Reviews (414)

not your average disney
not something you would expect from disney. broken family, depressed child, social services. i believe that disney has done a wonderous job, not being so beautiful world with this.

Not too pleased with this one.
Disney's "Lilo & Stitch" was directed by Chris Sanders & Dean DeBlois. It is about a little Hawaiian girl named Lilo and her sister, Nani, and how a destructive alien named Stitch brings them together. That's enough summary. You want plot, read the other reviews.

There are good things in this movie. Some parts are purely delightful. Stitch and Lilo can both be cute at times, and it was nice to hear some traditional Elvis. Cobra Bubbles, the social worker, is a funny guy. And some of the parts are funny, too. That's about it.

I'm an animation major, so I realize that I'm very critical when it comes to Disney. But truthfully, I was SHOCKED when I found out that people actually like this movie. For one thing, it's badly written. It needs a decent script. It's boring. The plot is choppy. Everything is twisted (not gracefully) to be about families, and worst of all, the characters are incredibly cruel to each other (for laughs, I felt) and never really turn around until the last two minutes. I thought these were flaws that were so blatant everyone would notice them. The little movie critic that lives in my head was screaming bloody murder.

Just a few things to warn parents about--Lilo is a brat, Nani is abusive, and Stitch just is there to tear things down. I'm surprised that this movie wasn't rated PG-13...I believe it was going to be, but then they took out the part with Pudgy (Lilo's pet fish) getting pecked to death by seagulls. Yeah, and you thought this was a kids' movie. One of the most disturbing parts is when Stitch & Lilo shove a little girl off her tricycle and take off with it, leaving the little girl sobbing in the dirt. If you think that's funny, you have some serious mental problems.

There's a lot of screaming, it's not very funny, and to me, very unconvincing. The moral this one left me with was, hey, it's okay to treat others like ....because Ohana means family. I won't buy that. I'd strongly suggest parents read some proffessional reviews on this movie, there's a reason this movie hasn't made much money in comparison to the Disneys of the past. "Hunchback" and even "Pocahantas" grossed over $100 million more than this one. I hope that says something. Methinks parents HAVE been doing their jobs and reading the reviews on this one. (In gentle reprimand to someone below who called parents "stupid").

As for me- if I ever work for the Disney animation studio, I'll do everything in my power to make clever, sweet, funny movies like "Aladdin" and "Monster's Inc." and keep painfully hideous movies like "Lilo & Stitch" from ever gracing the storyboards of Burbank. What the HECK were they thinking?

I laughed my head off
Lord, this is the funniest Disney movie in years. And one of the most inventive. A problem in most Disney movies in recent years (well, actually, always) has been taking plots from other sources. None of the Disney animated films have been in any sense original. Contrast this with Japan's great animator Hayao Miyazaki, whose movies are almost always based upon original sources. I don't think it is an accident that the best Disney movie in a long time is based on a completely original story.

Speaking of Miyazaki, Daveigh Chase, who provides the voice for Lilo, also did the voice for Chihiro in the English language dubbing for SPIRITED AWAY. Unbelievably, she dubbed the voice for major characters in the two best-animated films of the year. I have to be honest here: I was really scared that LILO AND STITCH was going to win the. It didn't. It is very, very good, but SPIRITED AWAY is not merely the best-animated film in the past couple of decades, but quite possibly the best ever. I knew that if the voters only watched both LILO AND STITCH and SPIRITED AWAY, then the latter would easily win the Oscar. Luckily, enough did, and it won a well-deserved Oscar. But LILO AND STITCH was a very strong second, and in many years would have won.

The film is the story of the accidentally pairing of two misfits. Lilo is a Hawaiian girl who is being raised by her sister Nani, and Stitch is a genetic creation of an "evil genius" mad doctor, a powerful warrior creature. Lilo has lost her family, and Stitch, or "Experiment 626," as he is otherwise known, has never had one. The movie essentially tells the story of how each helps the other find what she and he both need most.

Hopefully, this is the beginning of a new practice: instead of creating an endless number of variations of old, traditional, and familiar stories, Disney will turn their resources to original, new, and inventive stories.

Good Fun
* One of the expectations of a Disney animated film is
that it will have a top-rank / few-expenses-spared production,
with perfectionistic artwork and such features as soundtracks
by star musicians -- coupled to a not-always-inspired script.

Disney animated movies are marketed at kids, of course, and
that generally means a little moralizing sentimentality and
some political correctness. I don't criticise this as such,
since the parents would go on the warpath if Disney did
any different, but one hopes there is something more to the
story.

By these standards, LILO & STITCH gets the expected top
production grade, and what I would say is a better-than-expected
grade for the script. It involves an alien mad scientist
named Jumba who creates a midget monstrosity, Experiment 6-2-6,
a nasty little creature with a lightning brain, disproportionate
strength, and a genetic predisposition to be as big a nuisance
and pain as possible.

Jumba is arrested and his creation seized, but Experiment
6-2-6 escapes and flies to Earth, landing in Hawaii, with
Jumba in pursuit. In an attempt to camouflage himself,
6-2-6 pretends he's a dog -- a real strange-looking dog --
and is adopted by Lilo (LEE-low, not LIE-low), a little
Hawaiian girl who is a pain to her sister and guardian
Nina. Lilo names him "Stitch" and many adventures follow.
Think of "ET with an attitude" and you kind of understand.

OK, the script is sentimental, and for all those worrisome
parents out there I can assure you that this movie HAS A
MORAL MESSAGE EMPHASIZING GOOD FAMILY VALUES as a central
theme. (I grew up on Three Stooges, Looney Tunes, and Rocky
& Bullwinkle when nobody worried about such things, but that
was then.) Fortunately, it also has some very good
laughs (Lilo's photography hobby comes to mind for one
example) and can be off-the-wall and imaginative about it
in places. Of course it's all silliness, but this is an
animated feature about little girls and alien midget monsters,
not WAR & PEACE.

The production values are very pretty, the artwork style
has its original features, and the soundtrack work, if not
star quality like some Disney animateds, is good.
Lilo is an Elvis fan and the Elvis tunes seem to work very
well in the script, even though I'm not a fan of the King
myself. ("Elvis or Beatles?" "Beatles.")

This may not be "must-see-video" but it is recommended.
One of the signs of an entertaining flic is that it can
keep me attentive up to the closing credits, and the little
"family album" at the end, implying a whole set of stories
that I was sad I missed, was one of the nicest touches in
the whole thing.

The Best Animated Disney Film in Years
I am very fussy about which Disney films I watch. So far I have purchased "Tarzan" and "Dinosaur" on DVD and though I enjoyed them I won't say they won my heart over.

"Lilo and Stitch" however had me laughing and crying in the same breath. Set in Hawaii this is a very different kind of Disney film. I loved it from the very first moment when Lilo tried to explain to her dancing teacher why she had to feed a friendly dolphin peanut butter sandwiches rather than tuna to the moment Stitch realises he wants a family of his own to belong to, this gem of a film managed to get under my skin like no other Disney animation.

The plot is quite simple; a genetically created monster escapes a prison ship and heads for earth. All he has on his mind is destruction and mayhem but fate has something else in store for him and he finds himself pretending to be a dog in order to evade the bounty hunters sent to find him. His new "owner" is a lonely but strong minded little girl called Lilo who is still grieving over the loss of her parents in a car accident. She calls her new "dog" Stitch and gives him unconditional love, something this monster has never known before. Suddenly Stitch's desire for destruction takes a back seat as he tries to help the one person in the whole universe who is not afraid of him.

There are great scenes like Stitch finding a frog in the middle of road but it is him who gets run over by a truck and not the frog but as he is indestructible all that happens is that he gets knocked out. We see the frog later on in the same road, and Stitch saves it, something he would have never done if he had not met Lilo. It is a touching scene, not syrupy, just nice and thoughtfully done. Another scene that is side splittingly funny is when Stitch steals a child's tricycle, jumps on it, grabs Lilo and tries to find his way off the Island only to be told by Lilo that "isn't it great, there are no cities on the Island?" Stitch faints when he hears this; he has been genetically programmed to destroy cities! All of this mayhem and chaos ultimately leads to Stitch having to make a decision. Does he abandon Lilo and try to escape or does he take on the powers that be that want to destroy him and try and keep his new family together?

Stitch's attempt to save Lilo when she is in danger is hilarious but at the same time quite emotional, surprising for an animated film, especially a Disney one.

The music is great and I'm a fan of Elvis all over again, the songs are really appropriate but let me assure you this is not a musical cartoon, rather it is a cartoon with a selection of songs that blend into the story and plot quite nicely.

The characters are believable, even the ex-CIA Welfare Officer who despite his gruff exterior has a heart of gold, to the obnoxious little girls who tease Lilo for daring to be different.

This is cracking good film for all ages, and I will be very surprised if most people don't like something about it, even if it is just the music score! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Still waiting............
As of today, May 2, 2004, Disney's masterpiece, the original "That Darn Cat" has yet to be released on DVD.
I dont know what Disney is waiting for, but if enough of us request the DVD, it will be made available alot quicker. All you have to do is sign up to pre-order the DVD on Amazon.com when it becomes available.
You will get an email when the DVD finally comes out.
The movie is about a Beautiful Siamese Cat, named D.C. (Darn Cat).
D.C. and his owner, the cute Disney legend Hayley Mills find themselves up to their necks in crime, and chaos.
A woman has been kidnapped, and only D.C. and Hayley can help he police find her!
Dean Jones, another Disney legend, plays the special agent in charge of the kidnapped woman's case, and he is wonderful.
"That Darn Cat" is the epitome of a Disney Clasic film: A cute, charasmatic Animal as the star, plus some familiar faces in the supporting roles, mixed with the Disney comedy, action and overall fun that we have grown to love.
The late great Roddy McDowall, of "Planet of the Apes" fame, plays a great part in this movie as well.
They made a remake of "That Darn Cat' in 1997, and while it was good, it is not nearly as good as the original.
This original 1965 version of 'That Darn Cat" is the one with the Disney Magic that we all have grown used to.
This movie is full of comedy, action, suspense, intrigue, and most important, pure Disney fun.
You will definitely enjoy this movie, if you havent seen it yet. If you have seen it on video, then you know what I mean.
Hopefully, soon, Disney will release this movie on DVD, and when they do, trust me when I say that it will be a favorite of yours and your family for years and years to come.
So, come on Disney.....we are waiting. Please release "That Darn Cat" on DVD soon, so that a whole new generation can experience its wonder.

Gorgeous!!!
Absolutely fabulous! This movie can make you laugh 1000 times over! It's delicious. The actor's play is a masterpiece, something that is very rare in our days.The intrigue is perfectly balanced, and the storyscript is the work of a genius!If you want to laugh like you do when you were a child, this is your moment! ... Read more

Amazon.com

When a Great Dane puppy is raised with a litter of Dachshunds, itnaturally thinks it's a Dachshund too--even when it grows to 10 times thesize. Dean Jones and Suzanne Pleshette star as the hapless couple who tookin the galumphing dog, which wreaks havoc on their house and home. TheUgly Dachshund is mostly a series of spectacular disasters (the doggydemolition of Jones's art studio will delight kids and reduce adults tonervous wrecks), but it's held together by the convincing domestic banterof Jones and Pleshette (who was quite a dish in 1965); the pair went on tostar in a couple of other Disney live-action flicks, Bluebeard'sGhost and The Shaggy D.A.. Despite some racial and genderstereotypes, it's a good-natured and amusing movie in the Disney mold.Also featuring classic character actor Charlie Ruggles (Bringing UpBaby, The Parent Trap). --Bret Fetzer ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Great for Dachshund fans!
Very cute movie for Dachshund fans or Great Dane enthusiasts! My favorite live action Disney movie -- long out of print. I am so happy that Disney released this on DVD. It is fun seeing the original trailer and the little featurette about Disney's dog stars too.

Funny movie!
This is a clean, funny movie for the whole family. I would recommend it to anyone who needs to laugh. This movie is particularly funny if you own a dachshund.

I've been begging Disney for years to release this movie on DVD. I'm so glad they finally did!

Classic Disney Film
In the classic tradition of Disney fluff, comes Dean Jones and Suzanne Pleshette who play Mark and Fran Garrison, a childless couple who's baby is Danke, their prize winning Dachsie. When the film opens, they are rushing to the hospital to have a baby. Not their own, rather, Danke's.

Mark is now even more outnumbered by females 5-1, and he's ready for some more masculinity in the family. When Mark picks up the Dachsies at the Vet hospital, Mark discovers from the doctor that a male Great Dane pup has been rejected by his mother, and agrees to take it home and allow Danke to nurse it. Fran believes that Danke just had another puppy, even though he looks different.

As time goes by, Fran realizes that "Brutus" is a Great Dane and insists that he be taken back to the hospital. Mark agrees, but can't get that pup off is mind. When Mark is given a birthday only fit for Dachshunds, he blows his top, only to find Fran surprises him with Brutus, now almost full grown.

Over time the Dane and Dachsies grow up and get into lots of mischief. Most of the times the Dachsies were responsible, but Fran can't believe that for one minute! The ending of the film brings Fran and Mark back together and they both become proud of the Dane Brutus has grown up to be.

I highly recommend this film to all ages. I watched The Ugly Dachshund when I was little, and now my daughter enjoys it, so it definitely stays a favorite over the generations. This wholesome, comedic type of film is hard to find these days, so grab this dvd up while you can! I also recommend other Disney titles starring Dean and Suzanne- Blackbeard's Ghost and Shaggy D.A.

The Ugly Dachshund
This is one of the best movies for children that I have seen. It keeps moving so you don't get bored. And is very funny. I recommend it to anyone who wants a good laugh. Watch it and enjoy!!

The Ugly Dachshund, Great For The Whole Family
This is one of my favorite movies! Dean Jones plays an artist married to Suzanne Pleshette who has a purebred dachshund about to have puppies. As a favor to their vet, Dean sneaks in a Great Dane pup with the dachshund pups and that's when all the fun begins! I had this movie on video and I've shared it with children and adults...everyone laughs at it. It's a sweet comedy that everyone can enjoy. ... Read more

Reviews (239)

I Give This Four Barks Out of Five
Best in Show is a clever 'mocumentary', a delightful satire of the dog show world. Director Christopher Guest and co-writer Eugene Levy also star in the movie, along with a slew of other comic actors. As writers, Guest and Levy are throwbacks to kinder, gentler times. Their brand of satire is funny and sometimes biting, but it is never brutal. They allow the performers to improvise a lot. This doesn't always work out, but when it does, the results are hysterical. The movie succeeds because the dogs' owners, not the dogs themselves, are the real characters. It shows that in the bond between man and dog, man may be the strangest and funniest half.

At the start, we meet several couples and individuals who will be showing their dogs in the Mayflower competition in Philadelphia. Some are shown in real scenes, other in fake interviews. Christopher Guest is Harlan Pepper, a down home North Carolina boy who runs a fishing supply store. He also raises champion blood hounds and dreams of being a ventriloquist. Eugene Levy and Catherine O'Hara play the Flecks. He literally has two left feet, and she is an aging hot babe, who is constantly running into men from her past, much to Mr. Fleck's annoyance. Parker Posey and Michael Hitchcock are the Swans, a couple of yuppie lawyers who have channeled way too much emotion into their dog. Sherri Ann [Jennifer Coolidge] is a very buxom and very wealthy matron who, along with her trainer, Christie [Jane Lynch], has entered her pom-pommed poodle. Finally, we met Scott and Stephan [John Michael Higgins and Michael McKeen], a gay couple who has entered one of their beloved toy dogs. In their spare time, Scott and Stephan produce calendars, using photos of their dogs dressed up like characters in famous movies.

The movie follows the characters before, during and after the competition. The show itself is quite authentic looking. It even spoofs sports announcing. One of the announcers is a proper Englishman, full of knowledge about dog shows. The other is an American who is completely clueless. Their scenes are among the film's funniest.

The humor is Best in Show is too dry for some viewers. It's often subtle comedy. I enjoyed it, but I like my humor from broad to dry and everything in-between. I also think I share Guest and Levy's point of view. They seem to be dog lovers who think that what goes on in the world of championship dog lovers is somewhat over the top. What the characters in the movie express towards dogs isn't exactly love. It's more obsession and a need to be noticed. In fact, these people require more attention than their mutts do.

Funny Mock-u-mentary
There's a shallow gold-digger married to a wealthy but mute 90 year old. There's a flamboyantly perky hairdresser (a most amusing character!) who is coupled with a hairdresser. There is also the two lawyers, married, dysfunctional, and highly high-strung. Then there's the former "popular" and experienced prom queen married to the nerdy and self-conscious salesman with two left feet (literally). And finally, there's "Harlan", the ventriloquist wannabe. What do they all have in common? Besides being hysterically human and flawed, each enter their prize dogs in a "Best in Show" contest. With excellent dry humor and in the mode of a documentary, "Best in Show" displays very aptly the human condition, relationships, ambition, and quirky but spunky dog owners and how they react to life, to thier self-worth and to winning (or not winning). I loved this movie for many reasons. The acting was superb; the storyline was choppy but worked very well; and the humor was intelligent and some of the one-liners hit you 5 seconds after they're said--the most powerful form of comedy. This is not for those who like fast moving movies; it's for those who like intelligently quiet humor and can read in between the lines by taking a simple process of entering a dog show and making it into a social, psychological, and fun story. You'll enjoy it!

Not quite "Best"
Christopher Guest has a rare misstep in "Best in Show," the follow-up to comedy classic "Waiting for Guffman." While "Best" is still a fun and frenetic mockumentary, it isn't up to the standards of its sibling mockumentaries -- it's a little too repetitive and over-the-top.

Welcome to Philadelphia, the home of the Mayflower Kennel Club Dog Show. Among the crazy dog owners are Starbucks yuppies Hamilton and Meg Swan (Michael Hitchcock and Parker Posey), gay couple Scott and Stefan (John Michael Higgins and Michael McKean), ventrilogist hick Harlan Pepper (Christopher Guest), and buxom airhead Sherri Ann (Jennifer Coolidge) and her lover/trainer Christy Cummings (Jane Lynch). Front and center is two-left-footed Gerry Fleck (Eugene Levy) and his wife Cookie (Catherine O'Hara), whose sexy past keeps coming back to haunt her.

All these people converge at the dog show, and face difficulties ranging from wrenched knees to televised lesbian smooches to lost squeaky toys -- and some of the dogs are getting a bit crazy as well. With an obnoxious commentator watching over it all, they all strive for the ultimate prize. Poodle, Norwich terrier, bloodhound, Shih Tzu or emotionally scarred Weimaraner -- who will be best in show?

"Best in Show" does for dog shows what "This is Spinal Tap" did for old metal -- it makes affectionate fun of them. Christopher Guest returns to mockumentary turf in the moderately funny "Best in Show" -- it's flawed, but still far above the average comedy.

The biggest problem with "Best in Show" is that Guest tries too hard. The jokes and goofiness are over-the-top, belying the mockumentary format. And the jokes get a bit repetitive. How many times can Cookie run into old boyfriends? Isn't the gay humor both cliched and overdone? But, the humor itself is quite funny, with plenty of strange lines like "We have so much in common! We both love soup... and the outdoors... snow peas... talking and not talking. We could not talk or talk forever and still find things to not talk about."

No flaws can be found in the veteran mockumentary cast -- these people look like they're having a good time. Hitchcock and Posey are chillingly good as the couple who met over J. Crew catalogues in a Starbucks, while Coolidge is deliciously dumb as a bisexual Anna Nicole Smith clone. McKean and Higgins, despite being cliched, play their roles with unadulterated delight. Fred Willard's vulgar commentator is over-the-top stupid, but still amusing.

Despite repetitive humor and the occasional dud joke, Christopher Guest's follow-up to "Waiting for Guffman" is an amusing look behind the scenes of dog shows. It's not "Best in Show," but it's one of the best of breed.

Definitely the funniest of the mockumentaries
This is a fast moving and funny movie that's a truly great comedy, worthy enough to stand alongside This is Spinal Tap.
This one has everything. Conflict-who will win the dog show? Humor, and lots of it. Fred Willard again proves he needs his own TV show (nay, his own channel) as a dog-show commentator so obliviously stupid he's lovable. Eugene Levy and Catherine O'Hara are perfect as your typical, middle-class east-coast family; Eugene's plays somewhat of a "loser", Catherine's great as the promiscuous wife. Jennifer Coolidge is pretty funny as the "glamorous" lesbian who can be aggressive in subtly funny ways.
The best thing about this movie is that it's truly humorous with truly funny actors. These people aren't puppets for lame sex jokes (well, not counting both gay couples) they're funny because they (as in the talented actors, the whole lot of 'em) inherit their characters and give them a life of their own. I mean, I bet that Eugene Levy came up with his character's two left feet on the spot because he knew he had to make a somewhat pathetic character even more pathetic. There's an absolutely pointless scene where Guest's character, a southerner/hunter/ventriloquist, talks to the camera about how he used to stay up all night naming nuts. It's funny though, because it makes no sense but somehow falls in line with the character.
This is a great comedy that makes few cheap shots but is consistently funny through and through.
The DVD has a pretty entertaining commentary with Guest and Levy, and some funny deleted scenes (look for the one where Hamilton tells Posey about "a saying my father used to say"). Those extras are enough for this disc though, and the price is great. Buy this inspired and funny comedy.

Best in Show
BEST OF SHOW was a little disappointing. I couldn't connect with Christopher Guest's hillbilly character, Eugene Levy's character lost me behind his buck teeth and two left feet (No, they really are two left feet!), and I thought Fred Willard's ringside color-man bit was more irritating than slashingly satiric. Bummer. It was because they were in it that I got this one.
On the other hand the movie is filled with strong characterizations and funny bits. Larry Miller has a hilarious scene as one of Catherine O'Hara's ex-lovers who, to husband Levy's obvious discomfort, describes things in graphic detail. Ed Begley Jr. hits the right note as the quietly helpful hotel manager. The bickering yuppie couple and the gay couple were fun, too. ... Read more

Reviews (108)

didnt REALLY enjoy it
What I saw was "Snow Dogs." It stars Cuba Gooding Jr., Sisqo, James Coburn and Nichelle Nichols. Gooding is Ted Brooks, a dentist from Miami who inherits some racing snow dogs in Alaska from his mother. He learns that he was adopted from his mother's will and begins a half-hearted search for his natural father.

In Alaska, he meets a bartender who knew his mother. Ted wants to leave because he doesn't belong in Alaska. But to stop him, the bartender tells Ted who his father is. He finds out that his dad was white (and Ted is black). One kid in the theater asked what a diary was when Ted found his late mother's diary in the house that she lived in.

Overall, I didn't really enjoy this film, but I guess that young kids could give it a shot. I did chuckle a little bit at some parts, like when he said that one of the dentist operations would hurt more than a tickle and less than paying your taxes (a little adult joke, the kids wouldn't get it). Some of the lines in the movie didn't come out right, though. One of my favorite parts was when Ted was dreaming and Michael Bolton made a cameo.

R.I..P Mr. James Coburn aka Thunder Jack
Although Cuba Gooding has always gotten on my nerves, this movie is worth the watch for James Coburn's turn as Thunder Jack, a grizzeled mountain man. To lose Rod Steiger, James Coburn and Charles Bronson all in such a short time marks the end of an era and a goodbye to the last of the 'Real Men' of both Hollywood and the world...

What's with the running gag about Michael Bolton???
My 6-year-old is obsessed with this film. It seems like every time I hear the TV turn on, my daughter's got "Snow Dogs" popped into the VCR...again (sigh...)! It's harmless good fun and I certainly don't mind hearing her gleeful laughter resounding through the house. The only thing that gets on my nerves are the Michael Bolton references. Michael Bolton's music is used in the film soundtrack. Michael Bolton is a White recording artist, but his most successful releases have consistently been cover versions of songs by Black artists. The central character in "Snow Dogs" finds out that he's not only adopted but also only half-Black. His foster mother promptly quips that maybe this is the reason he likes Michael Bolton's music so much. Then at some point Michael Bolton himself makes a cameo in the film. And Bolton's music returns as the credits roll, this time a cover of a Stevie Wonder classic. Was this redundancy really necessary? Aside from that, I think "Snow Dogs" is a heartwarming family movie that parents will be able to tolerate without going nuts the twentieth time the kids put it on. Don't hesitate to check it out!

A charmer fit for the family, even the pets will love it!
A Miami dentist and a team of sledding dogs combine for a humorous, snow-filled adventure. Dr. Ted Brooks (Cuba Gooding, Jr.) has a successful practice, "Hot Smile," when one day his mother drops the news that he was adopted. He soon finds himself in a small Alaska town to claim his inheritance, which includes no money but plenty of dogs - not such a good match for the wealthy, canine-hater! Before heading back to balmy Florida, however, he braves the frigid climate in search of his biological father. He slowly finds himself drawn to the simplicity of the town and its people, including Barb, a tough but sweet bartender, and Thunder Jack (James Coburn), a very rough-on-the-outside, warm-on-the-inside "musher." When the "Arctic Challenge" sled race begins soon after, Brooks and his new canine friends discover the meaning of love and family.

There is so much to enjoy about this movie, which comes from a long tradition of Disney snow/dog/sled racing classics ("Snowball Express," "White Fang," "Iron Will"). It's lighter in tone but still provides some thrilling moments against a spectacular Alaskan backdrop. (They could have capitalized on the scenery even more.) The laughs come naturally in this script, as a Southern city slicker thrust into the Alaskan wilderness is bound to run into goofy situations. Cuba Gooding, Jr. is in fine comedic form, and a scraggly James Coburn easily takes to his lighter side. Both actors have proven their dramatic prowess with serious, decidedly adult roles, but the two fit snuggly into this family film and share some amusing and touching scenes. Though "Snow Dogs" lacks the scriptural tightness of films before it, it warms the heart.

THE DOGS ARE THE SHOW
Critics have pretty much bashed this movie, stating that Oscar winner Cuba Gooding has sunk to depths unprecedented by previous winners. A little harsh; SNOW DOGS works not because of Cuba; it works because it's hearts in the right place and the dogs are a pleasure to watch, especially Demon and Nana. There is one hilarious dream sequence where the dogs are sunning themselves on the beach, in lounge chairs, sunglasses and drinks in hand. Cuba does better once he gets over the prat-falling sequences early in the movies; Gooding comes nowhere near the masters of this: Chevy Chase, Steve Martin, Dick van Dyke and Jerry Lewis. But once Gooding stops trying to be these guys, his performance settles down, and he avoids killing the movie. Also, James Coburn is delightful as his "father", and Nichelle Nichols is even more beautiful than she was in "Star Trek." There's nothing new in this movie, but as typical Disney fare, it has an upbeat message and everything goes just as one would hope and expect; the Alaska backdrop is sumptous, too. Don't let the horrible reviews influence you; if you like this kind of "feel good" movie, it's fine. ... Read more

Reviews (20)

Great movie!
It's pleasing to see so many positive reviews for this movie that was made at a time when Disney was not quite considered...up to par. Which is an unfair statement! There were several very entertaining films made by the studio in the 70's! Even if they did lose a little something special without Walt, they still are great and in a class all their own that can only be considered 70's Disney. I'm just saying, that's not as bad a class to be in as some people think! The Dexter Riley trilogy for example! Those are the Computer Wore Tennis Shoes, Now You See Him Now You Don't, and The Strongest Man in the World, all starring teen Kurt Russel as well. I love those! The movies Disney made at that time were still Disney clean, and still Disney fun! In a cheezy way maybe, but so what! This movie is a great one, and yet, still not one of the best from the time, but I do recommend it to Disney fans, people who like clean, funny movies, and cat lovers of course!

Good Movie
Its funny & you just don't know how exactly it will end but all & all its an older movie.A cat named Jake has to land on earth when his space ship breaks down.The space ship is found and taken away by the government who start to worry about strange beings finding their way to the white house & causing the downfall of the USA.Meanwhile Jake finds a brillant but not well known scientist to help Jake make repairs to his ship.What happens next?You really wanna know?If so buy the movie!

Before E.T...!
A genuinely smart and entertaining comedy sci-fi film from Disney that is low-key, to the point, and delivers on a modest scale. An alien cat's (named Jake) spaceship crashlands on earth and the ship is retrieved by the military. Jake eludes the military and seeks out help by revealing himself to an astro-physicist (Ken Berry as Frank) who happens to work at the military base where the spaceship is incarcerated. Seems that a modest amount of gold is just the thing needed to repair the lame spaceship. So, Jake uses his alien telekinesis (powered from a collar around his neck) to manipulate the outcomes of a few sporting events to place bets on. Then, win enough cash to buy the right amount of gold and repair the spacecraft. In the meantime, the military, gangsters, and gamblers are on the chase of the elusive alien cat. Ken Berry is excellent as Frank the astro-physicist playing a variation of another Disney character, Prof. Ned Brainard (played by Fred MacMurray) from THE ABSENT-MINDED PROFESSOR. Good support work from Sandy Duncan, McLean Stevenson, Harry Morgan (the two Colonels from tv's MASH!! in the same film) & Roddy McDowell as they round out this inventive Disney family fare that has the right amount of decent special effects and comic situations. Comic actor Ronnie Schell ("Duke" of tv's GOMER PYLE) provides the voice for Jake the Cat and also plays a supporting role as one of the military personnel (Sgt Duffy) after Jake the Cat. One funny note is that when Schell as Sgt. Duffy has any lines, his voice is dubbed over by another actor. His voice was so distinct and the producers found it fit to overdub his lines as to not confuse moviegoers. Note: Look for character actor James Hampton ("Caretaker" in THE LONGEST YARD)in a support role. He co-starred with Ken Berry in the classic tv series/western spoof F-TROOP.

A cute little move
When I was a little girl this movie was played every Thanksgiving on local TV. The movie really caught my eyes because the lead character was an orange cat from outer space. The movie is your usual Disney fair; no swearing, violence, or adult situations, and is suitable for all children and many adults.
The cat, a lovely Absymian named Jake, crashes on earth and seeks the help of a scientist and his quirky friends. The army gets involved, but not expecting a cat, get very confused very quickly. If you have a cat lover in your family who likes fun, campy romps, this one is sure to please!

A great movie for cat lovers
I loved this movie when I was a kid. I have it on VHS currently and cant wait to get a copy on DVD. ... Read more

Reviews (174)

Technologically Advanced War between Cats and Dogs is a hit!
Critique
When I first viewed the trailer and the behind the scenes footage for this movie, I was very excited to view it. This film is good, clean, and downright fun to watch. The tedious time spent on the special effects for the dogs and cats to do stunts and talking is absolutely amazing. Don't let the PG rating fool you adults! I appreciate the film maker's strive to bring this film to not only children, but to its teen and adult audience. Animal aficionados will adore this action-packed, emotional, and comedic film about the war between cats and dogs.

Plot
The dog species actually has an intelligent agency behind it with trained agents protecting man kind 24/7 against the evil plots of cats. When the Brody family dog is catnapped the Dog HQ Agency calls in an elite team of puppies to have one picked to replace the family dog. The Brody family father (Jeff Goldblum) is developing a formula to stop the allergy some humans have with dogs. By accident a beagle is the replacement and must help protect the family with the assistance of the other dogs. From there cats try to kill the beagle (Lou), but fail as Lou learns quickly the prerequisites of a dog agent. The whole family will enjoy this exciting, positive, comedic film from start to end!

Pros:
1. Meticulous special effects used to create the communication and fights between the cats and dogs.
2. Excellent plot
3. Great voices of the felines and canines by brilliant actors. (i.e. John Lovitz, Charlton Heston, Susan Sarandon, Tobey Maguire, and Sean Hayes)
4. Incorporated use of highly advanced technological equipment is very entertaining to watch.

Cons:
1. None

Family fun with good effects
This family movie will offer great fun for all, or at least all dog lovers. Here dogs are the undisputed good guys, whilst cats are all evil. Cats are underway to ensure that scientist Jeff Goldblum will never finish his serum to make all humans allergy-free to dogs. They plan to reverse the effects to make everyone allergic to dogs.

Perhaps the most frustrating thing about 'Cats And Dogs' is that it's obviously biased, especially for a movie that scoffs at people for actually having a favourite animal! That said, the special effects are fantastic and it's jam-packed with great characters and one-liners. For instance, a dog labelling himself 'Toto Annihilation' will have you rolling in your seats. Plus there's the fact that cat lovers can console themselves in the fact that the felines are undoubtedly the best characters, from the dictatorship of Mr Tinkles to the Samurai fighting cats and the Russian spy cat. The dogs, for their part, are mostly pretty wet, except for a marvellous Susan Sarandon as a stray mutt. Although it's surprising that many of the celebrity voices are highly unrecognisable. Indeed, you hardly notice Alec Baldwin or Toby Maguire.

Unfortunately though, for all it's style and obvious wit, it still has such a lame plot that you'll be gagging from some real action. It's the characters that engage rather than the big action sets. The idea is good too, but it's still more flashy effects than story or character progression. Thankfully though, the ladles of sickly sentiment are not as bad as in many kids' movies.

This is a COOL movie!
My kid and me love this movie. My 16 old sister laughed all the way through it. My 7 year old loved the cute puppy "Lou" and all the jokes and action throughout the movie.

A battle to the death, canine style.
Star and I watched this animal story. She not only watched the cats but was riveted to the talking dogs, too. Only once previoously has my cat, Star, aged eleven years, looked at anything on t.v. One Sunday she watched all of Sagwa the Chinese Siamese animated show. But she liked this motley crew of talking dogs as they plodded against felines of her kind.

When the hound went around in circles attempting to catch his own tail, I laughed so much she left her favorite chair to console me. After that, I had to temper my enjoyment of this assorted group who learned of the ancient Egyptian fascination with cats from a book.

The cats had no faces, only pug noses and lots of fur -- maybe that is Persian. They were the strangest looking cats I ever saw, must be Japanese. Star has a very pretty face and is short-haired. Some weird alien cats arrived (and left) in kamisake planes to attack the hound dog. These weird fat cats resided with a comatose factory owner. Watching them drive his black limo and propel him around wired with several IVs as they gave orders for the workers to abandon the Mason factory, it was quite something.

The stray, a greyhound, was evocative to the puzzled hound. These dogs had decided they were Russian spies. A conference of dogs takes place similar to a Russian agency something like our United Nations. On Canine News Network, we heard Wolf Blitzer heralding a Revolution against the human race.

The cats took over the Mason factory and captured the hound's human family as hostages to secure a potion to make humans allergic to dogs. The leader uses a World Domination booklet to indoctrinate the mice on how to infiltrate the sewers to infect human existence.

The dogs save the day and the scientist's family in the midst of a fire. As the cats maneuver heavy equipment in the factory, the hound jumps through the air like Mighty Mouse to "here to save the day." He exits the inferno in falling snow to discover his valuable place in the family.

The big fat white cat ends up modeling outlandish outfits made for him by a foursome of sisters in a big house, seemingly a fate worse than death.

A Must For Dog Lovers!
Very entertaining, laugh out loud funny...all dog lovers will love and appreciate this movie. ... Read more

Reviews (26)

Cute Movie!
Turner and Hooch is a cute movie starring Tom Hank's as a neurotic cop who likes every thing to always be neat and organized having his life changed when he has to guard a messy, slobbery but loveable dog named Hooch who is a murder witness and has to take the dog home with him and at first Hooch drives him crazy but he soon grows to like the old pooch!

Tom Hanks Best Movie....Turner And Hooch.
This movie is by far Hanks' best film to date. His awe inspiring performance is mezmorizing. His on screen releationship with Hooch is titilating. Without a doubt, one of the best movies of all time. It has a little something for everyone.....with a very, very sad ending. You'll laugh, you'll cry. But all in all you will walk away with a little Hooch in you.

I have seen this movie a hundred or so times and I keep wishing that the movie just mind end a little different. Please Mr. Director....there has to be an alternate ending. Can't wait for a sequel.

An all time favorite
There are few movies as wonderful as this (OK, being a big dog lover helps). I thought Tom Hanks did a fabulous job, and I enjoyed him much better in those days then I do now. Hootch was the best dog actor I've ever seen. No looking over at the trainer all the time, at least that we could see.

I want to buy this DVD, but I can't see if there is a commentary or any extras.

sad ending
All the humor and amusing antics of the script go completely out the window when Hooch dies at the end. Bah! Kill Hanks but not the dog!

Funniest movies of all time
This is such a good movie, I keep watching it often. Only funnier movie I ever saw was Rat Race. Buy it an d be happy. ... Read more

Reviews (56)

DR. DOLITTLE CONTINUES TO TALK TO THE ANIMALS...
This is a mildly entertaining film that is fun for the whole family. It features Eddie Murphy as Dr. Dolittle, reprising his original role. This time Dr. Doolittle displays an interest in environmental issues, as he tries to save the forest by playing matchmaker between Ava, a bear in the wild, and Archie, a circus bear who has gotten soft and is trying to get used to living in the wild. Ultimately, Dr. Dolittle is victorious over the corporate expansionists who sought to decimate the forest.

There are some very amusing moments in the film with the animals. There are also some funny moments as Dr. Dolittle tries to cope with his sixteen year old daughter just being a teenager. Much to his delight and surprise, however, it turns out that she appears to have inherited his unique ability to communicate with animals.

This DVD provides picure perfect visuals, as well as excellent sound. The disc also has some nice extra features, such as a kid's guide to grizzlies and the director's commentary. This is a value packed DVD.

Dr Doolittle 2
The sequel to the very popular DR DOOLITTLE delivers again in DR DOOLITTLE 2. Eddie Murphy and Norm McDonald return in this great family comedy. You can bet that there are more great laughs and again that same cute comedy is in this one.

John Doolittle (Murphy) now a world renowned medical doctor for both humans and animals is called to action because an endangered species of bears is becoming more at risk. It's up to Dr Doolittle to find a perfect mating pair and get them to mate. He has one problem though, the male bear that he finds is Archie (Steve Zahn) and he's been in captivity all his life and doesn't know anything about living in the wild. It's up to Dr Doolittle and Lucky (Norm McDonald) to teach Archie the ropes so that he can become a wild bear and mate with a female.

I thought that this one had it's share of laughs. The little iguana is really funny and Archie the bear is pretty funny too. Plus the rest of the animals in the forest are pretty funny. My only problem is that as usual, a ferret is portraying a weasel. Although ferrets are very closely related to them, It was a bit silly on why they didn't just get a weasel. And a cameo by the Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin doesn't hurt.

This is another great family comedy that kids will love not only for the animals but because it has a lot of child related comedy and adults will laugh at this one too. Check out DR DOOLITTLE 2 and don't forget to get DR DOOLITTLE!

Dr. Dolittle 2
Absolutely hilarious! Eddie at his best and the animals are superb! A must-see follow up to Dr. Dolittle! Add it to your collection for years of laughs!

Great Sequel
Dr. Dolittle 2 unlike most sequels was quite entertaining and fun to watch.
In Dr. Doolittle 2, Dr. Dolittle (Eddie Murphy) is now well known for his ability to talk to animals. Early on, a gang of local forest critters request Dr. Dolittle's help in saving their forest from a lumber company. Doolittles wife (Kristen Wilson) is an attorney and agrees to work on the case. They secure a deal that if Dr. Dolittle can successfully integrate a pair of endangered Pacific bears into the forest within 30 days, the forest will be spared. Unfortunately the only bachelor Pacific bear is a circus bear named Archie who sings better than he hunts.
The entire Dolittle family leaves for a cabin in the woods so the Dr. can be close by to help Archie.
Archie is hillarous and perfect as a forest misfit with a mission.
There's lots of verbal interaction with animals throughout the movie but it seemed at times like Dr. D was looking into the distance when interacting with forest inhabitants.
Although Eddie Murphy is usually quite funny, his antics are not always appropriate for young children. I thought Dr. Doolittle 2 rating of PG was appropriate and most families would enjoy watching.
The ending might suggest another sequel, and if as good as the second will be worth seeing.

contaminating the minds of America's youth
As a sixteen year old watching Doctor Dolittle 2, I was expecting to see a movie full of good clean fun for kids. Unfortunately, all I saw were the openly expressed politics aimed at molding young minds into a very liberal way of thinking.

Doctor Dolittle was undoubtably concocted by liberals to further their environmental agenda. If you are skeptical, let me give you a brief outline of the movie.

First, we see a doctor who can talk to animals. This skill comes in handy when the doctor is consulted by animals concerned about the fact that their homes are being destroyed by evil lumber companies. The good doctor agrees to help fight for the animals in order to save their homes. To accomplish this task, Doctor Dolittle must mate two endangered bears in the forest. If the two bears have cubs, then the evil industrialists would be forced to abandon their ambitions.
And so despite the attempts by those sinister developers to sabatage the doctor's plans, he mates the bears and the forest is saved. At one point, when the animals organize, a developer actually says "I have fought the Democrats, so I can fight animals." Could the producers make it any more obvious that the developers are Republicans? And would it be racist to point out that all the "good guys" are black and all of the "bad guys" are wealthy whites?

This movie is politics aimed at young children, and references to them are not at all subtle. Does the movie ever once mention how stupid it is to halt harvest of an entire forest in order to save two bears? Does it touch on the fact that wood is an extremely valuable resource that must be harvested for the survival of America? Does it speak of the jobs that will be lost in the lumber companies due to the setback? Of course not. This movie just goes to show how liberal Hollywood really is. If your family is on the left of the political spectrum, you should love this movie. If not, the movie wouldn't be worth the price of the shipping. ... Read more

Reviews (82)

The movie was good, it's not what people expect from Murphy.
I really liked this movie. It was funny and yet different considering what people usually expect from Eddie Murphy. He was not rude or used a lot of bad language. It shows that he is a very versatile actor. He can do good roles an roles where he hast to be the crudest person on earth. Anyway, I thought that having the animals really talking and their lips were in sinck with thier voices was a job well-done. Some of the actors that you think would never be good as a voice were pretty funny. John Legazamo was good as one of the rats. The drinking monkey was also hilarious. Well, I can say nothing but good for this movie.

vastly superior to the sequel, IMHO
Like a lot of people who believe themselves to be worldly, I put my little barriers up when I encounter a film like "Dr. Dolittle". When you think of yourself as a sophisticate, it's hard to reach the child within. You hope the kid left long ago.

The truth is that few people grow up entirely. Halfway through this movie, I threw in the towel and decided to admit I was enjoying this adolescent gem. It's infectious.

Eddie Murphy's Dr. Dolittle is not recognizable as the character in the Hugh Loftis book. He's been totally updated. The only element left from the novel is Dolittle's ability to talk to animals. He understands them. They converse. Thankfully they do not sing, as they did in the dreadful Rex Harrison musical comedy thirty years ago. That film lost a fortune for Fox Studio. At this late date, Mr. Murphy and friends seem to have recovered its money.

It may seem like a gift to be able to communicate with guinea pigs, owls, dogs, pigs, pigeons and other creatures. This gift could be a one-way ticket to the funny farm, which is the problem Dolittle faces.

One of the best things about "Dr. Dolittle" is that it's short. The producers were wise enough to get in and out before the audience realized this was basically a one joke, one special effect story.

Murphy seems to have undergone a personal transformation in the last few years. Now he is completely at ease and in control in gentle comedies like this and "The Nutty Professor", just as he was in the sexy and crime-driven vehicles that made him a movie star in the 1980s.

It was bathroom humor that earned this picture a PG-13 rating. It may have deserved it, but kids seem to learn this stuff younger these days. Maybe they are just more open than my generation was. This touch of crudeness helps "Dr. Dolittle" to work. Full of smart remarks, these animals are survivors. They are also endearing. They assure that the movie never becomes sickeningly sweet. Besides, nobody expects Eddie Murphy to give up his bad boy image completely.

One element I found interesting is that, despite all the advances in digital special effects, when you see a lot of animals talking on screen, it doesn't look any more real than it did in the days of Francis the Talking Mule. It just cost ten times as much to create the effect.

Laugh out loud comedy.
Dr. John Dolittle (Eddie Murphy) has the so called "perfect life", a beautiful wife, two loving daughters and a career that could not be better. All that changes one night when he nearly hits a dog with his car. As he is leaving, the dog calls him a bonehead then runs off. From that day on his childhood ability to communicate with animals is back. Soon, animals are showing up at his home to get help. His colleagues suspect he's going crazy and many decisions still have to be made regarding the sale of the clinic. Just as everything is about to fall apart, a circus tiger falls seriously ill and it's John's turn to prove to everyone that he's not crazy.

No Repeats
This is a movie I bought first, primarily for the kids because of the reviews. No one ever asked to watch it a second time. I say this because one of my kids was watching the Lion King last night, for the umpteenth time. So yes, I agree that eddie murphy impressed me again with his talent... but it just didn't grab my kids, 3 boys and 2 girls. I had to give it a good rating of 3 rather than a 2 to encourage the making of good movies.

Where's Richard Pryor when we need him?
eddie murphy is a comical guy, but is he really the right guy to play in something as stupid as this? Of course, who is the right guy for it? One of the questions i can't stand to think about in this movie, is how Dolittle hears the animals speak, but their lips move and nobody notices. Can't they connect the dots? Obviously not. And obviously, the filmmakers couldn't either. ... Read more

Reviews (28)

Have you kissed your roach today?
Is it possible that people exist who are so myopic, so unable to think outside their own sanitized box, that they fail to see and feel the charm of this movie? Of course, I agree that roaches are most appreciated by humans when seen on the bottom side of a shoe, schmooshed. The movie isn't trying to make you boycott Raid. [But, as the film points out, these hardy little creatures will probably be around a lot longer than our own immune 'defested' species.] A plot in this film would have just been distracting. There is no philosophy being preached here, no deep meaning, no overt or covert agendas. Just fun!

The movie is great on many counts. Hear are just a few examples:
-Computer graphics that are nothing short of brilliant.
-A church organ made of lipstick.
-Songs about the healer holding your feeler (while Joe makes love to Lilly!).
-A roach version of Ester William swimming and singing in Joe's toilet.
-A roach sitting on a tube of Prep-H and saying, "What's up his butt?"
-Expert harmonies throughout the film sung with clever (but not overly clever) words, a la The Chipmunks.
-A phrase like, "That tickles!" having, well, a new slant.
-Cute, if predictable, comments made by the roaches.

The film turns traditional values upside-down in a hilarious way, without being pedantic.

The film isn't as serious as a Sondheim lyric, as popular as a Lloyd-Weber musical, as beautiful as a Les Miserable melody. But it doesn't try to be. And it doesn't need to be. It allows the viewer to, for perhaps a too brief period, forget about his or her confining values and exhausting proprieties, and just be entertained. After an escape like this film, we may indeed return to our severe or drab realities refreshed, much like a good night's sleep can make one more alert the next morning. ... I believe that entertainment like this, in appropriate doses, could be just what the world does need....

Jerry's best movie!!
This is my favorite movie of all time! It's humorous look at New York city is hilarious. The animated cockroaches are fun to watch singing and dancing! (Funky towel!) And, of coarse, Jerry O'Connell, whom is my favorite. MTV did great making it's first movie here. My only complaint was that there was no sountrack made! ???? Watch it!!!! Ralph and Rodney will thank you.

A sequel, please!!!
You don't have to be a teenage boy to love this thing.
My wife and I just watched it on cable and she insists
that I get the DVD. We're both 64 and anything but gross.

A Very funny movie
I will never look at a roach the same way. This movie is FUNNY!!
If you just wat to "VEG" out , watch this movie.

A Five Star Cult Classic Ruined
First let me say, I agree with most reviewers. Joe's Apartment is a movie for the "Far Side" crowd and I loved it. But who was the dirty rotten SOB that decided to release it in "Full Screen" format? There is too much going on in this film to butcher it by omiting the widescreen format. This Will probaby be only one of two or three DVD's that I will ever buy in this format. I'm not a movie snob I just want to see "Everything" I saw in the theater. Especially in a campy gonzo movie like this. They ruined some of the visual jokes simply because we can't see them anymore.


If it was up to me, I would slap every person who makes the call to release good or even bad movies in "fullscreen mode" we are all cheated when this is done. Rant's aside, if this is the only way I'll ever get Joe's Apartment then so be it. But I wish more reviewers would stand up and tell the Movie industry where to stick "Fullscreen" especially when we are continuously pushed to buy HDTV and widescreen TV's. ... Read more

Reviews (17)

The horse of course
This is a great family film from the Disney Studio. A fun adventure with Dean Jones, without as much slapstick as his other Disney outings. A little adventure, big dose of comedy, with some romance thrown in while a single father has to sort out his priorities.

Jones is an advertising executive that is stuck between an employer who is pressuring him for a jazzy new ad campaign, and being a single parent of a daughter that desperatley wants a horse. He is not to keen on horses, the cost of the riding instructions she is attending, or even the instructor. Of course the instructor (Diane Baker) feels his daughter is a fantastic rider and should actually compete. He is opposed to the extra cost and the let he fears his daughter will have.

Through a few twists, suddenly the 2 needs meet and he not only buys a horse but lets his daughter enter it in shows. But he really does it to promote an ad campaign and figures out a way to have his clients pay for it. Meanwhile his daughter develops a love interest in another horseman, a very young Kurt Russell. And Dad begins to fall for the instructor he hates. Dianne Baker and Dean Jones have a wonderful chemistry and if you loike them together you should really see them as a married couple in another Disney comedy called, "the Ugly Dachsund".

The DVD version listed here does NOT include widescreen, or remastered, or have any extras, which is a big dissapointment. My VHS version is clean though and looks fresh even though it is also not in widescreen.

Adorable Horse Story
I am a horse-lover and when I saw this movie I just loved it as well! It's a cute story about a dad and his horse loving daughter. He finally is able to get her a horse to show, but there is a catch. The horse is named after a company as part of an ad campaign. The dad ends up falling in love and the daughter has a thing for a very very young Kurt Russell! Overall great family movie, and a must-have for any horse lovers video collection.

Full Screen Sucks ......... most of the Time!
DVD Movies have many great features: great picture quality, making of documentaries, trailers and much more. However my favorite feature would have to be "Widescreen". So that is why I was so disappointed when I found out this movie was full screen. I bought this movie anyways, because at less I could replace my old faded VHS tape with superb color and sound and it did. However it did more than that. Upon closer comparison I noticed that was getting a lot more picture on the top and bottom and left and right of the screen!!!! On my 32 inch TV it's about and extra inch and a half more picture around the out side of the screen compared to my VHS tape. I was overjoyed and delighted by this discovery. So don't be too hasty in judge this movie if you love widescreen. Give it a chance it will be sure to please.

DISNEY DOESN'T GET IT!!!!!
No wonder the company is about to be taken over and broken up -- DVD was introduced to be an alternative to video, to offer more than video: better picture, more extras, and most importantly, more picture. Letterboxing. Widescreen. The complete image. So what does Disney do? They take some of their most beloved live-action films such as this one, and dump it on DVD in full-frame editions. What is the point of that? Who isn't used to widescreen DVDs yet? Why should I waste my money replacing my old Disney videos with the same crappy full screen image as before? Disney just doesn't get it, and their sales show it.

Great Movie! LOVED it!
Well, I thought this movie was wonderful! I am a horse lover, so I usually like almost any movie with horses in it. But I think people who are and aren't horse lovers will like this movie too. It's funny, it has a good story, and it has gripping competition. The horses used in this movie were excellent jumpers (not to mention beautiful). I have rented this movie from the local video store a minimum of 10 times. Its a good old Disney Classic thats good to watch when you just feel like curling up on a couch and watching a video. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Put Charles Grodin together with a 200-pound Saint Bernard and you're likely to come up with some good laughs. In this popular family comedy from 1992 Grodin plays a beleaguered dad who reluctantly lets his kids keep the lost puppy they've adopted. The dog quickly grows into the huge and clever hound named Beethoven. In a marked departure from his nice-guy roles in several Disney comedies from the 1960s and '70s, Dean Jones plays the villainous veterinarian who abducts Beethoven to be a subject in his sadistic animal experiments. The kidnapping sets the stage for a raucous rescue and, of course, an inevitable sequel. Innocuous but harmlessly entertaining, Beethoven is one of those movies that some kids can't get enough of. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (15)

great family film
With the exception of a few more intense scenes in this film (namely the ones with the antics of the villian veteranarian), "Beethoven" is a great choice for the whole family. It's just a very lighthearted and fun film with real characters and a plot that is just as funny as it is heartwarming. It focuses on the Newtons, who are just a normal, happy family with their own set routine until a stray puppy comes upon them and "puts the dents in their home." The father George's (played to perfection by Charles Grodin) feelings for this dog are beyond indifferent, but he finally gives in to his three young children and allows them to keep the puppy, whom they soon dub with the name "Beethoven." As the dog grows into an enormous St. Bernard, the kids are having a ball with him, but George is....well, this is not quite the kind of change in his life that he had hoped for, and what unfolds are some often hilarious moments between George and Beethoven. I remember watching it over and over when I was younger, and I still love it now.

Charles Grodin and Bonnie Hunt are great as the kind and loving parents, and Nicholle Tom, Christopher Castile, and Sarah Rose Karr are equally delightful in their roles as the 3 kids. Overall just a really sweet, funny, and good family film.

enjoyable for the most part...
I would regard this as a good family film with some reservations. Since I remember how much I used to watch this when I was a kid, I remember what parts I enjoyed and what parts I didn't. It's okay to have a darker side to a family movie, but perhaps not with such unnecessary rough dialogue and violence with an evil veteranarian attacking and abusing animals. And since when does a father earn praise and honor from his wife and children when he punches out the bad guy?

The strength and the fun of this movie comes from the family who adopts a lost St. Bernard puppy, much to the father's dismay. The three children in this film, Ryce, Ted, and Emily (played by Nicholle Tom, Christopher Castile, and Sarah Rose Karr) are cute enough; what I like so much about this movie is the way they're shown as such a normal, loving, typical family that many of us could probably say we have seen before somewhere in our own lives. You've got the grumpy yet loving father, the nurturing "stay at home" mother, and the three mischievous kids. Overall, it's a film you might enjoy with your family...worth at least a rental.

stupid
don't watch this movie. because this movie ain't that funny.

One huge puppy/dog. 15th april 2004.
The newton family have just adopted one huge saint bernard dog that was kidnapped out of the shop it came from. He's big,he drewles,and he's a big responsibility. Beethoven made him self happy in the newtons, emily dreamed of having a dog and she woke up with one right beside her in her bed. No one knows about him been there until her mum brother and sister walk into the room. He grows massive, and it is about a family who love him too bits, exept they had to work round there dad. Great family film.

NOT for younger children
This movie is terrible in that it sends very mixed messages to children. A veterinarian "villian", a father hitting a "bad guy" and getting cheers from his family, etc. This, and a very scary and intense near-drowning scene (of a child) made my 4-year-old cry. We ended up turning it off and having a long talk afterwards with our daughter. I'm glad we only rented it but I'm kicking myself for not previewing it first. ... Read more

Amazon.com

A young Kurt Russell stars in this good-natured comedy. Steve Stone isan ambitious mailroom clerk at a third-rate television network when he stumblesonto the fact that his girlfriend's pet chimpanzee, Raffles, can pick ratings winners. Suddenly he's well on his way up the corporateladder and getting his network to No. 1. Keeping Raffles and hisabilities a secret provide the perfect setting for wacky, wicked comedy.The truly funny cast of Joe Flynn, Harry Morgan, Wally Cox, John Ritter, andothers make up the executives and their cohorts. Not wanting to be made foolsof, the executives try to save their dignity as well as their jobs by relocatingRaffles. There's lots of physical comedy and downright silliness. Talkabout monkey business!Released in 1971, this film can appear dated at times, but the story still holdsuptoday. A likable, fun movie that harks back to a time of innocent mischief.Refreshingly void of techno gadgets and helmet laws, this film is just good,clean, wholesome fun for the whole family. --Peggy Maltby-Etra ... Read more

Reviews (10)

The Barefoot Executive
I am delighted to see that two of my favorite Disney films have been released on dvd, "Million Dollar Duck" and "The Barefoot Executive."Descriptions of the plots for these movies are already noted here, but I will say that both these films are very enjoyable family viewing.I can remember going to the theater as a child and watching these films, and I still enjoy them today. Nobody's claiming they're the best films ever, or even the best Disney films ever, just good, fun entertainment in the grand Disney tradition.Some have complained about these films not being released in their original aspect ratio's, or being remastered for dvd.Although I would have preferred them released letterboxed as well, neither film was released in a very wide aspect ratio, so they play fine on tv, and as for Disney using the same masters they used for the vhs releases and tv airings, if that's what they did, big deal.Those prints are fine.Sharp, clear pictures, with good color.Sure, it would have been nice to have remastered letterboxed versions on dvd, but be grateful we have them on dvd at all.They've both been a long time coming.

Five reasons to skip this one.
First of all, I must say "The Barefoot Executive", which was Kurt Russell's second starring role in his early Disney period, is a wonderful, comic farce.It has a terrific supporting cast, including the hilarious comedy team of Joe Flynn and Wally Cox, an early appearance by the late John Ritter, and a pleasing turn by Heather North as Russell's love interest.And then there's Russell's costar, a chimp who can predict hit TV shows, well-played by Bubbles.His "talent" comes in handy when ambitious mailboy Russell uses his predictions to get ahead at the television network he works at.In all, it's a funny farce that kids and their parents will enjoy.

Alas, I cannot recommend this film for purchase at this time.And here are five reasons why:

1.Disney DVD has once again made the head-scratching decision to release "Barefoot Executive" in a full-screen format, instead of widescreen.Why?Who knows.This is extremely annoying, especially since it was undoubtedly filmed in the family friendly 1:66:1 aspect ratio.Heck, my 3 year old niece has no problem with those black bars at the top and bottom of the screen.Why should anyone else?

2.There is nothing to lead me to believe this film has been restored.Therefore, we're evidently getting the same tired print from the VHS version.Why replace something with something that is no better than what you already have?

3.There are absolutely no special features.None.

4.The retail price of $19.99 is ridiculously expensive for a bare-bones DVD.Most comparable DVDs are priced at $9.99 or less, so Disney should be ashamed of themselves for ripping the customer off.

5.As I said before, 1+2+3+4=ONE BIG RIPOFF.

So, my verdict, thumbs down to Disney and this package.I'd like to thank them, however, for saving me money.Not buying this, "Lt. Robin Crusoe, U.S.N.", and "Million Dollar Duck" will save me anywhere from $45-$60 that I can use to buy product from other DVD companies, like Anchor Bay, for instance, that values its custome