TV DVD Review: "Power Rangers: Ninja Storm": The Complete Series

Synopsis: Tori, Shane, and Dustin are three normal teenagers with a penchant for extreme sports, and who also attend a dojo.  One day, when they're late to their karate class, they find that aliens have destroyed the dojo, captured all the other ninjas, and their sensei has been turned into a guinea pig.  With the help of his son, Cam, the sensei bestows on them ancient powers; they are now the Power Rangers! The evil alien Lothor and his allies will stop at nothing to overtake Earth; will the combined powers of the three Rangers be enough to save our planet?
As seen on ABC, ABC Family, and Jetix.

The Good: The Power Rangers almost always deliver good, clean fun, and that's what you get here.  Tori, Shane, and Dustin are likable characters, as are their various allies; Lothor and his goons are utterly despicable.  The action sequences are spot-on, and the special effects were great.

The Bad: The downsides are minor, but, still present.  First off, I didn't like the fact that Tori was the only female Ranger.  Second off, though she was cute, Tori could be a bit annoying.  Third off, the finale was a bit anticlimactic.  Lastly, the wardrobe of both Tori and other female characters could have been a bit more modest; it seems like they were trying to make her eye candy for young males watching this, which isn't right.

Conclusion: Ever since giving the original Mighty Morphin Power Rangers a whirl a few years ago, I have been watching one episode after another of the Rangers.  It was actually my personal goal to get through both this season and the Time Force one, as well as A.D.: The Bible Continues, this month; I finished with a day to spare.  Since I haven't seen anywhere near all the seasons, I can't comment as to where this ranks among the others; what I can say is that, despite its flaws, I found it to be fun and entertaining.  What more can you expect from a kiddie superhero series?

Score: 4/5

DVD Review: "Laughter from the Rafters"

Synopsis: Christian comedian Dennis Swanberg has a gift of humor and a heart for God.  He'll both entertain you and make you think.  Between his stories about both his own kids and other children he has known throughout his time in the church, telling about his parents, and his uncanny imitations of celebrities of yesteryear, "The Swan" will have you smiling...and pondering!
Filmed live in Norfolk, Virginia.

The Good: I grew up on Christian comedy; I'm one of the few people I know of--both inside and outside the church--who has any idea who Mark Lowry, Dennis Swanberg, or Taylor Mason even are.  So, as both a follower of the Way and a lover of morally positive entertainment, you'd probably think I'd like this...and, I pretty much did.  "The Swan" definitely has a gift, and it's great to see him using it for the Lord.  His impersonations are spot-on; close your eyes and see if you don't see Ronald Reagan or Jimmy Stewart talking!

The Bad: Minor complaints here: Mr. Swanberg repeats himself a little bit, though not as badly as in some of his other comedy DVDs.  Also, a lack of closed captions or subtitles may frustrate deaf or hard-of-hearing viewers.  The video quality could have used some remastering, though "The Swan" is so entertaining, most viewers won't care.

Conclusion: Fans of Christian comedy, rejoice! Dennis Swanberg hits it out of the park with this one.  Saying more would ruin the fun, so, I'll just say: If you like clean, uplifting comedy, and you see this DVD somewhere, grab it and don't let it go.

Score: 4.5/5

Movie Review: "Raise Your Voice"

Synopsis: Teresa "Terri" Fletcher (Hilary Duff, Lizzie McGuire) has a talent for singing.  Her brother knows it better than anyone else, and sends a DVD about her to a summer program at a prestigious music school...just before being killed in a drunk driving accident on the way back from a concert Terri invited him to.  Terri is devastated, and blames herself...but, soon gets an acceptance letter from the music school! While she would love to attend, her uptight father doesn't want her moving to L.A., so, her mother (Rita Wilson, Jingle All the Way) hatches a scheme for Terri to go to the school, while duping Daddy-O into thinking his daughter is staying with her aunt.  Terri has a blast at the school...but, the recent tragedy is still fresh on her mind.  Will she be able to overcome it, and win the much-sought-after scholarship prize?
From Brookwell McNamara Entertainment (That's So Raven, Soul Surfer).

The Good: First and foremost, I must say that the musical numbers were outstanding; these young stars have some amazing musical talent! Between the singing, the piano playing, and the drumming, this movie is a feast for the ears! Don't ever watch this on mute! It's also great to see a mainstream film--especially one featuring a then-"it" girl like Hilary Duff--showcase the Christian faith; Terri and her family are seen in church on multiple occasions, and, at the school, they do a choral performance of the "Hallelujah Chorus".  The whole cast does well in their roles, and the plot kept me involved.

The Bad: The profanity was a bit excessive; though I expected an expletive or two, there were too many d-words, misuses of God's name, and crude euphemisms like "screw," some of which came from Christian characters.  Some female characters' outfits, including Terri's, can be immodest, and one kid at the school gets drunk.  However, the biggest qualm comes from the situational ethics featured: Were Terri and her mother right in duping her father about the whole thing? Sure, he comes off as a jerk for most of the film...but, does that make the deceit okay? Some discerning viewers, especially parents of disobedient children, may take issue with that.

Conclusion: Despite being a huge Hilary Duff fanatic from 2002 to 2005, this is my first time seeing this film; I have no idea why I never got around to watching it back in the day.  Frankly, I'm not sure I would have enjoyed it for the right reasons back then; when I watched it earlier this week, I mostly did...but, I can see why some people had qualms with it.  Sure, it wasn't a chore to watch like The Lizzie McGuire Movie, and didn't have the crudity of Agent Cody Banks, and gave Hilary more screen time than Cheaper By the Dozen...but, it still had its issues.  Still, I have to agree with the critic who said that this is Ms. Duff's best film...but, that's not saying much; nothing she could ever do will ever top Lizzie McGuire.

Score: 3.5/5

Movie Review: "Me & You, Us, Forever"

Synopsis: After his divorce, Dave is heartbroken...until he remembers Mary, his high school sweetheart, who he broke things off with thirty years ago, which he seriously regrets now.  He decides to fly to New York to visit her, against the wishes of his friends--co-worker Paul, secretary Sue, and new friend and fellow divorcée Carla--who warn him that he shouldn't be visiting someone else's wife, even if they were an item back in the day.  Will Dave succeed in meeting his old flame? If he does, what will she say?
Based on a true story.

The Good: In this social media generation, this actually makes a great point: Reconnecting with old flames when they and/or you are married is a bad idea! Dave's friends actually give him wise counsel; something we need more of in this time of tawdry affairs and rampant adultery.

The Bad: If only he followed it.  If Dave is based on a real person, I hope I never meet him; his interaction with Mary comes off as creepy and disturbing.  You wonder why Mary didn't just ask him to leave, or why she even invited him in while her husband was apparently out of the house.  I can imagine those who make fun of Christian movies would have a field day with this.

Conclusion: Despite the drubbing it tends to get, I'm a fan of the Christian film genre.  When done right--Jonah: A VeggieTales Movie, Do You Believe?, Courageous, etc.--it can be a treat.  However, sometimes, the filmmakers, despite their best efforts, get it wrong; such was the case with Hollow, The List, and especially C Me Dance, by far the worst movie I've ever seen within the genre.  Me & You, Us, Forever doesn't rob that flick of its title...but, it's still pretty dreadful.  This may be a true story, but, it's not one that needs to be told.  Fans of "inspirational" movies can do better...much better!

Score: 1.5/5

Movie Review: "A Cinderella Story: If the Shoe Fits"

Synopsis: Tessa (Disney Channel star Sofia Carson) is a young woman with big dreams; she wants to be the star of her own musical.  However, after the death of her father, she is stuck being a slave to her wicked stepmother (Jennifer Tilly) and annoying stepsisters.  When Tessa's unfortunate family members get a VIP stay at a hotel, and a chance to star in a production of Cinderella with British singing sensation Reed West (Thomas Law), she knows this is her chance...but, her stepmother would never allow her to audition! With the help of a makeup artist, Tessa disguises herself as Bella, auditions for the play, and becomes Reed's leading lady! However, with her stepmother and stepsisters watching her every move, the facade is going to be hard to keep up.  Will she win Reed's heart and make it to stardom?

The Good: Despite this being the fourth installment in a largely direct-to-video series, I found it to be rather enjoyable.  Tessa is a likable heroine, and her stepmother and stepsisters are appropriately despicable.  The musical numbers were great, and the performances were outstanding, especially from leading lady Sofia Carson.  Sure, the wicked stepmother and stepsisters were a bit over-the-top at times, but, that lends to the humor of the film.

The Bad: Like many live-action "PG" films intended for the Disney Channel audience, this movie suffers from a bit of a wardrobe problem.  Tessa's clothes stay pretty modest, but, other women, especially the rather buxom wicked stepmother, show more skin than some discerning viewers would like, and could serve as inappropriate eye candy for males that happen to be watching.  Adding to that aspect is the fact that the aforementioned stepparent wears gaudy jewelry that says "SEXY" on it.  Also--and this is a spoiler, so, be warned!--the ending just shows Tessa and Reed jetting off into the sunset; him saying, "Where do you want to go?", and her replying with "Everywhere!" Though intended to be a happy ending, that smacks too much of an illicit relationship; couldn't they have at least gotten engaged by the time the credits rolled?

Conclusion: Until they make another one--and, knowing Tinseltown, they probably will--I can now say that I have seen all of the Cinderella Story movies.  It started as a theatrically released film starring Hilary Duff; later Cinderellas have been Selena Gomez, Lucy Hale, and, now, Sofia Carson.  I was interested to see this film because of Ms. Carson's performance in the Disney Channel Original Movies (DCOMs for short) Adventures in Babysitting and Descendants, in both of which she was excellent.  This is a much different role, but, she does it very well.  However, unless you're fanatical about this film's star, I don't think this is worth watching again and again.  It was fun for what it was, but, it's not likely to be remembered in the years to come, and the trouble spots muddled things for me a bit.  If you love Disney-Channel-esque productions, give this a rental; everyone else should probably find something else to watch.

Score: 3.5/5

Movie Review: "Scooby-Doo!: Wrestlemania Mystery"

Synopsis: After Scooby-Doo earns a perfect score in his and Shaggy's WWE video game, the Mystery, Inc., gang is headed to WWE City, where it's all World Wrestling Entertainment, all the time! Unfortunately, their fun is cut short by the Ghost Bear, a large creature that is bent on destroying the city and the WWE franchise.  It's up to Scooby and the gang to figure out who's behind it and why.  The stars of WWE are more than willing to lend a hand...but, even with their combined strength, this mystery may be too much for them to handle.
Features the voice of Matthew Lillard, who portrayed Shaggy in the theatrical live-action Scooby-Doo films.

The Good: As a longtime fan of that insane Great Dane, how could I not enjoy this? At its core, it was a great whodunit with plenty of action and a convoluted plot.  The voice actors all did pretty well, though Matthew Lillard is no Casey Kasem.  I found the animation enthralling; it blended traditional hand-drawn animation with computer-generated graphics, and did so quite well.  The usual clean content--no sex, no profanity, etc.--was a plus.

The Bad: Unfortunately, the focus on wrestling made this discerning viewer uncomfortable.  Between the intense violence during the matches, the objectification of the women, and the basis around a "sport" that is well-known to be fake, it didn't fit too well with the things for which Scooby-Doo is known.  Also, some scary moments, including a flashback montage with implied violence, may be too much for some kids.

Conclusion: When I was in sixth grade, my two favorite things in the entire universe were Scooby-Doo and Pokémon.  Even though they're from completely different planets, I combined them, such as drawing Fred, Velma, and Daphne being Pokémon trainers, or doodling the "pocket monsters" beating up on the Mystery, Inc., gang.  Looking back, I agree with the people who said that was an odd pairing...but, so is this movie.  If you're a fan of both franchises, you'll have a blast with this; however, for those who are only keen on one or the other, this is a mixture that won't gel too well.

Score: 3/5

Movie Review: "Run On"

Synopsis: David A.R. White, Tommy Blaze, and Brad Stine.  You've probably heard of them before, but do you know their stories? In this live stand-up performance, watch as Mr. White tells of finding his way in Hollywood, Mr. Blaze recalls a divorce that was providentially hindered, and Mr. Stine shares his Jonah moment.
A live recording.  From Pure Flix, the studio behind Jerusalem Countdown, The Book of Daniel, and the God's Not Dead movies.

The Good: The stories contained withing this live recording are very touching.  Funny at times, heartbreaking at others, this one will definitely touch your soul! All of the performers are entertaining, and it features great use of the old song "Run On for a Long Time".

The Bad: As good as this is, I do have some complaints.  The biggest one is that Mr. Blaze uses the term "pi--y" twice, which will likely make some discerning viewers uncomfortable.  Occasional mild crude humor is present as well.  There's a scene where a phone rings, but the woman holding it looks like some sort of Goth girl, which was just weird.  Also, deaf or hard-of-hearing viewers, take note: The closed captions don't match up at all, and the subtitles have some weird errors, such as saying "&j" instead of a musical note.

Conclusion: I'm a longtime fan of Christian comedy; I grew up hearing performances by Mark Lowry and Dennis Swanberg.  Unfortunately, sometimes, entries in that genre veer into crude territory, which was the case with Thou Shalt Laugh 3.  (If you think it's okay for Christian comedy to be that way, I suggest you read Ephesians 5:4.)  While this wasn't as dirty as that, it had some moments that I think some Christians, especially older folks, may find uncomfortable.  So, you'll probably want to screen this before showing it at a church movie night or to your parents or grandparents.  It's a shame, because these stories need to be heard.

Score: 3/5