Belle's Magical World (Disney Presents) (1998) Reviews

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I find it interesting that many of the reactions to this collection of shorts are extremely hostile. The shorts are not that bad, but neither are they that good. This DVD is much like three Saturday morning cartoons that are in one collection. My only complaint is that the price of the DVD is quite high for the value received, which may have been the reason some reviewers were upset.

The title of the first story is "The Perfect Word." In this story the Beast and Belle disagree and there is a copious amount of rudeness and insensitivity all around. The story heaps on the need for each of the characters to forgive each other, which I found distracting. The story made the point early and was relentless in setting up the need for people to apologize and forgive.

The second story is "Fifi's Folly." This time Fifi, Lumiere's girlfriend, is upset with Lumiere because she thinks that Belle is trying to steal Lumiere away. Fifi acts meanly and tries to sabotage the evening that she thinks Belle and Lumiere are going to have. Of course, the evening is for Fifi and Lumiere and the plan predictably backfires. Once again the story was heavy-handed because the point was made early in the short, but the point was continually ground in until the final moments of the short.

The final story is "Broken Wing," which I found charming in some ways. Belle rescues a small bird with a broken wing. The Beast first wants to throw the bird out and then he wants to cage the bird. I was annoyed that the Beast's behavior was so awful. I thought that some younger children might find the beast to be terrifying in some places, particularly as the Beast seemed prepared to hurt the bird. However, the bird was nicely animated and Belle tried her best to get the Beast to be kind. This story has a nice ending if you can reach it through the Beast's heavy-handed and over-the-top behavior.

In addition to the three shorts are a variety of other features on this DVD. While some of the features are interesting, the value of this DVD should be the "feature," which is not a feature because the three stories are independent stories. The voices of Robby Benson, Paige O'Hara, Jerry Orbach, David Ogden Stiers and others are unable to make this DVD a must have. The stories are too forced and try too hard to capitalize on the success of the original "Beauty and the Beast" movie. I recommend this movie only to those who must have all the "Beauty and the Beast" movies, or all Disney movies. Everyone else should move on to better Disney movies.

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I just read some of the reviews for this movie. I must disagree. This is a wonderful movie. It is wrong to be expectant of same or better results from the first movie. This isn't a part III. It's the third movie, but all on it's own. It is targeted for General Audiences of all ages, but mostly aimed towards children. It has a few "short stories". In my opinion, I think it is teaching things to it's young viewers, as well as older audiences of things we may overlook in everyday life. I really think it is worth every penny. I do recommend this movie very much. Please take a chance on it. There are so many new characters, which is a nice touch to it. Take care.

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Arriving in today's post Disney's Beauty and the Beast: Belle's Magical World SE on DVD was a surprise as I had forgotten I had ordered it. The cover is very nice and you can imagine how delighted I was (as a 24 year old male) to have a Belle compact mirror attached to it to add to the excitement.

The DVD loads up showing trailers for Finding Nemo, Stanley March 11th, Lion King SE, Sleeping Beauty SE (with no more news on a release date) as well as the Disney Princess toys/clothing trailer.

The nicely animated view of the castle acts at the animated dvd menu. The animation here features swallows oddly flying through falling snow?! Whatever, it's pretty and marked with SFX as well as a subtle underscoring musical narrative from the feature.

Bonus features include Belle's Delightful Dinner Game which actually transpires to a three screen static hide and seek game. Once completed a series of 8 questions to light eight candles results in footage from the feature of Belle and Beast eating dinner.

Disney's Song Collection is less of a collection as two unmemorable songs which can be played with onscreen lyrics. Yawn.

The truly spectacular thing here is the Enchanted Environment it's an animated change of season taken from the very beginning of the original Beauty and the Beast the bit with the parting trees and the waterfall. Birds fly, trees blow, snow falls, icicles form, dappled light penetrates through the forest and mists come and go. The music has a very relaxing non-synth sound and you can toggle between five soundtracks or just the SFX. It is probably the best feature of the disc. I love it.

As for the feature I am actually quite disgusted. The dust grains on the feature are too often and too bad for a DVD SPECIAL EDITION!!! I bought Fritz Lang's Metropolis made in 1927 which has a cleaner presentation. The additional CGI linking each tale really does no favours and merely highlights the varied quality Belle looks disfigured sometimes due to a lack of continuity in her animation. 22 minutes are added and these are pretty good again making the rest look inferior.

Sneak peeks allow you to view the aforementioned trailers as well as those for the future Kiki's Delivery Service, Stitch! The Movie and Tuck Everlasting. Nothing we haven't seen before.

Instructions: Angle the the free Belle mirror to catch the reflection of the DVD to fool yourself into thinking this feature is twice what it it is and then you'll feel you haven't wasted your money!

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The quality of the animation is nowhere near as high as the original Beauty and the Beast. None of the characters look the same. The story lines are uninteresting. I would have been embarrassed to release this DVD if I worked for Disney! It hurts my eyes to watch the poor quality of this movie. Why couldn't they have made something new that was of the same caliber as the original Beauty and the Beast? They certainly have the resources to have done a better job! I am very disgusted!

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The animation is grainy, the stories trite, and even my two and a half year old daughter, who loves all things Belle and watches the original over and over, could not stand it.

Reviews of Flushed Away (Widescreen Edition) (2006)

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Perhaps that's because it's from Aardman Studios, famous for "Wallace And Gromit" and "Chicken Run." Aardman is also well known for their claymation style of animation, which is lovingly preserved, albeit through the use of CGI in "Flushed Away."

The story revolves around Roddy (Hugh Jackman), a family pet who gets flushed into the sewers of London by an unwelcome guest named Sid (Shane Richie). Sid takes over the world "up there" while Roddy is left to fight for his life in the seedy underbelly of London's sewers. In all actuality, though, life in the sewers isn't too terribly bad. When Roddy arrives there, he finds a near replica of London full of busy streets and shops. He decides that he must get home, and seeks out the aid of Rita (Kate Winslet), a female rat who's known for shady dealings. On her tail (pun intended) are the goons of The Toad (Sir Ian McKellan), who says that a ruby he owned which fell from the crown of either Prince Charles or the Queen (I don't remember which) was stolen by her and he wants it back. Of course Roddy thinks that by assisting him in finding the ruby, he'll get help in return to get back home. What he gets instead is more trouble when Rita steals something else from The Toad.

From there, the story becomes a pretty decent action/comic yarn where The Toad's cousin, Le Frog (Jean Reno) and his henchmen try to retrieve the item that Rita has stolen. It's an integral part of a master plan for revenge by The Toad on all of rodent-kind. Along the way, Roddy and Rita become close friends and Roddy decides that he has to help Rita and her family. It's all tied nicely together in the end and is definitely fun to watch.

The voice talents are wonderful. Jackman, Winslet, McKellan and Reno all do wonderful jobs. Andy Serkis, who portrayed Gollum in "Lord of the Rings" and did a lot of the physical movements of Kong in Peter Jackson's "King Kong," plays one of The Toad's henchmen along with Bill Nighy, recent of the latest "Pirate's of the Caribbean" flick.

The humor is, as expected, well grounded in British comedy and uses slapstick at will to enduce laughter from children. There are plenty of crotch injuries, one fart joke, and a few pokes at stereotypical Americans and the French. It's all done with good intentions and there's nothing really offensive here.

It will hold the attention of both young and old, but children will probably enjoy it more than adults. I enjoyed it but I have a tendency to enjoy silly children's flicks like this. I'm also a fan of Aardman's other work, so perhaps I'm a little biased. Rest assured that whenever it leaves the theaters and eventually hits the DVD rack, I'll be one of the first to buy it for myself and my family.

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The first two reviews pretty well summed up this great movie! Funny, fast paced and lots of in jokes, past film references, sight gags from other Aardman films, a good story and was well executed!

I highly recommend this movie if you love "Chicken Run", and "Wallace & Gromit". If you have not seen any of Aardmans other shows/movies you will miss a few sight gags, but that is certionly no reason not to see this! So in the end; This movie is a must see and definitely fun for the whole family.

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I have to be honest. This probably deserves four stars instead of five, but despite a sometimes-rushed narrative there were so many delightful moments in this film that I couldn't with a light heart give it less. In the never-ending search for new subjects to animate, no one had before attempted to tell a story about sewer rats. Fortunately, the rats in FLUSHED AWAY are remarkably humanoid, largely covered with light-colored skin, and sporting not terribly disgusting tails. So while this is a story of rats, they are rats with all of the unpleasantries associated with the vermin stripped away.

The film was made by Aardman Productions, the company founded on the success of Nick Park's amazing Claymation projects, most famously the Wallace and Gromit films as well as CHICKEN RUN. This film is all CGI, I suspect because most of the scenes are set in the sewer, which is surrounded by water. I'm not sure that it would be possible to do a Claymation project that involves copious amounts of water. Although the film is CGI, all the characters sport the look that we all associate with Nick Park projects. Interestingly, Park does not appear in the credits, although the aesthetic he created permeates the film.

The story tells the ordeals suffered by Roddy, a pet rat owned by a little girl in Kensington in London. When the family is on vacation and the house is invaded by a street punk rat (voiced by Shane Ritchie of THE EASTENDERS), the elegant rat finds himself flushed down the toilet to the sewer, where he discovers an entire community of rats. Wanting to return home, he is directed to a boat owned by a female rat named Rita. The rest of the film deals both with Rita's attempt to help Roddy get home as well as their struggles to evade the minions of a toad sewer lord. The plot is adequate to the task, but what is delightful about the film is the wonderfully fresh and inventive humor. There are also a number of animals used to great effect that have amazingly been neglected by the legions of earlier animal animators, in particular snails, which are used for comic relief and for -I am not kidding -musical background. There is also a wonderful gang of frogs that are, of course, French. Led by their chief Le Frog, they are masters of the martial arts and have their very own mime, who provides some of the film's finest comic moments.

One reason the film succeeds so wonderfully is the first cast voiceover talent. Hugh Jackman gets to put some of his talents to use that were never needed in the X-Men films, even getting to show off his outstanding singing voice on a couple of numbers. Kate Winlet is appropriately fetching as Rita and Ian McKellan is marvelously over-the-top as Toad. Andy Serkis and Bill Nighy voice Toad's two main henchmen. One of the great delights of the movie is Le Frog, voiced by Jean Reno.

I think this is a film that can be equally enjoyed by parents and their kids. The preview audience that I saw this with contained probably more adults than it will enjoy upon general release, but the few kids in the audience laughed very hard throughout. So did the adults. There are a number of animated films coming out in the next couple of months for the holidays, but I have a sneaking suspicion that this one might end up being the best -and certainly the funniest -of the bunch.

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I found Flushed Away a very amusing movie that my entire family enjoyed. The story line was predictable, but enjoyable. It was one of those movies you can watch over an over.

The signing slugs were one of the perks in the movie, very, very amusing, though everything else was just laugh-out loud comedy.

It's defintily a family movie that everyone can enjoy.

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Wonderful animation movie with cute songs, adorable critters and sweet characters. A privileged pet rat gets flushed by an unwanted, rude guest (another rat from the sewers) and is sent into a world far different than his pampered cage. He struggles to get back 'up top' to his old home and easy lifestyle. However, a rich rat discovers that his cushy life is pretty empty without friends and family and must decide if they are better than clean cages and cuisine. Delightful family entertainment!

Chrissy K. McVay Author

Best Power Rangers in 3-D (2000) Deals

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This video was released in selected McDonald's restaurants and was hard to get a hold of. Luckily I got one. To those who don't know this is the Power Ranger's Lightspeed Rescue/Lost Galaxy Team-up episode, "Trakeena's Revenge." I highly recommend this video. You also get two pair of 3-D glasses. However, the episode is better without them.

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As being a Power Ranger fan, this Lightspeed/Galaxy Ranger crossover is all right, cut to 45 minutes-without commercials.

It's about when Leo (Red Galaxy Ranger) finds out that Trakeena is journeying to Mariner Bay to drain kids' parents of their life force energy, so that she can mutate to green and destroy the Rangers. However, a little girl named Heather escapes and notifies the Rangers of the pending situation. The plot goes as it should, along with a customary happy ending.

This "movie" gets my approval because there's fairly even acting by all ten leads. The down part is that there's bad acting by the girl that plays Heather as a weak, defenseless little girl and excessive amounts of dubbed Sentai footage added. But what's screamingly obvious is that it doesn't look like it's in 3-D!

If you love this video or Power Rangers in general, then I encourage you. If you're in for an authentic Americanized version of this popular TV series, don't buy it. If you taped it, don't trade it in for this movie.

Bad cutting and the wrong feel deducts heavily for this video. Buy "The Curse of the Cobra," and the first PRLG video if you want good PRLR videos.

Not rated, does not contain offensive material.

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If you're wondering why I titled this as I did, there are two main reasons. First, Danny Slavin (Leo, the Red Galaxy Ranger) is there in person, but most of the time, his vocals are done by an outsider, for reasons unknown. Second, Amy Miller is not present in this as Trakeena. An actress by the name of Jennifer Burns portrays our favorite buggy villainess. There's an excessive amount of Sentai footage, which is cool if you're into that sort of thing. I found the video to be entertaining, but the episodes themselves could have been done better.

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Hey, guess what. TRakeena's back in 2 exciting episodes of Power Rangers Lightspeed Rescue. She comes back to earth to suck the life energy out of a selection of people so she can mutate and be green again. It also includes the Lost Galaxy Power Rangers. It is simply awesome! You'll enjoy it too.

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My boys (2 and 6 yrs) love this video. Of all the power ranger incarnations, I like Lightspeed the best. They teach a subtle morality that kids pick up on. Carter's (the red ranger) altruistic nature is so refreshing compared to most shows kids want to watch. This video is just plain fun, especially if kids are familar with both Lightspeed and Lost Galaxy Rangers.

Best Brave (Three-Disc Collector's Edition: Blu-ray / DVD) (2012) Deals

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I've read some of the bad reviews, and they seem focused on a few things: 1) Scary scenes, 2) Nudity, 3) Lack of romance. Well, my three year old is super brave so I do agree that a lot of sensitive littles may have an issue with the movie, but it's not really an issue in our household. Nudity? Well, that's kind of laughable as it's an animated movie. I guess some people would rather hear fart humor and characters calling each other jackass ("Shrek"), and if that's you then skip this one, but it's really just two quick scenes and not in a scandalous way. And about that lack of romance... one of the reasons I love this movie for my daughter is the lack of romance for the main character. In fact, the whole plot is about teenager Merida trying to change her "fate" which is to get married before she's ready. She passionately pleads during one speech to the parents of her suitors to let their children decide when they are ready for marriage and to choose their own spouses. This is beyond refreshing after decades of Disney princess schlock where the all too young princess gets into a scrape and must be rescued by a man and then lives "happily ever after". Also, I found the romantic sparks between Merida's parents to be pretty sweet.

If you're raising an independent daughter you want to think for herself and not think girls are meant to be saved by boyfriends, don't skip this movie. (If she's sensitive and scares easily, wait until she's at least school age, though.)

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Pixar Animation Studios has always been known for their unique approach to filmmaking. They have always put the story first and foremost, something that so many other studios seem to take for granted. They also know the rest of the ingredients to add to make their films stand out from the rest: Great characters, lots of heart, and a goodly quantity of humor.

While not continuing the 21st century tradition of turning the fairy-tale on its head, as in the case of "Shrek", "Brave", feels like a rediscovered story by Grimm's with an unmistakably Pixarian flavor. Legends and myths abound in Scots folklore, and the writers at Pixar didn't have far to go in order to come up with their own story, one that is at once relevant, quite original, and yet entirely congruous with one's expectations of the perfect fairy-tale. As fresh and surprising as any of the studio's previous successes, I enjoyed it immensely, and could watch it many times over without growing tired of it. It's hard to find a real family film that everyone can enjoy together, but this one comes pretty to close to that ideal.

In the ultimate cautionary tale of being careful what you wish for, the film, set in 10th century Scotland, concerns Princess Merida, a feisty, strong-willed, adventure-seeking lass, skilled with both a sword and a bow and arrow, who would rather practice archery and ride through the woods with her horse, Angus, than follow the path desired for her by her parents; or more specifically, her mother. Determined to avoid her fate, she runs away, and manages to find a way to alter her destiny. To make a long story short, this ill-chosen wish sets off a chain of events that threaten to destroy everything Merida holds dear and the entire kingdom of DunBroch along with it.

This fresh take on a typical princess character pleasantly surprised me, as well as the fact that the emotional core of the film, as well as most of the plot, stems not from a romantic relationship between prince and princess, but from the mother/daughter relationship between Merida and Queen Elinor. Anyone who is a daughter like I am will easily relate to how complicated the bond can be between a mother and her child, and this film portrays that unique bond beautifully. Without giving too much away, it is their love for each other and their clashing of personalities that ultimately moves the entire film forward, and the changes they both experience throughout the course of the film give them both a better understanding of each other, and emphasize the importance of empathy, bravery, courage, family, and love.

Not content with just being an entertaining theatrical experience, the film goes into a level of moral and emotional depth that even fans of Pixar may be unfamiliar with. It takes a very special film to bring me to tears, and I was moved quite often. Not to say that "Brave" is strictly a tear-jerker, because it is not. I'd estimate that there is more action, adventure, and humor than in any other Pixar movie to date.

There is no doubt that "Brave" is one of Pixar's most beautifully animated films. The amount of detail is simply brilliant, and computer technology being what it is today, there are times when the visuals on screen almost rival the real world. I've never been to Scotland, but the richness and beauty of the country expressed in the film makes me feel as if I had. The landscapes are simply breathtaking, and so photo-realistic you might feel as if you've just fallen into the wilds of the Highlands; I'm sure that more than one viewing would be needed to absorb it all. The rendering on the hair and fabric is especially lifelike, and certain scenes involving non-human characters might make you do a double-take, they appear so true-to-life!

Composer Patrick Doyle's score is appropriately Scottish in flavor, combining the expected Gaelic melodies (jigs, reels, and such like), with more modern, atmospheric, incidental scoring. Sprightly where it needs to be and brooding where it doesn't, it perfectly enhances the movie to the point that it feels as organic as the moss on the trees. The gentle lullaby, "A Mhaighdean Bhan Uasal", sung by Emma Thompson, is one of the stand-out pieces, and serves as the kind of musical representation of the love between Merida and Elinor. I also quite enjoyed "Song of Mor'du", a sort of Scotch drinking song, heard mainly in the background, but reiterated often throughout the rest of the score. There are also three other songs: "Touch The Sky" and "Into The Open Air", performed by Scots songstress Julie Fowlis, and "Learn Me Right", sung by Birdy, with Mumford and Sons, which, while not written by Doyle, fit expertly into their places in the story and aptly enhance the film.

Now, a good animated character needs a good voice to bring them to life, and the entire cast is all very well-chosen and very well-acted. Comprised mainly of Scottish and English actors, including Billy Connolly as King Fergus, Emma Thompson as Queen Elinor, Robbie Coltrane as Lord Dingwall, Julie Walters as the Witch, and the incomparable Kelly Macdonald as Merida herself, it would be hard to find another group of people so perfect in their roles. Macdonald is wonderful as the flame-haired heroine, and Thompson simply shines as the equally obstinate but caring mother. Billy Connolly is a great counterpoint to her more level-headed and dutiful Queen, but gets far less screen time than either of the two female protagonists.

To sum it all up, "Brave" is a beautiful, touching, exciting, and refreshingly original film, one that is entertaining on so many levels and can stand proudly alongside any of Pixar's previous masterpieces. I would rank it as one of my favorite (if not my favorite) Pixar film, and would not hesitate to recommend it to anyone.

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I don't enjoy every box office hit animated movie, but I thoroughly enjoyed Brave. The ending theme may be about bravery, but the story is rich in family relationship and in choosing who you are, who you want to be and how you treat others. It's a great movie to take your kids to see with you.

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I like Pixar films. I like those lovely and likable characters this animation studio continues to create Woody and Buzz, Sulley and Mike, Lightning McQueen and Remy the gourmet mouse chef. I also like Merida, the heroine of Pixar's new film "Brave." (She is the first female protagonist of the company's films.) And I tried to like the film itself, which is certainly entertaining, but fails to offer a story that this brave and independent heroine really needs. In short, Merida deserves a better story.

The story begins promisingly. Merida is a princess of a Scottish clan, with formidable skills with a bow and arrow. Being dissatisfied with a marriage arranged by her parents, she obtains a magic spell from a witch living in the woods so that she can thwart the marriage plan. As you expect, Merida's conduct results in a terrible disaster that she must somehow fix on her own.

The best part of the film is its visuals, especially those of Merida and her hair. Voice acting is also wonderful. Kelly Macdonald captures the spirit of strong-mined Princess Merida. Another good point is that the film sometimes seems having fun with genre conventions.. Witches are often depicted in a negative light, but in "Brave" the Witch (voice by Julie Walters) may be strange, but definitely not evil.

But the weak storyline needs improvement. That Merida looks often selfish didn't bother me. We know she will change, and she actually does, but the point is how she changes. "Brave" does not give the heroine a real challenge. A big bad bear is not good enough. A considerable portion of the film's second half is spent on silly slapstick involving her young brothers. Curiously Merida, a skilled archer, is not given enough chance to show what she can do.

"Brave" is better than last years' disappointment "Cars 2," but the film, despite its interesting heroine, is still a letdown.

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I went into this movie with very high expectations, because I am a huge Pixar fan. From the trailers, it appeared to be about Merida and possibly other clan members, on the hunt to slay an evil beast and save their people. The movie started out great, with the competition, a lot of laughs, introducing the characters, and an all around great time. Still, I was waiting for those glorious bow and arrow scenes that the trailers and posters had constantly teased. I was waiting for Merida to ride around on her horse and go into battle. Essentially, due to the trailers, I was expecting a Mulan sort of movie.

When we get to the part of the movie where Merida meets the witch and things start ramping up, I was thinking, "oh great this is going to get really fun." Still, I saw no sign of that happening. Don't get me wrong, I really enjoyed the mother and daughter scenes and thought they were touching. Once the mother was a bear, it was endearing, cute, and playful to watch the bear and Merida together.

Then, suddenly the movie seemed to end, and still there was no battle, no rush of adrenaline on the scale that I had expected, and nothing to make me cheer out loud for the protagonists. Basically, I didn't have the fun rush of previous Pixar movies that I had come to expect. Having said that, I still give the movie 4 out of 5 stars, because it looked gorgeous, the voice acting was top notch, and the story did touch my heart.

To sum it all up, if you watch Brave for combat, whether it's single person or on a grander scale, it won't live up to what you are expecting. However if you go into it with the mindset that it's going to be a princess fairy tale and a bonding movie, you will relate to it and love it.

(This is my first ever movie review on Amazon, so let me know what you think. :) )

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I have to admit it. John Wayne made a LOT of "generic" westerns.

This hides the fact that he really DID provide some STELLAR performances.

And this is one of them.

ALLEGHENY UPRISING, Stagecoach, The Searchers, Back To Bataan and True Grit are ALL John Wayne at his best.

He got the Oscar for Best Actor in "True Grit" but he deserved it more for his performance in "The Searchers." a movie in which he portrays a man dead-set on EVIL revenge.

Allegheny Uprising presents John as an early colonist (before the American Revolution). It tells a fascinating tale of when we were all proud to call ourselves "British" citizens.

No cheesy shootouts or costumes...but an intricate portrayal of the building of our Nation.

Newly out on DVD...it's well worth a watch!

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This is an enjoyable movie set in Colonial America, and it seems fresher for that reason than maybe it really is. But the story is good, managing to be both patriotic and cynical, until a limp ending.

John Wayne battles Loyalist George Sanders and corrupt trader Brian Donlevy, who is selling arms to Indians, under the *protection* of Sanders. So Duke does what Duke does so well, busting up the shipment and seeing that the values of Western Civilization prevail. Then the movie ends not with a shootout or tomahawk battle, but rather with well-acted yet shallow courtroom intrigue. Sigh.

Still, another thing that makes this movie better than the plot might otherwise allow is the charismatic Claire Trevor, beautiful even in what is basically a throwaway tomboy role. Let's call her the Duchess, at least for the purposes of this movie; not because she was in very many notable westerns or had any particular tie to the Duke, but because she was such a consummate performer that she could hold her own in a scene with him, as she did in Stagecoach.

Another point this film serves to illustrate is how even programmers like this one had better scripts than most anything produced today. Despite the lopsided story, it is evident that great care was given to the dialogue, and much devotion given to performances.

In summation: Generally more entertaining than Drums Along the Mohawk; not better, mind you, just more entertaining.

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I had never heard of this movie before reading about it on Amazon. It sounded good and I took a chance. I won! This is an early John Wayne movie, and some of those are not very good. This one is terrific! I loved the early American time period. The acting was very good, and the script--fresh. This is one of the better movies I've seen in a while. Watch it. You won't regret your time!

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The same year Stagecoach was released, John Wayne and Claire Trevor teamed for another movie, Allegheny Uprising, that's almost completely forgetten in relation to the John Ford classic. In 1760 after three years in captivity by an Indian tribe, James Smith and his friend, the Professor, return home to find several tribes on the warpath. These Indians have been supplied with muskets, shot and powder, and tomahawks by a trader looking to make it big. Smith and his neighbors must figure out how to stop the traders before they too are attacked, all the while dealing with the British command nearby who thinks Smith and Co. want to destroy British goods. This isn't a great movie, but it's an exciting movie for a lazy Saturday afternoon. It's fun to see a movie set in the colonies before the Revolution, a period often ignored in movies.

Teaming up again, Claire Trevor, with top billing, and John Wayne lead the cast. Trevor is Janie MacDougall, a tomboy who's loved James Smith as long as she can remember and isn't about to let him slip away a second time. Wayne plays Smith, the tough leader of his valley trying to protect the community. The parts aren't as good as in Stagecoach, but the two still have good chemistry. George Sanders is very good as Captain Swanson, the commander of the British troops in the valley trying to figure out exactly what's going on. Brian Donlevy is excellent as Callendar, the trader selling guns and whiskey to the Indians, an evil bad guy role he played many times. The supporting cast includes Wilfrid Lawson as Mac, Janie's father who loves drinking and fighting, and John Hamilton as the Professor, Smith's friend who does all the talking. Also look out for a young Chill Wills as one of Smith's friends, that voice is instantly recognizable.

The DVD is a good buy although there's some odd features added. The movie is shown in a good-looking standard presentation, really nice considering it's 80 years old. The features include a 16-minute live action short film about the Bill of Rights and a WB cartoon, a "Merry Melodies," that's got nothing to do with the movie or the storyline. Maybe I'm missing something. Still, it's a good but not great John Wayne movie, so give Allegheny Uprising a try!

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Claire Trevor may get top billing in this movie (as Janie MacDougall, a frontier tomboy and dead shot), but she spends most of it tagging along after John Wayne's Jim Smith and being frustrated that he won't let her be a part of his life. Wayne himself--who that same year had teamed with Trevor in Stagecoach, the movie that made him a star after a decade in B's--plays a young frontiersman who spearheads a sort of armed protest against the British in 1759, when Western Pennsylvania was the "far West." His grievance isn't taxes or "quartering," but the apparent inability of the Redcoats to prevent smugglers from trading with the hostile Indians, and most particularly from providing them with guns, powder, and shot. Balked by the aristocratic and scornful Capt. Swanson (George Sanders), and supported by Magistrate Duncan (Robert Barrat), he and his neighbors in the Conococheague Valley (a river of that name does exist in Pennsylvania) struggle to balk the sinister Indian trader Ralph Callendar (perennial film villain Brian Donlevy) and eventually find themselves forced to besiege and occupy the local British fort. Wilfrid Lawson as Trevor's father "Mac" MacDougall, a supposed tavernkeeper who spends most of his time haunting the forests, provides both support and comic relief, and John F. Hamilton, Moroni Olsen, Eddie Quillan, and a young (and slim!) Chill Wills appear as Jim's neighbors. This little-known movie is surprisingly satisfactory and would make a nice double feature with another "Eastern Western" of Wayne's, The Fighting Kentuckian.

Cheap Super Hybrid (2011)

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As you may have guessed from the cover, this is another car gone bad movie. This car not only can repair itself, but can change into another type of vehicle. The low budget aspect of this film only allows us to "see" the morph once. Most of the time we just see it as one car one moment, then when the camera goes back, it is suddenly a different car! Oh the magic of cinema! Unlike Christine this car kills indiscriminately.

When the car was in an accident it is towed to the police garage where the night crew must combat the vehicle. Shannon Beckner stars as Tilda, a female mechanic with a jobless boyfriend, a nephew (Ryan Kennedy) who also works at the garage and their overbearing boss, Ray (Oded Fehr of various Mummy and Resident Evil movies ). We all want to see him die next. He provides the inner conflict within the crew because harmony in battling a man eating car isn't enough drama.

Tilda comes to work in her tank top and puts on a dark blue work shirt. After an incident involving said car, the blue work shirt suddenly disappears and she is back in the tank top. Oh the magic of Anchor Bay movies!

(Plot spoiler?) They manage to get the hood pried open and lo and behold we have the film's meager special effects as we see some sort of creature lives under the hood. They surmise this creature has evolved while living along side of a road, to the point it can change forms for hunting humans. Ray doesn't want any help hunting this creature, and prefers that the garage mechanics do it to the dismay of Tilda. Melanie Papalia, as the secretary is the other eye candy of this film for those who like fish nets.

The acting was good considering the weak plot and being an Anchor Bay movie. No Mercedes were harmed in the making of this film.

No sex. No nudity. I don't recall any F-bombs, but don't hold me to it.

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Enjoyable low budget creature feature. A few old cars and a parking garage and voila! a movie. Very surprised by this movie not expecting much but I liked the premise of creatures hunting in the form of cars. If you like monsters get this movie.

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Initially, I thought I was going to hate this movie. It top-loaded itself with far too many irritants than necessary all leveled at the main character (Shannon Beckner). She's up against a lazy boyfriend with back problems too severe to do work yet not bad enough to keep him from pumping iron, a snarky boss (overplayed by Oded Fehr), a snotty secretary with no room to cast disapproval on another woman when she shows up to work wearing fishnet stockings, friends/coworkers more than willing to throw her under the bus by suggesting that all her faculties aren't working on full power. And, as if that wasn't enough, she is the only clear thinker when it comes to battling a man-eating car.

Most of the decisions made during the course of this movie are questionable, like welding shut the only emergency exit because it serves the plot better than the reality of the situation (this would be illegal and since this is a police compound......!). They also get the bright idea to trap the beastie car because it might be worth money (this, after two coworkers have already gone missing, presumed dead). It also didn't help that most of the scenes are shot at night and in an underground garage poorly lit (they even face the impending loss of emergency lighting and are, at one point, literally in the dark). Half of the mayhem was difficult to see (especially the first two killings). I appreciate this was low budget, but that didn't mean they should skimp on ingenuity, there are ways of depicting things without the aid of special effects. In this case, seeing nothing meant nothing.

But. For all that and more, I still really enjoyed this movie; enough to want to keep it for future viewings. It lands in that gray area where, if your expectations are high, you might be disappointed, or, with lower expectations (like mine), it served its purpose on a basic level: entertainment. I grew to like it after a rocky start.

This was an impulse purchase and I'm not sorry I took a chance and bought it.

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You have to admit the premise behind SUPER HYBRID---a killer car that's really a tentacled monster and can transmorph into any kind of car it wants is promising. What could possibly go wrong?

Pretty much everything.

After a pretty neat opening, the movie makes the mistake of shifting the rest of the film to a poorly lit police garage, and basically turning it into a chase movie. Had the car remained on the streets killing random victims, it might have been a winner.

The characters in the garage are stock stereotypes who do stupid things at every opportunity. And of course ever since Sigourney stripped to a tee in ALIEN, 99% of all horror movies make the macho woman the hero/heroine and the males spineless wimps. The ending comes out of nowhere and makes little sense.

SUPER HYBRID is embarrassingly fun to watch, even though the acting is pretty bad, especially Oded Fehr's hammy badass boss.

So, lower your expectations and go along for the ride.

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I enjoyed "Super Hybrid" much more than I expected. I went into it thinking it would be on par with a SyFy original movie (which I do enjoy), but was pleasantly surprised by a well shot, action filled, fun little film.

The basic storyline is that a murderous car gets taken to a Chicago police garage after getting into an accident one night. The skeleton crew still working in the garage are busy getting ready for a renovation, so the 3 level garage is basically deserted. Once the badly damaged car is brought into the garage, the crew gets locked in for the night. The unusual car soon repairs itself and begins hunting down it's victims.

Unlike other motoring mayhem movies, "Super Hybrid" does a bit more than simply having the titular car run over as many pedestrians as alloted in it's 90 minute run time. Where "Super Hybrid" seperates itself from the pack is in the car itself. There's more to the vehicle than meets the eye, and what's under the hood comes as a fun surprise about halfway through the film.

Solid special effects, cool driving stunts, and a solid cast make make "Super Hybrid" a fun little B-movie to invest some time in.

Boys Town (1938) Review

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"Boys Town", is I believe one of those very special movies that only comes along occasionally in a viewing lifetime. I never fail to be moved and inspired by this wonderful story and by the very special man who is central to this story; Father Edward J. Flanagan, the man who founded Nebraska's famed Boys Town which has given hope and a decent future to countless homeless and abused young boys and girls ever since. MGM here created a perfect story out of this unique man's life and they ended up with a stunning motion picture that has remained a much loved classic ever since. Spencer Tracy will always be remembered for his Academy Award winning portrayal of Father Flanagan and it is he who gives "Boys Town", its lasting appeal with a performance full of honesty, and a belief in the basic decency of all people regardless of religion, age or colour. The films most famous line that "there is no such thing as a bad boy", echoes Father Flanagan's philosophy throughout his life and it creates a lasting impression that has succeeded in touching each new generation of movie goers who have loved this film.

"Boys Town", was planned as one of MGM Studios biggest productions for 1938 and having Spencer Tracy play the famous priest was an inspired piece of casting if ever there was. Tracy actually built up a reputation for his roles as a priest from his earlier work in "San Francisco". It indeed would be hard to find a better marriage of actor and role than we have here with Spencer Tracy and Father Flanagan. Playing the Priest as a caring, warm and endlessly optimistic man Spencer Tracy also injects the character with enough toughness and inner drive to make him a believable person who at times questions his own judgement and inner faith. It really is a masterful performance and stands as one of the pinnacles in Spencer Tracy's legendary career as an actor. Of course as in a major production such as this there is plenty of talent on show in the other major roles. Mickey Rooney really came into his own playing the streetwise tough boy Whitey Marsh who along the way, despite many ups and downs is given a new life full of hope by Father Flanagan. Rooney's often overlooked talent is truly utilised to the fullest here and his transformation to where he becomes Boys Town's Mayor through Father Flanagan's endless concern and care for him despite the troubles he causes is one of Rooney's best performances ever. Henry Hull playing Dave Morris the eternally frustrated offsider to Father Flanagan really does great work here and adds some much appreciated humour in the scenes when he hears about the "latest scheme" being hatched by Father Flanagan that of course he will be dragged into. The scene when he unexpectedly delivers Christmas presents to the boys who are going without even the basics for the festive season is a beautifully realised moment that is one of the most moving in this story. The young actors who make up the boys in the story are also outstanding and high marks in particular go to Gene Reynolds as the crippled boy Tony Ponessa who shares some of the most moving moments in "Boys Town", with Father Flanagan, Frankie Thomas as Boys Town Mayor Freddie Fuller, and perhaps most interesting of all Sidney Miller in a wonderfully played out performance that contains some great humour as jewish boy Mo Kahn. Child actor Bobs Watson of course steals many scenes as Boys Town's youngest resident Pee Wee who is largely responsible through almost tragic circumstances, for Whitey's transformation into a decent individual. Often accused of being overly sentimental "Boys Town", probably is guilty of that at times but I certainly dont see anything wrong with that. Certainly many problems are sorted out perhaps a bit too easily in the script and most of the boys seem to be perhaps at times a bit too nice but they are really not things to take exception to and the fine writing and character development on display make "Boys Town", first class viewing.

Followed a couple of years later with a sequel titled "Men of Boys Town", and featuring Spencer Tracy and Mickey Rooney in their old roles, this 1938 film is still the one to see. In our present hardened society it is easy to pass harsh judgement on a film like "boys Town", however I find that I love this film more and more with each screening and I believe the sentiment works very well in telling this story. The care put into this film by cast and director Norman Taurog is evident in every frame and makes it a heart felt piece of movie story telling. There seem to be no performers like Spencer Tracy nowadays who could bring such feeling to the role of Father Flanagan in my belief. Sentiment, drama, action, and strong characters with a clear intent all combine to help make a viewing of MGM's "Boys Town", a treasured experience you should not miss. Enjoy this classic sometime soon.

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Keeping this review "short", I am compelled to echo the kind words of previous reviewers. There's much to be said of Boys Town, but it would fill a 1500 page book and still be too short. Father Flanagan died in Germany May 15, 1948. The tears still well up today, more than a half century later. Watching these 1938 and 1941 films is like reliving my childhood all over again. I recall so well the scenes in the movie.... but "I" remember the rooms, the buildings, the birch trees lining the entryway to Boys Town and the wooden stage where Whitey Marsh (Mickey Rooney) was elected Mayor of Boys Town. Father Flanagan's office (and the rest of the building) where PeeWee got his candy treats became the gradeschool principal's office. I remember it all so well. I relive my childhood with every viewing. Oh yes.... in real life I was there: 1948 1953. These two movies are part of me today to share my history with my children and their children.

How could I possibly "not" like these great works?

Bill Ford Southern California August 2003

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Father Flanagan takes in abandoned boys between the ages of 12 to 18, regardless of race or creed, and fights to raise money, to feed and teach and mother his friendless charges. Mickey Rooney bless him runs the gamut of emotions from the tough, poker-playing gangster kid, through the tear-choked, made over youngster, to the final noble youth who becomes mayor of Boys Town. The film manages in spite of its embarrassing sentimentality of its closing scenes to be a consistently interesting and frequently touching movie. A burning desire to help his fellowmen and a belief that there is no such thing as a "bad boy" inspired and assisted the Reverend Edward J. Flanagan to found "Boy's Town". Spencer Tracy's sincere portrayal of the role of the priest Father Flanagan was truly an outstanding performance in his career, it even ranks above his Father Tim in SAN FRANCISCO; Tracy simply IS Father Flanagan! As a footnote, in real life, Tracy donated the Oscar he won for his portrayal as Father Flanagan TO Father Flanagan himself; Tracy had it inscribed thusly: "To Father Edward J. Flanagan, whose great human qualities, kindly simplicity and inspiring courage were strong enough to shine through my humble efforts. S/Spencer Tracy".

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This movie is one of the all time best movies ever made. The second part Men Of Boys Town is just a great if not more so. Mickey Rooney gives one of his best performances, if not his all time best. This movie really spotlights his great dramitic acting skills as well as his comedy skills. Spencer Tracy was great as Father Flannigan, but Mickey Rooney steals the show. The story is great and the acting as just great. I love the friendship of the little boy Pee Wee and Whitney Marsh(Mickey Rooney). This movie is highly recommended....buy it now!!!

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"Boys Town" stars two of the greatest actors of the golden era of Hollywood, Mickey Rooney and Spencer Tracy, and their parts in this movie are among their best roles. "Boys Town" doesn't have quite as close a connection to Christmas as the other two titles in the Classic Holiday Collection (there's one scene set on the holiday), but this true story of a priest who builds a boarding school for troubled youth is one that will warm your heart. Tracy plays Father Flanagan, a kind, socially conscious priest who can be tough when he needs to be, and Mickey Rooney displays his wide-ranging acting talent (from tough talk to tears) as one of the neglected boys whom Flanagan sets on the right path.

"Boys Town" is accompanied by its own less-famous sequel, "Men Of Boys Town," so you're getting two features on one disc. You also get a featurette about the real Boys Town (which still exists and has expanded beyond its original Nebraska location), as well as a 1939 radio program promoting the movie with Tracy and Rooney.

If you like this great movie, you may want to consider getting the excellent Classic Holiday Collection, which includes this film along with two other great classics, "Christmas In Connecticut" and "A Christmas Carol" (1938).