This week’s releases:
Madagascar
At New York’s Central Park Zoo, a lion (Ben Stiller), a zebra (Chris Rock), a giraffe (David Schwimmer) and a hippo (Jada Pinkett Smith) are the main draw. Then one of the them goes missing and the other three go looking for him. They eventually find themselves on a vessel bound for an exotic island. When they finally wash ashore, they’re treated to a crash-course on wildlife in the fast lane.
Total box office: $193.1 million
Extras! The volume of extras isn’t exactly Shrek-ian, but there’s enough here to baby-sit the kiddies for a few hours. The penguins from the film were a huge hit, so kids will love listening to “their” commentary. And along with a number of games and activities geared towards the young ones, there are several featurettes targeted right at them as well.
When it was relevant: The summer’s first non-Sith blockbuster, Madagascar boasted the advantage of being the only animated feature in town for a good chunk of the summer months. Clearly not by accident, it provided the only option for those in search of more lighthearted fare. Of course, an A-list ensemble never hurts, either. It was a win-win for Rock, in particular, as his The Longest Yard was released on the same day.
Worthy DVD purchase? Yes. Madagascar may not stand up so well next to a Pixar release, but, frankly, it’s all we’ve got right now. In the end, the concept was far superior to its execution, but it’s still good, clean–and in spots, hilarious–family fun.
All things considered: B
Stealth
Three Naval Air Force pilots (Josh Lucas, Jessica Biel and Jamie Foxx) are teamed up with an unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV), nicknamed “EDI,” which is fueled by artificial intelligence. But lightning strikes EDI and destroys its circuitry, turning it into a deadly weapon with an ulterior motive. Mayday, mayday–abort movie!
Total box office: $31.7 million
Extras! The studio makes a slight attempt to put bandages over boo-boos with some extras, but there are too few extras and far, far too many blunders to make any difference. Further compounding the problem is the fact that the “extras” on this two-disc edition are little more than technical features to juice up the sound of the film. The few actual special features–the music from the film, scene deconstructions, previews–are just about as laughable as the unintentionally funny moments from the film.
When it was relevant: It was never relevant, but it was released in the theaters. The box office grosses weren’t too bad, on first glance, but this was supposed to be one of the summer’s big hits, with–most importantly–a budget to match those expectations. Stars were supposed to be christened superstars post-Stealth. Luckily, the actors’ careers went unscathed–especially for Foxx, who was hardly in the film.
Worthy DVD purchase? No. With Stealth most likely on many critics’ year-end “Bottom 10” lists, the only viable excuse to have this taking up space in your home is that you wanted to show off your brand new home theatre system. Therefore, you rented the only movie not checked out at the video store.
All things considered: F
The Skeleton Key
A hospice worker named Caroline (Kate Hudson) takes up house in rural New Orleans to care for bed-ridden Ben (John Hurt). The mansion is shrouded in Hoodoo mystery and she seeks to unlock its secrets, but she also suspects Ben’s domineering wife (Gena Rowlands) has some involvement. To get to the bottom of it all, she’ll have to square off with everyone, both living and dead.
Total box office: $47.8 million
Extras! Aha! Finally a DVD that doesn’t try and pad the list of extras with dubious specifications and other jargon that has no value to those just trying to interpret the list–and these are good ones. Aside from a making-of featurette with the venerable cast, there’s an interesting feature that explores Voodoo and Hoodoo, a distinction that (understandably) wasn’t given enough attention in the film. And there’s an interesting piece on the sounds, music and spirit that were recreated to capture the Gothic ambiance of New Orleans.
When it was relevant: It was a big moment for Hudson when Key was released, because it was her chance to show Hollywood that she could open a movie. The box-office numbers were just average, but audiences certainly acknowledged the departure from her prettier roles. With the aid of a stellar supporting cast and a surprising twist at the end, she at least earned some blockbuster credibility.
Worthy DVD purchase? Yes. The film in and of itself wasn’t anything we haven’t previously seen, but the taut extras make it a solid DVD as a whole. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: It’s nice to have a wide variety of scary flicks on your DVD shelf.
All things considered: B-
TV
Friends: The One with All Ten Seasons
Comments: Food, shelter, clothing–who needs ‘em! Get another eviction notice? Pay it no mind. Because as long as you’ve got the complete, definitive Friends box set, containing every episode ever aired, you’re good to go–and you won’t be able to afford life’s little essentials. In all seriousness, the only feasible reason somebody would cough up 200 big ones for this set is if they haven’t gotten any of the previous DVD season collections. The only new ingredient here is a box that all the discs fit snugly into, and it would cost a fan about as much to buy seasons individually. Bottom line: unless you’re a fan with no Friends, save your money. After all, your other favorite show, Sex and the City, just did the same thing for the same price. Although, if you buy both, you could have a weeklong slumber party!
Extras! There’s nothing new here. The same extras from each individual season, while decent, remain in place, with no additions. Those extras include gag reels, cast/crew commentary, trivia and more.
All things considered: C-
