On DVD November 17th…
Friday, November 14th, 2008
DVDs to look out for in the shops from November 17th…
(Click on the DVD covers to see more info about the release at Amazon.co.uk)
The Chronicles Of Narnia: Prince Caspian
The Lowdown: While it’s only been year for the Pevensies since they returned from Narnia, hundreds of years have passed in the magical realm. Narnia is now held in the grip of the evil Miraz, who wants to kill his nephew Caspian to secure the throne, as well as exterminating all the kingdom’s remaining magical creatures. Only Peter, Susan, Lucy and Edmund can help.
What We Say: “The movie version of The Lion… suffered from trying to be Lord Of The Rings and came up short. Prince Caspian on the other hand seems more ready to stand on its own feet, and actually benefits from the fact that the story is completely separate from the first film, other than the presence of the Pevensie children and Aslan (and the White Witch turning up for a pointless cameo). That’s not to say it’s a great film though. While an entertaining enough couple of hours, it still doesn’t rank amongst the best fantasy films out there.”
Also on Blu-ray
Or as a double DVD pack with The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe
Kung Fu Panda - 2 Disc Edition
The Lowdown: Lazy panda Po may dream of being a kung fu master, but he’s just as surprised as anyone when he is designated as the warrior who must protect the Valley Of Peace from the evil snow leopard, Tai Fung. Can Po learn enough martial arts under the tutelage of Master Shifu to succeed in his mission?
What We Say: “While it certainly doesn’t match most of PIxar’s efforts, purely in the entertainment stakes it’s Dreamworks Animation’s most entertaining movie since the first Shrek. Animation seems a good place for Jack Black’s vocal talents, and while his turn as Po can occasionally go a little too far over the top, most of the time he’s entertaining for both children and adults. The rest of the starry voice list has less to do, but all of them work well in the wonderfully realised Chinese world the movie conjures.”
Also on Blu-ray
Or in a single disc DVD edition
The Forbidden Kingdom
The Lowdown: Jason Tripitikas (Michael Angarano) is a martial arts obsessed teen who, after being bullied into ripping off his old Chinese pal’s shop, is magically transported back to ancient China where he finds himself joining up with a group of warriors (including Jackie Chan) who are on a quest to rescue the imprisoned Monkey King (Jet Li).
What We Say: “The Forbidden Kingdom is a disappointment and a waste of talent, which stems from the fact that instead of putting this potentially momentous event-movie in the hands of a martial arts legend like say, Tsui Hark, the man responsible for such genre classics as Zu: Warriors From The Magic Mountain (1983) and Once Upon A Time In China (1991), the Forbidden Kingdom reigns were handed over to Rob Minkoff, the man responsible for Stuart Little (1999).”
Bones - Season 3
The Lowdown: Forensic anthropologist Temperance Brennan is called in to deal with yet more murders where the body are so disfigured there are only bones to work with. However things start to get close to home when her father goes on trial for murder, and a serial killer may have links to the team she works with.
What We Say: “Some series got hammered worse by the US Writer’s Strike than others. Sadly Bones’ normal 20-odd episodes got chopped down to 16, which is a real shame as it’s an immensely entertaining show and deserves as many episodes as it can get. It’s a particular annoyance with this season, as it’s obvious the makers were trying to have more of a story arc than in previous seasons… However these things end up feeling slightly truncated and thrown in, due to the fact the strike caused so much chaos… When it gets to the last episode there are major revelations that will cause massive changes to the show, but the surprise ending seemingly comes out of nowhere, presumably because there wasn’t time to set it up properly. Even so,there’s still little doubt Bones is amongst the most entertaining crime shows on TV and so still worth watching.”
Also available in a box set including Seasons 1, 2 and 3
For full reviews of comes of these titles and over 100 more, don’t forget to buy your copy of Issue 110 of DVD Monthly, available now from all good newsagents or by clicking here.
