Film

To say that Snow White is a classic film is an understatement. In fact, it could be argued that it is one of the most significant films of all time given that it was the first feature animated film ever made and was ground braking in terms of its animation and musical score.

The film forms the foundation of the Disney empire, laying the ground work for all that came after it in terms of the Disney catalogue as well as the theme parks not to mention all of the rest of the animated films from all the studios that followed. It is even claimed that Warner Brothers didn’t give the final go ahead on the Wizard of Oz until the smashing success of Snow White. And a smashing success it was.

The film cost a whopping $1.5 million to make, which was a ton of money back in the 1930′s during the height of the Great Depression. It strained not only the legion of animations employed by Disney to make the film, but Disney’s finances as well. In fact, Disney could have lost it all had the film been the flop that the press pundits at the time had been anticipating. However, Disney’s gamble paid off immediately upon Snow White‘s premiere on December 21, 1937, which met with not only rave reviews but overwhelming commercial success by an adoring public who was craving for just this type of film and the message it communicated.

I can’t image that I need to go into much detail about the story itself, which is now well ingrained into the American collective conscious. Suffice it to say that despite the fact that the film is now over 70 years old, it is still as charming and moving as it ever was. This is a truly classic film if there ever was one and is a release that belongs in the library of every film fan. Very highly recommended.

Video

Quite frankly, the video quality on this release is spectacular. I can’t image it looking any better than it does here, at least given the limits of today’s technology. The restoration work here is every bit as impressive as that on Pinocchio, and really brings the film and characters to life, with details I had never seen before. The animation is not quite as refined as that in Pinocchio and as a result, the image looks just a tad softer than that in Pinocchio, hence the slighlty lower score. This is not the result of the transfer or any digital noise reduction or filtering that I could tell, but is just how the film looks.

While I have never seen the original cells that were used to make the film, this release looks to be completely faithful to the original, with excellent color rendition and excellent levels of detail. Colors are bright and bold and beautifully saturated with excellent black level. It is simply astonishing to me that a film of this age, with animation really at its infancy, looks this good. This is an incredible restoration job by Disney which should thrill all fans of the film. Well done.

Audio

Given the age of the film and the limitations inherent in the state of recorded sound in the 1930′s, I was not expecting to be bowled over by the audio on this release. However, considering the limitations of 1930 audio recording, the audio on this release is much better than one would have expected. Clearly great care went into re-mastering the original sound elements and creating a new 7.1 DTS HD Master Audio lossless soundtrack. For those purists out their, the original mono mix is included as well.

As one would expect, the audio here lacks much in the way of dynamics and depth. While a 7.1 mix is provided, most of the film is very front heavy with only sporadic use of the surrounds. As a result, there is little if any immersive feel here with most of the sound in the front of the room. However, when used, the surrounds are used effectively, to create a sense of drama. If you are expecting deep bass, this also is not the film for you. I wasn’t and hence was not disappointed. Otherwise, the overall fidelity of the sound was quite good breaking down a bit only at reference sound levels, where the sound became a bit lean and bright. The dialogue track is well presented however and all of the dialogue is clear and distinct and easy to follow. Given the age of the film, the 7.1 track included with this release sounds about is as good as one could possibly expect and possibly as good as it may ever sound.

Special Features

As one would expect for such a significant and historic film, this release is packed with extras. The release is a three disc set with one of the discs being a DVD copy of the film which is great as it enables you to take the film on the road and play in your car or laptop or a DVD player in your hotel. Frankly, given the minimal costs involved in the DVD replication process, all Blu-ray releases should include a DVD copy as well. Disney should be commended for including one here.

Disc two includes the feature plus some extras including a featurette in HD about the the newly discovered storyboards found in the Disney faults which hinted at a possible planned sequel to Snow White entitled Snow White Returns. Also included is a music video of Tiffany Thornton performing Some Day My Prince Will Come as well as a sneak peak of Disney’s forthcoming film, The Princess and the Frog as well as an audio commentary.

Disc three contains several extras under the banner Backstage Disney including a more detailed look at the possible planned sequel Snow White Returns, a look at Disney’s Hyperion Studios where the animation for Snow White took place before the studios were moved to Burbank California and the featurette “The One That Started it All”, which details the historic significance of the film both in the history of cinema as well as as the foundation of the Disney empire. The Hyperion Studios and The One that Started it All featurettes are highly recommended and are well worth a look.

The remainder of the extras are those included on the prior DVD release of the film, including Disney’s Wild Mine Ride, Heigh-Ho Karaoke Sing Along and the featurette Disney Through the Decades. The release is also BD-Live enabled allowing you to access What Do You See? to decipher the scrambled image, Mirror, Mirror On the Wall to see what princess you most are like and Jewell Jumble which allows you to test your matching skills.

Final Thoughts

Snow White represents another stunning restoration of a classic Disney classic and belongs in the library of any film fan. Very highly recommended.

While the novel is played out in four separate parts, the film focuses on one of the adventures in Gulliver’s Travels. Gulliver wakes up marooned on a mysterious island, Lilliput. It turns out that the island is inhabited by miniature people; the first of which we meet is Gabby. Gabby comes across a still unconscious Gulliver believing him to be a giant. He reports his findings to King Little, who will soon be at war with King Bombo, over which song was to be played at their children’s wedding. At first capturing Gulliver, King Little soon realises that Gulliver can be a great weapon against Bombo and his invading army.  Meanwhile Bombo and his people have devised a way to kill Gulliver who is hard at work finding a way for the nations to make peace.

Gulliver’s Travels deals with some pretty complex themes and questions. Some that still haven’t been answered some 200 plus years since. The topics include the minor differences in religion that cause so much suffering, the root of corruption, and how times change. It didn’t exactly pan out to be the nonsensfull children’s cartoon I was expecting to watch, but that doesn’t say it can’t be enjoyed by people of all ages. To be quite honest I was taken aback by this film, I was completely surprised with its depth and the way it made me think. At the same time I stood back and tried viewing it from a child’s perspective and got a whole other take from it. The story outlined in the film is just a small part of the novel, which I have since began reading. Ultimately I wish they had decided to include more of the novel, or make subsequent films. But I can’t hold that against the film, which was really quite decent. Although it made a bit more sense (metaphorically) after starting to read the book (or at least doing some research), you can take a lot away from this animated film. Ultimately Gulliver’s Travels is a good watch, especially for a 70 year old cartoon. It can be enjoyed on several different levels, but is entertaining across the board.

Video

Presented in the 1080p and encoded in 1.37:1 aspect and encoded in VC-1 Gulliver’s Travels comes to Blu-ray with some horrific looking results.  Honestly after watching classics like Sleeping Beauty and Pinocchio this transfer looks horrid. Colors are very dull and animation detail is pretty much nonexistent.  It is almost as if the colors have a layer of Vaseline over them.

Honestly it’s hard to find a redeeming quality in the transfer, as I have seen better transfers in DVD animated films.  If you already own a copy on DVD you will be very disappointed to see the lack of upgrade.

Audio

Presented in 5.1 Dolby Digital Gulliver’s Travels audio quality is definitely a step up over the horrid video transfer, but still doesn’t impress.  Right from the start of the movie, dialogue comes through muffled.  The track is almost 100% focused through the front channels as the rear and sub were used only a handful of times.  Thankfully the dialogue track was not overpowered by the music as the two struck a good balance with each other.

Again, when compared to the phenomenal Disney release of Pinocchio and Sleeping Beauty, Gulliver’s Travels can’t compare in quality.  We are simply given a passable audio presentation of Gulliver’s Travels.

Special Features

We are given two very short animated features, none that play out really good.  The picture quality for these are about the same as the main feature, however they are not in widescreen.  The 5 minute documentary is much too short and vague to be considered a decent feature as well.

Final Thoughts

Honestly, as much as I enjoy reading Gulliver’s Travels, and watching the part of it depicted in the film, I can’t in good faith recommend this disc. Sure the film itself is enjoyable and I recommend that you check it out, but the audio and video transfers are quite horrid, and no special features to boot. So save yourself the few bucks and check this one out on DVD, it might surprise you as much as it did me.

Film 

The film opens up with a quick recap of the events of the first feature. We also get to go further into the past for a very brief encounter with our zoo friends as babies. (Do I smell a cartoon series or prequel film coming our way?) After that quick recap we join the zoo gang where we last saw them, in the wilds of Madagascar. The Penguins have repaired an old aircraft and set it up on a huge slingshot in preparation for a flight back to the New York Zoo. There’s tearful goodbyes all around, but unfortunately, King Julien decides to join the gang on their return home.

The Air Penguin has a successful takeoff, but makes it only as far as the African mainland before it crash lands. Once in Africa, the zoo gang gets to meet wild members of their own kind. Alex (Stiller) discovers his parents and learns how it was that he came to be at the zoo. Gloria (Smith) finds that the African plains are just “raining” male hippos. She hooks up with the continent’s resident stud, Moto Moto (Am). Of course, that’s going to bring out the jealousy in Melman (Schwimmer). Melman also discovers that all giraffes are by nature hypochondriacs and usually crawl off to die at the first sign of illness. His vast knowledge of medicine earns him the rank of herd witch doctor. Mart (Rock) discovers that all zebra look and sound exactly alike. He gets depressed by his perceived lack of uniqueness. Zuba (Mac), Alex’s father, is the ruler of this particular part of Africa. His reign has been plagued by the conniving of fellow lion, Makunga (Baldwin). He’ll use the return of Alex to gain control of the crown.

When Alex fails a coming of age ritual, Zuba abdicates and Makunga is in control. Unfortunately, his reign is soon threatened by the dry up of the watering hole. Alex, intent on proving himself, sets out to return the flow of water to the hole. With Marty by his side, they trace the problem to a dam, built by New York tourists that include the old lady who gave Alex a whoopin’ in the first film. Ninja Nana has organized the tourists who have been stranded by the penguins’ commando raids to salvage parts to repair the plane. While Alex and Marty set out to fix the problem, King Julien has another plan. He wants to sacrifice someone to the mighty volcano to please the “water gods”.

Thinking he’s dying anyway, and has lost Gloria, Melman volunteers to be fed to the volcano. These events all converge into an ending very much a Madagascar adventure. For a running time less than an hour and a half, there is no wasted time at all here. If anything the story all seems to happen so fast that it’s over before you start to sink your teeth into it.

Everything you loved from the first film is back again. Dreamworks took the high road and brought all of the voice cast back. That means the wonderful chemistry these characters developed in the first film gets to continue. We don’t have to waste time setting up new bonds. We can get right to the adventure.

Dreamworks also retained pretty much the entire animation team and added even more talent. The quality of this animation actually improves upon that of the original. Water, in particular, is startling on this film. It is as photo real as I’ve seen it in any animation feature to date. The characters are a little blocky, evidenced by Alex’s paws, but that’s really a style decision and not an animation flaw. Another stand-out rendering is the dust factor. Throughout the film dust plays an important role in the overall look of the picture. Again, you get incredibly photo real particles or clouds of dust in this film. Both of these achievements are milestones in animation technology. Of course, technology is only as good as what you do with it. We get lovable characters in very interesting situations. If you even liked the first film, I think you’ll love this film even more…except for that pesky “Move It Move It” nonsense.

It’s obvious that these characters aren’t going anywhere anytime soon. The ending leaves little doubt that a Madagascar 3 is an inevitability. There are still many adventures to be had here. They could remain in Africa or attempt yet another return home, and the possibilities are endless. The gang could find itself in Australia or China, or any number of places on the globe.

Sure you have to suspend your belief to its limits, but we dealing with talking animals here. That’s my hope for the future of these characters. I’d like to see them do the fish out of water thing again and visit another place on the globe. The blend of culture and opportunity for new and exciting characters means that Dreamworks can milk this cash cow for at least a couple more films before returning the gang back to the zoo. Maybe the title becomes a bit irrelevant, but so what? The penguins are already appearing in their own shorts that take place back at the zoo. I’m assuming this takes place upon their eventual return, as King Julien is there now as well. Whatever happens, I’m going to be looking forward to more adventures as long as they can keep the voice talent intact and maintain the same animation standards.

Video 

Madagascar 2 is presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1. It’s a near perfect 1080p image presented with an AVC/MPEG-4 codec. The bit rate is almost always above 33mbps. This is a solid high definition presentation all the way around. The first thing you’ll notice is how sharp and detailed the picture is. The hair on Alex’s mane is about the best I’ve seen since Monsters, Inc. The lines are clean and offer a level of detail that is only possible when the source material is already hi-res digital in nature. Next, you’ll be amazed at the black levels. Check out the black sheen on the penguins. You’ll see such texture and detail that it will be hard to believe that it’s also rich in completely solid black. Finally, you’ll marvel at the level of contrast. Marty’s zebra qualities are a good place to observe the tight distinction between lights and darks. There are moments the film approaches photo real imagery. Plus there is the wonderful rendering of water and dust I’ve already told you about. The technology continues to improve, and honestly it takes a sweet Blu-ray high definition release to allow you to see these breakthroughs for the marvels they truly are.

Audio 

The Dolby TrueHD 5.1 track was not near as impressive. I didn’t get full immersive sound as I would have liked. Don’t get me wrong. The clarity and dynamic range here is outstanding. The musical cues are perfect. There just isn’t a solid use of surrounds here. This seems to be a complaint in general with animated films. I get the impression that audio techs are reluctant to apply the same rules regarding ambient sounds that you get in a live action film. That seriously needs to be reevaluated. This film is almost 3-D in its presentation. We’ll accept the reality of the situation enough to appreciate better ambient effects. Dialog is correctly placed and always clear.

Special Features 

All of the extras included here are in HD.

• The Animators Corner: This is a trivia pop-up option you can turn on. During the film the animators will pop on the screen and fill you in with certain tidbits about what you are seeing. These things are always too distracting for me.
• Trivia Track: Again it’s a running informative feature.
• The Making Of…: At just 11 minutes this feature doesn’t go into the detail I would have liked to see. Here the cast and crew talk about the distinctive style of the Madagascar world and how they worked to bring it off in the film. The crew went to Africa to get a feel of the real environments and particularly the way light works there. We also get a look at the technology of making the film.
• It’s A Family Affair: This 9 minute feature deals with the cast of the film. They’re all back along with some wonderful new voices. Bernie Mac is one of the best additions, that unfortunately won’t be repeated in future films. We lost The Mac Man back in August of 2008.
• Crash Landings: This 3 minute piece looks at all of the elements that went into the plane crash sequence. It’s fun to watch the animators acting the crash out to get an idea of what it might look like. These guys really get into their work.
• African Adventure: This 7 minute piece looks at the crew’s trip to Africa with plenty of footage from their excursion.
• Jambo Jambo – Swahili Speak: Using clips from this film this is a primer on some basic Swahili words. I’m not sure the young target audience will have the patience, but it’s a noble effort at adding an educational element to the mix.
• The Bronx Zoo: This 8 minute visit with the new Madagascar exhibit at the Bronx Zoo features zoo personnel. They take us on a tour of the exhibit and we meet real Madagascar animals.
• More Penguins: Two 12 minute shorts from the Penguins television show. Popcorn Panic gives the guys a new commando mission when the zoo cracks down on the visitors feeding popcorn to the animals. Gone In A Flash involves King Julien and a digital camera.
• Music: You get the typical Dreamworks musical jukebox.
• Game Demos
• Trailer

Final Thoughts 

These kinds of sequels often get a bad rap. I can promise you that you’ll get exactly what you’re hoping for from a Madagascar film. Dreamworks didn’t trim any of the corners, and the effort was worthy of its healthy box office take. You’ll enjoy it all the more on Blu-ray because it’s the only available home video format that can reproduce what was originally a solid digital rendering in high definition. The animation is impressive. “I find it pretty and somewhat hypnotic.”

Film 

The village of Malaria was once a very normal place with quite ordinary citizens and concerns. One day a dark collection of clouds obscured the sunlight and never left. The village was plunged into a perpetual darkness that destroyed crops, wiped out most forms of industry, and nearly destroyed the village and its few inhabitants. Cut off from the rest of the world, the village needed to come up with some way to survive, and survive they did.

King Malbert (Leno) challenged the citizenry to come up with the most evil and destructive inventions they could. The most diabolical of these contraptions was used to blackmail the rest of the world into paying a ransom to keep Malaria from dispatching its destructive force upon the rest of humanity. It worked. And so now each year the King sponsors an Evil Science Fair, where all of the mad scientists compete for the next instrument of global terror and blackmail. These mad scientists would eventually form the elite class of the kingdom, served by a peasant, working class of citizens called Igors. This switch-pulling manual labor class served only to further the development of these inventions.

But one Igor (Cusack) was not content to stand behind the scenes. He had dreams of becoming a mad scientist himself and eventually winning the science fair. He had already given life to two creations in secret. A living brain in a jar, named Brian (Hayes) (dang those permanent markers) who wasn’t so…brainy, and a suicidal rabbit, Scamper (Buscemi) who was immortal, in spite of all of his efforts to the contrary. These inventions served as his own helpers and were the limit of his friends. One day Igor creates the greatest evil invention yet, a living breathing monster. Unfortunately his gargantuan creature wants to be an actress and not a killing machine. He attempts to bring out the creation’s evil, but to no avail. In the meantime the reigning evil science fair champion, Dr. Schadenfreude (Izzard) has been winning all of these years by stealing other scientists’ inventions, and now he has his eye on Igor’s creation, Eva (Shannon). Will Eva ever turn evil? What remarkable secret will Igor uncover to change the course of life in Malaria forever? Such is the bottom to be gotten to in the whimsical and entertaining MGM film, Igor.

The voice actors were perfect. Most of them just blended into their characters so that I never really found myself thinking about who they were. Some voices like Jay Leno stand out because of their distinctiveness, as did Steve Buscemi who steals the show as Scamper, but John Cusack virtually loses himself in the role of Igor, who primarily tells the story. I know there is a trend to bring dynamic and instantly recognizable voices to these kinds of productions, and there is little doubt that certain names can bring in the box office bucks. There are two liabilities to this school of thought, however. Sometimes the voices become bigger than the character and provide more of a distraction than an enhancement. These kinds of names also demand pretty big paychecks to go with that potential audience draw. That can mean less money to spend in other areas of the film. I think Igor proves how well the subtle approach can work, but of course, it did poorly enough at the box office that the trend toward those larger than life names will likely continue.

Not only is the animation perfectly styled in a Tim Burton design, but the atmosphere pays homage to the wonderful Universal films of the 1930’s and 1940’s. You’ll find wonderful references to those classic monster movies. You’ll find connections to films like The Fly, Frankenstein, The Invisible Man, and even A Clockwork Orange. While the appeal is definitely for the young kids in the audience, adult fans of the classic horror genre will find plenty to love about the simple fable. It’s obvioious that everyone from the writers to the animators share a love for that material, so that it looks and feels like a love letter to that era of movies. I honestly approached the film with some hesitation, but was drawn in almost instantly by its style and charm. It was unfairly overlooked at the box office and was gone before I had a chance to check it out. I’m sure many of you share that experience. Don’t waste time this go around. It’s truly a wonderful film, and the Blu-ray presentation does the material justice.

Video 

Igor is presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1. This is a near perfect 1080p image brought to you through a strong AVC/MPEG-4 codec. You’ll find the bit rate rarely leaves the 30’s mbps. Everything from color to textures makes a strong argument for the superiority of the Blu-ray format over standard definition DVD’s. You’ll find you really get that three dimensional feel from this CG animation, more so than other films with decidedly better animation rendering. Shadow is the true standout. With the help of solid black levels and wonderful contrast, you get this delightful sense of lighting and shadow throughout the film. This kind of transfer allows the animation team to set the mood with their choices of light and color and the transfer is strong enough for you to catch the slightest subtlies in the entire presentation. You will simply love this image and likely use it to show off your gear.

Audio 

The DTS-HD 5.1 track at 1.5 mbps. The sound is not nearly the marvel that the image is here, but it does deliver a better than average sound field. Bass response is where I was most impressed. Too many of these films tend to fall flat in the lower frequencies, and while this film isn’t often booming with sub, it does offer some bottom to the overall presentation. Dialog, is of course, the centerpiece, and you get it perfectly placed front and center. The score is mostly atmospheric and provides most of the ambient presence here. There are the occasional sweet surround moments, but most of the time there isn’t as much going on around you as I would have liked.

There is an Audio Commentary with director Tony Leondis, writer Chris McKenna, and Max Howard, one of the film’s producers. You know what is missing from too many commentaries these days? It’s laughter. I love it when the participants sound like they’re having as good a time, as you should be watching the film. This track has plenty of it. It’s worth a full second viewing to listen to these guys enjoy the film.

Special Features 

Unfortunately there isn’t much in the way of extras here. I would have loved to see some feature on the animation and voice casting. You get that same info in the great commentary, but I wanted to see it.

• Alternate Opening Scene: This 3 minute feature is an alternate opening sequence, just like it says. The idea here was to have a mock newsreel open the film to tell the story of how Malaria got into its present condition. I much prefer the narrative as it was in the final film.
• Galleries: Conceptual art, production, and poster art make up the available photo galleries.

Final Thoughts 

If you love classic monsters or Tim Burton, or both as I do, you just can’t resist this underrated gem of an animated feature. I promise you that it will make you smile in all the right places and will end up on the watch it again shelf. Like potato chips, you won’t be able to watch this film just once, and why should you? Forget about renting it. You need this one in your growing Blu-ray library. I’m thinking of making it a Halloween tradition around my place. After all, “Who doesn’t like tortured kittens?”

Film

Having not previously seen either Air Buddies or Snow Buddies I’m not quite sure on the continuity between the stories, nor would I catch any running gags or references which fans might find amusing, which in all probability don’t exist anyways. With that being said, Space Buddies centers on five different dogs Buddha, Rosebud, Budderball, B-Dawg, and Mudbud who consequently sneak aboard a privately funded space shuttle. The shuttle is experimental and controlled remotely, as they go unnoticed and are unleashed in space. Eventually having to dock to refuel the group comes across a Russian astronaut Yuri (Diedrich Bader) and his dog Spudnick. As Yuri yearns to stay in space the buddies paw at a way home all while an evil scientist is trying to wreck their mission.

I don’t think it comes as a big surprise that the movie was rather unfulfilling. I couldn’t imagine this film even appealing to myself at a younger age, not in an entirely captivating way at least. I have to say this one is definitely for the real young kids who would be amused by the simplicity of the storyline and the idea of talking dogs. However, the voice acting isn’t half bad and neither is the production value considering it’s a straight to disc release.

If there was one thing going for this movie it was the inclusion of Diedrich Bader, who given very limited room to flex his wings is always very likeable, and at rare moments in this film, funny.  But at the end of the day I have seen much better from Disney and growing up to classics like Peter Pan and Snow White movies like Space Buddies just don’t make the grade. So unless you have some real young ones who hardly have a grasp on speaking, I’m going to suggest you stay away.

Video

Presented in 1080p 1.78:1 aspect ratio and encoded MPEG4 Space Buddies comes to blu-ray with some surprisingly good looking results. Being a direct to video title I expected a less than stellar release from Disney; however we are given a colourful and detailed transfer. The puppies are extremely cute in high definition, with individual hairs clearly seen in close up shots. The color palette used is equally impressive displaying both vibrant color, and realistic flesh tones.

The only major fault with the picture lies within the special effects used. Clearly this was a low budget movie, as the low resolution CGI sticks out like a sore thumb next to the otherwise crisp look.

Disney continues to prove that they are the best when it comes to releasing high quality blu-ray products. Here is a movie that only a few will ever own, yet the picture quality is top notch.

Audio

Disney has included a 5.1 DTS HD track one that delivers some great results. To say that the script lacks the quality of a top notch Disney movie is an understatement. Script quality aside, the sound presentation here is surprisingly top notch. Dialogue is extremely rich and clear, coming through the front channels with no balancing issues. Rear and sub support were active for a good portion of the film which was good to hear.

You may hate the dialogue, but there is no denying that the audio quality is top notch.

Special Features

Probably the most disappointing aspect of the disc were the lack of special features.

Buddy Facts – A pop up trivia track that plays alongside the entire movie.

Buddy Bloopers – A standard blooper reel that doesn’t offer any laughs. I will admit that the dogs are cute, but there isn’t anything worthwhile here.

The Buddies Guide to Space Travel – A brief look at the history of the Space venture. This feature is somewhat interesting for adults, but should provide a more understandable lesson for kids.

Dancing in the Moonlight Music Video

Final Thoughts

There really isn’t much to say about a movie like Space Buddies as the target audience is very narrow. It’s safe to say that no sane adult would find much if any entertainment value out of Space Buddies, and likely neither would their children. But as they keep making these movies (Santa’s Buddies is slated for a late 2009 release) someone must be watching them, and I’m sure if you liked the previous installments, from what I hear Space Buddies should be right along those lines. Fans will be happy to read that the audio and video transfers were both quite impressive, and set a good standard for straight releases. Unfortunately the same cannot be said about the special features which were really average, but in their defense I have seen worse.

Film 

Open Season 2 is a direct-to-video sequel to the 2006 hit animated movie Open Season.  Surprisingly, although this is not the case in the United States or UK, Open Season 2 was released theatrically in some countries last fall.  The stars of the voice cast include the likes of Mike Epps, Joel McHale, Cody Cameron, Jane Krakowski, Billy Connolly and Crispin Glover.  At the time of this writing, the movie has scored mixed user reviews on IMDB.

Having never seen the first Open Season film, I think may have missed out on the blossoming love relationship between Giselle (Krakowski) and Elliot (McHale).  Open Season 2 begins with the wedding between Giselle and Elliot, but it quickly takes a detour when Mr. Weenie (Cameron), having lived the free life in the wild all this time (something I probably missed out on again from not seeing the first film), is kidnapped by his former owners.  Boog (Epps), Elliot, McSquizzy (Connolly), Buddy and the rest of the wild gang launch a full-scale rescue mission to rescue Weenie, but soon find themselves in situations where improvising becomes critical to success.  Of course this means that the wedding between Giselle and Elliot is temporarily postponed, making for a very unhappy bride and a much-relieved groom.  You see…I guess you can say that Elliot is having a classic case of cold feet and is having trouble coping with the definitive terms forever and ever.  Amusingly, he did not know about the last “ever” part.  That cracks me up!

Eventually our beloved characters find themselves deep in the heart of the enemy camp…that is a camp park specifically designed for owners and their pets.  That is where they meet the enemy leader, a toy poodle named Fifi (Glover).  Neither side plans to let Mr. Weenie go without a fight.  This is a film any dog lover will take absolute delight in, as the dogs literally take on a personality of their own in this film.  Can a dictator-like toy poodle really mastermind and take down the resistance fighters that include a 900-pound grizzly bear?  What will happen to the fate of Mr. Weenie?  Most importantly, will Elliot ever conquer his fear and marry Giselle?  For these answers and more, you will just have to find out for yourself when Open Season 2 releases on the Blu-ray format January 27^th .

Video 

Sony brings Open Season 2 to the Blu-ray format with a simply gorgeous and breathtaking video transfer.  I guess that is hard not to do when one is working with a direct digital source, but I found nothing to complain about with the captivating, vibrant and bold treat your television is about to display.  Open Season 2 releases on the Blu-ray format with an eye-popping 1080P AVC MPEG-4 video encode and a 1.78:1 aspect ratio presentation.  This Blu-ray gives new meaning to the word three-dimensional pop.  The characters were unbelievably separated from their environments in the utmost of clarity and detail.  The textures were divine with the intricacy that went into the environments and characters such as fur, rocks, clothing, roads and more.  I think you get the picture.  Although the animation style differed slightly from the likes of Pixar movies, I could not find one complaint to make even after a subsequent viewing of this film.  This is my first 5-star video rating ever for a Sony release.  Good job Sony!

Audio 

Open Season 2 hits the Blu-ray format with a feature Dolby TrueHD 5.1 surround track.  The dialogue is always loud, clear and prominent throughout the entire mix.  That is a big plus for me.  The soundtrack was a loud one.  I have no complaints there either.  The musical score was mixed in well as were little ambient effects here and there within the rear channels.  This brings me to my only complaint.  Unlike Pixar and Disney films, I think Open Season 2 could have benefited just a little more by increased rear channel utilization.  However, this is a hardly a deal breaker here.  The surround track, although not a perfect 5-star like the video, is definitely one not to be reckoned with and is intended to be heard loud.  A little more activity in the rears is the only complaint I have to make.  Another great job by Sony!

Special Features 

The fun doesn’t stop with the movie itself…oh no…Sony has a few more treats for us in the special features department.  And get this…they are all, for the most part, in glorious High-Definition!  The only downfall is there isn’t much material to go around, but let’s rejoice in the fact that we are not subjected to Standard-Definition garbage.  Take a moment to review all the bonus materials, found below, that Sony provided us on the Blu-ray version of Open Season 2.

• Wacky Weenie Arcade – The “Wacky Weenie Arcade” features five carnival-style games for kids to enjoy.  We are treated to Elliot’s “Go Fetch!” (a Frisbee catch game), “Track That Treat” (a magic shell game), “Fix that ‘Do” (a doggie glam-up activity game), “Boog’s Waterslide Maze Craze” (a game where you navigate your way through a wild waterslide), “Doggie Strength Test” (a ‘ring that bell’ sort of style) and “Save Mr. Weenie!” (a Frogger-style game, where Boog and Elliot must cross busy streets avoiding hunters, speeding traffic and innocent pedestrians).
• Going WILD! With the Voice Cast of Open Season 2 (HD) – Here we have a 14-minute featurette on the comical voice cast of Open Season 2.
• How to Draw Your Favorite Characters: Boog, Elliot & Fifi (HD) – Storyboard artist Sean Allen shows kids how to draw their favorite characters in this 18-minute featurette.
• Deleted Scenes (SD) – There are 3 deleted scenes (“Forever and Ever,” “Reilly’s Family Tree” and “Bald Spot”) that are not fully rendered and appear more like sketches.
• Music Video (HD) – The music video is like a 3-minute Open Season 2 cast mockery of the song “Who Let The Dogs Out.”
• BD-Live – There is BD-Live functionality on the Blu-ray disc of Open Season 2, but at the time of this writing there is nothing to unveil.  All BD-Live functionality for Open Season 2, as stipulated from the press release by Sony, will be live on the servers for its release date, January 27, 2009.
• Previews (HD) – There are High-Definition trailers for Open Season, Surf’s Up, Monster House, The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep, Zathura: A Space Adventure and Daddy Day Care.

Final Thoughts 

All in all, I really can’t say enough good things about this zany animated adventure.  It is a short feature film that both the kids and the parents can enjoy watching together.  You don’t see too many family films of this caliber anymore.  Despite my initial reaction of wanting nothing to do with the review of Open Season 2, I went in with an “open” mind and I was pleasantly surprised how much I liked it.  It is not going to win any fancy awards, but hopefully this Blu-ray release will win a spot in your heart.  Let’s recap…you have exceptional reference quality video and amazing soundtrack and a handful of special features to keep your kids busy for hours.  What is not to like about this release.  It is with no qualms that I highly recommend a purchase of this Blu-ray release of Open Season 2.  I think parents, dog lovers and children alike will fall in love with Elliot, Boog, Mr. Weenie and the rest of the gang.  This one gets my two-thumbs up personal recommendation for the whole family to enjoy.

I hope you enjoyed my review of Sony’s Open Season 2 Blu-ray release.  Please feel free to share your thoughts and comments below.  I look forward to receiving feedback from my readers.

Open Season 2 will be released on Blu-ray January 27, 2009.  If you like what you read in the review above, then please show your support for our site by clicking the shopping cart link above to order and save with Amazon’s Everyday Lowest Price Guarantee.  Thanks for your support!

We find Helena reserved to her sketches while trying to escape circus life in her trailer.  Her mother desperately urges her to get ready for that night’s performance as she is due out soon.  Helena seems to find peace in her black and white drawings that range from fish of stunning detail to more abstract creations such as a glaring sphinx and other Picasso-esque doodles.  Behaving in stereotypical teen fashion, Helena begins arguing with her mother, expressing her distaste for performing upon which her mother yells from outside the trailer, “You’re going to be the end of me!”  Helena retorts with, “I wish I were!”  Shortly thereafter, Helena’s mother is due to perform but she collapses backstage from what appears to be either exhaustion or an unforeseen illness.  The show goes on as one of the other performers makes an impromptu appearance in the role previously reserved for Helena’s mother.

Ten days later, we find the circus mum (that would be ‘mom’ for us non-Brits) resting in a hospital where Helena pays her a visit.  It is soon discovered that she is in need of surgery to alleviate whatever complication is plaguing her.  Helena goes to bed that night but awakens to the sound of music and juggler discussion on the streets below.  She goes out exploring to find three individuals who bear striking resemblances to those in her parents’ show.  Suddenly, a rapidly encroaching black substance begins covering the building walls and claims the violinist and the female juggler.  The last remaining circus hand and Helena manage to escape through the only door on the street.  It is here that they enter an incredibly diverse world, similar to that seen in Tim Burton’s, The Nightmare Before Christmas, but on steroids.  Fish are flying, buildings are distorted and the creatures that populate the odd town are made up of anything from old books to scrap metal and shoes.  Helena soon realizes these are worlds created in her sketches.

Helena’s new pal she escaped with, Valentine, informs her that there is a land of shadows which is taking over the land of light.  They meet with the prime minister of the land of light who informs them that a young girl, very similar in appearance to Helena, visited the White Queen only days ago, saying she was a princess from the land of shadows.  The queen fell into an apparent unwakeable sleep while the alleged princess disappeared.  To wake the queen, they must find the MirrorMask.

Video

Sony Pictures brings us MirrorMask in 1080p High Definition with a 1.85:1 aspect ratio and an AVC encode.  This film has much to offer in the way of visuals and they all come across quite well on Blu-ray.  There is grain throughout the film but it is not significant in the slightest.  Also is the case for the miniscule white specs that occasionally were found in some dark scenes.  Again, I want to reinforce that this is not a distraction during the film.  The CG animation was odd and shares a flavor you may have previously seen in The Corpse Bride. Skin tones differ throughout the film but are done so as to deliver the mood of the scene.  Physical details on the individual actors’ skin are picked up with amazing clarity, such as stubble, intentionally-shown makeup lines and porous contour.

Audio

MirrorMask‘s audio was a mixed bag.  Early on, I found myself leaning forward to try and make out some of the dialogue (yes, the volume was up).  However, once I was immersed in the dream world on screen, the sound came to life.  The pitter-patter of nimble wooden legs across the cobblestone streets brought vibrance to the speakers as if one of the abstract creatures had just made a rapid pass behind my back.  A rumbling and a crash here and there also brought the subwoofer into the discussion on the Dolby TrueHD 5.1 format.

Special Features

I very much enjoy the visual clarity that is offered on Blu-ray.  So why is it that we viewers are so often condemned to watching the disc extras at a scratchy 480 resolution?  Blech!  You wouldn’t power a battleship with a trolling motor so I ask again, why apply standard def extras to a magnificent medium?  Regardless, there are a fair amount of extras on MirrorMask but I just can’t bring myself to rate extras-volume highly when its appearance is very unspectacular.

• Commentary – with director David McKean and writer Neil Gaiman
• Trailers
  • Daddy Day Camp
  • Surf’s Up
  • The Waterhorse: Legend of the Deep
  • CJ7 (an Asian family/comedy film; boy befriends alien)
• Featurettes
  • Neil Talks – a 6-minute discussion with writer Neil Gaiman.
  • Dave McKean interview - Just under 6 minutes with director Dave McKean.
  • Beginnings - a 4-minute look into the inception of how MirrorMask came about.
  • Cast & Crew - a collection of ‘Cliff-note’ discussions if you will, with various folks from the film; 8 minutes in length.
  • Day 16 - Just under 2 and a half minutes, this featurette shows what goes into an average day of shooting (amount of takes, people on set, etc.).
  • Flight of the Monkeybirds – a 4-minute glance at what went into the animation development of the chase Monkeybird chase scene.
  • Giants Development - 2-minute sequence showing the creation of the massive hovering giants.
  • Questions & Answers - The longest featurette at just over 20 minutes, we see various Q and A footage with the film’s writer and director at San Diego’s famous ComicCon in 2003 and 2004 while also providing similar footage from the 2005 Sundance Film Festival in Utah.

Final Thoughts

In the beginning of this review, I mentioned MirrorMask is a PG-rated film, which is correct.  With that being said, I want to emphasize that this isn’t necessarily a film for the whole family…let me explain.  The Black Queen has the ability to summon more of those black pudding-like shadows and these shadow bats.  How does she do it?  She coughs up the bats and vertically hurls, orally, the black spew known as shadows…maybe this is Exorcist for the kids, I don’t know.  In addition, once the shadows begin their mission, they do not deviate, enveloping everything in their path, even choking off one of the aforementioned hovering giants.  All in all, MirrorMask is one of those artistic films that has a way of flying under the radar of the masses while still garnering a niche audience.  I thought the method of storytelling was exquisite but the story itself did drag on a bit too long.  There is an age-old message woven into this film; be careful what you wish for. ‘Unique’ is a fitting description for this cinematic work.

The CG animation craze has no shortage of lovable and cute animals these days. It seems that the animal kingdom has become the greatest fodder for these family animated blockbuster films. Dreamworks might be in the lead with these kinds of efforts. They’ve given us bears, penguins, and lions among others. Now they deliver perhaps one of their better ideas in a lovable Kung Fu Panda. As much as anything else, you really have to give most of the credit for the film’s success to Jack Black and the wonderful voice cast that support him here. Honestly, the script is pretty simple, and like most children’s films it tends to be oversimplified and rather silly throughout. But give a cast like this an even average script and you can pretty much sit back and watch them go. Okay, maybe sit back and hear them go.

Jack Black stars as a Panda named Po who works in his family’s noodle shop. His dreams, however, aren’t of noodles and broth, but of Kung Fu. He fantasizes of hanging out with the famous fabulous five, the living legends of Kung Fu. The five are made up of the actual animal poses in Kung Fu. You have Tigress (Jolie), Crane (Cross), Monkey (Chan), Mantis (Rogen), and Viper (Liu). Together they have been training with the Master Shifu (Hoffman). Under the guidance of Grand Master Oogway (Duk Kim) they are preparing for one of them to take on the mantle of Dragon Warrior. Then they will inherit the sacred Dragon Scroll and be the great protector of Peace Valley. When Po learns that the time has come to select the Dragon Warrior, he just can’t miss being witness to such an awesome event. The palace is high on a great mountain, and Po tries all silly means of getting to the event. Finally, strapped to a fireworks propelled chair, he makes a grand entrance and finds himself selected as the Dragon Warrior. Much to the dismay of all gathered, Master Oogway insists that Po will become the great warrior needed to protect the Valley. Shifu must overcome his own doubts and work fast, because the imprisoned Tai Lung (McShane) has escaped from the world’s most secure prison. “One way in. One way out. One thousand guards and just one prisoner”Tai Lung. Tai Lung wants the dragon scroll for himself, and not even the Fabulous Five are able to stop him. Po must learn the “secret ingredient” that will give him the strength and courage to face up to this most ferocious of enemies.

All of the cast is very good here. The animators did a fantastic job of designing creatures that fit the voices, or the casting crew did an equally fantastic job in picking the right voices for the right characters. Whatever way, it worked, and I suspect it was a little of both; the combination is the film’s greatest strength. The standouts are unquestionably Jack Black and Dustin Hoffman. The two breathe life into their characters with such ease that they become real and totally believable to us.

The field of computer animation just keeps getting better and better. Kung Fu Panda certainly continues that upward trend. The environments are quite realistic, and the elements interact in a natural and fluid manner. There are moments were obvious animation shortcuts were taken, and some elements that simply didn’t render very well. The noodle soup pieces were the standout crude elements. Water was also not reproduced as well as I’ve seen recently. The huge leap forward is in the animal textures. Po’s hair and muscle definition is extraordinary to say the least. There’s no question that this is the kind of digital product that Blu-ray and high definition are able to shine best in reproducing.

Video

Kung Fu Panda is in its original aspect ratio of 2.35:1. The transfer is a pristine 1080p image using an AVC/MPEG-4 codec. You’ll find a solid bit rate, often reaching the mid 30’s mbps. Everything about this image is near perfect. Colors leap from the screen at almost every turn. Contrast is rock solid. Just look at the definition on Po, and you’ll find an argument that the contrast could not be any tighter. Black levels are about as solid as I’ve seen to date. The level of detail is the most important thing here. I guarantee you are seeing this film in about as good a quality as the designers who rendered it. There is absolutely no evidence of compression artifact or print failure, which should be expected in this kind of pure digital transfer. If you don’t find this one of the most dazzling image displays you’ve seen, you really need to find someone who knows what the heck they’re doing to calibrate your monitor.

Audio

The TrueHD lossless 5.1 track is nearly as spectacular as the image. I was particularly impressed with the great sub level sound I heard, or should I say felt. My sub’s never been this active on an animated feature before. It’s not just a ton of low end, but it feels so full and vibrant. The surround mix is often quite aggressive but subtle in its grand usage of ambient sounds. There aren’t a lot of “over here” type of effects used, but what is there is totally immersive and nearly invisible, which is the sign of a truly solid audio track. Dialog is perfect, and you’ll hear every word clearly. The score is a combination of work between Hans Zimmer and John Powell and works at all the right moments. It never interferes with what’s on the screen, but works together with the whole to produce an atmosphere that might be lost on the kids but will be appreciated by the true aficionados in the room.

Special Features

A lot of these features are obviously geared toward the very young, and the bulk of them are interactive games and activities. All of these features are presented in HD. They are provided in sub groups which I will describe as follows:

Inside Kung Fu Panda: Here you will find many of the “during playback extras”. There’s an engaging commentary with many participants. You can also engage a popup trivia option that gives you little points of interest during playback of the film. You will also find a Meet The Cast feature that is a 13 minute look at the voice talent. There’s plenty of on set fun, and it’s short enough so the kids won’t get bored. Here you’ll also find a similar feature called Pushing Boundaries where you’ll meet cast and crew and hear about the filmmaking philosophy. The section is completed with a Conservation Help Save The Pandas PSA.

Po’s Power Play: All games and activities here: Dragon Warrior Training Academy, Dumpling Shuffle, and Learn To Draw.

Sounds And Moves Of Kung Fu includes: Sound Design, a 3 minute look at the sound effects artists, Kung Fu Fighting Music Video, and Learn The Panda Dance.

Land Of The Panda: Here you get a Food Network look at making real noodles called Mr. Ping’s Noodle Shop. You also get an interactive look at The Chinese Zodiac. And finally a tutorial on How To Use Chopsticks.

Dreamworks Animated Jukebox: This has become standard on these Dreamworks animated releases. You can see music pieces from all of Dreamworks animated films.

Bd Live: If you are 2.0 compliant and have internet access, you can download additional features from the film.

Final Thoughts

For my generation Kung Fu has been frequently identifiable with David Carradine and his 1970’s television show: Kung Fu. I think that Jack Black and company has now reidentified the martial art for the next generation of viewers. This is definitely the kind of film you can gather the family around to watch. There’s something in it for everyone. The parents won’t be bored, and the kids will find ample stimulation and fun. There is already a sequel in the making. In fact there is a short sequel entitled The Secrets Of The Fabulous Five, which is only available as a companion piece to the standard DVD. I really don’t understand why the short wasn’t included on the Blu-ray version. That would be the only reason to go DVD over Blu here, unless, of course, you don’t have a Blu-ray player. Both versions are very good, but in Blu you get “Double the guards. Double the weapons. Double everything.”

Tinker Bell has been a Walt Disney icon almost since its inception. The character has gone way beyond her appearance in Peter Pan. In the decades since, she has come to represent the magic of Walt Disney and its many incarnations. Seen at the beginning of every Disney title, Tinker Bell is likely as recognizable as Mickey Mouse and his many friends. John Lassiter and the animators of Disney’s new CG animation studios take on this monumental character in the first of at least 5 announced films to feature the little fairy. Lassiter brings his best magic, learned developing Pixar over the years, to create a feature that rivals the Pixar brand in quality and technological presentation. The animation is incredible, bringing to life this corner of Neverland called Pixie Hallow. The CG environments are absolutely beautiful. With the help of Pixar, Disney has made the same strides in computer animation that it once made in traditional hand drawn animation. This picture is light years ahead of almost anything else I’ve seen outside of Pixar itself. Understand that this is a direct to video production with far less of a budget than a theatrical release, and the look of this world is even more incredible. Characters interpret with effortless smoothness, and the result is a nearly 3D presentation. Textures are outstanding, particularly a mouse character named Cheese. There’s a clever blend of this computer imagery with some classic looking animation that helps to bridge the gap between the two styles. The result is a quite unique look that is pretty amazing to look at.

We really shouldn’t forget who the target audience is for this film and the franchise expected to follow. We’re talking about little girls here who fancy themselves princesses in their own magical fairy land. Since this reviewer does not fit into that target demographic, I have needed to adjust my perception of the film a bit. It’s important to acknowledge the film’s purpose, but it’s also fair to ask the question: Can it serve beyond that limited viewership. After all, parents, brothers, and even teachers will be required to watch along. I’m glad to say that this film was more entertaining in that respect than I originally suspected. There were moments I found myself amused enough to laugh along with some of the obvious jokes. The running time was also short enough and the film moved along quickly enough that I never found myself sneaking a peak at the clock. That means parents can feel good about sitting down with their young daughters with the expectation of sharing an hour and a half of simple quality time without having their minds wander too far away themselves.

Of course the story is a simple one. This is Tinker’s origin story. Tinker was born into the fairy world just as preparations are underway to bring Spring to the mainland, the fairy’s name for the real world beyond their own. It seems that these fairies are responsible for all of the Earth’s change of seasons. Each fairy belongs to a particular guild with specific jobs to do. As Spring approaches some fairies must melt away snow, while others paint the colors onto love bugs. Tinker Bell is a tinker fairy, responsible for building things that help the other fairies to do their jobs. Tinker, however, doesn’t feel very satisfied as a tinker. She wants to go to the mainland and participate in the Spring creation firsthand. She tries her luck at the many other skills, only to find she has no aptitude for their work. Finally her attempts to “do” something bring about the ruin of all of the Spring preparations. Now it appears Spring may not come at all this year because of her carelessness. Of course, just at the right moment Tinker finds how valuable the tinker skills she does have can be. It’s a story of being happy with who and what you are.

Video

Tinker Bell is presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.78:1. It’s a wonderful 1080p image utilizing an AVC/MPEG-4 codec. The bit rate stays a healthy 30mbps through much of the film. Everything is so shiny and bright, and that’s to be expected. What truly stands out, however, isn’t the bright colors and marvelous textures. What stands out here is the 3D look and feel of it all. It’s almost as if you’re looking at this world through a window in your television. Maybe the kids aren’t as hung up on all of those bells and whistles; I don’t know. What I do know is that the crew behind this presentation decided to do it right no matter who was watching or what their expectations might be.

Audio

The PCM lossless 5.1 track delivers, maybe not in such a spectacular way as the image, but it’s still well done. Separation is excellent, but there aren’t a lot of ambients here. There could have been in such a complicated and lively world, but the focus is maintained in the front speakers. Dialog is always clear. There is a wonderful Celtic soundtrack that does absolutely shine at times. I’m a sucker for that kind of music anyway, but I was happy to encounter it with such clarity here. Not much in the way of subs. Again, I’m not sure how much of this the kids are really looking for.

Special Features

There are many BD Live features to explore which were not ready when I checked them out.

Magical Guide To Pixie Hollow, Ever Wonder, and Tinker Trainer: These are interactive games/activities.

Fly To Your Heart: This is a music video of the theme by Selena Gomez.

Deleted Scenes: Some are unfinished, but two are actually pretty complete. It’s all pretty much more of the same.

Creating Pixie Hollow: This 10 minute feature is really the only look behind the scenes the release offers. You get a good mix of conceptual art, voice casting, and some animated storyboards all included in the mix here. John Lassiter talks about the genesis of some of the ideas here.

Final Thoughts

Take this always for what it is. Disney has been pulling out all of the stops here and making a big deal out of the launch of this franchise. There have already been many premiere events and a lot of merchandising. I definitely see a future for the films if they can maintain the simplicity of story and amazing visuals. Gather the kids, introduce them to HD their way, and discover some magic together. “Have you ever wondered how nature gets its glow?”

For decades there has been some speculation about a certain Scottish loch and the prehistoric creature or creatures that might inhabit the deep waters. There have been a few pictures, most if not all proven as fakes over the years, depicting something akin to a Plesiosaur. The creature appears to have a long neck and a large body supported by fin-like appendages. By now the Loch Ness Monster, or Nessie, as it is often called, is a staple of modern mythology. Whether truth or fiction, the small Scottish countryside has made a bit of a cottage industry from the fabled creature. Of course, it is as children that we are the most fascinated with such things. There’s that age when we’re apt to believe almost anything, especially if we want it to be true enough. Water horse: Legend Of The Deep is directed at just such an audience, purporting to unveil the true story of the Loch Ness Monster.

As the film begins a young American couple stop into a small Scottish pub to admire the local culture. There they are mesmerized by a framed copy of one of the more famous fake pictures of Nessie. It’s fake, of course, and everybody knows it, but one old gentleman offers to tell the young lovers the rest of the story. And so, without tourists, we settle in for the story of a legend:

Angus (Etel) is a young boy who finds something remarkable among the rocks lining the shoreline of Loch Ness. We’ve seen enough creature features by now to know exactly what young Master Angus has discovered. On an appropriately stormy night the egg hatches and our young monster, as well as our story, is born. Angus begins to care for the animal and the two bond. Angus’s father is missing in the action of World War II, and he is desperate for something to care about. He attempts to keep it a secret even when a military regiment is billeted at his home. He names the creature Crusoe after the famous Daniel Defoe novel. Angus enlists the help of his sister, Kirstie (Xi) and hired handyman Mowbray (Chaplin) to keep Crusoe hidden. The more the thing eats, the faster it grows, and soon after a solid half hour of slapstick and humor, the creature must be released into the wilds of the Loch. Once free, he grows to enormous size. Tension begins as Angus realizes that the soldiers at his house have a mission to trap German subs in the loch and then blast them out of the water. As expected the soldiers mistake Crusoe for a sub. His head looks like a periscope to one half blind lookout. Before long the artillery is blasting the water and it’s driving Crusoe to madness. Of course, Angus must try and rescue his friend, putting his own life as well as those of his family in danger.

The whole affair has the feel of a Disney feel good film. It’s not really anything we haven’t seen a hundred times or so before. Still, it’s a pretty entertaining film. The creature, particularly in its small stages, reminds me a lot of the creature in the short-lived television series Surface. The F/X are good enough, but Crusoe never looks entirely real to me. There are times when he blends in almost flawlessly with his practical environments and others where he is so obviously an effect. Some of the surface splashing appears out of sync with the animal’s movements. None of this will matter to the target young audience, so perhaps is not that big of a deal. The only problem is with adults who are used to a little better blending of fantasy and reality. There’s a rather nice moment when we see the famous fake picture being staged; all the while the real creature is just on the other side of the hill in all his glory waiting to be photographed. In fact, I’d say the strongest thing the film has going isn’t the F/X creature, but the rather nice way the film integrates the culture of the area and the eventual legend of Nessie into the story. There are some subtle nods to both sprinkled throughout the film. The movie was filmed in New Zealand, but some of the cinematography looks very much as I would expect the countryside of Scotland to appear. I’m sure many of these shots are CG enhanced or even straight CG, but they are very well done, giving the audience a genuine feeling of being there.

Video

Water Horse is presented in its original aspect ratio of 2.40:1. This is an absolutely lovely presentation. The disc uses an AVC/MPEG-4 codec to provide a simply stunning 1080p image. I was blown away by some of the visuals in this film. There is a moment only 5 minutes in where some of the water peeks through the rocks where Angus finds his egg. The depth of blue of that water and the startling contrast to the grays and tans of the beach is remarkable. The countryside vistas are vivid in both color and detail. There is a lot of subtle haze that depicts the Scottish climate perfectly without spoiling the splendid color. Instead of obstructing the image, this subtle mist only brings even the most still of images to life. Flesh tones are too pale, and there are moments when the film is a bit too bright. It’s during these moments that the picture is a glossy shiny thing, far too much so to be real. You won’t find a sharper picture. Mountains, brooks, and trees look splendid here.

Audio

The Dolby Digital TrueHD 5.1 Master Lossless Audio doesn’t pack the same punch as the image. There are moments when the mix is too aggressive. I felt like someone was forcing me to feel depth where maybe I shouldn’t. I would have preferred a more subtle approach. The sound is crystal clear and adds a sense of realism when the surrounds don’t feel forced. Water, particularly, has a sloshing sound that brings back memories of my own childhood on the waters of the Atlantic Ocean in New Jersey. Dialog is clear most of the time, but I did find a few moments where other sounds or even score appeared to overpower the dialog. The James Newton Howard score is not one of his best. He seems to have a lot of trouble finding the mood, and it is distracting more often than not. During the Angus riding Crusoe scenes, the score is at its rousing best, but perhaps still a bit too loud.

Special Features

Virtual Crusoe Game: This is one of those virtual pet games that kids bore with quickly. You have a mood meter and you attempt to keep your water horse happy by feeding or playing with him.

Deleted Scenes: There are 8 of them, and you have the handy play all option, or you can pick them out as you wish. Most are mere extensions of material already in the film. There is one notable exception in a scene that should have remained in the film. It’s a tender moment where we learn why Robinson Crusoe is so important to Angus. It further explains the situation with his father that is really unclear for too long in the film.

Featurettes: There are 6 featurettes that you can play individually or all at once. Together they run for over an hour. The subjects covered are: Myths and Legends, The Story, The Characters, Setting The Scene, Waterworks – Creating The Water Horse, Creating Crusoe.

Final Thoughts

It’s true that there really isn’t anything new in this film. It is still worth at least a rental, particularly if you have little ones. It’s a harmless enough film that will have strong appeal to the young ones and be a good fun ride for us older folks. The creature isn’t anything spectacular either, but he will tend to grow on you, literally. Of course, your kids are going to want one. After all, “He’s very friendly”.