David Spade, Jon Heder and Rob Schneider in "Benchwarmers"
courtesy of Columbia Home VIdeo
"The View From the Bench"

"Benchwarmers" has arrived on DVD. Rob Schneider, Jon Heder and David Spade star in the new comedy and it hits a home run with its message but fouls out in the humor department. It is too gross for the audience for which it is aimed. It is also an equal opportunity offender as it takes aim at nerds, jocks, gays, dwarfs, the aged and anyone else in view.

The theme of the film is that kids should all play sports just for the fun of playing, and this is a good thing. Still the humor used in delivering this message may not be the type parents want their kids to emulate. A lot of the actions by Spade and Heder are just plain gross, and even guest star Reggie Jackson sets a bad example by using his bat to bust up mailboxes.

Schneider is his most likeable in this film. This is not Deuce Bigalow plays ball, rather he is a sweet unassuming guy who is married and loves his wife (Molly Sims). Spade is his regular self in this film - at least the same screen persona he has created for all his other movies. He is witty, timid and brash. In this film he is in love with the salad girl (Errin Bartlett) at his local pizza place. Their romance is a nice little plus for the movie.

Heder is the star of "Napoleon Dynamite" and should have moved on from that limited character by now. He has a lot of natural talent but it is being squelched by his being forced to be the big stupid guy all the time. Here's hoping he gets a role in the future that lets him move on to something else.

"Benchwarmers" is a laugh along with movie. It has its good points and its bad. Make sure your kids see the difference.

How about a good old SciFi film to make your day? In the mode of "Starship Troopers" and Piranha" comes "Scorpius Gigantus." This is a horror film of sorts about mutant scorpions who do battle with men.

Jeff Fahey, who has become a staple in this type of movie, and Jo Bourne-Taylor co-star in the film. Let's just say in this movie the scorpions are better actors. Still it is fun sometimes to just to sit back and watch a cheesy movie like this. Believe me they don't get any cheesier than "Scorpius Gigantus."

There are two new DVD's aimed at the pre-school or kindergarten child. They are "Winnie the Pooh: Shapes and Sizes" and "Winnie the Pooh: Wonderful Word Adventures." These two movies are meant to help these children build skills in recognizing shapes and sizes and also in enlarging their vocabulary skills.

The fact that the DVD's use Pooh and his friends in fun games and adventures to get the information across makes this a plus for the movie. The kids will learn and have fun at the same time, and that is important.

So get these DVD's and let you kid find entertainment and information at the same time.

There is also a video out now for the even younger children in your family. "Baby's Favorite Places" is part of the "Baby Einstein" series. In this one actress Marlee Matlin helps create a guide to helping your baby learn more about the world of words through both verbal and non-verbal communication.

The DVD introduces the baby to more than twenty new words which are presented repetitiously and in multiple forms so that the learning is more easily absorbed. Non-verbal ways of introducing these words is also employed.

So use the wonderful world of DVD's to help you increase the communication skills of your family. Get "Baby's Favorite Places" from the "Baby Einstein" group.

 

 

 

 

 

©2006 Jackie K. Cooper

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