Brittany Snow in "Prom Night"
courtesy of Sony Home Entertainment
“Save the Last Dance For Me”

Brittany Snow fills in for Jamie Lee Curtis in the new version of “Prom Night,” now on DVD. Back in the old days there were slasher movies about kids at camp, living on Elm Street, or baby sitting. In those movies the trashy kids were generally the ones who got sliced up. Sex equaled death in some instances. But in the re-make of the Curtis thriller “Prom Night” it is the good kids who end up dead.

Snow stars as Donna Keppel, a teen-ager with a violent past. Three years ago one of here teachers (Jonathan Schaech) became obsessed with her and killed her entire family while trying to get to her. She escaped and he was locked up for life. She still has some psychological scars but is trying to maintain a normal life while living with her aunt and uncle.

Now it is prom night and she is going with her boyfriend Bobby (Scott Porter). They have two other couples along in the limo and have high hopes for a great night. However when they arrive at the hotel where the prom dance is being held someone else arrives too. It is the killer and he has escaped and is on the loose. Once again his only intent is to get to Donna.

Snow makes an appealing heroine and Idris Elba is quite good as the detective who is determined to keep Donna safe. I also particularly liked Dana Davis who plays Donna’s friend Lisa. She is one of the stars of the TV series “Heroes” and she is interesting there too.

The logic of the movie is not one of its strong points. It is amazingly far-fetched as to how the killer moves from one place to another without being seen or apprehended. But if it were logical it would probably be a very short movie.

As horror movies go this one is less explicitly violent than others, and it has a good lead in Brittany Snow. The supporting cast is also competent. It is just too much like every other slasher flick you have seen in the past ten years or so. You could just as easily put Jamie Lee Curtis back in and have it about a thirty year reunion dance. As a matter of fact that might have made an even better movie.

This DVD has a lot of “extras” such as an alternate ending, gag reel, commentaries, deleted scenes and more. Now that is a lot. So get the new updated version of “Prom Night.”

On the opposite end of the spectrum is “Camp Rock,” the much awaited Jonas Brothers movie. Although this movie has aired many, many times on the Disney Channel there isn’t a tweenage girl alive who doesn’t want her own copy.

Joe Jonas is really the star of the movie but the other two brothers are seen in cameo roles. Opposite Joe is Demi Lovato, the newest candidate for teen queen from Disney. They act, they sing, and they make the life of young girls that much better.

The DVD is titled “Camp Rock: Extended Rock Star Edition” which means there are extras on top of extras. Most of these are “Behind the Scenes” features but there are music videos, etc. So get this DVD and make your little girl’s life a happier place. She can play this DVD for hours and you will know she is getting good Disney entertainment.

You can also get your daughter “The Ultimate Mulan Two-Movie Collection.” This is a DVD containing both the original “Mulan” and its sequel “Mulan II.” Both movies feature Mulan, the girl who dressed up like a man to protect and defend her country.

In both films there are adventures that feature the girl in the central role and this is a good role model for young girls today. Very few movies have as positive a role model as Mulan and that is why she is so popular in the Disney group of characters.

Again there are extras galore on the DVD and this two movie set will entertain your children for hours. It is “The Ultimate Mulan Two-Picture Collection.”

Adults will like another sequel that is available this month. It is “The Scorpion King 2: Rise of a Warrior” and it stars Randy Couture, five time winner of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. 

This movie goes back and traces the full story of “The Scorpion King.” It starts with the story of Matahayus (Michael Copon), a young man who sees his family murdered by an evil king (Couture). Seeking revenge he rises to power until he becomes “The Scorpion King.”

This is a fun film full of action and adventure. With “The Mummy” back in theaters this is a chance to do all things “mummy-ish” and watch “The Scorpion King 2: Rise of a Warrior” plus all the extras.

Back to the kids, there are tow more DVD’s out this week they will enjoy. They are “Holly Hobbie and Friends: Fabulous Fashion Show” and “The Berenstain Bears: Family and Friendship.” Both of these movies study the power of friendship and how we can do things to help each other.

The star of the Holly Hobbie” movie is not the old-fashioned girl but a new modern one. She still has good values but she is a modern girl. The Berenstain Bears are still composed of the complete bear family – Mama, Papa, Brother and Sister. Don’t let your kids miss either of these fine family DVD’s.
 

 

 

 

 

©2008 Jackie K. Cooper

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