Last week I wrote about “The Corpse Bride,” which received an Oscar nomination for Best Animated Feature. This week I’m spotlighting another stop-motion animated film, and a rival (along with “Howl’s Moving Castle”) for the Academy Award: “Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-rabbit” (DreamWorks, 2005; rated G; 1 hour, 24 minutes plus supplemental material; original 1.85:1 widescreen format enhanced for 16:9 televisions; Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound; $29.95).
The first full-length adventure of Wallace, an eccentric cheese-loving English inventor, and his faithful and often exasperated dog Gromit, finds the pair up to their necks in rabbits as they try to keep the bunnies away from the vegetables being grown for an upcoming competition.
The “Wallace & Gromit” DVD is loaded with great extras, including a solid commentary track by co-directors Steve Box and Nick Park. There’s also a wonderful documentary that traces the history of the pair, which was created by Park as his film-school graduation project. There’s also a fascinating behind-the-scenes documentary, deleted scenes, a short film, goodies for the kids and a cute short in which one of the animators demonstrates how to make a bunny out of plasticene, the material the animators use instead of clay.
A HEAVENLY PAIRING
Reese Witherspoon and Mark Ruffalo show some great screen chemistry in the fluffy but cute and entertaining romantic comedy “Just Like Heaven” (DreamWorks, 2005; rated PG-12; 1 hour, 34 minutes plus supplemental material; original 1.85:1 widescreen format enhanced for 16:9 televisions; Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound; $29.95).
A fine dramatic actor, Ruffalo shows a real flair for comedy in this tale of a man who finds his new apartment haunted by the spirit of the young woman (Witherspoon) who used to live there. Also put to good use here is Jon Heder in his first film since he hit it big with “Napoleon Dynamite.”
The DVD of “Just Like Heaven” has some nice extras, including an interesting commentary track with director Mark Waters and his editor and director of photography as well as two good behind-the-scenes features, a gag reel and four deleted scenes, including an alternate ending.
A WORTHY SEQUEL
I had my doubts when I heard Disney was going to do a direct-to-video sequel to the 1942 classic “Bambi.” But the studio has done right by the original in “Bambi II” (Disney, 2006; 1 hour, 13 minutes plus supplemental material; original 1.78:1 widescreen format enhanced for 16:9 televisions; Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound; DTS 5.1 surround sound; $29.95).
This sequel begins when young Bambi, following the death of his mother, goes off with his father, the Prince of the Forest, voiced by Patrick Stewart. The film shows their growing relationship and sets the scene for the ending of the original.
The animation is superb and the backgrounds are just as lovely as those in the original. DVD extras include a short documentary on the making of the sequel and a trivia track. In addition, there are games for kids and a section where an animator teaches you how to draw Thumper.
CLOSE BUT NO CIGAR
Despite some high expectations, audiences just didn’t take to writer-director Cameron Crowe’s “Elizabethtown” (Paramount, 2005; rated PG-13; 2 hours, 3 minutes plus supplemental material; original 1.85:1 widescreen format enhanced for 16:9 televisions; Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound; $29.95).
The watchable if uninspiring story of a young man (Orlando Bloom) coming to terms with the death of his father and his romance with a young airline hostess (Kirsten Dunst) pretty much bombed at the box office.
Now you can check out the film on DVD, but don’t expect a lot in the way of extras. There are two short films (both slightly over two minutes) showing rehearsals and crew members, a few extended scenes and a couple of trailers, and that’s it.
All releases are due in stores today.
Contact the writer: vern2e@earthlink.net
