The
Fanboy Planet Gift Guide For 2006
Part 3: The DVDs M-Z (Well, Really S)
I
didn't want to push it by throwing in Zoolander or something,
so we'll end with Superman, as you probably knew we would.
(Part
1 of the Gift Guide) (Part
2 of the Gift Guide)
 Monster
House:
Unfairly unreviewed by us because it came out the same week
as Comic-Con, Monster House was one of the best films
of the year. If I had time for a Top Ten list, it would be
there. Playing out as if Ray Bradbury wrote a Rankin-Bass
special, this doesn't hit a false note anywhere. It's creepy,
but in a light-hearted way so that kids can really get into
it. The child actors feel real, and their characterizations
are dead on, hitting the highs and lows of being at that awkward
"tween" stage. Even Jon Heder, rapidly becoming a one-note
actor otherwise, creates something that feels different as
the town's resident geek. Far enough away from realistic so
as not to be as disturbing as The Polar Express, the
CG motion capture is freed to present something real, if fantastic.
In 3D, which we saw it in at Comic-Con, it works astonishingly
well. Unfortunately, the DVD doesn't offer that option, but
that's likely because home video hasn't quite captured that
feel. Maybe in a couple of years, but for now, it doesn't
matter. If you missed this one in the theaters, you won't
regret going ahead and buying it now. Monster House
will be a perennial.
Monster
House (Widescreen Edition)
 Robin
Hood, Most Wanted Edition:
This one has always had a soft spot in my heart, so I include
it for selfish reasons. The second animated feature without
Walt Disney's direct input, Robin Hood has been maligned
as the first sign of the studio's decline in animation until
The Little Mermaid fifteen years later. Yes, it lifts
its dance sequence straight out of Snow White, a
sin not nearly as egregious as Brother Bear 2 taking
a whole fight scene from Tarzan, because it's a minor
moment instead of a desperation move. Robin Hood
has fun songs from Roger Miller, which this DVD separates
out for sing-alongs. Despite it being an English legend
with only a few English characters thrown up against a bunch
of Western sidekicks, the mash-up works. Phil Harris does
little to distinguish Little John from his work as Baloo,
but it's still good. So why the selfish reasons? I showed
this to my daughter when she was two, and we had to watch
it over and over again. I'll never forget the smile on her
face as she fell in love with Little John, and so I'll always
love this movie.
Robin
Hood (Most Wanted Edition)
Scrubs:
Just recently thrown into syndication, Scrubs is
having a bit of a renaissance as people discover what a
damned funny (and poignant) show this is. Even the worst
episodes are still good, and I'm saying that as a strange
generalization because I have not found an episode that
I think is bad at all -- and that's saying something. Each
and every season set (four released so far) has had extras
worth watching, whether it be interviews with different
cast members or highlighting the unusual work environment
of the show. For me, the highlight episodes have included
Brendan Fraser's guest turns (in Seasons 1 and 3) that served
to remind me that he was a good actor before The Mummy
and Looney Tunes: Back In Action. But the guest
turns wouldn't be half as effective if they weren't in one
of the best ensembles in sitcom history. Yes, I've said
it. Now you need to get it.
Superman Ultimate Collector's Edition
The Christopher Reeve Superman Collection:
 Frustratingly
in the Silicon Valley, the Ultimate Collector's Edition
sold out well before Christmas. Some of us were counting
on using that Christmas money for this Holy Grail of geek
outs that included everything you could possibly ever want
of Superman in the movies -- except for Kirk Alyn's serials,
which are available separately but dipped into heavily for
the various documentaries and featurettes in this set. All
of it comes packaged in a nice commemorative tin. Most of
it, however, is available separately. Only Bryan Singer's
webisodic journal and the pilot to Superpup is
exclusive to the tin, and I'll be honest -- when it came
to a choice of paying a lot more on eBay for that, I realized
that Superpup is just disturbing. Elsewhere, we'd
reviewed Superman
II - The Richard Donner Cut and Superman
Returns, so copies of those DVDs were already on
my shelf. That left the comprehensive Christopher Reeve
stuff, which comes neatly boxed together and, if you shop
right, it's cheaper to buy the box and get Superman
III and IV than it would be to buy Superman:
The Movie and Superman II alone. The Christopher
Reeve Superman Collection is why I waited four years
or so to get these films on DVD, because in my heart of
hearts, I knew this set had to be coming. You get the Fleischer
Brothers/Famous Studios cartoons digitally remastered. You
get George Reeves' debut in the suit, Superman and the
Mole Men. I haven't had time to go through all the
documentaries, but leaped right to the Superman's 50th
Anniversary TV special. A buried gem that I had taped
off of TV in 1988, this hour is absolutely fun. Lorne Michaels
produced it, and among its writers are Robert Smigel, better
known today as Triumph the Insult Comic Dog. It's sharp,
funny and affectionate, hosted by Dana Carvey back when
his smirk was amusing. Smigel makes a cameo as Brainwave,
proof that the writers really did know their comic books,
though the special covers the character in all media. Peter
Boyle has a scene as the proprietor of a supervillain supermarket
that's just perfectly dry, and a nice little capper to watch
in tribute to him. I could go on, but really, you just have
to experience this collection for yourself. If you can find
the tin, do it, but the smaller box set is no small consolation.
The
Christopher Reeve Superman Collection - (8-Disc Deluxe Special
Edition)
Superman Ultimate Collector's Edition
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