When a beautiful yet snotty teen finds herself in the body of a hairy, unattractive man, she must find a way back to her old self. Such is the premise for Touchstone Pictures' The Hot Chick, starring Rob Schneider. Although the movie received mixed reviews, the DVD is worth a look. To start, the film is presented beautifully in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen, complete with bright colors and rich black tones. The 5.1 Dolby Digital track is adequate, yet not superb. Sounds fall a bit flat and dialog competes with a loud soundtrack. The scene-specific audio commentary by director Tom Brady, of The Animal fame, proves to be entertaining, yet rather pedestrian and not very educational. "The Hot Chick Yearbook" contains many behind-the-scene featurettes. First off is "Becoming Jessica," a look at how Schneider became a beautiful teen girl, on the inside. Then there's the antithesis: "Becoming Clive," how a hot girl became a balding guy. "The Hot Chicks" looks at the mentality behind the creation of the film's bratty-girl clique. Stuntwork is examined in "Physical Education." Fifteen deleted scenes, including an alternate ending, are mildly worthy of view time. A gag reel would have been more enjoyable.
Customer Rating
1
Nothing Special
on July 25, 2009
Posted by: BCRaven05
from Kansas City, KS
This movie really doesn't offer anything, and is difficult to sit fully through it. However, I think Rachel McAdams is a good actress, which could be the only silver lining in this flick.
Former Saturday Night Live cast member Rob Schneider stars in this comedy as Marvin Mage, a wimpy nebbish whose lifelong dreams of becoming a police officer are thwarted by his diminutive stature. But when Marvin is critically injured in an auto wreck, deranged scientist Dr. Wilder (Michael Caton) uses various animal body parts to save his life, leaving the patient with the stamina and physical skills of the organ donors. Marvin quickly gains fame as a supercop, but he's also left with all of the embarrassing animal instincts and urges that accompany his new powers -- a serious threat to his blooming romance with new girlfriend Rianna (Colleen Haskell). The Animal co-stars John C. McGinley, Edward Asner, Norm Macdonald, and Cloris Leachman.
Customer Rating
1
Poor movie
on July 19, 2009
Posted by: BCRaven05
from Kansas City, KS
This movie is strictly for those who enjoy bathroom humor, otherwise absolutely stay clear!
Actor Rob Schneider is let loose in the untamed comedy The Animal. Columbia has done a very nice job on this 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer. All aspects of this transfer are clear of any defects or imperfections, including edge enhancement, shimmer, grain, or digital artifacting. Colors are bright and clear with black levels solid and even. Audio is presented in Dolby Digital 5.1 and is very well produced. While the bulk of the directional effects are used mainly for rock songs or background noise, this track still includes a nice amount of depth and fidelity. No distortion is present within any of the dialogue, effects, or music. Also included on this disc is a Dolby Digital 2.0 soundtrack in both English and French, as well as English and French subtitles. The Animal is presented as a "special edition" that includes a nice array of extra features. To start with, there are two funny commentary tracks, the first by actor Rob Schneider and producer John Schneider, and a second by director Luke Greenfield. Both of these tracks are entertaining with the director's commentary tending to sound a bit dry. "Reel Comedy: The Animal" is a 22-minute feature that includes interviews with the cast and crew, as well as some funny antics by the actors using video recorders. A second, shorter feature titled "Animal Instincts" is basically just a rehash of the first feature with interviews and behind-the-scenes clips thrown together. "Badger Deliver" is a feature that allows the viewer to watch the film and intermittently view deleted footage from the film. Finally there are four deleted scenes presented in non-anamorphic widescreen, a short game titled "What's in Marvin?" that lets the viewer watch Marvin Mange act like certain animals, some filmographies on the cast and director, and some theatrical trailers for the films The Animal, The Adventures of Joe Dirt, Big Daddy, and The Cable Guy. All in all this is a very extensive edition of The Animal on DVD.
Customer Rating
1
Just another sub-par movie
on July 18, 2009
Posted by: BCRaven05
from Kansas City, KS
This is only for those who enjoy bathroom humor, as you can't get a few moments into the movie without a bodily function joke. I rest my case.
Unbreakable, M. Night Shyamalan's follow-up to the phenomenally successful The Sixth Sense, comes to DVD with this fine release from Disney/Buena Vista. The disc boasts a widescreen anamorphic transfer that preserves the original theatrical aspect ratio of 2.35:1. Closed-captioned English soundtracks are rendered in Dolby Digital 5.1 and DTS 5.1, while Spanish and French soundtracks are recorded in Dolby Digital Stereo. Spanish subtitles are accessible. Supplemental materials include deleted scenes introduced by the director, a behind-the-scenes featurette, multi-angle capabilities for some scenes, excerpts from Shyamalan's early films, and a pair of collectible illustrations. This is a superb THX-certified DVD.
Customer Rating
4
Very good and interesting movie
on July 17, 2009
Posted by: BCRaven05
from Kansas City, KS
This movie is very entertaining and keeps you wondering about what is going to happen. I definitely recommend.
This movie seems to fall into a generally pleasing sports movie. Doesn't really offer anything new, other than it being based on a true story which is neat. Once you've seen it once, there is really not a whole lot of reason to watch it again, therefore it is difficult to recommend owning.
I would say this drama is above average. The music is alright, sometimes it seems to repeat itself throughout the movie, but the movie does make you feel for the characters. Plus it is based on a true story, which always makes it a bit more interesting.
SynopsisThe peace in feudal Japan is a precarious one. Only through the efforts of elite ninjas — assassins trained in the art of death — can that peace hold in the face of long periods of bloodshed that have shaken the land. When ninjas Rikimaru and Ayame learn of a treacherous kidnapping, they set off on a potentially deadly quest to unmask the culprit and maintain peace. Take on the roles of Rikimaru and Ayame and prove that you have the skills and stealth it takes to be a true ninja.Tenchu: Shadow Assassins whisks you away to a stunning and interactive feudal Japan, where you will master the deadly techniques of a real ninja. Use your Wii Remote to wield historically accurate weapons, including katanas, throwing stars, daggers and more, and practice a variety of stealth assassination techniques to dispatch your enemies quickly. Practice your ninja techniques over the course of 10 missions and 50 side quests, then enter the advanced Shadow mode, where your skills will be put to the ultimate test.
Customer Rating
3
Underachieved Game
on July 14, 2009
Posted by: BCRaven05
from Kansas City, KS
This game had potential, as I was looking for a stealth game for the Nintendo Wii. This game falls short, however is relatively fun. The downsides include a straightforward path rather than a world to explore, goofy controls for the wii, and graphics that require you to change your TV settings before playing (this game actually prompts you to do this when it is loading!). Overall, I was dissapointed.