Thom Eberhardt directs Kurt Russell and Martin Short in the family comedy Captain Ron, which comes to DVD with a widescreen anamorphic transfer that preserves the original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.85:1. The English soundtrack is rendered in Dolby Digital Surround. There are no subtitles, but the soundtrack is closed-captioned. There are no supplemental materials of any consequence, making this inexpensive Disney/Buena Vista release difficult to recommend to anyone but a fan of the performers involved in the production.
Emile Ardolino's smash hit Dirty Dancing gets the two-disc deluxe treatment on this special edition DVD. The film itself is presented in a widescreen anamorphic transfer that preserves the original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.85:1. English soundtracks are rendered in Dolby Digital Stereo and DTS Stereo. English and Spanish subtitles are accessible. The extensive supplemental materials include a commentary track recorded by choreographer Kenny Ortega, cinematographer Jeff Jur, and other members of the crew. Interviews with cast and crew members (including Jennifer Grey, who also records a video introduction to the film), snippets of the successful Dirty Dancing Live concert tour, three music videos, and a trailer track all add additional value to this DVD for any fan.
Jan De Bont's special effects spectacular Twister comes to DVD in a package sure to please fans of F/X films. The transfer provides a clear widescreen anamorphic 2.35:1 image. English soundtracks are available in both Dolby Digital 5.1 and DTS 5.1, while a French soundtrack is available in Dolby Digital 5.1. This disc will answer the burning question of whether or not flying cows moo differently in French. Subtitles are available in English, Spanish, and French. Extra features include a music video for Van Halen's "Humans Being," production notes, and the theatrical trailer. The best feature is the commentary track by the director and visual effects supervisor Stefan Fangmeier. Give the filmmakers credit for understanding what audiences find most interesting in this film and giving them a clearer understanding of the work involved in that aspect of the production.
My Big Fat Greek Wedding: the little film that could. Everyone by now knows the story of this five-million-dollar film that went on to gross well over 200 million dollars. That being the case, why aren't we seeing a bigger release for this DVD? Not that it's a bad disc, it really isn't. It just seems there's so much more that could have been done for such a significant release. The image, which HBO has wisely included both 1.85:1 anamorphic and full-frame transfers, is a fairly solid presentation. Colors, while generally muted, come across nicely, while the darker scenes are dense and don't show any signs of breakdown. Skin tones are very warm, a real plus for this film. The sound, a 5.1 Dolby Digital track, is certainly adequate for this small romantic comedy. In other words, it's not going to test your sound system in any way. Still, the auditory elements are nicely translated to home video, with clear dialogue and a very pleasing quality. What is lacking with this title are a significant number of supplemental features. Other than some decent biographies of the cast is a commentary track from stars Nia Vardalos, John Corbett, and director Joel Zwick. This track is often "matter of fact," but has enough humor and anecdotes to keep it moving along. Vardalos and Zwick contribute more than Corbett, but each has plenty to say about their experiences. People tend to love or hate this film. Those that hate it will steer clear of it, while those that loved it will now have the ability to watch it over and over and over.