Wizards of Waverly Place: Wizard School Review

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(More customer reviews)I got this for my teenage sister. Wizards of Waverly Place is her favorite show and Selena Gomez is her idol. The thing I don't like is that you only get four episodes. It'd be better if Disney released full seasons of their shows rather than banking on $15 for just four episodes. They finally released Hannah Montana full seasons after releasing many 4 episode discs over the past couple years.

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UPC:786936751215DESCRIPTION: Meet Alex, Justin and Max Russo. They're just your average, ordinary kids living in New York City, except they've got a powerful secret: They're wizards in training! Turn up the magic with four extraordinary episodes from Wizards Of Waverly Place, the smash-hit Disney Channel Original Series. Plus, join cast members for a high-flying virtual magic carpet ride to their favorite haunts -- including backstage where secrets to the show's spectacularly cool spells will be revealed! What would you do if you discovered you had awesome, supernatural powers? New "wizards in training" Alex (Selena Gomez) and her brothers Justin (David Henrie) and Max (Jake T. Austin) love to use magical potions, brews and spells to cut corners on things like homework and chores. And when the kids practice their newfound wizardry skills, things get really tricky -- and hilarious! You'll be spellbound when they adopt a pet dragon, try to learn the ropes at wizard school and attempt to charm their parents into letting them use more magic -- all with super-cool, supernatural results. END

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The Wizards of Waverly, Vol. 2: Supernaturally Stylin' Review

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(More customer reviews)Playing on the undeniable popularity of all things magic, courtesy of J.K. Rowling, Disney launched their own fantastical sitcom based on the adventures of a wizard family living amongst normal folk. Wizards of Waverly Place puts Disney star Selena Gomez front and center as Alex Russo followed by her two mischievous brothers Justin (David Henrie) and Max (Jake T. Austin). Trying to keep the normal folks unaware while dodging the pitfalls of school social spheres, Alex and her family find themselves getting into one crazy scenario after another.
Episode Listing:
"Credit Check"
Alex manages to score an internship at a top fashion magazine and discovers that in the big leagues not everyone plays fair. After a co-worker takes credit for her ideas she attempts to get back at him by setting him up to take credit for some of her less-than-great ideas. Little does she know the co-worker has had a change of heart and decides to give her exactly what she wanted. Stuck with a fashion show of ugly clothes, Alex might just have to use magic to get out of the fashion nightmare.
"Smarty Pants"
When Alex's best friend tells her that their trivia teams won't be able to compete thanks to a sick teammate, Alex steps in to prove she's got the smarts. To sweeten the pot she gets to go up against her older brother's team. But there's a catch - Alex really doesn't have the necessary smarts to compete, so what's a girl to do? Using a little bit of magic Alex gets what she wants but with a price.
"Beware Wolf"
Alex's older brother Justin, despite the warning of his parents, agrees to go out with a girl he met online. Trying to prove that they know everything about each other, Justin and his date spend loads of time together. Little does Justin realize - there's something she forgot to list in her online profile: she's a werewolf. Now, with a werewolf curse all his own, Justin must choose between her and being normal again.
"Graphic Novel"
When the school's popular girl gets her hands on - and then in - Alex's private diary, all three of the Russo kids must go after her to protect Alex's secret: the identity of her crush. Will Alex's secret be revealed or will they get inside the journal in time?
Here's a show aimed at a generation much younger than myself - but that's not to say I can't relate. Anyone above their teens should be able to remember the Melissa Joan Hart show Sabrina the Teenage Witch. I'd be blind if I didn't see a strong set of parallels running between the two. Sabrina faced an uber-popular bully, so does Alex. Sabrina had an odd and geeky best friend, so does Alex. Sabrina's boyfriend was a jock; Alex has a crush on a jock. Wizards of Waverly Place takes the same formula and aims at a lower age demographic. To be honest, there's really no difference in writing quality between this and Sabrina it's just an issue of subject matter. Sabrina was firmly entrenched in the high school world while Wizards of Waverly Place seems to be rooted in some odd K-12 school. Unless we're supposed to believe Max is old enough to be in High School. We don't.
There's nothing wrong with Wizards of Waverly Place, but I'm hard pressed to find anything that truly elevates it beyond the overpopulated field of mediocre TV fare. The three main child actors all have their charms and there's more one-liners in any given minute than anyone could hope for - but it's still lacking in that area that makes the best shows stand out. It teaches your kids valuable social lessons, and that's good. But there are better shows they could be getting it from.
You could do better in terms of programming for your kids. But you could also do much, much worse.
DVD Extra Features:
"Backstage Disney"
The three child stars of Wizards of Waverly Place take you behind the scenes in this featurette dedicated to the fashion and style of the show. Each of the stars takes you into their wardrobe to check out some of the costumes seen specifically in the episodes on this DVD. They comment on whether or not the characters they play have styles similar to their own - the answer, these kids all dress much more conservatively than anyone on the show. And why wouldn't they? The show's characters all have a style that goes a little over the top - but hey, they're allowed to be eccentric. They're wizards.

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Discover why Wizards Of Waverly Place is charming fans everywhere! Enjoy hilarious episodes from the smash-hit Disney Channel Original Series and join stars Selena Gomez and the cast for an exclusive look at their personal styles plus visit the show's fabulous costume closets! Wizards-in-training Alex Russo (Gomez) and her brothers Justin and Max are having an awesome time experimenting with their supernatural powers but they still have a lot to learn! You ll be spellbound as they stir up outrageously funny situations such as using the Freeze Frame spell so Alex can make her mark in the fashion industry; figuring out the quirky side effects of Wizard Wear; and saving Justin when he falls into puppy love and turns into a werewolf! As these cool kids juggle their ordinary lives with their extraordinary powers, it's a sure thing there will be more magic and mayhem brewing with the Wizards Of Waverly Place!

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Wizards on Deck with Hannah Montana Review

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(More customer reviews)In 2009, the Disney Channel featured a crossover trilogy featuring their top sitcoms "Wizards of Waverly Place", "The Suite Life" on Deck" and "Hannah Montana". Needless to say, this rare crossover was a big ratings winner for Disney as over 9.3 million viewers tuned into the crossover episodes. And now, all three episodes are featured on DVD with "Wizards on Deck with Hannah Montana".
Here is a listing of the episodes featured on the DVD and brief summary of the episode:
* Wizards of Waverly Place - Episode 25: Part 1 - Cast-Away (To Another Show) - In this episode, Justin wins a contest for a teenage cruise to meet London Tipton. Excited about the contest and excited about meeting London, Justin's sister Alex and Max come along. But with Alex, due to her missing homework, she is expected to study on the ship so Alex comes up with an idea: To bring Harper along and have her pretend she's Alex, while she has fun with Bailey and uses the alias Ashley Olsen. Meanwhile, Max finds a rival on the cruise, Zach Martin. Meanwhile, Justin meets London but pretends he's a doctor. This episode features a crossover with the characters of "Wizards of Waverly Place" and "Suite Life on Deck".
* The Suite Life on Deck - Episode 21: Part 2 - Double Crossed - Hannah Montana is going to perform on the SS Tipton and Cody tries to impress Bailey by trying to get tickets (despite the concert being sold out). Meanwhile, someone turns Justin blue and Mr. Moseby thinks its Zack, while Justin thinks its his sister Alex. This episode features a crossover of characters from all three shows.
* Hannah Montana - Episode 19: Part 3 - Super(stitious) Girl - Miley, her father Robby Ray and Lilly are onboard the SS Tipton for her concert. But Miley has a setback when she loses her deceased mom's anklet and Miley doesn't think she could perform as Hannah Montana without it. Meanwhile back at home, Jackson, Oliver and Rico open a package meant for Robby. This episode features a crossover of "Hannah Montana" and "The Suite Life on Deck".
VIDEO & AUDIO:
"Wizards on Deck with Hannah Montana" is presented in Full Screen (1:33:1) and is presented in Dolby Digital Surround Sound. For the most part, picture quality is better than the broadcast. Everything was good, although a segment in the "Hannah Montana" episode during a scene which involved Jackson and friends, picture quality looked quite blurry. But for the most part, all three episodes look good on DVD. As for audio, audio is clear and understandable. Personally, I found it much more appealing to have the audio on my receiver set for stereo on all channels.
Subtitles are featured in English SDH and Spanish.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
"Wizards on Deck with Hannah Montana" comes with the following special features:
* Bonus Short: Justin's Award-Winning Essay - (3:33) Watch the essay video that got Justin and his siblings on the S.S. TIPTON Teen Cruise!
* It's A Suite Life Having Fun With Hannah & The Wizards - (5:42) Hilarious bloopers and backstage interviews with the stars!
* Dylan & Cole Sprouse: Blu-Ray is Suite - (4:45) A featurette about Blu-ray and High Definition.
* Learn How to Take Your Favorite Movies on the Go - (1:03) A Featurette explaining what a Disney Digital Copy is.
JUDGMENT CALL:
For Disney Channel fans of the original sitcoms "Wizards of Waverly Place", "Suite Life on Deck" and "Hannah Montana", to see a crossover with the three shows is quite rare and exciting for the fans. Well, technically the only episode to feature characters from all three shows is in the second episode "Double Crossed" and for some reason, the cast of the "Wizards of Waverly Place" and "Hannah Montana" do not interact in any of the episodes. Nevertheless, the storylines do tie the characters of each show together.
For the most part, fans of the three-episode crossover can't find anything wrong with this release. For the most part, all episodes are quite entertaining, hilarious and family friendly. I watched the DVD along with my son who enjoyed the crossover when it first aired on television and was excited to see it all over again.
As for the crossover episodes, I did feel that Brenda Song's character London Tipton ("Suite Life on Deck") was a bit too uncaring and self-centered in the special crossover episodes, especially on the "Hannah Montana" crossover episode. But there were a good number of enjoyable scenes throughout the three episodes. I found it interesting to see Bailey and Alex hanging out, Justin and London on a date, Zack and Max square off against each other, Cody and Harper enjoying their intellectual side of each other and more. Also, for "Suite Life on Deck" fans who wanted to see Cody and Bailey grow closer, those fans get to see how it all happens.
The added bonus features on the DVD was a nice touch but I wish they were much longer but for the most part, fans of this special crossover will be entertained by them.
Overall, "Wizards on Deck with Hannah Montana" was a fun, entertaining and hilarious DVD. Each crossover episode is fun for the entire family and for fans of each series series, overall this DVD release is quite solid. Definitely check it it out!

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Climb on board for fun on the high seas as three of your favorite Disney Channel shows come together in WIZARDS ON DECK WITH HANNAH MONTANA -- on DVD for the first time ever! The S.S. TIPTON embarks on a triple-length comedy crossover event when Justin wins a Teen Cruise to Hawaii -- and a chance to meet London. Both Justin and Max do their best to win the heiress's affection, while Cody tries to win concert tickets for Bailey, and Alex accuses Zack of being a prankster. Between the kids' pranks (who turned Justin blue?!) and crazy schemes (Alex sneaks Harper on board to take her make-up science class?!), the excitement goes overboard when international superstar Hannah Montana checks in on her way to a sold-out concert in Hawaii. But when Miley Stewart loses her lucky charm anklet and her Hannah wig, are her days as the world's biggest pop star over forever? It's all here in WIZARDS ON DECK WITH HANNAH MONTANA with three times the fun and triple the laughs! Plus, this new full-length adventure includes exclusive behind-the-scenes footage, hilarious cast bloopers and more!

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Wizards of Waverly Place: The Movie (2009) Review

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(More customer reviews)Though each individual episode of the hit Disney Channel TV show "Wizards of Waverly Place" is fun and quirky in its own right, all the material (acting, plot, witty one-liners) seems to fly by so fast that the viewer isn't left with much real emotion. It's almost as if the show gets so caught up in the formula (Alex does bad but prevails, Justin does good but never gets rewarded, etc.) that it doesn't take enough time to slow down and really examine the relationships between any of the characters. Luckily, the "Wizards of Waverly Place" movie solves that problem.
For a basic plot summary, the magical Russo family begins the film with Mom and Dad dragging the kids off on a vacation to recreate their honeymoon. The usual eye-rolling and complaints begin, but Alex (played by the always-entertaining Selena Gomez) takes things one step too far by metaphorically wishing (while holding the family's magic wand) that her parents had never even met, thus they wouldn't be on this "stupid vacation" in the first place. Of course, thanks to the wand, that wish is granted, and suddenly the Russo siblings are no longer part of a family, as Mom and Dad don't even recognize each other. The rest of the film, then, centers on the kids' quest to find the "Stone of Dreams", a magical, enchanted item that can grant any wish or reverse any spell.
With the expanded feature-length runtime, the plot and character development of the film are able to be realized much more deeply than in any previous episode. We get to learn more about both parents and why they are like they are, as well as how the Russo children (namely Justin and Alex) view each other and what can be done to better those relations. In a touching scene that just might make you start to see through some mist, both Alex and Justin come to terms with each other involving the sometimes-bitter sibling rivalry that has existed between them from the very beginning. This plot line is also a great message for younger children, promoting the values of family and working together.
As usual, the acting is also spot-on. Dad (David DeLuise) and Mom (Maria Canals-Barrera) are at their over-the-top best, while Alex (Gomez) and Justin (David Henrie) are constantly involved in a brilliant give-and-take that will have you both laughing and misting over at different occasions. Even youngest brother Max (Jake T. Austin) hits all the right buttons as the somewhat dumb-founded, yet very innocent bringer of the more physical comic relief.
So, considering this film's ability to delve deeper into the relationships between each character, I consider it to be a rousing success and look forward to great things from the show going forward. Plus, the climax of the final results in the long-awaited "Wizard Challenge", which will determine the Russo child who will come away with the magical powers into adulthood and thus set the stage for Season Three on the Disney Channel.

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The most magical event of the year is now even bigger, with more thrilling adventure! Wizards Of Waverly Place The Movie Extended Edition features exclusive footage, behind-the-scenes bonus and awesome extras that take you deeper into the mysterious world of wizardry!

Embark on a supernaturally exciting adventure as the Russos, your favorite family of wizards-in-training, join together on a quest full of heart-stopping action and hilarious magical mishaps! While on vacation, Alex (Selena Gomez) accidentally casts a spell that threatens her family’s existence! Max (Jake T. Austin) tries to keep his parents together while Alex and Justin (David Henrie) use every trick they know as they search for the “Stone of Dreams” to reverse the spell and save their family. You won’t want to miss one extraordinary moment of this extended, magic-filled and action-packed movie!

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