Jenny, DJ and Chowder in "Monster House"
courtesy of Sony Home Entertainment
"A Monster Of A House"

Two of the producers of the new to DVD animated film "Monster House" are Robert Zemeckis and Steven Spielberg. Because of this the movie has some of that "Back To the Future"/"E.T." magic. With Halloween still in the air, this is a perfect movie about a haunted house. And even better it entertains adults as well as kids with its subtle humor and chilling look.

In the movie a kid named DJ (voiced by Mitchell Musso) lives across the street from a house owned by a crabby old man named Nebbercracker (Steve Buscemi). The old man is constantly shooing kids away from his home and seems to get crazier and crazier the closer it gets to Halloween. But the house holds a strange fascination for kids as they know something about the house just isn't right.

There have been a lot of animated movies this year, so many that audiences have tired of some of them. "Monster House" should be the exception. It is a fun film for adults and kids alike and it has enough humor and horror to keep them coming back for repeated viewing.

One movie that made an impression on me when it was first released twenty-five years ago was the sexy, sensational "Body Heat." Now on DVD we have "Body Heat Remastered Twenty Fifth Anniversary Deluxe Edition."

This new DVD has the movie plus some unseen scenes. Then you also get three featurettes that feature interviews with director Lawrence Kasdan and stars William Hurt and Kathleen Turner. They talk about how the movie came to be made, how the movie was filmed, and even the after effects of the movie. 

Hearing them talk gives you new insight into this movie that broke the barriers in telling a steamy story such as this one. It made Hurt and Turner major stars and thrilled moviegoers with its raw passions. It still is a good movie in all aspects of its creation. So watch this one and see where today's sensual films got their start.

"Pizza" is a new DVD that chronicles the passions and pangs of being a teenager. Reminiscent of "The Breakfast Club" and "Sixteen Candles" this movie follows the story of a chubby teenager named Cara-Ethyl (Kylie Sparks). It is her eighteenth birthday and she is all alone.

When a guy named Matt (Ethan Embry) shows up to deliver a pizza he takes pity on her and takes her along on his route. Together they share a night of enlightenment and adventure. And audiences will come to love these two misfits who are anything but losers. They are pegged that way but this night shows they are not. 

"Salvage" is a movie that will have you rewinding or skipping back to make sure you have your facts straight. In the movie a young woman, played by Lauren Currie Lewis) is a stalking victim. She is murdered, but wakes up to find she is alive. Was it all a dream, a premonition, or a time warp? Or maybe just a joke.

This drama with humor is as intriguing as can be although ultimately it doesn't make a lot of sense. Still if you like movies that make you think, you might enjoy "Salvage."

If you want to impress your pre-teen kids just mention the name of "Hannah Montana." This is the TV series that has taken off like a rocket. It stars Miley Cyrus as a young girl named Miley who has a secret life as pop star Hannah Montana.

Miley wants to have as normal a life as possible and that is why she has the alter ego. She can be just plain Miley and live with her older brother and dad. Dad by the way is played by Miley's real life dad Billy Ray Cyrus, and this show has reinvigorated his career too.

So get the new DVD from Disney titled "Hannah Montana: Living the Rock Star Life." As an added bonus you also get to see Miley's audition tape and a "Hannah Montana" video. So what are you waiting on? Get this one today!

For families with new babies and very small children, "Baby Einstein: Baby's First Moves" is a must watch. This DVD is geared to very small babies and then those who have mastered standing up and crawling. With music from Bach, Beethoven and Mozart the DVD shows how to get babies to move naturally and with ease. Then it ties it into fun for the kids as they watch puppets and other characters encourage them in what to do

The "Baby Einstein" series is worth its weight in gold for new parents and provides instructions in all manner of ways to encourage your child to reach his/her boundaries. "Baby's First Moves" is another worthy member of the "Baby Einstein" series.

 

 

 

 

 

©2006 Jackie K. Cooper

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