7TH HEAVEN SEASON 3 DVD TALK REVIEW

The Third Season

For those who are not familiar with 7th Heaven it is a melodrama that revolves around the Camden family. Each episode takes a look into their life as the characters struggle to right some wrong and at the same time, learn a few valuable lessons. The main characters include Reverend Eric (Stephen Collins), Annie (Catherine Hicks), Matt (Barry Watson), Mary (Jessica Biel), Lucy (Beverley Mitchell), Simon (David Gallagher), and Ruthie (Mackenzie Rosman). Despite that one of the main characters is a minister, the series isn't about religion but rather the trials that the family members go through and their individual quests to right wrongs. For more details about the show, please refer to DVD Talk's reviews of season one and season two.

In season three, the Camden family finds themselves in the midst of a lot of drama. The episode's content ranges from teenage sex and pregnancy to drinking and alcohol abuse to over-the-counter drug abuse to lying to war veterans and the homeless to school problems to kid and guns. And it all adds up to a bunch of overly dramatic episodes that feel much like the earlier seasons. Bottom line, if you enjoy 7th Heaven, then the season three set is a nice addition to the series with some big stories dealing with the family.

One of the biggest changes this season is Annie's pregnancy. In the season three premiere episode "It Takes Two, Baby", the family learns that Annie is carrying twins. The pregnancy is an issue throughout the season, up until the birth of the twins, and even in a few episodes having the new kids around the house and how everyone's responsibility changes. In the very early episodes, Annie's pregnancy adds a fun dynamic and tidbits of humor, as her hormones get the best of her. Annie also finds herself working alongside a small group of pregnant teenagers in "Let's Talk About Sex".

Another change this season is Matt going to college. In the season premiere episode, he attempts to move out on his own, which proves to be a daunting task. He moves in with three girls and his appeal to the opposite sex gets him kicked out when all three make moves on him. Matt also finds himself in the midst of a serious alcohol poisoning story in "Drunk Like Me" when his friend almost dies from drinking too much at a fraternity initiation party. Matt also makes a bonehead move and tries to kiss one of his professors. Opps! But the stories about Matt aren't all about college. In "All That Jazz", his ex-girlfriend Heather comes back into his life to tell him she is engaged. The story is revisited in the two-part season finale "There Goes The Bride".

Lucy's life changes on a couple different levels. Her new best friend Nicole has a problem. In "Cutter", everyone finds out she is a cutter, a person who uncontrollably inflicts pain on herself. It is a traumatic episode for Lucy as she loses her best friend. Another change for Lucy is her new boyfriend Jordan. He is an older guy in Mary's class, and he gives the Camden's a scare dealing with teenage sex in "Let's Talk About Sex". Lucy's ex-boyfriend Jimmy Moon comes back into the picture in "Paranoia" and Eric suspects he is using drugs.

Little Simon finds himself in a lot of drama this season. In "The Legacy", he sees his science teacher shove the father of one of his friends. The teacher is suspended for his actions, but Simon knows why it happened. He is scared to come forward about it. Simon also finds himself with a new girlfriend named Deena. She is a nice girl, who is not without her own drama. In "Johnny Get Your Gun", perhaps the most dramatic story of the season, Deena's ex-boyfriend threatens to shoot Simon with a gun. "Nobody Knows..." adds to their drama when it is revealed Deena used to have cancer.

Mary scares the family on more than one occasion. In "...And A Nice Chianti", Mary gets her learners permit. Rather than face Mary behind the wheel of a car, Simon and Lucy take the bus to school, and they find life is very different. Later in "Nobody Knows...", Mary gets her license due to a technicality and feels very guilty about it. Some other stories involving Mary include one of Mary's friends having a heart attack after using over-the-counter energy pills, Mary sneaking around with boys, and other such things.

Young miss Ruthie does not really get into too much drama, as she is a young kid still. But on occasion she finds herself in the middle of her own issues. With the twins on the way, she begins to worry she won't receive any attention or love from the family. And when the twins arrive, it only gets worse. She also shows Simon what it is like to be a babysitter, sympathizes with her pregnant mother, calls a psychic, and other such things.

In the middle of it all is Eric. The good Reverend Camden finds himself going through one ordeal after the other, trying to help people and maintain a balance at home. Some of the big stories he finds himself in include defending a janitor at Simon's school who claims to hear the voice of God, reuniting with his rock 'n' roll buddies and the lifestyle he could have had, helping pregnant teenagers, dealing with his pregnant wife (for the sixth time!), counseling troubled couples, his alcoholic sister Julie, and more.

Overall, the season three content feels much like the first two seasons. The stories are generally episodic with the cast getting into one thing or another that typically has a theme, e.g., everyone deals with teenage pregnancy and sex or drug abuse. The end result is overly dramatic storylines with tidbits of humor. In short, if you have enjoyed past seasons, then you will enjoy season three. My impression about season three were much like my thoughts about season two. I enjoyed the episodes enjoy that I had a hard time putting them down, but I can't imagine wanting to watch them over and over again.

Episode Guide

1. It Takes Two, Baby: Annie announces she's expecting twins, but it's Ruthie who gets morning sickness. Meanwhile, Matt moves in with three girls, while Mary and Lucy put their faith in "The Rules".
2. Drunk Like Me: Matt's friend at college goes through an initiation that involves too much alcohol. The family restores a car as a gift to Matt, but Simon wants no part of it. And a divorcee flirts with Eric.
3. Cutters: Mary discovers a horrible secret about Lucy's new friend. Ruthie fails her math test in order to get attention from her mother, so Simon offers to pay her to pass.
4. The Legacy: After his teacher is suspended, Simon feels responsible and gets his father to help. Meanwhile, Matt gets the wrong idea from his attractive professor, and Mary cuts class for the first time.
5. ...And A Nice Chianti: Eric helps a woman find the donor recipients of her son's organs. And while Simon and Lucy find adventures on the school bus, Matt gets arrested while helping a girl with her car.
6. And The Home Of The Brave: Annie befriends a homeless man...who ends up coking at her father's wedding reception! Matt and Mary take a road trip that proves endless. And Ruthie reunites with an imaginary friend.
7. Johnny Get Your Gun: Simon is threatened by his girlfriend's ex, but it's Eric who ends up the target. Mary becomes interested in a boy who Matt says is trouble.
8. No Sex, Some Drugs And A Little Rock 'n' Roll: While Eric's high school rock band pays a visit, the Camdens are forced to face their various addictions. Mary and Matt's interest in an herbal energy drug worries their father.
9. Let's Talk About Sex: While Eric and Annie counsel two pregnant girls from prenatal class, Lucy considers having sex. Meanwhile, older sister Mary sneaks away to a co-ed sleepover.
10. Here Comes Santa Claus: As Eric and Annie get creative with their gift-giving, Lucy receives the wrong present from her boyfriend. Mary meets an attractive man at the soup kitchen and invites him home for Christmas.
11. Nobody Knows...: Simon learns that his girlfriend Deena once had leukemia, so Ruthie helps by consulting a psychic. Mary passes her driving test, but cries in front of the instructor. And aunt Julie is back in town.

12. All That Jazz: Annie and Eric realize that Dr. Hastings, the doctor who nearly killed Matt during childbirth, may deliver their twins. Matt's ex-girlfriend Heather announces she's engaged.
13. The Tribes That Bind: Matt and Eric witness racism at a local restaurant. The church ladies throw a baby shower that gets out of hand. And the battle lines are drawn between Ruthie and her nemesis.
14. In Praise Of Women: While in labor with the twins, Annie asks for help from an unlikely source. At the hospital, Mat is nervous about donating blood. And Happy the dog has a few friends over.
15. It Happened One Night: Because Annie and Eric have their hands full with the twins, Ruthie starts to feel neglected. Lucy has to cover for Mary, who is out with an old boyfriend. Matt reluctantly starts his new delivery job.
16. Paranoia: Lucy's ex-boyfriend may be involved with drugs, so her parents forbid her to see him. And Eric is afraid the deacons at church are conspiring to have him fired.
17. Sometimes That's Just The Way It Is: As Eric consuls a divorcing couple, Simon tries to improve his luck. Meanwhile, Matt joins the Army in order to help pay for college. And Mary and Lucy rebel, and later regret it.
18. We The People: When an extramarital affair involving the president of Matt's university is exposed, the Camdens are torn about whether to get involved. Simon and Ruthie get unexpected help on their paper route.
19. The Voice: A janitor from school may be forced to resign after claiming to hear voices from God. Annie is desperate for a night away from home. And no one believes Ruthie when she says she saw a chimp.
20. All Dogs Go To Heaven: Two parishioners ask Eric to help them put a beloved pet to sleep. Simon's dinner date is chaperoned by Lucy, who gets a date of her own. And Matt catches Mary making out...in a police car!
21. There Goes The Bride (Part 1): Eric and Annie worry about Matt's reaction to Heather's wedding. As Aunt Julie secretly dates Dr. Hastings, Lucy finds herself in a love triangle.
22. There Goes The Bride (Part 2): After disrupting Heather's wedding, Matt must now face current girlfriend Shana. Eric counsels his newly-married sister. And Simon is caught kissing in the bedroom.

The DVD
The packaging for the third season of 7th Heaven is not common to the first two releases. This season contains six DVDs that are stored in a single DVD case. The DVD case is a special case that can hold six DVDs! It is pretty slick they can fit six discs into a normal sized case, but also disappointing at the same time because the packaging is dramatically different than the first two seasons. It's going to look weird on your shelf.

Video:
The video is given in its original television aspect ratio of 1.33:1 full frame color. The video quality is pretty good and offers a fairly clean picture. There is a grain and minor compression artifacts. However, there is nothing that should interfere with your viewing experience.

Audio:
The audio in this release is given in English 2.0 Dolby digital stereo sound. The audio track is mainly dialogue driven and sounds good. There is very little distinction between left and right channels. This release is support closed captioning.

Please note the box cover claims "some music has been changed for this home entertainment version".

Extras:
There are no extras provided with this release.

Final Thoughts:
7th Heaven is the kind of show you either love or hate. The series takes a very melodramatic approach with family-oriented content. Its storylines tend to offer morals and promote good, wholesome family values. The content, being melodramatic, can get over-the-top and fluffy. However, at the same time, it is enjoyable. The bottom line, if you enjoy family-oriented dramas, then 7th Heaven is worth your time. I give this set a Rent It recommendation only because I do not imagine watching the episodes over and over again.

BONES SEASON 1 DVD TALK REVIEW

The First Season

Bones is a television that first aired on the FOX Network in 2005. The series is a crime drama about an unlikely pair who work together to solve crime, Booth, an FBI agent who uses his gut and instinct, and Brennan, a forensic anthropologist who uses evidence and science, to solve cases. As such, Booth and Brennan work on cases that involves bodies that are burnt, decomposed, or destroyed beyond recognition. Joining them is Brennan's forensic team from the Jeffersonian Institute. The show is partly based upon the fictional novels written by Dr. Kathy Reichs. As an overall crime drama, Bones gets two thumbs up. It is a fun show that includes drama, mystery, comedy, and action. Not to mention, it has a fairly well-rounded cast and solid storylines.

Headlining the cast are David Boreanaz and Emily Deschanel. Boreanaz plays FBI Special Agent Seeley Booth. Booth is a former Army Ranger sniper who relies on his wit to solve cases. He believes it is his intuition and ability to read people that solve cases. Evidence and the scientific process mean almost nothing to him. He works for the FBI in the homicide unit trying to solve as many murder cases as possible to make up for the countless lives he took as a sniper.

Deschanel plays Dr. Temperance Brennan, who Booth affectionately calls Bones. Brennan is a forensic anthropologist who works for the Jeffersonian Institute. Her area of expertise is postmortem identification of bodies that are beyond recognition by conventional means. She is an expert martial artist and marksman. She desires to work cases from both the laboratory and the field. She lost her family when she was fifteen. To date, she is still looking for them. It is this incident that drives her to solve cases.

Angela Montenegro (Michaela Conlin) is an artist who is unlike the rest of her cohorts at the Jeffersonian. She lacks their nerdy, anti-social tendencies. She works in facial reconstructions and provides visual representations of what the deceased may or may not have looked like using a 3D holographic computer program she designed. Zack Addy (Eric Millegan) is a young, but bright aspiring doctoral candidate. He is pursuing two doctorates in anthropology and engineering. He works as Brennan's assistant. He is socially reserved and beyond geeky.

Dr. Jack Hodgins (T.J. Thyne) is the team's entomologist. He likes bugs and slime. He is a conspiracy theorist who is reserved about working with the FBI. Hodgins is somewhat geeky, but has social skills and knows how to work with people--most of the time. Dr. Daniel Goodman (Jonathan Adams) runs the Jeffersonian and he typically oversees Brennan's latest important assignments. As an archeologist, he occasionally offers his expertise. Deputy Director Sam Cullen (John M. Jackson) is Booth's boss at the FBI. He is not one of the main characters, but he has an important role.

The characters are part of what makes this series so strong. Each character provides a likeable individual and the relationships they have with each other only strengthen the appeal. Firstly, the seemingly social awkwardness some of the cast have makes for a few laughs in their daily interactions. For instance, Dr. Brennan is focused and typically lacks the same social grace Booth has with people. What works is how well her character and quirks are worked into the stories, as well as the other characters. In the end, they feel more real than most television characters.

In regards to content, Bones follows a fairly formulaic approach. The episodes begin with Booth bringing in a new case for the Jeffersonian team to work on, or Dr. Goodman informing Brennan's team they will be working on this or that. After a preliminary analysis of the remains, Booth and Brennan hit the field to interview suspects, witnesses, and look for more clues to solve the case. Eventually, between their different approaches, a conclusion is found and the bad guys are caught. However, despite the very formulaic approach, the content keeps fresh with its characters and how they develop as individuals and handle each case. In the end, it makes for some topnotch content.

However, while I praise Bones as a solid production, there are some faults. The series does one thing far too much, drama. In each episode, there is some form of drama that clouds one or more of the character's lives. This aspect is useful for character development, but at the same time it can be pretty thick and fluffy. Fortunately, it is not bad to the point it drowns out the rest of the show's positive qualities.

For notable episodes, there are many, but I'll only mention a few. "The Man On Death Row" is a solid episode with a great story. Booth is forced to revisit an old case when a man on death row (he helped put there) is shouting out for anyone to listen. He is innocent and wants someone to take another look at his case. Booth was a green agent at the time and he has Brennan help him find out if the man on death row deserves to die. What works for this episode is the major plot twist it takes. It is very exciting.

"The Girl In the Fridge" is another great episode. A girl is found dead in a refrigerator and Booth finds out a couple with a risque sexual appetite to be the suspects. This is one of the few cases that make it into the court room. What works for this episode is the defense's expert witness, Brennan's old professor and love interest. "The Woman In Limbo" is the series finale and it is an awesome episode. It focuses on Brennan and develops her character further by solving the mystery of what happened to her parents. The episode has a trail of mystery and unfolds a story that you won't want to miss.

Other strong episodes include "The Man In The S.U.V.", Booth and Brennan must find out if a man is a terrorist or just unlucky, "The Man In The Fallout Shelter", the Christmas episode where everyone is quarantined in the laboratory after a biological agent is released, "The Woman In The Garden", Booth and Brennan's latest case lead them to an El Salvadorian gang, and "Two Bodies In The Lab", Booth and Brennan investigate a six-year old case of a deceased mob boss and Brennan's life is threatened.

Overall, Bones is an exciting drama that focuses on homicide cases and dead bodies burnt, decomposed, or destroyed beyond recognition (you might not want to eat while watching this show). The series has a strong cast who works quite well individually and together, as well as solid storylines with only a tad bit too much drama. In the end, Bones makes for a compelling drama that any fan of crime dramas will enjoy.

Episode Guide

1. Pilot: Forensic anthropologist Dr. Temperance "Bones" Brennan teams up with FBI agent Seeley Booth to investigate the murder of a Senate intern, the political implications of which may prove to be staggering.
2. The Man In The S.U.V.: When a Middle Eastern diplomat is killed in a car-bomb explosion, Brennan and Booth must determine whether he was a terrorist suicide bomber or a murder victim.
3. A Boy In A Tree: Brennan and Booth attempt to untangle a complicated web of deception, sex, and blackmail as they investigate an apparent suicide at an elite prep school.
4. The Man In The Bear: Brennan and Booth travel to a small town in Washington to investigate the gruesome case of a human hand found inside a dead bear.
5. A Boy In A Bush: When the body of a young boy how has been sexually assaulted and murdered is discovered, Booth calls on Brennan to help find the killer.
6. The Man In The Wall: A scuffle at a nightclub leads to the discovery of the mummified corpse of a hip-hop DJ.
7. The Man On Death Row: The race against time is on as Brennan and Booth investigate the case of a death row inmate who may or may not have committed the murder for which he is about to be executed.
8. The Girl In the Fridge: Brennan reconnects with her old college professor--he's also her ex-boyfriend--as she investigates the case of a decomposed corpse found in a refrigerator.
9. The Man In The Fallout Shelter: The team is quarantined and must remain in the lab over Christmas when the examination of a corpse trips the building's biohazard alert system.
10. The Woman At The Airport: Brennan and Booth head to Los Angeles to investigate the murder of a call girl whose extensive plastic surgery complicates the investigation, and Goodman and Hodgins clash while trying to authenticate an Iron Age skeleton.
11. The Woman In The Car: A woman's body is found in a burned-out car, leading to the discovery that her child has been kidnapped.

12. The Superhero In The Alley: The enigmatic death of a self-styled superhero calling himself Citizen 14 has Brennan and Booth searching for answers.
13. The Woman In The Garden: Dead bodies begin to pile up after the arrest of an El Salvadorian gang member, and Brennan and Booth suspect a possible link to a U.S. Senator.
14. The Man On The Fairway: Foul play is the obvious conclusion when Brennan determines that one of the bodies found at the site of a plane crash was not on board the flight.
15. Two Bodies In The Lab: Brennan's life is threatened by a hit man when the body of a mob boss washes ashore, re-opening a six-year-old investigation, while Booth is haunted by a murder resembling a case from his past.
16. The Woman In The Tunnel: Brennan and Booth go underground to solve the murder of a filmmaker killed while documenting the mysterious denizens of a subterranean tunnel system beneath Washington, D.C.
17. The Skull In The Desert: Angela fears the worst when Brennan and Booth investigate the discovery of a human skull found in the desert where her boyfriend has recently gone missing.
18. The Man With The Bone: A human finger-bone found in the clothes of a drowning victim leads to a search for buried treasure.
19. The Man In the Morgue: While in New Orleans to help identify the bodies of Hurricane Katrina victims, Brennan is thrust into the city's shadowy voodoo underworld, becoming the prime suspect in a grisly murder along the way.
20. The Graft In The Girl: Angela befriends a young cancer patient while Brennan and Booth trace the source of her illness: a tainted bone graft provided by a rogue bio-tissue supply house.
21. The Soldier In The Grace: At Arlington National Cemetery, Booth and Brennan investigate the apparent suicide of a soldier who served in Iraq, and Brennan suspects a cover-up.
22. The Woman In Limbo: Brennan tries to come to grips with her past when the remains that she's examining turn out to be those of her mother.

The DVD

Video:
The video in this release is given in anamorphic 1.78:1 ratio widescreen color. The picture quality is generally good with detail looking sharp and no issues with colors. However it does have a slight grain, which is more noticeable during darker scenes. There are also some minor traces of edge enhancement.

Audio:
The audio track in this release is in English 5.1 Dolby digital surround sound. The sound quality is top notch and delivers a strong an audible experience by taking advantage of the 5.1 setup (where applicable). The dialogue is easy to hear over background music and sounds effects.

There are also subtitles provided in English, French, and Spanish.

Extras:
Audio Commentaries are included for the episodes "Pilot" with executive producer Barry Josephson and series creator Hart Hanson, and "Two Bodies In The Lab" with actors David Boreanaz and Emily Deschanel. Both commentaries are entertaining and worth sitting through, especially if you enjoyed the season episodes as much as I did.

Squints Featurette (7:54) is about the cast, specifically the forensic scientists, with dialogue from David Boreanaz, Emily Deschanel, TJ Thyne, Eric Millegan, Michaela Conlin, and Hart Hanson. It begins with an explanation to what a squint is and why the term applies. Then the focus moves into discussion about the characters and their dynamics, e.g., having Angela to balance out the scientist roles. The actors also provide insights to what it is like on the show.

The Real Definition Featurette (7:28) is a somewhat interesting featurette. It is a montage of clips from the season one episodes divided into four parts. Each part focuses on a technical definition and provides a non-technical explanation, relevant information, and how it pertains to the case. Each is explained with clips from the episodes. The terms include hyperparathyroidism, coccidioidomycosis, sternal foramen, and prion diseases.

Bones: Inspired by the Life of Forensics Anthropologist and Author Kathy Reichs (6:43) is a featurette about the creation of the series. It stars Barry Josephson, Hart Hanson, and Kathy Reichs. They talk about Kathy's role on the series, the science in the show, why they wanted to use Kathy's worth as a creative starting point, the characters, Emily Deschanel, and so on.

Character Profiles is a collection of character facts for Dr. Temperance Brenna, Special Agent Seeley Booth, Angela Montenegro, Zach Addy, Dr. Jack Hodgins, and Dr. Daniel Goodman. The information is brief and stuff you will pick up if you watch the season one episodes.

Final Thoughts:
The inaugural season of the television series Bones offers twenty-two episodes that are compelling, engaging, and most importantly, entertaining. The show focuses cases where bodies are burnt, decomposed, or destroyed beyond recognition. An FBI agent joins with a forensic anthropologist and her team to solve cases. The cases they work on provide an entertaining mystery while the character development gives the show personality. In the end, fans of crime dramas should appreciate this fresh look at criminal investigations that is bad to the bone. It is Highly Recommended.

PARTY OF FIVE SEASON 2 DVD TALK REVIEW

The Second Season

Party of Five is a teenage melodrama about five siblings getting their lives back together after the death of their parents. I never watched this show religiously when it aired, but I did manage to catch enough episodes that I am pretty familiar with it. The back story of the series (covered in the pilot episode) is about the Salinger family. They are put into disarray when the parents are killed in a car accident by a drunk driver. This tragic event forced the five siblings to band together in a way they never expected. In the first season, a lot of the plotlines were about the cast getting used to their new situation and at the same time trying to live regular lives with an otherwise irresponsible twenty-four year old guy being forced to act the parent to three teenagers and a baby. The drama surrounding these events developed was thick and sometimes way over the top. The second season's drama maintains the thick, over the top melodramatic tone.

While I had somewhat fond memories of this show, the second season left me feeling less than entertained and on occasion, frustrated. For the most part I felt the stories were good, but the drama was a little more than I could bear. An over the top, dramatic story can be good, but too much of it can turn into something bad. On more than one occasion it felt like way too much and more often than not I thought the characters came off as whiny. It was the whiny factor that caused my frustration. Sometimes it was just hard to sit through.

The second season picks up with the end of summer. Charlie and Kirsten are working out the details of their upcoming marriage and at the same time Charlie is trying to figure the details of his life. Julia is welcoming back her longtime friend and boyfriend Justin from his summer trip in Europe, while at the same time trying to keep her illicit love affair with bad boy Griffin a secret. Bailey is overcoming the events from the end of season one, while struggling to find his confidence in life. As usual, Claudia feels like the little kid no one pays attention too.

As the season unfolds, Charlie and Kirsten's relationship becomes the key fixture for the first half. While the two are deeply in love with each other, Charlie begins to doubt their relationship. The thought of marriage and being with only one person until death scares him a lot. His reservations about marrying Kirsten become a big problem for her as well and it ends their relationship. In the second half of the season, we find them lowly rebuilding their relationship and trust in each other.

Julia's story starts off with her trying to juggle two boyfriends, but when the truth comes out she is forced to pick one of them. She picks Griffin, who is a jerk and troublemaker. Yet, Julia does not give up on him. Later they realize the relationship is doomed for reasons out of their control and she tries to repair her relationship with Justin. Towards the end of the season this becomes a very dramatic story, as their relationship became sexual and Julia got pregnant and had a miscarriage.

Bailey is hurting the tragedy from the end of season one and he is having trouble overcoming it. Because of this, he is unable to be in a relationship. His best friend Will tries to setup him up with a girl, which fails. Bailey's friend Sarah also actively pursues him, but despite hint after hint, he never realizes her interest in him until she points it out. They end up dating, but not for long because Bailey isn't over his problem yet. Will and Sarah get together and it fills Bailey with jealous and he is finally able to commit to a relationship.

Sarah finds out her life has been a lie. Her parents are not her real parents. She was adopted. Sarah does not react to this news well and soon turns into an angry at the world teenager who likes to yell and scream. Fortunately Bailey is there to help her through the ordeal.

Claudia breaks her wrist and is unable to play the violin for months. And playing the violin had been a big part of her life. In this season she finds a new friend, a troublemaker who smokes cigarettes and does anything to defy authority. She starts turning Claudia into a junior-version bad girl. In the end, Claudia realizes she is no longer the same person and when her wrist heals, she gives up playing the violin and tries a different path in life.

This season has plenty of more dramatic stories such as Julia dealing with sexual harassment from a teacher, Charlie taking over the family restaurant and running into severe financial difficulties, Bailey struggling to get into college, and so on. In the end, some of these stories prove interesting, while others tended to drone on. Party of Five should be great for fans of series, but those looking for a good teenage melodrama might want to look elsewhere.

Episode Guide
1. Ready or Not
2. Falsies
3. Dearly Beloved
4. Have No Fear
5. Change Partners... and Dance
6. Analogies
7. Where There's Smoke
8. Best Laid Plans
9. The Wedding
10. Grand Delusions
11. Unfair Advantage
12. Hold on Tight
13. Poor Substitutes
14. Strange Bed Fellows
15. Benefactors
16. Comings and Goings
17. Valentine's Day
18. Before and After
19. Altered States
20. Happily Ever After
21. Spring Breaks I
22. Spring Breaks II

The DVD

Video:
The video is given in its original television aspect ratio of 1.33:1 full frame color. The picture quality looks decent and offers a viewable picture. There are traces of edge enhancement and a fair amount of compression artifacts, as well as some ghosting. Colors usually look good, but there are times when they are not represented well and bright colors appear too dark.

Audio:
The audio is given in English 2.0 Dolby digital stereo sound. The sound quality is adequate and like most TV on DVD releases provides an audible track with dialogue that is easy to hear throughout each episode. There are no subtitles included, but the feature supports closed captioning.

Extras:
This box set comes with three audio commentaries and a featurette. The commentaries are for episodes "The Wedding", "Grand Delusions", and "Before and After". Each commentary has writer and producer Chris Keyser, and actors Lacey Chabert, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Scott Wolf, and Paula Devicq, sitting in on it, except the track for "Grand Delusions" does not include Keyser. The general topic of discussion was common to most commentary tracks. Scott Wolf turned out to be quite funny and made listening to the tracks a lot of fun. Note, if you try to access these from the DVD menus, they will not load the episodes with the commentary tracks. You will have to select the track manually when the episode begins.

The featurette is "Party of Five: A Look Back with Jennifer Love Hewitt", which is thirty minutes of reflection time with Jennifer. She talks about how she got on the show, her interaction with the other characters, what people thought about it, experiences on the set, etc. It started off lackluster, but as it went on Jennifer turned out to provide some interesting insights. There's one portion when she talks about what it was like kissing Scott Wolf, and her comments are on the funny-side. Overall I enjoyed the extras more than I did the season episodes.

Final Thoughts:
Even though I never watched Party of Five episode after episode when it aired on television, I did caught quite a few from time to time and the experience left me with some fond memories about the series. When I started the second season, I couldn't quite remember what the show was about, but after an episode I was able to remember a lot about it. As season two got underway, I found some of the content to be entertaining, but more typically than not the drama came off as little too much. The character roles felt a little forced and whiny, which left me annoyed and frustrated. In the end, my fond memories were shattered and I can't say I really enjoyed watching season two. This is probably best for the fans of the series, and those looking for a teenage melodrama to get into might want to look toward another show like Felicity or One Tree Hill.

PARTY OF FIVE SEASON 1 DVD TALK REVIEW

The Program

I was never a regular watcher of Party of Five when it first aired on FOX television from 1994 to 2000. I may have followed it for a season or two, at most, and gradually became a sporadic viewer at best. Not that it was a bad show, mind you. It was one of those situations in which you miss a few episodes here, a few episodes there, and suddenly you're miles behind each and every one of the show's subplots.

A shame, really, because Party of Five was a pretty good show. The series dealt with the trials and tribulations of the Salinger siblings: Charlie (Matthew Fox), at 24, the eldest of the clan, Bailey (Scott Wolf), the jock, Julia (Neve Campbell), the beautiful if unsure of herself highscooler, Claudia (Lacey Chabert), the adorably precocious and artistically gifted youngster, and the baby Owen (various infants), who generally burps and poops a lot. As the series started, the five had just begun coming to grips with the autombile-accident deaths of their parents, who had been thevictims of a drunk driver. The group not only had to deal with the loss of their parents, but with the reality of life on their own. Charlie was thrust into the role of de facto parent and guardian, responsible for the livelihood of four minors. He develops a relationship with Owen's nanny (Paula Devicq), an event that is ripe with joy and frustration, a theme that runs rampant throughout the series.

It's really interesting to remember that when Party of Five first hit the airwaves, it was not an immediate success. At the time, FOX was flying high with such cheesy, smarmy, skin-laden and lightweight primetime soap-operas as Beverly Hills: 90210 and Melrose Place, and the relatively straight-laced Party of Five was definitely not cut from the same cloth. Series creators Christopher Keyser and Amy Lippman, who had both worked as producers on the NBC drama Sisters, developed a show with more dramatic weight, portraying the existence of five siblings suddenly forced to live on their own with equal parts laughter and heartache. Although the cast is impeccably attractive, the characters felt like people (albeit rather pithy ones) rather than caricatures. Party of Five featured teens and young adults, but never felt like a "teens and young adults" show. The show won critical raves but not immediate popular success. Its cult status was elevated after it won a Golden Globe award for Best Television Drama, and the series at long last became a ratings success. It certainly raised the awareness factor of Neve Campbell, who would go on to find success in the Scream films and the camp classic Wild Things.

The following twenty-two episodes are included in this 5-DVD set:

Disc One

1. Pilot - Five children orphaned by their parents' fatal auto accident seek to make their way in San Francisco.
2. Homework - Bailey develops a crush on Kirsten; Julia strives to be popular; Claudia searchers for the Salingers' long-lost grandfather.
3. Good Sports - Bailey's loyalty to his football teammates places him in jeopardy; Julia's generosity to some popular new friends causes problems for her siblings.
4. Worth Waiting For - Julia is tempted by sex; Kirsten gives Charlie another chance; Bailey falls in love.
5. All's Fair - An old girlfriend tempts Charlie; Claudia and Julia both lie to get what they want.

Disc Two

1. Fathers and Sons - Bailey tries to impress Kate's father; Charlie balks at the constant comparisons with his own Dad.
2. Much Ado About Nothing - Charlie's infidelity jeopardizes his relationship with Kirsten; Bailey's preoccupation with Kate angers Claudia.
3. Kiss Me, Kate - Bailey and Kate disagree over sex, Charlie sets out to impress a potential employer, Claudia's success goes to her head, and Julia struggles in school.
4. Something Out of Nothing - The arrival of an old family friend disrupts the Salinger household.
5. Thanksgiving - The release of the drunk driver who killed their parents divides the family.

Disc Three

1. Private Lives - Keeping too many secrets from each other threatens the Salingers' future together.
2. Games People Play - Bailey learns a secret about Kate; Julia and Claudia each try keeping secrets from prospective boyfriends; a personal crisis prompts Kirsten to turn to Charlie.
3. Grown-Ups - As Claudia and Julia each face the challenges of growing up, Charlie proposes to Kirsten, while Bailey finds himself in a relationship based solely on sex.
4. Not Fade Away - Sparks fly when Charlie moves Kirsten in without consulting his siblings; Julia uncovers evidence that their mother may have had an affair.
5. It's Not Easy Being Green - The Salingers each face problems with their friends and lovers.

Disc Four

1. Aftershocks - As aftershocks rock their home, Bailey discovers Jill is using drugs, Charlie regrets accepting a loan from Kirsten, and Julia comes between Libby and her boyfriend.
2. In Loco Parentis - Bailey and Claudia each struggle to help friends in need, while Julia falls in love with an old friend.
3. Who Cares? - On the eve of Claudia's birthday, Bailey heads to Los Angeles to find Jill.
4. Brother's Keeper - The family is thrown into turmoil when Charlie is offered a job in Seattle.
5. The Trouble With Charlie - As Charlie tries getting some time for himself, the pressures of being the head of the household mount.

Disc Five

1. All-Nighters - Just as Charlie finds a new apartment, he's needed more than ever at home.
2. The Ides of March - Bailey is shocked by SPOILER: highlight Jill's death; Ross's homosexuality threatens his adoption of a little girl.

The DVD

Video:

Party of Five: The Complete First Season is presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.33:1. The transfer is pretty problematic. The overall image suffers from excessive compression noise and shimmering, the result of cramming upwards of five episodes per disc. There is some softness and lack of image detail, noticeable edge-enhancement, and a stable if rather muted color scheme. Contrast levels are adequate are deep blacks are moderately impressive. Overall, the image is mostly acceptable but disappointing.

Audio:

The audio is presented in Dolby Digital 2.0, and presents a reasonably acceptable soundtrack. Dialog levels are impressively clear and bright, while surround effects are used to effectively highlight background and ambient noise without overloading the front stage. The show featured mid-90s alt-rock songs throughout its soundtrack, and these come across with acceptable range and punch.

Extras:

There are some worthy extras of note on this disc. Cast and creators provide separate audio commentaries for the following episodes: Pilot, Thanksgiving, and The Ides of March. As is usual in these cases, the cast commentaries (featuring Matthew Fox, Scott Wolf, and Lacey Chabert) are the "chummier" of the two, while the creator commentaries (featuring Christopher Keyser and Amy Lippman) provide more sedate if warmly-recollected anecdotal and technical information.

Disc Five contains two featurettes: Party of Five: A Look Back is an hour-long retrospective that examines the history and development of and reaction to the series, featuring the creators and stars of the show. This extra will probably be the favorite of any Party of Five fan. Creators Christopher Keyser and Amy Lippman and stars Scott Wolf, Lacey Chabert, Neve Campbell, and Paula Devicq are all heavily featured throughout the retrospective, which is both quite detailed and extremely heartfelt. You really get the sense that these people loved the show. The second featurette is Party of Five: A Family Album, which runs nearly seventeen minutes in length. This segment focuses heavily on the first season, culling interviews with the cast and creators featuring their recollections of their initial year on the air. This feature repeats of a lot of information found elsewhere on the disc, but it nonetheless makes for a fairly affectionate addition.

Finally, there is a set of previews for 50 First Dates, Contemporary TV Trailers, Dawson' Creek, Go, and The Company .

Final Thoughts

I can recommend Party of Five: The Complete First Season, but with reservations. I didn't care too much for the presentation of the material. While the audio was pleasant, the video was a tad too compressed for my liking. Still the quality of the shows and the supplemental material definitely make a case for this set. I can understand and thoroughly appreciate Columbia Tristar's efforts to keep the price point below $50 retail, as well as include quality, value-adding supplemental material, but perhaps a sixth disc should have been included to smooth out the bit rate. Nonetheless, Party of Five fans will definitely enjoy their time revisiting the Salingers.

VIVA PINATA THE GAME DVD TALK REVIEW

Ever since Microsoft got a hold of Rare, the developer's list of titles has slipped in quality compared to what the company once was. The innovation and wonder that brought about great games such as Banjo-Kazooie, Perfect Dark, Killer Instinct, and Conker's Bad Fur Day seemed to have fluttered away. Grabbed by the Ghoulies, Perfect Dark Zero, and Kameo all lead the way and garnered a lot of hype but ultimately led to disappointment in fans used to the developer's knack for raising the bar. Don't misunderstand me, I did enjoy PDZ and Kameo; just not as much as Rare's older titles.

Because of this trend, when I first heard about Viva Pi�ata I truly didn't know what to think. The concept was oddball and obviously designed with younger gamers in mind. I mean a game where you do little more than raise cartoon pi�atas? I've heard of niche games before but that took the cake as far as I was concerned. Then I got the chance to play it.

On so many levels this game broke my preconceptions. In what could have been another "okay" release, Rare went the extra mile to create a game that truly is unlike anything that you've ever played. It draws comparisons to many titles that came before it but the fact remains that Viva Pi�ata is a work of innovation. This is the kind of game that I had come to expect from Rare in the past and this time they delivered on all fronts.

Gameplay:

What makes Viva Pi�ata so much fun to play is that it's entirely unconventional in presentation. The game starts you out little more than a patch of dirt with some bits of junk strewn out across it. Your goal is to cultivate it and make it attractive to local pi�ata animals because you are living on Pi�ata Island after all. Pi�atas are this lands number one export and in order for a party to be had somewhere in the world you need to supply your nation with this valuable commodity. It's such a simple concept that can be as deep or as easy as you want it to be.

At first the game will throw a lot of information at you. Instructions for how to operate your shovel, the finer points of growing plants, and even what it takes to attract a pi�ata to your spot of land are thrown at you in rapid succession. It's so much to take in at first that it can be overwhelming if you don't take the time to tinker with things before plowing right ahead. Because of this the title may be a little too complex for younger gamers. There are a lot of things to do and be aware of so there's a bit of frustration to be had. Still, no matter how bad you think you are doing in the beginning; do not get discouraged. There is a process to this game and the learning curve will only really be like an hour or so. Once you've got the basics down that's when the game really starts.

Viva Pi�ata is really kind of a difficult game to describe. To compare it to other games I think the best way to do it justice is to say that it's a little bit of Sims meets Animal Crossing with maybe some Harvest Moon tossed in. If you have played and enjoyed any of those games then there is something in Viva Pi�ata that will appeal to you. Be warned that there is quite a lot of micromanaging here and that some things require patience and persistence. If you possess neither of those virtues then you probably won't get into this game because this is a title that requires a lot of time.

As far as the gardening aspect is concerned there are a multitude of things to keep in mind. First and foremost is the fact that you have a shovel; use it. Pound that hard soil, dig ponds, make holes for seeds, and break things that you don't want in your space. Once you've beaten the snot out of your land and feel that you're ready to start getting your thumbs green it's probably a good idea to lay down some grass seeds first. Now that you've got a nice field of green you can begin dropping seeds and growing a variety of vegetables, trees, and flowers. This is the biggest, most important thing to keep in mind when starting the game; if you build it, they will come.

Each pi�ata on the island has a certain thing that will attract them to your garden. Whether it's fruit from a tree, a certain amount of water, a particular type of plant, another breed of pi�ata, or even your skill level; there are many a reason that a critter will come to see what you've done with the place. Discovering what will bring the new animal on board is part of the challenge in Viva Pi�ata but it's also what makes the game fun.

The first time they show up the game will give a cinematic of the pi�ata and you'll notice that they are strictly black and white. The lack of color means that you have met the requirements to make that pi�ata appear as a visitor. In order to make them a resident you have to meet yet another batch of requirements which is usually more complex. Luckily some in game menus found in the Journal helps to eliminate most of the guessing work. Once you have met the residency requirements and that particular breed of pi�ata has chosen to live in your garden there are a few things you can do for them.

For starters you will want to get that pi�ata a mate and a house as soon as possible. Romancing is one of the key elements in Viva Pi�ata because in order for you to make money and sometimes get new species you have to breed the creatures. Since this is a kid friendly game parents don't have to worry about their children witnessing a nature channel documentary. Instead you control a pi�ata through a maze of sorts to initiate things and then you're treated to a cut scene of the two lovebirds dancing around in their house. It's cute and mildly entertaining but may turn off some older gamers.

One thing to keep in mind is that the game limits the amount of pi�atas you can have at one time. Since you are limited in garden space you are forced to implement some strategy into what you keep, who you breed, and what you plant. In the beginning while you're just learning the basics this is a daunting task. Making things a little more difficult is the fact that new pi�atas are thrown at you left and right. It really takes time to experiment and get a system going so while you can figure everything out in about an hour it will be about five before you begin to feel comfortable. That kind of leads into one of the complaints I have with the game.

Just as you get into that comfort zone and begin structuring things the way you want and taking the reigns, things really slow down. There were a good couple of hours where I had no new pi�atas appear and my level growth was stagnant. I kind of found myself fiddling around and not really accomplishing anything because I lost my sense of direction. The game does a decent job at first of getting you started but when it gives you the room to grow it's probably a little too much. Since more children will most likely be playing this game than adults a little more structure could have gone a long way. Then again it's the open-ended nature of the game that is so appealing.

Within the confines of your garden you are basically free to do whatever you want. The game doesn't end in either a good way or bad despite the fact that there is a story buried in the deep recesses of your Journal. You could go on gaining levels (from accomplishing things such as breeding and growing) and until the pi�ata cows literally came home. The amazing part is that even after twenty hours with the game you'll still feel as enthralled as you did with your first five. Viva Pi�ata is just that endearing of a title.

Since this is a 360 game it's no surprise that there is some Xbox Live functionality. Unfortunately it's a little more limited than we'd expect. You can essentially check out some Leader Boards for comparisons to your buddies and mail things to other gamers. Items and pi�atas arrive in crates and certainly contain some pleasant treats but I wish I was able to take a more active role in interacting with other gardens and gamers. I guess since children will be most drawn to the game it's good that there are safeguards in place but as an older gamer I'm slightly disappointed.

As far as the actual control in Viva Pi�ata is concerned it is very functional. Navigating menus and performing tasks is easy enough and responsive though there were a couple of snags that stood out. The action icon automatically locks on to objects directly beneath it but sometimes it gets caught on other items such as pavement or a pi�ata that will walk by. I frequently found myself having to fiddle with it just in order to select what I want. Other tasks like selling items also take a little more effort than they should due to the amount of steps required. The camera is fine and provides a great amount of visibility and at all times you can see essentially everything going on in your garden if you wanted to. You are limited to how far you can zoom out though so if you wanted to see absolutely everything from a bird's eye view you're out of luck.

If you're looking for a unique title that will keep you, your kids, or other family members entertained, Viva Pi�ata is a solid choice. Many will scoff and write it off as strictly a children's game but there is so much depth and enjoyment to be found in this title that not trying it out just once would be a travesty. For those of you who had doubts about Microsoft and Rare teaming up this is a perfect example of the potential that partnership has. Here's hoping for more endeavors like this in the future and many more download updates via Xbox Live.

Achievements:

Viva Pi�ata brings an assortment of achievements to the table that are more or less easy to obtain. With 50 in total worth 20 points a piece they revolve around simple tasks that will most likely happen during the course of the game. On the easier side of things are achievements based on naming a pi�ata or getting a land upgrade. Later on when you've unlocked some of the more interesting creatures there are a few that are more complex. A good majority of the achievements are also listed as "Secret" so you can't purposely go after them unless you've done your research.

Graphics:

One of the biggest aspects about Viva Pi�ata that makes the game so addicting is the style utilized by the graphics. Cartoon animals and unique looking characters fill the world of Pi�ata Island and part of the appeal of attracting new creatures to your garden is the discovery what is out there. The colors are vibrant and the picture is remarkably clear with crisp visuals and some fantastic looking effects. As I already mentioned this is a game that will appeal aesthetically to children but older gamers will be able to appreciate the style as well.

If I had anything to complain about with the look of Viva Pi�ata it would be that there is some slight slowdown at points. These usually happen when the game is autosaving and will frequently stop the action completely or slow it down to a crawl. Despite this annoying flaw this is still one of the brightest and most attractive games that I have ever seen.

Audio:

Viva Pi�ata utilizes 5.1 fantastically with its music and sound effects. The quality of both fits this game like a glove with cute animalistic grunts and audio that absolutely pops. Because Rare is an English developer many of the characters in the game also have British accents and given everything that adds a certain charm not found in most releases. Phrases do get repetitive after a while but that's only a minor gripe amidst the sheer amount of quality.

Conclusion:

I think it's safe to say that Viva Pi�ata is a game that every Xbox 360 owner should at least check out. The concept is so simple yet the execution presents so much depth. This is a title that kids and adults can both enjoy which is a very rare thing. It truly has been a long time since I have played a game this addicting, challenging, and enjoyable.

Despite the fact that you basically just grow plants and breed pi�atas the game forces you to make moral decisions. Do you kill a certain pi�ata with a shovel in order to make room for more? Is it ok to feed that mouse to the cat so you can breed it? It's decisions like these that help add depth to Viva Pi�ata but truly it's the quality of the gameplay and aesthetics that completes the package. The bottom line is; don't feel embarrassed to play this game and don't listen to your friends when they make fun of you for owning it. They are the ones that are missing out on one of the best games for the 360.

10 ITEMS OR LESS DVD TALK REVIEW

After narrowly surviving the franchise non-starter "Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events," I'm sure director Brad Silberling was primed to tackle a production that didn't require a year's worth of blood, sweat, and tears.

The Actor (Morgan Freeman), with a penchant for co-starring in Ashley Judd thrillers, is hoping to conduct some character research at a desolate and unpleasant grocery store in the outskirts of Los Angeles. There he meets Scarlet (Paz Vega), a bored, Spanish cashier who has lost her patience with customers and her personal life. Finding himself overwhelmed with curiosity, The Actor puts his gifts to work making over Scarlet's world, encouraging her to reach higher in life, while also finding his performing inspiration, returning to him to a place he feared was long lost.

In the general scheme of filmdom, "10 Items or Less" is the littlest slice of a movie that can be made. Essentially, Silberling has written a one-act play, pitting two complete opposites on a journey to self-confidence and inspiration, capturing this dynamic with a miniature budget, everyday locations, and a host of called-in acting favors.

"10 Items" doesn't establish itself on a grand scale; it snuggles up to the viewer and draws you into this unusual coupling. Silberling has a history of romanticizing everything he touches ("City of Angels," "Moonlight Mile"), but he stands back for this picture, taking a more observational stance with these actors, only nudging the spirit of the film along with some cutesy music montages and effective, but indulgent, euphoric reaction shots from Freeman. Running just a scant 70 minutes, the picture doesn't have time to excavate personal demons, but the fluffy air of friendship and growth is gracious enough to provide a fulfilling sit.

It's Morgan Freeman's performance that glues "10 Items" together. Poking fun at himself (the running gag about Ashley Judd is a pretty observant one) while also pouncing on the chance to play comedy, Freeman feels alive here for the first time in a very long time. You can see the merriment in his eyes playing this role, embracing the character's curiosity with the working-class crowd after years in his actorly ivory tower. Exploring the low prices of Target, the limited menu imagination of Arby's, and the lasting power of his craft by way of "The Yearling," The Actor may not be Freeman's most challenging piece of work to date, but it surely gives the performer a chance to smile. For Freeman, this is almost revelatory.

Burdened a smidge by her thick Spanish accent, Paz Vega holds up her side of the relationship just as well as Freeman. Vega is an expressive performer, and while she isn't given the lighter role, the actress conveys Scarlet's frustrations extremely well, while aptly providing Freeman an excuse to delight in her presence.

"10 Items or Less" doesn't insist much more than the average indie exercise, but it's nicely made by Silberling, and if you've lost faith in Morgan Freeman, this is the film to restore it.

TURISTAS DVD TALK REVIEW

Regardless of your expectations of it, I don't see how "Turistas" can fail to disappoint you. You're in the mood for some torture porn, a la "Saw" or "Hostel"? Surprise! There isn't any! You get one scene -- ONE SCENE! -- of someone being hacked up, and even then, the victim is under anesthesia and the hacking is done antiseptically, even medically.

So maybe instead you're hoping for a taut psychological thriller, comparable to "Deliverance," where the actual violence is minimal but the tension is high? Surprise! It fails there, too. The characters are (as they almost always are in these films) one-dimensional stereotypes whose only motivations are to have sex and to avoid being killed. And wouldn't you know it, most of them fail at that, too.

The film is set in Brazil and was shot on location by director John Stockwell, whose "Blue Crush" and "Into the Blue" also made use of beautiful locations and actors who refuse to wear anything but bathing suits. "Turistas" is infused with Brazilian sights and sounds -- the beaches, the music, the friendly people -- and actually made me want to go there. Apart from all the killing and the general message of "Never trust a foreigner," it would make a good travel brochure.

Our heroes are six young people -- three Americans, two Brits and an Australian -- who have come to Brazil in search of drinking, recreation, and indiscriminate sexual encounters. An American girl (Olivia Wilde) is chaperoned by her worry-wart brother (Josh Duhamel) and accompanied by her trashy best friend (Beau Garrett); the Australian (Melissa George) is a world traveler who speaks fluent Portuguese; the Brits (Max Brown and Desmond Askew) are randy fellows who just want to meet girls.

A bus accident leaves the six stranded, but they join forces and wander onto a hidden beach that evidently isn't all that hidden after all, since it has a fully stocked bar and raging nightly parties. Then somehow they eventually wind up in a crazy house where crazy people want to do crazy things to them.

I'm skipping a lot, but believe me, you'll wish the movie had skipped a lot, too. The film's very first images are a flash-forward to much later, when a female victim is strapped down and apparently about to be eviscerated. It is 60 minutes before the movie actually arrives at that point in the narrative, giving us a full hour to endure the tourists partying, talking, flirting with each other, passing out, arguing, walking, being lost, and taking their shirts off. It's a 95-minute movie in which 50 minutes are padding.

The screenplay (by previously uncredited writer Michael Ross) further errs by including scenes with the villains as they plot to abduct the tourists. By giving the audience information that the main characters aren't privy to, much of the mystery and suspense is lost. It would be better if we had no idea what was in store, rather than being teased with it. This is especially true since what we're teased with -- rampant bloody mayhem and terror -- never actually materializes.

The movie is what it is. The question is, is it good at being what it is? And the answer is no. I never thought I'd complain that a movie wasn't violent and awful enough, but when a film sets out to be violent and awful, it really ought to follow through.

THE NATIVITY STORY DVD TALK REVIEW

You can see why "The Nativity Story" got the blessing of the Vatican and had its world premiere there. It's a safe, conventional fictionalization of the events leading up to the birth of Christ, with heavy emphasis on Mary as an iconic (read: personality-free) figure. It's a "nice" movie, good for Christian families who want to attend a nativity pageant without having to stand outside in the cold.

It was written by nice screenwriter Mike Rich, who also wrote the nice "Finding Forrester," "The Rookie" and "Radio." You will note that "nice" doesn't necessarily mean "good." It means pleasant and unassuming. You will not have to think very hard about anything while watching a "nice" movie, nor will your preconceived notions be challenged. There is nothing wrong with most "nice" movies -- nor, in many cases, is there anything right with them.

"The Nativity Story" is bland in that way, though it has details that give it some honest respectability. The director, Catherine Hardwicke, has made far edgier films in the past ("Thirteen" and "Lords of Dogtown"), and you can see her wanting to inject realism into this project, too. Little details, like two young boys' amusing reaction to witnessing a circumcision, or the pain in Elizabeth's face when she gives birth to John the Baptist, remind you that Hardwicke is accustomed to stories grounded in modern realities rather than glossy religious traditions.

Rich's screenplay takes what little we know from the New Testament and expands to give Mary, Joseph, and the others backstories. Mary (Keisha Castle-Hughes) is a young, carefree girl whose parents are cheesemakers. (And as we know from Monty Python's "The Life of Brian," blessed are the cheesemakers.) With no input on the decision whatsoever, she is betrothed to Joseph (Oscar Isaac), a decent young man from her village with whom she has had little prior contact. Now they are semi-married, called spouses but forbidden from doing "that which leads to families," as Mary's dad puts it, until the marriage is finalized.

This restriction makes things a bit awkward, as you know, when Mary finds herself pregnant. The biblical account is retained (including the dialogue, when possible), with angels visiting Mary and Joseph to explain their roles in God's plan. Mary goes to visit her kinswoman Elizabeth (Shohreh Aghdashloo), who is miraculously pregnant, too, having conceived despite being old and infertile.

Meanwhile, we get a rather goofy account of the Magi, three Eastern astrologers who see the signs in the sky and follow the star to Bethlehem. They're portrayed as normal, down-to-earth fellas who kid one another and act like buddies. This is probably accurate enough, but it's a jarringly different tone from the seriousness of the rest of the movie. Mary acts like a religious icon; these guys act like average joes.

Yes, there's something about Mary: she's boring. Keisha Castle-Hughes, just 15 when the film was shot, has trouble hiding her Australian accent (everyone else uses a generic "Middle East" inflection) and renders every line flat and emotionless. Joseph and Elizabeth feel like fully realized characters, but Mary appears just as she does in paintings: two-dimensional, kind of pretty, and entirely without substance.

I think the film serves its purpose well enough, if that purpose is to be a modest, mildly uplifting Christmas story. Considering most Christmas movies have nothing to do with Jesus whatsoever, "The Nativity Story" should be a welcome surprise for Christian families. Which doesn't mean it's very good as an expression of art, only that it's ... you know ... "nice."

THE MARINE DVD TALK REVIEW

Dismissed from his overeager military duties in Iraq, John Triton (John Cena) returns home to settle down with his wife, Kate (Kelly Carlson, "Nip/Tuck"). On their way to a romantic getaway, Kate is kidnapped by a gang of ruthless diamond thieves, lead by the vicious Rome (Robert Patrick). Trying to figure out a way to fence the loot while struggling to keep two steps ahead of John and his path of vengeance, Rome and the gang find out soon enough that the only thing worse than robbing a South Carolina jewelry store is having a former marine chasing after you.

The last film to debut a professional wrestling actor was last May's Kane stinker "See No Evil." At the time, I was pretty sure it was the dumbest movie I'd see all year. After watching John Cena's big screen gumball, "The Marine," I stand corrected.

In interviews, Cena has compared the thrills of "Marine" to Arnold Schwarzenegger's 1985 guilty pleasure, "Commando." In some respects, I can understand the comparison. Both pictures are high octane stunt spectacles, comfy in the notion that all the production has to do is blow up everything in sight, get the star to manhandle the bad guys, and the film will find its audience. However, as goofy as "Commando" was (and boy, was it ever), it was relatively calm next to the hyperactive "Marine," and certainly featured more respectable direction and a script that didn't dive off the deep end. "Marine" is dollar-store DVD lunacy, and not in a good way.

WWE director John Bonito goes bonkers trying to drum up excitement with this film. Basically, "Marine" is 90 minutes of fireballs, unspeakable one-liners, and poorly choreographed fight sequences. At least I thought they were fight sequences. Bonito edits the film so frantically, it could be just Cena standing still for all I could see. Everything in "Marine" is pumped up to deafening proportions, from Cena's Herculean physique to, get this, sports cars for the South Carolina state troopers.

The problem with Cena goes beyond his easily spotted first film jitters. He's a mountainous man, yet cursed with the vocal authority of pubescent 16 year-old held at the mercy of a film that won't let us see what makes him so popular on the wrestling circuit. At least Schwarzenegger was a hard-ass of the highest order. Hindered by a PG-13 rating that dampens the mood by placing all the violent money shots off camera, Cena comes off as a bland action figure, ready to be posed in any film WWE sends down the pipe for him, but lacking a zesty charisma that could turn him into a genre icon.

At least the production had the sense to cast Kelly Carlson as John's kidnapped wife. With Carlson as the damsel in distress, I can see why Triton battles so hard to get her back. I doubt someone like Selma Blair in the role would have lent the film its one crumble of reality.

Call it "Snakes on a Plane" syndrome, but "Marine" tires quickly trying to posture itself as a bad B-movie. Again, you really can't proclaim yourself sinful cinematic garbage; you have to earn it. "Marine" is full of winks, tossed in a smorgasbord of a screenplay that gives Rome's henchman a fear of rock candy and a moment where, in mid-threat, Rome takes a phone call to discuss his cable TV options. Couple that malarkey with the fact that Triton leaps out of the way of not one, not two, but three building explosions during the course of the picture (of course, not a scratch on him), and "The Marine" proudly admits that it's junk. Who am I to disagree?

SPIDERMAN DVD TALK REVIEW

The Movie:

It's interesting to see the resurgence in comic book movies, after many thought that director Joel Schumacher single-handedly ruined the "Batman" franchise with the one-two punch of "Batman Forever" and "Batman and Robin". "X-Men" was enough of a hit to renew interest in the genre, which was followed by development of such characters as "Daredevil" (who will be played by Ben Affleck) and "Spider Man", which finally emerged out of development hell after a lengthy battle over rights and several screenplay treatments, including some work by James Cameron.

After a lengthy discussion over stars (Heath Ledger and, shockingly, Freddie Prinze, Jr. were in the running) and directors (Sam Raimi was a terrific eventual choice), the film was set. Expertly marketed to not really overhype it all, the final film is certainly a good one, in my opinion. There's just a few things about it that keep it from swinging over from very good to excellent.

I'd most certainly call the opening half the better of the two. We're introduced to Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire), an intelligent, aspiring photographer who also happens to be on the low end of the status ladder of high school. He's fallen for the girl-next-door Mary Jane ("M.J.") Watson (Kirsten Dunst), but doesn't know how to express his feelings; he also happens to get beaten-up by the local bullies.

On a field trip to a science experiment at a local university, Peter gets a pretty nasty bite from a genetically modified spider, causing him to fall ill and pass out once he gets home. When he wakes up, things have changed drastically; he can climb walls, has incredible reflexes, can sense danger and can shoot webs. There are a few scenes early on where Maguire hits perfect, goofy notes trying to figure out how these new powers work.

After a tragic event, Peter decides to use his powers to fight crime, riding the streets of criminals large and small by swooping in on them unexpectedly. Elsewhere, industrialist Norman Osborne (Willem Dafoe), the father of Peter's friend Harry (James Franco) takes an overdose of an experiment he was working on, giving him super strength and a second, far darker personality, eventually becoming the Green Goblin, Spider Man's villian in this particular picture (who knows which of many bad guys in the series will be chosen for the sequel).

There's a lot to like about this picture, which entertains and adds a little more character depth than viewers usually find in a Summer movie. Director Raimi, who has been consistently moving up and showing great talent with smaller character-driven dramas like "Simple Plan" and "The Gift", alternates between exhilarating action sequences and character moments. Maguire and Dunst take several sequences that are mainly dialogue-driven and through expressions and other subtle touches, make their unspoken romance believable and their characters sympathetic. Maguire was a perfect choice, easily moving from awkward to serious to subdued.

The one character element that didn't work for me was Dafoe's Green Goblin. While the actor certainly gives it an over-the-top try, the character as written here doesn't make for a particularly interesting villian. The Goblin's mask, which looks like it could have been picked up at a Halloween store, doesn't really help matters, either.

The film's special effects are quite good, as one would probably expect from a picture with a reported 120 million dollar budget. While a few scenes here and there don't look seamless, there are several remarkable shots of Spider Man flying through the streets of Manhattan that are dazzling. Speaking of visuals, it's interesting to see how Raimi's visual style has changed over the years, from the highly inventive camera work of Bill Pope in "Army of Darkness" (Raimi's "Darkness"/"Evil Dead") star Bruce Campbell has a cameo) to Dante Spinotti's stylish and fast-paced work for "Quick and the Dead" to the picture-perfect baseball scenes by John Bailey in "For Love Of the Game". For "Spider Man", Raimi has borrowed director Robert Zemeckis's usual cinematographer, Don Burgess ("Cast Away") and the result is a film with slick, attractive visuals that either remain subdued for quiet moments or follow the rapid action clearly.

Certainly, this is a very good film and one of the stronger "Summer" movies that I've seen in a couple of years. There are some concerns I had; the first half feels more fresh and energetic to the somewhat familiar and louder second half and the villian could have been stronger, but other than that, I was certainly entertained.

TURISTAS DVD TALK REVIEW

Regardless of your expectations of it, I don't see how "Turistas" can fail to disappoint you. You're in the mood for some torture porn, a la "Saw" or "Hostel"? Surprise! There isn't any! You get one scene -- ONE SCENE! -- of someone being hacked up, and even then, the victim is under anesthesia and the hacking is done antiseptically, even medically.

So maybe instead you're hoping for a taut psychological thriller, comparable to "Deliverance," where the actual violence is minimal but the tension is high? Surprise! It fails there, too. The characters are (as they almost always are in these films) one-dimensional stereotypes whose only motivations are to have sex and to avoid being killed. And wouldn't you know it, most of them fail at that, too.

The film is set in Brazil and was shot on location by director John Stockwell, whose "Blue Crush" and "Into the Blue" also made use of beautiful locations and actors who refuse to wear anything but bathing suits. "Turistas" is infused with Brazilian sights and sounds -- the beaches, the music, the friendly people -- and actually made me want to go there. Apart from all the killing and the general message of "Never trust a foreigner," it would make a good travel brochure.

Our heroes are six young people -- three Americans, two Brits and an Australian -- who have come to Brazil in search of drinking, recreation, and indiscriminate sexual encounters. An American girl (Olivia Wilde) is chaperoned by her worry-wart brother (Josh Duhamel) and accompanied by her trashy best friend (Beau Garrett); the Australian (Melissa George) is a world traveler who speaks fluent Portuguese; the Brits (Max Brown and Desmond Askew) are randy fellows who just want to meet girls.

A bus accident leaves the six stranded, but they join forces and wander onto a hidden beach that evidently isn't all that hidden after all, since it has a fully stocked bar and raging nightly parties. Then somehow they eventually wind up in a crazy house where crazy people want to do crazy things to them.

I'm skipping a lot, but believe me, you'll wish the movie had skipped a lot, too. The film's very first images are a flash-forward to much later, when a female victim is strapped down and apparently about to be eviscerated. It is 60 minutes before the movie actually arrives at that point in the narrative, giving us a full hour to endure the tourists partying, talking, flirting with each other, passing out, arguing, walking, being lost, and taking their shirts off. It's a 95-minute movie in which 50 minutes are padding.

The screenplay (by previously uncredited writer Michael Ross) further errs by including scenes with the villains as they plot to abduct the tourists. By giving the audience information that the main characters aren't privy to, much of the mystery and suspense is lost. It would be better if we had no idea what was in store, rather than being teased with it. This is especially true since what we're teased with -- rampant bloody mayhem and terror -- never actually materializes.

The movie is what it is. The question is, is it good at being what it is? And the answer is no. I never thought I'd complain that a movie wasn't violent and awful enough, but when a film sets out to be violent and awful, it really ought to follow through..

VAN WILDER 2 DVD TALK REVIEW

Sometimes you really can judge a book by its cover. "National Lampoon's Van Wilder 2: The Rise of Taj" is a movie we can pretty much review based on its title alone. The "National Lampoon" part means it will be awful, as everything released under that label since "Christmas Vacation" (in 1989!) has totally blown. The fact that it's a sequel to 2002's "Van Wilder" is another gloomy sign, since sequels to bad movies are usually just as bad, if not worse. And "The Rise of Taj" hints that this sequel is focusing on a minor character from the first movie -- another harbinger of doom. (Imagine "Superman II: The Adventures of Jimmy Olsen" or "Toy Story II: The Wrath of Little Bo Peep.")

Sure enough, "The Rise of Taj" is worthless, a completely desperate and mindless exercise in juvenility. I was a little surprised, though, at how lackadaisical it is. It's listless and lethargic. You can usually count on these things to at least be lively and madcap, if not actually entertaining. But this one goes for long stretches without even TRYING to be funny, apparently content to let its half-baked characters wander around unsupervised while the audience waits impatiently for the next sperm joke.

Taj (Kal Penn), an Indian-American student, was a protege of supreme slacker Van Wilder back at Coolidge College in the first "Van Wilder" film. Van (played by Ryan Reynolds in the original) does not appear in the sequel, but his wisdom is often referred to. Taj is now a grad student at England's Camford University, where he's been made R.A. at a ramshackle residence hall known as the Barn. There are just four students under his tutelage: Seamus (Glen Barry) the angry Irish kid, Gethin (Anthony Cozens) the nerd, Simon (Steven Rathman) the silent video-gamer, and Sadie (Holly Davidson) the cockney tramp. They are all desperately in need of help in becoming cool and confident, so it's Van Wilder to the rescue! Er, Van Wilder, as learned and now repeated by Taj!

There's a snooty fraternity called the Fox & Hounds, led by smarmy jerk Pipp Everett (Daniel Percival), and they intend to humiliate Taj's house in the school-wide Hastings Cup competition. Wouldn't you know it, Pipp's girlfriend, Charlotte (Lauren Cohan), starts to fall for Taj, which makes the rivalry even more fierce. And wouldn't you know it, Taj has a few tricks up his sleeve to cut those pompous Fox & Hound twits down to size!! Ha-ha!

The film was directed by Mort Nathan, a hack writer whose only prior directing credit was -- shudder -- "Boat Trip." Surely no person who endured that disaster can enter "The Rise of Taj" without trepidation. He did not write "The Rise of Taj," however; those honors went to one Drew David Gallagher, a sometime-actor with no previous writing experience who evidently penned this screenplay as part of a contest to see how many euphemisms he could think of for female genitalia. (Answer: more than a dozen, but I lost count.)

I laughed not once during the film. I may have winced audibly once or twice, though, particularly during the scene (ripped off from the first "Van Wilder") in which a dog's sexual behavior is graphically depicted. That's the one moment that actually pushes the envelope. The rest of the movie just draws pictures of boobies on the envelope and tries to pass it off as comedy.