JAM Reviews Cyrus from 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment

Cyrus: Blu-Ray: Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment
Review by JAM

A man truly down on his luck, upset by the fact that his ex-wife is remarrying has found the woman of his dreams that accepts him for all his quirks, faults, and strengths. But she has a secret, her son Cyrus.

John (John C. Reilly) and Molly (Marisa Tomei) really seem to hit it off in a way that neither of them expected but Molly keeps a side of herself hidden from John. A single mother to an adult son that is a bit different, Molly worries that it might scare John away. Cyrus (Jonah Hill) adds to the messed up mix-ups himself by playing the two lovebirds against themselves in order to get his mom back to himself. The manipulations grow larger by the minute as John and Cyrus play a game around Molly where the winner may never be the same and Molly may end up even worse.

Cyrus from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment also stars Catherine Keener as Jamie, John’s ex-wife who plays a part in his life still whether she always wants to or not.

JAMS Ink on Cyrus

I am not usually a “relationship” movie guy, and that is truly what the heart of this movie is. John (John C. Reilly) is a down on his luck guy that needs a break, something many of us need these days. And he finds a woman that is willing to give him that chance in Marisa Tomei’s Molly. She catches him urinating in the bushes during a party, listens to his depressive rant about how down he is, and then still dances and parties with him in his drunken stupor. They make an odd couple who strangely relate well to each other when paired together, but as any third wheel relationship movie (i.e. You, Me, and Depree) when the extra man is added everything goes to heck. The interplay between the three is actually interesting enough to keep watching the movie, but to be honest the best portions are in the interplay between Molly and John throughout the movie. Marisa and John prove their mettle in making the relationship truly realistic to the viewer.

Cyrus (Jonah Hill) is a momma’s boy to the utmost with interesting quirks and qualities that would definitely be overwhelming for anyone getting to know, let alone get to know his mom. His music making was an enjoyable part of the movie as well as an interesting look at a man-boy whose life was about to change and the lengths he would go to stop it. You almost feel sorry for his character except that you can see the actions coming from miles away and have no real desire to give him any sympathy.

The film overall was an interesting look at the realities of relationships, especially in the day and age of single parenting due to desire or circumstances. It also showed the speedbumps that we can face in any relationship and an introspective look at whether things are worth the hassle or not. I give it a recommendation if you are a fan of the major actors or the relationship issues within a trio of people.

EXTRAS

Deleted Scenes – These can either be played with or without the director introductions as to why the pieces were left out. One is a puppet show montage showing the John/Molly/Cyrus relationship through interpretive theater by John and finger puppets, while the other is a look at the destructive nature of the Cyrus move out as he travels a path of self-loathing and panic.

Q&A with the directors Jay and Mark Duplass – Just as it says, a chance to see the directors discuss anything that comes up.

Music Mash Up – This is a chance to see Jonah Hill and John C. Reilly goof aroundon a synthesizer as they talk about the movie.

Behind the Scenes at SXSW – The directors and stars of the film attend the Austin Texas film festival where the movie premiered.

Fox Movie Channel Presents In Character – John C Reilly and Jonah Hill discussing their characters and the movie.

Cyrus from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment meanders onto shelves on December 14, 2010. Grab a copy if you like John C. Reilly, Jonah Hill, or Marisa Tomei, or if you just want to feel so much better about your own relationship or life.

CYRUS Blu-Ray:
Street Date: December 14, 2010
Screen Format: Widescreen
Audio: English 5.1 DTS HD Master Audio
French 5.1 Dolby Digital
Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital
Subtitles: English and Spanish
U.S. Rating: R
Total Run Time: 157 minutes
Closed Captioned: Yes

Remember check out this review and more from JAM at www.hollywoodteenzine.com for teens and tweens, and at http://jammoviereviews.blogspot.com for movies of all genres and ages.

JAM Reviews The Dolphin: Story of a Dreamer from 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment

The Dolphin: Story of a Dreamer: DVD: Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment
Review by JAM

The Dolphin: Story of a Dreamer from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment, and based on Sergio Bambarén’s novel, follows the journey of Daniel, a dolphin who dreams of a better life. Daniel lives in an environment where dreams have died and are forbidden and he yearns for something more.

In this day and age of PG-13 animation that tries to capture the minds of adults as well as children (hoping the jokes go over their head), Daniel is a welcome hero to kids and parents as well. Dreaming of a better world, Daniel goes out to find it rather than just waiting for things to change. And in the process of searching for answers, he actually becomes an inspiration to many and makes a better world by himself.

JAMS Ink on The Dolphin: Story of a Dreamer

The animation is a little stilted, the message is a bit preachy, but overall the movie is a good kids’ movie with good lessons to learn. Always allowing yourself to dream and always being ready to pursue that dream are two lessons that every kid needs to learn, and Daniel learns that himself as he travels the ocean in search of the perfect wave. Along the way he meets many other ocean denizens who learn lessons from him, though he may not realize it at the time. And thank goodness he makes those friends, because they come in handy at the end.

The Dolphin: Story of a Dreamer flips onto shelves on December 7, 2010. Swim along and grab a copy for your little flipper today.

THE DOLPHIN: STORY OF A DREAMER DVD:
Street Date: December 7, 2010
Screen Format: Fullscreen/Widescreen
Audio: English 5.1 Dolby Digital
Spanish Dolby Surround
Subtitles: English, Spanish, French
U.S. Rating: PG
Total Run Time: 103 minutes
Closed Captioned: Yes

Remember check out this review and more from JAM at www.hollywoodteenzine.com for teens and tweens, and at http://jammoviereviews.blogspot.com for movies of all genres and ages.

JAM Reviews Thomas & Friends: The Lion of Sodor from Lionsgate/HIT Entertainment

Thomas & Friends: The Lion of Sodor: Lionsgate/HIT Entertainment
Review by JAM

Thomas finds that his special delivery is not as special as he thinks as the lion he carries is not alive but rather a statue. His excitement cause him to ignore what his friends try to tell him and lead to further issues down the tracks in the main story on Thomas & Friends: The Lion of Sodor.

JAMS Ink on Thomas & Friends: The Lion of Sodor

Listening. That’s really all you need to know about this collection of stories, because it is the most important lesson that comes off of this DVD and an excellent way for young children to learn from their animated friends. It definitely could be a godsend in the right household to help your kids learn that all of us have problems with listening now and then, not just them. And in watching others work on their listening skills it should in turn help them. That is what every parent hopes for, so grab a copy of Thomas and work on listening skills with them.

Episodes include:
“Lion of Sodor”
“Thomas and the Pigs”
“Time for a Story”
“Hiro Helps Out”

Bonus Features

Party Train Match Game
“Determination” Karaoke Song
Bonus Episode: Timmy Time™ Sneak Peek- “Timmy’s Plane”

PROGRAM INFORMATION
Rating: NR
Genre: Children/Family/Ages 2-5
Closed Captioned: English Closed Captioned
Format: Full Screen
Feature Running Time: 48 minutes
DVD Audio Status: English, Spanish and French 2.0 Dolby Digital
Website: www.thomasandfriends.com

Thomas & Friends: The Lion of Sodor roars onto shelves on December 7, 2010. Quit “lion” around and grab a copy for your little cub today.

Remember check out this review and more from JAM at www.hollywoodteenzine.com for teens and tweens, and at http://jammoviereviews.blogspot.com for movies of all genres and ages.

HTZ's Natalia Reviews Toy Story 3 from Disney Pixar Studios

Hollywood Teen'Zine's Junior Reporter Natalia reviews Toy Story 3 on DVD. Check out this movie that is enjoyable for all ages and is voiced by Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, and Ned Beatty! Check out the video here:

JAM Reviews Knight and Day from 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment

Knight and Day: Blu-Ray/DVD/Digital Copy Combo: Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment
Review by JAM

Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz star in an adventure/comedy of errors in Twentieth Century Fox’s Knight and Day. June Havens (Diaz) is on her way back home for her sister’s wedding with a plethora of car parts in her luggage (for her restoring business) when she is bumped into by the man of her dreams or at least he might be. Roy Miller (Tom Cruise) is a seemingly dashing and debonair man of mystery who conveniently bumps into June multiple times at the Wichita airport, leading June to believe fate has drawn them close. Instead it seems June has been drawn into the world of espionage, double crosses, and misinformation by Roy who may or may not be the man she wants in her life.

Crashing planes, car chases, and fire fights fill their time together as June begins to discover the truth behind the lies and finds out where the future lies. A futuristic battery that may hold the keys to ending the energy crisis of the future is the central point of a movie full of twists, turns, and explosions. Charged with treason or cruising down to Cape Horn, find out what the future holds for June and Roy.

JAMS Ink on Knight and Day

This really an oxymoron of a movie in that I enjoyed it, but I did not really enjoy the main actors as the characters they played in the film. I couldn’t tell if they were playing this movie as serious and making this movie a comedy by overacting or if they were playing things for laughs and just not connecting right.

Tom Cruise’s character comes off as either unlikeable or just overly smug with himself. A secret agent saving the world usually comes off extremely likeable and smooth like Pierce Brosnan’s James Bond or someone nasty you can trust like Daniel Craig’s Bond. Cruise comes off as a goofball or a psycho serial killer instead of a secret agent with a past which is what I think the character was supposed to be. So even as I found myself enjoying the movie overall I found myself questioning the character and determining that even if he was “saving the world” I really didn’t enjoy it. Maybe it is just Tom Cruise bias on my part but I really enjoyed his Mission Impossible series so I can buy him as the secret agent, but I just could not buy him as Roy Miller. In researching the movie after seeing it, I guess it had been in production limbo for quite some time with a variety of actors attached to it, all of whom can play the funny guy a bit better. Maybe that was the problem I had with him in that the part really did not ever seem to be under his control.

As for Cameron Diaz, my problem with her was during the “serious” parts. I loved her in Charlie’s Angels when she was pretty much goofy for the entire movies. In fact, almost any of her comedies I really enjoy and for parts of this movie I enjoyed her as well. But when she became the “I have to save Roy Miller” motorcycle-riding, gymnast, sharpshooter while escaping the bad guys, her facial expressions became funny to me. Rather than the hardened superstar, she looked constipated or grumpy, or maybe both. Once again, for the majority of the movie I was enjoying the typical Cameron comedic characterization, but I really think that assassins/superspy/tough girl characters are not her forte.

For my recommendation… If you are a fan of either actor, it can be a fun romp through the spy world at times, but it also has its moments that just feel wrong. An enjoyable watch, but far less than it could have been in my opinion.

EXTRAS

KNIGHT AND DAY 3-Disc Combo Pack Blu-ray with Digital Copy
Disc 1:
• BD Disc with Theatrical Version
• Wilder Knights and Crazier Days
• Boston Days and Spanish Knights
• Knight and “Someday”: Featuring the Black Eyed Peas and Tom Cruise
• Viral Video: Soccer
• Viral Video: Kick
• Knight and Day: Story
• Knight and Day: Scope
• Theatrical Trailer
• BD-Live Extras
 What’s New
 Live LookUp
 Exclusive: Not Your Regular Spy
 Highlight: Excerpt from Wilder Knights and Crazier Days

Disc 2:
• DVD with Theatrical Version
• Wilder Knights and Crazier Days
• Knight and “Someday”: Featuring the Black Eyed Peas and Tom Cruise
• Viral Video: Soccer
• Viral Video: Kick
• Theatrical Trailer

Disc 3:
• Digital Copy


Wilder Knights and Crazier Days – an interesting little featurette that mainly looks at a number of the stunts in the movie, and Tom Cruise wanting to do his own stunts.

Boston Days and Spanish Knights – locations, locations, locations… A look at the locales in which the film takes place.

Knight and “Someday” Featuring the Black Eyed Peas and Tom Cruise – Tom Cruise, Katie Holmes, and the Black Eyed Peas in London hanging together and premiering the end credit song “Someday”.

Viral Video: Soccer – Tom and Cameron playing soccer. Computer animated I am sure, because it is too perfect, too amazing, and too fake to be real.

Viral Video: Kick – Tom and Cameron working on Cameron’s kicks with the conveniently placed super kick that sends Tom flying backwards over a table. Not sure what purpose these videos served other than bugging me due to their fakeness. Wish they would have added some deleted scenes or outtakes instead.

Knight and Day: Story/Knight and Day: Scope – Both promos with interviews and film clips interspersed.

Knight and Day from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment finds its way onto store shelves on November 30, 2010. Grab a copy if you like Tom Cruise, Cameron Diaz, or enjoy a sometimes light-hearted attempt at a spy drama.

KNIGHT AND DAY
Street Date: November 30, 2010
Screen Format: Widescreen (2.40:1)
Audio: English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio (BD)/English 5.1 Dolby Digital (DVD)
Spanish and French 5.1 Dolby Digital (BD)/Spanish and French Dolby Surround (DVD)
Subtitles: English for the Deaf and the Hard of Hearing, Spanish
Total Running Time: 2:56:00 (BD)/2:52:32 (DVD)
U.S. Rating: PG-13
Closed Captioned: Yes

Remember check out this review and more from JAM at www.hollywoodteenzine.com for teens and tweens, and at http://jammoviereviews.blogspot.com for movies of all genres and ages.

JAM Reviews 12 Men of Christmas from 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment

12 Men of Christmas: DVD: Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment
Review by JAM

Kristin Chenoweth plays E.J. Baxter, a New York publicist who is living the perfect life with the great job, great apartment, and great fiancée until it all comes crashing down. Betrayed by those who she trusted most, she finds her opportunities in dwindling and a Montana getaway as her only chance to reestablish herself. Original feelings of disappointment, spite, and resentment start turning into something completely different as this small town life and its people start to grow on her. Josh Hopkins also stars as Will Albrecht, the pain in her side that stymies her every plan until he finds himself falling madly in pain with her. Pain as in love that feels so wrong…

Making a calendar to support the local search and rescue (and herself in the long run), E.J. begins to find herself and the life she always really wanted. The men of the search and rescue find their own challenges in standing up for something off the cuff.

JAMS Ink on 12 Men of Christmas

Cute little Lifetime movie with the cutest little actress Kristin Chenoweth playing a hateable/likeable character that finds a little piece of herself when she loses everything. The small town grows on the big city girl who finds herself falling for the town, the rough and tumble guy, and the life that she never knew she could have.

It is a Lifetime movie so don’t expect high powered drama or comedy but is a good movie to add to the Christmas time rotation. Heartfelt ideals of saving a small town search and rescue clash with the pushy side of New York life. It is a bit too much of a cookie cutter ending, but it was a fun movie evening with that special someone without too much commitment.

Anna Chlumsky has come a long way from being the little girl in My Girl to staying busy in Hollywood nowadays as well. It is interesting to see a blast from the past as an older version, except that it makes you feel that much older then.

12 Men of Christmas from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment slides onto shelves on November 23, 2010, waiting for you to graba copy for someone’s stocking. So grab a copy and let someone unwrap the fun inside.

Remember check out this review and more from JAM at www.hollywoodteenzine.com for teens and tweens, and at http://jammoviereviews.blogspot.com for movies of all genres and ages.

JAM Reviews Vampires Suck from 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment

Vampires Suck: Blu-ray/Digital Copy Combo: Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment
Review by JAM

Taken from the pages of Twilight and turned into something else completely, Vampires Suck follows the story of the lost soul Becca Crane (Jenn Proske) and her ethereal Edward Sullen (Matt Lanter) in a love affair for the ages and the laughs. Much in the vein of the Scary Movie franchise, Vampire Sucks spoofs the story of the Twilight crew while maintaining pieces of the storyline from Twilight and Twilight: New Moon. And the DVD and Blu-ray Digital Copy Combo pack each come with the theatrical version of the movie and the unrated extended version.

From the wild pack of Were- Chihuahuas to the recast actress joke to Old Man Scully (David DeLuise) getting some unexpected shots in, Vampires Suck tries to keep the viewer guessing while spoofing an established phenomenon at the same time. It is an interesting spoof for Twilight fans that can laugh at the craziness and for Twilight haters that want to see the movies made fun of. So if you fit into those catagories (and it seems much of the world does) take a look at Vampires Suck.

JAMS Ink on Vampires Suck

For those who are not Twilight fans, Jenn Proske’s portrayal of Becca is spot-on in a manner of speaking. Bella in Twilight has the deep in thought stare, which is mildly amusing the first couple times Kristen Stewart uses it, but slightly less enjoyable after seeing Bella stare off yet again and again. Jenn spoofs it well, so that it is so over-the-top that it is fun to watch.

Matt Lanter’s Edward is interesting as well, as he has the over-the-top “I’m beautiful” look that Robert Pattinson perfected in Twilight. Throw in a scene on Becca’s intoxicating scent and the vampire’s sparkle/bling and you have a vampiric spoof. Add Chris Riggi as Jacob the Were- Chihuahua with a crazy hairy chest and you have the wolf side of the story as well. And finally, just a pinch of Diedrich Bader (one of my favorite actors from the Drew Carey show and Batman from the Batman: The Brave and the Bold cartoon) and you have a movie that is at least worth checking out. So give a watch and see what you think.

EXTRAS

Deleted Scenes - 5 scenes that really were worth being on the cutting room floor. Mexican Vampires is a modification of the Canadian invaders that the movie seems to focus on.

Gag Reel – Filled with outtakes and mess-ups, especially funny are the out of their control trains and planes that seem to invade a number of scenes.

Vampires Suck from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment stalks its way onto shelves, waiting for you to suck it up on November 30, 2010. Grab a copy and let the sparkly vampires guide your way.

Remember check out this review and more from JAM at www.hollywoodteenzine.com for teens and tweens, and at http://jammoviereviews.blogspot.com for movies of all genres and ages.