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| Dvdivas
was founded by John Gabbard in 2000. It's purpose has been and
remains to be to provide you, the entertainment community with
the latest dvds and movie reviews. It will continue to be your
link to the most popular dvd movies. |
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Secondhand
Lions
|
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Reviewed
by: |
Joanna
Daneman |
| Genre: |
Comedy |
| Video: |
Full Screen
(Standard) - 1.33:1Audio Widescreen Anamorphic |
| Audio: |
DVD Encoding:
Region 1 |
| Languages:
|
English (Dolby
Digital 5.1 EX), English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround) |
| Subtitles:
|
English,
Spanish |
| Length: |
107 minutes |
| Rating: |
PG |
| Release Date:
|
February
3, 2004 |
| Studio: |
Warner Bros. |
| Commentary:
|
Commentary
by director Tim McCanlies |
| Documentaries:
|
"Secondhand
Lions" One Screenplay's Wild Ride in Hollywood (documentary),
On The Set with "Secondhand Lions" (documentary |
| Featurettes:
|
Filmography/Biography
; ); Haley Joel Osment: An Actor Comes of Age (documentary)
|
| Filmography/Biography:
|
None |
|
Interviews: |
None |
| Trailers/TV
Spots: |
Theatrical Trailer &
7 TV Spots |
| Alternate/Deleted
Scenes: |
30 Minutes
of Deleted / Alternate Scenes with Optional |
| Music
Video: |
None |
| Other:
|
None |
| Cast
and Crew: |
Michael Caine,
Robert Duvall, Haley Joel Osment, Kyra Sedgwick |
| Written
By: |
Tim McCanlies |
| Produced
By: |
NA |
| Directed
By: |
Tim McCanlies |
| Music:
|
Patrick Doyle |
| The
Review: |
"Secondhand
Lions" is sturdy family fare, plenty of entertainment for the
adults as well as kids. It's a bit sugary-sweet but full of
adventure and devoid of objectionable language, sex or nudity.
The only issue some parents may have with the film is the humor
surrounding two old codgers and shotguns. The plot centers around
Hub and Garth, two crusty bachelors who are saddled with an
unwanted grand-nephew when their niece, played by Kira Sedgewick,
dumps him off at the ramshackle Texas farm on her way to "court
recording school in Austin." Unlikely story; anyone with half
a brain can see that she's a first-class bimbo and a liar to
boot. Poor Walter, the kid, finds life with the uncles shocking;
pigs and chickens attend the breakfast table, there's no phone
or TV, and the primary activities are gardening and extreme
harassment of traveling salesmen, who come to the farm lured
by the rumors of the fabulous wealth stashed away there. Garth
and Hub acquired fabulous wealth in a series of African adventures--or
did they? Many people try to tell Walter that the uncles are
criminals. But the uncles and Walter bond over the story of
the mysterious Jasmine, and when a secondhand lion shows up
at the farm (when the uncles order a superannuated zoo animal
for "sport hunting") Walter finds a new friend. The scenes depicting
the African adventures are well-handled; amusing, yet they don't
overshadow the main story of the uncles and Walter. The acting
is first-rate from Caine and Duvall; I didn't adore Haley Joel
Osment; I thought he was stiff and unnatural, but he plays the
bewildered kid fairly well and physically, he looks the part.
The film does a stupendous job of subtly aging Osment as he
grows up a bit in the story. Kira Sedgewick is hysterically
funny as his mother. The story ends with a satisfying, if slightly
sad conclusion, with the opening scenes of the uncles in a biplane
coming full circle and Walter all grown up. This film is pleasing
with plenty of belly-laughs and excellent supporting cast |
| Image
and Sound: |
The music occasionally booms out
over the dialog, a common issue I have with 90% of films;
you have to soften the sound when the music is blaring, then
pump it up to hear the dialog again once the score dies down.
The image was crisp and clear. The surround sound was separate
and distinct; one scene had the dogs barking off the porch
and it was quite distinct. The score is assisted by country
Texas Cowboy classics and Doyle's piano work is sweet and
pleasant.
|
| The
Extras: |
Here, the
extras are well worth watching, most especially the deleted
and altered scenes. These are a lesson in how to take an unwieldy
screenplay and create a good film from what could be a mediocre
one. The duality of the uncles' history (were they bankrobbers
or were they adventurers in Africa) is completely changed by
the deleted and altered scenes, creating an entirely different
film. I couldn't believe how different the film might have been,
and there was one scene I would have left in. The rest--oh,
boy did they do a good job in dropping those on the cutting-room
floor. The original ending is enlightening; a completely different
scene was shot and not used. The commentary here by writer-director
McCanlies is important to learn why the choices were made and
I was glad that not only the film had commentary, but the deleted
and altered scenes as well. If you want to learn about film-making,
this is quite a lesson. This was a time I was particulary grateful
for the commentary on the film. The "wild ride" documentary
adds to the knowledge about behind-the-scenes in Hollywood.
Again, great if you are interested in how a film comes to be.
|
| Commentary:
|
Commentary
by director Tim McCanlies |
| Final
Words: |
This is solid
entertainment for the whole family, great fun, definitely a
good three star film. And also a great lesson for film buffs
in how editing can save a film. Recommended for the family library;
I watched it twice and it was just as enjoyable, if not more
so, the second time around. |
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