CARS 2
Blu-ray Review by Kevin Carr
MOVIE: **** (out of 5 stars)
BLU-RAY EXPERIENCE: ***1/2 (out of 5 stars)
While every other critic out there seemed to be trashing “Cars 2” for not being as good as the other Pixar movies, I was singing its praises. The original “Cars” was never my favorite of the brand (though it is still a fine, sweet film), and I though this was quite an improvement. In this new film, Lightning McQueen joins the World Grand Prix and brings his buddy Mater along with him. Along the way, Mater stumbles into a spy ring where he is mistaken for an international car of mystery.
Kids will love “Cars 2,” and it’ll sell plenty of toys... but then again, which Disney movies doesn’t have that angle? A lot of the adult’s ability to enjoy it will hinge upon how much tolerance they have for Larry the Cable Guy. I personally think he’s funny, and his bumbling attitude was quite fun in this film. Plus, going at this movie with an international spy angle was great. It’s like the first 10 minutes of “Bolt” as an entire movie.
Looking slick and having a great action backdrop, “Cars 2” is another installment in the Disney/Pixar canon of fine family films.
The combo pack comes with the DVD and the Blu-ray. Features include a director’s commentary, plus two Pixar shorts: the Toy Story cast in “Hawaiian Vacation” and the other new one featuring Mater in “Air Mater.”
WINNIE THE POOH
Blu-ray Review by Kevin Carr
MOVIE: **** (out of 5 stars)
BLU-RAY EXPERIENCE: *** (out of 5 stars)
As if Disney wasn’t already out-cuting itself with its 2011 releases (including a new “Cars” film and the upcoming “The Muppets”), they gave us a brand new “Winnie the Pooh” film. While we’ve seen the Hundred Acre woods on the big screen relatively recently with “Pooh’s Heffalump Movie” and “Piglet’s Big Movie,” this new “Winnie the Pooh” goes for throwback nostalgia, and it hits a home run.
This short feature, which barely runs over an hour, follows the gang of toys in Christopher Robin’s room as they try to find a new tail for Eeyore. The charm from the original short films of the 60s, 70s and 80s are back, tossing away the overthought and neurotic television shows since “The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh” came out in the mid-80s. We get the same characters with their original cuddliness. We also get some beautiful retro-style animation and some musical numbers too.
Things get a little over-hyper at times, but on the whole, this is a somber, sweet and neat film that plays well for audiences of all ages.
The combo pack comes with the DVD and the Blu-ray, along with some decent bonus content. There’s five deleted scenes, the accompanying theatrical short “The Ballad of Nessie,” the Pooh short “Pooh’s Balloon,” plus some Blu-ray exclusive features, including “Winnie the Pooh and His Story Too” and “Sing Along with the Movie.”
DUMBO: 70th ANNIVERSARY EDITION
Blu-ray Review
by Kevin Carr
MOVIE: ***** (out of 5 stars)
BLU-RAY EXPERIENCE: ***** (out of 5 stars)
Few Disney movies continue to make me cry all the way into middle age, but “Dumbo” is one such film. It’s a beautiful classic Disney story about an elephant born with huge ears, and it dares to ask if such an elephant can fly. It’s got some politically incorrect elements (including a drunk moment that leads into one of the most visionary elements in a classic Disney film ever, as well as some marginally racist crows), so I’m glad to see Disney standing behind this film and not burying it like it did with “Song of the South.”
I’ve seen “Dumbo” projected, on VHS, on DVD and now on Blu-ray, and it’s a beautiful movie, given the full platinum edition treatment by the Mouse House. This is such a charming movie and inspirational for everyone to watch. It’s a must-have for any collection in a household with kids... or without them, for that matter.
The included DVD and Blu-ray have tons of special features, many of which came from the previous DVD special edition. These include audio commentary, the “Taking Flight: The Making of Dumbo” featurette, “The Magic of Dumbo” featurette about the Disneyland ride, “Celebrating Dumbo” featurette,” art galleries, two animated shorts (“The Flying Mouse” and “Elmer Elephant”) and some set-top games.
There’s also Blu-ray experience elements, including “Disney View” for the 4:3 presentation on widescreen televisions and the Cine Explore experience. Finally, a deleted scene and deleted song, new to this edition, are included as well.
THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS 3D
Blu-ray Review
by Kevin Carr
MOVIE: **** (out of 5 stars)
BLU-RAY EXPERIENCE: **** (out of 5 stars)
Here’s a movie that never gets old and ends up being a movie I watch each year around Halloween or Christmas. “The Nightmare Before Christmas” is a visionary stop-motion animated film which came out in theaters in the early 1990s. It was one of the early post-converted 3D films and released about five years ago in RealD. Now, with the advent of mass market 3D televisions, its available for home viewing in this format.
“The Nightmare Before Christmas” is one of the most unique Christmas movies you’ll ever see, and it’s impeccably put together. The only recent stop-motion film to hold a candle to it is “Coraline,” also directed by Henry Selick (who often loses credit to Tim Burton for this film).
The 3D Blu-ray combo pack has a lot to explore. Including the 3D disc, the set also includes the DVD of the film with Digital Copy. For those without a 3D television or 3D Blu-ray player, you can also use the regular Blu-ray, which includes tons of features: an intro by Tim Burton, “What’s This?” Haunted Mansion tour, “Frankenweenie,” “Vincent,” Burton’s original poem narrated by Christopher Lee, audio commentary, deleted scenes, a behind-the-scenes video and “The Worlds of Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas.”
