Flash (1997) Review

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(More customer reviews)This is a family movie in the most wonderful sense. So often, people use that phrase to mean "no swearing" or "no nudity", but so many "family" movies are just watered down nothingness, no story, no interesting characters...
This movie has spirit and heart. Lucas Black is an amazing young man, a wonderful young actor who carries the entire movie all by himself. After his grandmother's death, Conner (Black) decides to embark on a journey from Georgia to New York to meet his father's ship as it returns to port. He confronts danger and many of life's challenges along the way.
What I especially like about the movie is that it doesn't tiptoe around some hard issues. Conner deals with his grandmother's death all alone...he confronts an abusive adult with heart and bravery. I think this movie is wonderful because it shows a nice, good, brave kid who isn't unreal the way so many kids are in movies and on TV today. He's polite and smart and respectful and still super cool. Way to go Disney and Lucas Black.

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The idyllic life of Connor Strong (Lucas Black, SLING BLADE), his dad (Brian Kerwin), grandmother (award-winning actress Ellen Burstyn), and horse Flash changes overnight when financial pressures force Connor's father to leave home and find work. Connor is forced to sell Flash, and then is heartbroken to discover that the new owners are cruel to his beloved horse. Connor rescues Flash, and together, they set off cross country to search for Connor's father. In classic Disney tradition, the adventures they have along the way will forever touch the hearts of young and old alike.

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Balto (1995) Review

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(More customer reviews)Balto is one of the most amazing animated features of all time, easily ranking with the best of Disney's efforts such as "Beauty and the Beast" and "The Lion King." However, this 1995 animated classic from Universal was buried like a dog bone at the box office, and hasn't achieved the popularity it deserves even in the home entertainment market. Perhaps this is the reason that Universal decided to create a remarkably underwhelming DVD version. This is quite possibly the worst DVD I've ever seen, and I've seen a lot of DVDs in the two years I've owned a player.
The biggest problem with this release is the movie-to-DVD transfer: not only is it poorly done and grainy, but the DVD executives at Universal decided to release it exclusively in fullscreen pan and scan format with a 1:33:1 aspect ratio which never even comes close to doing the stunning visuals justice. The greatest asset of DVD, even greater than all of the room on each disc for extra features, is the widescreen capability, allowing the film to be experienced at home as it was in theaters, with up to 30% more picture presented to the left and right of the screen. Fullscreen reformats the film for 1:33:1 televisions and in doing so cops out up to one third of the original widescreen picture, thus diminishing the epic splendor of many shots. As do many animated features, "Balto" offers many stunning visual effects that would look absolutely amazing in widescreen, and yet Universal refuses to release the film as it was meant to be seen. I love this movie, and it pains me very greatly to say that as it is, this DVD isn't any better than the original 1996 VHS version I have.
The extra features here include a very unthoughtful, low-tech game clearly designed for the youngest children (although I can't imagine that anyone old enough to comprehend the movie would be interested in such a dry, boring game.) The production notes and cast and crew bios are nothing much either. The only true plus in this area is the theatrical trailer.
As if this was not enough, Universal attached a forced-view preview for "E.T. The Extra Terrestrial" to the beginning of the DVD, and it must be viewed every time you start the movie. There is no way to skip it, and although "E.T." is one of the greatest cinematic masterpieces of all time, it starts to get on your nerves having to watch the preview EVERY TIME you want to watch Balto.
DVD is the home entertainment medium of the future, and is important on several levels. When a DVD disc is made well, it does a number of things: a) presents the film in question in the best possible picture and sound available, b) gives the viewer interesting information regarding the film, such as how it was made, c) entertains the viewer with its extras and d) does all of this in an easy-to-use, easy-to-navigate, enjoyable system. This DVD is certainly easy to use, but it fails to deliver on all other fronts.
With this release, Universal is telling people that the film does not deserve a disc equal to even any decent one on the market today, let alone the best of the best. I have been a loyal fan of this film ever since I first saw it in summer 1995, and find this highly insulting. They will be receiving a nasty letter from me shortly for this underwhelming disc, and my only hope is that Universal will correct these mistakes in the future with an anamorphic widescreen edition featuring thoughtful, interesting bonuses such as "The Making of Balto" and audio commentary. Until then, don't let the utter horridness of this release stop you from seeing this underrated gem of a movie, which I recommend very highly. The film itself is an amazing five-star work of art in every sense, but sadly its digital debut is dreadfully disappointing.
...

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Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron (Widescreen) (2002) Review

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(More customer reviews)I took my 4 year old, and four 7 year olds to see this movie, and it made an impact on all of us. This movie is original. It is not Disney-ish and while I've appreciation for Disney, this movie did not have the "cutesy" factor of a Disney movie. Spirit captured my children's hearts and imaginations. This movie took the children through a full spectrum of emotions. They were elated at Spirit's courage, angry about his treatment, sad when he was sad and Rain was injured, and again thrilled when he was finally free! Isn't this what movies are for...to entertain our emotions? This movie beautifully depicted strength and courage. The animation was phenomenal and the music...Bryan Adams, what more can I say!!! My four year old was deeply impacted by this movie. She says it changed her life. When she went to get shots, she told me, "I will not cry, I will be brave like Spirit" and she didn't shed a tear! I highly recommend this beautiful and unique movie to anyone who wants to see or have their children see a movie that covers a full spectrum of emotions and leaves you feeling uplifted!!

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Join spirit a wild young mustang as he sets out on an action-packed quest against impossible odds to regain his freedom and save his homeland. In his courageous and thrilling journey across the majestic wilderness of the american frontier spirit forms a remarkable friendship a lakota brave.Studio: Paramount Home VideoRelease Date: 02/14/2006Starring: Narrated By Matt DamonRun time: 83 minutesRating: GDirector: Kelly Asbury/lorna Cook

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The Wild (2006) Review

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(More customer reviews)After going to "The Wild" this weekend with my two kids, I gotta say I don't understand all the bashing of Disney and this film? Maybe "The Wild" isn't on par with "The Lion King" or "Toy Story", but it's far from being a snoozer like "Chicken Little" or "Home on the Range". There may be similar characters in both "Madagascar" and "The Wild", but each film stands on it's own, and both are pretty enjoyable. "The Wild" was a lot of fun, had some laugh out loud moments, and featured some fantastic animation. The soundtrack was fun, and while the songs may be older, who cares, they fit the spirit of the movie. Eddie Izzard's koala bear steals the film, and had my son and daughter laughing all afternoon. I am not sure what some of these other movie goers were expecting from "The Wild" and why it was such a major disappointment, but I say that if you enjoyed "Madagascar" then you will like "The Wild" too. Anything featuring the voices of Keifer Sutherland and William Shatner is worth taking a look at.

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Go wild with the hysterical adventure the New York Daily News calls "truly infectious!" Disney uncages the laughs in the hip and hilarious comedy THE WILD. When a band of furry friends escape from the city zoo, they discover that New York City is the biggest, craziest jungle of all. Now, faced with a new journey and the challenge of a lifetime, they must work together if they are going to survive on the outside. THE WILD is ferocious fun that will have your whole family roaring with laughter.

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Homeward Bound - The Incredible Journey (1993) Review

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(More customer reviews)This is a Disney film based on Sheila Burford's book __The Incredible Journey__, about three household pets (specifically a bulldog named Chance, a Himalayan cat named Sassy, and a golden retriever named Shadow) who run away from a faraway ranch in order to find their way back to their home in San Francisco. Meanwhile, the owners (specifically 3 kids: a little brother named Jamie, a big brother named Peter, and a sister in the middle named Hope) call a search-and-rescue while at the same time trying to cope with a stepfather. As you may expect, this film eventually comes to a happy ending where everyone is reunited and all is well.
Now, I'm 15 years old and I have loved this film ever since I saw it in the theater at the age of 6. I had many reasons why I loved it at the time--I thought it was funny, I thought it was exciting, and the ending made me cry (hey, don't snicker, I was six years old back then). But now I have a reason why this film has stood the test of time against much flashier and less "cute" movies that I see nowadays, and that's simply because...well, because it's really a good movie!
Don't understand? Well, this film is so much more than just a movie with talking (sort of) animals that go on a journey in order to entertain little 6-year-olds. The pets aren't just animals; they exude the human personalities of their owners! Chance, owned by Jamie, is a mischievious pup who's always sticking his nose where it doesn't belong. Shadow, owned by Peter, is a wise old golden retriever who's always trying to keep Chance out of trouble. And Sassy, owned by Hope, is a fickle cat who always acts like she's sick of being stuck with her "brothers", if you know what I mean.
And then there's the fact that even though the pets start out acting like siblings who drive each other crazy, they wind up going through thick and thin and actually realizing that they really love each other. Also, this film also has a subplot that turns out happy too; Peter, Hope, and Jamie finally learn to love their stepfather and actually call him "Dad". When the pets are back home in the end (face it, you KNEW it was going to happen) and they see the happy faces of their ecstatic owners, and EVERYONE is actually LOVING each other like a REAL family, Chance thinks with pride, "For the first time in my life, I was HOME." Never before have I heard such a profound statement in a Disney movie.
Any idiot can entertain a 6-year-old by making him laugh, cry, and be excited. However, it takes the work of a genius to entertain a 6-year-old with a work that he will even love nine years later. See this film NOW!
P.S. Don't see the sequel--it's completely insipid, and the pets have totally lost their human personalities in it.

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This thrilling and thoroughly captivating theatrical hit from Disney has become an instant favorite with audiences of all ages. You'll lose your heart to Chance, a fun-loving American bulldog pup; Sassy, a hilarious Himalayan cat who lives up to her name; and Shadow, a wise old golden retriever -- all of whom express themselves with very familiar human voices! The adventure begins when the loving owners of these irresistible pets are forced to leave them in the temporary care of a friend who lives hundreds of miles away. But after several days, the worried animals begin to think their family must be in trouble, so they decide to head for home. On their incredible journey across the ruggedly beautiful Sierras, they encounter unexpected surprises from man, beast, and nature alike. It's an unforgettable story of love, courage, and devotion that will delight and inspire generations to come!

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The Lion King 2 - Simba's Pride (2-Disc Special Edition) (2004) Review

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(More customer reviews)Yeah, I know that this direct-to-video sequel was put out to cash in even more so on the original, which itself grossed over $300 in U.S. box office receipts to become the most successful Disney film ever! However, after watching this a couple of years back and revisiting it today, I know that there was another, much better, reason: four years after THE LION KING, we were all missing the characters...and we were hungry for more. As much as us fans of the original did not want the possibility of having the franchise tainted by an inferior sequel, it seemed to be worth the risk.
And it was. In 1998, Disney got most of the principal voice-over actors back from the original---Matthew Broderick as Simba, Moira Kelly as Nala, Nathan Lane and Ernie Sabella as Timon & Pumbaa, respectively, and of course, Robert Guillaume as the hilarious Rafiki---and made THE LION KING II: SIMBA'S PRIDE, which follows our favorite Lion hero (and King) & family as they pick up from where they left off in the first film. Now Simba is the King and his young offspring is a lioness cub named Kiara; he's the worried dad in this one, always fearing for the safety of the young precocious girl, but they're nevertheless a happy family just the same. Of course, danger lurks in the shadows, as Zira (Suzanne Pleshette---yes, *that* Suzanne Pleshette), the villainous ex-mate of Scar, is training her young son Kovu to grow up to avenge Scar's death by killing Simba. However, Rafiki, the silly-acting but nevertheless wise monkey, finds out to his horrified amazement that Kiara and Kovu are destined for each other. Sure enough, Kiara and Kovu meet each other as cubs and take an immediate strong liking to each other. Can true love overcome true evil?
This film, by itself, is very well-written and acted, with excellent production values for the fact that it is a direct-to-video sequel. It has really no flaws of its own, just one obvious inconsistency between it and the first film: Scar's 'ex-mate' Zira (and, by extension, Kovu) simply did not exist in the original THE LION KING! She was obviously made up just to have a sequel. However, this is the only major thing to overlook, and if you can forgive this movie for it, then you should be able to easily enjoy yourself. As I said, this is a good animated movie, and I recommend it for any fan of the original. This sequel isn't quite as dark; however, I still would not recommend showing it to very young kids. Suzanne Pleshette does a surprisingly good job as the evil, scheming, vengeful Zira (basically a female versdion of old Scar himself). Neve Campbell does a solid job as the voice of the adult Kiara, and Jason Marsden does excellently as the conflicted Kovu, who wants to do good, but...he made a promise to his mother...didn't he?!
Listen, THE LION KING II: SIMBA'S PRIDE is not the masterpiece that THE LION KING is...however, it is much better than it perhaps should be. Fans of the original should definitely own it.
RECOMMENDED, AGES 8 & UP

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All the power and majesty of THE LION KING return in this final volume of THE LION KING trilogy! This Special Edition features an all-new vibrant picture presentation from the digital master. Meet Kiara, Simba's headstrong daughter and heir to the Pride Lands. While on the prowl for adventure, she encounters the mischievous Kovu, a young member of the banished Outland Pride chosen to walk in Scar's paw prints. As they seek their proper places in the "Circle Of Life," Kiara and Kovu find that they may be the only hope for healing the rift between their prides! THE LION KING 2: SIMBA'S PRIDE Special Edition includes original cast members, stunning Disney animation, and six spectacular songs. Complete your family's LION KING collection with this enchanting film!

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The Adventures of Milo and Otis (1989) Review

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(More customer reviews)ever since way back when, i was maybe 6 years old, i still remember when i first rented it from the video store. it took my little breathaway. whenever i went back to rent a movie, i begged my mom to let me rent it again, until she finally bought it for me.
this beautiful tale has so many layers, heart, and spirit, i can't begin to explain it. the first thing i should mention is, dont get fooled to thinking animals got hurt during the making of this, because they DIDNT. Masanori Hata takes VERY good care of his animals. he shot milo and otis on his own private island in Japan. the original movie was called the Adventures of Chatran, and it was longer. ( i've never seen it, i've been looking for years ) i hope someday i will see it. koneko monogatari ( milo and otis ) makes me cry at the beauty, sadness, and then joy finally. its a celebration of life. you can't dismiss it as a mere " kid's movie", it is for everyone. i detest the "adult" mindset, because it disables them from experiancing all forms of beauty. this is not a movie to me, it's a part of me, and it shares a special place in my heart.
i love milo and otis. - jeffro

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ADVENTURES OF MILO & OTIS - DVD Movie

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