Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson in ""Starsky and Hutch"
courtesy of Warner Home Video
"Ben and Owen Get Lost In the Seventies"

Ben Stiller is everywhere you look. He is on the big screen with a co-starring role in "Dodgeball" and a cameo appearance in "Anchorman." He is currently filming "Meet the Fockers" which is the sequel to "Meet the Parents." And on video he can be seen in "Starsky and Hutch." He plays Hutch which was the role Michael Paul Glaser did on TV.

Owen Wilson plays Starsky and even sings "Don't Give Up On Us Baby" which was David Soul's one hit. He plays Starsky as more laid back than Soul did, but that is Wilson's way with all his roles.

This movie version of "Starsky and Hutch" for some reason is more enjoyable on DVD/video than it was at the movies. It just seems natural to view it on your TV set. The jokes are better and so are the action sequences. Even Snoop Dogg's turn as "Huggy Bear" comes off better.

But even being better doesn't make it great. It is basically a one-joke movie and that doesn't improve no matter where you watch it. So take the extras and the more enjoyable moments and savor them. And enjoy Stiller and Wilson who are making a career out of "B" grade movies. "Along Came Polly" anyone?

Just in time for the release of "The Bourne Supremacy" in theaters, there is a new DVD edition of "The Bourne Identity." This one Is called "The Bourne Identity Explosive Edition." How's that for grabbing your attention!

This new DVD has a never before seen beginning and an all new ending. Plus it has interviews with Matt Damon and Franka Potente as well as other jaw dropping features. And it all ties around the suspense packed movie that made Matt Damon a star again.

One other thing, the new movie, "The Bourne Supremacy," builds on information which was given in the "The Bourne Identity" so you might need a refresher course in the first film before you see the second. And what better way to see it than with all these extras.

One of the best movies I saw last year was "The Barbarian Invasions," and no this was not an epic starring Brad Pitt. This was a Canadian movie that centered on a dying man's relationship with his family and his friends.

This film won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Film last year and it was written and directed by Denys Arcand. The award was well justified for the film is touching and tender while at the same time being completely human. Since it deals with a terminal illness it is not an easy film to watch but the illness is not made gruesome and the emphasis is on the relationships that are resolved.

You might not think you would enjoy this film, but you will. It is well made, perfectly written, and beautifully acted. Don't miss it.

Also impressive is "Monsieur Ibrahim." This movie gives Omar Sharif a chance to show his talents as an actor. In his younger years the emphasis was on his looks, but now he is at an age and a stage that his talent is allowed to shine through.

The film is a study of a friendship between a young man and an older man who have nothing in common except friendship. Pierre Boulanger plays the teenage boy who discovers a friend in an unexpected place. Together the two friends share an adventure.

Finally there is a new Barney movie on video. It is titled "Barney: Now I know My ABC's." Once again you get songs and skills combined with the objective of learning letters. Kids will love it and the parents will too because it is such an entertaining way to learn. 

If you have a small child in your home make sure he/she gets a chance to watch and learn with Barney. They will also like the extra features that are found on the DVD such as extra songs and extra games. It is a "Barney" extravaganza and your kids deserve to get in on the fun.

 

 

 

 

 

©2004 Jackie K. Cooper

Click above to find out more about Jackie's books!