What It’s About: Why was this movie such a hit? It came out of nowhere into a pop culture phenomenon. It’s predictable, cheesy and has lots of singing. Sounds like typical Disney doesn’t it? Here’s the catch—it never takes itself too seriously, which makes it a heck of a lotta fun to watch (as long as you’re into the whole singing thing…)
It’s your basic boy meets girl and they’re total opposites story. The beginning actually reminded me of “Grease.” Then it turns out they’re both amazing singers but no one wants them to sing, they want the boy to play basketball and the girl to enter Science Fairs. The best part of the movie is Ashley Tisdale as Sharpay Evans, the mean drama queen trying to get both Troy and Gabrielle out of the musical. She’s hilarious!
Synopsis: Zac Efron and Vanessa Anne Hudgens star in this Disney Channel Original Movie as popular basketball team captain Troy and smart, stunning academic Gabriella. Both shock the members of the social cliques to which they belong when they each decide to audition for the high school's musical. By proving themselves to be brilliant performers, can these two teens lead their peers towards more open-minded thinking and acceptance of one another? HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL is a family-appropriate feature filled with hip music, popular dance moves, and tons of school spirit.
Technical Stuff:
The picture looks great! Considering it was a low budget affair it could have been quite disappointing but it’s lovely and sharp and vivid. Disney never fails.
The sound is also superb with a Dolby 5.1 surround mix that does its job admirably.
Extras?
The biggie is a sing-along version of the movie, which is presented completely separately instead of as a subtitle. Also:
· "Bringing It All Together: The Making of High School Musical"
· "Learning the Moves”
· music videos for "I Can't Take My Eyes Off of You" and "We're All In This Together,"
Final Verdict: It’s a fun movie that will leave you humming, singing and smiling. Good times, people…good times.

What It’s About: These parody movies are getting dumber and dumber. In a perfect world, someone creates an intelligent parody of all the romantic comedies that have been so popular with witty humour and an underlying satirical message of society’s obsession with the perfect mate. Instead, I got a cat that has diarrhoea in the toilet for 15 minutes straight and then makes out with an old lady. Sigh.
“Date Movie” is a disgusting, bawdy and rude movie that brings together the worst things in comedies (namely gross sexual jokes and fart humour) and smashes them all together in one painful movie. I may have laughed once during the entire ordeal. Oh, and boys? Carmen Electra is only in the last three minutes of the movie. That’s it.
Synopsis: Bring home the UNRATED DVD that lets you go all the way on the first date! With outrageous extras and footage not shown in theaters, here's the ruder, cruder version of the no-holds-barred comedy from two of the twisted minds behind Scary Movie.

Julia Jones (Alyson Hannigan from the American Pie series) is looking for love in ALL the wrong movies, until she snags the man of her dreams! But now, a devious ex, a farting feline and eccentric in-laws threaten her perfect Hollywood wedding!
Technical Stuff:
Oddly, the picture isn’t all that wonderful. It’s picture perfect in parts but becomes soft and dull in others.
The English 5.1 sound is fine and since the movie is just all bad dialogue you don’t really care how impressive the surround is. Unless you want the cat’s farts to envelop you in your basement. Ew.
Extras?
· Widescreen Unrated Feature
· Inside Look: Omen
· Commentary by Writer Jason Friedberg and Writer/Director Aaron *Seltzer
· Cast Commentary
· Anti-commentary by film critic
· Laugh Track (optional audio laugh track from a test screening)
· Learn Jinxers Trick
· Memorable Dates Featurette
· 12 Extended/Alternate Scenes
· Romantic Screensavers
· Andy Cherry's Surprise Game
· Audition Tapes
· Fox Movie Channel Presents "Making A Spoof"
· Diary Entries
· Peter Jackson's Secret Diary
· Easter Egg: Peter Jackson as Harry Potter
· Theatrical Trailers
· TV Spots
· Trailers: Grandma's Boy, The Omen, Trust The Man, Thank You for Not Smoking
· Date Movie soundtrack spot
Final Verdict: If you enjoyed “Scary Movie” type flicks, you’ll probably love this. Please stay far away from me if you do.

What It’s About: I’m not going to focus on plot here, for that you can check out the synopsis or my original review of this dvd here. What we have here is a new edition of the film with four, count ‘em, four discs!
Forty-five minutes have been added to the movie (it now clocks an impressive 191 minutes total). It sounded like a nightmare. I didn’t want to sit through it since I hadn’t really enjoyed the movie in the first place. But…surprisingly, it makes the movie better. There is now a new subplot that was originally cut involving Sibylla (Eva Green) that makes the movie a lot more interesting and cohesive. I won’t say any more to give it away but it explains a lot that was confusing about the theatrical release.
So do you throw out your two-disc version of the movie? No way, Jose. Fox has really outdone themselves here, since this new four-disc version does not overlap the extras on the original. You get all new stuff here so it’s worth hanging on to both. Well done! I hate it when they repackage old stuff.
Synopsis: Orlando Bloom stars as Balian, a blacksmith who has lost his family and nearly lost his faith. The religious wars raging in the far-off Holy Land seem remote to him, yet he is pulled into that immense drama. Amid the pageantry and intrigues of medieval Jerusalem he falls in love, grows into a leader, and ultimately uses all his courage and skill to defend the city against staggering odds.
Technical Stuff: How to put this? The video on this edition is 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen perfection. It’s stunning. There is no other way to put it. There are no flaws of any kind. The picture is perfect. Amazing.
The sound comes with English language Dolby Digital 5.1 and DTS 5.1 audio mixes. The DTS rocks as always. Again, this dvd set is perfect. The sound is glorious, majestic, enveloping. It’s incredible. English, French and Spanish subtitles are also included, as is closed captioning.
Extras? Holy crap! There is enough here to keep you busy for months.
· Disk 1:
· DIRECTOR'S CUT Part One
· Introduction by Sir Ridley Scott
· AUDIO COMMENTARIES: Director Ridley Scott and Writer William Monahan by executive producer Lisa Ellzey, film editor Dody Dorn, visual effects supervisor Wes Sewell and first assistant director Adam Somner
· THE ENGINER'S GUIDE
· Disk 2:
· DIRECTOR'S CUT Part Two
· AUDIO COMMENTARIES (Continued): Director Ridley Scott and Writer William Monahan by executive producer Lisa Ellzey, film editor Dody Dorn, visual effects supervisor Wes Sewell and first assistant director Adam Somner
· THE ENGINER'S GUIDE (Cont'd)
· Story Notes (Text & Images)
· Disk 3:
· THE PATH TO REDEMPTION DOCUMENTARY - Part I DEVELOPMENT
· Part I: Good Intentions (Featurette)
· "Tripoli" Overview & Gallery (Text & Images)
· First Draft Screenplay by William Monahan (Text)
· Story Notes (Text & Images)
· Location Scout Gallery (Images)
· PRE-PRODUCTION
· Part II: Faith and Courage (Featurette)
· Screen Tests (Video and Commentary)
· Cast Rehearsals (Video)
· Costume & Weapon Design Featurette (Video)
· Production Design / Conceptual Art / Costume Galleries (Text & Images)
· PRODUCTION: SPAIN
· Part III: The Pilgrimage Begins (Featurette)
· Creative Accuracy: The Scholars Speak (Video)
· Storyboard Comparisons (Multi-Angle Video & Images)
· Photo Galleries (Text & Images)
· Disk 4:
· THE PATH TO REDEMPTION (Continued)
· PRODUCTION: MOROCCO
· Part IV: Into The Promised Land (Featurette)
· Unholy War: Mounting The Siege (Video)
· Storyboard Comparisons (Multi-Angle Video & Images)
· Photo Galleries (Text & Images)
· POST-PRODUCTION
· Part V: The Burning Bush (Featurette)
· Deleted & Alternate Scenes (Video & Commentary)
· Sound Design Suite (Video & Audio)
· Visual Effects Breakdowns (Video & Commentary)
· RELEASE
· Part VI: Sins and Absolution (Featurette)
· Trailers & TV Spots (Video & Commentary)
· ShoWest Presentation (Video)
· Press Junket Walkthrough (Video)
· Japanese & London Premieres (Video)
· Poster Explorations: Domestic & International (Images)
· The Director's Cut & DVD Campaign (Video & Images)

Final Verdict: As someone who wasn’t a huge fan of the movie I saw in the original DVD release, I was sceptical. But this new set is what special editions should be. The picture and sound are perfect, the 45 minutes added to the movie make it BETTER, and the extras are all new. Bravo Fox.

What It’s About: Despite that fact that the last season of shows is usually mediocre and the producer and head writer, Jess Oppenheimer, left “I Love Lucy” at the end of the fifth season, this, the sixth and final, is a fabulous 27 episodes to watch.
Lucy and Ricky managed to keep this one fresh and enjoyable. Here, they are back in New York after the European trip last season. Since they are pretty much out of fresh plotlines, they make up for it by introducing some great guest stars including Bob Hope, Orson Welles, and George Reeves.
The second half of the season has the cast move to the country. It works really well and produces some hilarious moments like where the husbands try to build an outdoor grill and Lucy thinks she’s lost her wedding ring in the cement. Or my personal favourite, when Lucy hides a bunch of eggs in her blouse and Ricky decides that it’s time to practise the Tango. That moment is pure Lucille Ball comic genius.
Synopsis: The sixth and final season of I LOVE LUCY sees the Ricardo’s longing for a less-hectic life in the country, so they make plans to move to rural Connecticut . . . but not before Lucy leaves The Big Apple reeling with some riotous escapades. Revisit the classic episodes including “Lucy and Bob Hope,” “Building a Bar-B-Q,” and the episode that has the longest ever laugh from a studio audience, “Lucy Does the Tango.”
Technical Stuff:
The video comes in the original black and white and looks very sharp. The greys are well-balanced and despite some minor grain, this is high quality stuff.
The show is presented in a two channel mono soundtrack which is old and does have some hissing and static but in general sounds fine. There is also Spanish audio on most episodes and subtitles in Spanish and closed-captioned for the hearing-impaired.
Extras?
· Audio Commentary on select episodes by actors Doris Singleton, Keith Thibodeaux, Steve Kay, Barbara Eden and writers Madelyn Pugh Davis and Bob Schiller
· 1956 Christmas Show
· Flubs and Lost Scenes
· Restored Music
· Original Series Openings and Cast Commercials
· Original Animation
· Promotional Spot
· Scene and Song Selections
· Guest Cast Information
· Colorized Christmas Show Scenes
· Five Episodes of Lucy’s Radio Show My Favorite Husband
· "Bob Hope Chevy Show Sketch Highlights”
Final Verdict: I love “I Love Lucy.” Hah. Seriously, this is an awesome season that’s definitely worth owning.

What It’s About: The original Mel Brooks film, “The Producers” is hilarious. The musical on Broadway was a huge hit and said to be amazing (I didn’t get to see it). Bu the new movie version? Meh.
Let’s just say the theatrics and overacting of Matthew Broderick just don’t translate well onto the big screen. It’s not a complete disaster as they do manage to salvage the film halfway through, but something about the whole experience seems…empty. It feels like you’re watching a videotaped version of the stage production. Everything is extremely static and contained.
Uma Thurman is the best thing in the film as ditzy Ulla, a Swedish sexy secretary, a role Nicole Kidman was originally supposed to do.
If you’ve seen the stage version you might get a kick out of this movie but if you don’t enjoy musicals or Broadway, don’t think this is another “Blazing Saddles.”
Synopsis: Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick return to their award-winning roles in the hilariously funny film of the Broadway smash hit. Scheming producer Max Bialystock (Lane) and his mousy accountant, Leo Bloom (Broderick), discover that under the right circumstances they could make more money by producing a Broadway flop than they could with a hit. But what will they do when their sure-to-offend musical becomes a surprise sensation? Co-staring sexy Uma Thurman and comedy genius Will Ferrell, The Producers is a fun-filled, side-splitting comedy.
Technical Stuff:
The picture is clean and crisp and presented in anamorphic widescreen. There are a lot of very vivid colours used in the movie and they come across beautifully.
The sound is also top-notch in Dolby Digital 5.1 English and French with optional subtitles in English, Spanish, and French.
Extras?
· Deleted Scenes Including Never-Before-Seen Musical Numbers
· Outtakes
· Analysis of a Scene: "I Wanna Be A Producer"
· Feature Commentary with Director Susan Stroman

Final Verdict: A very plastic-y movie that doesn’t quite get off the ground. It’s good for a few giggles here and there but if you want some real laughs, rent the original.

What It’s About: The original 1979 version of “When a Stranger Calls” freaked me right out. Of course, those loyal readers out there know that it doesn’t really take much to freak me right out. So when I say that the new version scared the bejeebus out of me you can take that for what it’s worth.
The new movie isn’t gross scary, it’s quite suspenseful. Yes, there are some cheesy scares that make you jump, but for someone like me who hates gore, it’s scary enough without making me have to cover my eyes.
Synopsis: A remake of the 1979 Columbia Pictures cult horror film. A hundred miles away from the scene of a grizzly murder in small town America, Jill Johnson (Camilla Belle) settles in for a routine night of babysitting. With the children sound asleep and a beautiful home to explore, she locks the door and sets the alarm. But when a series of eerie phone calls from a stranger insists that she "check the children," Jill panics. Fear escalates to terror when she has the calls traced. And what the police find turns the perfect babysitting job into a 16-year-old's worst nightmare.
Technical Stuff:
The picture comes in a 2.40.1 anamorphic widescreen transfer and looks great. Although a lot of scenes are very dark, the shadows come through well and the picture never disappears.
The sound is great to make you jump and is presented in Dolby Digital 5.1. It surrounds you well and the parts that are louder to make you leap off your couch do a great job. Subtitles are come in French and English and there's an English language closed captioning option provided.
Extras?
· Deleted Scenes
· Director and Cast Commentary
· Writer's Commentary
· The Making Of "When A Stranger Calls"
Final Verdict: Some decent scares and the fact that it’s not disgustingly bloody make “When a Stranger Calls” a very solid rental for your next hot date night.

What It’s About: “Nanny McPhee” is brilliant. A sort of movie version of “Nanny 911,” this adorable and utterly charming film starring and written by Emma Thompson is exactly the type of children’s movie that is missing from our society.
You can’t help but compare Nanny McPhee to Mary Poppins but the two women are slightly different. For one thing, Nanny is quite unattractive with her unibrow, huge nose and various moles. Still, they both have magical powers and manage to tame some wild kids. It’s a wonderful movie with something for both the young and the old. I declare this one a must-have!
Synopsis: In this wickedly charming tale, Emma Thompson portrays a mysterious woman with special powers who enters the household of the recently widowed Mr. Brown (Colin Firth) and attempts to tame his seven very naughty children. The children have managed to drive away 17 previous nannies, but as Nanny McPhee takes control, they begin to notice that their misbehaving has magical and startling consequences.
Technical Stuff:
The 5.1 Dolby Digital works perfectly here although it doesn’t really have much to do thanks to the constant dialogue. No complaints. French and Spanish Dolby surround mixes are also included, along with English and Spanish subtitles.
Extras?
· Casting the Children – A look at the process of casting the children, exploring their backgrounds and past experiences in acting. Includes the trials and tribulations of working with children and animals
· Village Life – A behind the scenes look at how the Brown house and the village were created
· Nanny McPhee Makeover – A look at how Emma Thompson was transformed into Nanny McPhee and subsequent transition from ugly Nanny to beautiful Nanny
· How Nanny McPhee Came to Be – A featurette looking at the life and work of author Christianna Brand and illustrator Edward Adrizzone
· Feature Commentary with Director Kirk Jones and Children
· Feature Commentary with Actor/Screenwriter Emma Thompson and Producer Lindsay Doran
· Plus a Hilarious Gag Reel, Never-Before-Seen Deleted Scenes and an Alternate Opening!
Final Verdict: A sweet family movie that draws you into their quirks and spits you out happy and satisfied.

What It’s About: Why is it that when you get “The Facts of Life” theme song it stays with you for a good week? This is a show I was not allowed to watch even though all my friends did because it had a laugh track (couldn’t watch anything with a laugh track so it was all She-Ra and Today’s Special until I was like, 15). So it was very exciting for me to rip open this DVD set and watch 5 episodes in a row (take that mom!).
Strangely, I wasn’t enthralled. The whole allure of these old shows on DVD is that they let you relive your youth (come on 90210, I’m still waiting!!). And since I never watched the show, it ended up seeming pretty lame to me. So I decided not to let that get in the way of my review because those who watched and loved it would be very enthralled indeed. The lives of Jo, Tootie, Blair, Natalie and Cindy really do matter to others. But it was cool to see Molly Ringwald in there.
Synopsis: You take the good, you take the bad, you take them both and there you have The Facts Of Life!
A spin-off of the tremendously popular Diff'rent Strokes, The Facts Of Life is the hilarious series that follows Mrs. Edna Garrett (Charlotte Rae) and her mission as housemother to instill values in the girls of Eastland School. The large first season cast included John Lawlor, Jenny O'Hara, Lisa Whelchel, Felice Schachter, Julie Piekarski, Kim Fields, Molly Ringwald, Julie Anne Haddock, Mindy Cohn and Nancy McKeon.
By the second season, the show focused on Mrs. Garrett and just four Eastland girls - spoiled Blair, gossipy Tootie, wise-cracking Natalie, and rebellious Jo. Under Mrs. Garrett's guidance, these four go from wide-eyed school girls to mature young women...all while learning The Facts Of Life! Guest stars include the cast of Diff'rent Strokes, Helen Hunt and Richard Dean Anderson of TV's MacGyver! Includes all 29 laugh-packed episodes from Seasons One and Two!
Technical Stuff:
The show is old and the picture is presented in its original fullscreen format. So it’s a little fuzzy but still looks quite good.
The sound is a very basic Dolby Digital Mono that is fine for all the talking.
Extras?
· Remembering the Facts of Life featurette
· After Facts featurette
Final Verdict: A somewhat adult yet still teeny-bopperish show that will make you relive the 80s—bad clothes, bad hair and all.

What It’s About: There is something about Queen Latifah that is just so darn likeable. She made “Chicago” amazing and “Taxi” watchable. Unfortunately, the latter is the best she can do for “Last Holiday”, a formulaic comedy that’s actually quite short on laughs.
It’s a very sappy, sweet and safe movie about a woman who thinks she’s going to die so she goes off to Europe for her last vacation ever. It’s all nice and boring and so so wasteful of a smart plotline and good lead actress.
Synopsis: A shy cookware clerk (Queen Latifah), believing her days are numbered, throws caution to the wind and embarks on a dream vacation to Europe. While staying at a grand hotel, she and her uninhibited attitude have a profound and humorous effect on the guests and staff.
Technical Stuff:
The picture comes in 2.35:1 and is generally quite nice. There are a few soft shots and some that just don’t look right but I can’t tell if that was just my new glasses.
The sound is Dolby Digital 5.1 which is fine since the movie is full of (bad) dialogue. You can also watch the movie with DD 2.0 surround English and DD 5.1 French tracks and optional English and Spanish subtitles as well as optional English closed captions are available.
Extras?
· Packing Light
· Last Look
· 23 Years in the Making
· Deleted Scenes (Kick The Car, Where To Cowboy?)
· Recipes from Last Holiday
· Theatrical Trailer
Final Verdict: An okay flick with a couple of laughs, that really could have been a lot better.

What It’s About: A lot of people didn’t like “The Family Stone.” The called it uneven, boring and uninspired. I beg to differ. Perhaps it was my mindset at the time, but I genuinely liked this movie. Yes, Sarah Jessica Parker is completely unlikeable. She’s supposed to be, people! You want her likeable, watch “Sex and the City.”
I didn’t find this movie too predictable, I thought the acting was great, I found the characters appealing and I got some good laughs. It’s not brilliant, and it won’t be winning any awards anytime soon but if you’re in the mood for a family based comedy, it’s perfect. Sure the quirky family thing has been done to death but I think it works here. Mostly thanks to Rachel McAdams and Luke Wilson (believe it or not) along with the masterful Diane Keaton. It’s sweet and funny and a little predictable but “The Family Stone” won me over.
Synopsis: Sarah Jessica Parker, Diane Keaton, and Rachel McAdams lead an all-star cast in The Family Stone. Join the eccentric Stone family for a holiday gathering filled with unexpected surprises. Before the festivities are over, love affairs will unravel, new ones will form, outrageous secrets will be revealed and the family will come together like never before.
Technical Stuff: The movie is presented in a 1.85:1 widescreen anamorphic and looks great. The colours are rich (heavy on the red and browns) and creates a warm and cozy feeling.
The 5.1 Dolby Digital works perfectly here although it doesn’t really have much to do thanks to the constant dialogue. No complaints. French and Spanish Dolby surround mixes are also included, along with English and Spanish subtitles.
Extras?
· Commentary by Sarah Jessica Parker and Dermot Mulroney
· Commentary by Director Thomas Bezucha, Producer Michael London, Editor Jeffrey Ford and Production Designer Jane Ann Stewart
· 6 Deleted Scenes with optional commentary by Director Thomas Bezucha and Editor Jeffrey Ford
· Fox Movie Channel presents Casting Session
· Fox Movie Channel presents World Premiere
· Behind the Scenes Featurette
· Q&A with the cast at the Screen Actor's Guild Theatre
· Gag Reel
· 2 Easter Eggs: Family Stone sings "It Came Upon A Midnight Clear", Snow Globe Ambulance
· Recipe for Strata
· Inside Look: Ice Age 2
· Theatrical Trailer
· Trailers: Confetti, Little Manhattan, & Just My Luck
Final Verdict: A sweet family movie that draws you into their quirks and spits you out happy and satisfied.

What It’s About: “Scrubs” might not be the most hilarious show on television right now, but it sure is one of the most endearing. As the years went by, it got bounced around the schedule but maintained its loyal following and is now in its fifth season. The third season is now available on DVD and is probably the best so far. This is the season where Elliot decides to become the new hottie Elliot (Sarah Chalke) who stands up for herself and J.D. (Zach Braff) realizes he has romantic feelings for her. Unfortunately, he will need to compete with her utterly perfect boyfriend Sean (Scott Foley). This is also the season that Turk (Donald Faison) and Carla (Judy Reyes) get married. All in all, these 22 episodes have some of the best laughs and moments I’ve seen for this show (not that I ever watch it on TV).
Synopsis: Not content to rest on the solid pratfalls that made it famous, Scrubs stretched its legs in season three to give deeper insight into its characters. With Turk and Carla (Donald Faison and Judy Reyes) planning their season-finale wedding, J.D. (Zach Braff) once again wrestles with his feelings for fellow resident Elliot (Sarah Chalke), but her reciprocity leads to a startling revelation. Scrubs also lent numerous guest stars to its cause, including former Spin City castmates Richard Kind as a hypochondriac, Barry Bostwick as a cancer patient, and Michael J. Fox in a hilarious return to television as an obsessive-compulsive visiting surgeon. Scott Foley (Felicity) plays Elliot's devoted suitor, and Tara Reid's turn as Dr. Cox (John C. McGinley)'s sister-in-law starts out daffy and decomposes into parody. (Producers admit in episode commentary that they tried to cast Reid against type, then gave up a few episodes later and told her to just be her wild, party-going self.) But it's two returning guest stars that pack the most emotional wallop: Mad TV's Nicole Sullivan as a chirpy patient whose barely masked troubles are ignored by her doctors; and Brendan Fraser as Dr. Cox's cancer-stricken brother-in-law, Ben. Fraser's episode, entitled "My Screw Up," does a masterful job turning from comedy to tearjerker on a dime in one half-hour. It's one of the best episodes of the show's entire run, and a crime that McGinley wasn't recognized for his brilliant work.
Technical Stuff:
The picture is a little not-so-great. For such a new show, there is a lot of grain and weak colours. It’s probably because they packed so many episodes onto one disc. It’s not enough to make me say don’t get it, but it’s a little disappointing.
The sound is Dolby Digital 5.1 and is just fine considering the show is 99% dialogue.
Extras?
· Commentary by: Writer Mark Stegemann and Donald Faison (on "His Story II"),Show creator Randall Winston with Donald Faison and Judy Reyes (on "My Self Examination")
· One on one with "The Todd"
· Scrubs Factor: How far will the cast & crew go on a dare?
· Long-Term Residents: Behind season 3's unforgettable guest star appearances
· The New Elliot: Watch her character go from pushover to knockout
· What up dawg?
· Is there a doctor in the house?
· Scrubbed out: Deleted scenes
· Alternate lines: A second opinion
· Gag reel
Final Verdict: With great plotlines and guest starts this season of “Scrubs” is worth checking out even if you’re not a die-hard fan.