Home Media Magazine - October 14-20, 2007 - (Page 24) REVIEWS Edited by John Latchem www.homemediamagazine.com It’s somewhat ironic that Bay can aim so high with a film like Pearl Harbor, and hit so low, while with Transformers he can make a film that is better than it has any right to be. Fans may still find Bay’s style irksome. The frenetic action plays out like Bay’s greatest-hits reel, and regular viewers will no doubt identify similar scenes from Bay’s other films. (“I’ve got green smoke!” Take a drink.) This is not a film that needs to survive repeat viewings. On home video, fans will be able to relive their favorite sequences without the cumbersome burdens of plot and narrative flow, and absorb details that may have flashed by too quickly in theaters. Even the colors seem more vibrant than on the big screen. The anchor of the film is rising star LaBeouf, but the masterstroke of casting was bringing in Cullen as the voice of Optimus Prime, providing a much-needed connection to the classic 1980s cartoon series. The twodisc set and the HD DVD include an outstanding behind-the-scenes documentary that traces the development of the film all the way back to the earlier cartoon, complete with clips for comparison, which fans will eat up. Too bad there aren’t any deleted scenes here. The studio may be saving those for the inevitable mega-edition DVD set that will probably be released just before the announced sequel hits in 2009. — John Latchem I TRANSFORMERS Street 10/16 Paramount/DreamWorks, Sci-Fi, B.O. $316.5 million, $29.99 DVD, $36.99 two-DVD set, $39.99 HD DVD, ‘PG-13’ for intense sequences of sci-fi action violence, brief sexual humor and language. Stars Shia LaBeouf, Megan Fox, Josh Duhamel, Jon Voight, John Turturro, Anthony Anderson, Rachael Taylor, Tyrese Gibson, Bernie Mac. Voices of Peter Cullen, Hugo Weaving, Jess Harnell, Robert Foxworth. H as Michael Bay always been this cocky? In his Transformers commentary, he openly brags about his Pentagon connections, his ability to use advanced military hardware when other productions can’t, how he strongarms cities into letting him use historic landmarks and how he bullies his actors into performing dangerous stunts. Bay even goes so far as to admit his goal for Transformers was to create a landmark movie for a new generation of filmgoers. Time will tell if he succeeded, but all the right elements seem to be in place. The concept is admittedly goofy — vehicles that transform into robots to fight each other. And yet, Bay has embraced the absurdity and turned it to his advantage, marrying it to an adrenaline-fueled story that provides memorable characters, a good mix of action and humor, and seamless visual effects. I MEET THE ROBINSONS Street 10/23 Disney, Animated, B.O. $97.8 million, $29.99 DVD, $34.99 Blu-ray, ‘G’. Voices of Daniel Hansen, Wesley Singerman, Laurie Metcalf, Angela Bassett, Adam West, Tom Selleck. M eeting the Robinsons is not, alas, akin to meeting an excellent Disney movie like the studio’s hits of the 1990s or collaborations with Pixar, but it’s better than revisiting The Wild or Home on the Range. It’s a spottily charming mess that veers between quirky anachronism and lazy retreads. Lewis is an orphan and inventor who’s losing his confidence; Wilbur Robinson is a boy from the future who picks up Lewis in his time machine because, for confusing reasons, he must convince him to finish a failed invention. We’ve seen the hero (plucky orphan) and villain (Snidely Whiplash wannabe) many times before. The Robinsons are admittedly a fun bunch — like the Addams Family living in Pee-Wee’s Playhouse in the year 3000 — and the film has some sweet moments, but they’re too often overshadowed by the confusing, manic plot. The candy-colored utopian future is delightful, hearkening back to the wildly imaginative future visions from the 1950s. Stephen J. Anderson ties the film’s themes into a quote from Walt Disney, whose (now retro) future imaginings were featured as theme park attractions. Appropriately, the best extra on the DVD is “Keep Moving Forward,” a slick featurette on major inventions that makes excellent visual use of the vast Disney library and stock footage. It ends a little self-servingly, comparing Walt to inventors like Guttenberg and the Wright Brothers, but it’s still a treat to watch. Other extras include a behind-the-scenes featurette that covers the usual (source material, the director, animators, voice actors and the music, notably scored by Danny Elfman) and an equally informative and earnest audio commentary by Anderson, who reveals that he also was an orphan. A not-very-fun game, two music videos and three deleted scenes hosted by Anderson round out the bunch. This DVD will be on many holiday shopping lists, especially for kids who enjoyed Robots and The Incredibles. — Laura Tiffany I THE JUNIOR DEFENDERS Street 10/23 Warner, Comedy, $19.97 DVD, NR. Stars Ally Sheedy, Brian O’Halloran, Justin Henry, Jason David Frank, Fred Hazelton, Bill Raymond, John Waters. T his DVD is a testament to the creative process. Writerdirector Keith Spiegel has crafted a charming indie comedy that parodies obsessive fandom and television sensationalism. You can’t listen to him describe the effort it took to actually complete the film without respecting his determination. Under the constraints of his shoestring budget, Spiegel has structured the film as a mockumentary/fake news broadcast about a man who kidnaps the stars of “The Junior Defenders,” a fictionalized 1970s adventure series about four kids with mental powers. His goal is to film a new episode of the show to tie up the loose ends of the final episode, which ended with a cliffhanger 30 years earlier. Meanwhile, the four stars have managed to screw up their adult lives so much they relish the opportunity to re-embrace their childhood. With Sheedy, Henry (the kid from Kramer vs. Kramer), O’Halloran (Clerks) and Frank (“Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers”), Spiegel has managed to pull together a pretty impressive cast for such a low-budget project. Cameos include Kevin Smith, Pauly Shore, Florence Henderson, Peter Tork, and even Michael Dukakis. But it’s the narration of John Waters that really lends an air of credibility to the proceedings. The DVD’s featurette consists mostly of Spiegel looking directly at the camera and telling the story of making the movie, of assembling the cast, and of constant re-edits to improve pacing. His perseverance eventually paid off with a Warner Bros. distribution deal through Lightyear Entertainment, which just goes to show that good things can happen when you see things through to the end. — John Latchem 24 Home Media Magazine October 14–20, 2007 http://www.homemediamagazine.com
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