Into the Blu

The live action Scooby-Doo franchise always felt fine where it was, they were silly films that captured the slapstick humor, mysterious monsters and overall tone of the classic cartoon… So when I found out that they’ve rebooted the series with a direct-to-video prequel with a completely new and unheard of cast I was a bit weary… How’d it pan out?

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It was only a few months ago that I would see these posters of garden gnomes all over the local mall advertising for the movie Gnomeo & Juliet. It seemed that they were everywhere, which is normally not a good sign for the ultimate success of the film. It didn’t take a Mensa member to figure out that the film was a take off on Romeo & Juliet, featuring the music of Elton John. However, the film was out of the local cineplex fairly soon due to mediocre box office results, which is not surprising given the short length of time it took for the film to make its way to home video. Nevertheless, the film seemed like an interesting concept so I decided to request a review copy, in 2D. Well, it has finally arrived as has my review. Continue Reading

When you look over the mass marketplace of entertainment, it is amazing to see the lack of totally original content that seems to be available these days. From films to TV to music, the mass market seems to regurgitate the same things over and over again, looking to cash in on what they think has been popular in the past or looking to create content on the cheap. You see it in TV with the upsurge in reality TV shows which seem to gather high ratings at low cost. You see it the non reality genre as well. I mean, have many versions of CSI or Law and Order Do you really need? Then there is the recycling of old TV shows that haven’t been on in decades. The same is true for popular music, where act after act does nothing but imitate another. After all, isn’t Lady Gaga nothing but a clone of Madonna? Continue Reading

Usually when you approach the big five-oh, you expect something special, whether it is your 50th birthday or your 50th wedding anniversary. One would therefore have expected something very special from the folks at Disney for their 50th full length animated film. That film, Tangled, is the subject of this review. Would it prove to be just as special as one would have expected for such a milestone film? Continue Reading

All college hoop fans are surely aware of the Big 5, the collection of 5 Philadelphia area based colleges that have been playing basketball in their own association since the 1950′s. It is unique and there is nothing else like it in college basketball. There is another Big 5 out there as well, at least according to film historians and that is the 5 films that form the foundation of the Disney Empire. Those films are Snow White, Pinocchio, Fantasia, Bambi and Dumbo. The first three of this so-called Big 5 have already made their way to Blu-ray. The fourth, Bambi, is finally making its debut on Blu-ray as well. Continue Reading

The folks at Disney have sure been busy restoring and releasing some of their masterpieces on the Blu-ray format. Since the inception of the format, Disney has released classics such as Sleeping Beauty, Pinocchio and Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs all of the which look spectacular and better than they ever have in the home environment by a wide margin. To that list of Disney classics you can now add Alice in Wonderland, which is coming to Blu-ray on its 60th Anniversary. Will it hold up to the other films in terms of picture and audio quality? Continue Reading

Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore is a sequel to the 2001 film Cats & Dogs. I can’t say that I’ve ever seen the original but it definitely isn’t a prerequisite to the sequel. I’ve always had a thing for family films it gives me the opportunity to be a kid again for the duration of the film. What really makes these children oriented movies fun is when there are a few parts for the adults as well. With a cast including Bette Midler, Neil Patrick Harris, Nick Nolte, Christina Applegate, and James Marsden Cats & Dogs instantly has potential. Continue Reading

Alpha and Omega was a film that came out fairly under the radar with little marketing. I only remember hearing about it because it was one of the many in the slew of upcoming 3d films to hit theaters in 2010. With its fairly talented cast including Justin Long, Hayden Panettiere and the late great Dennis Hopper; I was surprised that the film didn’t receive a stronger marketing campaign. Was there a reason?

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I love catalog releases especially of old films, after reviewing North by Northwest months ago and seeing how meticulous the restoration process can be when done properly. Although I’m not a fan of musicals I was anxious to see how this classic film was treated when put onto Blu-ray. How’d it hold up? Continue Reading

One often hears complaints about the lack of quality family entertainment. As a parent myself, I understand that sentiment completely, as far too much “Family” entertainment simply lacks much in the way of action and content of interest to adults. Other than the various Pixar films, most films designed with children in mind as the primary audience leave my mind to wander, thinking about the shopping list and errands I have to run rather than watching and enjoying the film. While not the greatest film of all time, the subject of this review, Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole, is a clear cut above most family films in terms of action and adventure, and a good deal better than I had thought it would be going in. Continue Reading

Disney is no stranger to the direct-to-video market and for the holiday season it’s a sure bet we’ll see some sort of Christmas themed special. The Search for Santa Paws fills that criteria and Disney has put a lot of money into promoting the film, which leaves me to wonder if the film is a good flick to pick for a Christmas gift.

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It has been a long time since I have watched Fantasia or Fantasia 2000. I probably haven’t watched them since their original release on DVD and they have been collecting dust on the bookshelf ever since. I am not sure why that is the case as they are both interesting films featuring some wonderful music and some very interesting video. As I recall, both looked and sounded great on DVD and it was with some anticipation that I awaited their eventual release on Blu-ray to see not only how they looked in high def, but how they sounded with a full lossless audio track. I can report that both films have never looked or sounded better.

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