Jerry Seinfeld’s Bee movie on Blu-ray

This is a silly funny movie. It tries and suceeds in entertaining the audience. I laughed for most of the movie. It's hard to find much fault when I am laughing that much. The movie got little serious towards the end. The characters were cute and the story didn't get in the way of the humor. And I kind of enjoyed the story, it was corny but funny as well.

A nonconformist bee graduates after the nine days of mandatory education from which he missed one. He is tasked with choosing a job for life which only becomes available on the death of another bee in the hive.

He is only interested in one job 'Pollen Jock' for which he has not qualified for but tries to be one.

Because a human spares his life, he breaks the bee law of not speaking to humans, discovers that humans obtain honey from bee prison camps, and successfully sues humans to return all the stolen honey. This has effects that he could not have predicted.

The story sounds silly and it is. But we don't go to these types of movie to have long conversation on the meaning of life either.

Plenty of humor for the kids and adults alike. I thought the plot was little wacky but the casts were enjoyable and they did pretty good job portraying these creatuers.

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Disney Animation Meet the Robinson Blu-ray movie review

The Robinsons is a one odd family. It takes time to appreciate them, and once find out, you will like them.

They come from the future, filled with colourful buildings, flying jets, similar to Jetsons. Everyone is strange and colorful in their own way, from Frannie who conducts frog band, Grandpa who wears his clothes backward and twins Dimitri and Spike who stay in flower pots. Plus a talking robot like C-3PO.

In Back to the Future style, 13th year old Wilbur Robinson brings a smart nerd Lewis to present 2037 to recover his invention. A Now, all these eccentric characters and story can be quite hard to understand. Everything happens so fast, so don't lose your attention.

The film goes from so-so kid stuff to very good as soon as our hero "Lewis" and his new friend "Wilbur" go into the future. The most funny segments of the film revolve around the Robinson family, an eccentric but extremely loving group. That family makes this film move along and, hopefully, we'll see more of them in some future feature-length film. These guys - The Robinsons - are just too entertaining to have their movie "careers" end with only this one film.

Meet the Robbinsons is a definite recommendation for any animation fan including adults that I'm sure you'll get a good kick out of. It has great humor, a fun story, and fantastic animation, it's a blast for the whole family, or even for an afternoon with the friends. 2007 over all has been a pretty good start for films, let's hope the great animated flicks keep coming!

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The Polar Express – Blu-ray movie review

There are many delightful moments in THE POLAR EXPRESS, not the least of which is the entire look of the film--appealing in a way that great illustrations of children's books always are to young and old. Tom Hanks and the others enter into the spirit of the whole thing with gusto--and all the performances are right on target.

The characters were well-fleshed-out and very easy to "know". The animation was amazingly detailed and very life-like. The musical numbers and side pieces (especially on the train roof) brought some very effective morality and life lessons to the superb computer animation, giving it that "touch" of humanity.

I had reservations about the use of CGI animation since I felt it really only worked for stories about cute animals but having seen the film, the CGI was the best way to capture the spirit of the film. It really wouldn't have worked as well in live action, the sense of other-worldly magic would have been lost. And as it was, the artwork was beautiful, especially the snowy mountainous scenery that the train passes through.

Tom Hanks, who's worked with Zemeckis in the past, gets to play six different characters. The boy (but voiced by someone else), the conductor, a ghostly hobo who lives on top of the train, Father Christmas, a Scrooge puppet, and the boy's Dad.

I don't think it was really that necessary for Hanks to play so many parts. In fact of the six, I only liked two. The conductor, where Hanks seems the most comfortable, and the hobo where Hanks adopts a gruffer voice.

The conductor is a likable character who is so insistent the train reaches it's destination. The only bad scene for this character was a really awful music number involving break dancing espresso waiters. It's a scene not helped by Hanks' dreadful singing voice. The hobo is an interesting character because he's such a mystery. He helps to restore the boy's faith in the spirit of Christmas. He also reminds me of the Cheshire Cat from Alice in Wonderland, vanishing into thin air, but leaving certain body parts behind.

I found the characters to be believable, with depth, and sometimes they seemed to be real people. Sometimes the facial expressions of Hero Boy were not as good as the others, but that's the only thing I saw wrong (and this was a very minor issue). The moral of this story was worthwhile and the movie was worth every minute put into it. And the North Pole as shown here....what a glorious place! I feel like a child again and I wish I could ride the Polar Express one Christmas Eve.

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Shrek the Third – Blu-ray movie review

The phenomenal success of the Shrek franchise - particularly "Shrek 2" - has prompted Dreamworks Animation to yet again squeeze out a story of an erstwhile happily ended tale and return to the screen once again with "Shrek the Third", which brings back most of the original cast, and then some, for another round of jabs at fairy tales and pop culture.

The Kingdom of Far Far Away is faced with another dilemma: King Harold (John Cleese) has just died and next in line to the throne is Shrek (Mike Myers), who doesn't want to have anything to do with ruling a kingdom. So he goes to search for Artie (Justin Timberlake), Fiona's cousin and the third in line to the throne, in Worcestershire (no kidding), a medieval high school where all students seem to have jumped out of a Hollywood teen flick. Meanwhile, Fiona is pregnant with Shrek as a reluctant father; and Prince Charming teams up with villains from various fairy tales in an effort to take over the kingdom.

Andrew Adamson directed the previous two Shreks and has one of the writing credits here, but he did not direct it. I guess the franchise is so important now that it must be handled by two directors, neither of whom has Adamson's knack for timing. At various points in the evening, the pace was surprisingly ponderous.

Shrek the Third has great jokes, terrific animation, and lovable characters, especially the character, Merlin, he was just a terrific spoof. But the characters seemed to be lacking the same chemistry as they did in the first two films. I would recommend Shrek the Third, it's a good movie for the family and for a summer movie, because I do guarantee a fun time. I don't know if everyone will agree, but so far I know a few people know that there is something lacking from the world of Shrek.

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Ice Age – Blu-ray movie review

This is obviously aimed at the same market as Monsters Inc and Shrek, but is different in its less cartoony feel (despite the deliberately cartoony characteristics of the lead creatures). The story is not one that had a massive in your face moral at the end (its more like its tugging at your shirt sleeves) but chooses just to tell a story about relationships between different "animals." You know the outcome, but you can't help being drawn in.

Ice Age is at its most amusing in those scenes in which the characters make prescient jokes about their own place in the evolutionary scheme of things. One particularly clever scene involves the three travelers discovering what looks like an underground museum of natural history encased in ice, replete with ancient creatures caught in naturally occurring, chain-of-life exhibits. Like most animated films set in the past, `Ice Age' derives much of its humor through the use of anachronism. We chuckle to hear these creatures applying modern, scientific knowledge to the pre-scientific era in which they are living.

The gags in this movie are very funny. For instance, Manny talks through his trunk saying, "I'M NOT GOING!" When Jennifer and Rachel are out of the tar pit, Sid asks Jennifer "What do you say if we jump into the gene pool and see what happens?" Jennifer then responds to him, "What do you say if you go jump into the TAR PIT!?" Rachel also then kicks Sid in the waist. Sylvia sees Diego holding Sid by the neck with his teeth, then she asks Sid if he's holding his breath, tells Diego to eat him, and promptly walks off.

It is a bit more adult-humoured, too. There is a continuous gay joke with the rhinos Carl and Frank, for example. It never resorts to fart or pee jokes (ok - fine, there is a poop-joke, but so what?). There is an hilarious joke about modern architecture – Manny walking past Stonehenge and remarking on how "it'll never last." There is subtle use of irony in all the animals being able to express themselves eloquently while no humans talk in the film. It's insightful. The children's side of things is best tended to by John Leguizamo as Sid, who has clearly done something very cool with his character which ends up catering just as much to adults as its target audience – which is probably true for the whole film.

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Corpse Bride – Tim Burton animation Blu-ray movie review

Don't let the creepy title of this animated, musical tale throw you off. In the tradition of other excellent, animated features of recent years, The Corpse Bride will surely rank as one of the best. Granted, this kind of film may not be for all tastes, but if you can get past the title and are game for a wondrous, haunting world of fantasy and love, then this is your meal ticket.

On the day of their wedding rehearsal, arranged lovers Victor (Johnny Depp) and Victoria (Emily Watson) run into a complication with the ceremony: Victor cannot remember his vows. While practicing in the forest, Victor mistakenly places the ring on the finger of a dead woman (Helena Bonham Carter) and is immediately married to his new bride, Emily. While Victor searches for a way out of the underworld and back to Victoria, he learns of the devious plot of how Emily was murdered and experiences the beauty and charm that still resides in her. Victor must decide whom he loves more: his bride-to-be or his corpse bride.

As with good animated movies, there is so much you can see that you can't take it all in. It's a feast for the eyes with all the wild-looking characters and nice drawings. Getting good visuals from director Tim Burton is no surprise; he always comes through in that department. Unfortunately, he also usually delivers an anti-religious cheap shot or two.. Here, the minister is pictured as a sour old guy. Burton also pictures clerics in a negative way, and the occult in a positive way. However, he certainly makes interesting films, no matter what the subject matter, and there usually isn't a lot of profanity in his films. There is none here whatsoever.

The art and characters are very NBC-like too, with their small heads and extremely long limbs. Stop-motion is difficult to do, and watching it in a digital format brings out the crispness of the figurines. Burton loads the film with many supporting characters, each with its own zany behaviour, and some even spoofing characters from movie classics. Somehow Christopher Lee's Pastor Galswells suffered from LOTR's shadow and always reminded me of Saruman, though I think the reference was unintentional.

The stop-motion animation is the same style as "The Nightmare Before Christmas." The animation has come a long way since 1993, but I liked "Nightmare's" story more. There are some parallels, but contrary to rumor, Jack Skellington does not make a cameo. Overall, this is a beautiful love story with likable characters, catchy music, and, of course, visually brilliant animation.

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The Simpsons Movie – Blu-ray movie review

The simpsons movie is witty,fast paced, touching, hugely entertaining and most importantly: laugh out loud funny.And if your a simpsons fan who's loved every episode , thats all you'll need from it.

However if , like me , your an obsessive fan who's noticed a drop in quality on the show from the late nineties onwards you'll see some problems. You'll see that structure wise the movie is basically an extended episode.You'll notice that the villain is a Hank Scorpio rip off. You'll feel that a lot of the plot points and character drama seem all too familiar.But in spite of all this , in spite of being a film based on a show that exhausted its best gags long ago, the simpsons movie is still absolutely hilarious and i take my hat off to the creators for managing to make it so.

What made The Simpsons great was the charade of face value humour, perfectly complimenting the blissfully bloated underbelly of well developed, meaningful and satirical jokes. This film was sorely lacking anything but the most basic of jokes. Non-stop visual and slapstick gags... although great, in moderation, after eighty-seven minutes of them - I was left wondering if the film's script would have had to have been modified in any way whatsoever if the characters were substituted for that of, say, 'Spongebob Squarepants'. The obvious exception of course being the underwater setting.

This film lacked all of the Simpsons' distinction that we have all come to love over the years. The Simpsons movie is not even worthy of a 'Krusty Brand Seal of Approval' for authenticity.

When a series as successful as The Simpsons takes 20 years to make the leap from the small screen to the big screen, it had better be damn good—nay, it had better be exceptional!! Instead, this rather uninspired product just doesn't make the wait worthwhile.

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Ratatouille – Disney Blu-ray movie review

The combination of Disney and Pixar never ceases to amaze, but with Ratatouille, their newest effort, animated features are brought to new heights with the best one to date. Ratatouille is stunning, surreal while at the same time realistic, and a joy to watch. The writing is, in one word, just amazing, and the voice acting is sensational. The characters are poetic and real, and the rats are some of Disney/Pixar's cutest creations. Ratatouille is written and directed by Brad Bird (The Incredibles), and features stellar voice acting from Peter O'Toole, Patton Oswalt, Ian Holm, Brian Dennehy, Lou Romano, Brad Garrett, and Janeane Garofalo.

Plot-wise, I found the start of the film fairly slow, with all the emotional depth of your average Mickey Mouse, though I did like the concept of the rats' having an organised escape plan. The main picture was preceded by a brief short centred around the quintessential US theme of alien abduction, which had the young audience in stitches but which I'm afraid I failed to find funny in the least -- slapstick cruelties were never my thing -- and this may have jaundiced me.

Things looked up once Remy reached Paris, although I found the heavy moral emphasis on the theft of a crumb absurd from a rodent view: how else can a rat eat? Plough his own fields, sow his own wheat, set up his own bakery? In the context of the rest of the story, "Don't foul your own nest" might have been more apt than "Thou shalt not steal".

Each actor voicing over does a great job, each one is well suited for their role, especially Lou Romano as Linguini - the chemistry between Remy and Linguini was fantastic! Just with the voice, an audience is able to identify with the characters, and view the superb chemistry these two actors, by just listening to their voices. Either way, it really worked for Ratatouille!

The movie is fun and funny and, at times, quite heart-warming. The rats are absolutely adorable and even do their own stunts! The human characters, though less sympathetic, are some of Pixar's best! Recommended for family viewing - kids of all ages.

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Afro Samurai – Anime Blu-ray movie review

The pseudo-Anime' "Afro Samurai" is set in a futuristic feudal Japan, in which all the swordsmen in the world are in a murderous pursuit of the #1 Headband, which once obtained, would allow its wearer to call himself a god and master of all that he surveys. So when #1 is killed in a battle with gun-totting madman and #2 Headband Justice (Ron Perlman), #1's son Afro (Samuel L. Jackson) swears an oath of vengeance against now-#1 Justice. Undergoing conventional samurai training by a renowned master, young Afro grows up, receives the #2 Headband, sets out on his mission of revenge and attempts to obtain the #1 Headband, cutting down every single man who challenges him. Bearing witness to it all is Afro's loyal sidekick and only friend, Ninja Ninja (also voiced by Jackson), who provides much of the show's comic relief.

Afro Samurai is incredibly simple, but i say that in the most endearing way possible. being convoluted is not a prerequisite of having substance or being artistic. Samurai Jack, a long running and long praised show has proved this time and again. great stories like the Hellboy series of comics or the popular Battlestar Galactica show, are great because they manage to turn schlocky cheese into high art, by giving it a modern overhaul. Afro Samurai takes it one step further, to the point where the schlock IS the art. Anime is very much like our version of the Exploitation genre of yesteryear, it's very underground, but still holds popularity and knowledge in the mainstream, it's filled with shitty crap, but the good stuff is worth watching, and it has it's own very unique style that has influenced generations of artists who've been exposed to it.

The main appeal here is the visual aspect. Being a fan of 60's and 70's chambaras and jidai-gekis I find the swordfights a tad too hyperkinetic for my taste, but that's anime for you I guess. However everything has a smoother, more westernized approach perhaps to the rapid, eyesore that often is the genre which I took to with pleasant surprise and relief. The graphics and design tend to be great (especially Afro Samurai's) although they can settle for just good or serviceable at times. The blood geysers and slashing, taking their cue from stuff like Lone Wolf and Cub and Lady Snowblood (copious amounts of glorious arterial sprayings) will please every fan of the red stuff although it's not particularly gruesome. Good, clean, family fun.

Overall then, not for everyone's tastes but in targeting its audience it is as ruthlessly efficient as Afro Samurai himself. Stylish, bloody, brooding and with an overall air of effortless cool, it is a fine series that I enjoyed. Put it this way, if you like the sound of it then you will almost certainly like it – it is that good at what it does.

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Cars Disney Blu-ray movie review

"Cars" is typical Pixar animation movie. It is fantastic.

In "Cars," their latest film, they show why they are still the cream of the crop when it comes to the field they revolutionized more than adecade ago. Well, yeah, it doesn't have the sophistication and cleverness of "The Incredibles," nor the universal appeal of both "ToyStories" and "Finding Nemo." And I have to admit that the idea of animated cars was the least riveting as far as Pixar film premises are concerned. But as with its predecessors, beneath those excellently rendered 3D images is the soul that sets Pixar apart from what has becomeof most animated films nowadays.

Cars focuses on Lightning McQueen, who is a fast-talking, cocky, arrogant, independent rookie whose first year in racing has proved to be a very successful one. Yet, during his drive to California in attempt to claim his first Piston Cup trophy, he becomes sidetracked and is stuck in a secluded town called Radiator Town full of friendly cars led by a quiet yet bitter car with a mysterious past. Throughout the movie, Lightning attempts to leave the town, but the citizens are not going to just let him go without a fight.

Owen Wilson is the perfect person to voice the cocky Lightning McQueen, an up and coming stock car that is well on its way to winning a much sought after sponsorship. An unfortunate series of events, however, leaves him stuck in the charmingly named Radiator Springs, repaving their road after losing control of his throttle, so to speak, and thoroughly destroying it. He begins by thinking of them not as the little people, but as the microscopic people, not worth his time, energy, or even a thought. The process by which his views of these simple people form the plot of the film, and it is a highly entertaining ride.

Take the kids and see this show a couple of times. Then, take them on vacation along the Mother Road and show them the living history of America's automotive, cultural and expansionist heritage. Or at least pack the kids in the car, pack a picnic lunch and leave the game boys and DVD players at home and drive around your own community and rediscover the heritage of your town. Take your own road trip. You might just rediscover yourselves, too! If you are at all nostalgic for the way things used to be, or long for what could have been, you must see this movie and get a good understanding of what America's love affair with the automotive culture--and America itself, is all about.

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