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"A CHRISTMAS CAROL" Blu-ray Review by Kevin Carr MOVIE: ***1/2 (out of 5 stars) DVD EXPERIENCE: **** (out of 5 stars) Rated PG Studio: Disney Back to DVD Review Home |  |
WHAT IT’S ABOUT
Robert Zemekis uses his now-famous motion-capture technology to give a faithful retelling of Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol.” When the greedy miser Ebenezer Scrooge is visited by spirits on Christmas Eve, he is forced to examine his life and what might happen to him in the future.
WHAT I LIKED
I have had a love-hate relationship with the films of Robert Zemekis. While I love some of them (like the “Back to the Future” trilogy and “Forrest Gump”) and respect others (like “The Polar Express” and “Beowulf”), I have hated others (like “What Lies Beneath”). “A Christmas Carol” is his most polished film yet, in terms of motion capture and struggling out of the uncanny valley.
The best part of this movie are the amazing visuals, as long as it doesn’t involve a non-Jim Carrey portrayal. The tech wizards take their time making Carrey’s roles look great, and it’s fortunate that he plays the biggest names in the film (including Scrooge and all of the Christmas ghosts).
This is a story we have seen many times before, but we have never seen it like this. It’s actually quite fun to watch, especially with your kids, and it’s one of the most accurate adaptations of the book for no other reason than the digital media helps achieve the dream-like world that Dickens creates.
I know not many people will agree, but this is one of the better Christmas movies from the past decade and will probably become regular viewing in my house during the holidays.
WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE
There are really only two complaints I have with this film... the first being the secondary characters living in the uncanny valley. If it’s not Jim Carrey, the humans in this film look as creepy as the kids from “The Polar Express.” My kids don’t mind, but I wish the animators had spent more time making the humans look more human.
My other main problem is the horse chase near the end of the film. While this scene was done for a gee whiz factor, it just doesn’t fit with the tone of the rest of the film. And when Scrooge shrinks to Tiny Scrooge, it just gets silly.
BLU-RAY FEATURES
The Blu-ray (which is also available in 3D) includes the DVD packaged in the case. Both discs include deleted scenes, a feature about the production from a kids’ eye view called “On Set with Sammi” and an in-depth look at the development of the look of the film in the featurette “Capturing Dickens: A Novel Retelling.”
The Blu-ray also includes an interactive Countdown to Christmas advent calendar and a feature-length branching feature about the making of the film with a picture-in-picture viewing mode along with the film.
WHO’S GOING TO LIKE THIS MOVIE
Kids and the families that aren’t bothered by the motion capture effect.
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"THE SEARCH FOR SANTA PAWS" Blu-ray Review by Kevin Carr MOVIE: *** (out of 5 stars) DVD EXPERIENCE: *** (out of 5 stars) Rated G Studio: Disney Back to DVD Review Home |  |
WHAT IT’S ABOUT
The latest installment of the Air Buddies franchise doesn’t even involve the Air Buddies in the film. “The Search for Santa Paws” takes the character of Santa Paws from “Santa Buddies” and transports him to New York City where he is lost. Santa comes looking for him, but when the Christmas magic is switched, Santa loses his memory. It’s up to Santa Paws and his friends in an orphanage to help save Santa Claus and the spirit of Christmas.
WHAT I LIKED
I like these Air Buddies movies because they go over so well with my kids. This film, and its predecessor, are especially fun because they tap into the magical spirit of Christmas as well. It’s a great film to watch with the family, and coming from the Disney studios with a G rating, it’s very safe for all family viewing.
What I liked most about this movie was the decision to expand the Air Buddies universe. Just as the Air Bud movies were passed along to the pups, we are getting introduced to more dogs for an expanded world of adventure.
This film is cheesy, yes, but not too cheesy to enjoy with the kids. it showcases Madison Pettis from “The Game Plan,” and it’s nice to see her back on Disney’s film roster. Plus, the adult actors look like they’re having fun rather than just collecting a paycheck.
WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE
I could go on a tear about how corny this movie is or how it’s Disney selling commercialism while condemning it at the same time, but I’m in too good of a holiday mood to do that. After all, these are the kind of movies that are made for kids. Adults will poke holes all through them, but they’re not the important viewers here.
BLU-RAY FEATURES
The Blu-ray comes packaged with the DVD, both of which include deleted scenes, a music video, a sing-along mode for the film and “The Hucklebuckle Hero,” a set-top game in which the kids have to help T-Money save Christmas.
WHO’S GOING TO LIKE THIS MOVIE
Kids and dog lovers.
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"12 MEN OF CHRISTMAS" DVD Review by Kevin Carr MOVIE: *** (out of 5 stars) DVD EXPERIENCE: * (out of 5 stars) Not Rated Studio: 20th Century Fox Back to DVD Review Home |  |
WHAT IT’S ABOUT
Kristin Chenoweth stars as E.J., a high-powered Manhattan public relations manager with the perfect job and the perfect fiancé. However, when her fiancé cheats on her and she loses her job, she’s got to start over. This leads her to Montana where she takes over the P.R. for the town and tries to convince the local fire and rescue workers to release a sexy calendar in order to raise money.
WHAT I LIKED
There’s something about Kristin Chenoweth that is so adorable, you could put her in almost anything, and it’s instantly at least somewhat likeable. (I say “almost” because the poor dear has been in her fair share of stinkers, and no amount of Chenoweth bubbly will save the day.)
“12 Men of Christmas” is exactly what you’d expect from a fluffy holiday movie for Lifetime television. Knowing this going in (and if you don’t figure it out from the cover art and title, you’re a fool), you don’t expect deep plot and characters. Instead, what you expect is a cute little made-for-TV rom com, and that’s precisely what you get.
Where this goes beyond most of these candy-coated TV movies is the effervescence and cuteness that Chenoweth brings to the project. She definitely adds some class and makes it cute and enjoyable to watch. The rest of the cast is decent, including some notable TV stars and a surprise appearance by Anna Chulmsky as E.J.’s assistant.
WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE
For all the cuteness and holiday cheer, “12 Men of Christmas” is still just a fluffy made-for-TV movie. Sure, the locations are beautiful and the stars bring their own flair, but it’s nothing more than a formulaic movie like “Santa Baby” and “Holiday in Handcuffs.”
So, if you’re a dude like me, you’ll probably get easily distracted watching this. If you’re like my wife or mother-in-law who will DVR all these movies each season, you’ll eat it up.
DVD FEATURES
There are no special features playable on the DVD itself, though if you put the disc in your DVD-ROM drive of your computer, you can make your own “12 Men of Christmas” calendar.
WHO’S GOING TO LIKE THIS MOVIE
Ladies who DVR these Lifetime holiday movies every year.
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"SAMANTHA: AN AMERICAN GIRL HOLIDAY" DVD Review by Kevin Carr MOVIE: ** (out of 5 stars) DVD EXPERIENCE: ** (out of 5 stars) Not Rated Available on DVD November 30 Official Kids WB site Studio: Warner Bros. Back to DVD Review Home |  |
WHAT IT’S ABOUT
Based on the popular “American Girl” books and dolls, “Samantha: An American Girl Holiday” follows the story of Samantha, a girl who lives on a large estate in New York at the beginning of the 20th century. When new servants move in next door, Samantha sees past class levels and befriends them. However, when Samantha has to move to New York City with her family and the servant girls’ father is killed in an accident, they are sent to an orphanage. Samantha uses all her means to rescue the girls from the orphanage and from being split up for adoption.
WHAT I LIKED
This is a cute enough movie with very limited appeal to young ladies who are very much into the “American Girl” franchise. It’s not as ambitious as the “Kit Kitteridge” movie that was made a couple years ago, and that plays in its favor. By not aiming so high (and failing like “Kit Kitteridge” does), “Samantha: An American Girl Holiday” hits its mark.
There are some decent performances for the made-for-TV quality of the film. Aside from a surprising appearance by Mia Farrow as Grandmary, we get to see Annasophia Robb in one of her earlier roles. As an actor, she soars beyond most of her co-stars, giving us a sample of what will eventually make her a movie star.
WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE
The target audience for “Samantha: An American Girl Holiday” is so alarmingly narrow that I don’t see it appealing to anyone outside of the girls that buy the dolls. I like the idea of making an “American Girl” movie for each character in the toy line, but this one doesn’t have much of a reach.
Additionally, like what we saw with “Kit Kitteridge,” this film has a none-too-subtle subplot about women’s suffrage. As important of an issue as this is in American history, it does feel shoe-horned into the story. “Kit Kitteridge” took on hoboes, and this film pulls double duty preaching about women’s suffrage and the plight of the child laborers in New York City a hundred years ago.
DVD FEATURES
There are three featurettes included on this DVD. “Mount Bedford News: A Victorian Wedding” plays as a news account of the high society wedding from the film. “All About Samantha, and American Girl” rehashes the plot with sketches and film clips, though it doesn’t really give any insight into the character of the doll beyond what you see in the movie. “Votes for Women: An American Girl: Samantha” features descendants of real American Suffragists who talk with a select group of girls today.
WHO’S GOING TO LIKE THIS MOVIE
Girls who like American Girls.
