Home Entertainment Highlights by C.E. Morgan - August 2008

C.E. Morgan is a member of the St. Louis Gateway Film Critics Association

College Road Trip (G)
Disney teams up Martin Lawrence and Raven-Symone to bring us a delightful family-friendly comedy that will look very familiar to both children and parents. Melanie Porter is growing up and will soon be leaving for college that is if she survives a zany road trip with her well-meaning father. Every potential student looks forward to visiting a college campus in anticipation of enrolling. Melanie’s idea of an orientation trip was a girls-only drive to the school, but her over-protective dad has another plan. Be assured that his trip proves to be great fun, filled with more mirth and crazy curves than the original plan could have possibly generated.
Martin Lawrence is great as the dad in charge. The gag reel and deleted scenes further reiterate is comic genius. Most of the bonus features appeal primarily to the kids, but Lawrence’s bloopers are a pleasure for all. The youngsters will enjoy a plethora of Disney treats, including a video, “Double Dutch Bus.” If you’ve seen the movie poster, you’ll just have to wait and see to find out how the pig got in the front seat of the car. They’ll be no spoilers here.

Step Up 2 The Streets
If you are considering buying this DVD for a teen, I suggest you choose the “Dance-Off Edition.” Some say that this is the hottest dance movie of the year. So why not make sure that you get all of the bonus features possible. The extra five music videos included are just the tip of the iceberg. Outtakes and behind-the-scenes features are all top-notch.
The plot is simple and obviously just a platform for the spectacular dance routines. A street dancer, Andie, teams up with a modern dancer and the rest is choreographed history. The blend of the two styles is magic to behold. Fortunately, there is a dance-off, “The Streets,” where the routines can come to life.
Such artists as Flo Rida, Missy Elliott, T-Pain, Enrique Iglesias, Cassie, Trey Songz, Cherish and Plies share their talents with the viewers. The energy is electrifying and the dance styles very interesting to the uninitiated as well as the fans.

The Ruins (Unrated version)
When a film exits the theater as rapidly as did “The Ruins,” one’s expectations of the home entertainment release are rather low. Such is the case with this supernatural, horror movie that only took in $17.5 million at the box office this spring. For this reason, I decided to try the “Unrated” version of the DVD release. I think it was the correct decision.
The screenplay is an adaptation of a novel by Scott B. Smith, a horror story with a twist. The victims are a group of college friends on vacation on the Yucatan Peninsula. The scenario is reminiscent of “Turistas” and “Hostel,” but with a touch of magic. All hell breaks loose as four young Americans, Jeff (Jonathan Tucker), Amy (Jena Malone), Eric (Shawn Ashmore), and Stacy (Laura Ramsey) are lured into the jungle by a German traveler who wants to show them some ancient ruins. At this point, a home viewer has some latitude that a theater patron does not and may feel free to yell, “Noooo. Don’t go there!”
With its short run-time of an hour and a half, “The Ruins” manages to send chills up your spine for the duration. Any longer and the audience would begin to squirm in their seats. Be prepared to look at plants in a very different light after you watch this film. Beware of spooky vegetation.

Drillbit Taylor (Pg-13)
A refreshing bit of light comedy, “Drillbit Taylor” will bring joy to anyone who can relate to being the victim of school bullies. Taylor (Owen Wilson) is a beach bum who is recruited by a group of high school boys, who are the tormented victims of a bully, to protect them from further abuse. Revenge is indeed “sweet” and funny as the nerds learn from Taylor how to turn the tables on their tormentor.
The bonus features abound, keeping the laughs up long past the 1 hour and 42 minute running time. The film’s writers, Kristofor Brown and Seth Rogen chime in with some inside scoop on the creation of the film. Be sure to watch the deleted and extended scenes and the gag-reel. This DVD also includes an extended version of the movie for those who, literally, cannot get enough of Rogan’s humor. Not as crude as the brand of humor found in “Superbad” or “ Knocked Up,”  as the subject matter is aimed at a much younger audience, but the laughs abound. Enjoy, and don’t spend any time trying to analyze this one.

City of Men (R)
Centering on survival on the gritty streets of the favelas of Rio de Janeiro and the gangs that rule it, “The City of Men” is a violent, but tender tale of the friendship of two young men, Ace (Douglas Silva) and Wallace (Darlan Cunha). The two grew up as close as brothers, but find themselves pitted against one another, and are now bitter enemies in a brutal gang war. Just as its forerunner “City of God” was extolled for its beauty, this film, an adaptation of a television series, has been recognized for its brilliant use of cinematography as an art form.
The video experience is expanded on the home version with the “The City of Men: Unveiling the Reality” a behind-the-scenes bonus feature that should not be missed. The dazzling scenes of urban chaos are among the most acclaimed in the genre. Director Fernando Meirelles is a master of twisting chases and is not at all afraid to bring out the heavy artillery in a street fight.

Stop-Loss (R)
A term new to the vocabulary of many Americans, “stop-loss,” refers to the military policy of keeping volunteer soldiers in the military past their exit dates. “Stop-Loss” takes on this controversial topic with a touching tale of young Brandon King (Ryan Phillippe) who has completed his tour of duty in Iraq, returned home to a hero’s welcome and then ordered back into an involuntary tour of duty. All of his plans,  his dreams and  his sense of right and wrong are scrambled in a situation that quickly get out of control.
Bonuses include deleted scenes and commentary, a “making of” short and the featurette “A Day in Boot Camp.”  All are worth a watch.

The Spiderwick Chronicles (PG)
A delightful children’s fantasy adapted from the novels of the same name, “The Spiderwick Chronicles” has plenty to offer its young audience. The Grace Family, consisting of a mother and her three children, is re-located from fast-paced New York City to a spooky mansion in New England when Mrs. Grace (Mary-Louise Parker) inherits the property from her great-uncle Arthur Spiderwick. Twin brothers Jared and Simon (both played by Freddie Highmore) are soon swept into a bizarre world that exists in a universe parallel to their own.
All performances are first class, including the interesting voice-overs used for the unearthly creatures that the children discover. Nick Nolte is the voice of Mulgrath the Ogre, a shape-shifter, who is always trying to get his hands on Arthur Spiderwick’s secret book. Martin Short and Seth Rogen get a few laughs as CGI creatures.
Viewer who enjoyed watching “The Chronicles of Narnia” and “The Golden Compass” will want to see this film.

TV on DVD