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    75
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    June 21, 2008
  • Last review
    August 9, 2008
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fiddler's Reviews
<< 1 2 3 4 5 6 ... 8 >>
 
Teen star Hilary Duff brings her popular television character Lizzie Maguire to the big screen, and now (very quickly) to DVD. Unquestionably the high point of this disc is the transfer, which is presented in both anamorphic 2.35:1 widescreen and cropped pan-and-scan. A wonderful job has been done here with the original film elements, as colors are perfectly realized, while blacks are solid and show no sign of breakdown. The detail is equally good, especially in presenting the beautiful city of Rome. The 5.1 Dolby Digital track is certainly predictable. The surrounds aren't developed in any significant way, but for a small teen romantic comedy, it still sounds full and recreates the existing sound field as it should. Supplements are relatively weak, with a 11-minute PR featurette on the making of the film as the centerpiece. Also included are the music video for "Hey Now" by Duff and a promotional piece hyping her new album. Amounting to little is a music video for the remake of "Volare," which consists solely of the scene in the film. Finally, along with some home video previews for the likes of Sleeping Beauty and The Lion King are two deleted scenes and an alternate ending, with option introductions from director Jim Fall.
 
Customer Rating
4 out of 5
4
Don't Be Afraid to Like It!
on July 23, 2008
Posted by: fiddler
As a mid-teen, I was a bit embarassed to admit I liked watching Lizzie McGuire the show. Disney channel shows were not yet extremely popular and its comedy was seen as silly. I did go on to watch the movie, and even now I seem to enjoy its carefree humor and fun nature. And plus, I love watching it for the visuals... makes me want to catch the next plane to Italy ASAP!
Guys will most likely not like it at all, but for girls, it's good to pass time and have a mini-adventure. Sure, it's far fetched... I mean, a clutzy girl graduates Jr. High (after ruining the ceremony) and then goes on a class trip to Italy. She just happens to have an uncanny resemblance to an Italian super popstar Isabella who worked side-by-side with Italian hunk Paolo. Paolo just happens to find Lizzie at the right time and enchants her with his ethnic Italian charm and warm attitude to do a big favor for him which Lizzie risks her everything to do. Gordo, her best friend, also cares about Lizzie... but who's really there to wish her well?
Some parts are predictable, but that shouldn't be a problem if what happens in between is entertaining. It's a very cute movie. And Hilary Duff with Lizzie McGuire and this Lizzie McGuire movie seemed to start the new trend of kids desiring to become popstars. She started the era where every Disney channel female star signed (almost all) can sing and go public with it.
I'm not a fan of the new stuff, but Lizzie McGuire had this innocence which always seemed alluring.
What's great about it: shows beautiful Italy, cute unique plot, funny at times, fun movie, distinct characters
What's not so great: very ideal, chances of this happening to anyone extremely slim,
I would recommend this to a friend!
0points
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Customer Rating
3 out of 5
3
Looks Better than It Is
on July 23, 2008
Posted by: fiddler
Much of the world is spellbound by Aishwarya's beautiful appearance, and surprisingly, she's new to the American world. She does have an elegant charm.
However, this is not enough to make a good movie. Maybe it makes the movie cute, but after watching it twice, I confirmed it... there is no real solid plot to build upon.
It's not really about an Indian falling for an American and having family dispute because of the culture differences (as most would think). It's not really about opening the Americans up to the Indian culture and showing similarities. It seems to be about a very psychotic mother who only wants to marry off her daughters to rich men. A number of subplots start to get dramatic, so it's confusing... and makes one wonder "why?"
Martin Henderson (from The Ring) acted like a cute American boy experiencing a cultural surprise in India... not knowing how to react. He did that well. I just didn't feel the chemistry between him and Aishwarya. It seemed more like an aesthetic attraction.
And from the looks of it, Aish's acting seemed a lot like she was being just herself. She's been known to, on TV, have no special personality. A "matter of fact" type of girl. It was a bit annoying, but perhaps that's how the character was meant to be. I have not seen Pride and Prejudice.
Also, it seemed like this movie tried to reinforce the American stereotype of musicals (specifically Bollywood). Really corny, soulless break-out of dancing on dandy tunes. Although I am not particularly in love with Bollywood films (some are good), this depiction through rough stereotyping is really incorrect.
I'm debating between 2 or 3 stars, but I have seen worse.. It was overall an okay movie.
What's great about it: Aishwarya Rai- gorgeous, cute, colorful, shows lots of traditions
What's not so great: very extreme stereotypes, Aishwarya's English acting was disappointing, seemed to have no real plot
I would recommend this to a friend!
-1point
0of 1voted this as helpful.
 
Gurinder Chadha's feel-good sleeper hit Bend It Like Beckham comes to DVD with a standard full-frame transfer that fails to preserve the original theatrical aspect ratio of the film. English and French soundtracks have been rendered in Dolby Digital 5.1, while a Spanish soundtrack has been recorded in Dolby Digital Surround. English and Spanish subtitles are accessible. Supplemental materials include a commentary track recorded by the director along with her co-screenwriter Deepak Nayar. They are eager to share with the audience what a wonderful experience they had making the movie, and talk about the many strokes of good luck that occurred for them during the production. A making-of featurette, ten deleted scenes, trailers, a music video, and a recipe for Aloo Gobi round out this release from 20th Century Fox. This disc should increase the audience for this easy-to-enjoy picture.
 
Customer Rating
5 out of 5
5
One of My Favorite Movies
on July 22, 2008
Posted by: fiddler
What a feel-good movie! It's one that a wide audience can relate to and it depicts the British version of comedy quite well. The acting was great and the relationships very convincing. It's universal appeal is what lured people into it and it gave the boost to Keira Knightly, Parminder Nagra, and Jonathan Rhys Meyer 's acting careers and a rise in appreciation for British films.
I personally can relate to the movie a lot as a South Asian American, but I have been told by my friends of many ethnicities and seen in many reviews that many others can relate as well. It combines comedy and drama into one taking some serious issues and lightening the mood when necessary and heating things up when the time is right. Everything just happens at the right time.
Parminder and Keira make VERY convincing friends just as Jonathan and Parminder make a VERY convincing couple. What chemistry!
The issues tackled are:
-growing up as a second generation Indian in a Western culture (East-West clash in belief... this factor many people from traditional families can relate to)
-not meeting up to family expectations (Keira the tomboy displeasing to feminine mother)
-women in sports (getting the chance for equality)
-two girl best friends and how the relationships change when boys come in the picture
-tolerance
The plot is really involved and that's why the movie is a bit long, but I have to say, they depicted this in a very entertaining manner because it wasn't anything displeasing.
Definite must-see.
What's great about it: fun, realistic depiction of first and second generation Indians in the West, different but tasteful comedy, good message
What's not so great: plot seemed too convoluted with conflict
I would recommend this to a friend!
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
 
Customer Rating
5 out of 5
5
Excellent Tracks
on July 22, 2008
Posted by: fiddler
Although after a while the voice seems redundant and thus making the songs sound similar, it's full of heart and really brings the lyrics to life. The Fray seems different from most bands and has this universal appeal.
Definitely worth it. I listen to it all the time.
What's great about it: lead singer's voice--unique and soulful, great lyrics
What's not so great: voice does sound the same
I would recommend this to a friend!
+1point
1of 1voted this as helpful.
 
The captain of the East High basketball team and the key member of the academic club shock the student body by teaming to audition for the upcoming school musical in a Disney Channel Original Movie that's all about being yourself and following your dreams. Troy (Zac Efron) is best known as the player who keeps the East High basketball team on the scoreboard. Of course, life isn't always about athletics, though, and as Troy slam dunks on the boards, beautiful and brainy Gabriella (Vanessa Anne Hudgens) is raising the reputation of East High as the key member of the school's successful academic team. Despite their outgoing natures, no one would ever peg Troy and Gabriella as theater types. When word gets out that this popular pair has secretly chosen to reach for the stars and try their luck on the stage, the students of East High are about to learn an important lesson in teamwork while gearing up for a musical performance that will have their audience dancing in the aisles.
 
Customer Rating
3 out of 5
3
Fun Movie, Just Too Ideal
on July 22, 2008
Posted by: fiddler
Kids movies are known to be ideal. That's not the problem I have with this movie. The message of togetherness is lovely...and the soundtrack was very fun... however, the plot just gives kids high hopes which will just lead to disappointment. They took ideal to a whole new level, and I have a problem with this because I don't think the intention of this movie was to be enchanting/fantasy.
I love DCOMs, but not the ones of the past two years. Think about it. A girl and a guy randomly meet on a cruise, they just happen to sing together, and just happen to be in the same class in the same school shortly after. They're exact opposites... a super popular jock and a quiet nerd... and they come together. They have time to go both to the jock's championship game (and win) and the nerdy girl's math/science (I forgot) meet (which she wins)... and they both land the part in the play. The coincidences are unbelievable. I mean one or two, okay, but everything relies on coincidences. I feel like they could have put the point across more subtley and in a more natural way.
Nevertheless, it is a feel-good movie, and their intended audience was just average kids.
Kids do love this movie mainly because of the soundtrack and dancing. It's different from most American movies. In most American movies, music is played in the background ,but here, it was made part of the story. The songs overshadow the plot. The plot is just generic and nothing special or different about it. The music, dance moves, and good-looking young stars made it popular.
Now for kids, it's all about glamor.
And the hype has destroyed any goodness in the movie. High School Musical merchandise EVERYWHERE in EVERY shape and form. It's purely commercial now.
As a movie, it's okay, but your kids will like it, especially the girls.
Too bad real high school is nothing like that, eh?
What's great about it: lovely cast, fun soundtrack
What's not so great: hype around music overshadows the rather common/cliche plot, relies too heavily on coincidences
I would recommend this to a friend!
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
 
A time travel thriller that pulls no punches, directors Eric Bress and J. Mackeye Gruber's The Butterfly Effect arrives on DVD in fine form thanks to New Line Cinema's Infinifilm series. Whether the viewer chooses to watch the original, theatrical cut of the film or the newly assembled director's cut, both presentations of the feature are offered in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen. The transfer is clean, offering rich, vibrant colors and little evidence of artifacting or edge enhancement. Likewise, the DTS audio mix rings through, loud and clear, with effective use of surround channels and low-frequency audio that will certainly keep viewers on their toes. As can be expected from any release in the Infinifilm series, this disc is brimming with some informative and entertaining bonus materials. Director's audio commentary offers the good-humored Bress and Gruber detailing many of the film's subtle hints and messages while also discussing effects work and character development -- a matter which merited an extra modicum of attention given The Butterfly Effect's multi-layered realities. Viewers can also study the true origins of the film's central conflict with "The Science and Psychology of the Chaos Theory," which offers interviews with numerous physics experts and psychotherapists as they attempt to demystify the sometimes dense subject. "The History and Allure of Time Travel" offers a brief history of cinematic time travel while simultaneously examining the psychological implications that may result when one tries to alter the future, and though the "fact track" does offer the occasional interesting tidbit, it works best when guiding viewers toward features that will offer a better look at the filmmaking process. After learning about the complicated road to actually getting the feature before the cameras in "The Creative Process" (which offers Bress and Gruber attempting to detail how they broke from convention while scripting the film, among other details), viewers can check out how the film's visual effects were conceived and executed in a visual effects documentary that offers interviews with visual effects supervisor Ralph Maiers and visual effects coordinator Christopher Elke. A storyboards feature allows viewers to watch 11 scenes side-by-side with the rough sketches that provide a visual outline for the feature, and nine deleted scenes with optional commentary are also included. In addition to the features on the disc, viewers can go even further by accessing such DVD-ROM features as script-to-screen comparison (a fantastic film-school lesson for aspiring filmmakers) and an image gallery that's loaded with still images from The Butterfly Effect. An original theatrical trailer is also included.
 
Customer Rating
4 out of 5
4
Very Entertaining
on July 22, 2008
Posted by: fiddler
Critics didn't receive this movie to warmly, but trust me... DON'T LISTEN TO THEM. If you get too technical with a movie like this, you take all the joy right out of it. It was a good movie. Entertaining. Engaging. The problem people may see in it is that the idea around it just causes disbelief and makes the serious crowd (like critics) think "how silly!" Just be a little imaginative and enjoy the ride. Literally, this movie is a ride.
Basically it's about a child with a tough childhood who has a mental issue in which he discovers that while recalling moments of his past (reading his old diaries), he can travel through time and relive the moment. But, careful...reliving it significantly differently alters his future.
The concept itself is really cool. Teens and people in their early 20s would love it. The older crowd may get critical because some of the events of this kids life is very random. If you think to much about it, you would find it silly, but otherwise, it seems cool.
Ashton Kutcher was cute in his role. He does exemplify the typical American college boy. I actually think for a movie with a unique sci-fi, paranormal idea like this a more serious actor with a different personality (a more quiet, reserved, unassuming boy) would fit better with the plot.
Nevertheless, I watched this movie twice and enjoyed it both times, so 4 stars it is.
What's great about it: good thriller, most of the mysteries come together in the end, unique idea behind it
What's not so great: idea better than what happens in actual plot
I would recommend this to a friend!
+1point
1of 1voted this as helpful.
 
Customer Rating
3 out of 5
3
Visuals > Plot
on July 22, 2008
Posted by: fiddler
For a one-time watch, it's entertaining and fulfills what a horror movie should. It is a ghost story with a number of oh-man-I-didn't-expect-that scary moments.
I would give it 3.5 stars out of 5, but I decided to choose 3 stars instead of 4 (instead of rounding up) because strangely, nothing about the plot of the movie other than the legend behind the house stuck in my memory. This is unusual because my memory of movies is pretty great. I feel like the plot was a bit cliche and shaky. Nothing sets this movie apart from other horror movies except for the scary scenes...which it relies upon. Even the twist (I think I barely recall there being a twist) isn't that big of a deal. I think I predicted it very early on. The acting was good though. Ryan Reynolds- great.
So there's a house. Years ago a family was slain in it. The ghosts of the house aren't the enemy...the house is.
I recommend it, because compared to other horror movies out there now... this movie is easily 4 stars... but as a movie itself, I give it a 3.
What's great about it: number of surprising moments, good acting, interesting
What's not so great: can be cliche, plot not too distinct
I would recommend this to a friend!
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
 
Customer Rating
4 out of 5
4
Enjoyable Watch
on July 21, 2008
Posted by: fiddler
Best word to describe it? It's a tie between cute and feel-good. It is indeed a chick-flick, so men, beware... but it does give a warming feeling about how all the burdensome stereotypes people grow up with finally become favorable in the future. (In high school, the best-looking popular girls and guys rule the place...so the average kids strive to rise and fit in... but by adulthood it's the average folk who step up)
It's a good message teen girls should look into and it's also quite entertaining at the same time. I would watch this over again.
What's great about it: unique plot, great chemistry between the leads, Garner convincing in her role, feel-good
What's not so great: gets to be a bit cliche, sometimes exaggerated humor, males may not care for this movie
I would recommend this to a friend!
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
 
The 1996 Nickelodeon movie Harriet the Spy comes to DVD for the first time from Paramount. The image is presented with a widescreen anamorphic transfer. The remixed Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround soundtrack is in English and the stereo soundtrack is in a French-language dub. Optional subtitles are available in English. There are no special features to speak of, but this is still a recommended disc for family viewing.
 
Customer Rating
5 out of 5
5
Empowering
on July 21, 2008
Posted by: fiddler
Passion. Friendship. Betrayal. Loss. Enemy. Revenge. Forgiveness. So many powerful elements are covered in a seemingly simple children's movie made by Nickleodeon. Fantastic. I've watched this movie countless times and still enjoy it to this day since the day I first watched it as a young girl in the movie theater.
Michelle Trachtenburg puts on quite the show... and the audience sees it all through her perspective. She has a passion, that is writing and spying, and that ends up jeopardizing her amazing friendships. It goes through the seemingly carefree life of a child as she fights her way through growing up.
Kids of all eras will love it. Both boys and girls.
What's great about it: Michelle Trachtenburg- excellent acting, surprisingly in depth of the child psyche, interesting, inspiring
What's not so great: can't think of any
I would recommend this to a friend!
+3points
3of 3voted this as helpful.
 
Customer Rating
4 out of 5
4
Haunting
on July 21, 2008
Posted by: fiddler
I have never seen The Exorcist, so this is my first movie with exorcism and I found it quite bone-chilling at times. The fact that it takes a major religion and involves superstitions and strong beliefs to create the horror is what is an element that makes this movie strong. It's spiritually creepy.
The lead actress does a great job as acting possessed and quite repulsive/scary shamelessly. It's convincing as her role as the possessed college girl.
What's great about it: religious elements makes it more spooky, chilling scenes, lead actress EXCELLENT
What's not so great: I've heard it can't compare to The Exorcist
I would recommend this to a friend!
+1point
1of 1voted this as helpful.
 
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