Blu-Ray/DVD Review: 'Sorcerer's Apprentice'

It seemed to come and go at theaters earlier this year, but Disney’s The Sorcerer’s Apprentice is now on Blu-ray and DVD and truly is a fun film, loaded with creative effects, but also grounded in a story that bodes well for not just a sequel, but perhaps a francise of several movies. 

Very  (very) loosely based on the same-named segment in Disney’s classic Fantasia, the movie spans a millennia though most of the setting is modern-day New York, though with arcane touches right of Dr. Strange comics and the like.  

Nicholas Cage as Balthazar Blake is a one-time disciple of none other than Merlin, while Dave Stutler (Jay Baruchel from Fanboys, Tropic Thunder)  is, but of course, the one he's been seeking for centuries. And he becomes the apprentice.  Alfred Molina relishes his role at bad guy wizard Maxim Horvath. Add Teresa Palmer and Monica Bellucci as love interests for each hero, and a creepy Alice Krige (The Borg Queen in Star Trek: First Contact) and you have a solid cast,  well-guided by director John Turteltaub, though Cage is the real anchor here.

And the magic through movie magic?  It’s quite stellar and also different from say, the land of Potter, with links to science, including a big nod to the work and creatins of Nikola Telsa. Everything looks best on Blu-ray, though the DVD is quite vivid as well. And yes, the Fantasia scene is there, cleverly done, with the music of Paul Dukas, which all was inspired by a 1797 poem by Goethe. 

For those who enjoy behind-the-scenes material, the documentaries provide much insight as fascinating looks at how it all came to together, especially the special effects.   

So this is another score for Jerry Bruckheimer and family-friendly all the way, too, with only a few harrowing moments for the littlest ones, The Sorcerer’s Apprentice is watchable and winning and would make a nice little holiday gift in any format. Print up a limited time discount coupon here. 

Green Lantern Trailer Hits Web!!!

A trailer for Green Lantern, due in 2011, has hit the Web. 
One version, with Spanish subtitles, comes courtesy of www.cineheroes.net. 
You can also find it here at Apple Trailers. 
There are fanboy and fangirl squeal delights to be seen - Abin Sur, Killowog, Sinestro, Hector Hammond and other names from Green Lantern lore. It looks as though star Ryan Reynolds plays Hal Jordan cocky, but not for laughs.  And that could be good.I could go through it bit by bit....but why don't you just check it out. I'm sure stoked. What do you think? 

DVD/Blu-ray Reviews: Scott Pilgrim, Sound of Music, A Christmas Carol

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World
Universal
Blu-ray and DVD


While Scott Pilgrim is not the "game changer" that Rolling Stone claimed it is, this is still a clever, fun film. The action sequences play out like a video game (as does a variation on the Universal Pictures opening) contrasted by other segments that are somewhat like an indie film albeit with plenty of quirks.  Having yet to read the comics it was based on by Bryan Lee O'Malley, I can't say if it's a faithful adaptation, but it is a hoot, as an indie rock bassist (Michael Cera, doing his standard bewildered clueless slackeresque guy thing) must battle the "evil exes" of the girl of his dreams (Mary Elizabeth Winstead).  This isn't a super-hero film, far from it, though the exes and Scott , it turns out, all have super-powers of some kind. Those parts are surely absurd and ridiculous, but nonetheless sheer entertainment with slugfests of mayhem and references ranging from Bollywood to The Matrix movies to a slew of vid games. The final resolution and attempt at some depth - as the characters are pretty shallow people or caricatures overall, truth be told - doesn't quite work. But that doesn't make Scott Pilgrim a less-enjoyable wacky ride.  Both the DVD and especially the Blu-ray are chock full of extras, from commentaries and alternate footage to a making-of documentary about how it all came together, a music featurette and music videos, plus pre-production footage, too.   One thing's for sure, the movie does beam with an earnest sense of hope and that can't really be said of this year's earlier, far  more violent and cynical Kick-Ass. 



The Sound of Music
45th Anniversary Editions
Twentieth Century Fox
Blu-ray and DVD


Along with Mary Poppins, which of course, also starred Julie Andrews, The Sound of Music defines family film, even some 45 years after its initial release.  Adapting the story of the Von Trapp Family Singers, this film version by director Robert Wise  of the musical by Rodgers and Hammerstein (in fact, their final work together, as Hammerstain died from cancer nine months after the Broadway premiere, so he didn't live to see the movie) remains beloved around the world. And for good reasons.  There are those songs:  The title number, "My Favorite Things," "Do Re Mi," "The Lonely Goatherd" among them, so magical and yes, innocent with delight.  Then there's the acting: Andrews shines as Maria, who leaves the nuns in the Abbey where she was raised to become the governess for the Von Trap children and falls in love with their seemingly stern Austrian Navy Captain father, Christopher Plummer, who falls in love with her as well. And there's the backdrop of the Nazis in Austria and that threat. A few may cry "hokey," but then, they really have no heart. The film looks gorgeous in Blu-ray and it still charms, once again.  Special features include a Music Machine Sing-Along, a viewing version with on-screen lyrics and trivia, commentaries with Andrews, Plummer and Wise. The Blu-ray includes a virtual map of the filming locations, screen tests and featurettes about the stage show, film and restoration. In addition to the Blu-ray/DVD Combo and individual format releases, there's a grand  Limited Edition Collector's Set. But any version is a wonderful family holiday gift this season. 


A Christmas Carol
Disney
Blu-ray and DVD


Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol will be presented again and again in films, on television and on-stage because its story resonates for every generation as a tale of a greedy, self-centered man discovering what it truly means to bring hope and joy into the lives of others. This CGI animated version by Robert Zemeckis with Jim Carrey as not just Scrooge but many of the other characters, has its moments, but tries to hard at times (one can't see it joining  the holiday classic ranks like Zemeckis' Polar Express). Still, as with much animation, it looks stunning in Blu-ray, though the DVD is fine as well.  Carrey's a bit too hammy a Scrooge, though the performances - and they are really are that, not just voice acting, thanks to the technique of motion capture - of Gary Oldman, Colin Firth, Bob Hoskins, Robin Wright Penn and Cary Elwes are quite good. A behind the scenes feature explores the process, plus there are deleted scenes and a look at the challenges of bringing something new to the holiday story that's still sums it up with lines from the chain oppressed ghost of miser Jacob Marley as written by Dickens: "Business! Mankind was my business. The common welfare was my business; charity, mercy, forbearance, and benevolence, were all my business. The dealings of my trade were but a drop of water in the comprehensive ocean of my business!" There's a lesson there for plenty of ranting  political pundits on TV and radio and politicians and executives all over this country - and around the globe. 

Long Beach Comic Con Sunday: Programming Picks and Highlights

The Long Beach Comic Con kicks off this Friday, October 30 at the Long Beach Convention Center and runs through Halloween, Sunday, October 31. Costumes are encouraged every day, of course. But especially on Sunday with kids 10-and-under free, with trick-or-treating on the exhibit floor all day long. Plus, Sunday's the day to find the best deals on comics, graphic novels, action figures and other collectibles.
Here are some programming picks and highlights for the day:

11 a.m.-11:45 a.m.
The Art of Storytelling in Graphic Novels with Nhora Serran, Mike Buckley and Jason Casem - Seaside Ballroom B - A roundtable on graphic novels beyond superhero and other comic book type genres.


The Vigilante Project - Seaside Lobby -
The Vigilante Project is a new film and graphic novel from Yvette Avenue Productions, which offers a sneak peek of of the promotional trailer and a talk with the writers and artists.


12 p.m.-12:45 p.m.
WOMEN IN COMICS - Seaside Lobby - This panel includes artist Cat Staggs (Star Wars),  R.C. Young (writer/illustratorm Witchman) Amy Mebberson (Boom!
Studios artist on Disney/Pixar books), Rebecca Hicks (Little Vampires), and others.


1 p.m.-1:45 p.m. 
STARTING OUT : INDEPENDENT PUBLISHING/INDEPENDENT CREATORS - Seaside Lobby - A presentation for those who want to self-publish and wonder how to pull it off.  Featuring  Dawn & Clint Wolf, celebrating the
first anniversary of their creation Zombie Ranch.


Comics in Classrooms & Libraries - Room D- Comic creators Dave Roman and Raina Telgemeier discuss how teachers and librarians can utilize comics in schools and in the classroom. It's happening now all over the country, but should have been done decades ago.


2 p.m.-2:45 p.m.
“COMICS AND COMICS” - Seaside Lobby - Stand-up yuks meet fanboy and fangirl fun -  comic books, movies, videogames, role-playing, action figures, etc. The show was created by stand-up veteran Tom Franck (an appearance in Green Lantern #143 labeled him asthe top comedian in the DC universe. There's a warm-up trivia contest as well.

Interview: 'Back to the Future' Trilogy Writer-Producer Bob Gale, Blu-ray/DVD Review

A quarter-century ago, the world fell in love with a time-travel adventure about a teenager, his dysfunctional family and his closest friend, a nutty, yet brilliant professor. Back to the Future was a huge hit in the summer of 1985 and followed with two successful sequels, one dystopian futuristic, the other, well, a western with a touch of steampunk before the term was being bandied about.  
As Marty McFly, Michael J. Fox and as Doc Brown, Christopher Lloyd, became part of childhoods and also memorable characters for movie-goers of all ages. And let's not forget that car. ("You built a time machine out of A DeLorean?!!").  Many famous folks are fans. Just this past July, Family Guy and American Dad creator Seth McFarlane bought one of the Back to the Future DeLoreans, so there ya go.
While all three films have been collected on DVD before, they've now been released by Universal Home Entertainment on Blu-ray as the Back to the Future 25th Anniversary Trilogy, looking, in so many ways, better than ever and as fresh as when they each first hit the big screen. There are numerous deleted scenes that include a six-part look at the trilogy with new interviews featuring Fox,  Lloyd, Lea Thompson, Director Robert Zemeckis, Producers Bob Gale and Neil Canton plus Executive Producer Steven Spielberg, "making-of" featurettes and "The Physics of Back To The Future" with author and physicist Dr. Michio Kaku. The package is also loaded with plenty of outtakes looks at production design, storyboards, designing the mythical town of "Hill Valley," music videos commentaries/Q&As from Zemeckis, Gale and Canton
In addition to co-producing the trilogy, Bob Gale co-wrote Back to the Future with writing partner and director Robert Zemeckis and also write the screenplays for both sequels. He couldn't be more thrilled about the Blu-ray format release.



Bob Gale: "If you remember, Universal had invested heavily in HD and had, I think done a transfer of Back to the Future, which of course, turned out to be to be waste of money. We were waiting to find out if high definition was really going to take off and thought that we could, in fact, do this in conjunction with the 25th anniversary of the series' start. So a year ago, we started rattling cages, 'It's the 25th, let's get on it." Someone said, we're not going to by able to get it out July 3rd (the film release anniversary] so let's bring it out on the anniversary of the year Marty McFly went back to to the future, October 26, 1985.    


That Writer Guy:  The three films now cross several generations. Kids who watched them in the '80s are now adults and their children have seen it on home video. Parents who took those kids in the '80s are now grandparents.  What do you see as the appeal? A number of factors at work?


BG: It's part of the pop consciousness now and such a goofball thing, too. Part of the strength of the appeal of the movies is everybody can identify with the characters, everybody knows these characters. Marty can't figure out his parents, his father's a nerd set upon a bully and the intimidating bully isn't really as strong as he seems; there's the lovesick girl [his mom in that past] and Doc Brown, who's somebody of ground and wisdom and little bit of insanity, too.  We're telling a human story about somebody's family.  I think what keeps the movies interesting from generation to generation is all  over world is that moment we finally comprehend our parents were children, too.  We see it in old photographs, the clothes last year that don't fit, that evolution of finaally finding out how sex works and we go, 'No way my parents could have done that."  We realize "my parents could have done that," my parents were children, the must have had a first date. And the movie totally captures that and just connects. 


That Writer Guy:  We've seen DVD, Blu-ray releases where special effects were given upgrades, scenes were added. What were the feelings about that kind of approach?


BG: What we did with the DVD and Blu-ray is we went back to the elements.  Seeing a release print made from negatives, some of the earlier elements, like in Part Two, some wires you can see, so we took those wires out. That would have been part of the process of making movies.  But we did not enhance anything. We improved some color corrections. We took the two-track Dolby sound and mixed it in surround and it now sounds better than it did in 1985. But other than that, we didn't change anything.

That Writer Guy: There are plenty of great behind the scenes bonus feature material, including the scientific possibilities or impossibilities of the science in the films from Dr. Kaku. 


BG: Universal said, if we're going to do this, do it right and I've got to give these guys credit. Truth it, we didn't have much money to do new supplemental stuff, we didn't have the budget. So Universal spent the money to do it all in Hi-Def.  These people are fans of the movies. Kaku is a fan.  I've read his books. This guy's a people are fan sof the movies...kaku fan of movie, read his book, this guy's got a TV show on Discovery's Science Channel. 


If you talk to people about the series, each person has a favorite; some love the original film, others the second one, which like many trilogies is somewhat 'dark.'  And then there's the whole western twist with the final movie. When people meet you, what kind of questions do they ask?


BG: Each film has it's own personality, how great is that? But they also ask, is there ever going to be a part four?  No.  Then, it depends on who they are. A little kid might ask how did we get hoverboard ot fly and how does he get one? Everyobdy has favorite movie, a favorite part of one of the movies and we do get asked a lot of questions.  But it's always is there going to be a Part 4?  But without Michael J. Fox?  Who wants to see it without him?  WE told the story we wanted to tell and at the end of Part 3, we say this is the end.  History has shown us that some of these franchises that go back too many time, the results aren't that satisfying. What Back to the Future 4 would be in everybody's minds would be so much better than what we could put on the screen or so different that we'd rather do new original stuff.


That Writer Guy: I've seen some boards talk about how an animated series would work again [there was one in the early '90s]. Also, isn't there a new game on the way?



BG: Yes. Telltale Games has a Back to the Future game coming out sometime this winter.  Christopher Lloyd is doing the voice, Michael J. Fox recorded some of his lines to be used. These guyrs are really fans of the movies, working hard to capture the spirit of them in this game. This is going to be pretty good. I haven't seen the actual game, but in terms of what they've been doing conceptually, trying to pull of a game, it's not Part 4, but it's sort of like trying to take a melody and give it to a jazz ensemble and they riff on it. That's what's happening here.  


The Back to the Future 25th Anniversary Trilogy is available now on Blu-ray as well as DVD and from that flux capacitor and gigawatts to Mr. Fusion, it's a multi-part adventure well worth visiting again. Pick it up at your favorite local store or get it here.