I was eagerly curious about Whip It, since it starred Ellen Page (Juno) and was Drew Barrymore’s directorial debut. It seemed like a girl-friendly flick, but I’d heard mixed things, and it didn’t seem to play in my area very long. So a prompt DVD release is a great idea. I don’t have much interest in roller derby on its own, but I did appreciate that the movie (and the novel it was based on, Derby Girl, reissued under this […]

I was thrilled to discover that Disney had made Condorman available on DVD. I got mine by cashing in Disney Movie Rewards points, or apparently you can get it through their Disney Movie Club (a subscription service). I have fond memories of this 1981 goofy superhero/spy spoof. It stars Michael Crawford, who went on to greater fame as the original musical Phantom of the Opera, and Oliver Reed as the Russian baddy. Crawford is Woody Wilkins, a comic artist and […]

Yesterday was the first really hot day of the year. KC emailed me at work: “Brain melting. Let’s go to the movies! They have industrial AC!” Since we’d already seen Up, we chose Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian. As expected, Amy Adams playing Amelia Earhart was the best thing about it. I like Ben Stiller (as lead, guard Larry Daley), but at times here, he seemed too tired and reserved for all the special effects mayhem going […]

I’d been putting off watching the Honey and Clover DVD because I enjoyed the live-action TV series so much. I feared I risked becoming a little tired of the story, too, seeing it a third time. On the positive side, the experiences are very different, so I wasn’t bored with repetition. For one thing, the movie opens with a large group of people instead of just a few. This continues through the film, with there being lots more people around […]

David Mack (Kabuki) has become known for his unique multimedia art style of making comics. For those who’d like to know more about his work, Hero Video Productions has released The Alchemy of Art: David Mack ($24.95 US), a DVD exploring his style and methods with copious examples of his art. There’s over an hour and a half of material, most of which is an interview with Mack in which he talks about his influences and early life and motivations. […]

Over the weekend, I decided to rewatch all the Beach Party movies, the American International teen film series that started in 1963 starring Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello. Here’s the list, with IMDB links. Beach Party Muscle Beach Party Bikini Beach Pajama Party Ski Party Beach Blanket Bingo How to Stuff a Wild Bikini If you’ve never seen them, go read about them and check out the cast lists. There’s something weirdly eye-catching about all of them. For instance, as […]

An adorable movie with appealing characters and entertaining visuals. Sky High is the story of how Will Stronghold learns what heroism means. His parents, Jetstream and the Commander, are the preeminent heroes of their city. They expect great things from him, but as he enters high school, he’s the only kid who hasn’t yet gotten superpowers. He has to come to terms with the idea that he may never get any, an appropriate metaphor for the uncertainties of adolescence. His […]

I very much enjoyed watching The Lake House. The premise is intriguing — two people fall in love while living in the same house in different years through their unexplained ability to send notes to each other — and the execution is lovely, with plenty of impressive visuals to get lost in. The house is as impressive as it needs to be for a title character, a glass box on a lake near Chicago, pretending to be open but surprisingly […]