Home Media Magazine - September 16-22, 2007 - (Page 21)

www.homemediamagazine.com REVIEWS Available 9-25-07 I GRACIE Street 9/18 New Line, Drama, B.O. $3 million, $27.95 DVD, ‘PG-13’ for brief sexual content. Stars Carly Schroeder, Elisabeth Shue, Andrew Shue, Dermot Mulroney, Jesse Lee Soffer. n Gracie, a teenage girl (Schroeder) must overcome adversity and sexism in 1978 to earn a spot on her high-school boys’ soccer team. The movie follows the sports-movie playbook to the letter, but formula movies aren’t about originality, they’re about presentation. And if we find ourselves smiling when Gracie takes the field in the final game, then the movie has done its job. The title character is inspired by Elisabeth Shue, who in real life gave up soccer and went into acting. She plays Gracie’s mother here. The movie was made by her and her brother Andrew (who plays a teacher) as a tribute to their older brother William, a soccer star who died in an accident in 1988. William serves as the basis for the character of Johnny (Soffer), who’s protective of his siblings while he excels at everything he does. When he’s tragically killed in a car wreck, his fam- I ily goes into a brief tailspin. Gracie’s decision to carry on his legacy through soccer is met with skepticism. The coach suggests she play field hockey instead. Undeterred, Gracie challenges the system and herself. The movie only briefly dabbles with Title IX. Injecting a political note into this film would only have detracted from what the Shues were hoping to accomplish. This is probably a wise move, considering the previous film from director Davis Guggenheim (Elisabeth Shue’s hus- band, incidentally), was An Inconvenient Truth, one of the most political films of recent times. The DVD includes a decent featurette detailing the motivation behind the film and the training involved for the soccer sequences. These points are further touched upon in the two commentaries, most notably one from Elisabeth and Andrew that serves as a nice remembrance of their brother. Guggenheim provides the other commentary. — John Latchem I CHRISTMAS MIRACLE AT SAGE CREEK Street 10/2 Universal/Screen Media, Western, $14.98 DVD, ‘PG’ for for violence and some mild language. Stars David Carradine, Wes Studi, Irene Bedard. hristmas Miracle at Sage Creek is perhaps one of the most original of the many cinematic takes on Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. Set in the wild west of Wyoming in 1888, two families struggle against prejudice and oppression in the face of the unforgiving landscape and an angry, overbearing rancher. Carradine is the rancher, almost unbearably bitter over the death of his wife at the hands of the Sioux. To avenge her death, he devises a way to evict his neighbors, a family that includes both Native-Americans and C settlers, from their homestead. But when his grandson is stricken with yellow fever and it doesn’t seem as if there is any hope that the little boy will live, the bitter old man has an epiphany, finally understanding what is important and what is not. Several very good performances enhance this made-for-TV movie. So Scrooge-like is Carradine that when one of his ranch hands asks if the men can take Christmas off to spend with their families, he hisses that Christmas is just another working day. Studi exudes quiet dignity as the Native-American grandfather. And Bedard is luminous as his daughter, married to a white man but still cleaving to the traditions of her father in her heart. Although Christmas Miracle at Sage Creek has its share of gun fights, wild animal attacks and suspense, it is a slowly-paced, almost meandering film and, because of that, may disappoint fans of traditional westerns. But those interested in quiet stories of faith and reconciliation will find much to like here. — Anne Sherber Star-packed Collection! 50 Nostalgic Family Movies Collected on 12 Double-sided DVDs Hours of Entertainment! Enjoy endless hours of family fun with fifty classic movies digitally re-mastered onto twelve DVDs. This classic collection features screen legends Bing Crosby, Ginger Rogers, Bob Hope, David Niven, Eddie Albert, Nicole Kidman, William Shatner, John Wayne, Carole Lombard and more. Step back in time to cinema classics including, Road to Bali, The Lady Says No, and Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Gather family together: Sit back and relax with in its last act as director Michael Arias scrambles to tie up the many loose ends of the story, forgetting that the boys and the town are the heart of Tekkonkinkreet, rather than those numerous mobsters. The film has a wispy look, as if the characters are watercolor cutouts floating on top of the kinetic town that resembles Richard Scarry’s fictional Busytown gone Japanese noir. Arias, the first American director of an anime film, has studied the art form’s masters well. Like Miyazaki, he understands and can show the depth of both a child’s searing pain and rapturous, innocent joy. And despite the perhapsobvious metaphor of Black’s and White’s names, the film goes deeper and hits harder than you might expect. Like the first time you saw The Triplets of Belleville or discovered a Miyazaki film, Tekkonkinkreet is a discovery you want to share with your friends. — Laura Tiffany these legendary stars, movies, stories and performances you’ll quickly see why this col- lection is named FAMILY FUN! are separated, hell breaks loose for both the boys and the film itself. This gorgeous fairy tale falls apart MSRP $29.98 Call: (866) 410-9000 September 16–22, 2007 Home Media Magazine 21 http://www.homemediamagazine.com

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Contents News Commentary TV DVD Reviews Pipeline Research Top 20 DVD Sellers Top 20 Rentals and Top 10 Charts Just Announced Christian Entertainment Review

Home Media Magazine - September 16-22, 2007

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