Walt Disney Treasures

December 26th, 2007 | Posted by JP in DVD - (0 Comments)

disney Walt Disney Treasures
Buena Vista Home Entertainment
In shops now

While these discs may not have been on the top of your gift-giving / receiving list, we are now in the post-holiday, gift certificate-using mode, so this is the time. Over the past few years, Disney DVD has been releasing these wonderful sets in tin collector’s cases.  Now there are three new ones out for the picking.  1. Disneyland: Secrets, Stories & Magic.  Featuring opening day in 1955, attendance at the World’s Fair, TV broadcasts and a new documentary with archival footage.  This is a great one for fans of the Disney glory days.  2. The Chronological Donald, Volume Three 1947-1950.  On here you’ll see “The Many Faces of Donald Duck”, a charming little retrospective on the (original) Donald,  as well as 31 shorts with the cranky fella.  3. The Adventures of Oswald: The Lucky Rabbit.  Though we’ve never heard of Oswald, this guy predates Mickey, believe it or not.  He first hit the Disney lot in 1926 and you can now catch these shorts with folks like Leonard Maltin chiming in with their commentary.  Take a look at these, and depending on the type of Disney fare you’re keen on, there should be something to your liking.

Pin It

, , , , , , ,

DVD Shoppers go Bonkers for Bourne

December 17th, 2007 | Posted by JP in News - (0 Comments)

bourne DVD Shoppers go Bonkers for BourneUniversal Studios Home Entertainment is reporting that by the end of today, it will have raked in more than $100 million in DVD sales for “The Bourne Ultimatum.” Looks like people were waiting until the end of the year to start some serious spending (just take a look at the weekend box office numbers). In any event, people love Mr. Bourne, and so do we. If you don’t have your DVD already, you may have to run out and get it before they’re all gone!

Pin It

, , , , , , ,

The Evil Dead Ultimate Collection: Review

December 17th, 2007 | Posted by Joy Hogger in DVD - (0 Comments)

evildead The Evil Dead Ultimate Collection: ReviewLast week I had the pleasure of viewing the latest DVD version of “Evil Dead” which hits stores December 18th. The film was originally released in 1981 at a time when I was 7 years old and Zombies definitely weren’t on the film menu. Years later, I saw it at a friend’s house through the miracle of the VCR and was scarred for life. I hadn’t revisited this movie since grade school and I’m so glad I gave it another chance after all these years.

Whether you are a fan or not, this is an amazing DVD. It’s packed with extras including commentary from Sam Raimi, trailers, and tons of documentary footage. It was great to see Raimi’s evolution from this film to his current day box office monsters like “Spiderman.”

What really makes this movie great today is how it was made. It truly shows what someone with an incredible imagination, ultra-creative camerawork, tons of patience, and little or no money can do with a 16mm camera. It makes you realize how sad it is that today with all the technology we have, like palm sized HD cameras, we still don’t see too many people just grabbing gear and making films of this caliber. The movie will also make you appreciate good horror where the writer and filmmaker can let your imagination scare the hell out of you instead of just throwing buckets of blood and anatomically-correct digital effects your way.
(more…)

Pin It

, , , , ,

2007 Holiday Gift Guide: Those Awkward Teen Years

December 13th, 2007 | Posted by JP in Articles - (0 Comments)

teendvds 2007 Holiday Gift Guide: Those Awkward Teen Years
The selections keep coming for the tweens on your list. While we understand that they are tough ones to shop for (and they like cash most of all…), we gave it the ol’ college try. Here are a few choices for the teenagers in your circle of JoyHogs.

Pin It

, , , , , , , , ,

High School Musical 2: Extended Edition

December 4th, 2007 | Posted by JP in DVD - (0 Comments)

hsm2 High School Musical 2: Extended EditionBuena Vista Home Entertainment
In shops on 11 December

When this movie premiered on the Disney Channel back in August, it became the most-watched cable telecast of all time. Up until now, I have steered clear from all the fuss. On the special features of this disc, director / choreographer can be heard telling the cast during a rehearsal: “If it wasn’t for Annette Funicello and Frankie Avalon, we wouldn’t be here.” How very true. My generation grew up watching cartoons on Saturday morning and movies like “Flight of the Navigator” on Sunday nights as the Disney movie presentation of the week. Since then, family-friendly programming has become harder to find in the mainstream spots. This clean, fun, exuberant musical cannot be praised enough. It’s a solid film, but even if you’re not too keen on the material, you should be thrilled that it can entertain the kids in your life with no worries. “High School Musical” recalls the days when Mouseketeers were not paparazzi bait and when bold colours, fun music, and a good story were all you needed to get you through the summer. It may be the best thing to happen to the millennial generation since it began its overstimulated existence twelve years ago.

Pin It

, , , ,

Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End

December 2nd, 2007 | Posted by JP in DVD - (0 Comments)

pirates Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s EndBuena Vista Home Entertainment
In shops on 4 December

Might this be the end of the Pirates? At long, long last? Well after taking in this third installment in the franchise, I certainly hope so. I’m not sure if there was too much going on in the plot of this one, or maybe not enough. Either way, it took me two sittings to get through the film with my attention intact. And let it be known that I love love love the first two. Not sure what was going on here, maybe the pseudo pirate politics that comes with so many scraggly types trying to make decisions en masse just didn’t work out. I’m happy to report that the sets are still brilliant (as they should be, considering the source material is an amusement park ride and there was a reported budget of nearly $300 million), the music is still awesome and sweeping. And our leads are either handsome or pretty as appropriate in that…well, dirty…sort of way. There are some great ideas here, like Jack Sparrow’s descent into madness and the answers to Will and Elizabeth’s complicated yearnings. It may very well be that each scene, as with movies like “King Kong,” is terrific and we love it, but it simply overstays its welcome. Keith Richards, though? Pretty terrific placement, there. Certainly can’t fault anyone for that casting move. Other than that, I’d recommend another look at the first two rather than indulge in this addition to the library.

Pin It

, , , ,