so.

The last and most interesting extra on the DVD is the 15 minute documentary "Fine Food and Film: A Conversation with Brad Bird and Thomas Keller." Keller is a name familiar to foodies. A world-famous chef, he was a consultant on Ratatouille and the signature dish in the film bears his signature for its unique preparation.

The documentary explores the unlikely similarities between animation and cooking as Bird and Keller separately discuss inspiration, collaboration and mentorship. There are several valuable insights. Producing more extras like this would have made the supplemental material much more satisfying.

Obviously DVD extras do not a successful film make. But for an animated feature that is so lovingly crafted, it would have been a real treat to explore more of the process and effort that went into its creation.

We may never understand all of the mysteries that lead to great art. But in any case, my compliments to the chef.

10 out of 10

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SICKO DVD GIVEAWAY

by Tom on November 6, 2007 at 8:40 pm
Posted In: Blog
1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars6 Stars7 Stars8 Stars9 Stars10 Stars (No Ratings Yet)

I hope everyone had a chance to listen to The Triple Feature talkcast last night. If not, it was a good show. We covered a lot ground talking about American Gangster, Bee Movie and Shia LaBeouf being arrested in Chicago. Good times.

Something else I touched on quickly was the release of Michael Moore's Sicko out on DVD today. In addendum to the review posted above, I have one copy to give away, so I'm running a little contest.

Download last night's episode of The Triple Feature from our profile page and listen for the first half of a clue. Combine it with the second half of the clue (that I'm going to give to you in a second) and e-mail the compelted clue to theaterhopper@hotmail.com with your name and address. Make sure the subject line of your e-mail is "SICKO" so I'll know you're entering the drawing. One winner will be chosen at random. If you don't want to download the show from TalkShoe, we're also available on iTunes. Sign up for our podcast and have the latest epsiode sent to your computer every week!

Anyway, without further delay, the second half of the code is "YOU."

Send in the complete phrase for your chance to win!

GOOD LUCK!

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DVD REVIEW – SICKO

by Tom on November 6, 2007 at 8:30 pm
1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars6 Stars7 Stars8 Stars9 Stars10 Stars
(4 votes, average: 7.75 out of 10)
Michael Moore, documentary, review, DVD, Sicko, health care, America
Sicko, Michael Moore

When Michael Moore's Sicko was in theaters earlier in the year, it had a hard time connecting with audiences and $24 million take at the box office was considered a "failure" in comparison $120 million take of Fahrenheit 9/11 only three years prior.

Maybe people weren't interested in the controversy Sicko generated. Maybe they had grown tired of the conservative vs. liberal debate that nearly every pressing issue has devolved into. More likely than not, they probably felt so overwhelmed and powerless in the face of the medical systems, they didn't have much hope that a documentary could unravel its riddle.

There is no question that Moore had his work cut out for him when making Sicko. But he approached the concept of the broken American health care system in a very democratic way. Soliciting for personal stories from visitors to his web site, Moore gathered over 25,000 e-mails detailing the frustration and hopelessness this small sample of American citizens faced when trying to acquire reasonable health care.

Now Moore was faced with the problem of telling 25,000 stories.

Some stories serve for a laugh. One man who sought to provide his daughter with an ear implant was denied coverage, but found his insurance provider willing to change their stance on the issue by merely bringing Moore's name into the conversation. "Has your CEO ever been in a film before?" he asked. His daughter got the implants.

Another woman told the story of being charged by her insurance company for being taken to the hospital in an ambulance after a car accident because the ambulance ride was not pre-approved. "I don't know when exactly I was supposed to have it pre-approved," she says. "Was it after I regained conciousness in the car and before I was placed in the ambulance?"

Some stories serve to shock. Moore talks to individuals who worked within the health care industry who were hired to turn sick people away. An investigator that would go through ever record imaginable to find out if you failed to disclose a pre-existing condition. A call center worker giving quotes to sick people over the phone, but knows they'll be denied due to medical history - bound from saying anything to prospective customers. A medical reviewer who reveals she was instructed to maintain a 10% denial rate and that doctors with the highest rate of denials would actually receive a bonus.

Time and time again, Moore serves to us examples of a health care industry run amok and the political powers that be that have allowed it. Neither Democrats or Republicans get off lightly in his expose. Hillary Clinton, for example, once the greatest proponent for universal health care in the early 90's is now the second largest recipient of campaign donations from the health care industry.

But Moore isn't simply finger pointing in this movie. There is plenty of blame to go around. From the insurers to the pharmaceutical companies, to the lawyers, lobbyists and the politicians. Everyone is taking their cut.

Sicko, Michael Moore

Moore wanders into dangerous territory when he starts to travel abroad. Comparing the American health care system to those of Canada, England and France, he's been chastising for making them look like some kind of utopia.

If I could editorialize for a minute, this is where Moore's critics get it all wrong. Assuredly, he is only showing a piece of the whole picture. But he's doing it to incite a specific emotional response not unlike any other filmmaker or any other documentarian for that matter. It's not journalism. It's whistle blowing - and it's two different things.

Granted, things start to step out of line when Moore takes three Ground Zero rescue workers to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba for medical attention. Captured enemy combatants - terrorists, he claims - get better health care than the men and women who risk their lives after 9/11.

But once he arrived in Cuba to seek medical treatment from the country's free health care system, the footage speaks for itself.

The rescue workers were asked for the names and nothing more. A full battery of tests were performed on each of them. Thorough diagnoses and health plans to follow when the returned home were given to them. For one woman with respiratory problems, she was given inhalers for free that would have cost over $120 in the United States.

The point, Moore states, is that even in the supposedly "worst" countries like communist Cuba - if they can take care of the sick, an "enemy" no less, without thought or question to who will pay for it, then why isn't that something American policy makers can adopt?

I think regardless of where your personal politics lie or even what you think of Moore as a filmmaker (or muckraker, whatever you prefer) most people can agree that the American health care system is not the best it can be. For your own education, Sicko is an easy an access point to understanding a complex issue that you're likely to come across. Even if you don't agree with it, maybe it'll prompt you to do your own research. A few more voices asking questions never hurt.

"If we see a good idea," says Moore. "We take it. If they build a better car, we drive it. If they make a better wine we drink it. So if they've found a better way to take care of their sick, to teach their kids, to take care of their babies... then what's our problem? Why can't we do that?"

The logic is hard to refute.

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