The Blue Elephant tells the story of Khan Kluay, an elephant born in Siam and whose father went away to war but never returned. His mother doesn't want him to know what happened to his father, as she fears he will follow in his footsteps and get involved with the humans. However, he is so desperate to learn about his father that he runs away from home, and is almost immediately caught by the humans. But are they are mean and dangerous as his mother said they were?

Good news, this film has a good story that should entertain its target audience. Bad news, that target audience in preschool to grade two or three. The voice work is also pretty good, for the most part, but nothing that really wowed me. Bad news, the animation is, while bright, very weak. It's simple in design, the movements are clumsy, and quite frankly, weaker than many TV shows that likely have a tighter schedule. (More than once I noticed characters talking while their mouths were blocked, as if the animators didn't want to have to lip-synch the voice work with the animation.)

Additionally, there are no extras on the DVD.

Sadly, The Blue Elephant is not a marquee release, despite having Jim Henson's name on the box. Those looking for entertainment on par with the Muppets will be disappointed. That said, if you have kids in the right demographic, they should be entertained and the DVD is worth a rental.

Brian Regan - The Epitome of Hyperbole - Buy from Amazon
Brian Regan's second stand-up special for Comedy Central, The Epitome of Hyperbole was part of a deal done with Comedy Central that included televised specials, a live tour, and there are rumors it might lead to a sitcom.

First a confession: I hate reviewing stand-up concerts, as I never know what to say. How do you talk about someone who does nothing but tell jokes, without spoiling the jokes? I guess you start by talking about his general style. Brian Regan comes from the observational humor school of stand-up, which includes a huge list of comedians. In fact, practically everyone on our list of stand-up is in the observational school. His material is good and his delivery varies from laid-back to manic (but very clean for those who want stand-up they can watch with their families). Not every joke works, and he does tend to hit a joke for a beat or two after he should have ended it. I laughed enough to recommend checking out the DVD, but not enough to recommend buying it blind.

Extras on the DVD are better than most stand-up concert releases, with a 4-minute encore and a 13-minute behind-the-scenes featurette.

Brian Regan has been building a fanbase for a while now, and for those fans The Epitome of Hyperbole is worth picking up. However, if you haven't seen his work but are a fan of stand-up in general, rent it first.

This season has a number of plot threads woven throughout, starting with Sam and Rebecca's desire to have a kid, which doesn't start off too well. Contradictory advice from Frasier and Lilith ensure that problem continues. However, while there are some threads, a lot of the time is spent on one-shot episodes: road trip gone wrong, Carla getting taken from a psychic con artist, Norm suffering an accident that forces the bar to move to the Crane's house, Cliff's Canadian girlfriend returns, and that's all on the first disc.

It's incredible to believe a show could run 10 years and never really slow down. Sure, there's the odd episode here and there that doesn't score, including the main storyline with Sam and Rebecca trying to have a kid, which never interested me much. But even in its 10th season, it is still batting .700, maybe even .800; that's impressive for any show, regardless of how long it has been on the air.

On the other hand, extras are non-existent. There are also no subtitles, but there are proper chapter placements and play all buttons.

For fans of Cheers, it's been a long time collecting the series on DVD. Granted, many will not be happy with the total lack of extras, but Season 10 is still worth picking up for fans. If you haven't started yet, I suggest renting the first couple of seasons, but wait before buying. There will likely be a full-series megaset released this time next year.

Child's Play - Chucky's 20th Birthday Edition - Buy from Amazon
Child's Play tells the story of a serial killer, Charles Lee Ray, who uses voodoo magic to transfer his soul into a Good Guy doll. (Suspension of disbelief is important for this movie.) But he doesn't want to stay stuck in this doll forever, and what better body for him to put his soul into than the boy who got him for his birthday?

This is a film that earned very good reviews, especially for a relatively low-budget horror movie and earned enough at the box office to make a string of sequels, none of which lived up to the quality of the original. (Although I like Jennifer Tilly's role in the latest two.) It's scary enough for horror fans, but has enough humor to not feel monotonous; additionally, it was one of the better examples of the killer doll sub-genre (although I've always been partial to the Puppet Master franchise).

However, while the movie was good and the fanbase strong, the previous DVD was... what's the term? Crap? Nope, utter crap. No real extras, poor audio and video, etc. Fortunately for fans, that's not a problem this time around. Extras start with a pair of audio commentary tracks, the first featuring two of the actors (Catherine Hicks and Alex Vincent), as well as the designer of the Chucky doll, Kevin Yagher. The second track is with the producer, David Kirschner, and the screenwriter, Don Manchini. Both offer a lot of information on the film, from very different perspectives. (It is unusual for both tracks to be so heavy in information, because usually the crew track offers the information and the cast track offers entertainment.) There are also select scene commentaries done by 'Chucky', but these are more for laughs. There's a three-part making-of featurette than runs 25 minutes called Evil Comes in Small Packages. This deals with the origins of the story, how the script was sold, etc. Very solid with excellent replay value. Chucky: Building a Nightmare is a 10-minute featurette on the making of the doll. Given the groundbreaking nature of the animatronics in this movie, this is a great featurette. A Monster Convention is five and a half minute panel from 2007 with some of the cast and crew. There is also a 6-minute vintage featurette, which is a kick to watch, but the other featurettes cover the same information, and in more detail. Finally, rounding out the extras are the trailers and some images.

For fans of Child's Play, the Chucky's 20th Birthday Edition is a must have, even if you have the previous edition. Fans of horror films who have not seen the first incarnation of this franchise should also checking it out. Many that do will end up buying it. (I wouldn't say the same about the sequels.)

Lobster Tale - Buy from Amazon
Colm Meaney stars as Cody Brewster, a New England lobsterman who has fallen on hard times. He doesn't have enough money to pay the bills, but he still has a caring wife (Alberta Watson) and a loving son (Jack Knight). However, his fortunes take a turn for the better when he finds some green seaweed that has miracle properties. And I don't mean miracle properties like the kind some advertising firms claim the latest anti-wrinkle cream has, I mean miracle properties like the kind that can re-attach a severed finger. When the townsfolk hear of this (including Sheriff Dan (Graham Greene), which is likely the only recognizable name outside of Colm Meaney in the movie) they want to use it for their own, sometimes selfish ends. However, the supply of moss is very limited and everyone in the town wants to use it for themselves.

A lightweight family movie that suffers from the same clichés that most wish-granter movies do. That said, while the moral of the tale is laid out in a rather heavy-handed fashion, overall the movie does have its charm, especially the performances of Colm Meaney, Graham Greene, and the various other cast members (most of whom are character actors). It is the kind of movie you can watch and enjoy, but won't leave a lasting impression, nor does it have a lot of replay value. Perfect for a rental.

The only extra on the DVD is a 7-minute making-of featurette, which is a mixture of talking heads, behind-the-scenes footage, and clips from the movie. It is worth checking out, but as the only extra on the DVD, it's not much.

Lobster Tale is a low-budget movie made in Canada a few years ago that slipped between the cracks. Most such films do. It played in a few film festivals, even won a few awards, and is certainly worth checking out. However, rent the DVD first as there are not enough extras and the replay value might not be high enough for a blind buy.

The episodes presented here are...

• Minnie's Mystery
  Minnie made a dozen blueberry muffins, but someone eats a bunch of them, so it is up to you to help Detective Minnie find the mystery guest.
  
• Donald the Forg Princess
  Ludwig Von Drake creates a potion to turn people into frogs, as part of a plan to get kisses from princess. But when Donald Duck accidentally drinks it, he has to find Princess Daisy to turn back.
• Minnie Red Riding Hood
  Goofy caught a cold while camping, so Minnie makes him some soup to help him feel better. However, Pete wants the soup for himself, so the gang has to find their way to Goofy, while avoiding Pete.
• Sleeping Minnie
  Minnie falls victim to a sleeping rose and now Mickey needs to find the golden harp to wake her up, but there are many obstacles in his way, but with the help of his friends, and his Mouseketools, will he be able to make it there and back?

Compared to other similar releases from Disney, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse - Mickey's Storybook Surprises is good value for the money. If your little ones like the previous releases, they should like this one, especially if they like fairytales.

• Super-Size Darby
  Rabbit tries to get his pumpkin to grow super fast, so he invents a growth formula. However, when some of it spill on Darby, she suddenly grows super tall. But while she loves her new height at first, she learns it's better to be small.
• Piglet's Lightning Frightening
  Piglet makes a picnic for the Super Sleuths, but a sudden thunderstorm forces them inside. However, while the Super Sleuths are fine, Piglet is scared by the thunder and lightning. Will the Super Sleuths be able to help him get over his fears?
• Eeyores's Trip to the Moon
  The gang finds a rock that is shaped like the missing part of he moon, so they gang decides to go to the moon to put the rock back. But after the launch goes poorly, will they make it to the moon?
• The Incredible Shrinking Roo
  After along summer, Roo wants to check to see how much he's grown. However, when they check him against the mark on the sunflower, he appears to have shrunk, which is a mystery perfect for the Super Sleuths.
• Eeyore's Home Sweet Home
  Eeyore's house is destroyed, again, the Super Sleuths look to make him a new house. But everyone has a different idea on what makes the perfect house.
• Rabbit's Prize Pumpkin
  Rabbit is growing a prize pumpkin so he can win a blue ribbon. However, in his desire to protect his pumpkin, he becomes increasingly paranoid, so much so that he might do more damage to his pumpkin than all the dangers he is imagining.

A great release for the pre-school set, if you have enjoyed the previous My Friends Tigger & Pooh DVDs, then Hundred Acre Woods Haunt is certainly worth picking up.

Two friends, Phillip and Erik, are at the brink of their writing careers just pausing momentarily before sending off their manuscripts to the publisher. We are then told what happens when both their books are published, apparently it involves poor sales, cult status, writer's block, sabbatical to France, suicide, and the delusions of speaking Japanese, to name a few things. Then the Narrator stops and we get back to the real story. In this story one will be rejected (Erik) and one will become an instant celebrity (Phillip) but we look back at the two in six months and see who got the better deal.

The script here is excellent, very witty, and the way the movie jumps back and even gives us 'alternate events' like the ones described above adds to the literary quality. It is also one of the few complaints leveled against the film, as some found the less than linear storytelling either confusing or pretentious. I think this is unfair, although I might not be able to write a 100% accurate timeline of the real events of the movie. The acting was also strong, which is a fact made even more impressive as the three leads were all newcomers, as was the writer / director. However, I don't think any of these people will have trouble finding more work in the future.

Extras on the DVD start with a seven-minute featurette on the cast of the movie. Next up is a eight-minute featurette on the director, Joachim Trier. Joachim Trier and fellow co-writer Eskil Vogt sit down and discuss how they met and started working together in the featurette, Anecdotes. Next up is a four-minute featurette on the making of one of the scenes. Next up are a doze deleted scenes with a total running time of 16 minute and 30 seconds, which means most of very short, but there are a few that add a bit more to the story. Rounding out the extras is something called So Sorry, which is hard to explain. It's a collection of many of the actors saying the word sorry, in English. Apparently it is common for Danish people to do this, at least that's what everyone was telling Olivier Bugge Coutté, who is Danish. He is also the editor, so he cut together a collection of the Norwegian actors doing the same. I don't know how common it is, but at least one of the actors also swears in English.

Reprise earned amazing reviews and got off to a great start in limited release. However, it couldn't maintain its momentum as it expanded. That said, earning more than $500,000 is great for a foreign language and was enough to convince the studio to release a DVD that is not only worth checking out, but it is worth buying over just renting.

Street Kings - DVD - Buy from Amazon
This is a film that hit DVD a couple weeks ago, actually, it hit DVD and Blu-ray, but I don't have a copy of the High Definition release, so I won't be reviewing that. But onto the movie.

Keanu Reeves plays Detective Tom Ludlow, a cop who is not exactly dirty in the traditional sense of the word, but he is certainly not clear. His Captain and his partners in vice squad have been skirting the laws to get the bad guys. However, his former partner has gone to Internal Affairs, but despite this when he is killed, Tom Ludlow seeks revenge, and then things really start to go south.

The film earned weak reviews and while it opened well, it collapsed completely its second weekend of release. Given that, I had low, low expectations for this film. However, while the movie is far from perfect, it does have enough going for it that it is worth checking out. The script is a little overloaded with story of corruption and there's at least one too many surprise twists. There's too much weight for the movie to support, which is a shame since it had potential.

Extras on the DVD are much better than the box office production would indicate, with an audio commentary track with the director, which leans heavily towards the information end of the spectrum, however, while it might be a bit dry at times, there are almost no dead spots, and it is worth listening to. Next up are close to 12 minutes of deleted scenes, also with optional audio commentary. There are also 10 alternate scenes, which range in length from just over a minute, to just over six and in total they run nearly 30 minutes. Street Rules: Rolling with David Ayer & Jaime FitzSimons in a seventeen and a half minute tour of the neighborhood the film takes place in. L.A. Bete Noir: Writing 'Street Kings is about the script, as the name would indicate, and runs just under 5 minutes. Street Cred is a 4-minute look at some of the secondary characters in the movie. There are four 'vignettes' and four more behind-the-scenes featurettes dealing with stunts, casting, the actors' training, etc. They are too small to be effective, and should have been combined into a larger featurette with more cohesion.

Additionally, the DVD comes with a digital copy of the movie.

Street Kings is a movie with a lot of potential, but a rather flawed execution. I'm not particularly happy with the final film, and I can't be too enthusiastic with my recommendation, but the DVD is worth a rental for most.

Thankfully, not much.

The video is the same, the audio has got a smart upgrade to Dolby TrueHD 5.1 Surround track. However, the extras are all the same, right down to my problems connecting to the network. (It's like I'm cursed. And since I was able to download a patch, it can't be a problem on my end.) I'll try again next week to see if things have changed.

The Blu-ray debut of The Transformers is even better than the first time it hit High Definition, but only by a very small margin. Additionally, in the time between releases, what was groundbreaking before is now just commonplace for a monster hit such as this. For instance, Picture-in-Picture is relatively common now. That said, it is worth grabbing, especially if you bought the DVD, as there is a mail-in rebate to get $10 back. (Sadly, people who bought just the HD DVD version can't participate in the rebate program.