A Collection of 2007 Academy Award Nominated Short Films (Magnolia, $29.98) — Few people go to the cinema to see short films. It’s a shame, because these little gems seem to be just as much labors of love as many feature-length movies. Of course, this is a collection of the best of the best — the nominees for live-action and animated short films from this year’s Oscars.
All five live-action nominees are on this disc, but only three of the five animated nominees are featured. Luckily, we do have the winner, the United Kingdom-Poland co-production “Peter and the Wolf.” An exciting adventure tale for all ages, the story is told strictly through Prokofiev’s famous score — there are no words here, only very high-quality animation. The other two animated shorts are French. “Madame Tutli-Putli,” also a wordless thriller, is a French-Canadian entry about a strange woman on a strange train journey. “Meme Les Pigeons Vont au Paradis” (“Even Pigeons Go to Heaven”), France’s entry, also involves a trip — a priest offers an old man the use of a machine that will take him to heaven. This one didn’t win, but with its charming twist and score (performed by the Orchestre Cinematographique de Paris), you might wonder why.
With the live action films, you’d have trouble picking a clear winner. Every film — and these run the gamut from witty comedy to heartbreaking drama — is a small masterpiece. The Danish film “At Night,” at 40 minutes, is filled with more feeling than many feature films three times as long. It shows three young women in a terminal cancer ward over the holiday season. “The Tonto Woman” is a Western produced by Great Britain but based on a story by American favorite Elmore Leonard about a white woman shunned by her husband and community after being kidnapped by the Mohaves.
The comedies are just as good. “Il Supplente” (“The Substitute”) is a laugh-out-loud Italian comedy about a very singular substitute teacher, while “Tanghi Argentini” is a Belgian film (with a perfect surprise ending) about a man who must learn to tango before he meets his online paramour.
The live-action winner was the French short “Le Mozart des Pickpockets.” This farce follows two incompetent criminals who are joined in their nefarious exploits by a deaf-mute child.
With eight wide-ranging Oscar nominees on one disc, you really can’t go wrong.
A Raisin in the Sun (Sony, $24.94) — Some were skeptical when rapper and record mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs was cast as a lead in the 2004 Broadway revival of this landmark 1959 play, the first written by a black woman (Lorraine Hansberry) to be produced on Broadway. The critics, though, were generous in their reviews of his performance. Mr. Combs seemed to hold his own among a cast that included Audra McDonald and Phylicia Rashad, both of whom won Tony Awards for their roles in the 2004 Broadway revival.
All three, along with Sanaa Lathan (who also received a Tony nomination for her performance as the outspoken daughter, Beneatha, in the revival), reprised their roles for this made-for-television film, which aired on ABC this past February and now arrives on DVD. It was directed by Kenny Leon, who also helmed the Broadway revival. John Stamos (“ER”), who wasn’t in the revival, co-stars in the film — the first broadcast television movie to screen at the Sundance Film Festival.
“A Raisin in the Sun” centers on the Youngers, a black family in 1950s South Side Chicago, as they decide what to do with a long-awaited $10,000 life insurance check. Extras on the disc include a commentary with Mr. Leon and a making-of featurette. Unlike most made-for-TV movies, this one is presented in widescreen.
Kelly Jane Torrance
The Chronicles of Narnia: the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment, Rated: PG, $34.99) — The first movie based on author C.S. Lewis’ popular fantasy series gets a high-definition release in a two-disc Blu-ray set offering 10 hours worth of bonus materials and something special for the younger fans.
Included on the second disc is the ambitious interactive challenge, “Battle for Narnia.” This turn-based war against the White Witch and her evil minions blends the strategies of collectible trading card games with beautiful comic-strip-style art. A single player picks a male or female warrior and fights through a dozen skirmishes. The player is assisted by character cards representing friendly Narnian factions such as gryphons and centaurs.
During each skirmish, three types of attacks are available each round. Sides take turns choosing attacks for each of their cards and deliver blows against one another, depleting health points. The last card remaining wins the skirmish. Action is presented as illustrated panels that collide and come to life with narration, sound effects and a bit of motion.
“Battle for Narnia” takes about an hour to complete and cannot be saved midgame. Although the complexity is not comparable to even the simplest Xbox Live Arcade titles, it is a welcomed step in the evolution of the Blu-ray as an interactive format.
Joe Szadkowski
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