Legally Blonde Set (5 out of 5 stars)
MGM/ November 9, 2004

The Legally Blonde movies are a complete cultural phenomenon, and made Reese Witherspoon a household name. This new set from MGM includes both the original Legally Blonde and the sequel, Red White and Blonde as well as a bunch of cute little extras that make this a perfect Christmas gift.
Packed up in an adorable collectible pink box with a sparkly Velcro closure, the set includes two DVD’s, a set of Elle’s world magnets and a pink fluffy pen and pink Elle Woods notebook.
The movies are packed with extras including deleted scenes, music videos, gag reels and trailers. The first film introduces us to Elle as she takes Harvard Law School by storm to get her boyfriend, who dumped her for not being smart enough, back. There, she meets Emmet, the man ends up marrying in Legally Blonde 2. In the sequel, she goes to Washington to pass a bill stopping animal testing. Both movies are hilarious, touching and incredibly well done.
If there is a Legally Blonde fan on your gift list, look no further. This set will make their eyes like, totally light up. And you might a well grab one for yourself too. We know you’re secretly a huge fan

Chronicles of Riddick (4 out of 5 stars)
Universal Pictures/ November 16, 2004

Despite the fact that The Chronicles of Riddick is a total rip-off of Macbeth and the fact that is stars hulking Vin Diesel, it turns out to be a pretty good movie.
A continuation of Pitch Black, the huge unexpected hit of 2000 that turned Diesel into a star, Riddick picks up five years later, and a race called the Necromangers is slowly taking over the universe. Riddick is still a fugitive and there is a bounty-hunter on his tail at all times. He is part of an almost extinct race called the Furio who are probably close to extinction because they’re all kind of mean. Still, he somehow gets roped into helping a planet get rid of the Necromangers. He feels guilty over one of the survivors from the first film, who is lost. She went searching for him, and Riddick feels he needs to find her and save her. Helping him is Aereon (Judi Dench), an elemental, one of a dying race that is opposing the Necromangers.
There is a lot of other plot happening in the background, including a general of the Necromangers who is convinced by his wife to kill their leader and take over his position (sound Macbeth-ish anyone?).
Diesel is no actor, and seems to be able to only play one or two roles. In this movie he says all of his lines with an attitude, and very slowly either to be dramatic, or because he couldn’t remember them properly. Doesn’t really matter.
The DVD is packed with features and is can be purchased as an Unrated Director’s Cut (isn’t everything nowadays?). It includes over five minutes of deleted scenes, bhind the scenes tour of the Riddick sets, virtual guide, Toomb’s chase log, Riddick Insider Factd on Demand and a cool feature that lets you play the first level of The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay game in your Xbox.

If you're a fan of classic horror movies, Universal has you in mind this holiday season! They have released some incredible titles like the classic The Thing, starring Kurt Russell, The Sentinel, a freaky gothic flick, Ghost Story, a winter tale of revenge and retribution, The Legacy, a Satanic twist on Ten Little Indians, and our fave Dracula from 1979, with Sir Laurence Olivier as Van Helsing. A freaky-ishly good time to be had by all!

Universal kicks off the holiday season with a set for the Party Animal in all of us: a double feature of Dazed and Confused and Fast Times at Ridgemont High. I don't think anyone can argue that these are not classics of the modern generation. The set features digitally remastered picture, nine deleted scenes, and our absolute favourites: institutional filmstrips on the dangers of partying and retro public service announcements. But even without all the extra goodies, this set is a must-have for the hilarious movies themselves. Party on, man....

Around the World in 80 Days (3 out of 5 stars)
Disney/ November 2, 2004

Around the World in 80 Days got a lukewarm response during its theatrical run and I think I have figured out why: Jackie Chan. Take Chan out of this movie and you have a charming remake, entertaining for adults and kids alike. Put him back in and you have a fingernails-on-the-chalkboard experience.
The story is well-known—Phileas Fogg (Steve Coogan) a neurotic, goofy inventor makes a bet that he can go around the entire globe in 80 days, something considered impossible in his era. Chan plays a Chinese peasant who convinces Fogg to take him on as a valet so he can get back to his village.
Chan provides the fights in the film, but they seem unnecessary. Filled with cameos from the likes of Arnold Schwarzenegger, John Cleese, Owen Wilson, and Sammo Hung, Around the World in 80 Days would have done better without Chan’s distracting lack of talent. He gets top billing in this film which makes sense because they’re trying to appeal to kids but his role would have been better off eliminated or made very very small.
Still, the movie does manage to retain many other entertaining qualities and deserves a look-see. And if you’re a big Jackie Chan fan then more power to ya.