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Not an ideal choice for younger kids, this hip and violent animated feature from Disney was nevertheless a huge smash in theaters and on video, and it continues to enjoy life in an acclaimed Broadway production. The story finds a lion cub, son of a king, sent into exile after his father is sabotaged by a rivalrous uncle. The little hero finds his way into the "circle of life" with some new friends and eventually comes back to reclaim his proper place. Characters are very strong, vocal performances by the likes of Jeremy Irons, Nathan Lane, and Whoopi Goldberg are terrific, the jokes are aimed as much (if not more) at adults than kids, the animation is sometimes breathtaking, and the music is more palatable than in many Disney features. But be cautious: this is too intense for the Rugrat crowd. --Tom Keogh

How good-looking is the DVD restoration of Disney's popular animated film? Take a look at the serviceable but dull film clips incorporated in the plethora of extras and compare them to the vivid gorgeousness of the film presentation. This "special edition" also adds a 90-second song ("Morning Report") that originated in the lavish stage musical. To Disney's credit, the original theatrical version is also included, both restored and featuring two 5.1 soundtracks: Dolby Digital and a new Disney Enhanced Home Theater Mix, which does sound brighter. As with the Disney Platinum line, everything is thrown into the discs, except an outsider's voice (the rah-rahs of Disney grow tiresome at times). The excellent commentary from the directors and producer, originally on the laser disc, is hidden under the audio set-up menu.

The second disc is organized by 20-minute-ish "journeys" tackling the elements of story, music, et cetera, including good background on the awkward Shakespearean origins at Disney where it was referred as "Bamlet." The most interesting journey follows the landmark stage production, and the kids should be transfixed by shots of the real African wildlife in the animal journey. Three deleted segments are real curios, including an opening lyric for "Hakuna Matata." Most set-top DVD games are usually pretty thin (DVD-ROM is where it's at), but the Safari game is an exception--the kids should love the roaring animals (in 5.1 Surround, no less). One serious demerit goes to the needless and complicated second navigation system that is listed by continent, but just shows the same features reordered. --Doug Thomas ... Read more

Reviews (339)

Well worth your hard earned money
This new two disc set for the Lion King is yet another masterful DVD production job by the Disney folks. The video and audio quality are top notch, with plenty of choices how to see the film (both original and extended). There are an amazing amount of extras included on disc two, it will take some hunting to find them all, and quite a bit of extra time to view the entire contents. A few are overly self promotional, but there is so much stuff here, just skip to the next item if that bothers you. Some of the games are actually fun too.

With both Lion King and Sleeping Beauty being newly released on DVD right now, if you can only get one of them, there is no question this is by far the better choice. The impressive animation, the story, the fantastic sound, the extras are all superior in this Lion King package. This still isn't my favorite Disney release (Roger Rabbit will always have that honor), but maybe top 5--certainly top 8.

Lion King Platinum is well worth the investment for your DVD collection. Your family will get many years of enjoyment from it.

The Lion King
The first time I ever saw "The Lion King" was on September 14th 1995, the day it came out on video. Strangely, I went to all of Disney's releases from "The Little Mermaid" to "Aladdin" (including rereleases of their older classics) but missed out on "The Lion King". Silly me. "The Lion King" is a masterpiece. The film is visually amazing. Some scenes stand out in particular; such as the wild-beast stampede and the opening sequence. The movie wouldn't be completed without the powerful score and songs, composed by Hans Zimmer and Elton John, respectively. The Oscar-winning "Can You Feel The Love Tonight" and the ever-popular "Circle Of Life" are all here. The characters in this movie have also become wildly popular, especially Timon and Pumbaa. The villain, Scar, is the ultimate villian: evil and deceitful, yet wit and sarcastic. In this 2-disc special edition, the film looks like a video-game, in terms of sharpness and clearity. You won't believe of how smooth the image can be. "The Lion King" is a movie that deserves all the praise and success that it had gotten.

Earns its place among the old Disney classics
Animation films are incredibly tricky. Adults(or just mainly uptight people view animated films as kids only. However kids see them as great pieces of film that they "get". For once, Disney gets it right. This was really a powerhouse film when it came out and held the record for the biggest animated film of all time(until recently when a so-so film about finding a fish called Nemo came out).

Simba is a young lion in the Serengeti(they call it the Pride Lands though) who just can't wait to be king. However, he's a mischievous little cub who gets into trouble a bit easy. When a terrible tragedy strikes, Simba exiles himself where he meets a warthog and meerkat and develops a carefree lifestyle. Now an adult, he returns to the Pride Lands to reclaim the throne from his evil uncle, Scar.

Sounds a bit like Hamlet huh? But you won't care. Many impossibly catchy songs, funny moments and jokes and words that even appeal to adults(do you really think a kid would understand "illustrating the differences in your royal mangerial approaches"? Exactly.)

Voice acting is top notch, animation is absolutely gorgeous, and it's done by hand by the way, none of that Finding Nemo/Toy Story/A Bug's Life CGI stuff. There's a reason why this is considered the best Disney film but you owe it to yourself to find out why.

This is NOT a violent movie for kids
I'm sorry, but if you found this movie to be too violent for kids over the age of five, then you're robbing your children of a valuable experience. Yes, there is death. Yes, it is not a safe and simple death. But kids CAN handle it. An evil man killed a great man. It's not a theme that kids should enjoy, but it's one that is of particular resonance to us as Americans. This movie is simple, beautiful and moving- seemingly one of Disney's last treasures. While the Broadway show may be even more moving, this movie has the power to move us. I hope you'll see it if you haven't. I hope you'll let your kids watch it if you haven't. And I hope you'll enjoy it as much as I have. Humbly submitted, -Matt Calcara, Overland Park, KS

Best movie of all times
I really love this movie it was so cute and the songs were great I gave my neice this movie when she was born and she watches it all the time and she is 7 years old now Thanks to everyone who created it your the best ... Read more

Amazon.com

This two-disc presentation of the popular sequel delivers a better sounding DVD and looks a bit better than the initial release (although the original was pretty sharp). There are no changes in the film except a pop-up viewing mode with facts--fun and otherwise--about the film. The second disc is for the kids, including games, a cute documentary on African animals, and another installment of the Virtual Safari. This "ride" puts you in a jeep with Timon and Pumbaa as they race the jungle and pride lands bumping into various obstacles, all in booming Dolby 5.1 sound. The best extra is the new short "One by One" a modern day tale of Africa and the finest short from the studio since 2000's "John Henry." --Doug Thomas ... Read more

Reviews (188)

Six stars out of five!
The Lion King II-Simba's Pride is a better than excellent movie! I really loved it. I watched it at a friend's house a few months ago and we all loved it. Simba is grown up and has mated with his childhood sweetheart Nala. He has a daughter, Kiara, who wanders onto the territory belonging to Scar's mate, Zira. She starts playing with Zira's son, Kovu, but soon Zira finds out and she snarls and all. Simba comes to the rescue and forbids Kiara to go there again. Kovu is sent to Simba's territory to live there and kill him. But, like any Disney movie, Kovu and Kiara fall in love! It's about the relationships between Kiara and Kovu and Simba and Kovu. In the end there is a fight, but I'm not going to tell you who dies or lives! Watch this movie that brings The Lion King back to life!

Dark...dark is good...
Okay. I loved the "The Lion King". I was tickled silly when I heard of "The Lion King 2". I rushed to Blockbuster and rented it when I was eight.

I...was...hooked...

Then I saw it at a friends house four years later.

I...was...still...hooked...

Now I have it on DVD and I watch it whenever I get the chance.

There isn't really anything bad I can say about this movie. However, I would not recommend it for children under seven. I'm actually quite surprised it's not rated PG at the very least.

"The Lion King 2" is actually a pretty dark story, about Kovu, Scar's heir who was destined to follow in his pawprints and become king.

Nuka, Kovu's brother and Scar's son (Kovu is NOT Scar's son!), is quite jelous and is always trying to impress his mother, Zira, to make her change her mind.

Zira is the bad lioness of the story.

Meanwhile at Pride Rock Simba's daughter, Kiara, is destined to become future queen. But Simba is a little...over-protective.

Zira trains Kovu to kill Simba.

But as the story progresses, and his chances of killing Simba and Kiara grow nearer, Kovu cannot bring himself to do it.

You know, the usual stuff.

This is a VERY dark and emotional story. But good just the same!

Rent or buy? - Buy. No questions there.

Oh, Disney, Why?
Lame.

The concept was nice enough, I suppose. But I found the move to be lacking in so many ways. The music made me wince - that was probably one of the worst things in the film. The songs were completely forgetable, and cheap.

Don't get me wrong - I adored the Lion King. And I thought it was interesting to have the daughter fall in love with Scar's son. But it was a poor follow up to that wonderful first film.

Well, I guess it's ok....
I've never really liked Disney sequels (ie, Peter Pan 2, Pocahontas 2, Little Mermaid 2, etc...), but this one is an exception. The story follows the adventures of Simba's daughter, Kiara. All she wants to do is explore the Pride Lands unsupervised, but her father fears for her safety. One morning little Kiara goes wandering off too far, ends up in the forbidden "Out Lands", and meets another young cub named Kovu. They become great friends against Simba's and Zera's (Kovu's mom's) wishes. It's pretty much a total conflict between the Pride Landers and the Outsiders, ending up with Kiara and Kovu having to solve the problem. The story isn't too bad, but Disney sequels can always use some improvement, as usual. My sister and I still have fun pretending to be Kiara and Kovu. And the animation isn't top notch, but it's good. To round it all out, I think the kids will probably enjoy it. Go ahead and give it a try, but I can't promise you that you'll like it. Me and my sis have always enjoyed it ever since we bought it though, so I'm sure somebody in the family will love it. :)

Surprisingly Good Sequel to the 1994 Classic
Yeah, I know that this direct-to-video sequel was put out to cash in even more so on the original, which itself grossed over $300 in U.S. box office receipts to become the most successful Disney film ever! However, after watching this a couple of years back and revisiting it today, I know that there was another, much better, reason: four years after THE LION KING, we were all missing the characters...and we were hungry for more. As much as us fans of the original did not want the possibility of having the franchise tainted by an inferior sequel, it seemed to be worth the risk.

And it was. In 1998, Disney got most of the principal voice-over actors back from the original---Matthew Broderick as Simba, Moira Kelly as Nala, Nathan Lane and Ernie Sabella as Timon & Pumbaa, respectively, and of course, Robert Guillaume as the hilarious Rafiki---and made THE LION KING II: SIMBA'S PRIDE, which follows our favorite Lion hero (and King) & family as they pick up from where they left off in the first film. Now Simba is the King and his young offspring is a lioness cub named Kiara; he's the worried dad in this one, always fearing for the safety of the young precocious girl, but they're nevertheless a happy family just the same. Of course, danger lurks in the shadows, as Zira (Suzanne Pleshette---yes, *that* Suzanne Pleshette), the villainous ex-mate of Scar, is training her young son Kovu to grow up to avenge Scar's death by killing Simba. However, Rafiki, the silly-acting but nevertheless wise monkey, finds out to his horrified amazement that Kiara and Kovu are destined for each other. Sure enough, Kiara and Kovu meet each other as cubs and take an immediate strong liking to each other. Can true love overcome true evil?

This film, by itself, is very well-written and acted, with excellent production values for the fact that it is a direct-to-video sequel. It has really no flaws of its own, just one obvious inconsistency between it and the first film: Scar's 'ex-mate' Zira (and, by extension, Kovu) simply did not exist in the original THE LION KING! She was obviously made up just to have a sequel. However, this is the only major thing to overlook, and if you can forgive this movie for it, then you should be able to easily enjoy yourself. As I said, this is a good animated movie, and I recommend it for any fan of the original. This sequel isn't quite as dark; however, I still would not recommend showing it to very young kids. Suzanne Pleshette does a surprisingly good job as the evil, scheming, vengeful Zira (basically a female versdion of old Scar himself). Neve Campbell does a solid job as the voice of the adult Kiara, and Jason Marsden does excellently as the conflicted Kovu, who wants to do good, but...he made a promise to his mother...didn't he?!

Listen, THE LION KING II: SIMBA'S PRIDE is not the masterpiece that THE LION KING is...however, it is much better than it perhaps should be. Fans of the original should definitely own it.

RECOMMENDED, AGES 8 & UP ... Read more

Reviews (255)

Not Quite Titanic
Titan A.E. has a lot of to live up to. Recent Disney films, though very cliched, have followed a very straight forward, good conquers all storyline. As a result, these have grossed up and beyond the 100 million mark. So, coming up with a new idea is indeed very risky, especially when you spend 90 million dollars on it, like the makers of Titan A.E. did. The film takes place in the 31st century, the earth has been blown up by an alien race, and humans are now restricted to doing slave work in space and are dying of at a rapid pace. A drifter named Cal, whose father was lead designer of "the titan project", a craft which has the ability to reproduce earth as we know it. Cal (voiced by Matt Damon) soon finds out his destiny and goes on a quest to find the ship. The storyline is a mix of Star Wars and the recent flop Battlefield Earth. Its a shame the movie used cliches of both films, and could never develop the charcters into a group the people would care about. There are certain twists in the movie, but nothing that actually throws you. The animation is probably the only real reason to see this movie. The mix of CGI backgrounds and animation make the movie look outstanding. The developers had the unfortunate privilage of coming off the horrid Battlefield Earth and Dinosaur. If the story was a little more grounded, and the charcters were a little more developed, this could have been a blockbuster film. Unless you are looking for great animation, but shallow plot, stay away from this film.

A Steal From the Budget Bin
I'm always astounded when I see this dvd offered so cheap. It's usually thrown in the same budget bin with really bad movies.

To cut to the chase, the story is ok; not great, but not bad either. What really separates this one into the pile of DVD's that I like to watch are the stunning visuals and the even more stunning (DTS) sound. If you have a home theater, then this dvd will pay for itself in the first few minutes of the movie.

An indicator of the excellent sound on this dvd is that when I finally added a subwoofer to my home theater, the first dvd I put in to try out was Titan AE (and it left my whole family with mouths agape).

The story itself is fine, though it would have been better if it were developed more. There is a good story there, it's just not fully presented. Some of the secondary characters are very forgettable. In other words, it's pretty much on par with most SciFi movies. I could have written this same paragraph about any Star Wars or Star Trek movie. That may not be high praise, but it's no indictment either. It's SciFi; enjoy what it gives you and don't be overly critical.

Not exactly "Titan"-ic...
Although I'm a fan of both "space opera" sci-fi and 'toons geared more towards the older crowd, I didn't find "Titan A.E." to be a particularly interesting or original melding of these two elements. On the story side, I found the whole "boy-man-destined-to-save-humanity" angle that the central character plays a bit derivative of, and not played out quite as well as such previous sci-fi messiahs as the 'Star Wars' trilogy's Luke Skywalker and 'Dune's' Paul Atreides/Muad'Dib. I also would've preferred they put a little more exposition into-- and explained with a bit more detail-- the period between the Earth's destruction and the commencing of the hero's search for the Titan. On the technical end of things: although the folks who put this together made an admirable effort to meld both 3-D computer animation and traditional cel animation together as seamlessly as possible, It rarely ever looked quite right. This lack of cohesion is especially noticeable in one scene where a cel-drawn character is walking down a CGI spiral staircase. Or was he walking UP it? See, the thing looks so odd I couldn't even tell which direction the guy was goin' on the staircase! How's THAT for a case in point, eh? Otherwise, the 'toonage was some of the most detailed and painstakingly-rendered I've ever seen in a non-anime feature.

But even though I found the story and animation less than stellar, I thought some of the deleted scenes in the bonus features section were moderately interesting. A few parts of these scenes were rough-drawn, giving the viewer a little window into the animation process and what the film's producers worked with before adding the finishing touches to the 'toonage. The feature-length commentary track featuring co-directors Don Bluth and Gary Goldman also lets the viewer in on the more technical aspects of producing animated features in general and 'Titan A.E.' in particular. Sadly, I found their commentary so dry that I bailed out on them about twenty minutes into the feature. It also didn't help that they spoke in an almost hushed tone half the time, prompting me to turn the volume up just so I could understand them.

Also included among the special features were the usual trailers and TV spots for the movie, and a behind-the-scenes special on the making of the feature. My viewing of the BTS special made me come to the realization that I've become rather tired of most of these "making-of" featurettes that they throw onto most "special-edition" DVDs nowadays. About halfway through the show I realized I really didn't give two doots about how the animation was done, or the voice actors talking about the complexities of their characters. Immediately after making this realization, I bailed on the special and decided to go do something a little more productive-- like writing this review about the DVD.

And people say I'm a slacker...

'Late

Visuals!
Some of the most beautiful visuals of any movie to grace the screen. Should appeal to fans of Star Wars style action. Too intense for the wee ones though.

Wasted potential
This is what happens when the guy who did "Pebble and the Penguin" ventures into "Heavy Metal 2000" territory.

In the beginning I actually liked this movie. Visuals were nice, and storyline seemed promising: earth has been destroyed and humanity has spread out among the stars while being persecuted by the Drej, a race of pure energy, because they fear what we might become and also the construction of the Titan AE. Yet there were some problems I noticed that put the film on thin ice: cliche, archetype characters. For example: the brave, handsome hero and the tough, independant woman. And of course they hate each other, because after all two people can't fall in love unless they hate each other's guts first.

Things start to go downhill in the storyline though. For example, the Drej are not scary at all, nor are they dangerous. Characters are continually saying through out the film, "You can't defeat them!" Yet through out the film their fighters and ground troops are killed with one shot. And this includes one shot with a PISTOL! I don't care if its a laser pistol, its still a freggin' pistol versus a giant fightercraft.

The plotholes get bigger in the next thirty minutes. Some examples:
1) How did the hero know what the Drej lord was saying? Did he read the subtitles?
2) Do you know the hero breaks out of prison by going through the electric shield door? You're telling me one of the most advanced civilizations in the universe can't come up with a better way to imprison people?
3) Why could the hero fly the Drej plane? Where did he learn to fly it? Did he read a "Drej Plane for Dummies" in a cut scene?
4) The hero and heroine find out the captain is in league with the Drej by peeking through the door. OK...why the hell did he leave his door open if he's talking with his race's archenemy?! Didn't he think that a little bit of secrecy was in order? And then he gets mad at they heard him...he should be mad at himself!
5) So our two main characters just convinced an entire colony of people they didn't know to help build a busted spaceship, make it work, and cheer them on as they left? And how long did it take them to do this because they make it seem like it was less than a few days.
6) They didn't really flesh out why the Drej hated us so much. They keep saying "It's because of what we may become." Well all right, but isn't every race capable of being great? Why doesn't the Drej just kill every one? The Drej's despise of Titan AE seems to hold the answer until it's revealed at the end that Titan AE is meant to rebuild earth after it's destroyed. OK that explains why the Drej want to destroy it...but it doesn't explain why they hate us so much.
7) How did the little annoying green guy survive an explosion point blank?

The turncoating of the captain through out the film was totally unconvincing. He's suddenly gone from the nice, father-like figure to "I AM GOING TO KILL THEM ALL" villain stereotype. Then near the end he suddenly sacrifices his life to let the hero and heroine go, saying, "No! It's better this way!" I seriously doubt they thought that character out, instead going for every side-character cliche in the book.

The voice acting in this wasn't too great either. I wonder why? I wonder who came up with the idea that Drew Barrymore would be a great choice to play an Asian chick. And Jeanine Gerafelo's voice couldn't be any more monotone. I'll admit Nathan Lane's character had some class, although it seemed to add needless humor to a character that becomes serious in the second act, adding yet again more bad character continuity in the film.

This film had a lot of potential considering the basic storyline and the budget/artists involved. Unfortunately, it's marred by the poor script that doesn't take itself seriously at all. It's pretty much over by the end when the hero calls the new Earth "Bob." Wow what a great way to end a movie. I'm surprised Stanley Kubrick didn't have a clown instead of superhuman baby at the end of "2001."

Wait a minute...the writer of the "Buffy the Vamprie Slayer" TV series wrote this? THAT'S YOUR PROBLEM! ... Read more

Amazon.com

The great improvisational comedy team of Mike Nichols and Elaine May reunited to (respectively) direct and write this update of the French comedy La Cage Aux Folles. Robin Williams stars as a gay Miami nightclub owner who is forced to play it straight and ask his drag-queen partner (Nathan Lane) to hide out when Williams's son invites his prospective--and highly conservative--in-laws and fiancée to a meet-and-greet dinner party. Gene Hackman and Dianne Wiest play the straight-laced senator and his wife, and Calista Flockhart (from television's Ally McBeal) plays their daughter in a culture-clash with outrageous consequences. May's witty screenplay incorporates some pointed observations about the political landscape of the 1990s and takes a sensitive approach to the comedy's underlying drama. Topping off the action is Hank Azaria in a scene-stealing role as Williams's and Lane's flamboyant housekeeper, "Agador Spartacus." --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (99)

much better than i expected!
A film by Mike Nichols

I wasn't initially excited or interested in seeing this movie, but after being repeatedly told that it is a really good and really funny movie, I rented it. Good decision. I was surprised by just how good this movie really is and even more surprised by how much I ended up liking it.

Armand Goldman (Robin Williams) is the owner of a gay nightclub where his partner, Albert (Nathan Lane) is the star of the show. Armand's son Val (Dan Futterman) comes to town and tells his father that he is getting married. Val is marrying a young woman named Barb Keeley (Calista Flockhart). This would not cause any problems except that her father is the ultra-conservative senator Kevin Keeley (Gene Hackman). Senator Keeley is the co-founder on a group expounding a highly conservative morality and this would present some conflict in the relationship. What really causes conflict is that Barb and her parents are driving down to Florida and will be having a dinner with Val's family. He tells Armand that the entire house must be re-decorated to look less gay and that Albert can't be there because there is no way to hide his gayness (Albert is so overtly gay that there is no possible behavior modification that would work. Albert is who he is). The movie has Val trying to hide who his father is, and we do see Armand uncomfortable with that, but he also loves his son and wants everything to work out for Val. Senator Keeley and family finally does arrive and naturally there is still some evasion until something happens and there is no longer any way to hide the truth.

This movie is funny all the way through. Albert is so incredibly flamboyant, but lovable, and it is a joy to watch him onscreen doing his thing. I can't think of any problems that I had with the cast, everyone was spot on. Obviously this movie is supportive of a homosexual lifestyle, so if that is the sort of thing that bothers you, this movie is not for you. The Birdcage shoots barbs at the conservative moral ideals, but it does so in a very funny manner. It is over the top, flamboyant, and all around funny and it is worth your time to give The Birdcage a chance. It also features a scene stealing Hank Azaria as the housekeeper Agador.

Yet Another Great Gay Comedy
"The Birdcage" is a great comedy release of 1996. It stars Robin Williams, Nathan Lane, Calista Flockhart, Gene Hackman, Dianne Wiest, and others. Before its release, few other movies explores gay issues or themes, having such box-office success (remember, this is before "Will And Grace" started). Therefore, this earns the cast and crew tremendous respect for their daring efforts. The plot writing is brilliant! Its great, unique humor keeps audiences interested from beginning to end. As many surprises arise, the dramatic vibes always arise at the perfect time, namely the scene when one of the fathers, Armand, refuses to speak to his son, Val, for a while because of demands to make him more "straight looking". In the meantime, the story of Val's fiance's family traveling hundreds of miles to meet the future in-laws adds to the humorous and interesting movie experience. However, her father is an ultra-conservative politician. Therefore, to gain his approval, Armand must portray a heterosexual, and his long-time boyfriend and Val's other father, Albert, must pretend to not exist. Throughout this struggle, numerous emotional breakdowns occur that will capture the audience's heart. The drag show performances add to the movie's excitement, offering an artistic and deeper look into the characters. Every characters' personalities add their own certain movie vibe.

Every actor offers their own sense of humor through this movie, which proves that the chemistry between the actors and the movie is perfect. Nathan Lane capitalizes the comedy sense. His flamboyant portrayal of Albert stands out throughout the whole movie. Robin Williams expresses his comedic and his dramatic side perfectly in his role of Armand. His studying of his character's lifestyle is obvious. Gene Hackman, Dianne Wiest, Calista Flockhart, Dan Futterman, and all other actors performed their roles equally wonderfully.

"The Birdcage" is a great movie for those looking for a great comedy and/or a great gay pride theme. This will surely entertain many audiences. Such movie quality is only one characteristic that makes it destined to become a classic in the following years.

Great Film: Fun, Funny and Touching
This is one of my favorites... Nathan Lane is -- pardon the expression -- "screaming-ly" funny as Albert, half of the gay couple whose son returns home from college to announce his engagement to the daughter of ultra-conservative Senator Keeley (fabulously fleshed out by Gene Hackman, whose comedic timing and delivery is superb!). Robin Williams low-key characterization of Armand is the perfect foil for Lane's "to the hilt" performance. Diane Wiest shines as the Senator's dutiful political wife, while Hank Azaria is Armand's and Albert's "hot" Guatemalan house-man/showgirl wanna-be. Nichol's great directing, a fabulous script and the inspired casting make a terrifically entertaining film. It's just so much fun to watch!--- Love it!

Good comedy about "gayety"

Robin Williams and Gene Hackman team up to give us rollicking comedy. Hackman plays a a radical right-wing Republican senator whose daughter is about to marry the son of a homosexual Robin Williams) who has a flaming live in partner. The humor revolves around the gay couple trying to act straight while hosting dinner for the senator and his wife. Williams' gay partner does a female impersonation for the benefit of the dinner.

The press is caught up in the plot when, as the National Inquirer reporter says, "those vultures" of the national media show up with their TV cameras.

The ensuing scenes, when the despicable conservative senator escapes the press in drag, thus justifying the stereotypical right-wing idiot. Hackman plays his part flawlessly, and it is a funny movie.

One unintended Hollywood message is the problems caused by trying to raise normal kids with a same-sex couple as "parents", usually deftly ignored under the present situation, with gays pushing for same-sex marriage on a nationwide campaign.

Joseph (Joe) Pierre

One of my all-time favorites!
Nathan Lane + Hank Azaria + Robin Williams + Gene Hackman + Dianne Wiest = Hilarious Comedy. Nathan Lane and Hank Azaria especially stole the show for me. Lane's screaming and Azaria's accent make this a must see.

Dan Futterman does get on my nerves a bit in this movie. It's his attitude towards Nathan Lane's character. It's a bit demanding and very ungrateful. Other than that, this movie is as good as they come.

I highly recommend this. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The Lion King 1½ is an ingenious sequel that retells the original film's story from the perspective of best pals Timon the meerkat (voiced by Nathan Lane) and Pumbaa the warthog (Ernie Sabella). Anyone who has wondered how this odd couple met will find out here, beginning with Timon's flight from home following disgrace and his chance encounter with the sweet but lonely Pumbaa. With the arrival of young Simba (Shaun Flemming), The Lion King'sfamiliar tale is reborn via a fresh angle, fleshed out by returning characters Rafiki the wise monkey (Robert Guillaume), Shenzi (Whoopi Goldberg), and Simba's love interest, Nala (Moira Kelly). While the retooled narrative proves a novel experience, The Lion King 1½ is really a vehicle for voice actors Lane and Sabella, whose comic performances are shamelessly, broadly funny. Matthew Broderick, Julie Kavner, and Jerry Stiller are also in the vocal cast. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (101)

Surprisingly good direct-to-video release from Disney
We're all aware that not much can compare to the original Lion King film. The animation, songs, voices...everything just perfection. However, as an ardent fan of the film, and in particular Timon and Pumbaa, this was snapped up as soon it went on sale - and boy, what a nice surprise! A direct to video release that's actually decent!

This film is much of an improvement on the first "sequel". Simba's Pride just didn't hold any of the magic of the original story - and barely held my attention for one showing before being put onto the shelf to get dusty. I was immediately more interested in this film as I thought it's premise held much more entertainment quality. "Yeah, I'd like to see how everything was through Timon and Pumbaa's eyes" I thought, and I wasn't to be disappointed.

We're originally transported back to Timon's younger days to see why he came to team up with Pumbaa. It's dealt with very wittily, yet with enough warmth that you actually do care what happens to all involved. We're shown how Timon and Pumbaa meet, and how they embark on their quest for "Hakuna Matata". Much comedy ensues, with a revealing insight into the original film's events. Why do the animals bow at Simba's presentation at Pride Rock? Why does everyone fall over at the end of "I Just Can't Wait To Be King?" Watch to find out. Having eventually found their perfect home, their meeting with Simba is retold and we get to see some of Simba's teenage years - missed out in the original film. (Timon has a wonderful line during a particularly restless night looking after a young Simba - "we're gonna get old walking across this thing". As soon as you hear it you'll know exactly what it's getting at). Next to be dealt with is Simba's reunion with Nala and his trip home to Pride Rock to avenge his father's death. All seen in a new perspective it's all very watchable, even if you are seeing duplicated scenes that occurred in the original movie. The climax again adds more breadth to the original. With Scar and his minions vanquished and order restored in the Pridelands, Timon and Pumbaa settle into their new home with his original meerkat colony who are surprised and impressed with the new "all-action" Timon. This is very much Timon's film, we get to know a lot more about him than Pumbaa and it is Timon that saves the day right at the very end. That's no complaint I would add, after all we heard about some of Pumbaa's woes in the original film 10 years ago.

Disney have done a lot of things right with this film. The original cast (with the exception of Rowan Atkinson as Zazu which consistantly grates with me - he's much missed on the interactive section of the original movie's special edition too) return, and Julie Kavner and Jerry Stiller lend their vocies as Timon's nearest and dearest. Two new, annoyingly catchy songs appear within the first 15 minutes and several songs from the original make welcome returns. This isn't a big long song-fest though, I'm pleased to say. Much as I like the songs Disney movies are famed for, it is nice to give the characters time to speak and flesh themselves out in-between. Lots of scenes from the original appear again, and are interworked with the new animation reasonably well. An interesting twist is that the film is presented as if being viewed by Timon and Pumbaa in a cinema. I have seen a few reviews saying how annoying this is, but I actually find it very funny. The fact that they take shots at scenes which otherwise would be excessively cheesy is very endearing, and of course completely in character.

There are, inevitably bad points. This isn't going straight to video for nothing after all. You certainly need to have watched the original movie and know it well - and you also have to be willing to deconstruct it quite violently too. A lot of those scenes you held dear are made fun of mercilessly. They've generally interworked the timelines between the films very well, but there are a few moments when I thought "that doesn't go". The film is quite short - 72 minutes with lengthy end credits, but it is so fast passed that it seems even shorter to me. It doesn't quite know what age range it is heading for either, there are lots of "kiddie jokes", but also quite witty points that younger children won't necessarily get (I always used to wonder why my Mum insisted on watching Dangermouse with me, it's only now at 24 that I watch it and realise now). Lots of film references too. This isn't too bad in a way, it keeps everyone occupied throughout for different reasons. I'd rent it first if your not sure, but if your a Lion King fan you'll probably end up buying it anyway (you perhaps already have!)

The DVD features I actually find quite disappointing. This is a 2 disc release, and if they'd not put over 10 minutes worth of trailers on the first disc, probably could have been condensed onto one. There are several games for the youngsters including a virtual Safari, Rafiki's Challenge and a "hidden Mickey" hunt throughout the film. There's a supposedly funny "mockumentary" about Timon which I watched in total silence and a 1 minutes "making of..." featurette which I had to turn off half way through out of sheer irritation (not very much info about the film at all - but everyone involved is all certain how great it is). There are some storyboarded deleted scenes, with commentary from the directors as to why they were cut.

Overall, very enjoyable which surprised me greatly and made it even more fun. Don't start comparing to the original as that is pointless. I also don't think this sort of production should be carried on to other Disney films, I don't think it would work. However, the way these particular characters cry out for attention every time they're on screen, it seems fitting to let us find out more about them.

I would have rated this 5 stars but for the DVD "extra's" as the film I cannot fault, both for the entertainment value and the way it tells an unexpectedly heartwarming story without being too cringeworthy

Laugh Out Loud!
I am a semi-serious 7th. But even I had to laugh when I watched this movie!

Basically, the story is about our meerkat friend-Timon! He tells about his story, and also about what he was doing during Simba's adventures. It also explains how Timon and pumbaa met. Brilliant.

Very funny. Timon's reference to, "I see dead people!" was genius, along with the antics of Timon's Ma and Uncle, Max, who nare voiced by Julie Kavner, voice of Marge, I believe, from the Simpsons, and Jerry Stiller, King O' Queens. They both play their parts perfectly, (well, ALMOST) which is refreshing.

Now, about the songs. They are almost as good as the ones from The Lion King I, and better than Lion King II. Hey! 1 1/2!(almost..) Errr... ANYWAY, two songs, Digga Tunnah, and That's All I Need, (written by Sir Elton John) are incredibly catchy. I love 'em all. And ,old timers, you may recognize a couple of songs...

This bathroom humor I've been hearing about, is ... TAME!!! What I mean is, it's a little gross, but not majorly, but is STILL funny!

My only complaints are about the timing of some parts. How could the Hyenas hear Scar betray them if they were busy with Timon and Pumbaa? How could the "Just Can't Wait To Be King" scene happen one day after Simba was born??? Growth spurt? I think not.

Bottom line, watch #1 before 1 1/2. Also, we get to see "teenage" Simba, and an ironic playing of "Sunrise, Sunset..." LOL. I love the Lion King, and I hope you do to. Thanks for reading my review! Peace Out.

Quite a Good Cartoon Movie - for an addon!
OK, let me start off with saying that I love most Disney cartoon movies. The Lion King is one of them... I even memorized almost all Disney cartoon songs...

With that said, I personally find sequels sucky, or decent at most. Pocahontas 2, Cinderella 2, Hunchback 2 - like most movie sequels, they just didnt pull it off...

Surprisingly, Lion King 1 1/2 is much better than most add ons or sequels. Though not part 2(part 2 was released already) is considered a tie-in to the original movie. And it is more of a prequel, which brings you back to the time how Timon left home and how he manage to meet Pumbaa and beyond. The movie got the original casts and the songs were made by Elton John and Tim Rice, which is good to know. Julie Kavner who plays Marge Simpson, plays Timon's mum, and on some moments, she almost sound the same as Marge! The songs are pretty decent, but few.

The story itself got lots of funny moments as well as some dragging parts(for adults). Some of it happens during the Lion King scenes, though in Timon and Pumbaa's perspectives, you can see same scenes(some at different angles) and hear the original parts of songs. And it also adds the missing pieces and loose threads on some parts - with pretty funny moments like why the animals bowed down when Rafiki showed baby Simba to the world; and why the animals fell during the closing of the "I Just Cant Wait To Be King" song.

I will not spoil the movie for you, but do remember that the movie is more based on Timon and Pumbaa than Simba and the rest. So dont expect to see a lot of lions. Also, there is not much of a plot, and as I said, morely to add missing blocks in the original story. This movie's own plot is more based on Timon and how he wanted to find a place where he fits in(just like Hercules, A Bug's Life - Disney seems to encourage unwanted misfits who go famous and heroic). So all in all, DO NOT expect a solid plot or even take this movie in an epic type of way, its more of a comedy version of the Lion King.

The DVD features is not that bad, and it even got lots of deleted scenes and a Hidden Mickey Hunt game(if you have Disney channel, you know that every Disney cartoon movie has one or two) - 10 of them throughout the movie...

I say that this movie is good for Lion King fans, as well as for family viewing. But I recommend you rent this first and see if its worth the collection. Though if you have extra cash, its good to buy this to entertain guests, especially during parties, since this movie is made for home viewing and wasnt released on theatres; and I think kids will love to watch this again and again as adults do chores(the Hidden Mickey Hunt is a reason to watch it many times!).

I give this movie with its DVD contents a 7.5/10.

A Sharp, Clever Follow-up Worthy of the Original
Having had a bad experience with made-for-video Disney sequels before (102 Dalmatians, anyone? Yikes!) I was expecting the worst from this, but my son's such a big Lion King fan that I got it for him anyway. I was VERY pleasantly surprised!

The backstory of Timon and Pumba, while a little convoluted, provides the perfect backdrop and explanation of how their paths ended up intersecting with Simba's in the original. As a result, all the "important" events in the original film are cleverly winked at as mere background noise to the oblivious Timon and Pumba. I was reminded of Tom Stoppard's brilliant comedy, Rosencrantz and Guildenstein Are Dead, where the 2 least important people in Shakespeare's "Hamlet" take center stage and the tale of the Danish Prince is shoved to the background. In the Lion King 1 1/2, the presenting of the baby Simba is literally stumbled upon by Timon and Pumba, and they have no idea what's going on and shrug off the big crowds and commotion as a total annoyance. It was very funny.

I agree that the ad-libbing was a bit distracting and the songs weren't entirely necessary, especially the meerkat song which is catchy anyway. But the story itself is very smart, and the animation has the nuanced look of the original film, not the technicolor overkill of "Simba's Pride" and the terrible "Timon and Pumba" Saturday morning series. In addition, the DVD itself is chock full of excellent extras, including a few music videos and a "Virtual Safari" that entertained my son for nearly an hour. And the Mickey Hunt is tons of fun as well.

In conclusion, though it's not a masterful effort like the original was, it's probably one of the best, if not the best, straight-to-video sequel Disney's ever put out. You won't regret this one, and it's guaranteed to not collect any dust in your video collection!

Answering the questions you didn't ask.
First of all let me say I love the first Lion King. Its probably my second favorite animated movie after Finding Nemo. That being said I hated this movie. The first Lion King is mostly appropiate for children but has a mature storyline adults can enjoy. The Lion King 1 1/2 is just for kids. Anyone over the age of puberty will find something seriously wrong with this movie. I was also dissipointed with The Lion King 2 Simbas Pride. But at least the movie was decent. At least they tried to make it good. Its like the makers of The Lion King 1 1/2 were trying to make a bad movie. It is the first movie told from the point of view of Timon and Pumba. It tells there story. Is there anyone who cared about there story? Anyone who wondered what they were doing? Not me. I never was at any loss not knowing where they were. Whats next a remake of Tarzan from Terks point of view. It could have been decent if it was done right. It is done horribly. Its really just taking classic moments and loading them with unfunny jokes. It shows that Timon and Pumba were there in all scene of the first Lion King offscreen. Most of these scenes they really don't belong. For example in Simbas birth sequence Pumba farts causing the animals to bow down. Thats right they weren't bowing out of respect for there king is was just farts. Then they walk one day later to the "Can't wait to be king song" that makes no sense. Several dramatic sequences like the "Be Prepared", wildbeast stampeed, "can you feel the love tonight", Simbas fight, all are completly ruined by Timon and Pumba. They don't belong there. It also has annoying silowets of them constant stoping the movie. Movies this bad in a way help you appreciate the greatness of the original masterpeice. My advice to Disney is to stop those darn direct to video sequels. Just leave the classics alone. ... Read more

Reviews (52)

Sweet with a bite to it
I loved the first Stuart Little movie (Aren't we all just ever-aging children?) and the sequel was every bit as good, perhaps better--except for the mildly irritating effort of Melanie Griffith who delivers her lines as if English wasn't necessarily her first language. That said, the production is entirely redeemed by the rest of the cast--particularly the outstanding Nathan Lane as Snowbell, delivering some of the funniest one-liners this side of the Catskills. What is especially wonderful about this film is the production design: the use of Crayola-like primary colors in the great sets and costumes, and the crisp cinematography. The special effects blend seemlessly into the film so that the viewer isn't constantly saying, "Oh, wow! Cool effect." Because everything is so beautifully integrated, it's pure pleasure simply to watch and smile and savor a movie that never falls into saccharine mode but has great sweetness none the less. Geena Davis is, as before, just lovely as Mrs. Little--dimples flashing in genuine-seeming pleasure (perhaps merely at being in such good company, in such a delightful film.)
Most highly recommended for kids of all ages (even the wrinkled ones.)

Stuart Little 2" is a fun movie for kids
I think "Stuart Little 2" is a better movie than its predecessor. The sequel has more humor, more effects, and is faster paced than the original. The effects in this film are stunning. Stuart Little has incredible detail in his movements and hair. The bird Margalo is also well animated. She moves just like a bird but still manages to have a cartoon kind of face. The falcon is pretty cool and evil looking, too. All in all, it's an amazing accomplishment by Sony Imageworks. The effects hold up particularly well on the small screen and the colors are bright and clear. The DVD presentation looks great.

The voices in this film were well cast. Though I despise Melanie Griffith, her voice fit the bird well. She had just the right mix of innocence and street smarts. James Woods is excellent any time he plays the bad guy, and his voice fits the evil falcon well. And if you saw the original then you know Michael J. Fox fits the mouse's voice perfectly. However, the show stealer is Nathan Lane as Snowbell. Pretty much all of the characters are dull compared to this cat. He has some of the funniest one-liners of any film this summer and steals the show any time he's on screen.

The music in "Stuart Little 2" is pretty good, too, and sounds great on a home theater system. You may find yourself tapping your toes to this soundtrack.

A fun and good-natured movie for all ages.
This sequel to the 1999 original Stuart Little movie is every bit as good as that one and in some ways I would go as to say that it's even better.

The legendary mouse Stuart Little goes on an another adventure when after returning to a normal life with his human family, The Littles, Stuart finds himself developing a crush on a canary but she is in danger of being imprisoned by a tyrant falcon who hates mice and the female bird has never gotten a chance to migrate south with the rest of her species. She and Stuart's worlds collide one day and they've sparked a romance but after she is kidnapped by the evil falcon, Stuart Little and his former feline rival and now somewhat friend Snowbell work together and set out to find and rescue her from the evil falcon before it's too late.

This film is yet another good sequel in moviemaking that dodges the infamous sequel-slump and brilliantly continues the story from the first Stuart Little movie. The mix of live and computer animation is really excellent and even the canary and Stuart Little look almost realistic and perfectly blend in with the live footage. It may not be anything phenomenal but it is pure entertainment for those who just want plain fun without anything graphic nor beyond PG rated.

It's not necessarily an essential movie but this is certainly worth renting or at least checking out.

An even more wild adventure
Engaging and fun, but not up to the mark set by the first Stuart Little movie. Not much level of plausibility, which was the case in the first movie, where you actually come to believe this little mouse is real. This movie takes on a video game aspect with plenty of action to keep kids enthralled to the very end. The animation team outdoes itself with the level of detail in their animation. Stuart's little eyes are so expressive and Margalo comes across as a winsome soulmate. The falcon steals the show, with James Woods adding a touch of humor to the "fierce creature," who creates quite a bit of tension in this movie. My little one (2-1/2) was a little worried about the fate of Stuart, but after multiple viewings feels assured as to the outcome. Now that the two movies come packaged together you might be better off buying the box set, if you don't already own the first movie.

Mouse Hunt
The sequel to the E.B. White story of Stuart Little is so amazing and much better than the first. Kids will love the sequel if they enjoyed the first E.B. White story Stuart Little and Charolette's Web. Rob Minkoff did a great job making the sequel. Michael J. Fox was so amazing doing his act as Stuart Little. ... Read more

Reviews (35)

"We're expecting another call from you any minute"
Surprisingly subtle love story from director Garry Marshall. I think it tanked in theaters for the same reason I didn't see it until it went to video--I wasn't ready to accept Michelle Pfeiffer as a greasy-spoon waitress (or Al Pacino as a short-order cook). But I forgot that they can both act, and they do a wonderful job here. Nathan Lane is hilarious in a supporting role; he provides what might be the single funniest line that movie year.

Best Romantic Movie Ever Made!
This movie is one of the best!! You have to own it. If you are a hopeless romantic, then you MUST have it!!!! Not a movie for the kiddies. Just you and with someone you love or want to love...

I wish I could live in that Universe.
The dialogs are a dream come true.

I heard some people were upset that Michelle Pfeiffer was cast as Frankie. Apparently the actress who played that character on stage was Kathy Bates and came to be regarded by many as definitive in that role. I'm sure she was terrific, and I loved her in "Dolores Claiborne", but as much as I sympathize with those who claim that it's all part of Hollywood's conspiracy to make ordinary women feel dissatisfied with their "real", ordinary bodies and faces, Michelle Pfeiffer - gorgeous as she is - is a sensitive, real performer, not a Barbie doll in any way, and though I couldn't be more different from her physically, I find it very easy to relate to her thanks to her talent.

The movie is a gem, though every time I watch anything with Al Pacino in it I'm always counting the seconds for the "scream scene". I'm not sure I ever watched a movie in which he starred, that he didn't scream his head off at some point, and this one's no exception. One love scene is basically spoiled by it, although die hard fans can always make the case that the script was asking for it. No minor problems like this one can spoil the movie as a whole though, that's what's important.

A true love story
The way it really is. two people who aren't anything special at all. And they find one another and make it work despite everything else. because they have to. because they need something in their lives and this is the best thing coming around. Nice.

Beautiful Love Story!
I saw this in 1991 when I was in middle school and I instantly fell in love with the movie. This film introduced me to romantic comedies and though I am not a fan of most films of this genre this one has a lot of heart and soul.

Al Pacino took a break from his usual cop/crook roles to play Johnny, a sweet ex-con with a bruised heart. He's a kindred spirit looking for someone else to share his lonely life with. Michelle Pheiffer is the same kindred spirit except Frankie has been so bruised she can not get back. Frankie and Johnny go through twists and turns before Frankie agrees to go out on a date. The more Frankie sees into Johnny's world she realizes he's the one person who can help her move past her former relationship with a man who beat her. This actually scares Frankie even more and she does her best to fight Johnny's advances but ultimately cannot fight her own heart.

This movie is the perfect date movie all rolled into one. It would have been a great family movie except for the thrown in sex scene between Johnny and Cora. I didn't agree with that because it didn't belong in a wholesome movie like this. The set up of the diner was refreshing and it was good to see a film where everyone was struggling for paychecks and not living in mansions and driving fancy cars. I am not from New York but I got a true sense of New York life after seeing this movie. The director ( Garry Marshall) had just come off of his super hit with Pretty Woman and proved he still had the touch of gold when it came to romantic movies.

The cast was wonderful. I enjoyed Al Pacino's innocent betrayal of Johnny and he brought in a lot of himself into the character. Michelle Pfeiffer was good as well. I just wished Frankie hadn't have been so grumpy because it was hard for me to warm up to her at first. But I realized Frankie was the way she was because of the hardships in her life. This is a movie for anyone to enjoy: young, middle-aged, senior, black, white, asian. It's one of those movies that doesn't provide any culture gaps or society gaps. It's just a nice love story where anyone can relate.

Everyone has had to struggle with emotions or money and everyone has fallen in love some time or another. This film combines all those elements into a breathtaking movie. If that's not enough for you to see it, check it out for the supporting characters. Nathan Lane is a hoot. Everyone should see this film at least once. ... Read more

Reviews (162)

Fun entertainment that suffers from an overly-mawkish tone
Stuart Little

Score: 64/100

He's clever. He's enthusiastic. He's a can-do little guy with an attitude. And he's a mouse. From the co-director of The Lion King and the writer of The Sixth Sense comes an entertaining family film from classic American author E.B. White. It's surely a star-studded crew there, and there's not much a family of four could white other than a couple of talking mouse's and many exciting scenes. Even though Stuart Little falls flat from a few flaws, it's still a fun children's comedy, that will be worth your time, depending on your feelings towards movies like this.

In a cosy house near New York City's Central Park, Mr. and Mrs. Little (Hugh Laurie and Geena Davis) bring home a surprising addition to the family...Stuart (voiced by Michael J. Fox), and he's a er...mouse. Despite the urgings of Mrs. Keeper at the orphanage to adopt within their own species, the Littles beam with the pride of new parents. At home the little guy with a big heart (not to mention whiskers, a little pink nose and a really dapper wardrobe), searches for a sense of belonging and a place to call home in the decidedly supersized world. When Stuart is adopted by the Littles he embarks on an adventure with a variety of characters - including his nemesis, the cat Snowball (voiced by Nathan Lane) - and learns the true meaning of family, loyalty and friendship. The Littles, in the meantime, each discover there is a Stuart in all of us - the spunk, spirit and courage to be true to ourselves and follow our dreams despite the odds.

Stuart Little is a good movie, but it suffers majorly from an over-corny note. It's big smiles and drowning frowns all the time, none of the characters ever look normal. Their expressions are practically drawn in, and none of them have much originality about them apart from Stuart, of course. Still, the film provides plenty of entertaining scenes, including an exhilarating cat chase and a superb boat race. It may have a sense of bore in some parts of the film, but overall, it's a very bearable movie that will silent children and, surprisingly, adults for a rainy day. It's a film that combines live action with some groundbreaking visual effects by artists and innovators who have taken digital character creation to a bold new level with the birth of Stuart. The visual effects are the most plausible thing about the film, they are truly memorable, it's some of the most amazingly done animal-talking done since Babe.

Not as good as it could've been, Stuart Little is still watchable fun, a film where you can really expect the whole family to enjoy it.

Pleasantly surprised
I rented this DVD because I am a huge fan of British actor (and musician, comedian, novelist...) Hugh Laurie, and was very pleasantly surprised.

The animation is outstanding, so much that you don't even notice it, and Michael J. Fox is absolutely perfect as the voice of Stuart. The very colorful, almost-realistic-but-not-quite setting was quite well done, and the group of acting cats must have been a monumental accomplishment. Jonathan Lipnicki is cute as a bug, and Hugh Laurie (great fake accent!) and Geena Davis are perfect storybook parents who finish each other's sentences and eat a lot of meatloaf. Rounding out the talent is Nathan Lane as the voice of Snowbell, the cat who is mortified at having a mouse in the family.

It is fascinating to watch the extra features and to see just how much work went into making Stuart so real. Excellent work! A clean, fun, enjoyable movie.

Stuart Little brought to life
This is a marvelous adaptation of E.B. White's tale of the little mouse who found himself a place by the hearth in an all too human family. It is such a wonderful story and the animation brings Stuart Little to life. Hugh Laurie and Geena Davis play the adoptive parents to a tee, and the other members of the family provide excellent support. Jonathan Lipnicki turns in a first class performance as the reluctant brother.

The story plays out effortlessly, with wonderful scenes moving back and forth between mad-cap adventure and family bonding. The animation team really outdid themselves with Stuart and his fake mouse parents, who make a fantastic entrance midway through the movie. The conspiracy of cats is mostly humorous, and not overly frightening for little ones. Every scene appears to have been meticulously created. The toy boat race is riveting. The kids will love every minute of it, as will adults as this movie avoids the typical pratfalls of family entertainment. The DVD also provides some nice add-ons, such as storyboard sequences for some of the scenes and mouse trivia games for the kids.

Mickey Mouse
Magical, heartwarming family film based on E.B. White's children's book. A couple's adoption of a second son, oblivious to the fact that he's a mouse, leads to problems with their human son which plae in comparision to the family cat's resentment. High-quality computer-generated detail allows the mouse to appear real and permits the many featured cats to talk freely. Jonathan Lipnicki is adorable as the human son and the voices of Michael J. Fox as Stuart and Nathan Lane as his nemisis Snowbell perfectly fit the roles.

Animals steal the show
There are few kids movies I can sit through more than once--this one I've already seen 7 times! My son is now over 3 and he can load the DVD player himself and turn on the TV. Guess what gets put on now?! I must say that I love that the movie doesn't patronize my son. There are heavy issues here: fear of being alone; fear of violence; fear of failure--but the characters aren't obsessed or broken by their fears, they confront them and work through them. For example, when Stuart is trying to make friends with the family pet cat Snowball, Stuart says rather naively, "Can't we just be friends? Do you want me to scratch your ear? Can I pat your tummy?" to which Snowball answers, "How'd you like to pat it from the inside mouse-boy!?" Direct, without wishy-washy handwringing, or moralizing. My son says that he "loves Stuart." I too love Stuart. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Having taken Shakespeare at his word on Hamlet (i.e., not cuttinga single syllable out of a very long play), Kenneth Branagh selects a more radical approach with Love's Labour's Lost. Here the prolific director-star weeds out much of the play's dialogue and adds songs and dances of a decidedly modern bent. The King of Navarre (Alessandro Nivola, Nicolas Cage's wacko brother in Face/Off) and his three comrades (Branagh, Matthew Lillard, Adrian Lester) take a vow:no womanly distractions while they pursue their studies. Ah, but at that very moment, floating down a magical studio-built river, is the queen of France (Alicia Silverstone), accompanied by three ladies-in-waiting. You do the math. Branagh has set the tale on the eve of the Second World War, which allows for the inclusion of vintage pop songs, including "Cheek to Cheek," "The Way You Look Tonight," and a rousing chorus of "There's No Business Like Show Business," led by--who else?--Nathan Lane. The fact that most of the cast members are not accomplished song-and-dance folk is clearly meant to charm, but the results are spotty at best. Perhaps the most dynamic performer is Natascha McElhone (memorable from Ronin), whose aristocratic bearing and bottomless eyes lend a gravity to the material that is otherwise absent from Branagh's twinkly staging. The play contains some of Shakespeare's loveliest paeans to the language of love, yet Branagh seems to be in a hurry to juice everything up lest the audience lose interest. The labor shows. --Robert Horton ... Read more

Description

Laughs erupt when Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan fall in love and fall in lava in Joe Versus the Volcano, a colorful, stylish laughquake written and directed by Moonstruck Oscar winner John Patrick Shanley. As Joe, Hanks adds to his phenomenal string of successes that includes, Splash, Big and Turner & Hooch. And Meg Ryan follows up her starmaking When Harry Met Sally...with three roles, playing each of the women in Joe's life. When we first meet Joe, he has the white-color blues. Every day is Monday, the boss is always in a bad mood and the cumulative stresses convince Joe has a terminal condition called a "brain cloud." So when a zany jillionaire pops up and offers him a fleeting taste of the good life, Joe leaps at the chance. All he must do in return is leap into a volcano. But funny things happen on the way from the urban isle of Manhattan to the remote tropical isle of Waponi Woo... Out of the corporate frying pan. Into the fire. Is Joes doomed to be the last of the red-hot lovers? Not if the forces of courage, love and comedy have their way. ... Read more

Reviews (142)

Misunderstood, Poetic Fantasy
Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan will be best know for "Sleepless in Seattle" and "You've Got Mail" but this is really their best work. Tom Hanks has seemingly gone through three stages as an actor. Inane, teen-oriented buffoon ("Bachelor Party", "Volunteers") to quirky, but lovable ("Big", "Joe Versus the Volcano") to serious ("Philadelphia", "Saving Private Ryan"). "Joe Versus the Volcano" represents the best of his middle career and in my opinion, his best period. In playing Joe Banks, he captures the best of silliness and seriousness in one role. He shows a much greater range of acting ability than he has in any other film. Meg Ryan is equally amazing, playing three very different roles convincingly. This is a movie I have to view over and over because each time I do, I pick something up I hadn't previously. There is a hidden story underneath the surface and its up to the viewer to discover it. This movie is a veritable tapestry of symbolism and hidden messages. Listen carefully to the dialogue, especially the speech Joe gives to his boss after he leaves his job. And try to spot how many times you see the zig-zag symbol throughout the film.

Finally!
So glad to see this wonderful movie available on DVD. I saw it in it's theatrical release in 1990 and it became an immediate favorite of mine. It tanked at the box office because most people either didn't "get it", or refused to accept it for what it was, an allegorical fantasy. Fortunately there were enough of us who did "get it", Joe vs. became a cult classic (for lack of a better term). This is a beautiful movie, wonderfully acted by Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan. It's every bit as wonderful as "Sleepless in Seattle" and much, much better than "You've Got Mail". One just has to open one's mind and heart to the story and it's deeper meanings - accept it for the fantasy it is, sit back and enjoy. It's a glorious movie with a great soundtrack and beautiful, contrasting images. I hope one of these days it will be appreciated as it should have been a decade ago.

Joe Versus the Volcano
This has quite possibly the best opening sequence I've ever had the privelege to see. It rocks; the song, the situation, and the set work perfectly.

But, further along with the review.

It's about a hypochondriac named Joe Banks. He had had a job before, putting out fires, but for the past several years he's had a job shipping out catalogues for a medical parts company. He uses up basically all of his salary on doctors' bills, because, being the hypochondriac he is, he won't rest until he finds something wrong with himself. And- wonder of all wonders- one doctor FINALLY tells him he has an uncurable disease- a 'brain cloud' that will kill him in the next six months. Joe feels great about that; quits his job, and takes out the secretary he had to dinner. (played by Meg Ryan)

After she dumps him (he tells her he's about to die), he is visited by a very rich man who is willing to give him any amount of money that he can spend in the next few days in exchange for him voluntarily jumping into a volcano. On his way to accomplishing that goal, he meets the man's two daughters (both played by Meg Ryan).

Wonderful performance by Tom Hanks (as usual) and a wonderful show of acting by Meg Ryan. The voices, costumes, and mannerisms for each of the three women she plays are completely different from each other.

I loved all the Tom Hank/Meg Ryan movies, and this is no exception. Great movie, great acting, great plot... great reasons to see it. :)

original and inspiring
A friend gave me this film years ago. At first I was not sure if I liked it. And then, I watched it again and again. It is a story that opens one's eyes, heart and mind. It made me see the world as hilarious and profound at the same time. And John Patrick Shanley, who wrote and directed this film, presents the story in such a subtle and affecting way. I wish he wrote and directed more movies. I am curious what he would do next. Sometimes I wonder what happened to Joe after he went on his next journey "away from the things of man." I am not a big fan of Hanks or Ryan. It is the story that is amazing. I am glad I was able to get it on DVD as my VHS tape is barely alive. Now, if they only released the soundtrack!

Joe Versus Joe (And Wins!)...
Joe Banks (Tom Hanks) is doomed. He not only works for the most despicable boss at the most horrible job since the slave-driven corporation in "Metropolis", he has also found out that he is dying from a rare condition called a "brain cloud". Thankfully, Joe is visited by the filthy rich owner of a super-conductor manufacturing company (Lloyd Bridges), who wants Joe to go to the island of Waponi Woo and jump into a volcano to appease the god of the Waponi people; so he can secure the mining rights of a rare mineral he needs. This is in exchange for unlimited funds for Joe and the guarantee of high adventure. Joe accepts the offer and sets out on the journey of his life. Meg Ryan plays three very distinct roles as the women Joe encounters on his way. This is truly an oddysey of discovery. Full of humor, romance, miracles, great music, and unexpected events, JOE VERSUS THE VOLCANO is not a typical romantic comedy. If you have ever once fantasized about telling your boss to get bent, or have ever wanted to just quit your job, take off, and live like there's no tomorrow, then watch this movie right now! I would advise you to buy some water-tight steamer trunks for the trip. They come in VERY handy! Highly recommended... ... Read more

Amazon.com

Stuart Little
This live-action version of E.B. White's novel doesn't have quite the magic of, say, Toy Story. Instead of entertainment the whole family can be enthralled with, Stuart Little is squarely aimed, and successfully so, at the 4- to 10-year-old watcher. Does this make it a bad family film? Not in the slightest. The gee-whiz visual effects (created by original Star Wars wizard John Dykstra) and the film's ebullient wholesomeness make this a welcome addition to the home library.In E.B. White's world, it's hardly surprising that human parents would adopt "outside their species." The smooth-talking mouse Stuart (voiced by Michael J. Fox) seems the perfect new child for parents Geena Davis and Hugh Laurie, especially with an adorable wardrobe of very small sweaters and pants. Harder is fitting in with the Littles' family cat, Snowbell (voiced by Nathan Lane, who also deftly voiced Timon in director Rob Minkoff's last feature, The Lion King). The simple story deals with Stuart trying to fit in with his new life, including big brother George (Jerry Maguire's scene-stealing Jonathan Lipnicki). And of course there's an adventure when Snowbell's schemes lead Stuart into true danger, in the form of the devious plans of an alley cat named Smokey (voiced by Chazz Palminteri). Brisk--85 minutes--amusing, and tolerably cute, Stuart Little stands tall. Two curios: The effects are so cleanly done that we could call Stuart the first successfully computer-animated actor, and the screenplay was cowritten by M. Night Shyamalan, who made bigger waves in 1999 writing and directing The Sixth Sense. --Doug Thomas

Stuart Little 2
Stuart Little 2 is that rarest of movie breeds, a sequel that surpasses its charming, popular predecessor to achieve near-classic status. Mr. & Mrs. Little (Hugh Laurie, Geena Davis) are portrayed with good-natured, storybook purity, and the rest of the movie follows suit, beginning when their lonely mouse "son" Stuart (perfectly voiced by Michael J. Fox) befriends an orphaned canary (Melanie Griffith), who is reluctantly stealing from the Littles for the villainous Falcon (James Woods). The con game turns into a search-and-rescue thriller, with family cat Snowbell (Nathan Lane) quipping like a borscht-belt comedian, but the real fun of Stuart Little 2 comes from Bruce Joel Rubin's hilarious, marvelously inventive screenplay and returning director Rob Minkoff's visually dazzling combination of live action and lavish computer animation. Matching the Babe movies as a wondrous marvel of family entertainment, Stuart Little 2 is an all-ages romp that's smart, sweet, and completely irresistible. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Two fun movies, but best to buy the DVDs individually
As has been noted by other reviews, this Stuart Little 2-Pack only contains a Fullscreen format for the original film. A few years ago, it was issued in a wonderful "Collector's Series" widescreen disc with just about everything that is included on the "Deluxe Edition" (save a promo or two for the sequel). It's out-of-print now, but you should still be able to track it down, and it is worth it. Remember, you want "Collector's Series", NOT "Deluxe Edition."

As for the movies, well, both are fun. The original is undoubtedly superior, as it's entirely enveloping for young and old alike, with a mix of heartwarming drama and some witty humor. Michael J. Fox is perfectly cast as Stuart, the little mouse with a big heart and a big family. His adventures in New York City are handled with fairy-tale treatment, that also, seems appropriate.

The sequel feels a little too formulaic, while not remaining entirely true to the first film at the same time. Overall, it doesn't work as well as the original, but it's very entertaining all the same, and James Woods voices the villain like only he can (his recent resume illustrates that this role is a forte).

"Stuart Little 2" contains both Widescreen and Fullscreen on its only release, but you'll want to pass this 2-pack and get the "Collector's Series" (Widescreen) for the original "Stuart Little." (Rating applies to the DVD 2-Pack.)

The Adoption theme is problematic
Adoptive parents should be aware of the problematic aspects of this movie for kids who were adopted. When Stuart's biological parents arrive on the scene and announce that they want Stuart back, his adoptive parents hand him over, no questions asked. There is no sense that adoption is permanent. If your adopted child sees this movie, be prepared to discuss it afterwards and assure your child this would never happen in real life.

CAN'T BELIEVE ONE DISC IN FULLSCREEN OTHER IN BOTH SCREENS
Why should a studio pick a two pack, one disc in fullscreen and the other disc in fullscreen and widescreen. Don't you think it is stupid? Yes it is stupid. Although I wish there was a 5 pack.

Disc One: Stuart Little Fullscreen
Disc Two: Stuart Little Spanish Package Fullscreen
Disc Three: Stuart Little Widescreen
Disc Four: Stuart Little Deluxe Edition
Disc Five: Stuart Little 2

Ding dong ever heard of these collections before. That will be more cooler. The Deluxe should be like the Shrek 2-Disc DVD or The Grinch 2-Disc DVD. Why can't Stuart Little Deluxe Edition be in widescreen or choice of viewing? Columbia Pictures make a Stuart Little Special 2 Disc DVD.

Disc 1: Deluxe Edition
Disc 2: Widescreen Edition,

or make a Stuart Little Widescreen Special Edition of a Stuart Little Fullscreen Deluxe Special Edition.

BEWARE if you have a widescreen TV!
What's the deal, slipping the fullscreen version of Stuart Little in with the widescreen version of Stuart Little 2 and mislabeling the package?! A 4:3 aspect ratio film should NOT be called a "Deluxe Version" when there is a 16:9 version available. I feel very deceived/taken by this, and am docking these otherwise cute movies 2 full stars for Studio Stupidity. ... Read more

Description

Julie Andrews returns to host the second installment of the "My Favorite Broadway" series. "My Favorite Broadway: The Love Songs" is a magical one-night-only concert extravaganza featuring Broadway's brightest stars.Celebrated performances from many of the most beloved musicals ever including "Guys and Dolls," "Drat, the Cat," "Camelot," "Sweet Charity," "My Fair Lady" and more. Songs: Love Is Sweeping the Country/ Till There Was You/ Lover/ So in Love (Adam Pascal, Brent Spiner, Rebecca Luker, Peter Gallagher & Marin Mazzie), Lullaby of Broadway (Tom Wopat & Dancers), Sue Me (Nathan Lane & Doo Wop Trio), He Touched Me (Heather Headley), Operatic Intro/ Standing on the Corner/ Let the Good Times Roll (Three Mo' Tenors), Gigi (Ron Raines), Smoke Gets in Your Eyes (Jeffrey Denman & Joan Hess), When I Fall in Love (Marin Mazzie), English Teacher/ Rosie (C