Lightning McQueen in "Cars"
courtesy of Disney Home Entertainment
"A Higher Premium of Entertainment"

When "Cars" played on the big screen in theaters I appreciated it was the latest animated film from Pixar, the company that worked with Disney to bring us "Toys," "The Incredibles" and "Finding Nemo" among others. I knew that being of that lineage you could expect the movie to be perfectly animated, funny and heart-warming. It was all those things but not as much so as the movies that went before it. I felt "Cars" wasn't running on empty, but it wasn't operating on a full tank of entertainment either.

And then came the DVD version and suddenly what had just been average was better than ever. It seems the movie is more suited to the small screen than the big screen. It gives it a more intimate flavor. The humor voiced by such pros as Owen Wilson, Paul Newman, Bonnie Hunt, and especially Larry the Cable Guy comes across with more enjoyment behind it. 

Now instead of chugging along like it was operating on too few cylinders, it zipped by in a cloud of smoke. Some movies are made for DVD and for my entertainment taste, "Cars" is one of them.

If you are a crossword puzzle fan like I am, the new documentary film out on DVD, "Wordplay," will be like a rich dessert. This film takes a look at the New York Times puzzle and the man behind it. You can an in depth look at Will Shortz as well as some of his best contributors. Then too you get to meet some of the most famous "puzzlers" such as Bill Clinton, Robert Dole and the Indigo Girls.

Finally you get a look at the 28th American Crossword Puzzle Tournament. I didn't even know there was such an event. Here over five hundred entrants battled it out to be named "The Champion." 

So get the documentary and get all the DVD extras. This is a fun film to watch, to study, and to puzzle over.

"Keeping Up With the Steins" is a fun filled romp of a movie that features a super talented cast and one joke after another. Jeremy Piven and Jami Gertz play the Fiedlers, a couple who are determined to give their son the Bar Mitzvah to outdo all others. And when the rest of their family gets into the act things get wilder and wilder.

Garry Marshall, Daryl Hannah and Doris Roberts are just a few of the additional actors who make this film so much fun. But it is Piven and Gertz who are the stars and the ones who keep the story and the laughs going. Don't miss this one.

What's a girl to do when she wants to be Homecoming Queen, and then she finds out she is a reincarnated warrior who has to fight the evil spirits of the world? Well she sharpens her Kung Fu skills and takes care of business. At least that is what she does in "Wendy Wu: Homecoming Warrior" which is now out on DVD.

Brenda Song is perfect in the title role and makes the film fun, exciting, and a great example for young girls. She is definitely pretty and has the karate skills too. So you can believe that she could actually be Wendy Wu. 

This was one of the Disney Channel's most popular shows so make sure you get it for your daughters to watch and enjoy. Your sons might enjoy it too.

For some of us of a certain age there is nobody who can sing like Barry Manilow. He has been around for ages and his popularity just doesn't decrease. He just keeps on going and going and getting better and better. He even won another Emmy this year.

So if you are a fan too you will have to get "First & Farewell," a DVD full of Manilow songs and performances. The performances come from his concerts in early in his career and later in Las Vegas and Chicago, and they include all those "special" Manilow songs.

In addition you get a couple of interviews with the "music man" himself which are insightful and endearing. It is a wonderful collection of Manilow music and magic and it is something a true Manilow fan will have to have. Get the double DVD set of "First & Farewell."

 

 

 

 

 

©2006 Jackie K. Cooper

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